The Board

DbI has a wide range of members, both corporate and individual, from all over the world.

Participation of the members and collaboration with other umbrella organizations are vital to DbI’s success.

Our management structure has an active Board which guides DbI`s direction, a Management Committee to provide the engine for action, a Communication Committee taking care of the outreaching communication and a Fundraising Committee looking for sufficient financial resources.

DbI is a NPO and everyone involved on the Board and in the Committees does so in a voluntary capacity, possibly supported by their organizations.

Corporate membership fees are set to reflect the relative financial strength of the organization, individual membership comes for free.

DbI has a complete document outlining the organizational 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
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Andrea Wanka Andrea Wanka
at the moment delegated to Anne Schoone
DbI Charge Network
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Caroline Lindstrom Caroline Lindstrom
National Resource Center for Deafblindness: Mo Gard
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Carolyn Monaco Carolyn Monaco
Canadian Deafblind Association
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Cathy Proll Cathy Proll
Sensity
ManCom – DbI Secretariat
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Esther van Dijk Esther van Dijk
Royal Kentalis
ManCom – DbI Treasurer
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Frank Kat Frank Kat
SWVPO 3006
ManCom – DbI Past President
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Gloria Rodriguez Gil Katherine Holland, delegated to Gloria Rodriguez Gil
Perkins School for the Blind
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Henriette Hermann Olesen Henriette Hermann Olesen
Centre of Communication and Special needs, formerly Center for Deafblindness and Hearing Loss, Denmark
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Irina Moiseeva Irina Moiseeva
Deafblind Support Resource Center, Moscow
ManCom – DbI Information Officer
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Lindsay Blasdell Lindsay Blasdell
ManCom – DbI Secretariat
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Mark Richert Mark Richert
Overbrook School for the Blind
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Joe Gibson Joe Gibson
DbI Outdoor Network
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Mary Maragia Mary Maragia
ManCom – DbI Vice President
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Meredith Prain Meredith Prain
Deafblind Australia
ManCom – DbI Vice President
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Mirko Baur Mirko Baur
DeafBlind Inclusion
ManCom – DbI President
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Pawlos Kassu Pawlos Kassu
Addis Ababa University Ethiopia
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Raquel Alba Martin Raquel Alba Martin
ONCE – Spanish National Organisation of the Blind
Coordinator of the Deafblind Department
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Ricard Lopez Ricard Lopez
DbI European Deafblind Network
FESOCE – Federación Española de Sordoceguera (Spanish Federation of Deafblind)
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Richard Mativu Richard Mativu
African Network
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Roxanna Spruyt-Rocks Roxanna Spruyt-Rocks
DeafBlind Ontario Services
ManCom – DbI Governance Officer
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Sara Kiener Sara Kiener
Tanne, Swiss Foundation for Persons with Deafblindness
Communication Network
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Saskia Damen Saskia Damen
University of Groningen
Communication Network
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Sherry Grabowski Sherry Grabowski
CNIB Deafblind Community services
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Simon Allison Simon Allison
DbI Youth Network (DbIYN)
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Ton Roelofs Ton Roelofs
Kennis over Zien (Royal Dutch Visio and Bartimeus)
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Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen
Royal Kentalis
ManCom – DbI Network Coordinator
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Walter Wittich Walter Wittich
Research Network
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Yvette Gallegos Yvette Gallegos
Iberolatinamerican Network
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Non-Voting Board Observers

Lord Colin Low Lord Colin Low
International Board for Education of People with Visual Impairment (ICEVI)
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Frances Gentle Frances Gentle
ICEVI President
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Sanja Tarczay Sanja Tarczay
World Federation of The DeafBlind
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A Management Committee (ManCom) is appointed by Board to undertake executive action.
The current ManCom comprises the President, two Vice Presidents, the Governance Officer, the Information Officer, the Network Coordinator, the Secretary, the Treasurer and the Immediate Past President.

President

Mirko Baur
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Vice Presidents

Mary Maragia
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Meredith Prain
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Governance Officer

Roxanna Spruyt
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Information Officer

Irina Moiseeva
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Network Coordinator

Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen
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Secretariat

Cathy Proll
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Sue Hall
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Treasurer

Esther van Dijk
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Immediate Past President

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

Passionately active are:

  • Graciela Ferioli (i.a. DbI Social Media Pioneer)
  • Mary Maragia (i.a. Vice-Chair ComCom)
  • Irina Moiseeva (i.a. DbI Information Officer)
  • Lindsay Blasdell & Cathy Proll (i.a. DbI Secretariat)
  • Mirko Baur (i.a. Chair ComCom)
  • Sue Wookey, Leslie Giesbrecht & Madison Smith (i.a. ComCom Communication Ambassadors Coordinators)
  • Trees van Nunen-Schrauwen (i.a. DbI Network Coordinator)
  • Vikram Choudhary (i.a. ComCom Accessibility Team Coordinator)

Meet us and our mission and get in touch!

Video with ComCom-Crew of 2020

FundCom is responsible for DbI’s fundraising and its development.

Passionately active are:

  • Atul Jaiswal (i.a. Research Funding Specialist)
  • Esther van Dijk (i.a. Chair FundCom)
  • Meredith Prain (i.a. DbI Vice-President)
  • Mirko Baur (i.a. Co-Chair Fundraising Global Education Campaign)
  • Roel de Haas (i.a. Co-Chair Fundraising Global Education Campaign)
  • Roxanna Spruyt-Rocks (i.a. DbI Governance Officer)
  • Vikram Choudhary (i.a. Corporate Networker)