The EmpowerHer program is facilitated by Nicoleta Pfeffer-Barbela (Highlife Horizon SRL), who has over 10 years of experience in rural development and mindfulness in Romania and Austria, alongside Austrian partner Petra Christine Bernklau, an expert in adult education, economics, and digital fields, with experience in well-being methods.
Nico Pfeffer-Barbela operates at the intersection of well-being education and entrepreneurship. She is the founder of citySTILLE – Mindfulness Center Vienna (now STILLNESS – THE SPACE), a certified adult education trainer with prior academic training in economics, and since 2014, a certified meditation and mindfulness facilitator (Austria).
For over ten years, she has worked with leaders, academia, and international organizations in Austria and Romania in the areas of mindfulness, stress prevention, and developing a balance between personal and entrepreneurial aspects.
Through her previous experience in microfinance and working with extensive rural communities in Transylvania, she supports local entrepreneurs in developing business ideas and entrepreneurial confidence based on resilience.
Her facilitation style is based on practical and personalized tools that help participants transform ideas into concrete actions and develop sustainable businesses based on balance and well-being.
Petra Christine Bernklau is a business trainer and consultant specializing in financial education, Laughter Yoga, and learning methods based on positive psychology. As a certified adult educator, she supports women, entrepreneurs, and organizations in developing financial clarity, economic thinking, and the ability to make sustainable decisions in their professional and entrepreneurial activities.
Her approach is structured and results-oriented, offering practical, optimistic, and clear perspectives on economic development and business accounting management, useful for both aspiring entrepreneurs and those already in business.
Petra facilitates workshops and programs that combine financial education, positive psychology, and experiential learning.
Within the EmpowerHER Rural Business project, Petra contributes expertise in financial clarity, positive mindset, and digital tools for business development, supporting the strengthening of confidence, resilience, and the spirit of collaboration in entrepreneurial communities.
