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For Immediate Release:

INTERNATIONAL PLANNED PARENTHOOD FEDERATION/WESTERN HEMISPHERE REGION
ELECTS NEW BOARD OF DIRECTORS

New York, NY— The International Planned Parenthood Federation/Western Hemisphere Region, an organization committed to promoting the sexual and reproductive rights of women and men, in particular those most vulnerable and marginalized in society, has elected a new Board of Directors. “We were pleased that all of the members were elected by unanimous votes, showing the region’s solid support for our board’s leadership,” says Carmen Barroso, IPPF/WHR’s Regional Director

One of six regional offices of the International Planned Parenthood Federation (IPPF), IPPF/WHR works with 41 Member Associations throughout Latin America and the Caribbean to provide approximately 19.4 million quality reproductive and sexual health services a year—from contraceptive counseling and supplies to HIV prevention, testing and treatment— to the neediest people in the region.

The four new members elected to the Board of Directors were: Maria Ignacia Aybar, Anibal Faúndes, Jovana Ríos, and Carlos Welti. Maria Ignacia Aybar, 24, from Chile, works as a labor lawyer for a law firm in Santiago and for the Chilean government at the Judicial Assistance Corporation at the municipality of Maipu. She has been on the Board of Directors of APROFA, IPPF’s Member Association in Chile.

Anibal Faúndes has a long-standing career in obstetrics and women’s health. He is a past President of the WHO’s Committee on Human Reproduction, President of the Latin American Association of Human Reproduction Researchers; and he is the Coordinator of Sexual and Reproductive Rights Committee of the Latin American Federation of Societies of Obstetrics and Gynecology and of the same Committee of the International Federation of Gynecologists and Obstetricians, among other achievements. He is a Board Member of BEMFAM, IPPF’s Member Association in Brazil.

Jovana Ríos, 19, is a student at the Latin University of Panama School of Medicine. Since 2003, she has been a member of the youth group of APLAFA, IPPF Member Association in Panama. In her country she has a leading role in advocating for comprehensive sexuality education. Internationally, she has participated in several policy meetings and networks. Most recently she spoke at Women Deliver in London.  

Carlos Welti is an economist, demographer, sociologist and an associate researcher of Autonomous National University of Mexico’s Social Research Institute, where he has dedicated more than 30 years to the study of social determining factors of adolescent fertility. He is the chairman of the Board of Directors of MEXFAM, IPPF’s Member Association in Mexico, and has been the deputy Dean of Research and postgraduate studies of the Autonomous University of Puebla, Director of Epidemiological Research of the Secretariat of Health, General Coordinator of the Latin-American Program of Population and president of the Mexican Demographic Society.

Christina Lopes and Carol Jacobs were elected as the two new Board Advisory Directors. Christina Lopes currently works with Latin American entrepreneurs at EBX Holding, where she has fundraised for Latin America’s largest private placement in oil and gas, worked on the Initial Public Offering for Brazil’s largest private electricity company and the world’s largest solar power plant. Christina grew up in Brazil, Ireland and the U.S.  From Barbados, Carol Jacobs, a medical doctor, has represented Latin America and the Caribbean on the Board of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria since 2004 and was elected its Chairperson in 2005. She serves as the Chairman of Barbados’ HIV/AIDS Commission and Special Envoy to the Prime Minister on HIV/AIDS and has been involved in HIV/AIDS for more than 18 years throughout Barbados, the Caribbean and internationally. She has also served as a director on the boards of a number of community-based organizations.

The five re-elected board members were: Jacqueline Sharpe, Chair of the Regional Board; Esther Vicente, President of the Region; Raul Hoeckle, Treasurer of the Region; Andrea Cohen, Secretary of the Region; and Diana Barco. The four re-elected Board Advisory Directors were: Marysa Navarro, Diana Campoamor, Richard Parker, and Marta Trabanino.  

At the annual Regional Council Meeting in Mexico five departing members were recognized for their service to the organization: Jacintha Dundas, member since 2004; Claudio Orlich, member since 2003; Moises Russo, member since 2003; Alex Sanger, Advisory Director since 2001; and Jill Sheffield, who has been a Board member, President of the Region, and an Advisory Director for more than 30 years.

For additional information on the IPPF/WHR Board of Directors and Board Advisory Directors visit: http://www.ippfwhr.org/site/c.kuLRJ5MTKvH/b.2724451/k.BDBD/Board_of_Directors.htm

For inquires, contact Laura Zaks at 212-214-0287.