Our Team
FEBA governance is lead by the General Assembly and the Board of Directors. The daily activity is run by the Secretariat.
The General Assembly is composed of delegates from FEBA Full Members. It approves the activity report, the financial accounts and the budget, decides the annual membership fees, and establishes internal rules and regulations. The General Assembly elects the Board of Directors.
The Board of Directors is composed of 12 Directors, all of whom are coming from FEBA Full Members, with a mandate of 4 years. The Board may be completed by independent Directors proposed by the Board and elected by the General Assembly. The Board of Directors elects the President, Vice-President, Treasurer and Secretary of the Board. The Board of Directors nominates the Secretary General who leads the organisation and manages the team.
Jacques Vandenschrik
President
When reaching the end of his professional career and recovering from surgery, a sudden abundance of leisure time turned Jacques towards volunteering at the Banque Alimentaire du Hainaut Occidental et de Mons-Borinage. Initially, he joined the FEBA Board of Directors due to his knowledge and expertise but was also inspired to work with the staff and fellow Board members. In his role as President, his current goal is to make the #AllTogether4Ukraine campaign a real success as well as preparing his position for a future successor. Jacques has enjoyed different foods and dishes all over the world, so he does not have a specific favourite. However, he dislikes duck tongue.
Jacques Vandenschrik
President
Lindsay Boswell
Vice President
Lindsay first started out at FareShare 12 years ago and has contributed to fighting hunger and tackling food waste ever since. He currently works as CEO at FareShare (UK). He joined the FEBA Board of Directors because he values the knowledge sharing among the network and wants to support this solidarity, so it grows and prospers also as regards raising awareness of the work of Food Banks at national and EU level. Lindsay's favourite food is always his next meal, but he loves all types of seafoods if they are sustainable.
Lindsay Boswell
Vice President
Tom Hillemans
Treasurer
Tom was motivated to support society and dedicated half his working time towards that goal. He helped setting up the Voedselbank Arnhem and shortly after became involved in Voedselbanken Nederland where he holds the position of Vice President. He joined the FEBA Board of Directors to foster the mutual understanding and collaboration between the network, as well as to contribute with his expertise but also to prevent food waste and help people in need. Tom does not have a specific favourite food, but he used to enjoy a good foie gras.
Tom Hillemans
Treasurer
Pedro Castaños Ruiz
Secretary
Pedro started to volunteer at the local Banco de Alimentos de Madrid after ending his professional career to help solving the real problems that exist in society. He acts as International Relationship Manager at Federación Española de Bancos de Alimentos (Spain). He joined the FEBA Board of Directors to contribute with his knowledge and experience with international projects but also to improve the solidarity within the FEBA network. His favourite food is fried eggs with “chorizo”.
Pedro Castaños Ruiz
Secretary
Jochen Brühl
Board Member
Jochen was present at the founding of a Food Bank in Southern Germany almost 25 years ago and has been part of Tafel ever since. He holds the position of President at Tafel Deutschland e.V. (Germany). He joined the FEBA Board of Directors because he wants to help shaping the European idea and work together across borders to prevent food waste and assist people in need but also to bring in his expertise and connections. This is inspired by his visits to local Food Banks and the work that is being done on the ground. Jochen's favourite foods are fish and fresh fruits and veggies.
Jochen Brühl
Board Member
Paula Victoria Capodistrias
Board Member
Paula first got involved into Food Banking after writing her Master’s thesis on redistribution of surplus food for social purposes. She works as Project Manager at Matsentralen Norge (Norway). She joined the FEBA Board of Directors to strengthen the development of European Food Banks, prevent food waste, and reduce food insecurity in Europe through her enthusiasm, engagement, and experience. She is inspired by the concept of a sustainable food system, with enough food available for everyone yet food being produced and consumed in a responsible way, and the Food Banks' contribution to that. Her favourite dish is pizza.
Paula Victoria Capodistrias
Board Member
Balázs Cseh
Board Member
Balázs was inspired by the work of Banques Alimentaires in France and started food banking activities in Hungary in 2005 to fill the existing gap. He is the President of Magyar Élelmiszerbank Egyesület (Hungary). He joined the FEBA Board of Directors to foster the sharing of expertise and knowledge but also contribute to the growth of the FEBA network and the scaling up of its activities. His favourite food is Wiener Schnitzel.
Balázs Cseh
Board Member
Veronika Láchová
Board Member
Veronika first got engaged in food banking when she founded a local Food Bank in South Bohemia – a region of the Czech Republic. Her motivation stems from her work as analyst in social services to help people in need but also from her children that give her work meaning and her team that inspires her every day. She hopes to contribute to the FEBA Board of Directors through her vast experience and thorough knowledge of stakeholders. She is eager to learn more about the work of FEBA Board of Directors and wants to support it wherever needed. Her favourite food is spaghetti.
Veronika Láchová
Board Member
Marco Lucchini
Board Member
Marco first got involved in the work of Food Banks through a friend. He currently works as Secretary General at Fondazione Banco Alimentare ONLUS (Italy). He joined the FEBA Board of Directors to learn from his fellow members, share experiences and knowledge gained at national level with the network, and contribute to the FEBA mission. Empowering FEBA as an organisation is also of importance to him. His favourite foods are among others: rice, pasta, cheese, veggies, and fruits.
Marco Lucchini
Board Member
Jozef Mottar
Board Member
Jef started working as a volunteer at the Fédération Belge des Banques Alimentaires / Belgische Federatie van Voedselbanken after the end of his professional career, motivated to contribute to society with volunteering work and to stay active after retirement, and has been part of it ever since. He is the Managing Director at Fédération Belge des Banques Alimentaires / Belgische Federatie van Voedselbanken (Belgium). He joined the FEBA Board of Directors because of his previous activities within FEBA as well as his experience in Food Bank management hoping to support and help with his knowledge to tackle current and future challenges with creative thinking and pro-activism. He has no specific favourite food.
Jozef Mottar
Board Member
Bernard Valluis
Board Member
Motivated to tackle existing societal problems like food insecurity, Bernard got involved in food banking through the relationship between the Fédération Française des Banques Alimentaires and the think tank AgriDées. He is engaged as a volunteer at the Fédération Française des Banques Alimentaires. He joined the FEBA Board of Directors based on his previous experience with EU institutions and background in the agri-food sector hoping to help FEBA to grow and develop further. His favourite food is couscous, be it a tasty “couscous royale” or veggie couscous with peas or fava beans.
Bernard Valluis
Board Member
Iseult Ward
Board Member
Iseult is the co-founder and CEO of FoodCloud, Ireland's national food bank. She and her team started FoodCloud in 2013 as there was no national organisation redistributing surplus food in Ireland at the time and they were passionate about tackling the problems of food waste and food insecurity. Iseult hopes to share her experience with FoodCloud in Ireland, contribute to the Board through expertise she developed, and work with the FEBA Board of Directors and network to ensure the FEBA network continues to secure the support it needs so that we can collectively address the challenges of food insecurity and food waste across Europe. Iseult loves food and tends to have a new favourite food every month.
Iseult Ward
Board Member
The Secretariat is made of employees as well as volunteers and trainees who contribute to the daily activities of the organisation.
Angela Frigo
Secretary General
After a Master’s Degree in English and Spanish literatures, Angela moved to Brussels for a traineeship at the European Parliament. Then she worked for Banco Alimentare in Verona and at national level, where she was responsible for liaising with EU institutions. In 2018 she joined FEBA as Secretary General. She currently manages FEBA, promoting its mission and values, providing a point of contact for all stakeholders, and developing opportunities for the benefit of FEBA and its members with international and European institutions and stakeholders. She adores Italian food but also loves to taste new food cultures!
Angela Frigo
Secretary General
Diana Benchea
Communication Officer
Diana studied communication and public relations. After completing her Master's degree in Italy, she became passionate about helping people in need on a larger scale. She volunteered and worked in various charities, from organisations supporting people with disabilities to associations promoting education through technology and was also involved in various activities of the Federația Băncilor pentru Alimente România (FBAR). Diana loves photography, filming, reading, and writing. Although she wants to explore every cuisine, she will never turn down a portion of boeuf salad.
Diana Benchea
Communication Officer
Filippo Cantù Rajnoldi
Partnerships & Capacity Building Manager
After a Master’s Degree in International Management, Filippo worked as a Sales and Marketing trainee for an exhibition company. Thanks to various studying and working experiences abroad, he developed a keen interest and skills in multicultural public relations. In 2021, Filippo approached the Food Bank’s vision by starting volunteering for Banco Alimentare in Muggiò and then joining FEBA in Brussels as Partnerships and Capacity Building Manager. He manages the relationships with FEBA Members, assessing their needs and supporting sustainable development. He is also in charge of strengthening partnerships with corporate stakeholders. He loves Italian and fusion cuisine!
Filippo Cantù Rajnoldi
Partnerships & Capacity Building Manager
Valentina D’Arrigo
Senior Partnerships & Capacity Building Manager
After obtaining a Ph.D. in Law, Valentina gained professional experience in the legal field first and then in food banking, collaborating with the Italian Banco Alimentare at local and national level. In 2019 she joined FEBA as a Partnerships and Capacity Building Manager, handling the relationships with FEBA Members, assessing their needs, as well as establishing and strengthening partnerships with international stakeholders. Valentina loves reading, discovering the world, walking in the nature and she is an authentic ice cream enthusiast!
Valentina D’Arrigo
Senior Partnerships & Capacity Building Manager
Arthur Faure
EU Policy & Advocacy Trainee
Arthur is currently studying for a master’s degree in European affairs. Previously, he completed a double bachelor’s degree in political science and economics. He is generally volunteering in an organisation or another, whether it be big associations or smaller, local organisations. He is very curious about all matters related to the European Union, especially when it involves agriculture and food supply. For this reason, his activity in the FEBA is often linked to policy and advocacy. He has a passion for Indian food, especially when it involves a profusion of exotic spices.
Arthur Faure
EU Policy & Advocacy Trainee
Cédric Franssen
Finance & Administration Manager
After more than ten years of experience in finance and accounting, mainly in another association sector, Cédric found new challenges in joining the FEBA team, providing an insight eye on the books as well as developing procedures and improving the finance and administrative parts of FEBA. He is accountable regarding the administration as well as the auditors. Cédric’s big chocolate and meat lover but would love to taste about any cuisine.
Cédric Franssen
Finance & Administration Manager
Anna Friederitz
Assistant to the Secretary General & Operations Manager
After volunteering for different social purpose organisations and gaining academic expertise in the area of Sustainable Management and International & European Relations, the mission and activities of FEBA are a perfect fit with Anna’s professional and personal interests. Joining FEBA as an EU Policy Trainee in 2021, she now works as Assistant to the Secretary General, supporting with the daily running of the organisation and engaging with FEBA Members as well as external stakeholders. Moreover, she is involved in FEBA’s Data collection & digital transformation project. Anna’s favourite food is Tarte Flambée with veggies but she also loves Franzbrötchen (similar to Swedish cinnamon rolls, but better).
Anna Friederitz
Assistant to the Secretary General & Operations Manager
Lilli Renner
Policy & Advocacy Officer
Lilli holds an LL.M. in International and European Law and previously gained academic expertise in the fields of International Relations and European Studies. She conducted an internship at the German Embassy, the Representation of Baden – Württemberg to the EU and at FEBA. She participated in various volunteering opportunities in student organisations covering the role of marketing and communications. Lilli is passionate about European Integration and Foreign Policy. She is hoping to contribute to the growth of the organisation and supporting FEBA and its members where needed. Her favourite food is Spaghetti Carbonara, but she does miss a good German bread from time to time, while living abroad.
Lilli Renner
Policy & Advocacy Officer
Sofiia Vara
Project Manager – Ukraine crisis
Sofiia is super dedicated to the ideas of Sustainability, Justice, and Transparency. She gained a huge experience in working with green-minded people across Europe while being the project manager of Green Youth of Ukraine and an Executive Committee member of Cooperation and Development Network Eastern Europe. Also, she has a good academic background: Bachelor's degree in the International Economy and Master's degree in Political Philosophy. Sofiia is focused on the aim and concentered on the details project manager, which is trying to make as many practical outcomes as possible, currently working for the campaign #AllTogether4Ukraine. She is a big fan of Ukrainian cuisine and seafood.
