Partner 1 – Team Member
name
Rebecca Rikner
nationality
Swedish
institution
Region Uppsala
Akademiska University Hospital
department
Research & Development Department
city / country
Uppsala, Sweden
professional status
Research Coordinator at the Research Facilitation Office, R&D Dept.
role in the project
Responsible for consortium coordination, stakeholder engagement, communication and dissemination, meeting and reporting support, co-design activities, and facilitation of collaboration between project partners and external stakeholders.
keywords
#research coordination #project management #clinical research administration #health systems innovation #access to care #stakeholder engagement #co-creation and participatory design #international collaboration #implementation and change management #strategic communication #research governance #contract and budget negotiation #clinical trial management #design thinking #leadership and innovation #multidisciplinary collaboration #knowledge translation #community engagement #capacity building
general expertise and its relevance for the project
Rebecca Rikner is an experienced research coordinator, project manager, and communication specialist with more than 30 years of experience in coordinating complex multidisciplinary initiatives across healthcare, research, academia, industry, and the public sector. Her expertise includes project coordination, stakeholder engagement, strategic communication, international collaboration, change management, and innovation. She currently serves as Research Coordinator at the R&D Department of Akademiska University Hospital in Uppsala, where she supports clinical research activities, facilitates collaborations between academic and industry partners, and contributes to the development of research infrastructure and clinical studies.
Throughout her career, Rebecca has successfully coordinated large-scale projects involving diverse stakeholder groups, including researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, industry representatives, and community organizations. She has extensive experience in building partnerships, facilitating collaboration across sectors, managing communication and dissemination activities, and supporting the implementation of complex initiatives in international environments.
Within VOICE, Rebecca contributes expertise in project coordination, stakeholder engagement, communication and dissemination, partnership development, and implementation support. Her experience in connecting healthcare, educational, research, and community stakeholders is particularly relevant to VOICE's objective of strengthening access to mental health support for children and adolescents through collaborative, system-oriented approaches.
awards received / other responsibilities
Rebecca Rikner serves as Research Coordinator at the R&D Department of Uppsala University Hospital and as Local Node Coordinator for Clinical Studies Sweden, contributing to the development and coordination of clinical research at both regional and national levels. She is also a member of the Steering Committee of Födelsefonden, a Swedish foundation dedicated to advancing research in maternal and child health. In addition to her professional responsibilities, Rebecca serves on the Board of The Hillside Group, an international non-profit organization promoting research, education, and professional practice related to pattern languages and knowledge sharing. She has been actively involved in the international patterns community for more than two decades and has initiated and organized several international conferences and outreach initiatives, including VikingPLoP and GuruPLoP, fostering collaboration between academia, industry, and practitioners across Europe and Asia.
Rebecca is also an author and international speaker on design thinking, innovation, leadership, and knowledge management. Her contributions have been recognized through several distinctions, including First Prize at the Annual New England Book Show in Boston, USA, for the cover design of Writers' Workshops and the Work of Making Things – Patterns, Poetry by Richard Gabriel (2003), and a Diploma with Honours from the jury at the School of Applied Arts Artigraph in Nice, France (1990), where she graduated as the top student in graphic design.
This combination of research coordination, international leadership, stakeholder engagement, and communication expertise provides a strong foundation for supporting large-scale collaborative initiatives such as VOICE.
positions
2023 – present
Research Coordinator, R&D Department
Akademiska University Hospital, Uppsala, Sweden
2023 – present
Local Node Coordinator
Clinical Studies Sweden, Uppsala, Sweden
2025 – present
Board Member
The Hillside Group, United States
2024 – present
Member of the Steering Committee
Födelsefonden, The Birth Foundation, Uppsala, Sweden
2022 – 2023
Executive Assistant and Communication Manager
Forska!Sverige, Stockholm, Sweden
2018 – 2022
Project Manager responsible for the planning
and delivery of large-scale strategic events
Vice-Chancellor's Office for Strategic Collaboration
Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Uppsala, Sweden
2017 – 2018
Marketing Coordinator
Fresenius Kabi, Uppsala, Sweden
2013 – 2016
Project Coordinator
Nordic Region Alldonet, Uppsala, Sweden
2011 – 2012
Marketing Director
Uppsala Innovation Centre, Uppsala, Sweden
2009 – 2011
Global Marketing Director and Office Manager
Back on Track, Uppsala, Sweden
2008 – 2009
Change Leader
Panasonic, Osaka, Japan
2007 – 2008
Design Coordinator
Marknadsmedia, Uppsala, Sweden
2006 – 2007
Design Coordinator
Siden Selma, Uppsala, Sweden
2005 – 2006
Initiator and Project Leader
Design Pattern Roadshow
Hydrabad, Bangalore, and Chennai, India
2003 – 2005
Design Coordinator
InPress, Uppsala, Sweden
2001 – 2003
User Interface Consultant
Enea Redina, Uppsala, Sweden
2000 – 2001
User Interface Consultant
G2 Solutions, Uppsala, Sweden
1991 – present
Founder and Creative Director
Visuelle Design, Lyon, France / Uppsala, Sweden
education
2009 – Executive MBA with specialisation Leading Innovation
Stockholm School of Economics, Stockholm, Sweden
2012 – Japanese Language Studies
Dalarna University, Sweden
2002 – Usability Design in Systems Development
Enea Redina, Uppsala, Sweden
2000 – Web Design and Network Communication
Studiefrämjandet, Uppsala, Sweden
1990 – Diploma with Honours in Graphic Design and Applied Arts
Artigraph School of Applied Arts, Nice, France
1988 – Graphic Design
Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
1988 – Studies in Fine Arts
Basis School of Art, Stockholm, Stockholm, Sweden
1987 – Upper Secondary Education, Natural Science Programme
Hersby Gymnasium, Lidingö, Sweden
1983 – Brevet des Collèges Lycée Français Saint-Louis
Stockholm, Sweden
books
Design Thinking – The Key to Enterprise Agility, Innovation, and Sustainability. 2017. Rikner R., West D. Author's Press International.
ISBN-13: 9780998477015
presentations
2016 – Why Capturing Business Knowledge with Patterns Provides Strategic Advantage, Asian PLoP, Tokyo, Japan.
2013 – Design Thinking
Invited Speaker, Agile India, Bangalore, India
2011 – Why Capturing Business Knowledge with Patterns Provides Strategic Advantages, Opening Keynote, AsiaPLoP, Tokyo, Japan
2011 – User-Centric Design: Beyond the Interface Invited Speaker
National Institute of Informatics (NII), Tokyo, Japan
2011 – Design for Software and Business Professionals
Invited Speaker, SPA Conference, London, United Kingdom
2009 – Designing Your IT and Business
Invited Speaker, QCon, San Francisco, United States
publications up to five most important achievements, publications, IP (e.g. patents) relevant to the proposal
Co-author of the book Design Thinking – The Key to Enterprise Agility, Innovation and Sustainability (2017), written together with Professor David West. The book explores innovation, organizational transformation, stakeholder engagement, and user-centred approaches to problem solving, themes that are highly relevant to the co-design and implementation aspects of the VOICE project.
Initiator and Project Leader of the Design Pattern Roadshow in India (2005–2006), an international knowledge-transfer initiative conducted in Hyderabad, Bangalore, and Chennai. The project successfully facilitated collaboration between academia and industry and contributed to the dissemination of innovative methods and practices across international communities.
Organizer and leader of multiple international conferences and professional communities, including VikingPLoP and GuruPLoP, bringing together researchers, practitioners, educators, and industry representatives from multiple countries to promote knowledge sharing, collaboration, and professional development.
Leadership and coordination of large-scale stakeholder engagement initiatives within healthcare, research, higher education, and public-sector organizations, including strategic roles at Uppsala University Hospital, Forska!Sverige, and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU), supporting collaboration between researchers, policymakers, healthcare professionals, and civil society.
International presentations and invited talks on design thinking, innovation, knowledge management, and organizational development at conferences and professional events in Europe, Asia, and North America, including Agile India, AsiaPLoP, SPA London, and QCon San Francisco.
