World Board

Chair of the World Board, July 2023 - Present
Member of the World Board, July 2021 - Present

Candela is a member of Asociación Guías Argentinas (AGA). Since 2017, she has been serving as a member of the National Board and as Vice President & member of the WAGGGS Governance Committee since 2018. She completed her National Trainer training at AGA and has been a Leader for 8 years.

In a professional capacity, Candela works in the Programmes division at UNICEF Argentina. She holds a bachelor’s degree in International Relations is currently completing a master’s in International Cooperation.

“Guiding has an important role in breaking down social barriers, by telling the stories of girls, and empowering them. More than ever, Guiding must remain as a relevant space for girls and young women to become fulfilled active citizens who contribute to positive changes in themselves, their communities and the world.”

July 2023 - Present

Fiona is a member of Eclaireuses Eclaireurs de France. As a university lecturer, her work centers on guiding students academically while supporting their personal growth. In her role as a researcher in modern languages, Fiona brings critical thinking, curiosity, and intercultural understanding to every aspect of her work.

From 2020 to 2022, Fiona served as Vice-Chair of the Eclaireuses Eclaireurs de France, where she gained in-depth knowledge in strategic oversight, risk management, human resources, and finance. During this time, she played a key role in staff restructuring and helped establish a new funding model for the organisation.

As an International Commissioner, Fiona built partnerships with over ten guiding and scouting associations around the world. Over her five years in this role, she helped shape an international educational programme focused on the Sustainable Development Goals and co-led a major funding project with the French Development Agency, highlighting the importance of non-formal education in global solidarity. This experience gave Fiona a deep understanding of how the international dimension of guiding and scouting can support global education efforts.

Beyond governance, Fiona has a strong background in education, having served as a leader, camp leader, and co-leader of the Educational Method Commission in her association. As a long-time WAGGGS volunteer, she has played a key role in coordinating volunteers and supporting governance at both regional and global levels.

July 2023 - Present

Christiane is a member of Association des Guides du Liban. She never misses a chance to speak about Girl Guiding and Scouting and how much being in the Movement has brought to her life and to herself.

During her 25 years as a volunteer in her National MO, Association des Guides du Liban, Christiane has held a range of leadership roles, most recently as the International Commissioner for 8 years and served the National Board for more than 10. She has had the chance to work at different levels and with all age groups. Her favourite experiences are time spent with members in their groups and units: training, facilitating, playing, speaking and listening. Hence, Christiane’s personal motto is #HereForHer, where she expresses her eagerness to do her part for every girl and woman in the world.

Christiane earned her master’s degree in Clinical and Pathological Psychology in 2005. Since then, she has dedicated herself to providing every stakeholder in a child’s life - parents, educators and children themselves - the tools and knowledge necessary to keep children and families safe and well. She is also a Positive Discipline Instructor for parents and teachers.

Ghofrane Ben Hamed, originaire de Tunisie, est une leader passionnée dont le parcours dans le guidisme a commencé dès l'enfance et s'est transformé en un engagement à vie pour l'autonomisation des filles et des jeunes femmes. Ayant grandi dans une famille de scouts, elle est passée de fleurette à Routière avant d'accéder à des fonctions de direction, devenant la plus jeune membre du Conseil national et du Conseil suprême des scouts tunisiens, où elle a contribué à la réforme constitutionnelle et renforcé la participation des jeunes à la gouvernance. Sur le plan professionnel, elle est architecte de solutions et chef d'équipe dans une entreprise technologique internationale, où elle met à profit son sens technique, son esprit analytique et ses solides compétences en matière de facilitation. Au sein de l'AMGE, elle a été facilitatrice au séminaire Juliette Low, membre de l'équipe de mission principale et vice-présidente de la 22e Conférence régionale arabe. Plus récemment, elle a siégé au Comité régional arabe, où elle a mené des initiatives dans les domaines du leadership des jeunes, de la communication et du renforcement des capacités régionales, avant d'être élue présidente de la région arabe.

World Board Member, 2021 - Present

Jess is a member of Girlguiding UK and was elected to the World Board in July 2021. She has held various roles in her association, including as Brownie and Ranger leader, Trainer, Marketing & Communications adviser, National Council member and National Lead volunteer for youth programmes.

Since attending a seminar at Our Cabana in 2010, Jess has been privileged to hold many roles in WAGGGS. In the Europe region, she was a member of the Core Group for Mentoring & Growth from 2013-16, a Facilitator at the 2016 Regional Conference and a member of several procedural teams for regional conferences and meetings. Most recently, she delivered virtual inductions throughout 2020 & 2021 to new global volunteers, as a member of the WAGGGS Core Mission Volunteer Engagement team.

In her professional life, Jess has been a leader in non-profits for almost 15 years - with roles in administration at several universities and most recently as Director of Programmes for a national social mobility charity in the UK. 

World Board Member, July 2021 – Present

Fiona is a member of GirlGuiding New Zealand. She has been involved in the Movement at many levels since the age of 5 and was a member of the National Board from 2011-2018.

Fiona has supported the WAGGGS Global Team in various ways: as Vice Chair of the WAGGGS Governance Committee 2018-2020, moving into the Chair role in December 2020, and as the Capacity Building Governance Team Lead since 2019. Previously, Fiona was a Stop the Violence (STV) Facilitator and Voices Against Violence Curriculum Lead.

Fiona has held a range of Board, Committee, and Trustee positions in her community and within her profession as a Pharmacist. She was co-opted as the first Early Career Pharmacist to the National Executive of the Pharmaceutical Society of New Zealand.

Caroline est originaire du Peak District, une région rurale du Royaume-Uni. Elle a rejoint les Girlguiding à l'âge de 7 ans en tant que Brownie et n'a jamais regardé en arrière. Le guidisme a façonné sa façon de diriger dans tous les domaines de sa vie, lui a donné confiance en elle et lui a permis de nouer des amitiés durables et d'acquérir de nouvelles perspectives. Elle a occupé plusieurs postes bénévoles au sein de Girlguiding UK, notamment celui de bénévole principale pour GOLD, où elle a travaillé avec des organisations membres à travers l'Europe et au-delà afin de mettre en place des partenariats équitables et un apprentissage entre pairs significatif. Sur le plan professionnel, elle dirige une entreprise d'accueil accessible au Royaume-Uni et a précédemment travaillé dans des musées, où elle a dirigé des projets créatifs et défendu l'inclusion. Elle apporte son expérience en matière de stratégie, de communication, d'évaluation et de partage d'impact. Elle est ravie de travailler avec l'ensemble du comité pour favoriser le développement d'une région où les organisations membres se sentent plus connectées et où encore plus de filles et de jeunes femmes ont la chance de découvrir leurs capacités.

Elizabeth Chatuwa est membre active de l'Association des guides du Malawi depuis 2008, où elle a commencé son parcours en tant que jeune leader. Au fil des ans, elle a occupé divers postes de direction, notamment ceux de commissaire régionale à la jeunesse, de commissaire nationale à la jeunesse et de membre du conseil d'administration responsable de la formation nationale. Actuellement, en tant que présidente de la région Afrique, elle est également formatrice internationale certifiée par l'AMGE et se passionne pour le renforcement des capacités de leadership des autres grâce à une formation de qualité. Elizabeth trouve un grand sens à son travail dans le soutien au développement des jeunes et la création d'espaces inclusifs pour les filles et les jeunes femmes. Dans sa vie personnelle, elle accorde de l'importance au service, à l'apprentissage et à l'impact qu'elle peut avoir dans chaque espace qu'elle occupe.

Sur le plan professionnel, elle travaille à la NBS Bank en tant que responsable des technologies de l'information et de la communication, chargée des systèmes bancaires numériques.

Marina De Mattey Derosa est originaire de Mar del Plata, en Argentine. Elle fait partie du mouvement des guides depuis plus de 28 ans, ayant débuté comme enfant bénéficiaire avant de devenir commissaire internationale de l'Asociación Guías Argentinas. Sur le plan professionnel, elle dirige deux entreprises et collabore avec la Fondation de la Bolsa de Comercio de sa ville, qui promeut des alliances multisectorielles pour le développement communautaire. Elle s'engage en faveur d'un leadership collaboratif, de l'équité régionale et veille à ce que chaque fille et jeune femme de la région se sente considérée, soutenue et autonomisée. Elle est ravie de travailler avec cette équipe et les organisations membres afin de renforcer ensemble l'impact de l'AMGE.

World Board Member, July 2023 – Present

Monika is a member of Związek Harcerstwa Polskiego (ZHP) and joined Guiding when she was 11 years old. She has held many roles within Guiding including unit leader, trainer, regional international adviser, International commissioner and WAGGGS regional volunteer, (MO support and Capacity Building).

As a Biotechnologist quality expert, she is curious, creative and solution-oriented. In her role as a member of the World Board, she aims to utilise her skills in making informed and risk-based decisions, drawing from her experience working in a global organisation.

Being a member of a female unit in a Scout and Guide National Association, Monika recognises the importance of WAGGGS in both girl-only and co-educational settings and plans to continue to share this value with others. Through attending conferences and global events, Monika has developed strong connections with Member Organisations and International Commissioners, which she hopes to strengthen and use to further the development of the Movement.

Member of the World Board, July 2021 – Present

Chamathya is a member of Sri Lanka Girl Guides Association (SLGGA) and began her Girl Guiding journey at the age of 8. At the age of just 25, Chamathya served on the World Board from September 2018 to July 2020. Once again, she is joining as the youngest member of the current World Board at 28 years old.

Previously, Chamathya was Coordinator of the Stop The Violence Campaign and Global Facilitator/Trainer for the Voices Against Violence non-formal educational curriculum. She was also the Volunteer Project Lead for Motion 32 - Young Women in Governance Research.

Chamathya is a passionate gender equality advocate with 9 years of experience in policy and advocacy work, a journey that started as a WAGGGS Youth Delegate in 2012/13. Recently, she was a member of The Core Group, the key decision-making body for the United Nations Generation Equality Forum which raised 40 billion USD to accelerate progress on gender equality.

In a professional capacity, Chamathya works on standardisation & digitalisation projects in the Marketing division of a global corporation. She is double degree holder in BSc. International Business Management and BA. Economics & Sociology. In 2017, Chamathya was recognised by the US State Department as one of the 10 Global Emerging Young Leaders for her work on empowering girls & young women and advancing gender equality.

World Board Member, July 2023 - Present

Helga is an active member of Tanzania Girl Guide Association, currently volunteering as a Training Commissioner, supporting several WAGGGS Programmes implementation and WAGGGS Leadership Model training. She is also part of WAGGGS Core mission and Volunteering Pool and Stop the Violence Global Facilitator.

As a member of the National Executive Board of my Associationshe has been involved reviewing the budget and financial reports, and providing advice on strategic planning. In this role she works together with other volunteers, guide the staff by providing ideas as well as incorporate new ways shared by experts in the association.

Through WAGGGS Helga has had an opportunity to volunteer and collaborate with people of different cultures and nationalities in different countries. She was a programme volunteer at Our Cabaña in 2017 for five months, and facilitated Juliette Low Seminar in 2019 at Sangam World Centre. She also represented my Chief Commissioner at the African Region Conference in Rwanda and led the delegation in pitching to host the next African Conference (2022) which they won.

World Board Member, July 2023 - Present

An architect by profession, Josephine is a strategic thinker with a passion for driving change and finding innovative solutions to complex problems. Additionally, she also holds skills in program development, financial management and community engagement.

During her 20+ years of experience in Girl Guiding, she has held various leadership positions including, National Young Leaders’ leader, team leader- Plastic Tide Turners Project and currently serving as the Assistant Chief Commissioner, chair of the Membership Sub-Committee of the Executive Committee. As a member of the Technical Advisory Sub-Committee of the national board in Kenya, Josephine managed the development of programmes and initiatives including the new Kenya Girl Guides programme books, launched in 2022.

In her role a member of the World Board Josephine is committed to dedicating her time, energy, skills and knowledge to help WAGGGS achieve its goals and make a positive difference in the lives of girls and young women around the world.

World Board Member, July 2021 - Present

Debra Nakatomi is a lifelong Girl Scout and advocate for gender equity. She served on the Girl Scouts of the USA National Board for 12 years, Board Secretary and 6 years as International Commissioner and Chair of the GSUSA WAGGGS Task Force working to increase capacity and resources. She has served WAGGGS and the Western Hemisphere as a Delegate, on the Diversity Committee and Chair of a WAGGGS and GSUSA Global Roundtable.

Debra leads a firm she founded dedicated to promoting equity & inclusion and advancing social change. She consults with organizations on growth and building resilience toward a sustainable future and is an advisor to CEOs on issues and crisis management. She is dedicated to expanding philanthropy and promoting health and is Trustee and former Chair of The California Wellness Foundation and Advisory Council to Peace Over Violence, dedicated to building healthy relationships free from violence. She is former Chair of the Los Angeles Women’s Foundation and the Asian Pacific Women’s Leadership Institute.

“This is such a critical moment for our movement, and our world. The pandemic has reminded us of our interdependence — in our families, communities, and our global sisterhood.”

World Board Member, July 2023 - Present

With a background in Political Communication and Management, Signe excels in navigating complex organisations and fostering teamwork among passionate volunteers. Her degree in organisational psychology supports her work in managing staff and volunteers, where she focuses on skill development and effective onboarding processes.

As a board member, Signe has played a vital role in strengthening finances and implementing sustainable budgeting practices to maintain opportunities for members. In this role she also co-chaired her organisation’s eight-year strategy development, engaging guides at all levels to set a clear direction for the future.

With a background in Political Communication and Management, Signe excels in navigating complex organisations and fostering teamwork among passionate volunteers. Her degree in organisational psychology supports her work in managing staff and volunteers, where she focuses on skill development and effective onboarding processes.

World Board Member, July 2023 - Present

At the age of nine, Sharrada started her journey as a brownie. Through guiding, she began her first advocacy in setting up a community library to eradicate social isolation, then I led national campaigns pushing for change at national, regional and international levels on wellbeing, discussing policies surrounding child marriage with local politicians, lobbying for youth representation in national boards and finally setting up the first youth led NGO guided by professionals in Malaysia, Mind Matters Network all while completing a double degree in medicine and medical sciences.

Further leveraging her experience as a founder and director of a national youth led NGO, She believes as a member of the World Board I will be able to engage with stakeholders to further garner strategic partnerships for the organisation, provide a fresh perspective as a young women in governance and maximise the potential of using social media as a tool for change.

While the years of experience you receive from the nominees today may be equivalent to her willing to learn young woman in the room representing the voices of hundreds and thousands of girls hoping to be given a seat at the table so that many other young women can see that they too have a place in governance. After all, decisions about us should most definitely include us. It would be an honour to be a part of an organisation that empowers girls and gives them the confidence that the world wants to hear what they have to say despite their age, ethnicity and background--there is an inclusive safe space for all.

Niumath apporte plusieurs décennies d'expérience dans le guidisme, qui remontent à la création même de l'Association des guides des Maldives en 1983, lorsqu'elle a été formée comme responsable adulte à l'âge de 16 ans seulement. Son parcours a commencé comme guide à l'âge de 11 ans et, depuis lors, elle a été une pionnière exemplaire dans l'adoption et la mise en œuvre du cadre stratégique, l'élaboration de programmes et le renforcement des capacités au sein de son organisation membre. Au fil des ans, elle a occupé de nombreux postes de direction au sein de la AEM, notamment ceux de secrétaire nationale et de commissaire en chef adjointe, avant d'être nommée commissaire en chef pour la période 2015-2025. Pour l'avenir, Niumath est profondément engagée à aider les organisations membres à adopter les meilleures pratiques, à favoriser une collaboration fructueuse et à créer un environnement inclusif, diversifié et solidaire où les bénévoles et les membres se sentent valorisés et connectés.