Speakers

Alejandro Moledo del Río, European Disability Forum (EDF) Deputy Director & Head of Policy. 

Mr. Moledo leads and coordinates EDF’s advocacy and policy work at EU level and supports the work of the European Parliament Disability Intergroup. 

Among other areas, Mr. Moledo has developed policy positions and recommendations regarding political participation of persons with disabilities, accessible Information and Communication Technologies, Assistive Technologies and different standardisation activities. 

Mr. Moledo holds a Bachelor's degree with honours in Journalism from University of Valencia (Spain, 2005-2010), including one year at York University (Canada), as well as a Master's degree in political and corporate communication from University of Navarra and George Washington University (Spain and US, 2011-2012). During his bachelor’s studies he worked as communication officer for a political group within the parliament of the Valencia Region (2009 and 2010). After working as a journalist in digital media and a communication agency in Andorra, he started working in a European public affairs company (Madrid) in 2012, before joining the European Disability Forum in 2013. 

Mr Moledo is also member of the Spanish Blind Organisation (ONCE), for which he worked as a journalist and regional representative of young visually impaired people inside the organisation (2008-2011).

Roxana Widmer-Iliescu, Head of the Digital Inclusion Service 

Roxana WIDMER-ILIESCU has dedicated 27 years to the Development Bureau of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU), to advance the global Digital Inclusion agenda. 

As Head of the Digital Inclusion Service, she advises ITU Members and leads efforts to craft inclusive digital policies and strategies, to ensure everyone's participation in the digital society, economy and environment. 

A passionate advocate for ICT /digital accessibility, she champions human-centered and digitally inclusive technologies -products and services- to ensure equitable access to digital opportunities for all people, regardless of their age, gender, ability, or geographical location. 

To support global efforts toward building a digitally inclusive world in which no one is left behind, she spearheaded the development of more than 75 ITU-D key resources aimed at fostering implementation of available, affordable and digitally accessible technologies. 

Prior to joining ITU, Ms. Widmer served in the International Relations Department of the Romanian Parliament. She holds a legal background with a specialization in Strategic Management of Telecommunications, and is fluent in English, French, Romanian, and Spanish. 

Jesús Hernández Galán, Director of the European Accessibility Resource Centre &  Director of Accessibility and Innovation, Fundación ONCE 

PhD Engineer with highest honors, Cum Laude. He has over 30 years of experience in innovation and accessibility, leading diverse teams. From 2000 to 2003, he served as General Director and CEO of the consultancy Vía Libre. In late 2022, he was appointed Director of the European Accessibility Resource Centre, a role he combines with his current position as Director of Accessibility and Innovation at Fundación ONCE, which he has held since 2003. He received the 2024 National Innovation Award and was honored with the Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards. 

His academic background includes IESE (PDG and Executive Program for Research, Innovation and Technology Transfer Institutions – PADIIT), Stanford University (Professional Certificate in Innovation and Entrepreneurship), and the London School of Economics (Social Innovation). He is an expert in business management and innovation, a certified professional coach, professor, and speaker.

Cosmas Luckyson Zavazava, Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT), ITU 

Cosmas Zavazava took office as Director of the Telecommunication Development Bureau (BDT) at the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) on 1 January 2023.

With more than 30 years in telecommunications, including over 20 years in ITU's Development Sector, Dr Zavazava has promoted and implemented impactful information and communication technology projects around the world. 

Prior to his election as BDT Director, he served as ITU's Chief of Partnerships for Digital Development , overseeing development-related projects, strategic partnerships, and resource mobilization between 2019 and 2022, while launching new initiatives that have boosted the engagement of industry, private-sector and academia members in ITU's work. 

Previously, as ITU's Chief of Projects and Initiatives, he oversaw development projects focused on gender, youth, and people with special needs, along with capacity building, emergency telecommunications, climate change mitigation and adaptation, and e-waste management. 

Earlier, Dr Zavazava headed the Republic of Zimbabwe's Government Telecommunications Agency and served as a senior diplomat. He also taught MBA classes at the UK's Nottingham Trent University.

Throughout his career, he has focused on closing the digital and skills divide and accelerating digital transformation to achieve socio-economic development for all. 

Dr Zavazava holds a PhD in Multilateral Trade from Business School Lausanne (Switzerland), and a Master of Laws degree in Telecommunications and Information Technology from the University of Strathclyde (UK), as well as a Master's in International Relations from Webster University (US), and an MBA from the University of Zimbabwe. He also holds a Bachelor's in Business Administration and diplomas in Telecommunications and Systems Engineering.

Pilar Orero, Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona 

Professor Pilar Orero, PhD (UMIST, UK) works at Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona (Spain) in the TransMedia Catalonia Lab. She has written and edited many books, near 100 academic papers and almost the same number of book chapters – all on Media Accessibility. Leader and participant of numerous EU funded research projects focusing on media accessibility. She works in standardisation and participates in the UN ITU IRG-AVA - Intersector Rapporteur Group Audiovisual Media Accessibility. She has been working on Immersive Accessibility for the past 6 years first in a project called ImAc, which results are now further developed in TRACTION, MEDIAVERSE, MILE, and GREENSCENT. She led until December 2022 the EU network LEADME on Media Accessibility. She was the Co-Chair of Study Group on Accessibility and Inclusion in the ITU Metaverse Focus Group, and she is leading the Digital Inclusion and Accessibility track of the ITU Virtual Worlds. She is now working on AI and accessibility in the three funded projects MOSAIC, ALFIE, and SPICE. 

For more info please go to: https://webs.uab.cat/pilarorero/ 

Lourdes González Perea, Head of Accessible Technologies at Fundación ONCE. 

She holds a PhD in Education and Social Communication and an Executive MBA​ and Social Communication and an Executive MBA. Her passion for ICT Accessibility began in 2003, and since then she has had the privilege of leading accessibility assessments, training initiatives, technology certification processes, and R&D projects. 

She is also part of the management team of AccessibleEU, where she coordinates activities related to accessibility, communication, and technology, striving to make a meaningful impact in these fields