Our 2025 ACMC edition boasts an unstoppable committee, a vibrant mix of seasoned professionals and passionate students. This dynamic crew collaborates hand-in-hand with our visionary board, crafting the roadmap for a monumental ACMC experience. Fueled purely by enthusiasm, we’re all volunteers on a mission, dedicated to fortifying the ACMC network and living and breathing its core values and ambitions.
ACMC BOARD
Emma Gabor
Emma Gabor is a recent graduate holding a Master’s degree in “Arts and Heritage: Policy, Education and Management” from Maastricht University, having written an innovative thesis on contemporary witchcraft. Emma grew up in Vienna to then move to London and graduate from UCL with a Bachelors in Art History. She went on to found the Salon de la Sagesse in 2020, co-founded the Journal d’Ambroisie in 2021, and became lead coordinator of the ACMC in 2023. She is a passionate polyglot, an avid early modern historian, having completed courses at the CEU and the Warburg Institute, an art historian, and an aspiring cultural entrepreneur.
Gabriela Mocan
Culturally attuned professional with a demonstrated history of working in cultural diplomacy and arts management, both as Head of Literature, Architecture and the Arts at London’s Romanian Cultural Institute (2013-2019) and as independent Creative Producer. Her portfolio in the field of arts & culture includes award-winning exhibitions (e.g. London Fashion Week), groundbreaking literary events and numerous other successful projects, most of which developed in the UK and Romania. In the autumn of 2020, she co-directed and was instrumental in the launching of the first Romanian-British literature festival ever organised in the UK and was guest editor of The Romanian Riveter magazine, the first issue of a British literary magazine dedicated entirely to Romania. She is a lecturer specialising in Communication and Public Relations, Business English and Intercultural Communication (Babes-Bolyai University) and her research interests include identity studies, intercultural communication, cultural management, diplomacy, translation studies, narrativity and world literatures.
Denisa Boca
Denisa Boca is a cultural economist with a keen interest in the impact of arts and culture on social development. She holds a Bachelors Degree in Music Business from BIMM Institute, Manchester, and a Masters Degree in Cultural Economics and Entrepreneurship from Erasmus University, Rotterdam. Denisa has diverse professional experience, working in the music industry and the public sector. Since 2022, she is working for the European Commission. Denisa was the President of the ACMC 2023 and took on the great responsibility of organising the conference.
Alitza Cardona Collazo
Alitza Cardona-Collazo, is a creative professional, exhibiting expertise across diverse domains, including art (painting-sculpture), anthropology, architectural design, and museum studies. Possessing a combined Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Design (Architecture) from the University of Puerto Rico and a Master’s degree in the Arts of Education with a specialization in Museology, she is presently pursuing doctoral research at University College London, focusing on Sustainable Heritage. Her artistic trajectory and scholarly endeavours center on examining the intricate dynamics between human societies, technology and spatial environments, with a particular emphasis on the socio-cultural discourses and behaviours that influence our comprehension of heritage and its creative social future.
Andreea Lupu
Andreea is a communications and project management professional with a decade-long experience in the arts and culture sector. Having worked in various settings, from art galleries to theatres, film festivals and charities, she is committed to supporting impactful initiatives. Andreea was the Lead Producer of the Arts & Cultural Management Conference in 2021 and helped the planning of the conference’s following edition in an advisory role. Between 2020 – 2023, she contributed to Creative Lives’ mission to champion community and volunteer-led creative activity across the UK and Ireland. During that time, Andreea also coordinated the promotion of two annual Amateo Award ceremonies in collaboration with cultural managers from Europe. She is currently Strategic Projects Communications Officer at Manchester Metropolitan University. Andreea studied at universities in Romania, France and England.
ACMC COMMITTEE
President
Maria Lidia Mota
ACMC 2025 President, linguist by training and cultural enthusiast by nature. Navigating between corporate and creative worlds, she found in the conference the perfect space to blend structure with artistry. She believes in conversations across cultures, eras and disciplines – and in language’s power to shape new understandings.
Lead Coordinator
Stepan Mihule
Stepan is a project manager with a focus on organizing and coordinating events. He is currently responsible for the international Festival of Embassies in Prague and has led its last four editions as Head of Production. He coordinates communication with nearly 50 embassies and oversees all technical aspects of the event. Over the years, he managed a wide range of events and projects — from corporate and cultural events to educational initiatives and nonprofit campaigns. He was part of the team behind the DEAR project at Diakonie ČCE, where he was primarily responsible for PR and event coordination as part of the awareness-raising campaign Faces of Migration.
Chrysa Tsalafouta
Chrysa is a Cultural Manager based in Athens. She holds a BA and MA in Classics and a MA in Cultural Management with a focus in cultural and intercultural communication. She was a Program Manager in Erasmus Student Network and a fellow in Humanity in Action in the Netherlands. She has participated and volunteered in several art and film festivals (AIFF, Petit Paris d’ Athene etc.) and is currently working in the NGO sector, in the cultural department. Her main interests are cultural theory and informal cultural spaces.
Anna Chaava
Anna Chaava is an artist, editor, and culture enthusiast with a background in arts and cultural studies. She completed a full program in Fine Arts and a Digital Graphics course at the Art Academy, and holds a BA in Culture Studies from Freie Universität Berlin. She has been involved in creative and cultural projects across Europe, including work with the Brussels Forum in Belgium, Entrepreneurship Avenue in Austria, and various initiatives in Berlin and Vienna. Her interests lie in the intersection of art and social media, and how they shape one another. Currently, she works as a Social Media Manager at ACMC.
Smriti Rajkarnikar
Smriti is a Master’s student, specializing in Heritage Conservation and Site Management, at Brandenburgische Technische Universität, Germany. She recently completed her exchange semester at Helwan University in Egypt, where she gained valuable insights into heritage conservation practices in a different cultural context. Born and raised in Nepal, she has always been surrounded by art, architecture, and culture. With a background in architecture and professional experience in the field, she possesses skills in design, planning, visualization, and graphics design. Currently, she uses her design skills as a graphic designer for ACMC, where she is eager to create visuals that resonate with people.
Luca Dragu
Luca (b. 2002) is a romanian-born artist and culture enthusiast based in Vienna. Currently pursuing a BA in Sociology at the University of Vienna, he serves as Head of Events for the Arts and Cultural Management Conference 2025. Luca’s artistic work spans music, theatre, and interdisciplinary projects, including leading the music project A L L O V E R and collaborating with German State Theatre Timișoara. With experience at the Romanian Cultural Institute in Vienna and a strong background in cultural activism, Luca bridges art and science through innovative performance, research, and cultural engagement across Europe.
Anita Nanni
Anita Nanni, 25 years old originally comes from Florence, Italy. She holds a degree in Modern Literature and she’s currently completing a Master’s in Art History. She lives in Vienna, where I work at an art gallery, a role that allows her to merge her academic background with hands-on experience in the cultural and artistic field. Last year, she took part in the ACMC project held at Garage Grande, where she collaborated as an assistant to the curator. In Italy she has been involved in the development of several cultural initiatives, contributing both to organizational aspects and social media management, including projects such as TEDx and the Ferrara Buskers Festival.
Afreen Khan
Afreen Khan is a passionate scholar of Asian art history, set to begin her PhD at the University of Vienna. She holds fully funded scholarships from SOAS University of London and the University of Vienna, awarded for her academic excellence. With a background in Global Studies and English literature, she blends academic depth with creative insight and a deep interest in spiritual symbolism. Afreen has worked extensively in human rights and cultural projects, driven by empathy and a strong sense of justice.
Petra Liberty Hunt
A European Public affairs professional, based in Brussels, with a long-standing volunteering history with cultural initiatives. She is an expert lobbyist and policy analyst transitioning from the corporate world to the cultural/no profit sector. Before joining the ACMC committee, she acted as a press and public relation officer for a classical music festival for over 10 years and building on her passion for the performing arts directed a play in Brussels. She is an avid reader and a certified yoga teacher.
Karina Ilieva
Karina Ilieva is a cultural manager, dancer, choreographer, and entrepreneur based in Bulgaria. She co-founded and manages Varna Dance Theater, a contemporary dance company, and the Dance Routes festival, with extensive experience in organizing cultural events and building partnerships. Her work focuses on supporting the development of the local dance scene through artistic programming and cross-border collaboration, as well as creating sustainable structures for the performing arts. She holds a Master’s degree in Sociology and an MSc in Management and Organization Studies from Chemnitz University of Technology, Germany.
Tejaswi Mehta
Tejaswi Mehta is a professional in the arts and heritage sector, specialising in audience engagement, content development, and cultural preservation. With over eight years of experience, she currently serves as an Audience and Network Officer at The Council for British Archaeology, where she plays a key role in membership development and youth engagement initiatives. Holding master’s degrees in Conservation Studies (University of York) and Ancient Indian Culture and Archaeology (St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai), her expertise extends to roles in research, education, and outreach, including her tenure as an Arts Research Manager at Rooftop and an Assistant Professor at St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai.
Karla Iulia Elkan
With a background in law and arts and cultural studies, Karla is a cultural professional and manager working across the cultural and NGO sectors. She holds an MA from Erasmus University Rotterdam, where her research stood out for its innovative methods and her interdisciplinary approach to achieve meaningful impact. Her work focuses on participatory approaches, partnership building, and improving access to arts and culture while ensuring long-term viability. Karla is particularly interested in cultural diplomacy and advocacy. Currently, she serves as Communications Officer at the European Student Association for Cultural Heritage (ESACH), and co-founder of LA.Anima, an animation film festival based in Romania. In her free time, she is a specialty coffee barista.
Eleonora Schianchi
Eleonora is a freelance curator, editor, and educator specializing in contemporary art and photography. Her work often explores themes such as accessibility, democratization, empathy, and belonging. With a strong international profile, Eleonora has developed her expertise through studies at Sorbonne (France), Universidad Complutense de Madrid (Spain), and the University of Bologna (Italy). Her professional experience spans renowned cultural institutions such as the Louisiana Museum of Modern Art (Denmark) and the Musei Civici in Reggio Emilia (Italy). Since 2023, Eleonora has been working as a Production Manager at FOTODOK, while taking on various projects for institutions and private clients within the cultural sector.
Rami Magharbeh
Rami Magharbeh is a cultural manager and trainer with a diverse and multidisciplinary professional background and experience. Possess exceptional professional qualities in the areas of strategic development, program planning and leadership, and proposal writing within the realm of art, culture, media, and human rights. In addition to providing several consultations in the non-profit sector. Rami holds an MA in art and culture management from Istanbul Bilgi University and an MBA from Gazainantep University. He is the founder of “Douzan Art and Culture,” which is a Syrian cultural and innovation organisation that launched in 2019.
Briar Holt
Briar Holt is an arts and culture professional originally from New Zealand, now based in Melbourne, Australia. She holds a Master of Arts in Art History and Theory from the University of Otago and brings over a decade of experience in arts management within museums and galleries across Australia and New Zealand. Briar is committed to best practice in arts management, with a focus on supporting sustainable, inclusive and compliant cultural institutions. She currently works in the Museums and Collections Department at the University of Melbourne and was the Head of Outreach for the ACMC 2024.
