Giorgos Chatzinakos

Dr Giorgos Chatzinakos is a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Thessaly and a member of the environmental NGO Callisto. He studied Political Science and Public Administration at the University of Athens and holds an interdisciplinary MA in European Urban Cultures (Vrije University of Brussels, Tilburg University, Manchester Metropolitan University, Estonian Academy of Arts).
He received his PhD from Manchester Metropolitan University with a focus on the everyday and cultural life of the suburbs. His current research and applied work focus on participatory governance, convivial conservation, and socially just ecological transitions in rural and mountainous regions.
Giorgos has led stakeholder engagement and co-creation processes in several EU-funded projects, including LIFE ARCPROM, LIFE BEAR SMART CORRIDORS, and LIFE WILD WOLF.
He is currently exploring Smart Villages as frameworks for integrated biodiversity protection, rural revitalisation, and commons-based development. His work emphasises the role of local communities in shaping resilient and democratic pathways toward sustainability.

LinkedIn: Giorgos Chatzinakos

Sofia Santos Nunes is, currently, a PhD researcher at Faculty of Medicine, McGill University in Montreal, Canada. Her research topics focuses on enhancing access and quality of healthcare services for migrant older populations through the use of social robotics and participatory approaches to technology. She has recently been a project officer at Social Services Europe responsible for the Care4Skills project and at AGE Platform Europe responsible for, among others, the Laurel project.
Sofia has a background in Clinical and Social Psychology with an experience of 7 years working in European and community-based projects in Belgium, Portugal, Spain and Colombia in the fields of healthcare, mental health promotion and ethical development of artificial intelligence.
In 2020, she was closed involved in the project of developing a social village in Penela, Portugal, as part of the ‘smart village living lab’ strategy/membership of European Network of Living Labs and implementing technology-based projects with older people in a care service provider in Extremadura, rural Spain.

LinkedIn: Sofia Santos Nunes

Konstantinos Papadakis is a specialist in social economy and rural development with extensive experience in EU policy and grassroots innovation. He serves as Vice-Chair for EU & International Policies at PASE KALO, and is the Chairman of both the Social Economy Union of Crete (CretanSCENT) and AgroID Social Cooperative Enterprise (SCE), which focuses on rural revitalisation and the twin digital and green transition for rural areas.
Mr. Papadakis is a member of the European Commission’s GECES expert group (DG EMPL) and member of the Greek Ministry of Agriculture’s SP CAP Monitoring Committee and the Region of Crete’s Monitoring Committee for the Regional Operational Program “Crete” 2021-2027, advising on social economy and social innovation.
He also acts as an Ambassador of the EU’s Social Economy Platform (DG GROW). His work bridges local engagement with European-level strategy, promoting and advocating for inclusive development, social entrepreneurship, and non-disruptive innovative approaches for empowering and building resilient and smart communities.

LinkedIn: Konstantinos Papadakis

Mathias Maucher has more than 20 years of experience in the fields of social services, health care, social and labour market inclusion, poverty and social exclusion, vocational education and training/skills and occupational safety and health. Since 2021, he works as (part-time) Policy and Project Coordinator for Social Services Europe (SSE).
Previously, he has held different positions with EU-level networks of NGOs (EPR; EAPN; Solidar) and a European Trade Union Confederation (EPSU) and before in Germany in social policy research and as policy consultant (from 1996 to 2007).
Since 2023, he is a (part-time) independent researcher. He has been involved in studies and projects in the fields of state aid, socially responsible public procurement, health and safety at the workplace, social economy, and use of EU Funds (ESF+ & ERDF) in the field of social services.

LinkedIn: Mathias Maucher

Ecehan Balta is a sociologist and political scientist with extensive experience in labour rights, gender equality, and rural and local development. She has worked for over 25 years as a consultant for international organisations including the ILO and UNICEF, specialising in social policy, inclusive training programmes, and social impact assessments.
A founding member of Yerküre Local Studies Cooperative, she leads research and education projects that centre climate justice, rural social movements, and community resilience. Her work bridges academic insight and grassroots activism, particularly in contexts of ecological transformation and feminist economic critique. She has authored widely on social reproduction, environmental justice, and the political economy of care.
As a member of the INSPIRE Advisory Board, she contributes expertise on participatory methodologies and transformative rural development to support the project’s aims for equitable and sustainable social innovation.

LinkedIn: Ecehan Balta, PhD.