Speakers
The Global Online Conference
December 4-5, 2024
Shirly Pinto is the first deaf Knesset member (the Israeli Parliament) in Israel, she served as the chairman of the subcommittee for urban accessibility and inclusive education. During her term in the Knesset, she led the inter-parliamentary friendship groups with Great Britain and Switzerland and served as a delegate to the Zionist Congress.Today she serves as the chairman of “purple homefront” a national plan for emergency preparedness. In addition, she works to promote the rights of people with disabilities in Israel.
Mark Trieglaff, President, Accessibility Consultation and Training Services
Mark has a B.S. in Outdoor and Therapeutic Recreation and M.S. in Park and Recreation Administration; Mark holds a certification as a Professional Associate with The National Association of ADA Coordinators
For 18 years, Mark worked as the Access Coordinator for People with Disabilities at Brookfield Zoo. Mark also worked at LCM Architects as an Accessibility Specialist, working alongside Jack Catlin, who was Chair of the Access Board during the development of the new 2010 Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines.
Mark has also presented at both state and national conferences. Beginning in 2023, Mark has presented at 12 International conferences on Universal Design and his papers have been published in the UK and Israel. In February of 2023 he spoke at the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities at the UN Center in Vienna, Austria. He has since then been asked to be on an advisory committee for the Zero Project in conjunction with the UN in Vienna.
Leora Berry, Architect, Member of ICOMOS
Trained as an architect and urban planner at Technion University and the London School of Economics and Social Science, Leora Berry currently works as an independent consultant specializing in cultural heritage conservation. Her professional journey includes roles as Deputy City Architect of Jerusalem (2006-2011) and Director of the Tangible Heritage Unit at the Ministry of Jerusalem and Heritage (2011-2016), where she focused on the development of National Heritage Sites. From 2016 to 2021, she served as Deputy Director of the Bible Lands Museum Jerusalem, enhancing public access to archaeological cultural heritage through a multidisciplinary approach that bridges content with physical space.
Igor Stefanovic, Technical Coordinator, Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibilty Dept, UNWTO
Igor is a Technical Coordinator of the Ethics, Culture and Social Responsibility Department at UN Tourism. He started his career at the UN Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina at the age of 19 in 1998. Igor worked for 7 years in human rights policies, prior to joining UN Tourism in Madrid (known as “UNWTO”) in 2007. Since 2009, he has been managing the portfolio of accessible tourism in collaboration with Organizations of People with Disabilities, civil society, governments, as well as tourism companies and destinations committed to social, cultural and economic inclusion. Igor has co authored with accessibility experts key awareness raising and technical manuals and guidelines. He co-wrote inclusive recovery tips during and post- COVID 19, as well as compendia of best practices across the entire accessibility value chain, including the cultural tourism ecosystem. Igor has worked closely with standardization bodies in the elaboration, promotion and implementation of international standards, notably ISO 21902:2021, which caters to persons with specific access requirements, seniors and other demographics.
Etan Kimmel, Prof Architect Etan Kimmel, Founder and Partner Kimmel Eshkolot Architects
Etan Kimmel is a co-founder of Kimmel Eshkolot Architects, an award-winning studio with a practice that spans across various scales and typologies. The studio, founded in 1986 in Tel Aviv by Etan together with his wife, Michal Kimmel Eshkolot, is focused on cultural and civic projects, alongside urban design, residential and interior design.
In their first years of practice, Kimmel Eshkolot Architects were leading figures in the preservation and rehabilitation of Tel Aviv’s historical Neve Tzedek neighborhood, for which they were awarded the Rokach Prize for Architecture in 1993. Throughout the years they won several competitions for the design of high-profile public projects, such as the expansion of the Israeli government compound in Jerusalem, the Davidson Museum in the Archaeological Park near the Western Wall and the Memorial Hall for Israel’s Fallen on Mount Herzl.
In 2011, they won the Rechter Prize for Architecture, considered to be the most prestigious award for architecture in Israel. They received the award for the design Beit Halohem, a rehabilitation center in Be’er Sheva, in the south of Israel. This project was also selected for project of the year in the international competition of the magazine Israeli Architecture.
In 2018, Kimmel Eshkolot Architects won the International Award for Excellence for The Memorial Hall on Mount Herzl from the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and joined RIBA’s list of 20 best new buildings in 2018. Kimmel Eshkolot were also awarded the The Shenzhen silver design award (SDA), the IDEA-TOPS award of the Chinese Ministry of Culture for best digital project in the world in 2018, and the Dedalo Minosse award in 2020 in Vicenza, Italy.
Additional projects by Kimmel Eshkolot include The Checkpoint Building for Computer Science at Tel Aviv University, The Steinhardt Museum of Natural History, The Tower of David Museum, and most recently the Albanian Jewish Museum in Vlora, now in progress.
In 2006, Kimmel Eshkolot Architects exhibited the solo show Architectures at the Museum of Israeli Art, which in addition to a retrospective of the studio’s work, dealt with Israel’s urban future and presented a critical project entitled Tel Aviv Heights.
Etan is a professor at the Faculty of Architecture at the Technion, Haifa, from which he graduated in 1985. He was a lecturer at the Faculty of Architecture at Tel Aviv University, and a guest lecturer at TU-Delft, Netherlands, where he also completed part of his studies.
Eilat Lieber, Director and Chief Curator, Tower of David Jerusalem Museum
Eilat Lieber has been the Director and Chief Curator of the Tower of David Museum for the past 12 years. Eilat’s romance with the ancient stones of Jerusalem’s citadel actually started back much earlier when she headed up the Education Department of the Tower of David for over a decade between 1990-2001. In the intermittent years, Eilat initiated and directed the restoration of the home of Israel’s first Nobel laureate Shai Agnon, turning a dilapidated building into a beautifully restored and preserved Museum with Shai Agnon’s original library. Since 2012, Eilat has been the driving force behind changing the image of the Tower of David Museum. She has taken this national heritage site and the Museum of the history of the city of Jerusalem, and has also made it a leading cultural institution and the platform for contemporary expression of art and design in Jerusalem. As a result of dynamic changing exhibitions, creative programming, the creation of an innovation lab, a vibrant education department and a leading program for inclusion in museums in Israel, visitor attendance has doubled. Eilat led the renewal and conservation of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum resulting in the opening of an entirely new permanent exhibition that fuses ancient artefacts and interactive and immersive technology to tell the story of Jerusalem as well as a new entrance pavilion and gallery at the Jaffa Gate, Old City Jerusalem.
Dr. Avi Ramot, Senior Consultant on Accessibility for Tower of David Jerusalem Museum
Dr Avi Ramot is the Consultant on Accessibility for the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum. He was the Founder and Director of the Israel Center for Accessibility at Shekel and previously the Director of the Department of People with Special Needs and the Joint Distribution Committee. His expertise is in rehabilitation and Accessibility. He has an MSW in Social Work and his PhD is in Sociology and Political Science. Dr Ramot is working on plans for a Center on Accessibility in Historic Sites and Cities.
Amit Re’em, Jerusalem Regional Archeaologist, Israel Antiquities Authority
Dr. Amit Reem is an archaeologist and currently holds an upper management position at the Israel Antiquities Authority. He is a leading expert in the archaeology of Jerusalem and has been active in fieldwork and research for more than 30 years. Reem specializes in Crusader archaeology and of medieval Jerusalem and currently is the Head District Archaeologist for the Jerusalem Region at the Israel Antiquities Authority. He has excavated and explored major Christian sites in Jerusalem, among them The Holy Sepulcher, The Room of the Last Supper (the Cenacle) on Mt Zion, Gethsemane, St. Mary Church and others. In addition to his rich background in the field, Reem is deeply involved with various media presenting to the public the importance of Holy Land Archaeology. He has written dozens of publications and a monograph about his excavations in Jerusalem and research studies. Reem’s high level position at the IAA has led him to be evolved within many aspects of the rich history in the archaeology of ancient Jerusalem including organizing international conferences. Reem has appeared in multiple documentaries about the archaeology of Jerusalem and has guided many world figures in the holy city.
Yotam Cohen Sagi, Partner, Kimmel Eshkolot Architects
Architect Yotam Cohen-Sagi joined Kimmel Eshkolot Architects in 2007 and became a partner in 2020. He is an expert in the preservation of historic sites and was the lead architect on the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum renewal. Among other projects in the Old City of Jerusalem, he was also lead architect in the Davidson Center renewal.
Valerie Fletcher, Executive Director, Institute for Human Centered Design.
Fletcher has been the Executive Director since 1998 of the Institute for Human Centered Design (IHCD), originally founded as Adaptive Environments, an international design and education non-profit whose mission centers on the role of design in social equity. IHCD is a deep content expert in Inclusive Design and accessibility. Valerie oversees IHCD’s consultation, design, and education services and created the IHCD User/Expert Lab. Current participatory research focus is generating data to inform designing for people with a spectrum of brain-based reasons for disabilities. Her research focus is collaborating on neuroscience as an evidence basis for inclusive design practice and assessment. Fletcher earned a master’s degree in ethics and public policy from Harvard University. She is on the Board of the International Association for Universal Design (IAUD) and a Trustee of the Boston Architectural College. The Helen Hamlyn Centre at the Royal College of Art in London named her Inclusive Design Champion 2022.
Dr. Tsvi Kuflik, Head of the Intelligent User Interfaces Lab, The Information Systems Department, The University of Haifa.
Tsvi Kuflik research interests focus on intelligent user interfaces in general and specifically on exploring the potential of novel mobile communication and information technology to enhance visitors’ cultural heritage experience. He has worked in this area for more than twenty years. Recently he has focused on enhancing the museum visit experience to visually impaired visitors.
Tamar Makharashvili, Tbilisi Development Fund -TDF Asian Development Bank – ADB
With over a decade of professional experience, Tamar Makharashvili has focused her career on the advocacy and development of Inclusive Tourism, accessibility, and universal design. Her contributions in these areas have been recognized for their impact, and she is dedicated to promoting sustainability, good governance, and human rights. Currently, Tamar is a member of the Country Advisory Network at G3ict, The Global Initiative for Inclusive ICTs in the USA. She serves as the Founder and Director of the International Institute of Universal Design Research and Education and the Inclusive Tourism Center. Additionally, She works as an Inclusive Tourism and access audit Expert for the Tbilisi Municipality City Hall Mayor’s Committee for People with Disabilities, Tbilisi Development Fund and the Asian Development Bank. Tamar has authored several publications and developed training programs aimed at enhancing awareness and skills related to inclusive tourism, accessibility and inclusive practices in the tourism sector. She has also led accessibility projects across Georgia, including initiatives at UNESCO World Heritage sites. Furthermore, she has initiated policy advancements to ensure that inclusivity and accessibility are fundamental components of tourism development in the region.
Regina Cohen, G3ict/Smart Cities for All Country Representative for Brazil, CPABE (Certified Professional in Accessible Built Environments), International Accessibility Consultant
Regina Cohen is an Architect, PhD on Psychosociology of Communities (UFRJ), Post-doctor on Architecture with the theme of “Accessibility to Patrimony Historic Cities and Museums”, International Accessibility Consultant, representing Brazil in G3ict/Smart Cities for All. She received an award from Zero Project United Nations Forum, was the Coordinator of the Pro-access Group at Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), many accessibility projects and was the member and coordinator of many consulting councils, including the Accessibility Commission of Architecture and Urbanism Council from the State of Rio de Janeiro.
Coco Raynes, President, Coco Raynes Associates, Inc
Aesthetic and Practical Solutions for Accessibility
Coco Raynes is an expert in wayfinding and accessibility. She was an innovator when Universal Design was still an unknown concept in the late 1980s.
She invented the Raynes Rail, the Braille and Audio Handrail System to provide the ‘missing link’ from a point of entry to any desired location, in buildings or outdoor spaces. The patented product provides complete autonomy to the visually impaired, while also addressing the general public. She also developed manufacturing techniques to create tactile maps and drawings on glass.
Her firm opened several national museums to blind visitors in France and Colombia. The ground-breaking work was influential and forged the ‘right to equal information’ into law in France.
She has lectured worldwide, taught and lectured at Harvard University, and received among many awards the prestigious Gold Award from the Industrial Designers Society of America (IDSA) in 1994, the Honor Award from the Society of Environmental Graphic Design (SEGD) in 1994, the Clio Award in 2003, and the Design Excellence and Innovation Award from International Magazine.
For her career achievements, Ms. Raynes was Honored with the 2006 Women in Design Award of Excellence from the BostonSociety of Architects.
Her work in museums is linked to ancient cities:
— “El Museo a la Vista de Todos”
For the National Museum of Colombia in Bogota, The work introduced blind visitors to pre-Colombian art, highlighting the characteristics of each civilization.
— “Le Musée au Bout des Doigts”
A tactile journey In the North of France, where blind visitors can discover several hundred years of art and architecture. Her office created tactile and audio itineraries with museography and exhibits for the following museums:
- Musee des Beaux Arts, Calais: Studies and originals from Auguste Rodin
- Musee des Beaux Arts, Arras: Medieval and religious art, disseminated among several galleries in an ancient abbey
- Musee des Beaux Arts, Valenciennes: Art from the XVI to XX centuries, with representative examples of each period
- Musee de la Chartreuse, Douai: Medieval sarcophagi from 1161 to1664, and the evolution of religious ornamental architecture in the Gothic monastery and chapel
Because of the work in museums, Coco Raynes Associates was asked to create the accessibility prototype at Charles de Gaulle Airport.
Molly Bretton, Head of Learning, Royal Academy of Arts, London
Molly Bretton, Head of Learning at the Royal Academy of Arts, London As Head of Learning at the Royal Academy of Arts (RA), Molly leads a department
delivering creative learning programmes and resources with and for students, young people, teachers, families, and community groups. Some of these include family and school workshops for children with special educational needs and disabilities, an inclusive artist development programme for learning disabled and neurodivergent artists and sensory maps and visual guides to support a range of visitors prepare for and navigate their trips to the RA.
In 2017, Molly won a Marsh Award for Excellence in Gallery Education and in 2024 she was Highly Commended by the National Society for Education in Art & Design (NSEAD) for her work in accessible and inclusive arts education. In addition to her work at the RA, she provides consultancy to arts and cultural venues on inclusive and accessible design, interpretation, and programming. Recent projects have included work with The UK Parliament, The Courtauld Institute of Art, and The National Theatre.
Jeremy Buzzell, Manager, Park Accessibility for Visitors and Employees, National Parks, USA
Jeremy Buzzell has been working in the disability field for more than two decades. He began his career as a special education teacher and disability program coordinator for schools and non-profits, then entered government service as a Presidential Management Fellow with the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services at the U.S. Department of Education. Jeremy spent more than nine years at the U.S. Department of Education working on programs to support education, employment, and community living for individuals with disabilities, including working on disability legislation for the United States Senate. Jeremy then moved to the Transportation Security Administration as the manager of Disability Policy and Outreach responsible for ensuring that airport security was accessible to travelers with disabilities. He worked for the Chief of Support Operations at the Library of Congress prior to joining the National Park Service in 2014. Since then, Jeremy has managed the Park Accessibility for Visitors and Employees program that assists all 400+ national park units with being more accessible to people with disabilities.
Ivor Ambrose, Managing Director, ENAT – European Network for Accessible Tourism
Ivor Ambrose co-founded ENAT, the European Network for Accessible Tourism non-profit association in Belgium in 2008 and has been its Managing Director since then. He supports ENAT members and facilitates a wide range of projects and initiatives. With a background in Environmental Psychology, throughout his 40-year career he has been an advocate for the social inclusion of persons with disabilities and older people. He has worked in higher education as a lecturer and senior researcher specialising in user experience, accessibility and Universal Design in relation to buildings and environments, Information and Communication Technologies and service design. He participates in the development of European and International Standards on accessibility, and is a policy advisor on accessible tourism to the European Commission and UN Tourism. He contributes to training curricula and provides strategic advice on accessibility and inclusion to tourism authorities, regions, cities, Destination Management Organisations and businesses. He is currently the lead expert on ‘Accessibility of the Built Environment’ at the AccessibleEU Resource Centre, an outreach initiative established by the European Commission running from 2023 to 2026.
Sharon Dinur, Deputy Director for Planning and Architecture in the Department of City Planning at the Jerusalem Municipality, Israel
Sharon Dinur is an architect and an urban planner. As she returned from MIT Urban Planning Fellowship she started her current position as the Head of the Preservation Department at Jerusalem Municipality. Jerusalem contains over 10,000 historic buildings and the department work is to respond and create preservation plans for development in the historic city of Jerusalem. As the Head of the Preservation Department, Sharon produces Municipal policy for many neighborhoods in Jerusalem concerned with maintaining the balance between density and development, preservation and new development, public needs and good transportation systems.
Thomas Fikken, Guide ID
Thomas Fikken leads business development at Guide-ID, where he partners with museums to enhance their storytelling through the Podcatcher Pro audio guide system. He works closely with museums and their design partners to create specialized visitor experiences, including solutions for visually impaired guests. From developing new features to improving visitor flows, he helps cultural institutions bring their collections to life in innovative ways.
Katerina Papamichail, ENAT Architect and Expert on Accessibility, Universal Design and Accessible Tourism
Katerina Papamichail is a Greek architect and a founding member and Board Member of ENAT, the European Network for Accessible Tourism, where she manages the Built Environment, Cultural Heritage and Standardisation briefs of the association. She has contributed to the European Standard on “Accessibility and Usability of the Built environment, and the ISO Standards on “Accessible Tourism for All” and “Accessibility of immovable cultural heritage”. She has participated in numerous European projects on accessible tourism, vocational training and accessibility of the built environment. She is co-author of the Greek Accessibility Guidelines issued by the Ministry of Environment and Public Works in 1998. She has worked for 30 years as an architect for the public sector in the Greek Social Housing Organisation (OEK), being also responsible for the design of accessible and adaptable housing. She worked as Section Manager for the Olympic and Paralympic Villages, Athens 2004, responsible for planning and managing the accessibility of the combined facility. She is a regular speaker at European and international events. She is an Honorary Member of the Technical Chamber of Greece.
Raphael Saxer, CEO & Founder, Aumivi AG
Raphael Saxer is the CEO and Founder of Aumivi AG, a Swiss-based company specializing in advanced Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) solutions. He has over 30 years’ experience in the IT industry and deep expertise in VR spanning 15 years. Seven years ago, Raphael’s background in internet technologies and advertising prompted him to focus fully on VR and AR, positioning Aumivi AG as a pioneer in immersive digital experiences for large-scale projects.
Raphael creates unique VR experiences and information platforms that bring entire regions, cities, and heritage sites to life, making them accessible to a global audience. His work includes dynamic virtual platforms for the Greater Zurich Area, the Cantons of Zug, Grisons, and St. Gallen, as well as a series of significant heritage sites in Israel, including the Tower of David in Jerusalem. These platforms provide fully interactive, data-driven 3D environments, allowing users to explore both historical and modern-day locations in photorealistic detail. Corporate clients include Roche, Novartis, Primeo Energy, and many more.
Under Raphael’s leadership, Aumivi AG has built a dedicated team of developers and designers, creating customized VR and AR experiences that are both visually stunning and functionally versatile. Globally recognized for its innovative solutions, the company stands out with its unique ability to integrate drone footage from thousands of contributors, making it possible to build immersive platforms on a vast scale.
Raphael resides in Eastern Switzerland with his wife and their two teenage children. His son is an IT apprentice, sparking regular discussions around the dinner table about the latest advances in technology. As a travel enthusiast, Raphael draws inspiration from exploring and virtualizing diverse locations worldwide, continually expanding the possibilities for VR experiences that blend innovation with cultural
appreciation.
Moshe Solomon, MEHALEV
Francesca Stasolla, Full Professor of Christian and Medieval Archaeology, Department of Antiquities, SAPIENZA University of Rome
Full Professor of Christian and Medieval Archaeology at the University of Rome Sapienza.
Head of the Department of Antiquities at the University of Rome Sapienza.
She was coordinator of the bachelor and of the master degree in Archaeology and coordinator of the PhD School in Archaeology. She was director of many archaeological excavations (church of S. Pietro in Spoleto; fornax at Viggianello – PT; medieval arx at Cervara di Roma; church of S. Giovanni Evangelista in Ravenna; castle of Sardara in Sardegna; medieval town of Leopoli-Cencelle in Latium, ecc.) and now is the head of the archaeological project at the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. Her scientific interests are mainly directed to the study of evolution of urban landscape, funeral rituals, social archeology, the ways of Christianization. Membership of scientific societies (including the Pontifical Academy of Archaeology), of Editorial Board of journals, director of the journal Temporis Signa. She has given invited lectures and seminars at many Universities; she taken part in the organization of exhibitions and congress. Author of over 200 scientific publications, including monographs and excavations reports.
Isabella Essl, Head of Inclusive Arts, Zero Project, Vienna, Austria
Reut Kozak, Head of Accessibility and Inclusion, Tower of David Jerusalem Museum
Reut Kozak has worked as head of Access and Inclusion at the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum since 2017. She has pioneered the access program that includes activities for families with children with special needs in the Museum and spearheaded the Jerusalem Accessibility Forum of Museums that became a national forum in 2020. Reut co-chairs the forum that encourages sharing of best practices for accessibility in museums. In 2022, Reut presented the work of the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum at the Access Israel Conference and received the Access Israel Prize in memory of Simcha Lustig on behalf of the Museum for its ground-breaking work in the area of Accessibility in Preserved Historical and Archaeological Buildings. In 2023, Reut spoke at the Zero Project Conference in Vienna, and on behalf of the museum received the prestigious international Zero Project Award granted in conjunction with the UN and the Essl Foundation for ground-breaking accessibility in the field of culture. Coming from an academic background in archaeology, Reut finds that her role as Head of Access and Inclusion at the Tower of David Jerusalem Museum combines her passions allowing her to work towards making the historic site and new museum accessible for all.
Michal Rimon, CEO, Access Israel
Menachem Schorr, CEO, Mensch Edutainment
For most of his professional life, Menachem Schorr lived, worked, and breathed the business of digital guides in the world of culture. For over 20 years, Menachem served as the Vice President of a leading Israeli-global group of companies involved in hardware, software, and content development for museums and major tourist sites around the world.
Now leading Mensch Edutainment—a team of experienced professionals dedicated to developing digital visitor experiences for museums, cultural and heritage sites, visitor centers, and public spaces.
Their innovative and captivating audio tours and multimedia experiences are designed to transport visitors to another world. At Mensch Edutainment, they are committed to accessibility, creating inclusive tours that engage special needs audiences by providing content that is accessible for visitors of all abilities. From audio description to clear and adaptable navigation, our experiences make cultural exploration available to everyone.
Cathelijne Denekamp, Manager Accessibility & Inclusion Rijksmuseum
The Rijksmuseum is the largest museum in the Netherlands dedicated to art and history. The forefront of making this institution truly inclusive is Cathelijne, who is committed to ensuring that all visitors and employees experience the museum on equal footing, feeling welcome and recognized.
Cathelijne’s work spans across physical, social, and digital accessibility, focusing on creating an environment where everyone can participate and feel a sense of belonging. Her efforts include making the museum a more accessible employer and ensuring diverse representation within the collection. This holistic approach aims to build a solid foundation for the Rijksmuseum to be a museum for everyone.
Her philosophy is simple yet profound: an accessible museum is a better museum for all. To share the Rijksmuseum’s journey towards accessibility, Cathelijne authored a book, “Accessibility Without Limits – Rijksmuseum,” which chronicles the strides taken and the lessons learned in this ongoing mission.
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