Agenda

• Professor Emeritus, Iwate Prefectural University, Japan
• Researcher, Institute for Mathematics and Computer Science, Tsuda University, Japan
• She had Ph.D. from University of London (attended Dept. of Computer Science, University College London). Her research interests include networking, security, the sense of security, trust and disaster informatics as well as inclusive computing.

Vanessa Gray heads the ITU Development Sector (ITU-D) Environment and Emergency Telecommunications Division. In this role, she is responsible for studying needs, developing specific programs of assistance, and identifying ICT for Development opportunities. She also coordinates emergency telecommunications, developing ICT projects that provide assistance for disaster prevention, preparedness, mitigation, response, and recovery. Her Division is responsible as well for ITU-D programs on e‑waste and climate change adaptation. Prior to this position, Vanessa was in the ITU ICT Data and Statistics Division where she contributed to analytical publications, organized ICT‑related meetings, and delivered national and regional training on ICT statistics. Vanessa holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and Economics from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies in Geneva, Switzerland.

FanMan Tsang is the Director of Capacity Bridging and Technology at the CDAC Network. In this role, he supports humanitarian relief actors to be more responsive to those affected by my crises, especially by using technology for better two-way communication, so people affected by crises can make informed decisions about their own lives. Before CDAC, FanMan had country-level director positions with Translators without Borders in Bangladesh, the Internews in South Sudan, and the Humanitarian Information Service in Abyei. He has also led humanitarian media and community information projects in the Mediterranean refugee crisis.  Before he switched to humanitarian work, he spent 15 years in broadcasting, mostly as a senior producer on the BBC’s prime-time network news output.

Eliot Christian is CEO of the non-profit Alert-Hub.Org CIC (Community Interest Organization). He is also a pro bono consultant to various organizations, consulting on CAP and conducting CAP training for IFRC, ITU, UNDRR and the US Agency for International Development. He leads the Filtered Alert Hub initiative on behalf of the U.S. NOAA. He is also a pro bono consultant to, and retired from, WMO. He was a chief architect of the WMO Information System and the Global Earth Observations System of Systems. Eliot is retired from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) where for many years he helped lead broad programs for environmental data sharing. Since 2001, he has been active in developing and promoting CAP, especially internationally. 

Manager of the Public Service Broadcasting and Media with 30 years’ experience in the news, sport and international relations sectors. Trained as a journalist, with a great deal of experience in international companies and organizations (RAI, Euronews, Eurosport, EBU European Broadcasting Union, and now back at RAI). He has worked for all kind of media (press, radio, general interest TV, all-news channels, Internet portals).Has been among the founders of Euronews in Lyons (1992-1997), then, back in Italy, in charge of the launch of RAI all news channel RAINEWS 24. At European Broadcasting Union has been since 2002 and until 2020, Head of Institutional Relations and of Members Relations South. Currently at RAI he is in charge of the project of follow up of the Next Generation EU plan. Between 2020 and 2022 has been global manager of the UNDRR/WBU project called “Media saving lives”, that is aiming to train journalists and media professionals in the 100 countries more exposed to the risks of climate change impact. In this vest has followed the last COP of the Paris Agreement and the GPs on DRR organized by UNDRR.