New Zealander, John Stansfield, IACD’s Oceania Director was appointed Vice President-elect of the association at the Board meeting yesterday. John will take over this important role in the association from African Director, Nigerian Muhammad Bello Shitu at the AGM in June. Over the next five months John will shadow Shitu.
John who lives on the glorious Waiheke Island near Auckland in Aotearoa New Zealand, has had an extensive career in community development over four decades. He currently works in the department of Social Practice at Unitec in Auckland, where he heads up the undergraduate and post graduate programmes in Community Development. John, who trained in Bangladesh and the USA has worked across New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and other Pacific islands. He is a co-founder of the New Zealand CD association and of the Pacific Journal of Community Development (Whanake).
In proposing this nomination, IACD President Paul Lachapelle highlighted John’s work in creating the Global Community Development Exchange, in chairing the 2017 international conference and his work as chair of IACD’s Training, Publications and Professional Development Committee. Paul also spoke of the huge commitment that Shitu has made in building IACD in West Africa and in organising the Nigerian conferences. Shitu is currently editing the Africa Special Issue of Practice Insights magazine, which will be coming out in May. A special award will be made to Shitu at the World Community Development Conference. Shitu will remain an IACD Regional Director and Board member.
IACD Vice Presidents serve for up to three years.
