We have chosen the speakers for the Conference 2020 to reflect on both the core elements of Planet Youth and the experience gained implementing the Planet Youth method in five continents of the world: Europe, South America, North America, Australia and Africa. Our speakers have a vast experience in the field of prevention covering the spectrum from administration, through research and over to hands on experience in the field.
Alfgeir Logi Kristjansson
Is a senior scientist for ICSRA, since 2004. PhD Social Medicine, Karolinska Institute, 2010. MSc Social Research Methodology, University of Edinburgh, 2004. BA Sociology, University of Iceland, 2003. Alfgeir has published over 50 peer-reviewed papers on prevention and one of his special fields is in how to make practical, local use of research findings. Alfgeir currently holds the three following positions: Associate Professor (2012 – present), Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, West Virginia University, School of Public Health, Research Fellow (2010 to date), Karolinska Institute, Department of Public Health Sciences, Health Promoting Behavior Research Group and Senior analyst and data coordinator (2006-date) ICSRA.
Bryndis Bjork Asgeirsdottir
Is a Senior Scientist for ICSRA. PhD Psychology, Kings College London, MSc sociology, University of Iceland, BA Psychology, University of Iceland. She holds the position of Associate Professor and Chair of Department of Psychology at Reykjavik University. She has been conducting research at the ICSRA since 1999. Bryndís Asgeirsdottir research has focused on risk factors and protective factors in the lives of children and young people. In particular, her research has focused on the effects of trauma and stress, such as sexual and domestic violence, and its effects on emotional and behavioral problems later on.
Carlos Charme
Is the national director of the SENDA, the National Service for the Prevention and Rehabilitation of Drug and Alcohol Consumption. Carlos Charme Fuentes studied at the College of the Divine Word and completed his law studies at the University of Los Andes. He previously served as a Chief of Staff of the Undersecretary of Crime Prevention, Cristobal Lira, in the first government of President Sebastián Piñera.
Carlos Francisco Ibáñez Piña
Is a coordinator for Planet Youth in the six municipalities who started out as a pilot project in Chile in the year 2017: Colina, Las Condes, Lo Barnechea, Melipilla, Peñalolen, and Renca. Dr. Carlos Ibáñez is a psychiatrist from the University of Chile with a speciality in treating and detecting conditions related to mental health. He also holds a diploma in neuropsychology and dementia, and previously trained as a surgeon at the University of Cocepción. He currently holds a position in psychometry at the University of Chile.
Craig Martin
Is the Head of Evidence & Innovation at the Alcohol & Drug Foundation in Australia. Craig has a Bachelor of Applied Science, Bachelor of Nursing, Graduate Diploma in Mental Health and Masters of Clinical Leadership. Craig has over 15 years of clinical, leadership and management experience in AOD and mental health working across academic, government, not-for profit and commercial sectors. Craig‘s most recent role was as the Global Director, Mental Health & Suicide Prevention at the Movember Foundation which focussed on building health promotion and prevention programs in building on the protecting factors of at risk populations of men across the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, New Zealand and Australia.
Dagur B. Eggertsson
Is an Icelandic politician who is the Mayor of Reykjavik City. He was the vice-chairman of the Social Democratic Alliance from 2009 until 2013. He was first elected to the city council of Reykjavík in a 2002 election and became the mayor on 16 October 2007. Dagur is formally educated as a physician but also has a master’s degree in Human Rights and International Law from the University of Lund in Sweden. Dagur played an important part in implementing the Icelandic Model in Reykjavik after the foundation of ICSRA.
Emmet Major
Is a Community Liaison Worker (East Galway and South Roscommon) and is responsible for the coordination of the three Planet Youth sites operating in the west of Ireland. Emmet Major has over twenty years of experience in the health sector, specialising particularly in the area of substance use. He has worked as an addiction counsellor, rehabilitation centre manager and is currently a community worker with the Western Region Drug and Alcohol Task Force.
Geir Gunnlaugsson
Is a professor at the University of Iceland in the Faculty of Sociology, Anthropology, and Folkloristics. He was Chief Medical Officer for Iceland in 2010-2015, and the Director for the Centre for Preventive Child Health Services in Reykjavík in 2000-2009. He has a medical degree from the University of Iceland in 1978, with post-graduate training in pediatrics and public health in Karolinska Institute, Stockholm. Since 1982, he has been engaged in health service delivery and research in Guinea-Bissau, including eight years of clinical work and as a medical advisor. His current focus in research is on the health and wellbeing of adolescents in Guinea-Bissau in collaboration with Planet Youth.
Gisli Arni Eggertsson
Is a prevention specialist for ICSRA. He served as a senior manager at the City of Reykjavik for more than 30 years. His main responsibilities were the development of interventions in the city, cooperation with professionals in other areas of the city, research institutes, and NGOs. Responsible for planning and development in the field of youth and leisure. Central coordinator of services and projects within the department, including the Leisure Card which is a system to subsidize participation in organized youth activities. Oversees the development of cooperation and integration in neighborhoods and contracts for services to children and youth, environment, social capital, and public health projects. Other tasks include teaching and lecturing at the University of Iceland and research in the field of non- formal education and prevention.
Harvey Milkman
Is Professor Emeritus, Department of Psychology, Metropolitan State University of Denver. He is Visiting Professor at Reykjavik University, Iceland (2015 – present). He received a Fulbright Scholar award at the Department of Psychology, Reykjavik University (January – May, 2019. Dr. Milkman is author of numerous scholarly articles and books on the causes, consequences and treatment choices for the broad spectrum of addictive behaviors. His most recent publication is: Craving for Ecstasy and Natural Highs: A Positive Approach to Mood Alteration (2nd Edition), Milkman, H., Sunderwirth, S., & Hill, K. Cognella Academic Publishing, (2019).
Håkan Leifman
Is a doctor in sociology and a researcher at Karolinska Instiutet. In 2019, he joined the Planet Youth group as a specialist in policy work and capacity building and assessments. His areas of expertise are, besides policy and prevention, ATOD epidemiology and monitoring with a long experience in monitoring consumption and pattern of ATOH among young and adults. He was the director of CAN, The Swedish Council for Information on Alcohol and Other Drugs. He currently also conducts research in the broader public health arena with a special focus on the implementation of capacity-enhancing initiatives for long-term sustainable public health work in Stockholm. Leifman is also linked to Ipsos, global market research and a consulting firm, as a senior advisor and is a board member of Systembolaget, the Swedish retail alcohol monopoly company.
Robin Katrick
Brings 8 years of experience in community
development, community health, and program development to her role as the youth
and community health coordinator at Vermont Afterschool. In her current role, she
coordinates a five-year pilot in six Vermont communities working with the
Planet Youth methodology. Her work focuses on positive youth development
locally and statewide through supporting community-wide strategic planning
efforts, cross-sector collaboration, and statewide partnership building. Robin
is currently completing her Master’s degree in public health and holds a BA
degree in community development.
Hrefna Sigurjonsdottir
Is the manager of the Icelandic Parents Association (Home and school) since 2011. Previously she worked as a project manager for Home and school, on the SAFT internet security project, as a journalist and teacher. Hrefna holds a master’s degree in international relations, teaching qualifications at primary and secondary school and a BA degree in psychology.
Inga Dora Sigfusdottir
Is a Professor at Reykjavik University. She also serves as a Visiting Professor at the Institute for Folkhälsovetenskap at Karolinska Institutet in Stockholm and as a Research Professor in the Department of Health and Behavior Studies at Teachers College, Columbia University in New York. Most of her scientific work can be described as sociological research on youth and adolescents and their health and well-being. Her work has focused on the study of risk and protective factors in the prevention of adolescent delinquency and, more recently, health related behaviour. Inga Dora is the founder and the Scientific Director of ICSRA – The Icelandic Center for Social Research and Analysis.
Ingibjorg Eva Thorisdottir
Is a data specialist at ICSRA. She holds a Master in Public Health from Reykjavik University and is currently a PhD student at Reykjavik University. She also holds a BSc degree in Geography from the University of Iceland. Her main responsibilities are overseeing the data collection for youth worldwide, data processing and providing feedback. Her main research focus is mental health, social media use and prevention.
Jeroen de Greeff
Works as a senior prevention specialist at the Trimbos-Institute, the Netherlands Institute for Mental health and Addiction prevention. Since the beginning of 2018, Trimbos-institute and Netherlands Youth Institute initiated a three-year pilot in six Dutch municipalities working with the Planet Youth methodology. Jeroen is coordinating this pilot, working closely together with the Icelandic experts at ICSRA. In this role, he supports the pilot municipalities using data to mobilize the local community and work on evidence-based substance use prevention among youngsters.
Jon Sigfusson
Is the Director of the Icelandic Centre of Social Research and Analysis (ICSRA) since 2002. His main responsibilities as Director of ICSRA are overseeing and networking large scale research projects and data collection for youth worldwide. Jon supervises the Youth in Iceland and Planet Youth programs; evidence-based projects of primary community-based health promotion intervention. Paralleling his main responsibilities, Jon has served as a board member and coordinator on various projects also aimed at enhancing social factors and well-being of youth and promoting effective intervention, based on proven methods. Jon has held numerous lectures on Evidence Based Prevention at international conferences for years.
Justinas Juškevičius
Is the Youth Affairs Coordinator of Kaunas City Municipal Administration in Lithuania. Justinas is a member the task force for “Youth in Europe“/Planet Youth” implementation in Kaunas since 2019. Justinas has a Bachelors degree in Public Administration from Kaunas Vytautas Magnus University. Before becoming Youth Affairs Coordinator, he has been a Senior Specialist in the Department of Education of Kaunas City Municipal Administration for 5 years. Justinas is working with various local and foreign municipalities and organizations in the field of youth and is currently leading EC funded project “Sport 4Values” and is a partner in CBSS funded project “Youth for Safer Youth”.
Lina Lauciūtė-Žagarė
Is the Chief Specialist of Foreign Relations Division of Kaunas City Municipality Administration in Lithuania. Lina has been the coordinator for “Youth in Europe“/Planet Youth” implementation in Kaunas from 2006 to 2019. Lithuania is the country, besides Iceland, which has the longest implementation history of the Planet Youth method. Lina holds a Master‘s diploma of Public Administration qualification from the Mykolas Romeris University (Vilnius) and a Masters diploma in Law from the Law Faculty of Mykolas Romeris University. Her main field of study in public Administration was the European Union Policy and Administration. Lina has been Kaunas contact for the cooperation with ECAD (European Cities against Drugs Organization) since the year 2003.
Dadi Rafnsson
Is a PhD student in sports psychology and program director of Menntaskólinn í Kópavogi dual career academy. Dadi is also a lecturer at Reykjavik University’s Department of Sports Science and a teacher at the Icelandic Football Association’s UEFA A and B courses. He holds a Master’s degree in International Relations from the University of Iceland and has 18 years experience of working as a football coach at all age levels. For years, Dadi held the position of head of the youth academy of Iceland’s largest youth club, Breiðablik and was the assistant coach of Chinese women’s FA Cup winners Jiangsu Suning in 2017. His PhD research is on the 5C’s sports psychology framework as an analytical model and intervention method in youth football.
Mariano Montenegro
Is the Director of the Colombo Plan office for Latin America and the Caribbean and external consultant for the UNODC in Vienna, working as a mentor for policymakers in Latin America on demand reduction. Dr Mariano is a medical doctor and psychiatrist of the University of Chile with an MSc in Substance Addiction, as well as clinical treatment of people with problems of drug use. From 2000-2010, Mariano was the head of section of treatment, rehabilitation and social integration in the National drug commission (CONACE) now SENDA. External consultant of the inter-American drug control and abuse commission (CICAD) of the Organization of American States (OAS) 2010-2014. Clinical psychiatrist in adult and adolescent prison population and trainer of the treatment teams of these populations 2010-2014. Former director of the national drug commission (SENDA) 2015-2016.
Michael J. Mann
Is a Community Intervention Specialist at ICSRA. He has over 22 years of experience serving children, adolescents, and their families as a teacher, principal, and organizational leader working in publicly funded schools and non-profit organizations that support school-based intervention. He received his PhD in Health Education and Behavior from the University of Florida in 2007. His areas of expertise include child and adolescent health/development, developing system-level approaches to school health promotion including drop-out prevention, supporting fully integrated school and public health partnerships, school, and program evaluation, and community-engaged practice and research. He joined the West Virginia School of Public Health in July 2012.
Pall Rikhardsson
Is a professor at Reykjavik University, Iceland. Pall holds a PhD degree in business from the Aarhus School of Business in Aarhus, Denmark. He has worked as an associate professor at the Aarhus School of Business in Denmark, a senior manager with PwC in Denmark, a business advisor at the SAS Institute in Denmark and as a senior consultant at Herbert Nathan & Co in Denmark. Throughout his career, Pall has focused on service development in a variety of contexts in Europe and Oceania. Pall joined Planet Youth in 2018 as a service development manager. His main responsibilities at Planet Youth are developing, driving and structuring international service processes.
Patricia Ros García
Is the Regional Representative for ICSRA in Spain and Latin-America. She served as the Director of the Municipal Prevention Service of Addictions, in Tarragona City Hall since 1991. Patricia is a Clinical Psychologist, from the University of Barcelona (1986), and has a Master degree in Psychotherapy of groups and organizations, University of Deusto (Bilbao 1994).
Sigridur Arndis Johannsdottir
Is the project manager for coordination in the service center for Central Reykjavik and Hlidar district. Advisor for children with ADHD and their families (Fléttan). Manager for the community leisure building (Hús Frítíminn). Resource and project manager for the leisure center Kringlumyri, in Reykjavik. Project manager for the implementation of leisure center in Reykjavik. BA degree in social and leisure time studies.
Sigridur Kristin Hrafnkelsdottir
Is a Project Manager at the Department of Health Determinants at the Directorate of Health. She is in charge of the project Health promotion upper secondary schools. Sigridur Kristin holds a Masters’s degree in Public Health from Reykjavik University.
Thorfinnur Skulason
Is the Communication Director for ICSRA. Thorfinnur holds a master’s degree in Icelandic 18th-century literature from the University of Iceland but also studied business and Arts. He has over 20 years of experience in digital marketing from the pharmaceutical industry, telecommunications, and the software industry. He was the senior global webmaster for Alvogen, Manager of web-solutions for Nova mobile, web consultant for Advania and a webmaster for Siminn Telecom. Thorfinnur was a board member for the counsel of the University of Iceland 2010-2014, a lecturer at the University of Iceland and has an editorial and publishing background.
