The current Board is composed of President, Vice-President and nine regular members, each of them deaf and having a different nationality. The Board members are all volunteers and financially supported by their national deaf associations (or another sponsor) enabling them to attend Board meetings. The Board usually holds meetings twice a year in different locations all over the world. These meetings are hosted and financially supported by the organising deaf association in accordance to WFD Board Meeting Guidelines. Prior to the actual Board meetings one to two days is reserved for WFD Working Committee meetings which enable comprehensive discussions and sharing of views prior to the actual Board meetings. Board members’ term is four years with an option for re-election.
If you are interested in hosting the WFD Board, please contact
phillipa.sandholm@wfdeaf.org
WFD BOARD MEMBERS (2023-2027)
Dr Joseph J. Murray
President
Mr Kasper Bergmann
Vice-President
Mr Florjan Rojba
Board Member
Ms Shirley Liu
Board Member
Ms Jaana Aaltonen
Board Member
Mr Bruno Druchen
Board Member
Mr Juan A. de Gouveia Fernandez
Board Member
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Mr Francesco (Frank) Folino
Board Member
Ms Hjordis Anna Haraldsdottir
Board Member
Mr Angelo R. Cagnazzo
Board Member
Ms Victoria Manning
Board Member
PAST PRESIDENTS
- 1951 – 1955: Late Mr Vittorio Ieralla, Italy
- 1955 – 1983: Late Dr Dragolijub Vukotic, former Yugoslavia
- 1983 – 1995: Late Dr Yerker Andersson, USA
- 1995 – 2003: Dr Liisa Kauppinen, Finland
- 2003 – 2011: Dr Markku Jokinen, Finland
- 2011 – 2019: Mr Colin Allen AM, Australia
Salaried members who are responsible for the daily operations of the WFD. The Secretariat is based in Helsinki, Finland.
Ms Pamela Molina
Executive Director
Chile
Ms Phillipa Sandholm
Administrative Secretary
Australia / Finland
Mr Yauheni Koraneu
Chief Financial Officer
Belarus
Ms Audrey Sangla
Media and Communications Manager
France
Ms Delphine le Maine
Human Rights Officer
Belgium
Ms Susana Stiglich
Sign Language Rights Officer
Peru
Ms Peninnah Vilimu
Disaster Risk Reduction Officer
Kenya
Ms Ingrid Parkin
Development Officer
South Africa
Mr Alejandro Lopez
Logistics Assistant
Peru
Regional Secretariat is established to lead Ordinary Members in the corresponding region. WFD has eight Regional Secretariats and one Regional Co-operating Member. They cooperate with, and report on their activities to, the WFD Secretariat.
In response to the request by at least three Ordinary Members in good standing in a geographical region, the WFD Board may establish a Regional Secretariat. Such Ordinary Members are expected to establish Internal Rules and take over the responsibility for the financial and governance support and maintaining momentum for the activities of their Regional Secretariat.
WFD Regional Secretariat for South America (RSSA)
Regional Director: Mr Henry Meija Royet
Carrera 26 A No. 39 B-15
Bogotá
COLOMBIA
Email: director.regional@srsur-fms.org
WFD Regional Secretariat for Mexico, Central America and the Caribbean (RSMCAC)
Regional Director: Mr Julio Roberto Bamaca
2a. Calle A 10-44 zona 10
Guatemala 01010
GUATEMALA
Email: srmcac@gmail.com
WFD Regional Secretariat for Asia (WFDRSA)
Regional Director: Mr Withayoot Bunnag
National Association of the Deaf in Thailand (NADT)
144/9 Moo Ban Thitiporn, Pattanakarn 29
Bangkok 10250
THAILAND
Email: office.wfdrsa@gmail.com
Website: http://wfdeafrsa.org/
WFD Regional Secretariat for Eastern and Southern Africa (RSESA)
Interim Regional Director: Mr Bruno Druchen
Deaf Federation of South Africa (DEAFSA)
Private Bag X04
Westhoven 2142
SOUTH AFRICA
Email: BrunoDruchen@deafsa.co.za
WFD Regional Secretariat for the Arab Region Regional Director (RSAR)
Regional Director: Ms Hend Al Showaier
King Salman Center for Disability Research (KSCDR)
P. O. Box 7575
Riyadh 11472
Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Email: hend.alshowaier@gmail.com
WFD Regional Secretariat for Oceania (RSO)
Chairperson: Mr Krishneer Sen (Fiji)
National Council for Persons with Disabilities Complex (NCPD)
Fiji Association of the Deaf
PO Box 1348
Suva
FIJI
Email: WFDOceania@gmail.com
WFD Regional Secretariat for Western and Central Africa (WCAR)
Regional Secretariat – Mr Lamin M. Ceesay (The Gambia)
President
Secretary – Mr Emmanuel Sackey (Ghana)
C/o GADHOH
P O Box 1518
Banjul
THE GAMBIA
Mobile: +220 77 28 0 92 (SMS only)
Email 1: wcars.gambia1@gmail.com
Email 2: wacar.ghana@gmail.com
Eastern Europe and Central Asia Regional Secretariat of WFD (EECARS)
Regional Director: Mr Grigor Grigoryan (Armenia)
c/o All-Russian Society of the Deaf
1905 Goda Str. 10-a
123022 Moscow, RUSSIAN FEDERATION
Email: wfd.eemars@gmail.com
Regional Cooperating Member
Presidente: Sofia Isari
European Union of the Deaf (EUD)
Rue de la Loi – Wetstraat 26/15
B-1040 Brussels
BELGIUM
Email: sofia.isari@eud.eu
Website: http://www.eud.eu
The WFD Expert Groups are advisory bodies for the WFD Board and its Working Committees, WFD Youth Section Board, and the WFD Secretariat. The WFD Expert Groups strive to provide relevant, robust and evidence based advice and guidance to assist the WFD to fulfil the goals of the WFD Action Plan 2023 – 2027.
Some of the responsibilities of the WFD Expert Groups include:
- Provide technical assistance and expert advice, either directly or indirectly, to the WFD Secretariat and WFD Ordinary Members.
- Represent the WFD in various events.
All of the members of the WFD Expert Groups serve as volunteers. The term of work is four years until 31 December 2027.
For enquiries relating to the WFD Expert Groups, email info@wfdeaf.org .
Human Rights
Coordinator
Mr Ashod Derandonyan
Bulgaria
Expert Members
Mr Miguel Aguayo
Canada
Mr Juventus Duorinaah
Ghana
Ms Alicia Payne Hurley
Barbados
Mr Hiroshi Tamon
Japan
Ms Mildred Shimuli Lichoti
Kenya
Education
Coordinator
Dr Kristin Snoddon
Canada
Expert Members
Mr Josh Josa
USA
Dr Xuan Zheng
China
Dr Amber Martin
USA
Ms Veronicah Wambui Wangui
Kenya
Dr George Schinarakis
Greece/Canada
Dr Elaine Gale
USA
Sign Language and Deaf Studies
Coordinator
Mr Iulian Calinciuc Silvestru
Romania
Expert Members
Dr Robert Adam
United Kingdom
Dr Annelies Kusters
United Kingdom
Dr Flaviane Reis
Brazil
Ms Monica Keller
USA
Dr Nora Duggan
Sweden
Accessibility
Coordinator
Dr Matjaz Debevc
Slovenia
Expert Members
Dr Elizabeth Lockwood
USA
Mr Masayuki Inoue
Japan
Mr Bishwamitra Bhitrakoti
Nepal
Mr Joaquim Amado da Silva Junior
Brazil
Dr Rachmita Maun Harahap
Indonesia
Access to Health and Mental Health
Coordinator
Mr Marcelo Salamanca
Chile
Expert Members
Ms Karli Dettman
Australia
Mr Aurelien Mancino
France
Ms Judith Murungi
Kenya
Mr Herbert Klein
United Kingdom
Dr Katherine Rogers
United Kingdom
Dr Stefania Fadda
Italy
Dr Sophie Roberts
United Kingdom
Ms Victoria Nelson
United Kingdom
Disaster Risk Reduction
Coordinator
Ms Intan Adelia
Indonesia
Expert Members
Dr Linda Campbell
Canada
Ms Diedre Tanenberg
USA
Ms Kristen Mason
Australia
Ms Christine Marshall
USA
Ms Leyla Craig
Australia
www.wfdys.org
The main aim of the World Federation of the Deaf Youth Section (WFDYS) is to advocate the human rights of deaf youth in the world. WFDYS aims are in accordance with those of the WFD.
All nationally recognised Deaf Youth Associations and Deaf Youth Sections can apply and become Youth Ordinary Members of the WFDYS. The responsibilities of the WFDYS include organising WFD Children Camps for age 10 to 12, WFD Junior Youth Camps for age 13 to 17, and WFD Youth Camps for age 18 to 30. All of these camps are hosted every four years. The objectives of the camps are to provide leadership training for deaf youth, support for youth organizations and advocacy, networking, and cultural exchange. It is all about leadership, educating on human rights to strive for equality, and the celebration of our linguistic and cultural identity.
