Board of Trustees
Down Syndrome International is governed by a Board of Trustees.
Trustees give their time voluntarily and oversee the strategic direction and legal obligations of the charity.
All of our current trustees are people with Down syndrome or family members.
The board is diverse, including people from all over the world, with a wide, combined breadth of professional and lived experience.
Meet our Board of Trustees:
Bridget Snedden, President
Bridget Snedden is the parent of a young man with Down syndrome and President of DSi.
Her work over the past 25 years has focused on what is needed to ensure a fully inclusive life for people with disabilities.
She has held a range of governance and management roles and is currently a director of Family Network New Zealand.
Rhonda Faragher, Vice President
Dr Rhonda Faragher AO is Director of the Down Syndrome Research Program and Associate Professor in the School of Education, The University of Queensland, Australia.
Rhonda was made an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for her distinguished service to people with Down syndrome through research programs and education initiatives.
Patrick Clarke, Treasurer
Patrick Clarke is retired as Chief Executive Officer of Down Syndrome Ireland.
He is also Vice President of the European Disability Forum, representing people with Down syndrome and intellectual disabilities.
Ana Lucia Arellano
Ana Lucía Arellano Barba, from Ecuador, has been a human rights activist and advocate for the rights of persons with disabilities for 23 years, inspired by her son José Miguel, a self-advocate with Down syndrome.
Ana Lucia is a former Chair of the International Disability Alliance and former President of the Latin American Network of Non-Governmental Organizations of Persons with Disabilities and their Families.
Carol Boys
Carol Boys is Chief Executive of Down’s Syndrome Association (England, Wales and Northern Ireland) and the mother of Alex, a young man with Down syndrome.
Carol has been the driving force behind the successful growth of the Down’s Syndrome Association, with a strong team of dedicated staff.
Janet Charchuk
Janet is one of the founding members and past chair of Voices at the Table for Advocacy, with the Canadian Down Syndrome Society.
“With Special Olympics I won Gold for Canada in the World Games in 2017 in the sport of snowshoeing. I am also an athlete leader, spokesperson, mentor, and health messenger.
I enjoy sports, being involved in my community, being with my friends, cooking, yoga, and showing my abilities while speaking up for those who cannot speak up for themselves.”
Vanessa Dos Santos
Vanessa Dos Santos is the mother of 3 boys of which the youngest has both Down syndrome and Cerebral Palsy.
Vanessa is former Co-Vice Chair of the International Disability Alliance.
She has been working in the disability field since 1996, focusing on intellectual disability in poverty-stricken areas in Africa.
Penny Robertson
Penny Robertson OAM is one of the founders of DSi and also the founder of the Australian International Schools in Indonesia where inclusive education has been successfully implemented since 1996.
Penny has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for her services to the education of people with intellectual disabilities.
Jessamy Tang
Jessamy Tang was a sports media executive before becoming a passionate advocate when her son was born with Down syndrome.
She chairs the World Down Syndrome Day Conference at the United Nations in New York.
She also currently serves on the board of Disability Rights Legal Center and The Matthew Foundation.
Darren Warkcup
Darren Warkcup is treasurer and a trustee of the Down’s Syndrome Association (England, Wales and Northern Ireland).