Sharifin Gardiner (England)
Chairperson

Sharifin Gardiner worked as a Rural Development Consultant in Africa, Asia and the former Soviet Union with a special interest in micro credit. He has been involved in Susila Dharma work for over 30 years. During his term as chairman he hopes to oversee the expansion and strengthening the SDI network, foster connections with entrepreneurs, health professionals, and creative people of all disciplines and engage more young people in humanitarian service work. By tapping into a diverse pool of talent, SDI can combine professional excellence and sensitivity with a holistic approach to caring for fellow human beings in accordance with inner guidance.

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.

Arnaud DeLune (France)

Arnaud Delune graduated as an Aerospace Engineer. After 25 years in the industry, he is now lecturing in Energetics as well as advising in energy saving. He is involved in higher technological education and very much interested in training and empowerment programs. His Susila Dharma activities are mainly focused on Africa, with the hope that it will be possible to find a harmonious and integrated way to foster the African people's efforts towards self-development as individuals and communities.

Lawrence Leetz (Netherlands)

Lawrence is qualified as a teacher but is retired now. He has his degree in Spanish and loves to speak other languages. He has been involved with SICA and has now been doing SD work for more than 15 years. His SD activities are mainly focused in Argentina, Suriname and Colombia. Lawrence hopes to be a good communicator between SDI and projects. He hopes to be one of the catalysts in helping SD projects to eventually become self-sustaining.

Laura Lesley (England)

Laura worked as a secretary before and after her marriage to Samuel Lesley. In 1966 she was opened in Subud in Nantwich, Cheshire. She became a helper in the Worthing Group. In 1987 she started a 4 year B.Ed. degree course and qualified as a teacher. From 1991-1996 she taught in the Special Needs Dept. of a large rural comprehensive school. After retirement she became secretary to the Susila Dharma (Britain) Board and subsequently joined the Board as a Trustee. Laura became Chair of SD(Britain) at the National Congress in August 2004.

Paloma de la Viña (Spain)

Paloma de la Viña began working with SDI in 1989 when Varindra Vittachi (World Subud Association) asked her to be the link between SDI, Subud International Cultural Association, and himself. She has collaborated for many years with the "Padre Garralda Foundation" (Madrid) in funding accommodations for mothers in prison with small children. She continues as Susila Dharma coordinator in Spain. Her new role will consist in acting as the link between the SDI board and Susila Dharma projects in Latin America.

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.

Uraida Vacacela (Ecuador)

Osanna Vaughn (Germany)

Speaking four languages, Osanna is an avid communicator and actively encourages humanitarian service activities and projects. She hopes to support SDI in helping people develop a personal expression of charity and caring.

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 was appointed SDIA communications coordinator and continuity adviser in 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 an manager, educator, writer, editor, community developer, trainer and facilitator specializing in non-profit and co-operative organizations. Rosanna has a special interesting in capacity development strategies, evaluation and intercultural communications and co-operation.

Cassidy Jake Sterling (Boston, USA)

In the 1960s Cassidy dropped out of high-school for a while before winding up in an experimental school in Vermont that concentrated on agriculture and environmentalism. In college, he trained as a classical singer and did graduate work at the Kodály School of Musical Training, where, as a student of Zoltán Kodály's Hungarian philosophy of music, he studied the relationship between acquisition of language and music. In the 70s and 80s he worked as a teacher and as a performer. However, in the mid-80's he began to concentrate more and more on environmentalism and economics. He went back to school and got a degree in environmental economics during the 1990s. Cassidy 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 "by mistake."

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 (Brittany, France)

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 currently lives in rural Brittany by the sea with her husband, two children and some cows.