Announcement of New WAVE President & Vice-President

Vienna, 20. February, 2020 – We are pleased to announce Marcella Pirrone as the new President of the Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) network and Pille Tsopp-Pagan as the new Vice-President.

WAVE Vice-President Pille Tsopp-Pagan and President Marcella Pirrone

Statement by the WAVE Board:

“The WAVE Board is committed to working collectively and collaboratively to deliver on strategic commitments as consistent with the statutes and rules of governance that cover the executive functions on behalf of WAVE members. Equally, the Board continues to work with the WAVE office to ensure that operational goals and objectives are realised. The smooth running of of the network ensuring that we are working in ways to respond to diverse needs is a priority for the WAVE Network.

At the board meeting of 18 February 2020, the board unanimously agreed that the President Pille Tsopp Pagan and the Vice President Pirrone Marcella will exchange roles until the next election to be held in October 2020. The board strongly believes that the new arrangement will ensure more effective use of the diverse skills and expertise that exist in the WAVE Board to satisfactorily deliver on the WAVE strategic programme. The consolidation of tasks and responsibilities in this way that strengthen core functions enable the board to work together in a constructive way to meet the complex challenges.

All board members are committed to working together in solidarity providing support and guidance to the office and network as and when needed. We are equally aware of our commitment to wider networks and institutions where WAVE maintains a viable presence. We understand that the struggle ahead against the backlash will require contribution from all of us. We benefit from and value the shared expertise that is brought to the table from board members as we pave the way forward. The whole of the WAVE Network and its wider operating ambit is critical to this task and we commit to creating space ensuring that all voices are heard and represented.”

Introducing Marcella and Pille

Marcella Pirrone has been active in WAVE for 20 years a member of the WAVE Board since 2017. She is an Italian feminist lawyer and activist. Twenty eight years ago she co-founded the Merano and Bolzano women’s shelters and in 2012 the Italian NGO D.i.Re (Donne in Rete contro la violenza), the umbrella association representing 80 women-operated shelters throughout Italy. Until 2014, Marcella was a guest professor of Family and Criminal Law in the Social Work Faculty of the Free University of Bolzano, Italy. She has coordinated several international projects on violence against women (VAW) and violence in aged care. Along with her legal practice, Marcella provides training on VAW and violence in aged care for health and social service providers and workers. Marcella is the current Fiduciary Counsellor (Consigliera di Fiducia) for the public health system in Alto Adige and the Municipalities of Bolzano and Merano.

For the past eight years, Pille Tsopp-Pagan has served as its Executive Director, working to rebrand the organisation as the Women’s Support and Information Center (WSIC), a more internationally-oriented organization that participates in policy analysis and advocacy, research and education. In this role she has managed national and international projects supported by EU Justice, Erasmus and other funders. Furthermore, Pille has over 20 years of experience in financial management of both non-profit organisations and for-profit companies. She has managed the finances for dozens of international projects and for several large and small organizations.

WOMEN AGAINST VIOLENCE EUROPE