Lectori – Brașov Edition, June 2026
In parallel, he is president and ambassador of the Mereu Aproape Foundation, as well as executive director of Intact Media Group, where he coordinates strategic projects that promote dialogue between authorities, the business environment and civil society. He is also an associate professor at the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations of SNSPA, contributing to the training of new generations of communication professionals.
Over the years, she has become a credible and influential voice in the media landscape, actively involved in promoting social dialogue, civic and humanitarian projects. Through her entire activity, Alessandra Stoicescu has gained public trust and professional recognition at a national level.
Steve Jarding taught for 20 years at Harvard University, becoming one of the most renowned professors of public leadership. He twice won the prestigious “Teacher of the Year” award at the Harvard Kennedy School.
He is an expert in strategic communication, campaign management, and strategy. Nine of his former students have been presidential or prime ministerial candidates in various countries around the world.
Steve Jarding is the CEO and founder of the international political consulting group SJB, which has worked for clients in 22 countries and 5 continents, and the co-author of the book "Foxes in the Henhouse" (2006, Simon & Schuster).
Andrei Galan He is an expert in strategic communication, public relations, and branding, with over 15 years of experience in media, public institutions, entertainment, and sports.
He is an associated teaching staff member at the Faculty of Communication and Public Relations, SNSPA, where his academic activity focuses on digital communication, reputation management, and the impact of new technologies and artificial intelligence on public communication, the entertainment industry, and event organization.
Throughout his career, he has coordinated and implemented communication, branding, and public affairs campaigns for public figures, artists, organizations, and institutions in Romania and internationally. Since 2012, he has collaborated on projects within media structures in the United Kingdom, being affiliated with the BBC and ITV, and his professional experience was further solidified in 2023 through his activity within the British Royal Household, in the Royal Correspondence department at Buckingham Palace.
His expertise includes personal branding, public speaking, crisis communication, digital strategy, and the management of public perception in high-visibility and media-pressure contexts.
Currently, he combines academic activity with projects in the institutional, sports, and media fields, being involved in the development of communication and reputation strategies for organizations and leaders in the public space.
Andreea Paul is a PhD associate professor at the Faculty of International Economic Relations, ASE and the president of INACO, with extensive experience in public administration and the Romanian and European institutional triad: the Presidential Administration, the Government of Romania, the Parliament of Romania, respectively the European Parliament, passionate about the economy of the future, performance, education and sports.
Oana Babagianu is the executive director of the Future Romania program. He is an entrepreneur and former government advisor, with significant experience in central public administration. He works at the interface between the public and private sectors, contributing to the transfer of expertise and the development of partnerships between the two sectors.
She has founded and led several start-ups in the UK and Romania, strengthening an international perspective on leadership, innovation and good governance. He completed his undergraduate and postgraduate studies in the UK, Spain and Switzerland. He is currently a PhD student in economics in Romania.
As the author of the best-selling novel "Eva", she addresses themes related to identity and personal evolution, exploring the human dimension of transformation and adaptation in complex contexts.
Mircea Gâjâilă is a strategic communication specialist with experience in national security and public affairs. He works with governmental and non-governmental institutions, focusing on institutional relationships and decision-making dynamics.
He held training sessions and collaborated with participants from political and organizational backgrounds, being directly involved in campaign construction, political storytelling and the formulation of strategically important messages, contributing to the development of the skills necessary in competitive contexts.
Valentin Stefan, directorul general al Poștei Române, cu o carieră care traversează cu succes zona serviciilor financiare internaţionale, investigarea fraudei digitale şi transformarea organizaţiilor publice, aduce în o viziune unică asupra modului în care infrastructurile tradiţionale pot fi reinventate pentru economia digitală şi sustenabilă.
After studies in Romania and the USA and extensive professional experience at institutions such as MorganStanley or international anti-fraud investigation teams, in 2020 he returned to Romania to join the management of the Romanian Post as Deputy General Manager, and in 2021 he took over the mandate of General Manager.
In his current position, he leads the transformation of the organization: modernizing infrastructure, digitizing postal operations, expanding the role of the Romanian Post as a regional logistics hub, and assuming a distinct social purpose – by supporting human capital, inclusion, and crisis response.
At Future Romania, Valentin Ştefan will explore the challenges of a nationally relevant company, faced with global dynamics – from regional logistics competition, to the integration of emerging technologies and the reconnecting of traditional infrastructures with the digital economy. The audience will be invited to reflect on how significant public organizations can adopt the startup mindset, while maintaining the balance between social responsibility and economic efficiency.
Constantin Saragea is a general director within the Ministry of Investments and European Projects, with approximately 25 years of experience in public administration, in the field of attracting non-reimbursable European funds, investments, procurement, management of European projects and control, irregularities and anti-fraud. He was the head of a Management Authority, which manages European funds in Romania and secretary general of the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization (2022-2023) and of the Ministry of Energy (2023-2025).
He is a graduate of the Faculty of Automation and Computers at the Politehnica University of Bucharest, has a master's degree in "Advanced Automation" at the same faculty and completed postgraduate courses in "Management of Public Institutions" at the Academy of Economic Studies in Bucharest.
He coordinated teams and contributed to an absorption of almost 100% of the European pre-accession funds PHARE, ISPA, the Transition Facility and the structural funds, PNRR and the Modernization Fund, allocated within important investment projects for Romania.
It is guided by the principle: "Don't tell people your plans, show them the results".
Sebastian-Ioan Burduja was the Minister of Energy from June 2023 to June 2025 and the Minister of Research, Innovation and Digitalization (May 2022 to June 2023). He is a member of the Romanian Parliament, honorary advisor to the Prime Minister of Romania, and president of the PNL Bucharest.
He holds a PhD in Economics and International Affairs from ASE (Summa Cum Laude), a BA from Stanford University, and a double master's degree from Harvard University (MBA & MPP). He is an associate professor at the Faculty of Management at the National School of Political and Administrative Studies (SNSPA).
Between 2012 and 2015, he worked as a specialist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. He is the author of several volumes: "Between Hope and Disillusionment. Democracy and Anti-Corruption in Post-Communist Romania" (Curtea Veche, 2016), "The Plan for Romania. Seven Intellectual Revolutions for a Country We Want to Stay in" (Litera, 2020), "The Plan for Bucharest" (Litera, 2024) and "The 10 Commandments for Romania" (Litera, 2025).
He is honorary president and founding member of the League of Romanian Students Abroad (LSRS) and the CAESAR Foundation.
Mariana Ioniță represents the model of the professional trained in public administration in Romania, being a
civil servant career that has gone through, step by step, all the steps of the administrative hierarchy.
This organic evolution has given her a deep knowledge of the mechanisms of the state, transforming her into a
mark of stability and competence in the transport and infrastructure sector.
A construction engineer by profession, Mariana Ioniță has built her reputation through over three decades of experience, successively occupying executive and management positions within Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure. This trajectory allowed him to understand in detail both the technical challenges on construction sites and the legislative and procedural complexity of administrative acts at a high level.
His negotiating ability was validated at the highest level during Romanian Presidency of the Council of the European Union (2019), when he held the position of Vice President of the Land Transport Group. From this position, he coordinated legislative files essential for European mobility, harmonizing the interests of the Member States with the strategic vision of the European Union.
During his term of office Director General of CNAIR, having demonstrated a results-oriented leadership style, being the architect behind the unblocking of vital infrastructure projects for Romania, currently in operation or in advanced stages of execution:
- Sibiu - Pitești Motorway (A1): Start of critical mountain sections;
- Moldovan Motorway (A7): Rigorous preparation of documentation for the launch of execution;
- Craiova - Piteşti Expressway (DEx12): Accelerating works on key sections;
- Brăila Suspension Bridge: Efficient management of complex construction stages.
Today, Mariana Ioniță continues to put her experience at the service of the public interest, advocating for the professionalization of the civil service and for a long-term vision in the development of transport networks.
Her presence is a guarantee of the balance between technical rigor, administrative expertise and European strategic vision.
Dan Sultanescu he is a university lecturer at SNSPA, holds a PhD in Communication Sciences, and is a Fulbright Visiting Scholar at the University of South Carolina. He is an expert in political science, political communication, new media, civic and electoral participation, with experience in communication and political campaigns since 2000. He is associated with the Center for Civic Participation and Democracy (CPD SNSPA), where he has coordinated research projects on civic participation, online communication, disinformation, and the impact of anti-Western narratives.
Andrei Ciobanu is a Romanian comedian, actor and writer. He became known through his stand-up comedy shows and his work within the group Sector 7, appreciated for his intelligent and self-deprecating humor.
He is the author of the best-selling books "Suck it, Ramona!" and "Suck it, Andrei!", which were the basis for the film "Oh, Ramona!" (2019). In addition to his literary and artistic work, Andrei Ciobanu was also a radio producer, having a constant presence in the Romanian media.
His style combines sarcasm, social observations, and situational humor, which has made him one of the most appreciated comedians of the new generation in Romania.
Lóránt Antal He is a senator in the Romanian Parliament and, since December 2020, has held the position of Chairman of the Committee for Energy, Energy Infrastructure, and Mineral Resources, serving his second term in this capacity. He is also a member of the Committee for Economic Affairs, Industries, Services, Tourism, and Entrepreneurship; the Committee for Budget, Finance, Banking Activity, and Capital Market; and the UDMR Economic Council, an analysis and consultation platform for legislative projects and economic programs.
In addition to his parliamentary activity, he has extensive experience in the fields of renewable energy and regional development. He is the founder of several companies specializing in consulting, financing, and the implementation of energy projects, contributing to the development of industrial parks and innovative initiatives regarding green energy production for public authorities, with the aim of streamlining energy consumption at the local level.
He studied at the „Gheorghe Dima” Academy of Music and the Faculty of Economic Sciences of „Dimitrie Cantemir”. Actively involved in the youth movement, he consolidated the activity of organizations in the Odorhei area, and later, at the national level, he became president of TUDMR, the largest Hungarian youth council in Romania.
Politically, he ran in the 2014 European Parliament elections, and since 2018 he has represented Harghita County in the Senate, being re-elected in 2020 and 2024.
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