Douglas Ragan has worked in youth development with NGOs, local and national governments and the United Nations for the past 25 years. Currently he is the Unit Leader for Youth and Livelihoods for UN-Habitat, managing UN-Habitat’s Global portfolio on youth development in over 75 developing countries. The programmes focus on urban youth development, including youth employment, governance and participation. He manages three flagship youth programmes for UN-Habitat: the Urban Youth Fund, Youth 21 initiative and the One Stop Youth Resource Centres. Douglas has authored and co-authored a number of research and policy publications on urban youth issues faced by marginalized young people in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Doug holds a Bachelors Degree in Latin American Studies, a Masters Degree in Management for the Voluntary Sector and is currently working undertaking a PhD in urban planning, with a focus on youth-led organizations in slums.

Heike Mayer is professor of economic geography at the University of Bern in Switzerland and an adjunct professor in urban affairs and planning at Virginia Tech in the United States. She also serves as deputy director of the Center for Regional Economic Development at the University of Bern. Her research is in local and regional economic development with a particular focus on dynamics of innovation and entrepreneurship, place making and sustainability.

He is Innovative, Development and passion driven Strategist with extensive experience directing spectacular projects and idealizing breath taking designs, meticulous record keeper and information processor, managing and implementing planning strategies and measuring results across borders.

He brings to the table a strong network of global partners that have changed the narrative of how 21st century’s designs, urban planning and development are implemented.

Mr. Olatunji is an accomplished executive with domestic and international experience in operations, industrial design, product design, program design, structural design, project management and nation building. He’s results-oriented, decisive leader with proven success in new market identification and strategic positioning for several multimillion-dollar projects executed.

An administrator, representative and member of several organizations in Nigeria, Africa, Asia and Europe with over fifteen years’ experience, providing wide range of administrative services and advice to individuals, institutions and governments. Mr. Olatunji has a flair for public administration and had been involved in the last five years advocating for smart cities investments across Africa as a catalyst for regional economic development.

Member of Led NGO’s in West Africa to Flag Off successful signature campaign for debt amnesty for Nigeria and other member states at ECOWAS Heads of State summit in January, 2005.

Member of organizing committee on African Ambassadors interactive forum since 2004 - Public Policy Forum that affords African Ambassadors a platform for the Cross Fertilization of ideas, and exploration of frameworks in tackling problems that are peculiarly African and therefore require creative African solutions.

Member of organizing committee on the lunch of the African Third Sector Roundtable in collaboration with Christian Aid U.K. in June 2005 resulting in the “Training the Trainers Conference” for some NGO Leaders in Africa.

Mr. Olatunji had served as Head of Secretariat at the African Union ECOSOCC, 2014 to 2019, and now the President/Founder African Smart Cities Innovation Foundation (ASCIF).

 He holds’ First and Second degrees in Public Administration from the University of Abuja, Nigeria, participated in several international conferences, seminars and workshops within and outside Africa continent

René Véron is professor of social geography with primary interests in the field of development studies. His research addresses issues of urban environmental governance in the global South with a regional specialization on India, where he has been involved in international collaborations since 1994. Currently, he is mainly interested in exploring political and social processes related to urban environmental services, including water supply, sanitation and solid waste management, using an urban political ecology approach. Many of his research projects are policy-oriented and include the communication of findings to wider audiences. 

In terms of teaching, René Véron has taught courses on human geography, development studies, urban studies and political ecology, and he has supervised PhD students in the field of development geography.

Douglas Ragan has worked in youth development with NGOs, local and national governments and the United Nations for the past 25 years. Currently he is the Unit Leader for Youth and Livelihoods for UN-Habitat, managing UN-Habitat’s Global portfolio on youth development in over 75 developing countries. The programmes focus on urban youth development, including youth employment, governance and participation. He manages three flagship youth programmes for UN-Habitat: the Urban Youth Fund, Youth 21 initiative and the One Stop Youth Resource Centres. Douglas has authored and co-authored a number of research and policy publications on urban youth issues faced by marginalized young people in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Latin America. Doug holds a Bachelors Degree in Latin American Studies, a Masters Degree in Management for the Voluntary Sector and is currently working undertaking a PhD in urban planning, with a focus on youth-led organizations in slums.

It is a deep love for community, peace and inclusive dialogue that inspires Nilusha Premasinghe to continue to work for the YMCA of Simcoe Muskoka – Collingwood YMCA. She brings with her lived experience from a second world country and the journey of being a new comer to Canada which guides and informs her perspectives. Cuntural Travels to Sierra Leon with a YMCA youth group was an enriching life learning moment. Having worked for many years as a collaborative partner with Universities (research projects) our local hospital, health team, community partners and municipalities she is able to work with multiple stakeholders to benefit the community.

Jennifer Parker works with the Town of Collingwood as the Coordinator of Community Well-being & Inclusion and as community partner with organizations across the region. She sits on various boards and facilitates a range of committees. Over her professional career she has worked in the fields of community development, health promotion, research and education. Jennifer has been fortunate to work across Canada and globally, in schools, at the community level and with municipal/regional government. Jennifer is passionate about community-building, connected and inclusive places to live and meeting the needs of community members across the municipality.

- Graduate of McMaster University

- Ecclectic background ranging from hospitality, events, and sport management to municipal oversight of Parks, Recreation, and Culture for the past nine years

- I’ve been the Director of Parks, Recreation, & Culture in Collingwood for 7 years

- My department looks after 300 acres of parkland, almost 70kms of trails, all outdoor sports fields, recreation facilities, playgrounds, all indoor recreation facilities, the harbour and boat facilities, special events, cultural activity, support for the arts, community recreation and, in more recent times, a mandate for cultural and social inclusion as well as barrier removal and accessibility.

- I’m 51 years old and live in Collingwood with my wife and three children who range in age from nearly 11, to 20 years old.

As a pioneer Catherine has broken through a number of glass ceilings – initially a woman in information technology, an entrepreneur co-founding three businesses and sitting at boardroom tables as a consultant and adviser.  Her leadership, strategic thinking and execution intent is what helps those she works with to implement desired actions. 

Today Catherine’s focus is community and non-profit work in the South Georgian Bay region. She is a co-founder and member of the leadership team for Collingwood Climate Action Team and 100 Women Who Care South Georgian Triangle and a chair of the Sustainable Future Design Team for the Institute of South Georgian Bay. 

Catherine is an avid outdoors person with a high degree of risk and adventurist spirit – both on land and water. Some of her best ideas have come through experiences in nature and she brings that element of open thinking to everything she does.