Who We Are / Executive Committee
Executive Committee
The Executive Committee is responsible for directing the work of CCIVS in the framework of the constitution and the policies and resolutions of the GA.
The composition of the EC shall ensure a proper continental and regional representation of the full member organisations of CCIVS. It meets at least once a year and is convened at the request of the President.Between the General Assemblies, the Executive Committee is responsible for directing the work of CCIVS within the framework of the Constitution and the decisions and resolutions of the General Assembly (CCIVS Constitution, Article 19.1)
Executive Committee
Veronika Marková has been active in the International Voluntary Service movement for many years, first as a volunteer and later as a staff member. As a staff, she was involved for over five years at INEX – Association for Voluntary Activities in the Czech Republic, where she served as a coordinator of workcamp leaders, trainer, and facilitator, and subsequently as a coordinator of long-term international projects and a member of the organization’s management team. In this role, she contributed to organizational development and strategic processes. Her work has focused on advocacy, building partnerships between NGOs and educational institutions, and research on competences developed by young people through participation in IVS and non-formal education projects. She holds a Licenciate in Pedagogy from Denmark.
She currently works as a Project Manager within the Education Team at the Alliance of European Voluntary Service Organizations, a European IVS network. Her responsibilities include developing project concepts, preparing and submitting project applications, and coordinating and implementing international projects, with a particular focus on the development of the network, educational initiatives and the training and capacity building of staff and volunteers from member organizations. She also contributes to strengthening cooperation between the Alliance and CCIVS.
Bert has been volunteering with voluntary service organisations and projects since 1977. He was a member of the International Executive Committee of SCI from 1995 until 1997 and from January 2021 until December 2025. He was/is also active in three SCI branches. He participated in or coordinated a considerable number of voluntary service projects. Bert has a Masters in History. He worked for more than 30 years with the international human rights organisation HURIDOCS, specialised in information management. He organised projects and held capacity building activities in more than 60 countries.
Bert is Dutch and lives in Geneva, Switzerland since 1993. He took an early retirement in 2020 and now engages himself in civil society organisations that seek to promote social justice and environmental sustainability. Bert represents Service Civil International (SCI) in the CCIVS EC.
Dorcas Jena is the co-founder and Project coordinator at South Africa Volunteer Workcamp Association (SAVWA). She advocates for community empowerment and social change in South Africa. Her dedication to fostering positive change led her to become an integral part of the South Africa Volunteer Work Camp Association, where she has made significant contributions to the organization’s mission and impact. Dorcas’s role within the association has been multifaceted and impactful. She has been instrumental in organizing and leading numerous volunteer work camps focused on diverse issues such as education, environmental sustainability, and community development. Her ability to inspire and mobilize volunteers has significantly expanded the reach and effectiveness of these initiatives.
Her journey as a dedicated volunteer, gender, and human rights activist, along with her advocacy for climate change and permaculture, highlights her commitment to various causes. Hailing from Zimbabwe, she triumphed over prejudice and stereotypes, embodying resilience as an African woman. With over two decades of expertise in implementing and monitoring projects, having honed her skills as a former volunteer at the Zimbabwe Workcamp Association.
Her role as a peace worker and facilitator underscores her dedication to fostering harmony. Notably, she is a member of the Southern African Workcamps Cooperation (SAWC), contributing significantly to the region’s collaborative efforts. Additionally, Dorcas has engaged in after-school tutoring, mentoring, and possesses a wealth of experience in monitoring and evaluating projects, making her an invaluable asset in the realm of volunteerism and social activism.
Luz Gutiérrez is a Sociologist with an M.S.c in International Development Studies. She is defined as having an intercultural mind, being a feminist, activist and advocator of working with youth.
Before being the executive director of the VASE and a member of the International Federation of Youth Exchange for 8 years, Luz worked as a lecturer and researcher in the faculties of Architecture and Social Work of the Pontifical Catholic University of Ecuador. This came after having worked for several years in the NGO sector: specifically in fair trade and social inclusion with women from indigenous and rural areas of Ecuador. In addition, Luz worked in the advocacy for legalization and wellbeing of sex workers in the Netherlands, in the NGO Casa Migrante and also at the University of Amsterdam. Additionally, she has developed academic research work related to youth, art, culture and economics at the London School of Economics, in London, United Kingdom. Likewise, Luz has had the opportunity to work in the Dominican Republic and El Salvador as a volunteer on issues of social inclusion, prostitution, migration and gender equality.
Daniela Corbalan is an international volunteer coordinator and youth participation advocate based in Germany. With years of experience in international volunteering, she has been actively involved in coordinating workcamps, supporting volunteers, and creating inclusive spaces for intercultural learning and peacebuilding.
Originally from Argentina, Daniela has been a member of the CCIVS Youth Committee for the past three years, representing the Latin American region and contributing to strategic discussions on youth participation within the network. Her work focuses on strengthening youth voices, promoting inclusion, and supporting decolonial approaches in international volunteering.
Daniela is passionate about empowering young people through meaningful participation, peer exchange, and non-formal education. As a member of the Executive Committee, her focus is on youth engagement, ensuring that young people are actively involved in decision-making processes and that CCIVS continues to be a space for solidarity, learning, and global connection.
Richa Ghimire is a Nepali development professional with an MBA in Non-Profit Management, committed to international voluntary service, intercultural learning, and community-led development. She is a Board Member of Volunteer Initiative Nepal (ViN), where she supports strategic direction while actively strengthening volunteer programs, partnerships. Richa also serves as Vice President of the Network for Voluntary Development in Asia (NVDA), contributing to regional cooperation among IVS organizations and promoting youth-led action across Asia. Her work focuses on volunteer management, disaster risk reduction, education, and social inclusion, with a strong emphasis on solidarity, mutual learning, and local ownership. Grounded in the values of IVS, Richa believes in volunteering as a tool for peace-building, global citizenship, and social transformation, and continues to work toward inclusive and sustainable impact through cross-cultural collaboration.
Internal Auditor
Katalin is a Finance and Organizational Development expert with a Master degree in Economics and Sociology from Corvinas University of Budapest. She has long term financial management experience in for-profit and non-profit sector. She is a trusted advisor in leadership, strategy, and Lean business development for any kind of organization.
Katalin held various finance management positions at multinational companies in Hungary and France. Accounts Receivables, billing, cash application, collections, commercial contract management and business development are her specialist fields. She is a certified Prince 2 project manager.
As a dedicated volunteer since more than a decade, she became President of Service Civil International (SCI) Hungary in 2010. Later on she served two terms as a member of International Executive Committee of SCi, 3 years of it as International Treasurer. Her skills in budgeting, strategic planning got strengthened further.
From 2018 autumn she worked at a hungarian NGO aiming to support lonely elderly by volunteer service. Here she gained valuable hands-on experience in fundraising planning and actions.
Since October 2021 she took on the challenge to drive organizational change at BHRG Model in Budapest, Hungary. In this position she can use her knowledge and experience of IT project development, change management, HR and leadership coaching for the benefit of children with attention problems and autism spectrum disorder. The love of nature and art are balancing up her never-ending enthusiasm and action-orientation over progress and protection of those vulnerable.
