Chairperson Rosie Bissett
Dyslexia Association of Ireland, Ireland
Ms Bissett has been a member of the EDA board since September 2016 when she was nominated by the Dyslexia Association of Ireland (DAI). She has been working with the DAI for over 20 years, first as an Information Officer, and for the past 10 years as CEO.
As well as her work with dyslexia, she is also active on related issues: she was the chairperson of Dyspraxia/DCD Ireland until September 2019. She is also the chairperson of the Spectrum Alliance, an Irish umbrella organisation for hidden disabilities on the neurodiversity spectrum (dyslexia, dyspraxia, ATHD, and Asperger syndrome).
Rosie is a passionate advocate of those who learn differently. She has actively campaigned particularly on the issue of equitable access for people with dyslexia in Ireland. “With a background in health and social science, and my experience working with and for people with dyslexia for 20 years, I hope to make a contribution at a wider European level.
The EDA is well placed to bring the voice and experience of people with dyslexia to the European institutions to ensure that their needs are recognised and their rights respected fully and equally across Europe.” Ms Bissett explained.
Board members in alphabetic order
Katell Datchary
APEDA DYS, France
Education –
Job or activity –
Role in national association –
Personal link to dyslexia –
Specific responsibilities in EDA –
Preferred quote or motto
“”
Katell
Professor Ruth Falzon
Malta Dyslexia Association, Malta
Education – B.Ed. (Hons) MA, PhD
Job or activity – Associate Professor
Role in national association – Secretary, Training (Lobbyist on Exam Access Arrangements and use of technology to access and present print)
Personal link to dyslexia – A parent and a specialist in Dyslexia
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Treasurer
Preferred quote or motto
“Do to others what you would want done to you”
Ruth Falzon is a University of Malta Associate Professor and a founding member of the Department of Counselling at the Faculty for Social Wellbeing. Her areas of expertise include personal and social Development and specific learning difficulties. She coordinates PSD methodology and counselling research study units at the University of Malta. Her research interests are PSD, counselling in schools, specific learning difficulties and autoethnography as related to well‐being. Dr Falzon is an executive council member of the International Association for Counselling, a Board Director and currently treasurer of the European Dyslexia Association and a Council Member of the International Society for Policy Research & Evaluation in School‐Based Counseling (ISPRESC). On a local level, she is on the Executive Council of the Malta Association for the Counselling Profession and the Malta Dyslexia Association. Department of Counselling, Faculty for Social Wellbeing, University of Malta
Mrs Sue Flohr
British Dyslexia Association, England
Education –BA Language Studies, SpLD Diploma
Job or activity – Diagnostic Assessor
Role in national association – Head of Policy
Personal link to dyslexia – Dyslexic in a family of dyslexics
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Board Member – managing Inbox emails
Preferred quote or motto
“If a child doesn’t learn the way you teach, teach him/her the way s/he learns. (Dr Harry Chasty)
Sue graduated in Language Studies and is a qualified SpLD specialist teacher/assessor. She has 35 years of experience in dyslexia in Primary, Secondary and FE/HE sectors. She is also a DSA Needs Assessor, and a BDA Professional Member and has an APC (Assessment Practising Certificate) to diagnose dyslexia. She is a member of BDA Assistive Technology Committee and the BDA Music Committee and various other committees and boards representing for the BDA. In 2015 she received the MBE for her services towards helping people with dyslexia.
Professor Erica Di Francesco
DISFAM OIDEA, Spain
Education – PHD Clinical linguistic
– Master in Language and Literature at UV of Valencia
– Master in teaching Spanish and English at Cattolica University of Milano
– Graduated in Languages and Literature and Journalism at Cattolica University of Milano
Job or activity – Teacher of english at UPV ( Valencia) and of spanish at Istituto Confalonieri (Milano)
Role in national association – Board member
Personal link to dyslexia – As a teacher I work everyday with dyslexics students and I investigate more exactly how to teach english as a foreign language to Dyslexics students.
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Board member
Preferred quote or motto
“The only thing you can´t achieve is what you don’t try “
Erica Di Francesco
Born in January 1981 in San Benedetto del Tronto, Italy; she studied philology at Cattolica university in Milan; her studying titles and jobs or collaborations are
PhD from the University of Valencia (PHD) – Department of Translation and Communication.
Master in language and literature from the University of Valencia.
Master for Teaching Spanish (Catholic University of Milan)
Master for Teaching English (Catholic University of Milan)
English and Spanish Philology degree
Professor attached of technical english for engineers to the Department of Applied Linguistics at the Polytechnic University of Valencia.
Teacher of spanish at high school in Milan
She actively participates in conferences on teaching English and Learning Difficulties.
Consultant for AFDA Cataluña, Barcelona, Spain
Delegate for the presidency of DISFAM for EU and Italy.
Journalist for the psicology magazine animamediatica.it based in Roma.
Mr Bengt-Erik Johansson
Dyslexiförbundet, Sweden
Education – Computers and different softwares
Job or activity – Chairman/President of the Swedish Dyslexia Association
Role in national association – Chairman/President
Personal link to dyslexia – Dyslexic
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Board member and in charge of relations with institutions.
Preferred quote or motto
“Nothing about us without us”
Bengt-Erik has worked a lot with adult students in different topics like hardware and software. He also worked for some years to help newly arrived people in Sweden. He worked as a software developer when he was headhunted to Dyslexiförbundet 2007. He was elected as chairman/President and that is what he works with at the moment.
Dr Giannis Karagiannakis
Hellenic Dyslexia Association, Greece
Education – PhD
Job or activity – Researcher
Role in national association – CEO
Personal link to dyslexia – Dyslexic
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Board Member and coordinator of the Academical Committee
Preferred quote or motto
“No pain, no gain”
Giannis is a lecturer and fellow researcher at National & Kapodistrian University of Athens. His research interest is in the field of the numerical cognition: investigating the cognitive functions (specific and general) that mathematical strengths and weaknesses (often called dyscalculia) may reside, and developing differentiated instructions in mathematics for students 8-18 years old. He is a member and coordinator of the Academical Committee of the European Dyslexia Association.
Mr Vincent Lochmann
FFDys, France
Education – MSC on Professional training
Job or activity – Consultant
Role in national association – Vocalional training about Specific learning disabilities
Personal link to dyslexia – Father of a 31 years old adult with dyslexia
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Vice Chairperson in charge of relations with institutions
Preferred quote or motto
“United in diversity”
Vincent Lochmann was born in 1961. He has a MSC on Professional training. After being journalist for a radio in Paris, he is now a consultant on inclusion, professional training, and medias. He has been the President of the French Fédération Française des dys(FFDys) for 6 years (2009-2015). He was nominated by the FFDys to the board of EDA. He is the father of three young adults and among them a 31 years old young man with oral language impairment (dysphasia) and dyslexia. He is the author and co-author of two books about employment of people with specific learning disabilities. He is Vice President of EDA in charge of relation with institutions. My preferred motto is the one of the European Union: United in diversity !
Dr Luisa Lopez
Italian Dyslexia Association, Italy
Education – MD-PHD Neurophysiology
Job or activity – Child Neurology Rehabilitation
Role in national association – Trainer
Personal link to dyslexia – None
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Board Member
Preferred quote or motto
“We “don’t remove obstacles in front of our children, we teach them to jump!”
Luisa Lopez, MD-PhD, with a residency in Clinical Neurophysiology and a PhD in Neuropsychopathology of Developmental Learning Processes.
Medical Doctor at the Neuropsychiatric out-patient ward, Rehabilitation Center “Villa Immacolata”, San Martino al Cimino (VT).
Consultant for the Mariani Foundation in Milano since 2000 and scientific coordinator for Neuroscience and Music.
She has been awarded a Mariani Foundation grant, as second clinical research group coordinator for a randomized control study “Rhythm and music to rehabilitate reading disorders (ReMus)”
She has been awarded a grant as Partner for Casa di Cura “Villa Immacolata” in the Project “Libri che divertono, che crescono, che curano: i servizi sanitari promuovono la lettura in famiglia” promoted by Associazione Culturale Pediatri (ACP) – Coordinator of the Developmental Disorders Area (CEPELL “Leggimi 0-6 2019”)
Teacher in various courses in Italian universities and Conservatories.
Scientific Director od the School of Music Therapy “Oltre” in Rome
Member of the National Board of “Nati per la Musica”
Honorary member of “Associazione Italiana Musicoterapisti”
Member of the Italian Dyslexia Association
Ms Mercedes Mayoral
Catalan Dyslexia Association, Spain
Education – Graduate in Psychology. Master’s degree in general health psychology.
Postgraduate Certificate in ADHD, Learning Disorders and Behavioral Disorders,
Master’s in business administration. University Degree in Literature and Art History.
Job or activity – Medical Publisher. Clinical Psychologist.
Role in national association – Board member
Personal link to dyslexia – Mother of three daughters, two of them affected by Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and ADHD
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Secretary
Preferred quote or motto
“No child wants to fail”
Mercedes was born in 1967. Always interested in anything having to do with Arts and Culture, she graduated in Literature and Art History and has a master’s in business administration. She’s always been in the publishing business, since 1988 when she founded a Graphic Art Publishing Company. Some years later, being an only child, she joined the family business, Ediciones Mayo, a leading Spanish Medical publishing company. She currently chairs the company.
She has three daughters, who are now young adults, two of them were diagnosed with Dyslexia, Dyscalculia and ADHD. As soon as she received her daughters’ diagnosis, she started educating herself on Learning Disorders to help them. She studied Psychology in her late forties and has become a Clinical Psychologist specialised in Neurodevelopmental Disorders. She approached the Catalan Dyslexia Association for help and some years later she started working with them and became a member of the Board. She is Secretary of EDA.
She never had problems in school, so it was difficult for her to understand why her daughters’ were struggling so much until the neurologist who diagnosed her smaller daughter told her a phrase that made Mercedes understand: “No child wants to fail”. This means that, when a child fails at school, there must be a reason for it… and it is our duty to look for it.
Dr Florentine Paudel
Austrian Federation of Dyslexia, Austria
Education – Ph. D in Pedagogy
Job or activity – Trainer in Teacher Education
Role in national association – Member of the Board,
Organization of lectures on various topics of dyslexia,
responsible for the public relation of the association
Personal link to dyslexia – Accompanies/supports people with dyslexia in different roles (as a class teacher, support teacher and dyslexia therapist outside of school)
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Co-Secretary
Preferred quote or motto
“Each person is unique and should therefore have the right to develop individual”
Florentine is also an Academic Researcher on Dyslexia
Mrs Christine Sczygiel
Germany
Education –
Job or activity –
Role in national association –
Personal link to dyslexia –
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Board member
Preferred quote or motto
“”
No information yet
Ms Pernilla Söderberg
Sweden
Education –
Job or activity –
Role in national association –
Personal link to dyslexia –
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Vice chairperson
Preferred quote or motto
“”
No information yet
Other members
Mr Peter Häggstrand
Linnaeus University, Sweden
Education – Interactive media and communication
Job or activity – Development pedagogue and manager of LMS, media server and e-meeting at the university and at the national SUNET organisation.
Role in national association Not part of national association
Personal link to dyslexia – None
Specific responsibilities in EDA – Web master and information officer
Preferred quote or motto
“They know enough who know to learn –Henry Adams”
Peter Häggstrand has been with the EDA since 2013 when he was headhunted after working with the conference web site that year.
He lives in the country side south of Växjö, Sweden with his wife and a lot of animals.
He has been working as a salesman, information officer, ICT pedagogue and is currently managing education environment systems at the Linnaeus University. He has also been a part of several online projects with the EU.
As a development pedagogue he is also involved in different development projects at the university aimed at improving the digital knowledge and didactics.
Working part time for the national organisation SUNET with managing e-meeting and media software for educational organisations in Sweden.
