New Executive Board and Administrators elected in Lizbon, March 2018

Joseph Peregin (Malta) – President

Joseph is married to Joseanne and the proud parent of three adults, Mark, Christian and Maxine.

Member of the Christian Life Community (CLC). This is an international association of lay Christians who have adopted an Ignatian model of spiritual life.

His son Christian came out at the tender age of 17.

At the time (2005) Joseph and Joseanne found some professional support in understanding this minority natural variant better. They realized that parents experiencing the LGBT reality had no access to support groups and safe spaces to back them in their process of growth. This to always be more open to love their children better and ensure a flourishing family life.

Together with a handful of other parents they founded Drachma Parents. Today Joseanne is the coordinator of this Christian faith organization and Joseph is a member of the coordinating committee in charge of International affairs. In Malta, Drachma organizes a monthly meeting for parents of LGBTQI persons. It runs the local telephone helpline for parents of LGBTQI persons and ensures regular healthy bridge building and dialogue with local authorities including the Catholic Church.

Joseph and Joseanne are currently involved in setting up two international organizations. The Global Network for Rainbow Catholics and the European Network for Parents of LGBTQI persons (ENP). Joseph currently serves in the role of ENP president.

Professionally, Joseph is currently the General Manager of the Malta office of Pullmantur Cruise Liner Group of Companies

Joseanne Peregin (Malta) – Deputy President

Co-founder and co-ordinator of the Drachma Parents’ Group (since 2008).

Co-founder and Steering Committee member of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC).

Former President of CLC Malta (2008-2014) (http://www.cvx-clc.net/l-en/aboutUs.html) rooted in Ignatian Spirituality. Building bridges of dialogue with local Bishops, religious and LGBT organisations she has offered human and spiritual support to many families, during the rapid legislative changes in Malta.

She propelled the establishment of the European Network of Parents of LGBTI+ Persons in Malta, during Malta’s EU Presidency for increased visibility of the role and voice of parents.

Margarida Lima de Faria – General Secretary

Sociologist.

Founder and president of AMPLOS’ board – association of parents of LGBTI people of Portugal.

Eight years of experience supporting, accompanying and advising Portuguese families of LGBTI people and advocating for LGBTI rights.

Vice-president of the Latin-American and Iberian network of parents organizations from 23 countries – FDS – Familias por la Diversidad Sexual – from 2013 to 2016. Board member from 2010 to 2016

Member of ENP board since 2016.

Christopher Vella (Malta) – Treasurer

Christopher Vella, who hails from Malta, is a founding member of the European Network of Parents of LGBTI+ persons (ENP), and holds the role of Administrator. He has been active in LGBTIQ work for the past four years in Malta, where he is the Coordinator of Drachma LGBTI and a member of the National LGBTIQ Consultative Council. He is also Treasurer of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics (GNRC). His work is mainly with LGBTIQ persons and youth, and is particularly interested in gender and work in social and spiritual peripheries.
Chris is also a lecturer in History by profession and sits on the Council of the teachers’ Union, the Malta Union of Teachers, on the ETUCE Higher Education and Research Standing Committee and Board member of the Malta Historical Society.

Sven Stabroth (Germany) – Fund Officer

worked for more than a decade in the Non-Profit-Sector between Germany and Eastern Europe, especially the Russian Federation.

Infectious Diseases, Public and Mental Health were of main interest until he started working in the development cooperation in Ukraine. And, in a way that is closely related to this, he supported and consulted the Ukrainian Parents Initiative TERGO to build the organization and forming a network of parents of LGBT children. Besides that he is curator of exhibition projects, which dealing with heteronormativity in our societies