EFA Board is composed of a President, a Vice-President, a Secretary to the Board, a Treasurer, and Board Members. All of them are patient leaders and patient representatives arising from EFA Members. They are elected for a two years mandate and can be re-elected for a maximum on two full additional mandates.
Marcia PodestàPresident
I am the President of Food Allergy Italia, an association founded in 2002 focusing specifically on food allergies. I have taken part in several (inter)national studies on quality of life with food allergies. Being a lawyer, I also perform trainings for doctors, nurses and food business operators on issues related to legislation on food labelling. Board Member since 2020 and President since 2023.
Károly IllyVice-President
Károly is the Director of Lung Foundation Netherlands (Longfonds). He has a wealth of expertise and experience in the medical sector and in managing healthcare organisations. He has worked as a paediatrician at Ziekenhuis Rivierenland for almost 30 years. Since 2008, he has worked as a medical specialist in patient safety.
Fríða Rún ÞórðardóttirBoard Member
Frida has served as the chairman of the Icelandic asthma and allergy association for 10 years (15 years with the organization). She is a dietitian at the University hospital of Iceland working in the food services, responsible for the specialty and allergy diet, and the food product database. Major experience is within the allergy sector, but there she teaches courses and writes educational material. Frida is involved in an air quality working group administered by the Icelandic government, enforcing Clean air Europe.
Simone MilesBoard Member
Simone Miles has been the Chief Executive Officer of Allergy UK since March 2024. Prior to her appointment as CEO, she served as Operations Director from July 2019. With over 20 years of experience in the charity sector, spanning both education and health, Simone is dedicated to driving change and serving her community. Under her leadership, Allergy UK continues to provide essential support, advice, and advocacy for individuals living with allergies, aiming to raise awareness and improve services for those affected.
Anna AndrałojćBoard Member
Anna is Executive Manager at the Polish Federation of Asthma, Allergy and COPD Patients' Associations. She holds a MA in in Economics, Development Cooperation and Scientific Information and works as a specialist in the valuation of medical procedures. She combines an education in economics with a passion for working in international development cooperation. She is a natural-born initiator with profound expertise in Project Management. Anna has realized projects for the International Red Cross and Polish Red Cross, UNDP POLAND, COPD Foundation.