A retired surface warfare officer and cybersecurity expert for over 30 years, Jim has supported the securing of over 300 military, government and commercial systems. He received his Masters degree from Johns Hopkins University and taught their first graduate cybersecurity courses. Also, he created the “Business-Based Security Solutions” concept and lectures on implementing “practical cybersecurity solutions” for organizations, like Cambridge University, Canadian Communications Security Establishment, NATO, Pentagon, NASA, and FBI. He has authored five books on security and management strategies. Jim now living in Ferragudo, Algarve and continues to teach cybersecurity and management courses in America and Europe. See more at www.litchko.com
Lília graduated in Law in 2006, has been a member of the Portuguese Bar Association since 2009. She undertook internships in the European Parliament and at the European Court of Human Rights.From 2009 to 2013 she was the Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Faro her main functions being media relations, press releases and communication; coordination of the Advisory Councils and Municipal Commissions; Legal advice to municipal companies and for handling various issues including security and civil protection. She is now is working with Luís Galvão & Associates, in Almancil, especially in the areas of Administrative Law, International Law, Corporate and Litigation. Contacts: liliabispo@hotmail.com or 913486871
Was born in November 1996. Since she can remember, she has been fascinated by different languages and cultures, striving to continuously learn more. In school, she discovered a passion for literature and, for years, her life was engulfed by rhymes, metaphors and the stories of those long gone. This culminated in a Bachelor’s degree in Languages, Literatures and Cultures, which she graduated from in 2014.
This degree gave her the opportunity to live and study in the Republic of Ireland, a country she fell in love with and returned to many times since. Aiming for more, she then undertook a Master’s degree in Sociology, and is currently writing a final dissertation on Domestic Violence through an internship at DIAP - Porto. After having volunteered at Just a Change and for a local Animal Organisation doing TNR throughout the years, she now volunteers as a translator and a social media admin for Safe Communities Portugal.
Mike has recently retired to live in the Algarve having spent 47 years working in the Travel Industry in the UK. Working within all the different sectors during his working life Mike’s final position was working in the Cruise industry for Fred Olsen Cruise Lines where he spent the last 27 years in a variety of roles before becoming Head of Sales.
Mike has been in Sales and Marketing all his working life and is in touch with many of his former colleagues in the Industry and is able to offer advice on how the travel sector is handling current issues.
Previous roles have been as Sales and Marketing Manager for the Department of Tourism for the Cayman Islands where he spent 3 years working closely with government and the public sector to promote the Islands to the UK and European holiday market as General Manager for theOver 50’s holiday division of Global Holidays, a top 5 Tour Operator in the 70’s and 80’s.
Maria Fernanda Gonçalves (Maria like the vast majority of the girls born in that period of the last century…), born in November of 1964 in Alentejo. A degree in Biology by the University of Lisbon and around 20 years of work in the Pharma industry, Marketing and Sales departments. Living in Lisbon’s area for more than 30 years. International traveling came with the job and also a personal predisposition. One thing that travelling quickly taught me was to appreciate and to value the little corner of Europe where I was born and raised.
This conscience, together with a natural curiosity to know the why and when, was the reason for a significant change in carrier when the time came to say goodbye to the big Pharma world. After a postgraduate in the field of management on nature-based tourism by Lusofona University I’ve registered my own business at Turismo de Portugal. Focusing on incoming guests, discovering my beloved Portugal out of the main touristic destinations. A return to my routes in Alentejo.