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 (2019-2023)

Dr Joseph J. Murray
President
, USA

Mr Kasper Bergmann
Vice-President
, Denmark

Mr Withayoot Bunnag
Board Member
, Thailand

Mr Juan A. de Gouveia Fernandez
Board Member
, Venezuela

Mr Bruno Druchen
Board Member
, South Africa

Mr Francesco (Frank) Folino
Board Member
, Canada

Ms Hjordis Anna Haraldsdottir
Board Member
, Iceland

Mr Florjan Rojba
Board Member
, Albania

Mr Steffen Helbing
Board Member
, Germany

Mr Stanislav Ivanov
Board Member
, Russian Federation

Ms Victoria Manning
Board Member
, New Zealand
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
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 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 Director: Mr Lamin M. Ceesay
C/o GADHOH
P O Box 1518
Banjul
THE GAMBIA
Mobile: +220 77 28 0 92 (SMS only)
Email: wcars.gambia1@gmail.com
Eastern Europe and Middle Asia Regional Secretariat of WFD (EEMARS) Regional Director:
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 2019-2023.
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 meetings, seminars, conferences.
All of the members of the WFD Expert Groups serve as volunteers. The term of work is four years until 31 December 2019.
For enquiries relating to the WFD Expert Groups, email info@wfdeaf.org .
Accessibility (Technology and Sign Language Interpretation)
Co-ordinator |
Dr Matjaz Debevc
Slovenia |
Expert Members |
Mr Chandani Alim
India |
Dr Masayuki Inoue
Japan |
Dr Elizabeth Lockwood
USA |
Education
Co-ordinator |
Mrs Snoddon Kristin
Canada
|
Expert Members |
http: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.