Salla Tuominen
President
Zonta Club of Helsinki I, Finland, District 20

Salla is a third generation Zontian and has been a member since 2005. A seasoned Zonta leader, she has served on the international board as director, vice president and president-elect. She has extensive experience within her district board having served in almost all roles.

As an attorney at law specializing in both domestic and international corporate transactions, Salla keeps a “can do” attitude while working under enormous time pressure with complex legal and strategical issues alongside international teams.

Salla's goal for her leadership is to integrate sustainability into all of Zonta's business and for the organization's long-term strategic planning, ensuring that Zonta's focus areas contribute to a more sustainable future. She is committed to fostering the Zonta Spirit, a culture of belonging, community, inspiration and passion for Zonta's mission throughout the organizational structure, which she aims to simplify for greater efficiency.

Salla is dedicated to advancing effective working methods that address topical issues while also elevating the importance of speaking up for the human rights of women and girls as a core part of Zonta's mission. Attracting diverse members remains a priority, as she believes that a motivated and inclusive membership is essential for Zonta's work to achieve gender equality and maintain its strength. She is convinced that active communication is key to enhancing Zonta's visibility and impact, allowing the organization to be a vocal, visible, influential and credible advocate for women's rights worldwide.

Fernanda Gallo-Freschi
President-Elect
Zonta Club of Milano-Sant Ambrogio, Italy, District 28

Fernanda is a second generation Zontian and has been a member since 2010, progressively taking on leadership roles at the club, district and international levels, most recently having served as 2022-2024 Vice President.

After working for almost 40 years in technical male-dominated fields as a civil and environmental engineer, Fernanda developed a deep personal experience in how to overcome gender workplace inequalities. She speaks four languages and has gained multicultural awareness and enhanced leadership skills while being responsible for joint ventures with global partners in IT and research and development. In recent years, she turned to consultancy in the field of environment, workplace safety and sustainability, while adding workplace gender equality auditing to her professional competences.

In addition to her professional and Zonta experiences, Fernanda has also held other community service leadership positions, particularly in multicultural education. Throughout her experiences, she has led by example. Continuing from her term as vice president, her focus is on enhancing membership through tailored strategies, advocating for women's rights, and supporting the Strategic Plan. Her vision for Zonta is a climate-just, inclusive, engaged, strong community that builds a better world for women and girls.

Sandy Venn-Brown
Vice President 
Zonta Club of Stanthorpe Inc., Australia, District 22

Sandy has been a member of Zonta since 2000. She considers herself an innovative and energetic self-starter who does not shy from hard work and is always looking to improve Zonta's standing in the community. She has served as governor, lieutenant governor, area director and as her district’s nominating committee chair and advocacy chair. Within these roles, she has recruited members and recognized them for their achievements, established the first e-club in Australia/New Zealand and coordinated the district response to female homelessness.

Professionally, Sandy has held varied senior management roles. Within her career, she has gained many skills including team building, open and regular communication, decision-making, conflict management and resolution, decisiveness and project management.

Sandy feels that members join to achieve Zonta’s goals of gender equity and local activities are essential to increasing visibility and membership. She wants to work to spread Zonta’s name and mission and encourage tangible actions to achieve gender equity and eradicate gender-based violence.

Souella Cumming, ONZM
Treasurer/Secretary 
Zonta Club of Wellington, New Zealand, District 16

Serving in her second term as the international treasurer/secretary for the 2024-2026 Biennium, Souella has been a member since 2006. She has actively contributed to the effective oversight of Zonta’s finances having served as a member and then chair of the Zonta International Finance Committee.

Souella is a Fellow Chartered Accountant and brings a strong financial background, business acumen, governance and risk management experience, which have enabled her to constructively question Zonta International’s long-term position and actively support good financial stewardship.

Souella’s goals are to reimagine the future with a world where women can achieve their full potential. She feels that Zonta’s success hinges on the development of a longer-term strategy, realigning governance and management to support the execution of the strategy, developing financial strategies to ensure a long-term fiscally responsible organization all while using Zonta’s voice to champion women’s rights on the global stage. With the launch of the Strategic Plan, she sees a wide range of opportunities to retain what Zonta does well and ensure it is well set up to build a better world for women and girls.

Margaret Akofio-Sowah
Director
Zonta Club of Accra II, Ghana, District 18

In 1997, Margaret became a member of Zonta and has since taken on various roles within her district including area director, treasurer and nominating committee chair. Her past experience at both the club and district levels has led her to become a great advocate for Zonta's mission of building a better world for women and girls.

In her professional capacity, Margaret served as the chief and area manager for GCB Bank, PLC. She aspires to leverage her expertise and skills to enrich human relationships, oversee corporate business management, identify talent, drive membership recruitment at Zonta and more.

Margaret strongly believes that Zonta's goals can be achieved by investing in girls' education. When girls' education is prioritized, more girls will have access to schooling –leading to the development of more skilled and independent girls, women and mothers. Educating girls will also contribute to their personal growth, empowering them to make informed decisions and providing them with better choices, which, in turn, will benefit themselves, their families and the broader community.

Ofelia “Lia” Bautista
Director
Zonta Club of Greater Rizal I, Philippines, District 17

Lia has been a member since 2003 and has served as governor, lieutenant governor, district treasurer, committee chair, area director and vice area director. Her past positions have enabled her to connect with Zontians and encourage their involvement at club, district and international levels.

In her role as a managing director at Twins Realty and Properties Corporation, Lia brings a wealth of experience. She excels in connecting with individuals at all levels, understanding the organization's mission, vision, and environment while leveraging the power of collaboration. Lia is also skilled at adapting to change and seeks to inspire optimism in overcoming challenges while working closely with key individuals across all levels.

Lia believes a better world for women and girls means a better world for all. By focusing on membership, advocacy, governance, involvement and service, she hopes to strengthen Zonta's brand, raise awareness, guide proper administration, educate members and empower women. Lia believes in the power of "magis," which means "more" in English, because doing more for women creates a better world for all.

Christine Dersch
Director 
Zonta Club of Marburg, Germany, District 28

Ever since Christine joined Zonta in 2004, she has taken on various leadership roles, including club president, vice area director, area director, district membership committee chair, lieutenant governor and governor. As an area director, she successfully established the first Golden Z club and later navigated the challenges presented by the COVID-19 pandemic while serving as lieutenant governor and governor. During this time, she maintained steady membership and facilitated the transition of all Zonta clubs to digital platforms.

In her professional life, Christine serves as a legal adviser at an energy supply company and contributes as a member of the management board of a local public transport company. Her experiences have equipped her to think on her feet, effectively address problems and make decisions while being mindful of cultural differences. She is also proficient in mediating disagreements.

Realizing Zonta's mission to improve the lives of girls and women is vital, Christine advocates for raising members’ collective voices and enhancing visibility to gain global recognition. She also aims to actively involve more scholarship recipients and maximize the impact of Zonta’s programs.

Errick Elavia
Director
Zonta Club of Bombay I, India, District 25

Since joining Zonta in 2008, Errick has served as club, president, vice area director, district committee chair, lieutenant governor and governor. Some of his achievements include organizing a climate change competition for District 25 clubs to help them better understand climate justice, and presenting about the Zonta Says NOW campaign and diversity initiatives at convention and inter-district meetings.

As principal of a co-ed school, Errick has led his staff and students through his skills as an organizer and motivator, understanding problems and bolstering aspirations. He has encouraged Golden Z clubs and Z clubs in his school to promote leadership qualities and community service in accordance with Zonta's vision.

Errick believes that connecting with men and boys to promote Zonta's mission is an urgent need for all communities. He feels that working directly with men and boys at a grassroots level to promote gender equality will help clarify misconceptions while gently guiding them through moral reasoning. Errick joined the 2024-2026 Board in December 2025 following the resignation of a previous Board member.

Phillippa Jacobs-Lory
Director
Zonta Club of Christchurch-Canterbury, New Zealand, District 16

Phillippa joined Zonta in 2007. Since then, she has held multiple leadership roles, including club president, chair and member of district and international committees, lieutenant governor and governor. She says her whole life has always focused on improving the lives of others.

As the visionary founder and owner of a thriving strategic creative agency, Phillippa has honed her leadership skills, empowering her to guide and inspire teams to achieve greatness. Her proven creativity promises to deliver fresh perspectives and innovative solutions, promoting a supportive and compassionate environment where all members feel valued.

Recognizing the potential for innovative solutions amidst challenges in connecting with future generations, Phillippa is dedicated to hearing the youths' voices to secure the organization's future and enhance the journey toward a better world for women and girls.

Ela Pandya
Director
Zonta Club of Porterville, USA, District 9

Ela has been a Zonta member since 2004 and has served as an area director and chaired multiple district and international committees. Along the way, she has fostered strong bonds with Zontians worldwide, helped establish the Canada Advocacy Caucus and explored innovative ways to engage members.

Professionally, Ela is an administrator at Freedom Medical Group and the author of a three-part memoir entitled I Made Lemonade. She brings strong communication skills, including conflict resolution and problem-solving. She can see the larger picture, delve into the details of a problem, crystallize ideas from a feasibility angle and determine the resources required. Most of all, Ela loves getting things done.

Ela is a strong advocate for Zontians, uniting to support women and girls around the world by collaborating with local NGOs in countries where they face challenges. She emphasizes the importance of advocacy in bringing about meaningful change and achieving gender equality through the passing and effective implementation of legislation while stressing the need to educate and involve clubs in advocacy efforts.

Vivienne Shen
Director
Zonta Club of Hsin Chu, Taiwan, District 31

Vivienne joined Zonta in 1992 and has served in multiple leadership positions on the club, district and international levels. She most recently served as an international membership regional representative and district parliamentarian in the 2022-2024 Biennium.

A lecturer in law at the National Defense University, Vivienne has more than 40 years of experience in the diplomatic sphere, giving her an international outlook and multicultural sensitivities that she hopes to bring as a director. She also brings strong problem-solving and management skills, which she has accumulated through various leadership roles in many women's voluntary organizations.

Vivienne's vision is to strengthen international friendships and foster sisterhood relationships between Zonta clubs to increase membership and create a sense of belonging. She is also passionate about utilizing the creative input of the younger generation to drive the realization of Zonta's objectives.

Myra Celestin
Parliamentarian
Zonta Club of Oak Brook, IL, USA, District 6

Myra joined the Zonta Club of Oak Brook in 2021. She serves on the Board of Directors, Service, and Scholarship Committees as well as Parliamentarian for District 6.  Myra is a Nursing professor and a military veteran with over 27 years of service whose life and career have been devoted to education and leadership. 

Myra demonstrated exceptional leadership skills in the military, earning the Battalion Commander position and the Meritorious Service Medal.  She received the Outstanding Achievement in Health Science Award from Chicago State University for her role in educating and mentoring future healthcare professionals to assume leadership positions in the hospital and military settings.  

Her goals for Zonta are to advocate for policies that promote higher education and leadership roles for women and girls and laws to assist and protect Domestic Violence victims and survivors. 

Our Board in the News

Ela Pandya, Director, Tulare County Women Inducted in Zonta International 2024-2026 Board (Our Valley Voice).