Board of Directors

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.

Osanna Vaughn (Germany)

World Subud Association Chairlady
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)

Staff

Virginia Thomas (Montreal, 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 (Montreal, Canada)

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