Dominique Hauderowicz

Architect and partner, Dominique + Serena

Plenum session: Strengthening social connectedness

Dominique Hauderowicz is a Danish architect and partner in the studio Dominique + Serena, based in Copenhagen. The firm focuses on the social potentials of architecture and the built environment. In 2020, she co-authored and edited the book ‘Age-Inclusive Public Space,’ which centers around diversity and inclusion in public spaces, considering the current demographic changes as catalysts for creating better public spaces for all. dominique + serena have been appointed as curators for the Danish Pavillon for the 2027 Venice Architecture Biennale.

Natalie Turner

Deputy Director of Localities, the Centre for Ageing Better

Plenum session: The impact of age-friendly communities, and

Parallel session: Becoming an Age-Friendly Leader workshop

Natalie’s goal is to create more places where people can live a good later life and has been working Natalie in ageing locally, nationally, and internationally since 2010. Her team supports the UK affiliate network for the WHO’s Global Network of Age-friendly Cities and Communities with a membership of around 100 places covering a population of 30 million people

She was previously a senior policy advisor at AARP in Washington, DC and Head of Programmes at Age UK London.

Helle-Triin Hansumäe

Municipal Architect of Tori Municipality, Estonia

Plenum session: Co-creation in age-friendly communities

As the Municipal Architect of Tori Municipality Helle-Triin leads place-making, spatial planning, and community co-creation. She heads the URBACT Econnecting pilot in Jõesuu, focusing on age-friendly public space, 30-minute territories, and sustainable everyday mobility. With experience across public and private sectors and a strong background in heritage-led regeneration, Helle-Triin turns local knowledge—across generations—into practical, fundable actions that make small towns more accessible, welcoming, and resilient.

Kenny Jansson

Coordinator for Age-friendly Uppsala, Sweden

Plenum session: Strengthening social connectedness

Dr. Kenny Jansson is the coordinator for Age-friendly Uppsala, Uppsala Municipality, Sweden. He holds a PhD in Human Geography, and a MA in Archaeology. With a background as a researcher at the Institute for Housing and Urban Research, Uppsala University, Kenny is today working as a strategist at Uppsala Municipality.

Social sustainability is at the heart of Kennys professional interests. As the coordinator for Age-friendly Uppsala, Kenny facilitates the cross-sectoral work for Age-friendliness in the municipal organization and in collaboration with pensioner associations, civil society organizations, academia and local businesses. He is responsible for the management, implementation and follow-up of Uppsala’s Age-friendly action plan.

Sirle Salmistu

Senior lecturer, Tallinn University of Technology & landscape architect and urban planner, Outsiders LLC Estonia

Plenum session: Building age-friendly environments

Sirle Salmistu is a senior lecturer at the Tallinn University of Technology, a landscape architect and urban planner in the landscape architecture office Outsiders LLC in Estonia. Her research interests include planning for age-friendly communities, urban ageing, healthy communities, inclusive design, accessibility, and placemaking. She has a PhD in urban and regional planning from Michigan State University. She is advocating for better integration of needs and expectations of older adults in urban planning and design fields to achieve more equitable community life for all members across generations and to provide supportive environment for healthy ageing. Since May 2025 she leads the Working Programme of Age-Friendly Communities and Landscapes at the Int. Federation of Landscape Architects.

Erja Rappe

Senior researcher, Age Institute, Finland

Plenum session: The impact of age-friendly communities

DSc Erja Rappe is a Senior Researcher at Age Institute, a Finnish expert NGO with strong competence in developing evidence-based public health initiatives for older adults. The Institute collaborates with several ministries, Wellbeing Services Counties, and municipalities. Erja specializes in age- and memory-friendly environments, the implementation of cross-sectoral development processes, and participatory research methods involving people with special needs. She is especially interested in the links between nature, green spaces, and human health. Her recent research topics have focused on how to assess the state and progress of age-friendliness, and what factors influence older adults’ sense of safety.

Emma Matsson

Development manager, Age-friendly Gothenburg

Plenum session: Co-creation in age-friendly communities, and

Parallel session: Becoming an Age-Friendly Leader workshop

Emma Matsson is the development manager for Age-friendly Gothenburg, Sweden. She has established a network of age-friendly colleages in all of the involved municipality departments and companies in Gothenburg, and facilitate the work with Gothenburg's actionplan. Age-friendly Gothenburg host a network of senior citizens called Future Developers who live all over Gothenburg and contribute voluntarily to the work. Age-friendly Gothenburg also host a collaboration-platform Årsrika Göteborg which involves different stakeholders in society, and has formed a partnership with AgeCap, Centre for Ageing and Health, University of Gothenburg.

Saija Kultala

Senior Specialist, City of Turku, Finland

Plenum session: Strengthening social connectedness

Saija works as an Age-Friendliness developer for the City of Turku in Finland. She has worked as a project manager for the "Communal Turku" project, which focused on promoting the theme of age-friendliness and reducing loneliness by creating meeting places and activities close to older people, as well as developing accessible outreach communication throughout the Turku area. She holds a Master's degree in Health Promotion, and her specific interests include improving the functional ability and inclusion of older adults, as well as developing community engagement.

Stian Fantoft Alvestad

Universal design adviser, Stavanger Municipality

Parallel session: Becoming an Age-Friendly Leader workshop

Stian is an advisor in the Department of Urban and Community planning in Stavanger municipality in Norway. He holds the overall responsibility for coordinating the municipality’s collective efforts to make Stavanger more universally designed and age-friendly. He holds master’s degree in public health science and has previously worked with promoting public health policies in the The Norwegian Health Organization and Oslo municipality.

Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan

Leader and founder of Fabric+

Plenum session: Building age-friendly environments

Siri Arntzen-Ratnarajan is the leader and founder of Fabric+, a design and place development studio based in Bodø, Tromsø and Oslo. She also leads ‘Ageing in the Arctic’, a project series that explores how weather and climate - especially in winter - affect ageing, independence and quality of life. Ageing in the Arctic is a project that integrates disciplines such as architecture and planning, medicine, economics and design. She has a master's degree in Local Economic Development from the London School of Economics, and has worked internationally with city, regional and urban development for several years, including in the ‘Integrated City Planning’ team at Arup.

Antti Rehunen

Senior Research Scientist, Finnish Environment Institute

Plenum session: Building age-friendly environments

Antti Rehunen is a geographer who works as a senior research scientist in Built Environment Solutions unit at the Finnish Environment Institute (Syke). He has specialised in applying geospatial methods for analysing changes in the living environment of different population groups. Antti is enthusiastic about integrating age-friendly perspectives into urban and territorial planning at different scales. He has coordinated two recent research projects on age-friendly urban environments in Finland. Antti has a long experience of collaborating with urban planners and other stakeholders in case studies, developing knowledge-based tools and solutions to practical planning issues

Sigrun Gaard Steinsøy

Adviser, Sola Municipality, Norway

Plenum session: Co-creation in age-friendly communities

Sigrun works with citizen participation and facilitates the “Life Quality Project 65+.” Since 2019, Sola Municipality has invited residents turning 65 years to mark the transition from working life to the next phase of life. Through this initiative, the municipality builds connections with its residents through activities such as themed meetings and collaboration with the local volunteer centre. Sigrun holds a master’s degree in citizenship and interaction and is also a qualified teacher.

Kurt Arne Gimre

Life Quality Project 65+, Sola Municipality

Plenum session: Co-creation in age-friendly communities

Kurt Arne has participated in the Life Quality Project 65+ since 2022. He is a retired Army Colonel with an extensive background in military leadership as commanding Norwegian Army units on multiple levels. Throughout his carrier, he has been deployed with the UN to Lebanon and Bosnia, and with NATO to Afghanistan. He holds a bachelor’s degree in military science, completed a two-year logistics program at the Swedish Armed Forces Staff College, and earned a master’s degree in National Resource Strategy from the US National Defence College.

Torill Håkonsen

Life Quality Project 65+, Sola Municipality

Plenum session: Co-creation in age-friendly communities

Toril is retired and has been a participant in the Life Quality Project 65+ in Sola municipality since 2019. Her educational background includes a degree in social work, covering all age groups, as well as a specialization in special education for children aged 0–16. Throughout her career, she has worked in mental health institutions supporting individuals with severe challenges, and she has served as a school advisor for children with learning disabilities and behavioural difficulties.