President (2024 – 2025)
Alexander Tränkmann, Gesellschaft für psychosoziale Einrichtungen gGmbH (gpe), Germany
Alexander is 54 years old and originally from Hanover Norther Part of Germany. He trained as a hotel manager in Hamburg and is the Hotel Manager of INNdependence Mainz since 2000 (inclusion hotel).
Alexander was repeatedly elected as Deputy Chairman of the Embrace Hotels Association since 2015 and since 2023 he is the Chairman of the Embrace Hotels Association. Since 2015, he is additionally the head of the gastronomy division of inclusion enterprises at gpe.
Since 2017, Alexander Tränkmann is one of three spokespersons for the State Working Group for Inclusion Enterprises in Rhineland-Palatinate.
General Secretary
Felicitas Kresimon, Legacoopsociali / Duemilauno Agenzia Sociale, Italy
Since 2009 she is Chairman of the board of DUEMILAUNO AGENZIA SOCIALE, a social Cooperative managing health, social and education services and services of job placement. In 2016, she started to represent the national Umbrella Legacoopsociali in the board of SFE CEFEC and has been active in several working groups and transnational activities, also beyond the boarders of Europe. In October 2019, after a first year of presidency in CEFEC, she has been delegated as CEFEC Development Manager , working closely inside the management group with the special mandate of networking on EU level and enhancing CEFEC activities inside EU institutions.
She Graduated in Social Pedagogy at the Free University of Berlin, Faculty of Education Sciences with a thesis about “From the Total Institution to Social Enterpise”. She has a diploma of professional Counsellor.
Since 1995 she has been working in the Social Cooperative field, starting from Trieste / Italy and the “Basaglia experience” in the deinstitutionalization process of Mental Health Hospitals. She is member of the board of several Social Economy and Social Enterprise organizations, as the Consortium VIVES and the REVES Network – European Network of Cities & Regions for the Social Economy.
Since 2014 she started a teaching activity in several University’s as the Ostfalia University in Germany and the University of Trieste.
Treasurer
Dominik Murawa, Social Cooperative RESTART / Poland
Social firm KŁOS became member of CEFEC in 2012 and Dominik was the first member of the Executive Committee from Poland. Now he is representing Social Cooperative RESTART. Since 2014 he is the SFE CEFEC Treasurer.
Has M.A. degree in Geography and Tourism as well as MBA post graduate studies at Polish – American Management Center, Łódź (Poland).
In 2007 he applied for manager position in newly opened hotel “KŁOS”, one of the first social firms established in Poland. He was accepted and since then he was involved in many activities in the field of social economy. He managed project of vocational training and rehabilitation for people with mental disabilities, was a business councellor and business plan assessment board member for social enterprises. Since 2016 was a deputy manager of Vocational Training Center which was running the catering kitchen. Since 2019 is a member and President of the Social Cooperative RESTART. Social cooperative is running a multitap pub with craft beer in Łódź – Pub Spółdzielczy – the first social franchise pub in Poland.
Development Manager
Petru Vasile Gafiuc, The Institute for Social Partnership Bucovina (Bucovina Institute), Romania
Vasi is Bucovina Institute President and since September 2012 he was elected as SFE CEFEC General Secretary. He is offering voluntary about 30 to 40 hours per month for SFE CEFEC General Secretary and administration, representing the network on dialogue with Stakeholders, working closely with Executive Directorate (Alina, Felicitas and Christiane), moderating plenary sessions and meetings, identifying different cooperation and opportunities within EU funds and projects partnership, contribute to the short and medium terms of the SFE CEFEC network strategy, looking for resources and keep the communication among different working Groups (WG5/Heritage).
Vasi coordinates the work of Technical Secretariat that it is based in Suceava / Romania at the Bucovina Institute Office, working with local resources for communication, visibility and visual identity for SFE CEFEC network.
He finished Faculty of Law and has a Master Degree in Management of Adult Education Institutions. He is a certified Trainer for adults, Social Entrepreneur, Vocational Councilor and Community Development Facilitator.
He start working in 2002 with WISE vocational councilor for ex-offenders, then in 2005 he was the founder of AREAS, association focus on deinstitutionalization process for people with mental health problems in Suceava county and started running the first Daily Structure within project cofounded by Promente OO. In 2007 AREAS become SFE CEFEC member and in 2009 Vasi became a member of the Executive Committee. In 2011 AREAS changed in Bucovina Institute to focus more on supporting employment through social enterprise structures and in 2012 he was the first SFE CEFEC President from Romania. From 2014 they developed a mechanism within ESF to run training and microcredits (100.000 euro) for startup social enterprise, and currently they have 6 social enterprises developed (employing people with mental disability) and 21 approved in 2020 to be develop on the next 3 years. He is also involved as developer and specialist in many projects financed through Erasmus+, EEA Grants and ESF that are focusing on supporting employment within social enterprises.
Senior consultant
Christiane Haerlin, BAG Inklusionsfirmen (bag if), Germany
She is the CEFEC delegate of the German Bundesarbeitsgemeinschaft er Inklusionsfirmen and a founding member of CEFEC, but also the senior consultant inside the management group of the network.
During the annual CEFEC Conferences she has organized and run working groups , presented papers and helped with the organization, in 2020 as president . Her special concern as senior consultant is to keep communication lively and productive within the Executive Committee Members, by supporting and developing the given structures and functions of CEFEC, especially seeing to the working groups and the regular meetings of the management group ( Alina, Felicitas, Vasile). She is in charge of updating the Linz Appeal Country Reports of the CEFEC Member States as a source of information for all members.
1961 – 1970: She finished high school with the Abitur in Stuttgart, Germany and trained as an Occupational Therapist in Munich, followed by a post graduate grant of the British Council to qualify and work in social psychiatry in London. In 1985 she acquired a Diploma in the educational and therapy orientated method of Theme Centred Interaction (TCI).
1970 – 1980: She worked as an Occupational Therapist (OT) in the Day Hospital of the Maudsley Teaching Hospital ( with Dr. Douglas Bennett) , London with a focus on community care and rehabilitation . This was continued in Heidelberg, Germany at the Stiftung Rehabilitation, to implement vocational assessment and retraining for disabled , especially those with mental health problems, to integrate into working society.
1980 – 2005: The first special Vocational Training Centres (BTZ) for psychiatrically handicapped persons near Heidelberg and later in Köln were implemented and run by a team which she headed. There are now more than 30 such centres in Germany , aiming to reintegrate psychiatric patients into open employment. Starting an umbrella organization for the growing social firms in Germany (FAF/BAG IF) and parallel implementing the Social Firms Europe CEFEC umbrella was a major concern together with her husband Arnd Schwendy. They wrote the “Linz Appeal ” to formulate the vision and mission of CEFEC , serving as a guideline for the member states when creating employment for disabled and disadvantaged persons.
She had a consultancy post 1985 – 1992 worked at a regional authority , which is in charge of 7 big mental hospitals in the Rheinland to advice, stimulate and develop work therapy , vocational training and integration into open and sheltered work in the local community.
2006 – 2020: A book on “vocational guidance for psychiatric patients” for professional staff , relatives and ex-patients occupied in psychiatric rehabilitation was written as basis for seminars and individual counselling which she is still performing in Germany.
Athina Fragkouli, Social Cooperative of limited liability (KoiSPE) Diadromes & Pan-Hellenic Federation of Social Cooperatives of Limited Liability, Greece
Coordinator and supervisor of programs for education, evaluation and training of trainees to the labour market. Creation and operation of the KOISPE “diadromes”. She is Chairperson of the Social Cooperative of Limited Liability (KOISPE) “diadromes” of the 10th Sector of Athens, a social Cooperative dealing in the fields of cleaning, catering and trade (2010-2017) and since 2017 member of the Auditing Committee. She is also founding member and provisional chairperson of the Greek Federation of KoiSPE (POKOISPE) (2009-2012) and President of the Auditing Committee since 2018. Ιn addition, she is the representative of the Federation in the board of SFE CEFEC. She is the leader of the Working Group 6 of CEFEC, on the cooperation of the organization with the European Disability Forum (EDF), being a board member of EDF, representing SFE CEFEC, since 2009.
Finally, since 2019, she is the President of the Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos and since 2007 President of the Institute of Mental Health for Children and Adults.
She has B.A. in Psychology and Applied Social Studies. She also has a Diploma in Speech and Language Therapy and a relevant European Post-graduate course. In addition she studied Teaching at Elementary Schools and acquired M.Sc. in Social Psychiatry. In 2003 she obtained a PhD from Kapodistriakon University of Athens, Faculty of Mass Media and from 2000 she monitored Management and HR related seminars.
Since 1987 she has been working in the Social Cooperative field. She was member of the advisory working group of the Ministry of Health for the creation and operation of the Social Cooperatives. She was chairperson (1994-1998) and general secretary (2002-2009) of the Social Firms Europe CEFEC. She was founding member of the Panhellenic Union for the Psychosocial Rehabilitation and Work Integration (PEPSAEE), member of the provisional Managing Committee (1994-1996), General Secretary (1997 – 2003) and member of the Auditing Committee (2003 – 2007). Athina was founding member of Ermis targeting the integration of persons with special needs to open market (1994) and Scientific responsible of several vocational-rehabilitation programs.
She has published different articles and presented papers research in Conferences and Seminars.
Bernard Jacob, AIGS (Association Interregionale de Guidance et de Sante), Belgium
He is the Administrator of SFE CEFEC and member of the Board of Directors of the Association of Interregional and Health Guidance (AIGS) vzw. Director of the Centers of functional and vocational rehabilitation for adults and Vottem Eben-Emael. President of the Valuation Group Psycho-Medico-Social de la Province de Liege, says “Network”. Vice-President of the Board of EUROPSYREHABILITATION, Member, Board of Directors of the World Association for psycho-social rehabilitation (AMRP-WAPR) and more especially in the relations between the Board of AMRP and other European NGOs.
Klaus Meyer zu Brikwedde, BAG Inklusionsfirmen (bag if), Germany
He started working for bag if, the German association of inclusive enterprises, in 2015 and today is a policy advisor for the organization. bag if represents about 1,000 inclusive enterprises with 30,000 employees and advocates for the interests of people with disabilities in working life. It is mainly active in the fields of lobbying and advocacy as well as events and public relations.
Klaus Meyer zu Brickwedde has been a member of CEFEC’s executive committee since 2017. He is also a member of CEFEC’s EDF working group.
He has a Magister Artium in sociology, political science and philosophy.
Carla Silva, Associacao de Reabilitacao e Integracao Ajuda, ARIA, Portugal
Carla Silva has a master in agronomy and a degree in Rehabilitation. She is 52 years old, out of which 27 dedicated to the psychosocial rehabilitation of people with mental illness at ARIA – Associação de Reabilitação e Integração Ajuda. Carla is a treasurer of the ARIA Board since 2004. From 2013 to 2018 – Treasurer of the Board of FNERDM – National Federation of Entities for the Rehabilitation of Mental Illness. From 2012 to 2018 – Consultant at CCPUC- Advisory Committee for the Participation of Users and Caregivers of the General Directorate of Health. Since 2003 Representative of Portugal on the Executive Committee of Social Firms Europe CEFEC.
Pavel Novak, Fokus ČR, Czech Republic
Social worker in background, one of founders of Fokus organisation (the first provider of community services for people with mental health problems, 1990), working on mental health and social care reform in the Czech republic. Director of Fokus Praha, civic association providing community services for people with mental health problems in Prague and Central Bohemia
Chairperson of Fokus – Association for Mental Health Care – Czech umbrella organisation of regional community services providers
Member of the executive committee of SKOK – The Association of Non-Governmental, Non-Profit Organizations Working in the Areas of Social and Social Health Care
Chairperson of the Czech Association of the Inspectors of Quality of Social Services.
Hana Hanibalová, Fokus ČR, Czech Republic
In Fokus ČR she is working as a project and office coordinator and at the same time in Fokus Praha (member of the Fokus ČR network of providers of community services for people with mental health problems) on the PR and fundraising projects. She facilitates the contact and communication between the network of social firms of 10 member organizations of Fokus ČR and other social economy networks in the Czech Republic and CEFEC network.
She has combined background – degree in economics and training in psychotherapy. As a project manager she worked on several international EU projects focused on growth of social firms that employ people with experience with severe mental health problems – internships, sharing best practices, developing educational materials etc.
Asta Jaseliūnienė, VšĮ Žmogiškųjų išteklių stebėsenos ir plėtros biuras, Lithuania
I am a founder and director of VšĮ Žmogiškųjų išteklių stebėsenos ir plėtros biuras. Since 2017 we are a member of SFE CEFEC. Since 2019 I became a member of the Executive Committee and was involved in the International Cooperation working group.
I finished Mykolas Romeris University Master degree of Social Work. At the moment I am studying for a Master of Psychology.
From 1999 till 2003 I worked in the Psychiatric Hospital as social worker with the psychosocial rehabilitation. From 2003 I worked with mental disorders persons and integrated them into society and labor market.
Since 2010 I have been working in NGO organization – The Human Resources Monitoring and Development Bureau in Siauliai – in its activities I offer integration of social services provision, adult education and the representation of socially vulnerable groups’ rights. The main aim of mine is to promote, develop and implement innovative social and educational initiatives at local, national and international levels; implement labor and employment policies, projects, measures and disseminate models of good human resource management practice; organize and carry out non-formal education activities for children, youth and adults. I also work in a partnership with the best specialists in their fields and learn from them, promote socially responsible businesses and support the creation of wider career opportunities for groups facing social exclusion, such as youth not in education, employment, or training, long-term unemployed, the disabled and others.
Dr. Med. Mr. Lorenzo Toresini, Legacoopsociali, Italy
Is consultant Psychiatrist in Merano (autonomous Province of Bolzano (northern Italy). He worked in Trieste and in Portogruaro (Venice) before. Since 1986 he has been chairing the International Permanent Seminar called:“Alpe – Adria for Mental Health” between northeast of Italy, Carinthia (A) and Slovenia. He took part to a TEMPUS EU in Slovenia for the training of postgraduate psychiatric staff in the field of Mental Health in that Country. He lead the TEMPUS project for mental Health in Bosnia Hercegovina, focused on the Universities both of Sarajevo and Banja Luka. He is active in the field of work integration for the disabled people.
Umberto Carrescia, Città Azzurra Social firm & Circle Association for International Cooperation & Development – South Tyrol Italy
President/Legal representative of “Città Azzurra” Social Cooperative (type A) Bolzano – Italy Sector: Mental Health Director of a Community for Mental Health – Department of the Bolzano Health Un and President of Circle – Association for International Cooperation & development – South Tyrol
Degree in Political Sciences, Sociology section, attained at the ‘Università degli Studi di Bologna’ – degree thesis title: “The social-community interaction between ethnic groups in South Tyrol”. VI Master in Euro-Project of Organizer Bodies: AICCRE Executive Council of the Municipalities of European Regions: Module I The Community Institutions and Reference Elements and Module II Community Initiatives and Programs.
For more than 20 years Free professional Consultant for different Public and non profit Organizations –project management – vocational training – fund raising – Autonomous Province of Bolzano
Project Manager/Coordinator for different Vocational Training and Research for Professional Training and Research Projects financed by the European Social Fund, by the Italian Ministry of Labour and Social Security and by the Autonomous Province of Bozen.
Lecturer/Teacher of Communication Methodologies, problem solving, project management and Social and Market Research Methodology for various professional training courses in the Autonomous Province of Bozen – Italy
Project Manager/Scientific Coordinator in charge of monitoring “The Quality Control of Psychiatric Care within the territory of the Meran Health Unit” (BZ) Italy
Coordinator for the Province, Interregional and International Centre of Studies and Research within the Psychiatric Department of the Meran Health Unit, of the project “Development of the Mental Health Community Services of the Una Sana (Bihac) Canton, Bosnia and Herzegovina”.
“Provisions for the Italian participation in the settlement, reconstruction and development of Balkan Area countries” Law No. 84/2001
Chris Eric Hack, pro mente Oberösterreich, Austria
Assistant business unit manager pro mente arbeit, concept development, employee for pedagogy and blended learning.
Delegate of pro mente since 2016, working group “CEFEC Award”.
Doctors degree in History (Contemporary European History)
Educational background: Masters degree in Philosophy
Professional experience in the social economy field: Development and writing of concepts for the reintegration of socially disadvantaged people into the labor market & Education and training of socially disadvantaged people
Richard Mehmed, Community Wood Recycling, UK
I am the founder and managing director of Community Wood Recycling. We are the biggest social franchise in the UK. I am a member of the CEFEC Working Group on environmental sustainability.
BA (hons) Degree from Ealing College of Higher Education, London
Most of my career (40 years) has been in sales, marketing and business development. I have lots of experience helping small enterprises (including social enterprises) to grow.
Kimmo Kumlander, Valo-Valmennusyhdistys ry, Finland
Managing director in Valo-Valmennusyhdistys. Main focus on the finance and building national and international networks for cooperation and RDI.
Master of Arts. Interpreter, teacher and linguist originally. After the first diploma university studies in various arts, economics, engineering, ICT and leadership.
Managing director for Silta-Valmennusyhdistys ry for 7 years, founder and managing director for Valo-Valmennusyhdistys for 5 years, both active WISEs in Finland. Plenty of research and some publications concerning the most vulnerable groups.
Agnieszka Dejna, Social cooperative DALBA, Poland
As a member of the board in 2014 we started our social initiative. DALBA social cooperative manufactures premium beer. DALBA is a social brewery that employs intellectually disabled persons in maintenance and gardening jobs as well as in the brewing itself. The cooperative began operations in 2015, when it also opened a company shop in Gdansk. The brewery currently employs 20 persons, out of which 18 are intellectually disabled, enabling them to function independently and preventing their social and professional exclusion.
The DALBA social cooperative uses management methods taking into account the needs of its workers and their physical and intellectual potential, thereby promoting the idea that intellectually disabled persons can be regular employees able, with an appropriate manner of managing their work, to function independently in society.
Disabled workers are employed in the whole production chain. DALBA’s highest value is the idea that motivated its founders, who believe that every human being has some disabilities, although not everyone wants to admit it. Management consists of ensuring the achievement of the overall objective, i.e. brewing a high-quality beer.
Graduated Master of Business Administration studies at the WSB University and studies at the Faculty of Social Sciences of the University of Gdańsk.
Since 2005, I have been associated with the non-governmental sector. For 8 years she worked in the Regional Center for Information and Support of Non-Governmental Organizations, where she is the project coordinator, the head of the regional development department and the last 3 years of her work as the executive director. In 2010-2013, he was the President of the Management Board of the Baltic Regional Development Agency. Specializing in fundraising for the activities of non-governmental organizations, social economy, business model and business plans. In 2011-2015, the cost of capital of the Pomeranian Monitoring Committee for the Development of the Social Economy. Based on your professional experience, trainings and lectures for various institutions, including WSB University, University of Gdańsk. From June 2014,I also works as an advisor helping to obtain loans from the ES Fund for social enterprises run by TISE. I am also the author of many publications and studies on the social economy. Since May 2014, he co-manages a cooperative with Janusz Golisowicz, employing 20 people with intellectual disabilities, creating the first Cooperative Brewery in Poland.
Arsenia Malakozi, Social Cooperative of Limited Liability of the mental health sector of Rodopi-Evros “Nautilos”, Greece
Since 2017 she is general secretary in the Social Cooperative of Limited Liability of the mental health sector of Rodopi-Evros “Nautilos”. In addition to her duties as Secretary General, she therapeutically supports the members of KoiSPE and informs the Board for issues related to social economy and vocational rehabilitation. Also also informs both KoiSPE “Nautilos” and the other three KoiSPE running with the support of the Society for its cooperation with CEFEC.
Since 2020 she is member of the Executive Committee at CEFEC representing Greece and participates in working Group 1, on international cooperation.
She finished high school in Alexandroupolis Greece and she got the degree of Social Worker from the Technological educational institution of Athens, School of Health and Welfare Professions. Her degree followed by a post graduate grant in Social Psychiatry from Faculty of Medicine, Democritus University of Thrace. She has attended various seminars on social economy and vocational reintegration of people with psychosocial disabilities.
Since 2007 she has been working as a social worker in the Society of Social Psychiatry P. Sakellaropoulos including the field of support people with psychosocial disabilities in training programs or in the free labor market. She is founding member in the Social Cooperative of Limited Liability (KoiSPE) of the mental health sector of Rodopi-Evros “Nautilos”. She has also participated in various European programs for vocational integration of people with psychosocial disabilities.
Leif G. Wastfelt, Rysseviken, Sweden
Marinka Vovk, Center ponovne uporabe (REUSE center), Slovenia
She is highly experienced in carrying out ESF projects both in terms of thematic expertise as well as administrative and financial capacity. The implemented projects in the last years concentrated on reuse centres and subsequently on the creation of new green jobs, education and training. Marinka Vovk is the bearer of the idea of re-use in Slovenia. She is an expert in the area of economic waste management and preventive activities in the field of reducing environmental pollution. She is the holder of social entrepreneurship in the field of circular economy, where she has patented new business models and technical solutions. She participates in the preparation of legislation in the field of waste management and manages innovative projects. Marinka Vovk leads and coordinates actions to promote recycling and waste reduction and carries out workshops and training for different target groups in order to effectively improve the use of waste as a resource. She is a holder of patent of 3R More than Waste, Yellow Bag and Mobile Ecological Clinics. Prepares and implements environmental awareness programs at national and local media. Has extensive experience with professional cooperation with municipalities and public service providers in the field of waste management.
Prepares preventive environmental awareness programs with an emphasis on minimizing waste and coordinates environmental projects for different target groups. Since 2021, CPU is a member of CEFEC; Marinka Vovk is also a member of WG7 on Green Economy.
Roland Z’Rotz, Oeko Service Ltd., Switzerland
He works as chairman of the board. As a non-profit company, Oeko Service Ltd offer services in the areas of cleaning, gardening, house maintenance, logistics and administration on an ecologically, economically and socially sustainable basis. Find out more about our services: www.oekoservice.ch
His special interest are innovations as creating jobs in green economy.
Maya Danova, European Development Foundation, Bulgaria
Higher Education: Sociology – Bachelor’s degree, Management and development of human resources – Master’s degree, PhD degree in the field of Marketing of tourism, Certificate for training of trainers;
Certificate for training consultants in organizational development, management and human resources management.
She has experience in European programmes as a coordinator (Life-long learning programme “Leonardo Da Vinci”). Maya Danova is director in currently licensed centre for information and guidance (CIPO). One of the main objectives of the Centre is to assist students or young people between 18 – 29 years old wishing to choose a new direction in their personal life or in their career.
Carmen Podani, Association of Community Development Consultants – ACDC, Romania
Carmen Podani, Vice President of ACDC Romania, is a water engineer, holding an MBA from Kennesaw University in Atlanta, USA, with more than 30 year experience in international consulting industry. Worked as project director and consultant in projects funded by EU, USAID, World Bank, British Council. Main area of expertise: digital & social inclusion, rural development, entrepreneurship, youth employment, e-learning, evaluation. She participated in the design and implementation of several projects supporting community mentoring, enhance digital literacy, employment skills, social entrepreneurship, and inclusion of marginalized groups in disadvantaged areas of Romania.