BOARD

MINA SEINFELD DE CARAKUSHANSKY – President

Mina Seinfeld de Carakushansky is the President of BRAHA – Brazilian Humanitarians in Action and an Honorary Professor of the University of Salvador of Buenos Aires, Argentina as well as the International Coordinator of the Program Forging Leadership for Drug Demand Reduction in Latin America DPNA/DFAF. She holds Masters Degrees in Mathematics and in Management and is a graduate of the High Strategic Studies Course by the Superior War College of Rio de Janeiro. She was an Associate Professor of Mathematics at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro for 25 years. On several occasions she represented two consecutive Mayors of Rio de Janeiro (a city of over 11 million people living in its metropolitan area) at several international conferences as well as at working committees in Latin American, Asian and European countries. She speaks seven languages, has planned and coordinated more than 70 international seminars and conferences for various national and international law enforcement agencies and international drug prevention organizations in many countries of Latin America. She is the former Head of the Drug Prevention Bureau (Drug Czar) of the City of Rio de Janeiro and former Head of the Special Secretariat for the Prevention of Chemical Dependence. She has developed numerous drug prevention programs and has authored texts and articles about Drug Prevention, Legalization, and Preventive Cities. Professor Seinfeld has received numerous awards; among them the highest Rio de Janeiro State Military Police Award (Comendadora) and the Euzebio da Costa Medal of the Municipal Guard of Rio de Janeiro. Professor Seinfeld, who was born in Rumania after the end of WWII, was awarded the coveted Honorary Citizenship of the State of Rio de Janeiro given by the State Congress of Rio de Janeiro, 2002. In 2008, Professor Seinfeld received the set of Medals Pedro Ernesto, the highest recognition given by Rio de Janeiro’s Legislative Council. Professor Mina Seinfeld de Carakushansky is a member of the Board of Directors of Drug Watch International, a member of the Board of the World Forum Against Drugs and a member and Special Advisor to the International Task Force on Strategic Drug Policy.

JOSÉ PAULO QUINHÕES CARNEIRO – Vice President

Ph.D. in Mathematics from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro and has been Undersecretary for the Prevention of Chemical Dependency of the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro.

PAULO ANTONIO WENGORSKI – General Secretary

A linguist working with English, German, French, and his native Brazilian Portuguese. He has been leading, as President, Brazilian Translators´ League, SINTRA, from 1994 to 1999 and presently is the President of ABRATES, Brazilian Translators Association, and Coordinator of the Translators Accreditation Program. He also writes short stories and plays, and helps, since its very start, to organize an annual play contest, initiated by Prof. Mina Seinfeld de Carakushansky, that Rio de Janeiro City Administration has been sponsoring over the last ten years, named “Wipe Drugs Out of Stage”, having children from public schools writing plays on drug effects and prevention for prizes, from computers to books.

KATALIN SZOMOR – International Director

Biologist, researcher expert in drug responsible for drug issues at the Ministry of Health of Hungary between 1984 and 2005. During this period, she was National Coordinator of Drugs during seven years and responsible for cooperation with the UNODC during 21 years, as the Permanent Representative of Hungary in the Pompidou Group of the Council of Europe for 12 years, and National Coordinator of the EU Phare Drugs Union. Ms. Szomor also worked for several years at the European Union, as a member of the Group of Justice and the Interior of Hungary in the harmonization process. Retired from the post of Director of the Division of Drug Affairs, Ministry of Health in 2005. Since then a member of the expert committee of Drug Issues of the Hungarian Parliament.

HEITOR DE PAOLA – Cultural Director

He received his medical degree from the School of Medicine, Federal University of Pelotas, Rio Grande do Sul, in 1969. Completed his residency in medicine at that University Psychiatric Hospital from 1966 to 1969. Since 1970 lives in Rio de Janeiro, where until 1974 he worked in several psychiatric hospitals, caring for a variety of cases, including drug addicts. In 1978 he was awarded the title of psychoanalyst in psychoanalysis of adults, the Brazilian Psychoanalytic Society of Rio de Janeiro. Was Assistant Professor from 1978 to 1984. Doctor since 1984, is a training analyst and is currently Professor of Psychoanalytic Technique, Psychoanalytic Regression in Patients with Serious Disturbances and Disorders, Comparative Theory of the British School of Psychoanalysis. Is Founding Member, training analyst, and former Secretary General of the Rio-3 Psychoanalytic Association. Is Consultant for Clinical Boyer House Foundation, Berkeley, California, and Permanent Member of the Psycho-Analytical Association. Since1974, Dr. De Paola is devoted to his private practice of psychoanalysis, having had more than 30 specialized works published in Brazil and abroad. He is a political analyst since 2001 and since 2003 has been one of the columnists of the electronic journal Media Without a Mask. Dr. De Paola is a Board member of Drug Watch International.

VICTOR GRINBAUM – Communication Director

Journalist, born in Rio de Janeiro - Brazil. Studied Social Communication at the UniverCidade of Rio de Janeiro. Was the radio broadcaster and communicator in the Rádio Haroldo de Andrade and Rádio Livre (Rio de Janeiro). Participates and/or coordinates several sites, being also the editor of www.braha.org.

MARCELO ANTUNES – Technical Director

• Expert at the Chemical Dependency Unit of Research on Alcohol and Drugs UNIAD - Federal University of São Paulo - UNIFESP.

• Physician at the Prayer and Work Promotion Association, Established by Father Harold J. Rahm in Campinas.

• Physician responsible for the Corsini Mental Health Center in Campinas since 2007.

• Researcher at the IPQ - USP - GREA - under the guidance of prof. Dr. Andrew Malbergier.

SPECIAL ADVISORS

CARLOS ARRIAGA Y CERVANTES

Born in Mexico City, graduated as a Mechanical Engineer and a post-graduate diploma in Administration of Small and Medium Enterprises, in Brussels, Belgium. Has master’s degree studies in Public Administration, with focus on Sociology of Education. Worked as a certified engineer administrator until he his true vocation: teaching and educational work. He has been the principal of schools since the age of 27, leading educational institutions for thirty years. Has held positions at the National University as Head of the Department of Institute’s Incorporation, at the Mexico’s Women University as Vice-Rector, at the University of Valle de Mexico as Managing Director of its campus Tlalpan.

He is a family’s and couple’s therapist.

Is the author of the book La Luna Naranja and has other books in development about the relationships between partners. He has used newspapers, radio and television to transmit information about family relationships.

He is counseling patients and participating as a volunteer in drug prevention activities and the formation of groups that teach family relationships.

DRAGOS DORU STANICA

Teacher of Physical Education and Specialist of Sports Training of the Gama Filho University, Rio de Janeiro.

Born in Romania but living in Brazil since 1995.

He was a member of the team of Weightlifting Athletes and from 1983 to 1991 and he is a member of the Olympic Romanian Team.

During this period he won several national championships and the title “Master of Sport”.

He is a Teacher of the course for weghtlifting trainers of the Brazilian Weightlifting Confederation, and also a member of the Brazilian Olympic Comity.

Creator of the Project “Lift Rio” of Rio de Janeiro’s Municipal School Silveira Sampaio.

In 1991 he received the title of “Hero of Romanian Revolution” given by the President a Romanian Republic, Mr. Íon Iliescu.

ELIZABETH THOMPSON

Born in Argentina, lived in Italy for 18 years and currently lives in Brazil. She is a professional translator (Spanish, Italian and Portuguese).

Ms. Thompson is the President of the National Union of Translators – SINTRA and works at the Istituto Italiano di Cultura of Rio de Janeiro.

FÁBIO BERNABEI

Free lancer Italian journalist who has been General Secretary (from 1993 to April 2003) of the pro-family values NGO Associazione Famiglia Domani. Has launched some direct actions nation-wide (mass mailing campaign, conferences) in order to increase the public opinion awareness on the cultural and moral issues behind the spreading of drug use. Has written several books, among which are “Droga libera? 100 ragioni contro” (Free drugs? 100 reasons against), and more recently “Storia moderna della Droga. Dalle Utopie alla Realtà” (Modern history of Drugs. From the Utopy to the Reality): mainly the history of the pro-drug lobby from ‘50 to present days, i.e. from Allen Ginsberg to George Soros.

Was Public Affairs Advisor for the Commissioner for National Anti-drugs Policies in the Office for National Anti-drugs Policies - Rome: Dipartimento nazionale per le politiche antidroga presso la Presidenza del Consiglio dei Ministri. Has worked as Senior Advisor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs for NGO relations: Esperto del Ministro degli Affari Esteri per le Relazioni con le Associazioni no-profit e culturali, con inquadramento nella Segreteria particolare. In 2006 he was one of the journalists who founded the Associazione Osservatorio Droga - NGO (Drug Watch Association - NGO), where he is the President. He writes regularly in San Patrignano monthly magazine.

GUILLERMO FERNANDEZ D’ADAM

Physician. Child & Adolescent Psychiatry Specialist, International Master on Prevention of Drug Addiction (Universidad del Salvador - Argentina and University of Deusto - Spain) and Master of Public Health (University of Salvador). Has extensive experience in the design, implementation and evaluation ofdrug prevention programs, alcohol and violence.

Currently he is Deputy Director at the Institute for the Prevention of Drug Addiction at the University of SALVADOR as well as Coordinator and Professor.

Among his recent publications on the topics of Resilience, ethics and prevention are (2005), Making paths … stages I and II (2006) Ed Gabas and Adolescents resilience, Ed Paidos, (2007).

Dr. Fernandez D’Adam advises and oversees mental health facilities, designs, directs and evaluates comprehensive prevention programs on Preventive Cities and does technical consultancy for non-governmental organizations in Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay and Spain being also a member of the International Task Force on Prevention, Policies and Strategies anti-drug DFAF / DPNA.

JUAN ALBERTO YARÍA

Director of the Institute for the Prevention of Drug Addiction-Universidad del Salvador - USAL and invited speaker at numerous national and international conferences on the complexity of the issue of addictions.

Technical Director of Preventing Drug Addiction-San Luis and Concórdia.

Doctor of Psychology, 1972 - University of Belgrano - Argentina and Master in Drug Addiction. University of Deusto. Spain.

Associate Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychopathology and Professor of Developmental Psychology I and II, School of Psychology – USAL.

He has been Secretary for Prevention and Addiction Assistance Government of the Province of Buenos Aires - 1993/2000.

• Director General Therapeutic Community “Gradiva.”

Among the books he has published are:

• 1999 - A Guide for Families and Social Leaders in the field of Drug Addiction - Editorial Lumen and Ediciones Universidad del Salvador

• 1999 - Drugs, Postmodernism and Social Networks - Editorial Lumen and Ediciones Universidad del Salvador

• The Addiction and Postmodernism - Philosophical Foundations Program “10,000 Leaders for Change” Buenos Aires 1995.

• “Family, School and Drugs.” Editorial Lumen. Bs 2004

• Treaty of Drug Addiction and Preventive Cities. ” Prof. Dr. Marco Marchioni, Juan A. Yaria. Editorial Gabas. Bs 2005.

LUIS MARIA VIALE

Has Bachelor Degrees in Journalism and in Social Communication and a Master Degree in Drug Addiction Prevention and Assistance from the University of Salvador, Buenos Aires, Argentina and the University of Deusto, Spain.

Has participated in diverse International Conferences on Drug related issues, especially regarding youth issues and has written in several newspapers in Córdoba such as La Voz del Interior, El Diario de Carlos Paz Newspaper,

Among the works he has published as articles and books are: “Drug, Crime and Youth”, “Comparison of Models of Assistance of Street Children”, “Media and Drugs”, “Preventive Cities – The Social Facilitator as a Change Agent”, “Drug Abuse Prevention”, “Utopía sin drogas”, (Utopy without Drugs), “Resliencia, Etica y Prevención”, “El consumo de alcohol de niñas, adolescentes y futuras mamás”, (Alcohol Consumption in Girls, Teenage Girls, and Future Mothers), “Los padres, las drogas y la escuela”, (Parents, Drugs and School), “Que Gran Capitán, que gran ejemplo”, (Great Capitan, Great Role Model).

Was in charge of Preventive Operations at the Consejo Provincial de Protección al Menor (Provincial Board for Minors Protection), Juvenile Police. Consejo Provincial de of the Program of Assistance of Minors in Social Risk, Juvenile Police Coordinator. Has received several distinctions for his work in preventing youngsters from drug use and violence.

MARCIA NASCENTES

Graduated in English-Portuguese from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Specialization in Translation and Interpretation. Professional experience: bilingual salesperson; translator; English teacher.

Her teaching experience with teenagers and children led to an interest in how schools, teachers and society as a whole can help prevent drug consumption. She acts as a volunteer gathering interesting material and interviews for BRAHA site.

WENDY HERBERT

Wendy Herbert is an addiction policy researcher and founding member of the West Australian Coalition Against Drugs. The Coalition has two core principles. First; All children have the human right to an abstinent pregnancy and childhood till maturity at 21 and second Once mature the adult is responsible to family and to the community for his or her choice and following accountability in using addictive substances.

Ms. Wendy Herbert works with parents, community groups and politicians to enshrine the right to abstinence in Australian Health policy. The over the last twenty five years Australian health and addiction policy has been politicized. The right of the individual to participate in addictive practices with only health and education to prevent harm has worked to increase the legal addiction industries in gambling, sex and alcohol.