Governing Board

Preparing for Life is a non-profit foundation with the following volonteer board:

• Dr. Symone Detmar (co-chair), Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO, Leiden, The Netherlands)
• Dr. Cor Oosterwijk (co-chair), former Secretary General European Genetic Alliances’ Network (EGAN, Brussels, Belgium) & former CEO Patient Alliance for Rare and Genetic Diseases (VSOP, Utrecht, the Netherlands)
• Prof.dr. Arnold Christianson, Wits Centre for Ethics, University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, Sout Africa (retiring)
• Mr. Ysbrand Poortman (retiring)

Executive Board

The members of the executive board are:

• Dr. Symone Detmar
• Dr. Cor Oosterwijk
• Dr. Matty Crone, University of Leiden Medical Centre (LUMC, Leiden, the Netherlands)
• Prof. dr. Hugo Heymans, University of Amsterdam Medical Centre (AUMC, Amsterdam, the Netherlands)
• Jan Lucas Ket, Rotarian Action Group for healthy Pregnancies, Healthy Children
• Dr. Martina Ens, Zonta, the Netherlands

International Advisory Committee

These are the members of the international Advisory Committee:  

Argentina

• Prof. Victor Penchaszadeh, Universidad Nacional de La Matanza, Department of Health Sciences, Buenos Aires

Brazil

• Martha Carvalho, Brazilian Genetic Alliance of parent/patient organisations, Sao Paulo, Brazil
• Chris Howson, PhD, March of Dimes, Global Programs, New York, United States

Bulgaria

• Prof. Rumen Stefanov, Medical University of Plovdiv, Dep. of Social Medicine and Public Health, Plovdiv

China

• Prof. Nanbert Zhong, Beijing University, Department of Medical Genetics, Peking University Health Science Center, Beijing

Germany

• Prof. Irmgard Nippert (co-chair), Women’s Health, Westfahlen University, Muenster

India

• Prof. Jai Rup Singh, Central  University of Punjab, Department of Human Genetics, Mohali
• Prof. Ishwar Verma, Sir Ganga Ram Hospital, Center of Medical Genetics, New Dehli

Italy

• Prof. Pierpaolo Mastroiacovo,International Clearinghouse for Birth Defects Surveillance and Research, Rome

Lebanon

• Prof.dr. Khaled Yunis, American University of Beirut, Dep.of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine, Div. of Nenonatology, Dir.Nat. Collaborative Perinatal Neonatal Network, Beirut

Norway

• Prof. Ann-Mari Brubakk, Dept. of Laboratory Medicine, Children's and Women's Health, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim

Oman

• Anna Rajab, PhD, Genetic Centre /Ministry of Health, Muscat

Philipinnes

• Prof. Carmencita Padilla, University of the Philippines, Dep. of Pediatrics, Manila

South Africa

• Prof.dr. Arnold Christianson, Wits Centre for Ethics (WCE), University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg
• Dr. Leana Olivier, Foundation for Alcohol Related Research, Cape Town
• Dr. Helen Malherbe, Genetic Alliance, University of KwaZulu Natal (UKZN)

Sweden

• Prof. Ulf Kristoffersson, University and Regional Laboratories and Lund University, Department of Clinical Genetics & Rotary, Lund

United Kingdom

• Alastair Kent, International Genetic Alliance of parent and patient organisations IGA, London, United Kingdom

United States

• Dr. Hani Atrash, Div. Healthy Start and Perinatal Services, Maternal and Child Healtu Burea, US Dep. of Health and Human Services, Washington DC
• Coleen Boyle, PhD Centres of Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta

The Netherlands

• Prof.dr.Inez de Beaufort, Dep. Health Ethics, Academic Medical Centre, Amsterdam
• Prof. Margot van de Bor, Health and Life Sciences, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, VU University, Amsterdam
• Prof. dr. G.H.A. Visser, chair FIGO Committee Safe Motherhood and Newborn Health
• Elsbeth van Vliet MD, College of Perinatal Care (RIVM), Centre for Hereditary Information, Amersfoort
• Prof.dr. Guido de Wert, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences, Department of Health, Ethics & Society, Maastricht
• Prof. Pauline Verloove, Netherlands Organisation for Applied Scientific Research (TNO) & Rotary, Leiden
• Prof. Eric Steegers, Erasmus University, Dep. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Rotterdam
• Prof. Regine Steegers-Theunisse, Erasmus University, Dep. of Perinatal epidemiology, Rotterdam,
• Prof.dr. Tessa Roseboom, Early Dev, and Health, Dep. of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Dep.of Clin. Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, AMC, Amsterdam
• Prof. Jacques Scheres, European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control / Rotary, Maastricht
• Ysbrand Poortman, founder former International Genetic Alliance (IGA)
• Prof. dr. Martijn Breuning, University of Leiden Medical Centre, Leiden
• Dr. Madelon Meijer-Hoogeveen, Youth Healthcare, Public Health Service Flevoland
• Prof. Martina Cornel, Free University, Dep. of Community Genetics and Public Health Genomics, Amsterdam
• Prof. Lidewij Henneman, Dep.Clinical Genetics, section Comm. Genetics, VU University Medical Center, Amsterdam
• Dr. Lieke de Jong, General Practise, Advisor Healthy Pregnancy for all, Zoetermeer
• Prof. dr. Nine Knoers, Dep.Med.Genetics, Dutch Society Clinical Genetics, Universaty Medical Center Utrecht
• Prof. dr. Dick Lindhout, University Medical Center Utrecht (UMCU), SEIN Heemstede

The members of the international Advisory Committeeare are appointed by the board.