CHS Alliance held an extraordinary virtual General Assembly (GA) on 29 November – 3 December 2021.

CHS Alliance welcomes a new independent Chair of the Board and two new Board specialists

CHS Alliance is pleased to announce the appointment Lola Gostelow as the new Chair of the Board, and the appointment of two new Board members, Michael Moriarty (Plan International) and Sarah Pelicaric (CAFOD) to fulfill the requirements for financial oversight and Human Resources expertise.

New audit firm

The General Assembly members endorsed the appointment of PricewaterhouseCoopers Switzerland as the audit firm for the next three-year term.

Option of virtual 2022 General Assembly

The members also agreed on the option to hold the 2022 General Assembly as an on-line event, rather than a physical meeting as required by the Statutes, due to the impact of COVID-19 on travel.

More info on new Board members

Lola Gostelow brings extensive operational, advocacy and research experience, covering quality and accountability; human rights and humanitarian principles; humanitarian system structure/ mechanisms; and governance of inter-agency collaborations. She also brings expertise in nutrition.

She has experience in the governance of organisations and membership collaborations, having chaired two major humanitarian interagency initiatives: the Sphere Project from 2003 to 2005 during a 5-year term on its management committee; and the Start Network from 2016-18, during a 6-year term on its board. She also served on the board of SURF (Survivor’s Fund) from 2000 to 2012, in support of Rwandan survivors of the genocide, as well as previously on HQAI’s General Assembly (2016-2020).

She now works as an independent consultant on humanitarian policy issues. She is an Accredited Partnership Broker and a member of the Strategic Team of the Partnership Brokers Association (PBA). She has led sectoral strategic planning exercises, as well as supported the strategic positioning of organisations. She teaches regularly at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, and at the University of East Anglia, on humanitarian policy.

Throughout her work, Lola has been motivated by principles applied in her practice, most notably humanitarian principles and partnership principles, as well as values-based principles rooted in international human rights.

Lola is married with two daughters, both currently studying at university.

Sarah Pelicaric, HR Advisor Team Leader at CAFOD

Why is the CHS Alliance important to the sector?

The CHS Alliance is important as it is committed to make aid organisations better, more transparent and accountable to its beneficiaries. It is also committed to raising the standard of people management practices across the sector.

What experience do you have that is related to our mission?

I have worked within the INGO sector for over 20 years in the HR field supporting different countries and have always been committed to strengthening people management practices and building a positive working culture.

Which personal qualities would you bring to the Alliance’s Board?

I would bring to the Board a constructive approach and provide impartial advice to support the aims and objectives of the Alliance. I am good at building positive relationships, and I am willing to listen and learn from others.

Michael Moriarty, Head of Business Partnering & Strategic Finance at Plan International

Why is the CHS Alliance important to the sector?

CHS Alliance is essential in driving improvements standards within the sector. Failures by humanitarian organisations have devastating impacts on those that they seek to serve as well as knock on negative impacts on other humanitarian organisations. High profile failures and increased scrutiny of the sector in recent years have highlighted this need.

What experience do you have that is related to our mission?

I have completed CHS’s training on sexual exploitation and abuse (SEA) Investigations. I also established a Standards & Compliance Unit within Trocaire, and supported Trocaire’s compliance with CHS Standards. I’ve been deployed to humanitarian responses to Sudan with GOAL and to Haiti and the Philippines with Plan Ireland.

Which personal qualities would you bring to the Alliance’s Board?

Whether volunteering or working professionally I am committed and work hard to achieve the highest standards. I combine a finance & risk professional discipline with a wider strategic perspective. I act with integrity at all times and have an intolerance of abuses of power.

The list of current Board members can be found on our Governance page: https://www.chsalliance.org/about/our-governance/