PEFC Board elections 2022

27 November 2022 Organisation news

Two new members elected to the PEFC International Board at the 27^th PEFC General Assembly, held virtually on 17 November. Suzette Weeding elected as Vice Chair and David Ford re-elected as Vice Chair, and two members re-elected.

We are delighted to welcome two new Board members: Eva Müller and Scott Robertson.

Eva Müller has over 40 years of experience in forestry development, ranging from field-based work in developing countries to global leadership position. 

Through development and donor organisations, she has worked extensively in Africa, Latin America and Asia as well as in Germany. Her work included a range of forestry subjects from natural forest management, agroforestry and planted forests to forest governance and policy. 

Throughout her career, she has repeatedly been involved with forest certification, from developing certification standards to providing assistance to forest owners in obtaining forest certification. 

“I am honoured to be elected to the Board of PEFC and I would like to thank you all for your trust in me,” said Eva, following her election to the Board.

“I spent most of my professional career in international forestry development and I am really thrilled to be given the opportunity to contribute to maintaining and strengthening PEFC’s leadership in forest certification and staying engaged in promoting sustainable forest management globally.”

Scott Robertson is a senior associate at Nahwegahbow Corbiere LLP, where he regularly advises clients on Aboriginal, Treaty rights and title issues as well as tax and business structures. Scott has extensive experience advising clients on the Crown’s duty to consult and accommodate Aboriginal peoples.

In 2017, he was the first lawyer in Ontario to be recognized as a Certified Specialist in Indigenous Legal Issues-Litigation and Advocacy from the Law Society of Ontario. Scott is a Haudenosaunee (Mohawk) from the Six Nations of the Grand River, Ontario, Canada.

“Thank you very much for the nomination to the Board, I am honoured, and I look forward to working together,” said Scott following his election to the Board.

“I have represented first nations in Canada on forestry issues and the right to perform forestry and I hope to bring that experience to the Board in order to further incorporate indigenous values into the certification process and provide a lens of indigenous views into our discussions.”

Board member Suzette Weeding was elected as Vice Chair for one year, completing the three-year time vacated by outgoing member Riikka Joukio. David Ford was re-elected as Vice Chair and Guy Gleysteen and Kurt Ramskogler were both re-elected. 

As well as saying goodbye to Riikka Joukio, who had been on the Board since 2014, Sarah Khatib and Josien Tokoe also stepped down. 

See the full PEFC International Board.

Nominations Committee

Jan McAlpine was re-elected to the Nominations Committee, the body responsible for ensuring the balance of the Board. Ms McAlpine (2022-2025) joins Herminia Minnie Degawan (2021-2024) and Esa Härmälä (2020-2023) as the 2022 Nominations Committee.