THE HOSTING TEAM 2025
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Caroline RennieCaroline worked for decades using participatory practices to build community and collaboration in companies, supply chains, government, and communities of practice. My goal has been to help people improve their individual and collective situation, including the environment, society and non-human beings. I do this by working with groups to speak with intention, listen with attention, and reflect together on what they have heard. In this way changes, both subtle and obvious, manifest for the group as a whole. This often leads to change without pain: change for the better that is seldom noticed until attention is brought to it.
I am joining the team in Karlskrona this year because it combines the sustainability and participatory practices threads that carry through my life. I can't wait to be together in learning and exploration again! @rennierenewed |
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Melinda VarfiMelinda is a firm believer in the power of communities and harbors a passionate commitment to aiding their growth for the betterment of a regenerative society. With a diverse professional background spanning various sectors, from education to social impact, Melinda has discovered that sustainability resonates closest to her heart. She takes pleasure in actively engaging with people and facilitating meaningful conversations centered around their environment, both ecological and social. Melinda’s true passion lies in empowering individuals to recognize their own inherent power and take meaningful steps through participatory action to co-create the future that is wholesome.
As a fellow MSLSer, she cannot be grateful enough for what this transformative programme has given her and looking forward to host together with the Swedish land and the amazing team this ever growing learning field. Facebook |
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Emilia RekestadEmilia, who is based in Järna, Sweden, has a long experience working with learning processes for sustainability and regeneration. Folk High Schools/popular education have been a key foundation for this work, alongside the Swedish Transition and permaculture networks, academia, and cross-sector collaboration.
She often find herself in roles such as course leader, process facilitator, steward/host or garden enthusiast. And she often uses nature as a space for learning. One of her major interests is exploring what it means to “practice” sustainability on different levels – socially, ecologically, and culturally – where the shared learning process becomes a central enabler of co-creation. Art of Hosting has been a cornerstone of much of her work for more than 13 years, both locally and nationally, as well as in international collaboration projects. Through her role as a course leader for the course One Year in Transition, she initiated the start of an annual, open Art of Hosting training in Swedish in 2016, helping to broaden the AoH “Community of Practice” in Sweden. Facebook |
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Narayan SilvaNarayan Silva grew up in Brazil but sees himself as a global citizen, with a mixed blood and many years living in various countries in Asia, Europe and the Americas. He holds a MSc. in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability, and is guided by his passion to support people and organizations who want to realize their potential for creating positive impact. He experienced his 1st Art of Hosting training in Sweden in 2013, which had a huge impact in his work. Since then he has dedicated his life to this field, which has allowed him to host collaborative processes for numerous organizations around the world and from all sectors. He lived in Vietnam to co-lead Knowmads Hanoi before moving to Shanghai in 2018 to join the sustainability consulting agency Constellations as an associated partner. In China he works mostly with European multinationals with ambitious sustainability goals, Sino-European governmental partnerships and public institutions. Facebook / Instagram
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Trang NguyenTrang studied Software Engineering and Sustainability Leadership and has worked in diverse sectors including technology, marketing, education, human rights and organisational development.
She has 5 years of experience working with factory owners, managers and workers in Vietnam, co-creating space for collaboration and dialogue in their work processes, where people can feel safe to trust, prototype and make meaningful decisions on behalf of the whole. She also works with other international organisations and corporations in Vietnam who want to incorporate co-creation and self-organisation in their structures. Her focus has been on how to nurture community wellbeing and self-organization in workplaces. Most recently, Trang started building a living community on a mountain land in Vietnam with her friends, creating the systemic changes she wishes to see, and inviting new learnings that allow her to serve at the intersection of corporates and community. |
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Charlotte Griestop
Charlotte fell in love with the Art of Hosting during her first training in Karlskrona in 2018, which also inspired her to do the MSLS master’s, graduating in 2022.
Currently, she works as a freelance facilitator for global learning, outdoor team events, flow games, and more. Additionally, she serves as a project manager to foster collaboration and connection between European Biosphere Reserves. Her curiosity dances around the inner and outer dimensions of sustainability transformation, and she recently became a certified Mindfulness-Based Sustainable Transformation Teacher through the Inner Green Deal. Eager to explore the role of the body and nervous system in facilitation, she is currently deepening her practice and understanding through this year’s Intimacy Training with the Path of Relating. |
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Vy Nguyen
“Where are you from?” In her dream world we would all belong to the Earth, enjoying our diversity and simply looking at the same stars.
Vy is in the quest of her own identity and her belonging to the world. Vy was born and raised in France from immigrant parents with Vietnamese origins. During her studies she discovered thriving when surrounded by diverse people. Since then, she has been working and living then international environment and defined herself as world citizen. She lived some years Italy before she moved to Malmö in Sweden 11 years ago where she still lives today. In her quest she found her passion for the “diversity of the diversity” of all the humans. She also explores theatre practices as ways to regain connection to herself and others in our hyper connected world. A year after her first AoH training she is returning to Karlskrona to experience from the inside how to support others to bring transformation out to our complex world through conversations where everyone matters. LinkedIn |
THE ORGANIZING TEAM 2025
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Dana Bergman"The global sustainability challenge requires participatory leadership capacities because no one can solve the sustainability challenges on their own. Come and join the Art of Hosting Training Karlskrona to build your participatory leadership capacities in a transformative and magical learning environment!"
Dana Bergman is an adjunct lecturer at the Department of Strategic Sustainable Development at the Blekinge Institute of Technology (BTH) in Karlskrona, Sweden. She is a core team member of the MSLS Programme and also teaches in many other sustainability courses - both on campus and online. She holds a Bachelor in Social and Cultural Studies and a Master of Science in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability. Dana has been a supportive link between the Art of Hosting community and the MSLS students co-organizing the Art of Hosting training in Karlskrona since 2019. |
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Maria GiangkampozidouMaria is an educator, facilitator and trainer with over 5 years experience in teaching, training and workshop design. She is specialised in personal development through art, nature and embodiment.
She has studied education and is currently pursuing her masters in sustainability leadership. She is a trained facilitator, coach and trainer in cross-cultural dialogue in virtual exchanges and a project manager and trainer in multiple small and large scale projects on topics of art therapy, sustainability, sexual education, outdoor education and mental health. Her methods of work include gamification, exploration and all her trainings are based on a formal learning approach. She is also certified facilitator of Climate Fresk, Digital Collage and 2tonnes, all serious games based on cards and collective intelligence methodology. She is a co-founder of a social enterprise called ‘Imagine Realities’ with topics of imagination and creativity being explored through podcast discussions and educational tools. One of her recent achievements was the creation of the card game ‘Imagine Realities’ that sparks creativity and imagination in discussions. Her values are centred in family, honesty and play. She believes in small coincidences and loves having deep conversations. |
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Rossy RoussevaIs a positive and energetic person in love with nature, music and movement - both physical and as personal growth. Over the past 20 years she gained her diverse experience working in social and environmental non-governmental, and corporate organisations as a marketing & communications, organisational development and youth engagement expert. She is a keen Design Thinking facilitator and process designer.Currently pursuing the masters programme in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability at BTH.
“If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.” |
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Hannah ConnorsHannah is a writer, facilitator, and educator, currently pursuing her Master’s of Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability. She has a wealth of experience in the mental health space, spanning adolescent mental health research, designing and facilitating wellness education, and serving as Executive Director for a university organization providing 30+ weekly peer support groups. She’s also worked with students of all ages in various outdoor education settings, including a forest kindergarten, farm-based experiential education center, and leading bikepacking trips.
Originally from Michigan, Hannah spent the past few years living nomadically across the US, Europe, and Latin America. A pivotal experience living in community in Berlin introduced her to the world of Art of Hosting and participatory leadership. Her work is motivated by a desire to uplift personal and collective well-being, to help people connect to themselves, each other, and the natural world, and is guided by compassion, honesty, and humor. |
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Yumi YasuharaYumi is a facilitator, learning process designer and organizational development consultant from Japan. Currently studying as a master student of Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability in Blekinge Institute.
Her passion is to cultivate people’s minds and relationships that allow them to take hold the reins of their life. She has experienced hosting dialogue to collect diverse voices to foster transformation, especially for profit company’s culture, personal mindset and action changes as a team development. She also has designed employee development programs such as digital transformation, career development, on-boarding, pro bono for CSR and entrepreneurship programs. “ If we want to change our world, we can be a host of creating meaningful hope. “ Linked-in |
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Francisco CardosoFrancisco is a Sustainability Strategist, passionate about politics & food. He always enjoyed building relationships with people and hosting others through food, which led him to pursue a degree in hospitality management. However, as he explored the industry further, he recognized the urgent need to change our current food systems. This realization led him to pursue a Master’s in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability in Karlskrona, Sweden.
Francisco believes we can build a better world through food. Food is everything. It’s our connection to nature, each other, our health, and well-being. Food is at the foundation of life, and when we solve for food, we solve for the most pressing challenges of our time. In his opinion, around the table, we humans have the deepest conversations, solve the most complex problems, and build a sense of collective purpose. He is also an active member of LIDERA, a dynamic community of young people working across disciplines to accelerate Portugal’s transition to a sustainable society, with a strong focus on climate action, knowledge-sharing, and collaboration. |
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Ian SylcoxIan is a recent graduate of the Master's in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability program at BTH. With a background in economics, finance, and environmental sustainability, he brings experience in research, facilitation, and consulting across sectors.
At Responsible Alpha, he contributed to projects on climate risk, stakeholder engagement, and sustainable finance, while also supporting initiatives ranging from B Corp certification to federal climate adaptation contracts. Ian has co-led research on sustainability competencies in professional practice and facilitated workshops that explore systems thinking and strategic planning. He is especially interested in how individual and collective capacities shape transformative change and values spaces that invite reflection, creativity, and co-creation. |
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Ann Cathrin NachtweyAnn Cathrin Nachtwey, alumna of Global Project and Change Management, now pursuing a Master’s in Strategic Leadership towards Sustainability, is passionate about weaving theory and practice for regenerating futures. Cultural diplomacy powered by (he)arts and storytelling, enriches the soil of her work. Planting imagination seeds to remember our senses of relationality, she is looking forward to co-learning more about the Art of Hosting.
“Busy like a bee; take care and see you in June.” |
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Fabian CabrolHi reader! My name is Fabian and I come from France & Germany. I am studying at MSLS but before I studied engineering in Switzerland & in Norway, where I came across sustainability challenges, particularly from an energy perspective. I quickly realized that the challenge is not of technological nature, but is rather of societal nature, requiring hosting &leadership skills, exactly what AoH is doing ! What a fantastic coincidence.
I am not a fan of social media, but if you are willing to contact me, don’t hesitate to contact my friends, for example Francisco, they could redirect to me :) |
