The 2026 Planet Youth Conference

Communities Leading Sustainable change

The planet youth Conference 2026

Get to know our experts

Our conference brings together practitioners, researchers, and community leaders from around the world. Below you’ll find some of the experts who will be joining us in Reykjavík. This is only the beginning — we’ll be adding more speakers in the coming weeks as our program continues to grow. Stay tuned.

Professor Ilona Kickbusch is a leading expert in global health and health promotion. As the founding director of the Global Health Centre in Geneva, she has played a pivotal role in shaping international health policies, including contributing to the WHO’s landmark Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. A distinguished advisor to governments and organizations worldwide, Ilona’s work focuses on health governance, equity, and global health diplomacy. Her lifelong contributions to public health have earned her numerous accolades, cementing her status as a visionary leader in global health.

Professor Ilona Kickbusch

DTH-Lab Director, Founder and Chair of the Global Health Centre

Dr. Olubusayo Akinola is Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention at the African Union Commission, leading continental policy on substance use, social vulnerability and crime prevention. Her work advances age-responsive, gender-sensitive and rights-based policy across drug control, child protection, disability inclusion, family strengthening, ageing and social protection. Dr. Akinola holds a PhD in Public Health (Epidemiology), an MPH and a Bachelor of Pharmacy. She is a Fulbright alumna and Presidential Award for Research Dissemination recipient.

Dr. Olubusayo Akinola

Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention, African Union Commission.

Dr. Ingibjörg Eva Þórisdottir is Planet Youth’s Chief Analytics and Advisory Officer. At Planet Youth, she ensures that the data collection runs smoothly and provides feedback to our partners. Her primary focus is on mental health, dissemination practices, and upstream prevention.

Ingibjörg Eva Þórisdóttir

CAAO

Margrét Lilja Guðmundsdóttir is a global expert in primary prevention, dedicated to transforming youth well-being through evidence-based strategies. As Chief Knowledge Officer at Planet Youth, she leads training and knowledge-sharing efforts, supporting communities worldwide in creating healthier environments for young people. A sought-after speaker, Margrét inspires with her passion and expertise.

Margrét Lilja

CKO

The planet youth Conference 2026

The Spekars here know their shit

Jón Sigfússon is the Chairman of Planet Youth, leading efforts to implement evidence-based, community-focused strategies to improve youth well-being through the Icelandic Prevention Model. With extensive experience in youth health promotion, Jón has coordinated numerous projects and shared his expertise as a speaker at international conferences, advocating for proven, effective prevention methods.

Jón Sigfússon

Chairman

Dr. Páll Ríkharðsson, CEO of Planet Youth, is a leading expert in service development and international primary prevention strategies. With a PhD in business and extensive experience across Europe, Páll has been instrumental in implementing the Icelandic Prevention Model globally, helping communities create healthier futures for youth.

Páll Ríkharðsson

CEO

The planet youth Conference 2026

The Spekars here know their shit

Harvey Milkman, PhD is Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Metropolitan State University of Denver and Senior Policy Advisor to Planet Youth. He received Fulbright Scholar awards at the Departments of Psychology, Reykjavik University and The National University of Malaysia. He has been a consultant and featured speaker in Australia, Brazil, Iceland, The Netherlands, Peru, Turkey, Russia and Yugoslavia. He is the author of numerous scholarly articles and books on substance use and criminal conduct. His most recent book, Transcending Addictions: Embracing Natural Highs over Alcohol, Substance Use and Compulsive Behaviors” (Cognella Academic Publishers (2025) is a state-of-the-art exploration of the causes, consequences, treatment and prevention of substance use and behavioral addictions.

Dr. Harvey Milkman

Senior Policy Advisor for Planet Youth

Trevor Denhartogh is the Executive Director of Undercurrent Youth Society in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia. Trevor is a dedicated advocate for systems change and youth substance use prevention with over three decades of experience working with young people. Undercurrent’s work spans community engagement, policy development, and program innovation, always striving to empower youth and create environments that foster long-term well-being. Driven by a commitment to community collaboration, evidence-based solutions, and equipped with the Icelandic Prevention Model, Undercurrent is inspiring hope in Cape Breton and creating a healthier future for children and youth.

Trevor Denhartogh

Executive Director, Undercurrent Youth Society

The planet youth Conference 2026

The Spekars here know their shit

Wadih Maalouf, PhD, is team lead and coordinator of the UNODC programme on Drug Prevention based in UNODC Headquarters in Vienna. He received his doctoral degree from Johns Hopkins School of Public Health in the field of Epidemiology of Mental Health and Drug Addiction. For over 20 years, he has been engaged with UNODC in supporting and guiding national strategies development on health and social response to drug use. Over the last decade, his work focused mostly on prevention of drug use particualry amongst children, adolescents and youths. His experience led to the development of several standards and guidelines as well as piloting and assessing the impact of diverse responses for prevention of drugs and other negative and social outcomes. More recently his work has been on establishing and showcasing the effectiveness and social and developmental return in investing in systems of prevention.

Wadih Maalouf

Team lead, Coordinator of Drug Drevention Programme

Trevor Denhartogh

Executive Director, Undercurrent Youth Society

The planet youth Conference 2026

The Spekars here know their shit

Dagur B. Eggertsson is an Icelandic politician and current Member of Parliament. He served as the Mayor of Reykjavík and was vice chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance from 2009 to 2013. First elected to the Reykjavík City Council in 2002, Dagur became mayor on October 16, 2007 for a short period and then served 2014-2024. A physician by education, he also holds a master’s degree in human rights and international law from the University of Lund in Sweden. Dagur played a key role in implementing the Icelandic Model in Reykjavík

Dagur B. Eggertsson

Member of Parliament

Matej Košir has over 25 years of experience in prevention and advocacy related to youth risk behaviour, especially in the field of alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. He leads the Prevention Platform network in Slovenia and has contributed to over 25 European projects in health, justice, and education. In 2017, European Society for Prevention Research (EUSPR) awarded him with »Leading European Prevention Science Practitioner Honour«. In 2020, Society for Prevention Research (SPR) awarded him and his wife (Sanela Talić) with the »International Collaborative Prevention Research Award«. He is a PhD candidate in prevention science at the University of Zagreb (Croatia). He is also the author of the international book Prevention Gone Wrong. As co-author of the European Prevention Curriculum (EUPC) and contributor to UNODC-WHO’s International Standards on Drug Use Prevention, Matej is a prominent leader in evidence-based prevention and international collaboration in the field of prevention science, policy and practice.

Matej Košir

Director, Institute for Research and Development »Utrip« (UTRIP) Chair, Vienna NGO Committee on Drugs (VNGOC)

Simona Bieliūnė has more than 15 years of expertise in violence prevention, bullying, substance use, suicide prevention, mental health literacy, and related fields. She has worked across the education, social, and health sectors at the state, municipal, and international levels. Simona also has extensive experience in training and consulting on child welfare and a human-rights-based approach. She consistently contributes to initiatives aimed at improving education and strengthening the social and emotional competencies of various professional and social groups. Simona was one of the key initiators behind the launch and ongoing implementation of the Planet Youth model in the Vilnius City Municipality.

Simona Bieliūnė

Deputy Mayor of Vilnius, Doctor of Educational Sciences

Danica Love Brown, MSW, CACIII, PhD, is a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, born and raised in Northern New Mexico. Danica is a highly respected consultant working with Tribal communities in the United States and is the sole proprietor of White Crane Consulting, LLC. She has worked as a prevetnionist, mental health and substance use counselor, social worker, and youth advocate for 30 years. Her work has focused on Indigenous Ways of Knowing and decolonizing methodologies to address historical trauma and health disparities in Tribal communities.

Danica Love Brown, PhD, MSW

KAI’s vice president for behavioral health transformation

Psychologist, based in Barcelona. For the past 30 years, he has worked at the Association Proyecto Hombre, dedicated to prevention, treatment, and social integration on addictions in Spain. Currently, he serves as the international commissioner of this association to the United Nations, the European Union, and other international organizations. Vice-chair of the European Union Civil Society Forum on Drugs. During 2024 and 2025, he has coordinated the Global Initiative on Drug Use Prevention “The Declaration of Oviedo”.

Oriol Esculies

International commissioner, Association Proyecto Hombre, Spain

Angélica María Claro Gálvez is a psychologist and specialist in medical and health psychology, and is currently Advocacy Manager at Movendi International, the largest global movement for development through alcohol prevention. She has nearly two decades of experience working in alcohol prevention, contributing to initiatives in family and educational settings as well as to national and international public policy processes. Her work is grounded in public health and human rights perspectives. Since 2016, her professional focus has been on advocacy and policy influence, supporting civil society engagement and collaboration with academic partners to promote evidence-informed public policies addressing harmful commercial products. At Movendi International, she contributes to global advocacy work promoting effective alcohol policy solutions as a strategy for improving population health and development. She also works on the development of prevention methods based on the latest evidence in psychology, neurolinguistics, and health promotion.

Angélica María Claro Gálvez

Advocacy Manager at Movendi International

Morgan Moore is the National Delivery Manager for Planet Youth at Winning Scotland, supporting national development, partner engagement, and the organisation’s mission to strengthen prevention in Scotland. With a background in psychology and extensive experience working with families and young people, Morgan specialises in mental health, trauma-informed practice, and community wellbeing. She has led teams across the third sector, creating psychologically safe workplaces and championing compassionate, values-driven leadership. Passionate about wellbeing and upstream approaches, she is committed to creating environments where young people, and the adults who support them can truly thrive.

Morgan Moore

Planet Youth National Delivery Manager (Scotland)

Amanda Karima Ólafsdóttir works as the office manager at the Education Department of Kópavogur Municipality. She holds a BA degree in Education and Pedagogy from the University of Iceland and an MA in Sociology from Aarhus University. Amanda has extensive experience working on issues related to children and youth prevention efforts and has been a member of the steering committee for the Child-Friendly Municipality initiative in Kópavogur in recent years.

Amanda Karima Ólafsdóttir

Head of Office Division, Education Department at the municipality of Kópavogur

Jakob Sindri Þórsson is a Specialist in the Administration Division of Kópavogur Municipality. He holds a BA degree in Philosophy from the University of Iceland and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in Public Administration at the same university. Jakob Sindri has participated in numerous projects related to the implementation of innovation and digital solutions within the municipality. He has consistently worked to ensure that children’s voices are respected in decisions affecting their lives. Jakob Sindri was part of the working group that developed the Children’s Dashboard, which received international recognition from UNICEF for outstanding solutions and innovation in support of children and youth.

Jakob Sindri Þórsson

Digital Development Manager at the municipality of Kópavogur