President

(Mandates: 2015 - 2019 / 2019 - 2023 / 2023 - 2027)
 

Lejla (born 1971) founder and managing director of Volunteer Centre Osijek, committed civil society leader and activist since 2003, expert for the development of volunteerism and community development programs, mentor for the implementation of quality insurance system for non-profit organisations, trainer and  consultant for organisational development and development of quality volunteer programs in non-profit organisations. Lejla holds a university degree in public administration. For the past 10 years she has been active in the development of public policy in favour to civil society and volunteerism in Croatia. In the period 2012- 2014 Lejla was president of the Croatian National Council for the development of volunteerism. She is the co-author of several publications on volunteering, civil society and conflict management.

Vice President

(Mandates: 2017 - 2021 / 2021 - 2025)

Second mandate: George was CEO of Volunteer Scotland, the National Centre for Volunteer Development for 19 years and is now Co-Founding Director of How We Meet Ltd. focused on presence and wellbeing. His experience has been centred on citizen engagement in all forms of volunteering and social action. He is a Professional Storyteller for the Social Action Inquiry Scotland. He was instrumental in the creation of, and is facilitator of, CEV's "Volunteer Faces & Voices" aspect of the VERA project co-financed by the EU, gathering moving volunteering stories and photo portraits from across Europe.

Treasurer 

(Mandate: 2019 - 2023)

Catalina Industrial Engineer by ICAI (U P Comillas) and MBA by IESE Business School. She is founder and chairwoman of Fundación Hazloposible, a technology-based NGO serving social purposes. She is founder and chairwoman of Chandra3X, an impact-investment vehicle, from which she participates, monitors and mentors social entrepreneurs. She is a member of the board of other non profit institutions.

In the previous years, from Philanthropic Intelligence LLC, she has been advising individuals, families and companies about philanthropy, social entrepreneurship, and social investments, in Spain, USA and Latin-America. She also founded the first European technology-based social enterprises accelerator: UEIA. Prior to that she was CEO of Fundación Tomillo in Madrid, a leading NGO in the social inclusion and public services sectors.

Before diving into the social arena, Catalina was Principal ("partner") at Mercer Management Consulting (today Oliver & Wyman) where she managed strategic projects for Spanish and multinational companies, mainly in the Telecommunications/Internet sector.

Together with these professional positions, Catalina has been professor at ICAI (U.P. Comillas), IE Business School (Instituto de Empresa), Instituto de Estudios Bursatiles and Instituto Europeo di Design. She collaborates with some written media and is a frequent speaker in national and international conferences on Social Enterprises. She belongs to the Madrid IESE Alumni Council.

Member

(Mandate: 2021 - 2025)

Since 2014 Daniele has been a board member of Centro Servizi per il Volontariato delle Marche, the regional support centre for volunteering in the Marches, in Italy. He focuses on European and school projects. Since the 1990s he has been a volunteer in many organisations and has been active in the areas of first aid, international cooperation, environmental protection and active citizenship. Daniele is a teacher in junior school and has experience in the renewable energy sector. He holds a university degree in physics and an executive master in management of public administration.

Member

(Mandates: 2017 - 2021 / 2021 - 2025)

Gian Piero (born 1957), from Sardinia, Italy, has been teaching since 1981 in a technological high school in Cagliari. He is a member of the Order of the Journalists from Sardinia. Gian Piero was elected to the CEV Board in 2017 for a 4 year term. Since 1986 he has participated in research on volunteering in Sardinia, he was a designer and responsible for courses in training for community workers and volunteers, and participant in numerous social initiatives. Founding member of the La Strada di Cagliari association and of the cooperative Il Samaritano di Arborea, he was an assistant volunteer for 13 years in the juvenile prison of Quartucciu and had positions of responsibility in various national organisations such as CSI (Centro Sportivo Italiano), MoVI (Movimento di Volontariato Italiano), Forum Terzo Settore and Libera, of which he is regional referent. Currently he is president of CSV Sardegna Solidale and is on the board of directors of CSVnet, in which he held various positions including that of vice-president (2003-2005).

Member

(Mandates: 2019 - 2023 /  2023 - 2027)

Jan (born in 1986) is an employee of Vlaams Steunpunt Vrijwilligerswerk vzw, the Flemish support centre for volunteering, since 2015. He supports municipalities in their local volunteering policy. Another topic that he focuses on in his job are competences and volunteering. He is an engaged volunteer. He is president of De Zuidpoort, a volunteer organisation that is fighting against poverty, and board member of Youth for Work Innovations vzw, a volunteer organisation that is supporting jobseekers in their jobsearch by bringing them together in workshops. He studied history and economics.

Member 

(Mandates: 2019 - 2023 / 2023 - 2027)

Besides its founder, Lena has been the Executive Director of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bulgaria Association since its establishment in 2006. She is a sociologist by profession and a youth worker by vocation. She is directly involved in the preparation and implementation of all projects of the organisation which include more than 100 trainings for volunteers and youth organisations. Prior to her position at the Big Brothers Big Sisters of Bulgaria Association, she had been working for other NGOs in Bulgaria as a coordinator of volunteer programs and projects, giving her now a total of more than 20 years of experience in the volunteering sector. She has been an expert in mentoring and passed through a number of trainings related to this topic both in the USA and Europe. Lena is also an international trainer herself, specialising in volunteer management, non-formal education, European funding for volunteering and youth projects. She is a passionate traveller.

Member

(Mandates: 2017 - 2021 / 2021 - 2025)

Second mandate: Michel is a convinced European who has done his civil service in Munich, has been a university lecturer in Exeter and in Oslo, has taught at the university of Caen before becoming a seconded expert at the European Commission and a Director at the Council of Europe. He has worked several years as project leader in charge of European projects at the French Ministry of education. As for volunteer work, he started with working camps, then teaching French to migrants, belonging to the European Movement and at the same time as Deputy Mayor of the City of Caen in charge of international twinnings and international volunteer associations. Lately he has been devoting his time to European projects concerning refugees, migrants, youngsters in need and prisoners as well as to aspects concerning seniors, volunteering and guidance and seniors and isolation. He is also very much engaged in spreading the concept of peer support  at all levels of teaching.

Member

(Mandate: 2021 - 2025)

Víctor (born 1970) Psychologist, graduated in Human Resources with more than 25 years in a volunteer organisation and the last 6 years as Director of Territorial Development of Volunteering in the Community of Madrid. His career has focused on management processes; training; retention and participation of volunteers. He has extensive experience in Volunteering Platforms, currently belongs to the Executive Board of the Spanish Volunteering Platform (PVE), which has eighty-one organisations and local platforms that represent more than twenty-nine thousand associations. He is currently vice-president of the Autonomous Volunteer Platform of the Community of Madrid.

Member

(Mandate: 2023 - 2027)

Mauro (born 1968) graduated from the University of Malta in Physical Education (Sports) and worked in education as a teacher both in the primary and secondary sector, for 15 years, teaching in the areas of Physical Education and Health and Safety. He is now the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Malta Council for the Voluntary Sector since 2010 where he set up the operational structure.

Previously had served as Operations Manager of the Malta Red Cross Society (2001 – 2004) and Director General of the same organisation (2002 – 2004). In which time served on the Committee of Directors at the Red Cross EU Office, Brussels. Director of the European Union Programmes Agency, responsible for Lifelong Learning and Youth in Action (2007-2010). He also served as Vice President of the Malta Amateur Athletic Association (2014 – 2017 ) and Secretary of the Zurrieq Wolves Athletics Club (2012 – 2016). Local councillor for the locality of Zurrieq (1996-2004, 2007- 2012). Presently he is also Member of the Supervisory Council of the Malta Community Chest Fund Foundation (2014 – ) Chaired by the President of the Republic of Malta.

Member

(Mandate: 2023 - 2027)

Jacques is a civil engineer and holds a degree of Master of Business Administration. He started his professional career as product manager of high-end information systems connecting banking institutions worldwide to the SWIFT network. He therefore travelled the world to assist banks in adapting and integrating their payment systems to the SWIFT standards. He lived for 5 years in Australia, and thereafter created his own IT consulting company, focusing on change. He quickly was asked by non-for-profit organisations to support their strategic and organisational needs. From 2006 to 2010, he manages Ex-Change, member of CESES, and thereafter became President of CESES. Jacques is also President of Sireas, a nonprofit organisation aiming at supporting, with empathy, anyone who is vulnerable or in search of citizenship to regain confidence, pride and autonomy, specialising in re-integration of young people into the workforce in Brussels.

Member

(Mandate: 2023 - 2027)

Amy is Head of Advocacy and Engagement at Volunteer Ireland, the national volunteer development organisation in Ireland. Since joining the team in 2015, Amy has worked across a number of areas in communications, policy and events. Amy’s role involves overseeing Volunteer Ireland’s internal and external communications; advocacy and research outputs; and the Community Volunteers programme. Amy acts as primary spokesperson for the organisation and represents Volunteer Ireland on a number of policy fora. Prior to joining Volunteer Ireland, Amy worked at Chambers Ireland, the representative body for Chambers of Commerce across Ireland.

Member

(Mandate: 2023 - 2027)

Franci (born 1973) has been involved in the work of Slovene Philanthropy, Association for Promotion of Volunteering since 2001, first as organiser and coordinator of volunteering  in 2021, and later as head of the Migration Programme (from 2001 and May 2022) and Executive Director (since May 2022). Franci is a sociologist and anthropologist by profession. For more than 20 years he has been  involved in managing and coordinating programmes for refugees and migrants, media awareness raising activities on asylum and migration related issues, educational and advocacy activities as well as activities for promotion and development of volunteering. He was involved in many projects in the field of asylum, migration and integration, volunteering, access to health and the fight against human trafficking. Slovene Philanthropy is the coordinator of the Slovenian Volunteering Organizations Network, which includes more than 1900 volunteering organisations and organisations with a volunteering programme.