Meet the GISF Steering Group

“I joined EISF some ten years ago, as I needed to grow my network and find out what best practice looked like in other organisations. When I started as Head of Security in DRC 2010, we had only one security adviser in the field in Somalia, but other than that nothing. Now we have minimum one in every country, allowing us to be both risk taker and risk-averse when called for.

GISF has helped me develop have policies and processes for DRC to ensure that the staff and assets are properly safeguarded. Without these safeguards, the objectives of DRC cannot be met,

Risk needs to be identified, addressed and managed. People need to be informed trained and equipped, understand risk governance, organisational risk appetite to finally give informed consent. Security governance must be aligned across the organisation as a signum for good management.

GISF is my way of making sure we do it right. Being part of the SG has helped me move the agenda forward."

Candice joined GISF in 2011. She loves that GISF provides a platform in which the members can learn from each other - sharing critical and timely knowledge, expertise, enthusiasm, ideas and learning - in order to enable stronger and more effective programmes globally.

"I have been a member of GISF since joining World Vision International in 2016, and joined the Steering Group in 2020. One of my motivations for joining the Steering Group was to present the resources and perspectives that are associated with being one of the larger NGOs in the Forum, so I can represent the larger NGOs while also harnessing the opportunities that these larger NGOs can provide.

I also have a desire to focus on the professionalisation of the humanitarian security sector and explore how we as a sector can foster new talent in our organisations, and young professionals in particular. Coming from a non-military backgrounds means I have some experience of coming into the sector through an academic route."

"I was part of EISF Steering Group from 2010 to 2014, therefore I found interesting to be back at a time EISF was becoming global. Challenges are numerous in front of us in a continuously evolving landscape. There is an imperative for this group to be as diverse as possible and I can contribute for several reasons:

- As a representative of “middle size” INGO. I represent also the voice of French NGOs that are used to have one seat in this group;
- As a humanitarian worker for more than 20 years, I started as Field Coordinator and Country directors for more than a decade;
- As a field practitioner I am aware of the challenges missions are facing

I have already experienced Security Risk Management from two different perspectives, the field and the HQ. I also feel that security should stop working in silo. One of my current concerns is to develop some bridges with other humanitarian fields, such as Advocacy."

Javier Teofilo-Sanchez is the Head of Global Security for Mines Advisory Group International (MAG). As the host agency of GISF, MAG maintains a seat as part of the Steering Group.

"EISF/GISF has been very influential and important in my personal development in humanitarian security since I attended my first Forum in Copenhagen. I always found GISF events and publications to be high quality, challenging and extremely useful. When Lisa asked for Steering Group volunteers a few years ago I was interested to see how I could support GISF more directly.

It took some time (and a change of employer) but I joined the SG in mid-2016 and it has been a privilege to support and help guide the growth of GISF and the transition to a global membership.

I appreciate the deliberate effort to ensure the SG represents the variety of GISF Members (Full Members, Associate Members, European-based, US-based, large, small, faith-based and secular) and I am excited to see how GISF continues to develop to meet the needs of our sector."