Yannick is also a co-founder of Wine on Wheels, uniting wine enthusiasts and sommeliers for charitable endeavors. Despite a life-changing car accident in 2003 that left him paralyzed, Yannick pursued his dreams, attending college and becoming a sommelier. His early professional experiences include working at renowned establishments like Le Cirque, Jean-Georges, Felidia, and Atelier at the Ritz Carlton.

Yannick and his partners established Contento Restaurant in East Harlem, which operated with the ethos “accessible for all.” The restaurant exemplified quality hospitality with an inclusive approach until its closure. Yannick’s innovative work at Contento earned widespread acclaim, and he was featured among Wine Enthusiast’s Top 40 under 40 and named Person of the Year by New Mobility Magazine in 2017.

Yannick has served as the resident sommelier on the radio show On The Town with Michael Riedel on AM 970 The Answer and appeared on major networks like ABC, NBC, and CBS. In 2015, he was featured in Uncorked, a documentary series on Esquire TV.

Jancis Robinson of the Financial Times referred to Yannick as “the new star of New York’s gastronomic firmament,” and The Wine Spectator highlighted his ability to showcase a “kinder, gentler side of the profession.” Yannick’s journey and the success of Wheeling Forward, an organization he supports, have been featured in major publications. In 2021, Yannick was recognized as Sommelier/Wine Director of The Year at the Wine Enthusiast Wine Star Awards.

• HAA transports, triages and treats critically ill patients throughout the country. Over 40% of our patients are pregnant mothers and their newborns/infants.
• Trips by road throughout Haiti can take hours; HAA can make these trips by helicopter in 20 minutes or less, thus saving critically ill patients who otherwise would have little to no chance of survival.
• HAA transports doctors and other medical staff to their respective clinics and hospitals throughout Haiti, thus positively impacting thousands of patients a year.
• HAA performs “Last-mile” delivery of critical medical supplies, vaccines and food to NGO’s, hospitals, clinics, orphanages, etc. on a continuous basis throughout the year.
• HAA has over 200 landing sites throughout the country, which are not usable by airplanes. This ability to use landing sites greatly expands our ability to help so many in need throughout the country.
• HAA personnel trains hundreds of community members each year in Basic Life Saving/CPR, etc., so that these members are able to be “first responders” when a medical emergency arises.
• Among its many partnerships, HAA has a close and ongoing relationship with the 3 largest hospitals in Haiti. HAA has helped them throughout the years with their critical needs. These hospitals are the following:
• Partners In Health
• Health Equity International (formerly known as St. Boniface Hospital), and
• Albert Schweitzer Hospital

David Ellis is an industry veteran with more than 20 years in the air medical field.  David has been a Flight Paramedic, Clinical Educator, and Program Director for independent, non-profit, and University affiliated air medical services through out the United States.  David has worked internationally doing fixed wing repatriations across the globe, as well as taking a lead role in the air medical evacuation of Puerto Rico, St Thomas, and St Croix after Hurricane Maria.  David started with HAA as a volunteer flight crew member in 2014 and has returned many times over the years.  David is a Past President of the International Association of Flight and Critical Care Paramedics, has authored many articles, and lectured at industry conferences for many years.  David holds a Bachelors Degree in Health Care Administration, is a Certified Medical Transport Executive, and is a Certified Flight Paramedic.

Marcia Lehman is a business development, marketing and fundraising leader with a long-
standing track record at major corporations and non-profit organizations. She has been in

diverse B2C and B2B industries, including health care/medical research: higher education,
consumer packaged goods, and financial services. After a successful career in the for-profit
sector, Marcia transitioned to the non-profit world, representing organizations whose

missions focused on social, economic and health equity for all. Her passion is to help non-
profits succeed, utilizing a creative yet disciplined approach to the challenges at hand.

Marcia currently serves as the Chief Development and Marketing Officer for Haiti Air
Ambulance (HAA) – the only one of its kind in Haiti – a charity which transports, triages and
treats patients all across the country - saving lives every day. HAA also focuses on “last-mile
logistics,” delivering critical medical supplies and equipment all over the country. She has been
responsible for building, from the ground up, Haiti Air Ambulance’s very first fundraising and
marketing team and all related initiatives. In this role, she has developed and implemented a
full range of awareness building, donor identification and engagement initiatives, as well as
built an incredibly effective and agile development and marketing team, based across the
United States.
Marcia, a long-time resident in Oak Park, Illinois, is a Leadership Illinois Award winner and a
current Board Member of the Oak Park Parks Foundation. Marcia earned a Bachelor of Arts
degree from State University of New York at Albany, graduating Summa Cum Laude, followed
by a Master of Business Administration from Samuel Curtis Johnson Graduate School of
Management at Cornell University. She is also the mother of a three-time Olympian and
Bronze Medalist.

Sergei Isakov is the COO of ITUniversum Ltd, an expert in artificial intelligence with over 30 years of experience. He graduated from the Belarusian National Technical University, where he defended his PhD thesis on the application of artificial intelligence for developing educational systems in higher and secondary specialized technical institutions.

Throughout his career, Sergei has led the development of the Sciterra platform, which integrates AI elements, as well as various business process automation systems based on artificial intelligence. For more than eight years, he has been actively involved in implementing machine learning technologies and data analytics in software development.

In his presentation, "The Use of Natural Resources in Artificial Intelligence Technologies," he addresses crucial issues regarding the environmental impact of AI, the possibilities of optimizing energy consumption, and finding sustainable solutions in high-tech processes.

Prof. Dr. Tobias Thomas

The presentation:
Europe's Economy at a Crossroads: Recovery After Several Crises or Stuck in Stagnation?

March 6, 2025, 1:00 pm note time change to accommodate presenter - Consulate NYC Restaurant - 44 West 56th Street

The presentation:
Europe's Economy at a Crossroads: Recovery After Several Crises or Stuck in Stagnation?
After several crises, from the coronavirus pandemic to the inflation and energy crisis to the current recession in several major economies (e.g. Germany), the European economy is at a crossroads: will there be a recovery or is further stagnation on the horizon? Growth rates are uneven across the continent, with some countries performing better than others. In addition, the economic outlook remains uncertain due to geopolitical tensions and political changes in many countries around the globe. European foreign trade, particularly with the US, China and other markets, could be a key factor in the economic recovery. However, trade tensions and lower global growth prospects are dampening hopes of a rapid export-driven turnaround. Aside from short-term uncertainties, the European economy faces a number of structural challenges, which are emphasized in Mario Draghi's latest report on the future of European competitiveness. For example, the noticeable decline in parts of industry, demographic change with its impact on labor markets and social security as well as declining productivity growth call for structural reforms. 

Short Bio
Tobias Thomas is Professor of Economics at the Graz Schumpeter Centre (GSC) of the University of Graz, Vice Chairman of the Austrian Council of Economic Advisors (“Austrian Productivity Board”) and Director General of the Austrian Federal Statistical Office (“Statistics Austria”). At international level, he is a representative at the United Nations Statistical Commission (UNSC), the United Nations Conference of European Statisticians (UNCES), the OECD Committee on Statistics and Statistical Policy (CSSP) and the Committee on the European Statistical System (ESSC). After studying economics at the Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universität Bonn and the Technische Universität Berlin, Thomas gained his doctorate summa cum laude at the Helmut-Schmidt-Universität Hamburg, where he later completed his habilitation. Thomas was a visiting scholar at, among others, Columbia University in New York at the invitation of Nobel Prize winner Joseph E. Stiglitz and Anya Schiffrin. Thomas gained further experience in management positions and in consulting in the private and public sectors. He regularly presents his research findings at conferences and in specialist journals and is regularly featured in national and international media. In 2024, he was quoted 1,699 times in the media.

Step into La Dolce Vita—an evening of effortless elegance, where crisp drinks, indulgent bites, and great company come together. Inspired by the charm of Italian aperitivo culture, this happy hour is all about unwinding in style.

Join us as we toast to La Dolce Vita—a night of new connections, great conversations, and effortless fun!

Daniel is President & CEO of AFS Intercultural Programs, a global network of 50+ member organizations with more than 32,000 volunteers and programs in 99 countries. Under Daniel’s leadership, the 100+-year-old organization has developed a transformative new global strategy focused on three mission-driven impact goals: developing active global citizens, globalizing schools and other institutions and expanding access to intercultural education to young people in underserved communities. In 2021, Daniel led the integration of the Friendship Ambassadors Foundation (FAF) and its flagship program, The Youth Assembly, into AFS.

Before joining AFS in 2016, Daniel was Deputy Vice President of International Partnerships at the Institute of International Education (IIE) in New York, one of the largest and oldest not-for-profit organizations in the field of international educational exchange and development training. At IIE, Daniel provided strategic leadership in the creation and implementation of international academic partnerships and IIE initiatives, including IIE’s 5-year Generation Study Abroad initiative which seeks to double the number of American students who study abroad by the end of the decade. Daniel oversaw all the activities of IIE’s network of 1,400 member institutions, IIE’s publications and higher education services, IIE’s Center for International Partnerships in Higher Education. He also led IIE’s strategic communications team.

Daniel co-edited several publications, including “Developing Strategic International Partnerships”​, “Global Perspectives on International Joint and Double Degree Programs”​ and “Innovation Through Education: Building the Knowledge Economy in the Middle East”​. In 2013, Daniel was appointed to serve on the U.S. National Commission for UNESCO. He serves on the Advisory Council of Diversity Abroad. Daniel has a B.A. in International Relations from the George Washington University (USA) and holds a master’s degree in European studies from the London School of Economics (UK).