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Link to original content: https://humanists.international/about/our-people/
The members of the Board are nominated and elected by our Members and Associates. See our staff team below. See our Ambassador team below.
The Board of Humanists International following the General Assembly of 2023.
The Board is responsible for managing Humanists International in accordance with the Bylaws, the Internal Rules and the policies and directives of the General Assembly. The Board members are nominated by Humanists International Member Organisations and are elected by the General Assembly, and are Directors and Trustees of the Humanists International.
The Board has a directly-elected President, a Vice-President, and a Treasurer. The term of office of Board members is normally three years. All Member Organisations may nominate individuals to positions on the Board and candidates must be a member of a Humanists International Member Organisation, or an Individual Supporter of Humanists International.
Andrew joined the Humanists International Board in 2010 and has been serving as President since 2015. He has been Chief Executive of Humanists UK since January 2010, following five years coordinating the Humanists UK’s work in education and public affairs. Andrew writes, talks and campaigns on Humanism and humanist topics extensively. He is a former director of the European Humanist Federation (EHF) and former head of the Humanists International delegation to the Council of Europe in Strasbourg. Andrew studied Classics and Ancient and Modern History at the University of Oxford.
Roslyn Mould was Secretary and Chair of the Young Humanists International African Working Group from 2014 to 2019 and a Board Member for Humanists International from 2019 to 2023. She was a member of the Humanist Association of Ghana since it was founded in 2012 and held several positions, including President of the group from 2015 to 2019. She is the Coordinator for the West African Humanist Network, an Advisory Board member of the FoRB Leadership Network (UK), a Board member for LGBT+ Rights Ghana, and President of Accra Atheists. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Linguistics and Modern Languages.
Yvan Dheur has been President of Honours of the Humanist Student Organisation Studycircle Free Inquiry of the Humanist Free University of Brussels (www.vub.be) since 2000. He was then also member of the Board of that Humanist University and became member of the Board of deMens.nu (Dutch-speaking Belgian Humanist Association) for 13 years; until 2013, he started working full-time for deMens.nu as an International Affairs Officer and has represented our community in International Institutions until today. In 2022, he also became the Humanist Chaplain at Brussels Airport and a Military Reserve Officer (Major) in Belgian Defence, servicing the Humanist Chaplains and liaising with Military Chaplains around the world.
He holds a Bachelor’s in Orthopedagogy and a Bachelor’s and Master’s in Agogical Sciences from the Dutch-speaking Humanist Free University of Brussels (Societal Change Management Engineering). He then studied political sociology and earned a certificate in business sciences from the French-speaking Humanist University Brussels. He holds a Master of Arts in International Conflicts and Security and a Post-graduate in Critical Comparative State-Religion Relations Studies. He followed a UN training in Human Rights with the WFUNA (World Federation of United Nations Associations). He took courses in Moral and Ethical Sciences, Humanist Ceremonies and Humanist Chaplaincies. He studied Higher Studies in Security and Defence at the Royal Higher Institute for Defence and a certificate in Intelligence and Knowledge Management at the University of Gent.
His goal as a board member is to unite what is dispersed and divergent in our community (Humanists, Atheïsts, Secularists, Rationalists, Freethinkers,….) and to emphasise the equal treatment of our community worldwide. His expertise lies in religious diplomacy from a humanist perspective, religious radicalism and extremism and the neurophysiology and psychology of religious and non-religious worldviews.
AJ was elected to the Humanists International board in 2023. He serves as national coordinator of Young Humanists UK. His particular focus is on young humanists, on dialogue between faith and belief groups based on a shared humanistic spirituality, and apostate refugee support. He also strives to work on issues of ecological sustainability for future generations. He was born in south India and is based in London, UK.
Mary Jane Quiming is the current Chief Finance Officer of Humanist Alliance Philippines International (HAPI), championing humanism since 2013, and is one of the organization’s founding members. Mary is also the President of the Solo Parent group in her community. She works with the local government to provide solo parents with the necessary resources and support to raise their children despite their unique circumstances. Her weekends are spent teaching the children in her community about humanism, critical thinking, and science. She also empowers their parents by teaching them how to improve their finances. In addition to adopting cats, she also loves to collect Deadpool toys.
Founder and president of Humanistas Guatemala, formerly know as Asociación Guatemalteca de Humanistas Seculares (AGHS), he is an engineer and entrepreneur. David started questioning his catholic upbringing since his early teen years, and finally gave up all supernatural beliefs at age 19 while studying science subjects in college. In 2012 he started working with a small group to eventually found Guatemala Humanists. He loves nature, reading and snakes. He believes in human solidarity and the exchange of ideas. He works to make a positive change in the world.
Debbie Goddard has over two decades of experience as an organizer and activist. She became involved with the secular movement as a college student in 2000 and attended atheist, freethinker, humanist, and skeptic group meetings in Philadelphia, New York City, New Jersey, and central Pennsylvania. Her involvement increased over time: she served on local advisory boards, started a student group, edited a monthly campus freethought email newsletter, and held a work-study position at the Center for Inquiry’s office in Rockefeller Center. In 2002, she was recognized in a Beliefnet “Godless Who’s Who” list as “The Student Activist” and in the Washington Blade as an “out” nonbeliever.
She began working in the Department of Campus & Community Programs at the Center for Inquiry in Amherst, NY, in 2006. After serving as a field organizer and as campus outreach coordinator, she became Outreach Director in 2012 and managed CFI’s U.S. branches and the international student outreach program. She also directed African Americans for Humanism. In 2012, she led a notable billboard and ad campaign featuring black atheists, and in 2009, she coordinated an international campaign highlighting blasphemy laws and free expression. Additionally, she was the lead organizer for the Women in Secularism 4 conference and the annual CFI Leadership Conference.
Debbie is also engaged in LGBTQ activism, civil rights work, and training new organizers in her community. She facilitates workshops and gives presentations on campaign-building, evidence-based activism, diversity and outreach, group organizing, humanism and politics, and other topics for community groups, campus groups, and national conferences across North America.
Leo Igwe is both a scholar and an activist. He holds a B.Phil and an M.A in philosophy from Seat of Wisdom Seminary Owerri and University of Calabar in Nigeria and a doctoral degree in religious studies from the University of Bayreuth in Germany. Before embarking on an academic study of religion, Igwe founded the Nigerian Humanist Movement(now the Humanist Association of Nigeria) and worked for some years for the International Humanist and Ethical Union in the UK and the Center for Inquiry in the US. He was a guest professor (Winter Semester 2018/2019) at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences in Munich, Germany. He has research interest in witchcraft, religion and atheism in Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya and Zambia. At the moment, Igwe devotes his time to campaigning for the release of the detained Nigerian Humanist, Mubarak Bala, working to eradicate witch persecution and fostering critical thinking in schools.
Maggie Ardiente is President of the Secular Coalition for America, a group of 20 diverse organizations representing atheists, agnostics, humanists, and other nonreligious Americans, whose mission is to advocate for equal rights and defend the separation of religion and government in the United States. She previously served for 12 years as Director of Development and Communications at the American Humanist Association, and is currently Vice President of Development at PFLAG National, an LGBTQ+ advocacy organization.
She has over 15 years of experience in nonprofit fundraising and communications, has appeared in national media such as NPR, Fox News, Washington Post, and Huffington Post, and has spoken at dozens of conferences, universities, government institutions, and local organizations on humanism in the United States. She lives in Washington, DC, with her spouse, Roy Speckhardt.
Ambassadors are leading humanists from around the work who work with the Board of Humanists International to help promote our aims and objectives. They can be reached via our Contact page.
Gulalai Ismail is a humanist and women’s rights activist from Pakistan. She is one of the most known and inspirational figures within the global humanist movement since the very beginning of her activism, which started when she was only 16 years old.
In 2002 she founded Aware Girls, a non-governmental organization in Peshawar, Pakistan. The organization was founded to address violence and discrimination against women and young girls in Pakistan, and advocate for women’s rights, education, and access to sexual and reproductive health resources.
A Pashtun human rights activist, Gulalai is also the chairperson of the Youth Peace Network. She speaks on the subject of promoting peace and women’s empowerment at conferences internationally and is the recipient of the International Humanist of the Year Award from Humanists International, and of the Fondation Chirac Peace Prize for the Prevention of Conflict.
Gulalai Ismail’s political and social engagement cost her a lot. In September 2019, Gulalai Ismail was forced to escape from Pakistan and to reach the United States, after fearing for her life for speaking out against sexual assaults and disappearances allegedly carried out by the Pakistani military.
For more than 13 years, Uttam Niraula has worked to promote humanism, human rights, good governance, civic space and culture within Nepal and on the global stage. From May 2016 until June 2022 Niraula served as a Board Member of Humanists International. In this capacity, he was instrumental to the growth of the organization at a critical phase.
Domestically, Niraula founded Society for Humanism (SOCH) Nepal in 2007. Niraula has been influential in promoting secularism in Nepal and the institutionalization of humanist values through participation in constitutional commissions and his work with parliamentarians. Niraula has been a staunch campaigner against Witchcraft persecution as well as the persistence of harmful traditional practices in Nepal, engaging with a range of mechanisms including the UN’s Universal Periodic Review (UPR).
Additionally, Niraula has worked for the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP), the World Health Organization (WHO) and civil society organizations to deliver impactful programmes on the ground. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Conflict, Peace and Development.
Staff can be reached via our Contact page.
Gary joined Humanists International in February 2017. Before this he worked for the Humanist Society Scotland since 2013 as Head of Communications and Public Affairs. He has also previously served as a Board member of the European Humanist Federation based in Brussels, as well as a board member of the Scottish Joint Committee on Religious and Moral Education.
Before working in Humanist campaigning, Gary worked for a global citizenship project at the Mercy Corps European headquarters in Edinburgh, and also in policy and service delivery in education and social work.
He has a BSc (hons) in psychology, a diploma in childhood and youth studies and master’s in human rights law, in which he researched the approach of the European Court of Human Rights and the United Nations’ approach to so-called ‘blasphemy laws’.
Elizabeth manages Humanists International’s advocacy work. She also designs and gives human rights and advocacy training sessions for a variety of stakeholders including politicians, diplomats, officials and UN experts. Content wise, her work focuses on the promotion of human rights and equality, particularly in areas and spaces targeted by anti-rights initiatives. In practice this means her work centres around gender justice, sexual and reproductive health and rights, LGBTI+ equality, freedom of religion or belief, cultural rights, and countering intolerance and discriminatory narratives.
Elizabeth is a member of the Observatory on the Universality of Rights, a member of the Global Steering Committee of the UN Fez Process, an International Patron for the Pink Triangle Trust, and an International Advisor at the Raif Badawi Foundation. Previously she served as a member of the OSCE Panel of Experts on FoRB, where she was a member of its Gender Working Group. She has also
served as a consultant on gender equality and sexual and reproductive health and rights.
She has a PhD in International Political Theory from the London School of Economics, where she was a Michael Leifer Scholar. She has spent time as a Global Justice fellow at Yale University, served in various policy and advocacy positions in the UK and EU, and has worked as a consultant on sexual and reproductive health and rights.
Elizabeth is based in Brussels.
Emma joined Humanists International as its first Casework & Campaigns Manager in April 2020. She is responsible for managing and coordinating Humanists International’s activities on behalf of humanists at risk, working in coordination with the rest of the team, and our members and partners. She also serves as principle editor of the Freedom of Thought Report.
Before joining Humanists International, Emma gained more than seven years’ experience in casework and campaigning at PEN International, where she advocated for freedom of expression and devised strategies to support writers at risk across Africa, the Americas, Asia and the Middle East.
She holds an MA in Psychology and Spanish, an MSc in Comparative Politics (Latin America), and a Post-Graduate Certificate in Human Rights.
Céline joined Humanists International in September 2024. She is responsible for coordinating the research and production of the Freedom of Thought Report.
Céline has previously worked in campaigning and advocacy for several international NGOs and human rights organisations including the Bar Human Rights Committee, Oxfam and Médecins du Monde. Focus themes of her work have included conflict and humanitarian crises and young people in conflict with the law.
She holds MAs in International Development and French & Spanish.
Celine is based in France.
Henry joined Humanists International as the Finance and Admin Officer in June 2024. His role supports the smooth running of the financial and operations functions for the organization.
He brings with him around twenty years of experience in the charity sector, ranging from leading finance and administration processes, to delivering community engagement and music education projects. He has worked to
promote positive mental and physical health outcomes and empower disadvantaged young people from inner city communities in London.
Aligned with his strong commitment to humanist values, Henry is passionate about music, travel, sports, and the natural world.
Henry works remotely from Kent, UK.
Javan joined Humanists International as Young Humanists International Coordinator and Social Media Consultant in February 2021. He works with young humanists worldwide, focusing on their development and growth as humanists. He also manages the social media platforms of Humanists International and assists in creating materials to promote humanism. In 2022, he was made the Membership Development Officer, tasked with looking after the Members and Associates of the organization.
Before joining Humanists International, Javan has been active in community work zeroing in on environmental conservation, climate justice, human rights, and civic engagement advocacies since 2012. He is currently the Chief Executive of Humanists Alliance Philippines International, a government-registered and progressive humanist organization in the Philippines that stands for human rights, secular education and strives for a world free from violence and division.
Javan is the co-founder and former pioneer president of the Association of Young Environmental Journalists, a youth-led environmental media organization. He is also the former Director for Design and Creatives of ATO-ClimatEducate Project, scholar alumni of Temasek Foundation International – Specialists Community Action and Leadership Exchange program in Singapore, and represented the Philippines during the ASEAN Plus Three Youth Environment Forum 2019 in Thailand.
Javan is based in the Philippines.
Jean joined Humanists International in July 2019. She oversees and safeguards the organization’s financial governance and compliance. Her work focuses on strategic financial planning, budgeting, forecasting, reporting and conducting audits. She also ensures efficient and seamless running of the organizational operations.
Before joining Humanists International, Jean gained several years of finance experience working in a variety of industries.
Jean holds a Bachelor’s degree in Finance from Beijing Technology and Business University, as well as a Master’s degree in Economics and Finance from University of Kent.
Kacem El Ghazzali is a MENA Advocacy and Casework Consultant at Humanists International. He has been representing Humanists International at the UN Human Rights Council in Geneva since 2013.
His work focuses on researching, providing information and evaluating strategies relating to cases originating in the MENA region together with the Humanist at Risk coordinator and the rest of the team.
Kacem is also an essayist and a passionate advocate of secularism and humanism. His essays have been published, among others, in Le Monde, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, Neue Zürcher Zeitung and The Huffington Post, and he is the co-editor of the secular Arabic/French magazine La Vague Culturelle. In 2018, he was among 30 other personalities named as Swiss of the Year by the Swiss Sunday newspaper SonntagsZeitung.
Leon joined Humanists International as an Advocacy Officer in September 2023. He supports our work at the United Nations Human Rights Council, as well as our broader advocacy work. Leon also supports members in their engagement with UN human rights instruments, helping them to make submissions and statements as part of the Universal Periodic Review process.
Prior to joining Humanists International, Leon worked at the UN Security Council for the Permanent Mission of Malta where he advised on humanitarian and human rights files. He also has experience in the NGO and education sectors. Leon holds a law degree from University College Dublin and a master’s in International Relations from New York University.
Tania joined Humanists International in December 2022, as its European Advocacy Officer. She advocates for Humanists International’s human rights priorities at the European institutions and is responsible for coordinating and networking European member organisations.
She holds a Master’s degree in European Law and has previously worked in the field of policy analysis at the European Parliament and at the European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA). She speaks Portuguese, Italian, French, and English.
Tania is based in Brussels.
Victoria joined Humanists International in April 2022. Her role looks after our fundraising and development initiatives, with the aim of increasing income and improving our supporter experience.
Victoria is an experienced fundraising and marketing professional, with almost 15 years experience working for a range of organizations in the UK. She began working in the third sector shortly after completing an Arts degree, and has been putting her creative skills to “good” use ever since. She has supporting qualifications in Direct and Digital Marketing, and the GDPR from the Institute of Data & Marketing. Amongst other things, Victoria is passionate about human rights, animal welfare, the arts, nature and the environment.
Victoria works remotely from North Yorkshire, UK. If you would like to get in touch with Victoria to discuss making a donation, leaving a gift in your Will or any other fundraising ideas you might have, you can reach her at: [email protected]