Lidia Varbanova has over 20 years of professional experience as a consultant, researcher and lecturer in more than 50 countries. Her portfolio is focused on strategy, entrepreneurship, management, organizational development and change, online technologies, with a special emphasis on (but not limited to) arts, culture and the non-profit sector. She is currently an associated researcher at the David O’Brien Center for Sustainable Enterprise at Concordia University, and lecturer at Desautels Faculty of Management at McGill University, Montreal. Dr. Varbanova has been a professor in prominent universities and training centers in Europe and Canada, among them: John Molson School of Business, Montreal; City University, London; Sibelius Academy, Helsinki; and University of Arts, Belgrade. Among her former positions are: program director at the Open Society Institute, Budapest and dean at the department of Social and Cultural Management, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, where she obtained her Ph.D. in Economics. An internationally acclaimed conference speaker and moderator, she provides consultancy and research services for government authorities, foundations, and non-profit and business organizations. Her latest book “Strategic Management in the Arts” (2013) calls for more strategic thinking and actions to bolster the artistic community. She is an active member of several Canadian and international professional networks. Dr. Varbanova has attended many Salzburg Global Seminar Sessions, most recently the “Cultural Institutions in Transition” (2002, 2003 and 2004) programs.