A large group of people pose with arms raised near a turquoise lake, rocky terrain, and mountains under a clear blue sky.

ლიდერობისა და მხარდაჭერის გუნდი

A global network for a healthy, toxics-free world

 IPEN’s founders and leaders are experts and community advocates mostly from low- and middle-income countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.  These leaders make up our Steering Committee and develop and oversee our strategic work.

The Executive Committee is the elected governing body hold overall responsibility for IPEN, while the Secretariat comprises program and administrative staff, including science and policy advisors who provide research support, technical advice, policy analysis, and other support to our global network members.

For general inquiries, please contact ipen@ipen.org. Media members, please see our საინფორმაციო განყოფილება or contact media@ipen.org to speak with one of our experts.

IPEN Co-Chairs

One of IPEN’s most enduring contributions has been its success in empowering POs, particularly from “the Global South”, to participate in international policy forums….IPEN’s technical input and advocacy supported the momentum towards [many global chemical bans] and no other civil society actor was cited as having the same breadth and depth of involvement.

2025 Independent Evaluation of IPEN

Yuyun Ismawati
Indonesia
A person with short gray hair and glasses is wearing a navy blazer over a pink and white striped shirt with a floral collar, posing in front of a light marble background.
Gohar Khojayan
Armenia
A person with short, dark, curly hair is smiling and wearing a blue blazer, a colorful scarf, and a pin labeled IPEN against a light marble background.

Steering Committee

Rolande Aziaka
Togo
A woman with long braided hair sits at a conference table in front of a sign labeled “NGOs.” She is smiling, wearing a patterned top, and there are documents, a name badge, and a pen on the table in front of her.
IPEN has contributed to policy change and public awareness raising in numerous countries…with key outcomes assessed have been of high significance.

2025 Independent Evaluation of IPEN

Jindřich Petrlík
Czechia
A man with curly gray hair, glasses, and a beard speaks into a microphone. He is wearing a green shirt and a blue vest with decorative patterns, seated at a table with electronic devices in front of him.
Aileen Lucero
Philippines
A woman with long brown hair and light skin is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a patterned top with green and yellow accents, and is positioned in front of a plain, light-colored background.
Stanley Okwara
Nigeria
A man with short hair, glasses, and a beard is smiling. He is wearing a white collared shirt and a dark tie, standing outdoors in front of a beige building with a corrugated metal roof.
Griffins Ochieng Ochola
Kenya
A man wearing a white dress shirt and a dark blue tie is standing indoors. He is facing the camera and has a neutral expression. There is a glass wall and some lights in the background.
María Isabel Cárcamo
Uruguay
A woman with gray hair and a beige hooded garment stands outdoors, smiling at the camera. The background is blurred, showing a natural, hilly landscape.
Yuyun Ismawati
Indonesia
A person with short gray hair and glasses is wearing a navy blazer over a pink and white striped shirt with a floral collar, posing in front of a light marble background.
Olga Speranskaya
EECCA Region
A person with short dark hair wearing light purple glasses, a black turtleneck, a black blazer, and a gold necklace, smiling at the camera against a white background.
Eugeniy Lobanov
Belarus
A man with light skin and short, slightly messy brown hair, wearing a light blue button-up shirt, stands in front of a plain light gray background and looks at the camera with a slight smile.
Gohar Khojayan
Armenia
A person with short, dark, curly hair is smiling and wearing a blue blazer, a colorful scarf, and a pin labeled IPEN against a light marble background.
სემია გარბი
Tunisia
A woman wearing glasses, a pink and gray patterned headscarf, and a purple top smiles at the camera against a light marble-patterned background.
Gilbert Kuepouo
Cameroon
A man wearing a light blue dress shirt and a blue-and-white striped tie is smiling slightly while posing in front of a light marble background.
David Azoulay
Switzerland
A man with glasses and a beard, wearing a dark suit and headphones around his neck, speaks into a microphone at a conference or meeting.
Sherika Whitelocke-Ballingsingh
Jamaica
A woman with long, braided hair wearing a dark blazer and patterned top smiles at the camera against a light gray background.
Fernando Bejarano
Mexico
An older man with gray hair, a white mustache, and blue glasses, wearing a plaid shirt and a gray sweater vest, smiles slightly in front of a light-colored, marble-patterned background.

Executive Committee

Hemantha Withanage
Asia
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Charlotte Brody
North America
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One of IPEN’s most distinctive strengths is its identity as a network owned and driven by its POs. IPEN is viewed as a network of networks…where all actors share equity and have a strong sense of belonging. IPEN’s ability to quickly pivot in response to emerging issues has allowed it to remain influential….This flexibility has been key to ensuring that global initiatives are locally relevant and feasible.

2025 Independent Evaluation of IPEN

Michael Green
North America
A middle-aged man with short, curly gray hair is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a black collared shirt and is posed in front of a plain light gray background.
Sofía Chávez Arce
Latin America
A person with shoulder-length gray hair and glasses is wearing a light-colored coat and a patterned scarf. They are standing outdoors in front of green foliage and a building.
Peter Pierrou
Europe
A man with a bald head, glasses, and a beard wearing a light-colored blazer and a red shirt stands in front of shelves filled with stacked board games.

Regional Coordinators

Silvani Mng'anya
Anglophone Africa
A man wearing glasses, a light blue shirt, and a red tie poses in front of a white marble-patterned background. He is looking slightly to the side and smiling gently.
Jan Šamánek
Central, Eastern and Western Europe
A man with short brown hair, a trimmed beard, and glasses is wearing a navy blue collared shirt with light blue trim. He is facing forward and smiling slightly. The background is a white marble pattern.
Olga Speranskaya
E. Europe, Caucasus, and Central Asia
A person with short dark hair wearing light purple glasses, a black turtleneck, a black blazer, and a gold necklace, smiling at the camera against a white background.
Edith-Cécile Kameni
Francophone Africa
A woman with short, side-swept black hair is wearing a blue and pink patterned top. She is facing forward and looking at the camera, posed against a plain gray background.
სემია გარბი
Middle East and North Africa
A woman wearing glasses, a pink and gray patterned headscarf, and a purple top smiles at the camera against a light marble-patterned background.
Tripti Arora
South Asia
A woman with long dark hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a traditional outfit with intricate patterns on the neckline. The background is light-colored with a subtle marble texture.
Chinkie Peliño-Golle
Southeast and East Asia
A woman with straight, dark brown hair is smiling. She is wearing a patterned brown blouse and is posed against a light-colored, marbled background.
Laura Sofía Pérez
Latin America and the Caribbean
A woman with long, wavy brown hair and fair skin is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a sleeveless white top with navy blue horizontal stripes. The background is a light-colored marble pattern.

Secretariat

Björn Beeler
Executive Director & International Coordinator
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Maria Ekström Johansson
Operations and Finance Director
A woman with light skin and straight, light brown hair, wearing a teal collared shirt and a thin necklace, stands in front of a light-colored, marble-patterned background.
Lia Jasmin M. Esquillo
Program Director
A woman with straight brown hair is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a dark textured top and a necklace with a small pendant. The background is a light-colored marble pattern.
ტიფანის ხელსაწყო
Network Manager
A woman with long, dark hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a striped button-up shirt and small earrings, posed in front of a light gray, marbled background.
Sara Brosché, PhD
Science Advisor
A woman with wavy, medium-length brown hair is smiling at the camera. She is wearing a light blue sweater over a black top, standing in front of a light, marbled background.
Therese Karlsson, PhD
Science Advisor
A woman with light skin and straight, light brown hair pulled back, wearing a light blue collared shirt, looks at the camera with a neutral expression. A white and gray marbled background is behind her.
Lee Bell
Science Advisor
A middle-aged man with white hair and a beard is wearing a dark blazer over a blue patterned shirt. He is facing the camera against a light marble background.
Jitka Straková
Global Researcher
A person with long brown hair with gray streaks, wearing a light gray hoodie, has a neutral expression and a lip piercing. The background is a light, marble-like surface.
Jeiel Guarino
Global Lead Paint Elimination Campaigner
A man with short black hair, wearing a gray blazer over a blue and orange plaid shirt, is looking at the camera with a neutral expression against a light marble background.
Betty Wahlund
Events and Administration Manager
A woman with curly blonde hair smiles at the camera. She is wearing a dark cardigan over a floral-patterned blouse and is posed in front of a light-colored, marbled background.
Manny Calonzo
Global Lead Paint Elimination Campaign Advisor
A man with short dark hair and glasses is smiling at the camera. He is wearing a light-colored collared shirt and is standing indoors against a plain background.
Astha Agrawal
Finance Manager
A woman with long dark hair, wearing a patterned shirt with white animal shapes, smiles at the camera. She is standing in front of a wall with a textured, abstract design.
Karen Han
Development and Communications Officer
A person with long black hair and glasses smiles at the camera. They are wearing a brown turtleneck sweater and are posed in front of a light marbled background.
Belyn Wodehouse
Program Manager
A woman with long dark hair wearing a navy blazer is standing in front of a light-colored, marble-patterned background, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression.
Charles Margulis
Communications Director
A middle-aged man with short dark hair, wearing a gray plaid shirt over a black T-shirt, stands in front of a light gray marble-patterned background, looking slightly to his left and smiling.
Yna Lim
Program and Project Officer
A young person with shoulder-length brown hair smiles at the camera. They are wearing a mauve jacket over a striped shirt, standing in front of a light marble-patterned background.

Former Co-chairs

Pamela Miller,
ACAT, USA
2019 – 2025

Dr. Tadesse Amera,
Pesticide Action Nexus Ethiopia,
Ethiopia,
2018 – 2024

Dr. Olga Speranskaya,
Eco-Accord/HEJSupport,
Russia, 2010 – 2018 

Emmanuel (Manny) Calonzo,
EcoWaste Coalition, Philippines,
2011 – 2015

Mariann Lloyd-Smith, PhD,
National Toxics Network, Australia,
2006 – 2011

Prof. Jamidu Katima,
Agenda for Environment and Responsible Development
Tanzania
2006 – 2010

Jack Weinberg,
USA, 2001 – 2005

Dr. Romeo F. Quijano, MD,
Pesticide Action Network,
Philippines, 1
1998 – 2006

Sharyle Patton,
Commonweal, USA,
1998 – 2004

IPEN’s Former Co-chairs Committee manages whistleblower complaints.

See IPEN’s anti-corruption policy and code of conduct here.

IPEN-ის შესახებ
IPEN (მლუწინელების აღმოფხვრის საერთაშორისო ქსელი)
მომწოდებელი  ქუქი-ფაილების შესაბამისობა GDPR-თან
პერსონალური მონაცემების მიმოხილვა

ეს ვებსაიტი იყენებს ქუქი-ფაილებს, რათა შემოგთავაზოთ საუკეთესო შესაძლო მომხმარებლის გამოცდილება. ქუქი-ფაილის ინფორმაცია ინახება თქვენს ბრაუზერში და ასრულებს ისეთ ფუნქციებს, როგორიცაა თქვენი ამოცნობა ვებსაიტზე დაბრუნებისას და ჩვენი გუნდის დახმარება იმის გასაგებად, თუ ვებსაიტის რომელი სექციებია თქვენთვის ყველაზე საინტერესო და სასარგებლო.