Our People
Since its inception, The World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders has been an organization made up of volunteers. Two paid staff and several volunteers assist at WFSAD's office in Toronto, Canada. WFSAD has a very active Board of Directors who support families around the world.
Board of Directors
WFSAD has a board of directors of no more than 15 members. Each member does field work in the area assigned to him/her. Thus, the board is a very active, hands-on part of the organization.
President: Lic. Martha Piatigorsky was founding president
of the Argentine organization for families and patients—APEF—
and a licensed psychologist by profession. She recently served as the
organizing secretary of Alianza Latina WFSAD, a group of family members
from a dozen Latin American countries. She has a daughter with schizophrenia.
(Board term 2 years: 2008-2010)
Email: aproa@fibertel.com.ar
President Elect: Radha Shankar, MB, BS, is an internationally known
psychiatrist in India. She has worked in executive positions in SCARF
(Schizophrenia Research Foundation) and has represented WFMH (World Federation
for Mental Health) and WAPR (World Association for Psychosocial Rehabilitation)
at the regional level. She continues to be part of the WFSAD Families
as Partners in Care strategy committee, advocating for families in the
developing world. She was organizing secretary of the First and Second
National Carers’ Conference in Chennai, India, held in 2001 and 2003
respectively, as well as the recent 6th biennial conference of WFSAD.
(Board term 2 years: 2008-2010)
Email: radhashankar@vsnl.com
Treasurer: Ali Bahadori was a senior accountant and internal auditor
at a large cement company in Iran. He has a bachelor's degree in accounting
from Azad University in Iran. He has recently moved to Toronto. (Board
term 2 years renewable: 2007–09).
Email: bahadori.ali@gmail.com
Secretary/Public Relations and Development Officer: Diane Froggatt,
BMus, BEd. Diane was Executive Director of WFSAD from 1987-2004 and
previously worked as an educator and in public relations. Diane has developed
many of the WFSAD's educational materials. She has a 40-year-old son with
schizophrenia.
Email: info@world-schizophrenia.org
Chairman for the Asian Region: Jim Crowe is a past president of
the Schizophrenia Fellowship of New Zealand. He continues to serve on
many mental health committees including being a board member of Royal
Australian and New Zealand College Bi-National Professional and Community
Relations Committee. He has agreed to continue with his outreach to Asia
for the next two years, and has been appointed Chairman for the Asian
Region of WFSAD. He was awarded the 1990 Commemorative Medal by Her Majesty
for services to people with mental illness and their families. (Board
term 2 years: 2008-2010)
Email: jmamcr@es.co.nz
Past President: Dale Johnson, PhD, is a Professor of Psychology at
University of Houston. Dale has written several books to assist families
of the mentally ill to cope. Together with Prof. Harriet P. Lefley, he
is the editor of the book Families as Allies in Treatment of the Mentally
Ill. He was an active member of the National Alliance for the Mentally
Ill, Texas, for many years and is a former president of the NAMI national
organization. Dale's son with schizophrenia recently passed away. (Board
term: 4 years: 2008-2010)
E-mail: dljohnson@uh.edu
John E. Gray, PhD has a doctorate in psychology from the University
of London and a Certificate in Hospital and Health Care Administration
from the University of Saskatchewan, Canada. He has worked many years
in mental health services and more recently in policy development for
the Ministry of Health in British Columbia. He has written many papers
on topics related to mental health; mental health legislation and the
treatment of the mentally ill, as well as a book "Canadian Mental
Health Law and Policy". He is currently serving on the board of the
Schizophrenia Society of Canada and has recently taken office as its President.
As Secretary General of the International Association of Gerontology,
John as considerable experience on the international issues related to
nongovernmental organizations. (Board term 4 years: 2004-2008)
Email: jegray@shaw.ca
Thomas Walunguba, RN has been associated with WFSAD for many years
and in that time he, and a group of Ugandan nurses working in psychiatry,
formed the Uganda Schizophrenia Fellowship of which he is the founding
chairman. He has advanced his career obtaining certificates in the practice
of psychiatric nursing. He has also been instrumental in developing the
USF so that it now has several branches outside Kampala. He recently led
a contingent from the USF to Kenya for a cross-border workshop held by
WFSAD. (Board term 4 years: 2004-2008)
Email: thomaswalunguba@yahoo.com
Marissa de Guzman, PhD is a psychiatrist at the Philippine General
Hospital, who works with both patients and families. She has been very
active in the development of caregiver support across the Philippines,
including the family group: Bukas Puso at Isip (Open Hearts and Minds).
(Board term 2 years: 2007-2009)
Email: mdeguzman@mailcity.com
Executive Director: Trish Ruebottom, MBA, has been involved in the mental health field for many years in a variety of capacities; she has provided helpline support to those with mental illness and addiction issues, assisted people with mental illness to access services, and created community partnerships with local organizations to improve service to the community. Following her work in mental health she completed her Masters in Business Administration at Trinity College Dublin. She also has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Bachelor of Science from the University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada. Prior to joining WFSAD, Trish was a senior consultant at Aperio, a consulting firm which specializes in social innovation and entrepreneurship. She has worked with many organizations, building strategies to ensure sustainability and bringing new thought to the non-profit sector. Email: trish@world-schizophrenia.org
Honorary Board Members
Margaret Leggatt, PhD, BAppSc (OT), served as president of WFSAD
from 1996–2000 during which time she established the Families as
Partners in Care initiative. She has travelled extensively for WFSAD’s
Family Empowerment Program. She has been invested with the Order of Australia
for her work with the schizophrenia movement in Australia. Her PhD is
in sociology. Margaret has a nephew with schizophrenia. She was on the
WFSAD Board until 2002.
Email: mleggatt@ozemail.com.au
Geraldine Marshall, PhD, BSc, BN, served as the second president
of WFSAD from 1991-96. She is a psychiatric nurse by profession. She established
the Mutual Exchange program (later the Family Empowerment Program). Her
monumental achievement was the development of family support in Russia
during the post USSR period. Geraldine lost a daughter to schizophrenia.
She was recently awarded the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada for her
work in schizophrenia. She was on the WFSAD Board until 2002.
Email: gericm@telus.net
Medical Advisory Panel
Prof. James Kennedy, FRCP(C)
Prof. Julian Leff, FRC Psych
Prof. Wm. McFarlane, MD
Staff
Trish Ruebottom
Executive Director
Email: trish@world-schizophrenia.org
Diane Froggatt
Public Relations and Development Officer
Email: diane@world-schizophrenia.org
Susan Ford
Administrative Manager
Email: info@world-schizophrenia.org
Mary Hancock
Newsletter Editor
Email: info@world-schizophrenia.org
Mel Rubinstein
Office Volunteer