ESSC 2022 – Page 3

PETRA LOTZKAT

Holding a Master degree in Economics and with 25 years of experience in strategic human resources management for the public administration of Hamburg, including as CEO of the Hamburg Centre for Education and Further Education, Petra Lotzkat joined the Hamburg Ministry of Social Affairs in 2012. As its Director General for Labour and Integration as well as head of the ESF-Managing Authority within the Ministry she put special emphasize on strategic measures to secure skilled workforce, to raise youth employment and to improve the work and integration of refugees. Petra Lotzkat was appointed State Secretary in October 2018. Since 2020, her work has been significantly impacted by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, and currently by the war in Ukraine and Hamburg’s support of war refugees.

Katarina Ivanković-Knežević

Katarina Ivanković-Knežević holds a degree from the Faculty of Law, University of Zagreb and has a number of years of relevant experience in the Government of the Republic of Croatia. She also worked in the Ministry of Economy, Labour and Entrepreneurship as Director and Head of Department for the Preparation and Management of EU programmes and projects.

CHRISTIAN FILLET

Christian Fillet was elected as Chair of the European Social Network (ESN) in 2015. Prior to that he was ESN Treasurer for six years and Vice-Chair for the previous four years. He is the Director of social and health services for the City of Bruges in Belgium and also member of the board of the Flemish Directors Association (VVOS). Christian specializes in non-profit management, accounting, and social law.

ALFONSO LARA MONTERO

Alfonso Lara Montero is the Chief Executive Officer of the European Social Network (ESN), from social services organisations in national, regional and local authorities responsible for the design and delivery of public social services in 33 countries. Working closely with them, ESN promotes social inclusion and better life chances through the delivery of quality social services.

Alfonso has been leading ESN’s policy, practice, and research programme for the past five years, leading its thematic work on mental health, children’s services, integrated services and evidence-based social services. He has authored and co-authored several publications on social services, such as “Investing in children’s services’, “Integrated social services in Europe’, “Investing in the social services workforce’, and the “Toolkit for planning and evaluating social services”. Alfonso is a regular contributor to academic journals, newspapers, and specialist social services magazines. Alfonso holds a BA in modern languages from the University of Granada, an MA in European governance from the College of Europe, an MSc in public policy from University College London, and an MSc in executive management of international associations from Brussels Solvay Business School.