Board

DbI has a wide range of members, both corporate and individual, from all over the world. Membership fees are set to reflect the size of the organisation and many individual members contribute what they can afford.

Participation is vital to DbI’s success and its management structure has an active Board which guides its direction, and a Management Committee to provide the engine for action. Everyone involved does so in a voluntary capacity.

The Secretariat performs a key role in managing membership and can answer your enquiries.

DbI has a complete document outlining the organisational structure.

The board is responsible for advising and managing the organization and meets once a year. It comprises representatives from large and small corporate members and networks. It considers and discusses all matters related to the strategic direction and operation of DbI in pursuing its objectives.

DbI Management Committee (ManCom) and the following Large & Small Corporate Members and Network Leaders make up DbI Board:

Voting Board Members

Akhil Paul
Akhil Paul

Sense International India
akhil@senseintindia.org
Bernadette Kappen
Bernadette Kappen

The New York Institute for Special Education
bkappen@nyise.org
Cathy Proll
Cathy Proll

Sensity
ManCom – DbI Secretariat
dbi-secretariat@sensity.ca
Carolyn Monaco
Kate Borg
Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired
borgk@tsbvi.edu
Raquel Alba Martin
Raquel Alba Martin

ONCE – Spanish National Organisation of the Blind
Coordinator of the Deafblind Department
RAAM@once.es
Frank Kat
Frank Kat

SWVPO 3006
ManCom – DbI President
Frank.kat@outlook.com
Henriette Hermann Olesen
Henriette Hermann Olesen

Center For Deafblindness and Hearing Loss
ManCom – DbI Vice President
henriette.olesen@rn.dk
Jackie Brennan
Jackie Brennan

Overbrook School for the Blind
jackie@obs.org
Dominique Spriet
Lynette McKeown
Able Australia
lynette.mckeown@​ableaustralia.org.au
Esther van Dijk
Esther van Dijk

Royal Kentalis
ManCom – DbI Treasury
es.vandijk@kentalis.nl
Dominique Spriet
Gøran Andreas Gregor Caspian Forsgren
Nordic Centre for Welfare and Social Issues
goran.forsgren@nordicwelfare.org
Marleen Janssen
Saskia Damen

University of Groningen
s.damen@rug.nl
Mirko Baur
Mirko Baur

Tanne, Swiss Foundation for Persons with Deafblindness
ManCom – DbI Vice President
mirko.baur@tanne.ch
Pawlos Kassu
Pawlos Kassu

Addis Ababa University Ethiopia
pawloskassu@gmail.com
Ricard Lopez
Ricard Lopez

DbI European Deafblind Network
FESOCE – Federación Española de Sordoceguera (Spanish Federation of Deafblind)
rlopez@​sordoceguera.com
Roar Meland
Roar Meland

Eikholt National Resource Center for the Deafblind
roar.meland@eikholt.no
Rossano Bartoli
Transitioning
CRESAM, Centre National de Ressources Handicaps Rares – Surdicécité
info@​cresam.org
Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen
Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen

Royal Kentalis
ManCom – DbI Network Coordinator
T.vanNunen@kentalis.nl
Ursula Heinemann
Ursula Heinemann

Österreiches Hilfswerk für Taubblinde
ursiheinemann@usa.net

Non-Voting Board Observers

Lord Colin Low
Lord Colin Low

International Board for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
colin.low@rnib.org.uk
Sanja Tarczay
Sanja Tarczay

World Federation of The DeafBlind
president@wfdb.eu
Yulia Mayorova
Yulia Mayorova

Deafblind Support Resource Center, Moscow
ManCom – DbI Information Officer
j.mayorova@​so-edinenie.org

A Management Committee (ManCom) is appointed by Board to undertake executive action.
The current ManCom comprises the President, two Vice Presidents, a Development Officer, an Information Officer, a Network Coordinator, a Secretary, a Treasurer and the Immediate Past President.

Development Officer


Jackie Brennan
jackie@obs.org

ComCom is responsible for DbI’s outreaching communication and its development.

Passionately active are:

  • Graciela Ferioli (i.a. DbI Social Media Pioneer)
  • Mirko Baur (i.a. Chair ComCom)
  • Roxanna Spruyt-Rocks (i.a. DbI Communication Ambassadors Coordinator)
  • Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen (i.a. DbI Network Coordinator)
  • Vikram Choudhary (i.a. Link to Fundraising Committee FundCom)
  • Yulia Mayorova (i.a. DbI Information Officer)

Meet us and our mission and get in touch!

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