Kumari Beck (Canada)
Chairperson

Kumari Beck is an Assistant Professor in the Faculty of Education at Simon Fraser University in BC, Canada. She teaches courses in social issues in education, global education, intercultural and international issues, and contemporary issues in curriculum and pedagogy. She also works with student teachers and with undergraduate and graduate programmes. Her main research focus is international education. Kumari was on the Board of SDIA from 1993-2005, and the chair from 2001-2005.

Lawrence Fryer (Germany)
Treasurer

Lawrence Fryer has a mathematical background and works in the fields of industrial organization and computer applications. He has been involved in Susila Dharma for the last ten years, as a partner for projects in India and as treasurer of Susila Dharma Germany.  Lawrence hopes to make a positive contribution by helping SDI strengthen its material basis to realize greater support for the network.

Lusana Blond (USA)
Deputy Chairperson

Lusana Blond brings a background in organizational sociology and cultural anthropology to the board, along with her knowledge of international projects through her husband’s work with the World Bank. She is a former Susila Dharma USA Chair, and is a trustee of the L & D Blond Charitable Trust.

Raphael Bate (France)

Raphael worked at Edinburgh University in the Department of Education. He has a background in arts education.
Over the past ten  Years Raphael has been involved with Susila Dharma as a board member of SD Britain and  chairman SD France. He has worked with the Mithra Foundation in South India, providing education for Creativity Workshops for teachers and other NGO personnel who work for children in South India. He has also fundraised and promoted projects through cycling long distances. Raphael's particular interests are the professionalising of SD boards and the sustainable funding of schools for under-privileged children. He lives in the Mayenne, France.

Luke Penseney (Canada)

Luke Penseney is married and has two children at McGill [University]. He manages his own capital markets-based strategic research business out of suburban Toronto. The focus is on strategic advisory to CEOs and senior executives in global gold mining companies at all levels of development. His background includes strategic research, marketing and executive search in North America and Europe. Early training includes a BA (Honors) in Geography and Economic Development with special reference to Africa and Asia. Also an MSc.in Urban and Regional Planning with a thesis on 'Pre-disaster planning in LDCs' After almost 40 years involved with kedjiwaan/organisations, his new role of WSA (non-executive) chair centres on working with the WSA executive and core/wing organizations to open the way for the development of Subud in the world via support for a more effective organization. This implies further 'putting our house in order', raising our levels of professionalism and attendance/support for key events 2010-14.

Luke's photo is coming soon.

Mardijah Simpson (Australia)

Mardijah Simpson served as Australia’s Subud Brotherhood International Foundation representative (the predecessor to SDIA) encouraging local members to initiate social projects and support others in developing countries. She has worked in Sydney with Aboriginal people, migrants and refugees, youth, homeless and the aged. Now she is involved in cultural and environmental projects. Mardijah hopes to work closely with national Susila Dharma co-coordinators (and encourage more national committees in Asia to have Susila Dharma co-coordinators) to collaborate in developing even more effective information, sponsorship and support networks between members and projects.

Rasjidah Flores Torres (Mexico)

Rasjidah studied International Relations and did post graduate study in Public Policy and Management of Non-profit Organizations. She has been a consultant for several NGOs and at the moment is the Executive Director of ICYE Mexico-SIIJUVE, an International Federation that offers exchange programmes through voluntary service, where she provides training for volunteers and projects.

Uraida Vacacela (Ecuador)

Romina Vianden-Prudent (Germany)

Haris Wolfgang (United States)

Haris Wolfgang has served for more than 35 years fulfilling numerous positions on local, regional, and national committees for non-profits, community development and caring services. With two decades of experience as a Commercial and Residential Real Estate Broker, his expertise includes business experience in design, marketing and strategic planning/promotion on behalf of  national corporations. On the SD USA Board, he has served as liaison for SD projects Mithra Foundation, Anisha, International Almoners, and Quest Integrative Health Center (Project Quest)

Virginia Thomas (Montréal, Canada)

Virginia was appointed Executive Director in January 2007. Virginia is a Socio-Economist, Researcher, Evaluator, Trainer, Mediator, Consultant specialising in organisational management; human rights and gender analysis/mainstreaming, democratic development and good governance; violence prevention; program evaluation and performance monitoring; program planning; special interest in women’s, children’s and minority rights.

Rosanna Hille (Vancouver, Canada)

Rosanna has been SDIA communications coordinator and continuity adviser since 2007. She has worked with Susila Dharma for 20 years, first in Canada and internationally as Chair (1993-2001) and Executive Director (1993-2005). Rosanna is a manager, educator, writer, editor, community developer, trainer and facilitator specializing in non-profit and community organizations. Rosanna has a special interesting in facilitating local capacity, participatory approaches, evaluation and increasing understanding between cultures.

Cassidy Jake Sterling (Boston, USA)

Cassidy degrees in music, education and environmental economics. He has has worked in a number of non-profit organizations and picked up his skills in writing, editing, graphic design, desktop publishing, web mastering, and database design along the way.

Samuel Chapleau (Montréal, Canada)

Samuel is the bookkeeper for SDIA and deals with all financial transactions. Samuel also volunteers as a English French translator.

Solen Lees Gratiet (Paraguay)

Solen was appointed as UN connections, volunteer and translations coordinator in 2008. With a background in linguistic work (teaching and translating), she became interested in international development while living and travelling in Latin America and Africa. Solen has worked with humanitarian and environmental associations and has been on the board of Susila Dharma France since 2001 where she looks after communications and liaising with projects in South America. She has recently moved from France to Paraguay with her husband and two children.