Anna Clarke

Anna Clarke took up the role of Strategic Director with IACD in 2025. She is a passionate advocate for Community Development in supporting communities collectively working for human rights, social justice, and inclusive, sustainable societies. She is committed to promoting quality standards and education for Community Development at all levels and has played significant roles in the development of the UK National Occupational Standards, the IACD International Standards for Community Development Practice, and the promotion of the All-Ireland Standards for Community Work. As former Chair of the IACD Board for six years, Anna was pivotal in shaping the organisation's strategic direction. She was also co-editor of 'International Community Development Practice' (2022), published by Routledge.

Anna began her professional career as a neighbourhood Community Worker in Liverpool, England in the late 1980s. Since moving to Northern Ireland in the 1990s, she has worked at regional level across statutory, voluntary, and community sectors, as a Community Development practitioner, facilitator, educator and researcher. In addition to her role with IACD, Anna also works with the All-Ireland Endorsement Body for Community Work Education and Training (AIEB).

Anna holds an MA in Human Rights and Equal Opportunities and an MSc in Community Planning and Governance.

Jessica van Kerckhoven

Jessica van Kerckhoven joined IACD as Administrative Officer in late 2022 and is based in Dunblane, Scotland. She is a Dutch national who has lived and worked in several countries including Spain, Mexico, Mongolia and Mozambique. Before moving to Scotland in late 2021 she lived in Argentina for 11 years.

Jessica holds an MS.C in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Utrecht (The Netherlands) and has dedicated her career to working for non-profit organisations focusing mainly on women’s and children’s human rights. She is a director of Ojos de Cielo, an NGO based in San Carlos de Bariloche (Argentine Patagonia) that provides food and extracurricular activities for underprivileged children in the region. Jessica is fluent in Dutch, English and Spanish, speaks basic Portuguese and has worked as a freelance translator for many years next to her NGO work.

www.linkedin.com/in/jessicasinclairuk