Our Board

The EHF is run by a board which meets four times a year and the members of which are elected for terms of 3 years by the General Assembly. Our Board Members come from various countries and are deeply committed to humanism, secularism and the principles of justice and equality. On 19 May 2017, a fully new board was elected. The below list shows the name of its 13 members.

• Michael Bauer – President & Treasurer – GERMANY

  Humanistische Vereinigung

  Michael graduated in political science and in musicology. He is CEO of the Humanistische Vereinigung that employs 380 professionals in humanist activities. He publishes the humanist magazine “humanistisch!” and the internet platform humanistisch.net. His recent books include: “Educating Without Religion – A Companion for Parents”, 2013 (together with U. von Chossy), “Humanist Positions Regarding Assisted Suicide”, 2014 (together with G. Neumann and E. Kress), “Glass Walls – Report on the Discrimination of the Non-Religous in Germany”, 2015 (together with A. Platzek). As editor he published amongst others „New Worlds. Star Trek as a Humanist Utopia?“, 2018, and „Better Humans? Technical and Ethical Questions in the Transhumanistic Future”, 2020 (together with Laura Deinzer).

• Lone Ree Milkaer- Vice-President – DENMARK

  Humanistisk Samfund

  Lone (born 1975) is president of the Danish Humanist Society (Humanistisk Samfund, HS) and has been a member of the board at HS since 2012. She is also a trained wedding and naming celebrant. She is working actively to promote the humanist causes in Denmark, including abolishment of the Danish Blasphemy Law and securing equal rights for all life stances.

  She has a Master’s Degree in cultural studies and works as an independent researcher.

• Patrik Lindenfors- Vice-President – SWEDEN

  Humanists Sweden

  Patrik is a board member of Humanists Sweden since 2014. He earned his PhD in Zoological Ecology at Stockholm University in 2002, became Associate Professor 2009 and currently works as researcher at the Institute for Futures Studies in Stockholm. His research is on cultural evolution (how to apply thinking from biological evolution on research of social change) and primate brain evolution.

• Terese Svenke- Secretary-General – NORWAY

  Human-Etisk Forbund

  Terese has been a member of the Executive Committee of the Norwegian Humanist Association since 2013. Before that she was part of the Executive Committee, and later the head of the Committee, of one of the largest regional divisions of the Norwegian Humanist Association. Terese has a Bachelor of Business administration, and taken Master courses in topics such as change management and persuasion and power. She has been a Humanist wedding celebrant since 2007, and married over 40 couples. 

• Monica Belițoiu – Deputy Secretary-General- ROMANIA

  Romanian Secular Humanist Association

  Monica Belițoiu has been a member of The Romanian Secular-Humanist Association (ASUR) since 2010, and is currently the Executive Director of the same organisation. She has coordinated numerous projects and campaigns that promote humanist values in Romania. She is a trained Humanist celebrant and has officiated wedding and naming ceremonies for the past six years. Monica has a Master’s Degree in Communication and works as a consultant. 

• Ineke de Vries – THE NETHERLANDS

  Humanistisch Verbond

  Ineke was director of the Dutch Humanist Society (2004-2015) and board member of the Humanistic Alliance and HUMAN, the Humanist broadcasting organistion in the Netherlands. After graduating from the School of Social Work in 1973, she got a Master of sociology at the Free University in 1983. As ombudswomen (1981 – 88) and researcher/publisher (1988 – 1998), she specialised in issues concerning equal treatment for women in the labour market (including policies against sexual harassment) and in social security. She also acted as policy advisor to the Dutch government on equal division work between men and women” and to the EU Commission on policies against sexual harassment.

• Kaja Bryx – POLAND

  Polish Rationalist Association

  Kaja is Vice-President of the Polish Rationalist Association and chairs its Wroclaw branch. She is co-founder and board member of the Nowe Oświecenie Foundation and editor of the web television for Rationalists and Free-thinkers Racjonalista.tv. She holds an MA in Spanish Language and Literature, a BA in Classics, received an Indian scholarship to study Hindi and Indian performing arts in Agra. Kaja spent the last 10 years in an international environment, studying abroad, travelling and working as a trainer. She is a writer and classical poetry translator and a Humanist celebrant since 2013.

• Katja Labidi – GERMANY

  Humanistischer Verband Deutschland

  Katja is the Representative for Refugees and Migration for the Humanistischer Verband Deutschlands. She has worked on the development of a concept for integration and participation of refugees for the German government, and is also a social worker for political and secular refugees. Katja studied Cultural Studies and History of the Middle East and Arabic , Indian Linguistics and Kiswahili Linguistics at the Free University of Berlin, and has worked extensively with refugees and migrants since 2010. 

• Peter Handlovský-SLOVAKIA

  Spoločnosť Prometheus

  Peter has worked for Prometheus since his retirement three years ago. Before this he worked in different positions specific to foreign trade, which included positions in Libya. Peter has also worked for the Slovakian government, as a controller at the municipal office. His international experience has inspired him to advocate for a united humanism in Europe on the basis of equality, tolerance, and mutual understanding.