Breathable Cities ForumInternational dialogues on air quality, public health, and urban actions

Andrius Grigonis has served as Vice Mayor of Vilnius since 2023. He oversees key areas related to the city’s development, including infrastructure, urban planning, environmental protection, public space management, and mobility. In his role, he focuses on creating a more resilient, well-connected, and future-oriented Vilnius.

Sasha Khomenko is an urban health researcher working at the intersection of environment, climate, and health. She focuses on urban and transport planning, public health policy, and interventions such as sustainable mobility, low-emission zones, urban greening, and nature-based solutions. Her work supports healthier, more sustainable, and climate-resilient cities by integrating evidence on health and sustainability into urban policy and practice.

Kaare Press-Kristensen is an environmental engineer working to quantify air pollution and related health effects with the purpose of identifying and implementing cost-efficient solutions to improve air quality to the benefit of human health and nature. A significant share of his work is to inform decision makers (on national, EU, and UN level) how to implement solutions and to create public awareness about air pollution. He mainly works on an international level.

Rugilė is a long-time environmental activist and sustainability educator working in the field of climate communication. She is an EU Climate Pact Ambassador, a member of the Climate Journalism Programme at the University of Oxford, an ambassador of Sengirės fondas (The Ancient Woods Foundation), and a Communications Specialist at the Baltic Environmental Forum. Through her work, Rugilė organizes a wide range of sustainability-focused initiatives and events, including conferences, lectures, hikes, camps, and nature-based educational activities.

Kęstutis Kupšys is a Lithuanian consumer advocate and Vice-President of the Lithuanian Consumers Alliance, bringing a strong consumer-interest perspective to debates on clean mobility, urban pollution and public health. He has actively promoted air quality issues in Lithuania, highlighting pollution hotspots in major cities and advocating for stronger environmental standards. As Rapporteur for the European Economic and Social Committee opinion on the revision of EU ambient air quality legislation, he contributed to shaping civil society recommendations for cleaner air and improved public health across Europe.

Anton Nikitin has spent the last decade helping Vilnius move towards a greener, healthier, and more liveable future, with a strong focus on reducing transport-related emissions and improving urban air quality. Starting as the city’s Cycling Officer and later serving as Head of Mobility and Chief Engineer, he helped shape key policies on sustainable transport and urban development aimed at reducing congestion and air pollution. As Chief Sustainability Officer, he now leads Vilnius’ systemic ESG transformation and its ambition to remain one of Europe’s best cities to live in.

Prof. Vidmantas Vaičiulis is a public health researcher at the Lithuanian University of Health Sciences, specializing in the health impacts of air pollution, climate, and other environmental exposures. His research focuses on environmental epidemiology, health risk assessment, and evidence-based approaches to creating healthier and more resilient cities. He is actively involved in international research collaborations, contributing scientific evidence that supports air quality policies and urban public health initiatives.

Mintarė Jurgilaitė is Chief Specialist at the Environmental Health Division, Institute of Hygiene, Lithuania. She focuses on environmental health, climate change and health, air pollution, heat-related health risks, vulnerable groups and health communication. She contributes to national and international environment and health initiatives, including Lithuania's engagement in the WHO European Environment and Health Process, the European Environment and Health Task Force, the Health in Climate Change Working Group, and national intersectoral work on climate change and health.

Vilūnė Kairienė is a Director Baltics at KOG Institute with 18 years of experience in large-scale media data analysis. She has delivered more than 2,000 research and analytical projects in Lithuania and internationally, helping organisations transform complex media data into strategic insights for informed decision-making. She is a member of the FIBEP (International Federation of Media Intelligence) and AMEC (International Association for the Measurement and Evaluation of Communication).

Urtė Antanavičiūtė is a Product Manager at ID Vilnius, leading the development of digital products that help Vilnius better understand, manage, and improve its urban environment. Her work covers environmental monitoring, data-driven maintenance of public spaces and infrastructure, and the City Lungs platform, which makes real-time environmental data accessible to everyone. She believes that measuring what is happening across the city enables better decisions for both people and the environment.

Jūlija Doktorova is an air quality expert with over 15 years of experience in air quality management, emission inventories, and dispersion modelling. She has contributed to the development and implementation of EU air quality policies and prepared air quality management plans for numerous cities. Her international experience spans Latvia, Lithuania, Cyprus, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Moldova, and Kazakhstan.

Dr. Saulius Matulevičius is an air quality technology and AI implementation specialist with a PhD in social anthropology. Founder and CEO of Reset Air, the official Airly representative in Lithuania, he builds an IoT Intelligence Layer that turns sensor data into information people can understand and act on. Associate expert at the Lithuanian Free Market Institute.