Chair:  Professor Alfonso Jimenez, PhD, CSCS, *D; NSCA-CPT, *D

Vice-Chair: Irene van Geest

Chair of the TEG Leaders:  Jean Sadouni

Higher Education representative: Silvano Zanuso, PhD

Vocational Education and Training representative: Laszlo Zapcsak, MSc, BS

Accreditation organisations representative: Debra Stewart

Suppliers representative: Arron Williams

As well as:

Andreas Paulsen, Fit&Sund, Denmark
Winfried Hostenkamp, Oase Gmbh Health & Sports Club, Germany
Xavier Martins Dias, Akademia Training, The Netherlands
Cedric Bryant, PhD, ACE (USA) Chief Science Officer (observer)

EHFA also operates with a Scientific Advisory Board of notable academics who will also be available to provide additional resources and context for the working of the Standards Council. The Chair of the Scientific Advisory Board is Professor Willem Van Mechelen, Chair of the Steering Committee of HEPA Europe (WHO Regional Office of Europe), from the Vrije University of Amsterdam (The Netherlands).

Irene van Geest studied Language, Literature and Mass Communication at the University of Nijmegen (Holland) as well as Social Psychology at the University of Amsterdam. In between she worked as teacher, journalist and copywriter. Working as a senior consultant she specialized in crisis communication and the development of communication strategies. In 1996 she was nominated Director of Public Information at the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. Due to the incidents in that period she gained even more experience in crisis and risk communication and also followed a course on Risk Communication of Harvards’ School of Public Health. At European level she worked as Risk Communication Advisor (and Deputy Communication Director) in the European Food Safety Authority in Parma (Italy). Nowadays, she is doing research for a PhD at the University of Twente, and also working as a communication consultant on international issues.

Jean Sadouni, judo athlete at professional level for more than 10 years (Belgian Olympic Team), Jean Sadouni made a specialized training in Exercise Physiology and Nutrition at California in 1989. He started his professional career as consultant with Training Seminars for Gold’s Gym in Belgium, where he has been working as Personal Trainer since 1990.  He has also worked in California, New York and Paris. In 1997, he created his own company “Fit & Well Concept”, specialised in coaching people to integrate physical activity and improving their lifestyle. He is Consultant on PT for Fitness First at Belgium. PT Academy Master Trainer for Europe and a very well recognized in our field.

Dr Silvano Zanuso holds a PhD in Exercise Physiology, a MSc by Research in Sports Psychology, a MSc in Kinesiology and a Bachelor degree in Movement Sciences. His main research interests are focused on the effects of exercise in subjects with metabolic disorders. He has a position as Contract Professor at the University of Padua in Italy (Faculty of Medicine, Dept. of Exercise Science), and is the Director of the Technogym Medical Scientific Department (www.technogym.com).

Laszlo Zopcsak, PhD is CEO and founder of the International Wellness Institute (Hungary), one of the leading Training Providers companies in the European Eastern countries, with programmes and activities in Hungary, Slovakia, Russia, Poland. He holds a Bachelor degree in Exercise Sciences, a MSc in Research and has completed his PhD in Sports Science at Universidad Europea de Madrid, Spain.

Debra Stuart is CEO of Premier Global, one of the leading Training Providers companies in UK and Europe, and of Active IQ, the accreditation body of Premier. With a solid and extensive career in the field of Health & Fitness, Debra is bringing to the Standards Council a critical point of view regarding accreditation and external recognition for our Industry. She has enjoyed a 30 year long career in health and fitness education within the leisure industry and has played an integral part in the development of national occupational standards and qualifications in UK. She has been a consultant to organisations such as SkillsActive, the Register of Exercise Professionals and many other industry bodies.

Arron Williams, has been the Manager of Life Fitness Academy for several years, and is the actual Manager of Customer Solutions for Life Fitness EMEA, where he works closely with the sales and marketing teams across the EMEA region to analyse changing competitive factors and industry trends. He holds a Bachelor degree in Sports Science and a MSc in Sports Psychology.