Ursula Hillbrand, Mag. iur., is a dialogue expert, empathetic process guide, lawyer, leadership coach, and pioneer in collaborative methods. She advises leaders, teams, and organizations all across Europe.

Her many years of experience in Results-Based Management and Participatory Leadership—among other roles within EU institutions—have given her an instinct for what truly matters, helping identify common ground for developing future-ready visions.

Whether she’s delivering a lecture, facilitating a team retreat, or hosting a strategic dinner for an executive circle, one thing remains constant: directing attention to the power of collective effort, recognizing each individual’s strengths, nurturing emergence, and fostering the enthusiasm and joy that come from genuine engagement and commitment.

Inspired by the “Women moving the edge of consciousness” movement, she facilitates women’s circles and women’s leadership seminars. Increasingly, male leadership boards also seek her out to resolve conflicts and cultivate a more empathetic working environment. Her energetic hosting of the Bregenzer Salon has brought salon culture to life well beyond its regional roots. She has served as an Art of Hosting “Steward” and a Theory U practitioner since 2007 and holds a leadership role in the seminar.

Dr. Elisabeth Frankus, a social scientist, is engaged in research and is passionate about participatory approaches. It is important to her to consistently incorporate the views of various individuals on an equal footing in research and development processes to promote a just and sustainable societal development. In doing so, she consistently adheres to ethical principles.

She is enthusiastic about Art of Hosting because it is a profound and effective method for designing participatory and collaborative processes. This method fosters creative interactions and harnesses the collective wisdom of all participants to enable meaningful conversations and sustainable solutions. Art of Hosting reinforces her belief that together, we can create a vibrant and sustainable world.

Growing up in a small central Hessian village in the 1960s, Markus initially encountered a very traditional image of masculinity—shaped by his grandfather, partly questioned by his father. At 21, he moved to Sweden and discovered new ways of being a man within Scandinavia’s egalitarian culture. As the father of four children, he went on to gain further insights—from participating in fathers’ groups to taking an active role in family responsibilities. Step by step, he developed an understanding of how unconscious role expectations operate and how crucial it is to pause regularly and ask what truly fits one’s own life.

Professionally immersed in the digital realm for decades, Markus excels at creating participatory learning and dialogue spaces, both in person and online. His passion lies in collective reflection and attentive listening to bring hidden potential to light. He does not regard himself as an “expert on masculinity,” but rather as a fellow traveler who has gathered valuable experiences along the way. Through his co-creative leadership style and sensitivity to group dynamics, he invites men to meet themselves anew, reexamine their role models, and confidently claim their own place in the world.

In the Art of Hosting trainings he co-facilitates, men discover how genuine innovation and personal growth can arise from shared dialogue and mindful listening—whether in everyday family life, within teams, or throughout organizations.

I love the shared exploration and discovery. I deeply value learning with and from each other, growing together in a spirit of creativity and uplifting ease. Art of Hosting is future-oriented and creates a space that fosters trustful and sustainable processes.

Susanya works as a therapist for individuals, couples, and groups. She supports people in connecting with themselves, their own bodies, and others as relational beings through a variety of healing and creative practices that promote resilience and nurture resources.

As an art and culture designer, she uses creative approaches such as photography and dance to encourage people to question themselves, venture into the unknown, become more active, explore new ways of interacting, and find access to a reality beyond surface appearances.

As a host, she is dedicated to maintaining and developing a conversational culture that places the human experience at its core. As a writer, she explores language as a matrix for creation. The Optimystic serves as a guide for women navigating the transformative process of menopause.

Professionally involved in change processes repeatedly, she has found in Art of Hosting a way to recognize and value the needs and fears of everyone in a group. Solidarity among women is a key concern for her. For nearly 15 years, she has been active in an international women’s network, and she sees female empowerment as a valuable means to drive continuous change towards a more equitable society. Moving away from a mentality of competition towards a sense of “WE.” As a Junior Host, she supports the hosting team in creating a welcoming learning environment.