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Our Speakers


Our events feature an exceptional lineup of speakers who are specialists in their respective domains, dedicated to motivating and inspiring women from all walks of life. From well-being experts and work coaches to recruiters, counselors, ministers, business owners, and entrepreneurs, our speakers bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to the stage. They are passionate about empowering women, guiding them through challenges, and helping them unlock their full potential. Each speaker brings a unique perspective and a powerful message that resonates deeply with our audience. Prepare to be inspired, uplifted, and equipped with valuable insights to navigate your personal and professional journey with confidence and success.

Meet Our Speakers

Business Coach, Trainer and Podcast Host

Dursun Halimova

Dursun is a business coach dedicated to helping first-time female founders build entrepreneurial confidence. She supports her clients in taking calculated risks, strengthening emotional resilience, and improving execution to succeed as business owners. Dursun also hosts Inside Story of Building Businesses, a bi-weekly podcast where she interviews diverse entrepreneurs about the challenges and triumphs of their journeys. The show highlights the often misunderstood or underestimated aspects of building a business. More info:https://www.linkedin.com/in/dursunhalimova/.

Pain Therapist, Somatic Bodywork Practitioner, Entrepreneur

Iryna Sagaidak

Iryna is a compassionate pain therapist and somatic bodywork specialist dedicated to helping people overcome chronic pain, stress, and movement limitations through a holistic mind-body approach. Passionate about the nervous system’s neuroplasticity—the ability to adapt and change at any age—she draws on her expertise in the Feldenkrais Method and pain therapy to support meaningful, lasting change and greater well-being. She helps clients reconnect with their bodies, break free from chronic pain, and rediscover ease, confidence, and balance in their lives. Iryna practices individual work in Luxembourg-Cents and teaches weekly group classes in Gonderange.

More info: www.facebook.com/iryna.sagaidak.

Innovative learning designer

Sophie Le Dorner

Sophie transforms educational and corporate environments, shifting from traditional lecturing to agile, empowering dynamic solutions that foster trust and inspire sustainable actions. Her vision is to spark a widespread movement to transform dynamics, empower growth, and flourish together:
At Work: Enhance team cohesion with agile dynamics and lasting, impactful interactions.
At School: Design engaging learning environments that inspire both students and teachers.
At Home: Foster positive joyful learning experiences for parents and children alike.
If you need someone to redesign your onboarding sessions to boost integration dynamics, facilitate new team dynamics to foster positive leadership, or create an engaging and dynamic learning process when learners need to transition, she will be very happy to be by your side to bring on some dynamic change.
More info:  https://www.sophieledorner.com/en.

Human Relationships & Sustainable Leadership Specialist

Marise Hyman

Marise comes from sunny South Africa. She is a Human Relationship & Sustainable Leadership Specialist using embodiment & Feminine wisdom to foster regenerative Self-Leadership, leading ourselves and others at work, at home, at school and in cultural community building. Passionate about early life relationship experiences and the impact on lifelong human behaviour, as trauma-specialised Preconception to Parent Doula, she empowers families from the inside out.
Guided dance as well as intuitive dance and movement form a key part of her work, building bridges between body, mind and each other through the UN’s Global Inner Development Goals (“IDG”) for sustainable and peaceful People and Planet with Prosperity.
More info: www.marisehyman.com.

COMMUNICATIONS DIRECTOR

Severina Losch

Severina is the Communications Director at The Network and the guide through our Neurodiversity event.

 In her recent journey, she discovered her neurodivergent identity with diagnoses of ADHD, a high IQ, and ongoing assessments for Autism.

As a late-diagnosed neurodivergent woman, her personal evolution has been profound—from navigating the challenges of a neurotypical world to embracing and excelling as a high-functioning neurodivergent individual. Neurodiversity has become her passion, in neurodivergent terms, her hyperfixation that fuels her commitment to understanding and advocating for the neurodivergent experience.

NEUROFEEDBACK LUXEMBOURG

Mélanie Schmaltz

In 2022, at the age of 27yo, Mélanie discovered that she had ADHD with severe Dyscalculia since childhood. Despite these disorders that shee didn’t know she had, she had successfully completed a Scientific Baccalaureate and a math-filled Neuropsychology master degree. She never lets anyone tell her what she can and cannot do! This is her mantra: “If you decide to, nothing can stop you. And your difficulties can become a strength”. It is all those experiences and life events that have made her so passionate about her work today and allow her to help people everyday.

ADHD COACH

Antonia Quinton

Antonia consults on all things neurodiverse, specialising in ADHD. Luxembourg’s neurodiverse scene is very different and Antonia is able to guide individuals around. Antonia does various things, from managing an online group with over 250 members, meeting medical professionals to discuss their work, coaching individuals and talking on panels. Antonia has also created and provided a workshop and is in the process of creating a digital programme

NEURODIVERGENT INNOVATOR

Suzanne Balko

She have a PhD in Materials Science and Engineering and a BSE in Chemical Engineering. Through her experience, she has learned that her neurodifferences are a big reason why she is a creative problem solver. Either professionally or personally, it is her natural tendency to let her mind find connections or “free associate” to ideas and possibilities that aren’t necessarily at first glance obvious to others. This tendency has been passed on to her children which makes Suzanne a neurdivergent mom of neurodivergent children.

FONDATION AUTISME LUXEMBRG.

Sabrina Aristei

Sabrina has a background in cognitive neuroscience in which she earned her PhD. She has conducted research in that field for over a decade at different universities in Europe, including the Humboldt University in Berlin, and collaborated with various international experts. Since 2021 she is joined the FAL and its interdisciplinary teams for diagnostic assessment and support to persons on the autism spectrum. She draws on her background and her training in cognitive behavioral therapies in the attempt to offer strategies to neurodivergent children and adults, helping them to embrace their strengths and to deal with the challenges in their environment.

Sophro-coaching

Laura Abbraciavento

Laura has 32 years of experience in the financial sector where she held the position of manager in different key departments for 17 years. Graduated in Sophrology since 2006, Laura supports and trains adults, children, adolescents as well as teams in the management of stress and emotions. Certified in professional coaching since 2019, she also supports individual clients in achieving their personal goals and intervenes in companies as a trainer and coach accompanying towards professional goals. As an active member of Mòrfo, a multidisciplinary network for prevention and treatment of burnout, she works to raise awareness about this still little-known and too often underestimated problem.

SOLU4CO

Catherine Henrotte

Catherine is a certified and accredited professional coach and trainer. She accompanies her clients in areas such as time and priority management, work organization, emotional intelligence in professional relationships, interpersonal communication, self-confidence and self-esteem, negotiation and argumentation techniques, ...
Using tools such as questioning, observation exercises, reflection and role-playing, she helps her clients take a step back, consider different options and develop effective action
plans. To prevent burnout, Catherine assists her clients from the very first symptoms, as well as after a period of sick leave, to prepare for a return to work. 

Aminvital

Christel Heintz

Passionate about food biochemistry and holder of a Diploma of University in micronutrition, Christel primarily focuses on the prevention of overall health and neuropsychic well-being. Her work involves assisting our physiology in functioning optimally by providing it with all the necessary elements for its optimum operation, including vitamins, trace elements, minerals, omega-3s and antioxidant. Christel aims to promote better resistance to stress. In collaboration with FUNMEDDEV (functional medicine development), she aspires to popularize micronutrition as a fundamental discipline. The goal is to prevent the depletion of our reserves and ultimately avoid burnout.

TIME FOR MINDFULNESS

Silvija Zadar

Silvija Žagar is a body-centered therapist and mindfulness coach, specializing in helping individuals navigate life's challenges through a holistic somatic approach. If traditional talk therapy hasn't yielded the results you're looking for, or if you're feeling stuck, this approach might be just what you need. Silvija’s mission is to guide you in reconnecting with yourself and skillfully managing anxiety, burnout, panic attacks, and trauma. As a wellbeing trainer, Silvija conducts resilience trainings for corporations and European institutions across the continent. Holding certifications as a mindfulness teacher, she empowers both adults and teenagers to improve emotional regulation, sharpen focus, and enjoy life by cultivating presence in every moment.

luxdates

Claudia Neumeister is a passionate and skilled matchmaker who transitioned her talent into a profession. With a background in Human Resources and a degree in Psychology, Claudia founded Luxdates in 2017 to create happy, loving couples through her personalized matchmaking services. She values discretion and confidentiality, knowing all her clients personally. Claudia also offers coaching as a Scientific Dating and Relationship Coach. In 2023, she published a valuable offline dating guide for men. If you’re ready to find your perfect partner and shape your ideal future, Claudia Neumeister is the expert to connect with.

Banking circle sa

Marianne Bernou

Marianne is French and has been working in Luxembourg for more than 17 years. After being a lawyer at the start of her career, Marianne turned to an inhouse role as legal counsel in a bank and joined the Ladies in Law Luxembourg Association in 2017 as an active board member where she has also been active as treasurer since 2020. In her free time, Marianne is passionate about psychology and the comprehension of the Human’s mind.

yogaloft

Laura Eyer

Laura Eyer is a seasoned expert with over two decades of experience in teaching simple and effective stress management techniques. As a yoga therapist, Laura specializes in assisting individuals dealing with burnout, panic attacks, and chronic pain. She holds qualifications in Stress Management and Wellness from South Dakota State University and is a certified 500-hour yoga instructor. Laura’s extensive expertise equips her to guide others towards a healthier, stress-free life.

Etude Durand, Hoffmann & Pietropaolo

Julie Durand is a highly accomplished legal professional with a remarkable journey in the Luxembourg legal sphere, founding her own law firm in 2019. Julie is not only a member of the Bar Council since September 2020 but is also actively involved in the family law commission. Julie is also deeply committed to various associations, including one dedicated to supporting children who have endured physical and psychological violence, such as sexual abuse. 

Eclats de voix

Anne-Claire Delval

Anne-Claire became a sophrologist 15 years ago. She combines her skills as a public speaking coach. As a communications professional, Anne-Claire handles communications for various organizations and companies. She co-wrote the biography of Norbert Friob – a major Luxembourg entrepreneur. She moderates panel discussions and events as master of ceremonies. After co-creating the ACCAM podcast, she is now producer and host of Éclats de Voix, the podcast that inspires people to speak out and gives a voice to all those who want to express themselves. 

Former Comm director

Latasha Baker

LaTasha D. Baker is The NETWORK’s former Communications Director, a role she held from 2020 until 2023. An American national, LaTasha is has served as a speech writer and policy advisor to two members of the United States Senate, a role where she gained broad experience in both national and international policies. As a communications professional, she has advised both private and public organizations on communication strategy and planning.

uk ambassador

Fleur Thomas

H. E. Fleur Thomas, UK Ambassador to Luxembourg will talk about “Women in Defense” She will explore the idea that defense is a place for women too. Our speaker will challenge gender norms and highlight the importance of women working in traditionally male-dominated fields. By being visible and excelling in these areas, they serve as powerful role models for future generations, inspiring them to pursue their ambitions fearlessly.

romanian ambassador

Alexandrina-Livia Rusu

H.E. Alexandrina-Livia Rusu, Ambassador of Romania to Luxembourg will share her views about “Diplomacy at feminine”. Drawing from her professional experience, our speaker will offer invaluable insights and stories about the role of women in diplomacy today, achievements and challenges for any new comer in such domain.

fRENCH AMBASSADOR 

Claire Lignieres-Counathe

H.E. Claire Lignieres-Counathe, Ambassador of France to Luxembourg will explore further the topic of “Women in Diplomacy and Politics”. She will reveal her personal journey of overcoming obstacles and building her path to leadership in the challenging field of diplomacy and politics.

Head of the EU Commission Representation

Anne Calteux

Mrs. Anne Calteux, Head of the EU Commission Representation in Luxembourg will delve into the European Union strategy for Equality and Equity and its potential to reshape the face of leadership, promoting diversity and inclusivity in diplomatic endeavors.

CEO & FOUNDER OF PROFERENS

After having spent her five first years of professional experience in external audits in BIG4, she decided to shift her career path and go for a more people-oriented profession. This is the reason why she entered the recruitment business. In 2020, she embraced the challenge of launching her own company in the pandemic period in order to reconcile her professional life with her family life and her values.

Camelia likes to bring people along, people that fit one with another and that have pleasure in working together. Finding the right person for the right job at the right moment brings her a lot of satisfaction.

anderson wise partner

Agnieszka is originally from Poland and she moved to Luxembourg in 2007. Now Partner at Anderson Wise, she has over a decade of experience in the Luxembourg recruitment market. Agnieszka excels in matching top-tier professionals in finance, accounting, tax, and legal fields with their ideal career paths. In addition to her professional activities, Agnieszka enjoys hiking and her notable personal accomplishments include completing a non-stop 100-kilometer trek for charitable causes.





founder of amrop

Gabriela’s experience spans across sectors and countries, as a Trusted Advisor for Boards, CEOs, and their executive teams. She is specialized in international Board and C-Suite executive searches and in Leadership Development (Leadership Assessment, Succession Planning, DE&I, and sustainability from a leadership perspective). She is the Senior Advisor of the EMEA Board of Women in Payments, a global network for women working in the payments industry.





founder of return2career

Her favourite motto is: “Dare to be Different”. Esther is a seasoned entrepreneur and international business leader. Clients hire her for her pragmatic, no-nonsense, and strong “can-do” mindset and style, her 30 years of managerial and business development experience, and her role as an expert in change management and innovation.


scientist recruiter at list


Carolina is Latin American at heart but a citizen of the world by conviction. She has over 15 years of diverse professional experience in Luxembourg. After becoming an Engineer, she pursued a master’s degree in Business and is now contributing to science by supporting the process of bringing talent to Luxembourg.




ENVIRONMENTAL POLICY ADVISOR

Linda is a municipal councillor for the city of Luxembourg, where her work focuses on environmental and energy-related matters. She graduated in Science for Sustainable Development and previously worked as assistant to MEP Claude Turmes and MEP Tilly Metz in the European Parliament. She is a convinced European and believes that European and local politics need to be tangible to encourage active citizenship and a smart and engaged European society.

CHARLOTTE IN RED

After having had the privilege to develop and implement Luxembourg’s national strategy in the field of biomedical life sciences, Patrizia decided to venture back into the private sector and use her international expertise to help start-ups to refine their strategic goals; but also to pursue her passion for the arts and create bridges between the entrepreneurial and the creative hemispheres. Currently Patrizia sits on several boards and advisory committees, with a particular focus on ESG related topics. She has recently co-founded Charlotte in Red, a platform which documents female artists, and more particularly artists who use their creative work to raise awareness about the urgency of achieving the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals by 2030.

CIELO TEAM

Her mission is to make the invisible visible through MarComs, because meaningful projects deserve to be known to Improve our lives. She has worked over almost 20 years in advertising and marketing field for B2C: FMCG, CPG, and the last 2 years B2B. She has develop her skills on account management, strategic development, 360 /integrated marketing campaigns creative direction and production, areas with great depth of knowledge and expertise. She has worked in Mexico, New York, and in Europe based in Luxembourg, always in an international environment, with diverse teams and partners worldwide. She is committed to using her experience and knowledge to help companies create a disruptive and successful MarComs strategy.

LOIC

Itzel started her career in entrepreneurship over 10 years ago, pioneering the start-up ecosystem in Latin America. She has supported hundreds of entrepreneurs in the early stages through different incubation, acceleration, and mentoring models. In Luxembourg, she kicked off the Luxembourg Open Innovation Club (LOIC) and launched the Business Mentoring Service at the University of Luxembourg. After becoming a mother, she got interested in redefining the rules of business creation in a way that truly honors women, our feminine nature, and family life. She now works at the intersection of business growth & personal growth in the conviction that it is who we are and not only what we do, that can truly change the world.

FrauenWirtschaftsNetzwerk

Simone Diensthuber

Simon has 20 years of work experience in different branches of social-service work. She is currently the managing director of a counseling and research institute in the employment market.

She is also a member of the „FrauenWirtschaftsNetzwerk“ – Women in Business Austria










any allergy food

Charlotte has a background in financial services, fintech, and it solutions provider. She also has extensive experience in international project management, global operations delivery management roles, and partner management. In 2017, Charlotte started Fintocat, which shifted from Fintech and technology space to mentoring and supporting entrepreneurs. She also founded "Any Allergy Food", she passionately helps people with food challenges and rediscovering the pleasure of food.





she_builds global initiative

Roberta is a marketing and communications professional who has worked in the Caribbean, United Kingdom, Belgium, and Luxembourg. She studied for her Bachelors in Media and Communications in Edinburgh, followed by a Masters at IHECS in Brussels, and moved to Luxembourg in 2018. Roberta is also an ambassador for She_Builds Global Initiative, an organization that actively invest in promoting entrepreneurial woman who is building ventures that address social, economic, and environmental challenges. Connecting them to resources, training, and funding to scale their ventures locally and globally.

microlux

She is the Communication Manager of Microlux first microfinance institution in Luxembourg who coaches and provides micro credits for entrepreneurs who don't have access to bank loans. Very much involved in the creation and development of a local, social Luxembourg-based company, she has a good understanding of the challenges that an entrepreneur has to face. Quyen also believes that microfinance is a powerful tool providing social impact by trusting in the economic empowerment capacities of the most vulnerable people. She works hard to contribute to making this impact stronger.

know thy brand

CEO and founder of KnowThyBrand Women, Giulia is a social entrepreneur and an advisor to organizations seeking strategic directions to grow in a constantly evolving business environment.


Bringing international experience and years of working with companies from the most diverse industries, Giulia focuses on branding, business culture, and inclusivity to help organizations stand out from the competition and acquire & retain clients and employees.




liser

Natalia is a researcher at the Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research, where she is investigating spatial inequalities in the city of Luxembourg. Natalia is looking at spatial inequalities at different scales of a city – that is, between cities within a country, within cities themselves, as a result of firm economic activity and its direct impact on society, such as the rise of populism.


Natalia also draws attention to how these inequalities persist over time and how history reproduces spatial divisions in Europe.


city counsellor

Maria Eduarda de Macedo left her home city Lisbon in the middle 80s to join the European Commission in Luxembourg where she worked for over three decades. A psychologist and a coach, with a wide range of interests and hobbies, she became a city counsellor in Luxembourg City just as she was about to retire with a view to have a quieter life and write a book. Her present endeavour: to help making of every resident a voter.




Minister of family & integration

In 2013, Corinne Cahen was elected to Parliament. She joined the government as Minister for Family Affairs and Integration, and as Minister for the Greater Region in the coalition government formed by the Democratic Party (DP), the Luxembourg Socialist Workers’ Party (LSAP) and the Green Party (déi gréng). In 2015, Corinne Cahen has assumed the role of chairwoman of the DP until June 2022. And in 2018, Corinne Cahen was re-elected as Minister for Family Affairs and Integration, and Minister for the Greater Region.

zortify

Sophia is a Human Experience Consultant, Keynote Speaker, and Certified Coach, with a passion for authenticity. She has twenty years of background in the financial industry and additional experience and certifications in behavioral analysis, effective communication and career coaching. With this unique combination of perspectives Sophia helps clients see the importance of cultivating natural strengths and individual values so that both employees and corporations can thrive and reach their highest potential and productivity.


Flow

Nora Schlesser is a Yoga Nidra teacher, a life coach for women over 40 and a creative dance educator. She provides trainings for more creativity and other personal development topics. A background in stress management and cognitive neuroscience showed her how important relaxation is for multiple processes in the body that impact the mind.

yogaloft.

Amélie Kuylenstierna

Amelie, co-owner of the Yogaloft. in Luxembourg, is a yoga teacher that specializes in yin yoga.
Yin Yoga is a practice of profound relaxation & deep tissue release. It's the harmonization of the mind and body and through its practice one can begin to integrate the benefits found on the mat into daily life.



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