Governing Board 2024

In November 2024, ACT Alliance welcomed a newly elected Governing Board reflecting the diversity of its global membership. Comprising experienced leaders and emerging voices from across regions and faith traditions, the new Board carries forward ACT’s values of dignity, inclusion, and collective action. The full elected Governing Board consists of:

Yilikal Shiferaw

Africa
EOC-DICAC (Ethiopia)

Evans Onyemara

Africa
CCN (Nigeria)

Melton Luhanga

Africa
CARD (Malawi)

Minnie Anne Calub

Asia
NCCP (Philippines)

Ling Chunxiang

Asia
Amity Foundation (China)

Juliate Malakar

Asia

Rommie Nauta

Western Europe
Kerk in Actie (NL)

Martin Kessler

Western Europe
DKH (Germany)

Tomi Järvinen

Western Europe
FCA (Finland)

Edna Ter-Vardanyan

Eastern Europe
ART Armenia

Casey Harden

Global
World YWCA

Joel Dopico

Global
CIC (Cuba)

Nicolás Rosenthal

Global
FP Hora de Obrar (Argentina)

Atahualpa Hernández Miranda

LAC
ILECO (Colombia)

Samer Lahham

MENA
MECC

Laurie Kraus

North America
PDA (USA)

Guy Smagghe

North America
PWS\&D (Canada)

Peter Keegan

Pacific
UnitingWorld (Australia)

Brigita Ra Sekar Laras

South Asia
YAKKUM (Indonesia)

Jean Wambui Karari

Afrida
ADS (Kenya)

Kenneth Mtata

WCC permanent
WCC

Maria Immonen

LWF permanent
LWF

Tariro Washaya

Africa
MeDRA (Zimbabwe)

Kishore Kumar Nag

Asia
LWSIT (India)

Patrick Watt

Europe
Christian Aid (UK)

Horacio Mesones

Latin America & Caribbean
CREAS (Argentina)

Jo Knight

Pacific
Anglican Overseas Aid (Australia)

One of the outgoing Board’s key priorities was financial sustainability. This included approving steps toward a revised Funding Model to promote fairness, transparency, and predictable contributions across the membership. The Board also reviewed the 2024 audited financial accounts, assessed 2025 financial updates, and explored ways to strengthen ACT’s core financial stability.

To support stronger member engagement and accountability, the Board ratified a revised Membership Model, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations across the Alliance.

During the mid-term review of the Global Strategy, the Board found implementation largely on track, with minor shifts to strengthen internal cohesion, integrate decolonisation efforts, and enhance youth participation. These refinements were endorsed, extending the Strategy’s relevance through 2027.
The Board also held strategic discussions on governance and statutory reforms, and assessed regional and global risks, including political polarisation and shifting humanitarian contexts, to better prepare the Alliance for emerging challenges.

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Strengthening Member Engagement

To support stronger member engagement and accountability, the Board ratified a revised Membership Model, clarifying roles, responsibilities, and expectations across the Alliance. During the mid-term review of the Global Strategy, the Board noted that implementation was largely on track, with minor shifts to strengthen internal cohesion, integrate decolonisation efforts, and enhance youth participation. These refinements were endorsed, extending the Strategy’s relevance through 2027.