Dr. Dirk Bissinger, born in 1969 in Wiesbaden, Germany, is a PhD chemist and currently Chief Quality Officer at Merck Healthcare KGaA, leading a global team of around 1,700 employees. He has been active in the German Life Saving Federation (DLRG) since 1974, holding various leadership roles and serving as Vice President since 2021. Internationally, he joined the ILSE as Secretary General in 2001 and was elected its President in 2024.

Born in 1964 in Warsaw, he has been with the WOPR for 40 years. He moved from serving as a lifeguard, through working within operational groups at the local and provincial levels, to central level operations. Since 2014 vice-president, and since 2019 president of WOPR. Member of the Board of Directors of the International Life Saving Federation of Europe.

From 1992, he served in uniformed services, and from 2011 to 2021, he held managerial positions in crisis management and civil defense units at the Mazovian Voivodeship Office. He is a coach of lifesaving at the Sports Championship School.

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Egil Galaaen Gjølme is a Professor at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU). He has published peer-reviewed work on swimming education and water competence, advised the Norwegian government on national swimming strategies, and developed the Water Competence app. He is an expert member of the International Life Saving Federation of Europe.

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Joost Bierens PhD MCPM is a retired anaesthesiologist and emergency physician, with former academic appointments in emergency medicine at universities in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Italy, and currently holds a research position at the University of Portsmouth in the UK. Alongside his medical career, he has dedicated his life to drowning research and education, contributing to over 200 publications, book chapters, and reports, and serving in various national and international aquatic safety organizations. In 2023, he was appointed Dean of the International Lifesaving Academy, promoting higher education and research in drowning prevention, rescue, and treatment.

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Alvert Namasamu Ng’andu is the Vice Chancellor of Eden University and chairs several key national committees in Zambia. He holds a PhD in Dynamics from the University of Nottingham and has extensive experience in higher education administration, teaching, and research. Throughout his career, he has held senior leadership positions in academic institutions and served on numerous national boards, combining academic expertise with governance and mediation skills.

Prof. Kudaiberdi Kozhobekov, Doctor of Sciences — Rector of Osh State University (Kyrgyzstan). He has extensive academic and administrative experience in higher education, having led major reforms in research development, digital transformation, and internationalization of Osh State University. Under his leadership, OshSU has advanced in global university rankings (QS Asia Top 300, Central Asia Top 15). Prof. Kozhobekov’s work emphasizes innovation in education, integration of science and practice, and the role of universities in regional development and global collaboration.

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Ana Domínguez Pachón holds a strong academic background with degrees in Sport Science, Physical Activity and Health, Education, and a Ph.D. in Sport Science. She plays a key international role in lifesaving, serving as Secretary of the ILS Drowning Prevention and Public Education Commission, Chair of the ILSE Drowning Prevention Commission, and member of various expert groups. Since 2013, she has built a diverse professional career as a swimming and lifesaving instructor, sport teacher, pre-doctoral researcher, and a leading figure in the Royal Spanish Lifesaving Federation, contributing to sport development, research, and gender equity in sport.

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​Terje Stakset is the manager of Norwegian Lifesaving Oslo and has been a lifesaving instructor since 1987. He educates instructors in baby swimming, swimming, first aid, and CPR, and has delivered workshops, presentations, and instructor training worldwide. Terje is a recipient of two Swimming Hall of Fame awards and the author of Swim with Love, published in 2012.

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Roger Sweeney is Deputy CEO and Marketing Manager at Water Safety Ireland, where he has worked in water safety for over twenty years. His work focuses on public education, communications, and policy development to support national drowning prevention efforts. Roger has helped shape Ireland’s national strategy for drowning prevention and continues to collaborate with various organisations to promote safer behaviour around water.

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No Sinath  Cambodian researcher and lecturer with expertise in public governance, disaster risk reduction, and community resilience. My work focuses on improving water safety education, particularly for vulnerable communities affected by seasonal flooding and climate change. I actively collaborate with local and international partners to promote effective policies and practical solutions in rescue and public health systems.

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​​Dr. Sam Sokha Lecturer and  Higher Education Teacher working at Net Yong Public High School ,Doctor of Business Administration candidate in the field of Economics and Management at University of  Management and  Economic ( UME)  Cambodia.

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​​​prof. Kateryna Mulyk,

Doctor of Pedagogical Sciences, Head of the Department of Health, Fitness and Recreation at Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture (Ukraine), Expert of the National Agency for Higher Education Quality Assurance of Ukraine. Her research interests focus on the theoretical and methodological foundations of fitness, recreation, and health-oriented activities for different population groups. She is the author of more than 150 scientific publications. Under her supervision, 4 PhD theses have been defended. She serves as Editor-in-Chief of a scientific journal indexed in Scopus and is a member of the editorial boards of professional journals. She actively participates in international projects aimed at developing physical culture, promoting health, and fostering social integration.

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​​​​Juliane Otto from Lübeck, Germany, is a clerk in the Economics and Real Estate Department of the Hanseatic City of Lübeck with a legal background from the University of Applied Sciences for Public Administration and the University of Greifswald. She has been Commissioner for Water Rescue Services and head of the water rescue teaching team at the DLRG academy since 2013, and has held key leadership roles in DLRG Greifswald and Mecklenburg-Vorpommern. A qualified instructor and IRB referee, she earned silver and bronze medals at the 2013 IRB European Championship and placed 6th in three disciplines at Rescue 2014 in Montpellier.

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​​​John Powell has a career that spans lifesaving, academia, leadership, and design. He is an International Lifesaving Manager with the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, specializing in sustainable lifesaving equipment, and chairs the WHO/RNLI Buoyancy Technical Group for Low- and Middle-Income Countries. As a Senior Lecturer in Design and Engineering at Bournemouth University, John applies design methods to develop drowning prevention interventions while collaborating with diverse teams and communities worldwide to maximize impact.

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Henning Otto from Lübeck, Germany, is the head of finance at Bosai Europe GmbH and has been involved in lifesaving since 1986. He serves as a professional lifeguard, instructor, and disaster response leader with the DLRG, holding key roles such as Commissioner for Water Rescue Services in Schleswig-Holstein and Air-Rescue Specialist. A silver medalist in IRB at Rescue 2010 in Egypt, he also spent 12 years as Vice-President and General Manager of DLRG Lübeck.

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Dr. Christoph Freudenhammer is a chemist and science manager who has been working with the Max Planck Society since 2012.For over two decades, he has been actively involved in the Deutsche Lebens-Rettungs-Gesellschaft (DLRG), holding various instructional, organizational, and leadership positions at regional, national, and international levels.He is a co-author of numerous publications in the field of lifesaving and has initiated research projects aimed at improving training programs for lifeguards in Germany.

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prof. Yuriy Briskin, Ukraine. Ivan Boberskyi Lviv State University of Physical Culture Rector's advisor on Strategic Development and Innovation; Head of Olympic, Professional and Adaptive sports Academic Department. Professor. DSc in Physical Education and Sports, PhD in Psychology, Honored Figure of Science and Technology of Ukraine. Master of Sports in Fencing.  Higher Education Department of the Ukraine National Academy of Pedagogical Sciences member (Section on Physical Culture and Sports).

Deputy Chairman of the Commission on Physical Culture and Sports of the Ministry of Education and Science of Ukraine Scientific and Methodological Council. Olympic Academy of Ukraine Executive Committee member.

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MOUSSA BAGNOU AMADOU, President of the Nigerien Federation of Rescue and First Aid (FNSS)

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Prof. Roman Kalmatov, MD, PhD — Dean of the International Medical Faculty, Osh State University (Kyrgyzstan). Specialist in pathological physiology, ultrasound diagnostics, and public health. He has coordinated multiple Erasmus+, TEMPUS, SATREPS and RITA projects. He actively promotes innovation in medical education, planetary health, and digital medicine.

Sanja Mazic, MD, PhD, is a Full Professor at the Faculty of Medicine, University of Belgrade, and a specialist in sports medicine. A dedicated volunteer with the Red Cross of Serbia, she has contributed to the advancement of first aid education and emergency preparedness. As President of the Life Saving Association of Serbia, she has strengthened national initiatives in lifesaving and emphasized the integration of first aid into water-rescue protocols as a cornerstone of public health and emergency response.

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Marcin Drogorób  – member of the Commission for Non-Olympic Sports at the Polish Olympic Committee, expert of the Erasmus+Sport program, and athletics event speaker. He knows sport from many perspectives. A former athlete (swimming, athletics), sports activist and journalist (Gazeta Pomorska, TVP3 Bydgoszcz, Eurosport Poland), he was responsible for sport and tourism for over a dozen years in the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship Government. Currently, he is involved in the work of the Toruń City Sports Strategy team. He works at Toruń Sports Infrastructure and collaborates with Robert Korzeniowski’s team on the Sport 2040 Strategy. As an amateur, he practices running, cycling, and triathlon.

Prof. Viacheslav Mulyk – Doctor of Sciences in Physical Education and Sport, Rector of Kharkiv State Academy of Physical Culture (Ukraine), Honored Worker of Physical Culture and Sport of Ukraine, Member of the Presidium of the Biathlon Federation of Kharkiv Region. 
He has extensive academic and administrative experience in higher education, as well as significant practical experience in coaching. His research interests focus on modern theoretical and methodological aspects of training athletes, including athletes with disabilities. He is the author of more than 250 scientific publications. Under his supervision, 2 doctoral and 42 PhD theses have been defended. He also chairs the Specialized Academic Council for Dissertation Defense. 

Dr. Remigiusz Olejniczak

Between 1995 and 2022, he served as a lifeguard and activist within the authorities of the West Pomeranian Voivodeship branch of WOPR (Polish Water Rescue Association).

He works at the University of Szczecin as a lecturer in the field of Water Safety.
 

Yaroslav Svyshch, Rector of Ivan Boberskyi Lviv State University of Physical Culture.

 He is a Candidate of Sciences in Physical Education and Sports, an Associate Professor, and a Master of Sports of Ukraine in Athletics. He currently serves as Vice-President of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation and has been President of the Athletics Federation of Lviv Region since 2019. 

Prof. Valeria Tyschenko – Doctor of Sciences in Physical Education and Sport, Professor, Professor at the Department of Theory and Methods of Physical Culture and Sport at Zaporizhzhia National University, Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of Higher Education of Ukraine, and Advisor to the Director for Sports Development of the Canadian Handball Federation.

Honored Coach of Ukraine, USSR Master of Sport in handball, seven-time Champion of Ukraine, CIS Cup winner, and bronze medalist of the USSR Championship.

Apoloniusz Kurylczyk – M.A., academic and teaching staff member at the Institute of Spatial Economy and Socio-Economic Geography at the University of Szczecin. Author and co-author of publications on water safety, spatial management, and the use of modern technologies (UAVs, coastal monitoring) in water rescue operations.

He gained practical experience over 10 seasons working as a lifeguard at a seaside bathing area. Since 2003, a certified WOPR instructor, conducting lifeguard training and specialized water rescue courses, as well as a first aid instructor-trainer. Since 2008, he has served as Director of the West Pomeranian WOPR and currently holds the position of President of the West Pomeranian WOPR. In 2024, he became a member of the Presidium of the National WOPR Board. He has participated in numerous international projects related to water safety and is a member of the Budget Commission of the International Life Saving Federation of Europe (ILSE).

Maria Adamczyk – Chair of the PRC Committee on BLS. Assistant at the Institute of Spatial Economy and Socio-Economic Geography, University of Szczecin. Vice-President of the West Pomeranian WOPR (Volunteer Water Rescue Service). Member of the Drowning Prevention Commission of the International Life Saving Federation (ILS).

Sławomir Kulikowski – technology expert with over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, specializing in digital transformation, innovation, and the integration of modern technologies. Head of Innovation at Atos GDC Poland, responsible for strategies based on AI, IoT, Cloud, VR/AR, and Digital Twin. PhD candidate at Lodz University of Technology, conducting research on the application of AI/ML, VR, and IoT in energy efficiency and industrial decarbonization. Speaker at scientific conferences, author of publications, leader of the Future Makers Research Community, and member of the Smart Specialization Group under the Marshal of the Kuyavian-Pomeranian Voivodeship.