The Steering Group
What function does the Steering Group fill?
The steering group provides ENNA strategic guidance
The steering group of the European Network of National Civil Society Associations is elected to 2-year terms. Each steering group member is nominated to sit on the steering group by their respective national umbrella association. The current steering group was elected by our October 2010 General Assembly taking place in Nicosia, Cyprus just prior to the incorporation of the European Network of National Civil Society Associations under Belgian law.
Acting as a college, the ENNA Steering Group is responsible for providing strategic leadership to ENNA aisbl. It also is delegated by the General Assembly to manage the Network day-to-day in close collaboration with the secretariat. The Steering Group accomplishes these tasks by, for example, establishing the internal rules governing the Association, defining the staff regulations for the secretariat, or monitoring progress towards achieving our Strategic Work Plan 2011-2013.
Acting as a college, the ENNA Steering Group is responsible for providing strategic leadership to ENNA aisbl. It also is delegated by the General Assembly to manage the Network day-to-day in close collaboration with the secretariat. The Steering Group accomplishes these tasks by, for example, establishing the internal rules governing the Association, defining the staff regulations for the secretariat, or monitoring progress towards achieving our Strategic Work Plan 2011-2013.
Anna Mazgal
President of the Steering Group
Anna Mazgal is the current President of the Steering Group of the European Network of National Civil Society Associations, a network that she was instrumental in establishing in collaboration with peers from Germany, the United Kingdom, Cyprus and other countries. Anna Mazgal is the Polish Federation of NGO’s International representative to the European Network of National Civil Society Associations and the Affinity Group of National Associations of the global equivalent to ENNA, Civicus.
Anna Mazgal has previous expertise serving as Director of the Advocacy Programme at OFOP where she spearheaded lobbying efforts with the Polish national government to establish effective policy frameworks to govern the non-profit sector in Poland and to ensure a sustainable environment existed for civil society in the country. She has also experience in project management and governance of non-profits.
Anna Mazgal is a prolific writer and has published a number of texts on civil society.
Anna Mazgal has previous expertise serving as Director of the Advocacy Programme at OFOP where she spearheaded lobbying efforts with the Polish national government to establish effective policy frameworks to govern the non-profit sector in Poland and to ensure a sustainable environment existed for civil society in the country. She has also experience in project management and governance of non-profits.
Anna Mazgal is a prolific writer and has published a number of texts on civil society.
Dr Frank Heuberger
Vice-President of the Steering Group
Dr. Frank W. Heuberger hails from Germany and is currently ENNA's Vice-President. Until the end of 2010, Frank served as Head of the Coordinating Office of Civil Society and Civic Participation at the State Chancellery of Rhineland-Palatinate in Germany.
Alongside his responsibilities as our Vice-President, he currently serves as the representative for European affairs of the Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement (BBE/National Network for Civil Society).
Frank is also an entrepreneur, co-founding the Center for Corporate Citizenship Germany (CCCD).
Frank's passion lies in the analyses of social change, models of civil and political participation on a local, state and European level, the potential of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Social Responsibility and the perspectives of a European Civil Society.
From 1990 through 1995, Frank taught as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Boston University and worked as Senior Research Associate at the Institute for the Study of Economic Culture (ISEC) in Boston, USA. He serves on many advisory boards and has published extensively among others on the interdependency of economic and social change, civil society, civic participation and on corporate citizenship.
Frank graduated with an M.A. in Germanic Studies, Political Science and Philosophy attending universities in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main and Trenton, USA. He achieved his Ph.D. in Sociology at Goethe-University in Frankfurt.
Alongside his responsibilities as our Vice-President, he currently serves as the representative for European affairs of the Bundesnetzwerk Bürgerschaftliches Engagement (BBE/National Network for Civil Society).
Frank is also an entrepreneur, co-founding the Center for Corporate Citizenship Germany (CCCD).
Frank's passion lies in the analyses of social change, models of civil and political participation on a local, state and European level, the potential of Corporate Citizenship and Corporate Social Responsibility and the perspectives of a European Civil Society.
From 1990 through 1995, Frank taught as Assistant Professor of Sociology at Boston University and worked as Senior Research Associate at the Institute for the Study of Economic Culture (ISEC) in Boston, USA. He serves on many advisory boards and has published extensively among others on the interdependency of economic and social change, civil society, civic participation and on corporate citizenship.
Frank graduated with an M.A. in Germanic Studies, Political Science and Philosophy attending universities in Berlin, Frankfurt am Main and Trenton, USA. He achieved his Ph.D. in Sociology at Goethe-University in Frankfurt.
Oli Henman
Treasurer of the Steering Group
Oli is NCVO's Head of EU and international team, and is one of the founders of ENNA. In September 2011 he was elected chairman of the Steering Groupof the Affinity Group for National Associations (AGNA), which is the group for national umbrella bodies within CIVICUS, the global alliance for citizen partnership.
Oli has a key specialisation in participatory democracy in an international context. Before NCVO, he worked at the Power Inquiry where he managed the European Citizens Consulatation (UK) to connect a wide range of citizens into discussion on the future of Europe.
Prior to that, he started his career in Brazil where he volunteered in Sao Paulo and in the Amazon region and got involved in the participatory budget process. He wrote his masters thesis on this process and is an associate of the Participatory Budget Unit. He will be developing this specialisation as manager of a project to widen the use of participatory budgeting across the UK.
Oli has a key specialisation in participatory democracy in an international context. Before NCVO, he worked at the Power Inquiry where he managed the European Citizens Consulatation (UK) to connect a wide range of citizens into discussion on the future of Europe.
Prior to that, he started his career in Brazil where he volunteered in Sao Paulo and in the Amazon region and got involved in the participatory budget process. He wrote his masters thesis on this process and is an associate of the Participatory Budget Unit. He will be developing this specialisation as manager of a project to widen the use of participatory budgeting across the UK.
Birgitte Brekke
Member of the Steering Group
Birgitte Brekke hails from Norway and currently is a full member of the European Network of National Civil Society Association's Steering Group. Birgitte provides the Steering Group with vital expertise in the management of organisations and in particular the efficient functioning of governance structures, having sat in numerous Norwegian NGO boards. Birgitte Brekke is also currently serving as the Secretary General of the Association of NGOs in Norway.
Prior to holding this position, Birgitte held the position of Secretary General for the Norwegian Association of Natural Scientists. She has previous experience working for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice.
Birgitte is a passionate volunteer having held volunteering positions at Amnesty International both in Norway and internationally.
Birgitte graduated with a law degree in 1992.
Prior to holding this position, Birgitte held the position of Secretary General for the Norwegian Association of Natural Scientists. She has previous experience working for the Norwegian Agency for Development Cooperation (Norad) and the Norwegian Ministry of Justice.
Birgitte is a passionate volunteer having held volunteering positions at Amnesty International both in Norway and internationally.
Birgitte graduated with a law degree in 1992.
Ivan Cooper
Member of the Steering Group
Ivan Cooper has been Director of Advocacy with The Wheel since 2005. Ivan is charged with progressing The Wheel's policy positions on cross-cutting issues affecting the community and voluntary sector, e.g. charity regulation, strengthening the sector, active-citizenship, standards and supports amongst others. He oversees the research programme which The Wheel conducts about the profile and scope of the community and voluntary sector in Ireland and he represents The Wheel on a range of fora, national and international. He is a member of the Dialogue on Democracy and is a former member of the management committee of the National Economic and Social Forum (NESF).
Formerly Administration Manager with the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Ivan has worked in a number of positions in the public, private and community and voluntary sectors in Ireland and Scotland, including a period as CEO of Wicklow Chamber of Commerce and Manager of a community group under the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme.
Formerly Administration Manager with the Crisis Pregnancy Agency, Ivan has worked in a number of positions in the public, private and community and voluntary sectors in Ireland and Scotland, including a period as CEO of Wicklow Chamber of Commerce and Manager of a community group under the Local Development Social Inclusion Programme.
