Mandy Abou Shoak, Noemi Grütter, Catja Loepfe, Oda U. Müller / KlimaSeniorinnen, Fabienne Schellenberg, Soya the Cow

Mandy Abou Shoak is a social worker, human rights activist and SP cantonal councillor from Zurich. Having fled to Switzerland with her family from Sudan as a small child in 1992, she is now fully committed to social justice, equality and participation. She is president of the Fachstelle Frauenhandel und Frauenmigration (FIZ), a member of the executive board of SP Frauen Schweiz and has been involved in violence prevention, asylum and gender equality work for many years.

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Noemi has evolved from a passionate dancer and nightlife enthusiast into a DJ and co-founder of the duo ALÉLÉFI. Shaped by her travels and social and political activism, her music blends influences from 80s and 90s genres, Latin and Afro sounds with feminist messages and high energy. At the same time, she has been active as a human rights and feminist activist for over ten years, working with NGOs and realising art projects with vulnerable groups. She collaborates with festivals, publishes on gender equality and is involved in international work, including in Rwanda. She also specifically empowers female artists through platforms and workshops.

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Catja Loepfe will remain Artistic Director and Managing Director of Tanzhaus Zürich until summer 2026. In this role, she has overseen a comprehensive institutional transformation, introduced a new management model and established structures to promote greater diversity, accessibility and environmental sustainability. Her curatorial approach combines artistic quality with social impact and a genuine connection to the audience. She is well-established in international networks (Aerowaves, EDN) and helped to establish the dance festival ‘Zürich tanzt’. Prior to this, she was a dramaturg at the Gessnerallee and co-director of the Fabriktheater at the Rote Fabrik. She studied ethnology at the University of Zurich and has undertaken further training in cultural management, sustainability expertise and coaching for organisational and relational systems.

Oda Müller was born towards the end of the Second World War in Münsingen in the Swabian Alb region of Germany. She has lived in Switzerland since 1965. Her father decided on her career path: business school and office work. However, it was not until 1985 that her escapism to Switzerland allowed her to arrive at her own reality: as an unqualified nursery school teacher, then a school for social work to become a social education worker. She worked as a social worker at the Youth Prosecutor's Office in Zurich until her retirement. To balance this, she pursued her long-standing hobby as a sculptor, danced with the Tanztheater 3. Frühling dance theatre, and gained a wealth of personal experience through analysis and therapy. 

• klimaseniorinnen.ch

Fabienne Schellenberg is a member of the Executive Board at Pro Helvetia and heads the Innovation and Society division. She has over 15 years’ management experience in cultural institutions and holds a Master’s degree in Cultural Studies from the University of Lucerne, specialising in cultural management. In her work, she combines sustainable cultural promotion, digital transformation and new models of cooperation. At the intersection of art, science and society, she initiates formats that drive cultural transformation and generate lasting impact.