Clare Lewis-Jones, Chair

Clare discovered she had fertility problems in 1978 and over the next 8 years had three attempts at tubal surgery and 4 IVF attempts which all failed. In 1985 she was successful in adopting her two children, James and Holly, who are now aged 23 and 22 respectively.
Having been a member for three years, she joined the National Management Committee of CHILD, the national infertility support network, in 1984. Between then and 1989 she held the posts of Membership Secretary and Chair. In 1989 she became Executive Director working part-time from home. From that time to December 2003, when CHILD and iSSUE merged to form Infertility Network UK, this developed in to a full-time post, office-based with a staff of 9.
On the merger of CHILD and ISSUE in December 2003, Clare became Chief Executive of the new organisation Infertility Network UK. Clare was appointed as a Member of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) in December 2002. Clare is President of the National Infertility Awareness Campaign, previous Chair of the European Infertility Alliance, patient representative on the Management Committee of the British Fertility Society and was the consumer representative on the NICE Fertility Guideline Development Group.
Clare was received the World Fertility Awareness Month Lifetime Achievement Award in July 2007 – an award which has historically been given to eminent clinicians working in the field of infertility. Clare has written numerous papers and articles on infertility and its effect on sufferers, as well as taking part in equally numerous interviews for the media.

Denisa Priadková, Vice-chair

Born 1969, married, no children, after two ectopic pregnancies and one spontaneous miscarriage. I live in Bratislava, capital of Slovakia. I studied journalism and coming from country with history of no democracy I feel the importance of teaching people to use their voice, their vote and make responsible decisions. This is also my vision for people facing fertility problems in a country with no ART regulation and strong temptation to use the economic potencial of the field. Since 2001 I am the chair of Občianske združenie BOCIAN (Civil association Stork, www.bocianoviny.sk) and I am pleased to see how shy patients change into free citizens and clients.
Why Fertility Europe?
Because Europe is Greece just as Slovakia, Ukraine or France or the UK. Very different, but also an exciting place for exchange of best practises or legislation. Also, because I feel we should not focus on IVF only, there is usually a long way before that for each couple. I believe in family, honesty, transparency and great people. Let's do the rest – the work.

Annalisa Malfatti , Secretary

Born 1969, married, no children despite four ICSI attemps. I live in Rome, Italy and have a degree in Law. I have mainly worked at Legal and Public Affairs departments of multinational companies. I am a member of “Cercounbimbo”, one of the largest patient associations in Italy and I am involved in its projects with special focus on co-operation with other foreign patient associations.
Why Fertility Europe?
Because fertility problems have no borders. We need to do all our best to ensure sharing of experience and best practice in order to reach equality of access to high quality infertility healthcare for everyone throughout Europe.

Conrad Engler, Treasurer

Born 1955, married to a midwife, proud father of one son, born in 1986 as a result of ten years of treatment with ten miscarriages. I live in Binningen, near Basel, in Switzerland. I attended university in Fribourg, the Institute for Journalism and communication studies. Went through a variety of journalistic positions, including the editor of Basler Zeitung and the national radio station DRS. Since 2001 I am a partner and co-owner of Advocacy ag Communication and Consulting in Basel. My engagement in patient associations is a broad one, being the secretary to the board of the Swiss Verein Kinderwunsch (Child Wish Association), Swiss delegate for the International Consumer Support for Infertility (ICSI) group and founding member of the European Infertility Alliance and the national association „patienten.ch“, a parent organization of the Swiss patient and self-help groups. I am also glad to help Fertility Europe.
What does a Swiss do in Fertility Europe?
We want to bring our ideas forward and although Switzerland is not a member of the EU (but in the heart of Europe) we can offer our diplomatic skills and neutrality which can help to solve problems or to build bridges.

José van der Schoor-Knijnenburg, Member of the Executive Committee

Born 1959, underwent IVF treatment in 1989 with twins - daughter and son - as a result. I joined the Dutch patient association for IVF (named Nederlandse Vereniging voor Reageerbuisbevruchting) as a member in 1988 and became a volunteer in 1990. I started out as a telephone contact, giving patients information and offering an opportunity to talk to someone who's experienced treatment. Later I became coordinator of the volunteers and joined the Board as Secretary. In 1995 we changed the name of the association in Freya (which is the name of a goddess of fertility) as we wanted to include everyone with fertility problems and not only people undergoing IVF. In 1996 Freya offered me a job and I continued working from home, for 12 hours on the payroll, the rest still voluntarily. In the meantime this has developed into a four-days-a-week job, a very nice office and three other staffmembers.
Why join Fertility Europe?
I have been interested in working together and exchanging information with organizations in the field of infertility from other countries for years. We can learn so much from each other! As European laws on health issues started to emerge, it became more and more important to be in touch with other European countries. We need to work together, help each other and build a strong European organization in order to reach equality of access to high quality infertility healthcare thoughout Europe.

Geertrui De Cock, General Manager

Born 1970, married, 3 children of which 2 came after fertility treatment. Live in Gent, Belgium.
Master in Political Sciences, option International Relations by eduction. I have never worked in this field but kept my interest in politics. After these studies I spent one year at Turku Business School in Finland and finished with a Master of Marketing at my home university in Ghent, Belgium. I graduated in 1994 and have mainly worked in international sales- and marketing functions. I am one of the co-founders of “De Verdwaalde Ooievaar” in Belgium (The Lost Stork, www.DeVerdwaaldeOoievaar.be) and work now on project basis for this fertility association.  
Why did I engage myself for Fertility Europe?
We need to work together within Europe in order to reach more on local level for patients suffering from fertility problems. If this can be achieved for diabetes or cancer on a European level, why not for the millions of infertile people.  

Ofra Balaban Kasztelanski , Member of the Working Group PROF (Projects and Fundraising)

Since 1998 – I am the founder and the chair of CHEN – Patient Fertility Association, the organization supplying support infertile couples and singles, distributes information and initiates change in laws regarding egg donation in Israel. I also represent Israel in the international umbrella organizations such as ICSI and AFAM as well as in IAPO – the roof organization of patients and of course Fertility Europe.
I am an active member in task force to encourage freedom of research in Stem cells, established in Rome 2006, by MEP Marco Cappato and Luca Coscioni Association from Italy and in Israel I am member of the women council in my city Holon and member in the board of volunteers council. In 2006 I was honored by the mayor of Holon as the Volunteer of the year.


Randi Ramnefjell, Member of the Working Group MORE (Membership, Outreach, Representativeness)

Born 1954, mother of twins, married and lives outside Oslo, educated in marketing and economy. After years working as a secretary to the management in a department store, an oil company and an international holding company I started to work as manager in Ønskebarn in 2003. Ønskebarn was established in 1982, but I was the first person that was employed as until then there were only volunteers working there. Today, I am still the only one employed in Ønskebarn, and I work part time. Ønskebarn is the preferred meeting place for singles and couples struggling to become parents. We arrange meetings for our members, have good contacts with doctors, clinics, politicians, the pharmaceutical industry, adoption organizations, foster care and many other patient groups.
Ønskebarn considers it very important to cooperate with other sister organizations in Europe. Through Fertility Europe we see a possibility to improve our work for our members in Norway and to make a difference for all unwillingly childless Europeans.


Satu Rautakallio-Hokkanen, Member of the Working Group MORE (Membership, Outreach, Representativeness)

Born 1966, married 2000 with husband Pertti. We went through almost every possible fertility treatment during four years but with no result. Then we decided to concentrate on our relationship and have been very contented. We are both members of Finnish Infertility Association Simpukka. Pertti is a member of the board and I work as a full-time association secretary. Our aim as a couple is to tell people who can’t have children that life goes on and you can still have a happy and full life in your marriage.
Simpukka was established in 1988, and we have also a full-time Chief Executive. Our office situates in Tampere.
Fertility Europe’s aim to gather all European associations together is a great idea. I am happy to give my modest input to make it work. We have a lot to do, but it will be a joy to do it with all these wonderful people I have met around Europe.