diff --git a/backend/api/participants/types.py b/backend/api/participants/types.py
index 2d2b240483..2c55909dd5 100644
--- a/backend/api/participants/types.py
+++ b/backend/api/participants/types.py
@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@ class Participant:
     id: ID
     bio: str
     website: str
-    photo: str | None
+    _photo: strawberry.Private[str]
+    _photo_small: strawberry.Private[str]
     photo_id: str | None
     public_profile: bool
     twitter_handle: str
@@ -62,12 +63,20 @@ def previous_talk_video(self, info) -> str | None:
 
         return self._previous_talk_video
 
+    @strawberry.field
+    def photo(self, size: str = "default") -> str | None:
+        if size == "small":
+            return self._photo_small
+
+        return self._photo
+
     @classmethod
     def from_model(cls, instance):
         return cls(
             id=instance.hashid,
             fullname=instance.user.fullname,
-            photo=instance.photo_url,
+            _photo=instance.photo_url,
+            _photo_small=instance.photo_small_url,
             photo_id=instance.photo_file_id,
             bio=instance.bio,
             website=instance.website,
diff --git a/backend/participants/models.py b/backend/participants/models.py
index 29e6cc0cb3..323378226d 100644
--- a/backend/participants/models.py
+++ b/backend/participants/models.py
@@ -5,6 +5,16 @@
 from api.helpers.ids import encode_hashid
 from django.conf import settings
 
+from imagekit import ImageSpec
+from imagekit.processors import ResizeToFill
+from imagekit.cachefiles import ImageCacheFile
+
+
+class ParticipantThumbnail(ImageSpec):
+    processors = [ResizeToFill(200, 200)]
+    format = "JPEG"
+    options = {"quality": 60}
+
 
 class ParticipantQuerySet(ConferenceQuerySetMixin, models.QuerySet):
     pass
@@ -40,6 +50,7 @@ class SpeakerLevels(models.TextChoices):
         blank=True,
         related_name="participants",
     )
+
     bio = models.TextField(max_length=2048)
     website = models.URLField(max_length=2048, blank=True)
     twitter_handle = models.CharField(max_length=15, blank=True)
@@ -68,6 +79,18 @@ def hashid(self):
     def photo_url(self):
         return self.photo_file.url if self.photo_file else self.photo
 
+    @property
+    def photo_small_url(self):
+        if not self.photo_file:
+            return None
+
+        image_generator = ImageCacheFile(
+            ParticipantThumbnail(source=self.photo_file.file)
+        )
+        image_generator.generate()
+
+        return image_generator.url
+
     def __str__(self) -> str:
         return f"Participant {self.user_id} for {self.conference}"