Margaret Middleton is an American independent exhibit designer and museum consultant based in Belfast, Northern Ireland. With a degree in industrial design from the Rhode Island School of Design, Middleton has over 15 years of experience in the museum field, working at the intersection of design and social justice. Their work focuses on creating inclusive and welcoming museum experiences for diverse audiences.

Middleton is known for developing the Family Inclusive Language chart, a tool designed to help museum professionals choose words that avoid making assumptions about the identities and relationships of museum visitors. They emphasize the importance of inclusive language and thoughtful design to ensure museums are accessible and welcoming to all. They have contributed to numerous publications and conferences, advocating for the importance of playful, inclusive exhibition design.

Olena Honcharuk is the Acting Director of the Oleksandr Dovzhenko National Centre in Ukraine, which is the country’s primary film archive. Honcharuk has been actively involved in the organization since 2021 and was previously the head of the Dovzhenko Center Film Museum​.

As a prominent figure in the Ukrainian cultural sector, Honcharuk has been a strong advocate for the  preservation and promotion of Ukraine’s film heritage during challenging times, including the ongoing war. She has also been involved in various initiatives aimed at expanding the centre’s archival activities to document the war and its impacts​​.

Miles Greenwood is the Lead Curator at the International Slavery Museum, part of National Museums Liverpool. Greenwood focuses on addressing the legacies of slavery and empire through exhibitions, research, and community engagement. His work involves highlighting the historical impact of transatlantic slavery and colonialism, as well as their ongoing effects in contemporary society.

Prior to his current position, Greenwood served as the Curator of Legacies of Slavery and Empire at Glasgow Museums, where he played a crucial role in reshaping narratives around Glasgow’s involvement in the slave trade and its colonial past.

Amina Krvavac is the Executive Director of the War Childhood Museum in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina. The museum focuses on the experiences of children affected by war. Under her leadership, the museum has gained international recognition for its innovative approach to peacebuilding and reconciliation, and is widely recognized and praised for its capacity to contribute to a better understanding of war-affected childhood as a complex social phenomenon. The War Childhood Musuem won the prestigious Council of Europe Museum Prize in 2018.

Krvavac believes in museums as spaces for social action, societal healing and drivers of change, and is particularly interested in unlocking the potential of museums in transitional justice processes.

Lebogang Marishane is a South African researcher, and a social justice, culture, and peace–building practitioner dedicated to fostering dialogue, reconnecting individuals with their pasts, and envisioning a brighter future for all. Currently serving as the Strategic Support Manager at Constitution Hill in South Africa.

Marishane has over 15 years of experience in collaborative projects, spanning from transitional justice for African youth to curating exhibitions in post-conflict societies.. Through her work, Marishane strives to create a more just and inclusive society where every voice is valued and heard.She has been instrumental in organizing and promoting events that address issues affecting young people, the LGBTIQ+ community, and other marginalized groups. Marishane’s work involves advancing truth and reconciliation efforts post-Apartheid, aiming to honour human rights and foster societal reflection on South Africa’s complex history.

Taina Máret Pieski is the director of the Sámi Museum Siida in Inari, Finland. The Indigenous-led museum serves as both a museum and a nature center, focusing on the culture and history of the Sámi people, as well as the natural environment of Northern Lapland. Under Pieski’s leadership, the museum has undergone significant renovations and expansions, enhancing its exhibitions and facilities to better serve the public and preserve Sámi heritage. The Sámi Museum Siida is the winner of the European Museum of the Year Award (Emya) 2024.

Chris Newell is a member of the Passamaquoddy Tribe and has made significant contributions to the museum field, particularly in promoting Indigenous perspectives. Newell served as the Executive Director and Senior Partner to the Wabanaki Nations at the Abbe Museum in Bar Harbor, Maine, starting in March 2020. He was the first tribal member to lead the museum, which is dedicated to Wabanaki art, history, and culture.

During his tenure, Newell focused on decolonizing museum practices by centering Native voices and restructuring the museum’s board to include a majority of Wabanaki members. This work aimed to ensure that the museum not only showcased Wabanaki history but also involved Wabanaki people in its governance.

Newell co-founded the Akomawt Educational Initiative, which he co-founded to improve education on Native history and contemporary issues across New England.

Hillary Spencer is the co-chair of ICOM Exhibitions and is a thought leader on the role of risk and leadership and is a leading voice in the future of museums. Spencer is committed to social justice narratives and models of co-creation and co-leadership in both content creation and structural change. Spencer recently relocated to Washington DC to open Agency.Museum, a consultancy for museum transformation, after serving as the CEO of The Bishop Museum of Science and Nature. She was also the CEO and President of the Children’s Museum of the Upstate, founding director of Nomad Exhibitions, North America, and the Assistant Director of Global Business Development for the American Museum of Natural History.

Linda Norris is Senior Specialist, Methodology and Practice at the International Coalition of Sites of Conscience (ICSC). She facilitates connections and builds the capacity of members and other organizations in the work of using the past to create a more just future. ICSC is s the only global network of historic sites, museums, and memory initiatives that connects past struggles to today’s movements for human rights.

Co-author of Creativity in Museum Practice, Norris is an international thought leader in facilitating conversation and action surrounding the ways creativity can transform museums, shape more compelling narratives, and create deeper, more inclusive community connections.