The EUD Board Elections 2026 will take place on 16 May 2026 in Larnaca, Cyprus, as part of the EUD General Assembly. A total of five Board members will be elected to serve a four-year mandate.
Candidates for President
Sofia Isari, Greece
EUD Board Elections 2026
Sofia Isari is a bilingual Deaf native signer, expert in sign language pedagogy, Deaf rights advocate, Greek Sign Language examiner and volunteer Deaf interpreter. Since 2005 she has served as Head Teacher at the Deaf Kindergarten in Athens, promoting bilingual sign language-based education for deaf children. She has held leadership roles as Board Member, Vice President and President of the European Union of the Deaf (EUD), as well as Board Member and Vice President of the Hellenic Federation of the Deaf and Chair of efsliDI. During her presidency, she strengthened EUD’s strategic advocacy, reinforced European alliances and advanced recognition of national sign languages, ensuring continuity, influence and lasting progress for Deaf communities across Europe.
Ronit Laquerrière-Leven, France
Ronit has over 30 years of dedication to the Deaf community. She served 13 years with the Fédération Nationale des Sourds de France and was Vice President of the European Union of the Deaf for four years. With more than 15 years of advocacy experience, she has worked to improve Deaf education, promote the recognition of sign languages, and defend Deaf rights. In France, she contributed to parallel reports under the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities. Professionally, she is an associate professor, interpreter, translator, and director of a French Sign Language training center.
Candidates for Vice President
Vaida Lukošiūtė, Lithuania
Vaida Lukošiūtė is President of the Lithuanian Deaf Association, leading national advocacy and international cooperation to advance Deaf rights, accessibility, and sign language recognition. Deaf since early childhood, she has been an active member of the Deaf community since 2004. Vaida holds a Master’s degree and brings strong leadership experience in communication and project development. She contributes to national policy development by participating in working groups on accessibility, equal opportunities, and inclusive education. She lectures in Lithuanian Sign Language at Vytautas Magnus University and serves on the national Disability Rights Monitoring Commission, supporting implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.
Helga Stevens, Belgium
Helga Stevens is a Belgian lawyer and lifelong advocate for deaf people. She studied law in Belgium, UK and USA. After beginning her career as the first deaf attorney at the Brussels Bar, Helga joined EUD in 1996 as project coordinator. Later she became EUD General Secretary, Director, and President. She was a Member of the Flemish Parliament (2004-2014), Belgian Senate (2007-2014), European Parliament (2014-2019), and the Gent city council (2007-2014 and 2022-2025). Currently Helga works for the Belgian government service. She was board member and director of Doof Vlaanderen and is vice president of the Flemish Sign Language Center.
Candidates for Board Members
Helene Jarmer, Austria
Mag.a Helene Jarmer is an educator, Deaf interpreter, and translator. She is the founder and managing director of ÖGS barrierefrei, President of the Austrian Association of the Deaf, and Vice President of the Austrian Disability Council. She previously worked as a teacher, university lecturer, member of parliament, and disability spokesperson. For many years, she has been committed to the rights of deaf people. Her publications include the book „Schreien nützt nichts. Mittendrin statt still dabei“ and professional contributions on sign language, education, and equality.
Árpád Kárpáti, Hungary
I work as an IT specialist and sign language instructor, and I am currently training as a Deaf sign language interpreter. Since 2005, I have served as a Board Member of SINOSZ (Hungarian National Association of the Deaf and Hard of Hearing), including one term as Vice President, actively contributing to advocacy for accessibility, inclusion, and equal opportunities. I am the author of a book on the education of Deaf children. My work is deeply informed by lived experience, as I was born into a Deaf family and am the father of two Deaf children, strengthening my commitment to the Deaf community.
Daniel Lolici, Romania
Daniel Lolici is the President of the National Association of the Deaf in Romania (ANSR), where he leads national advocacy on sign language rights, accessibility, and equal access to information for Deaf people. He previously served in the leadership of the European Union of the Deaf Youth (EUDY), strengthening his commitment to the European Deaf movement. His work focuses on policy development, media accessibility, interpreter services, and institutional partnerships at both national and international levels. Through collaborations with European stakeholders and international exchanges, he actively promotes innovation, inclusion, and stronger representation of Deaf communities across Europe.
Filipe Venade de Sousa, Portugal
Jurist. Legal expert specializing in fundamental rights. University professor in the legal field and Portuguese Sign Language (PSL). Member of the Me-CDPD (Independent Mechanism of the CRPD in Portugal). I collaborate with (Portuguese Federation of Associations of the Deaf (FPAS) in the legal field. I was rapporteur of the IA report for EUD and I am part of the EUD working group on ECRML. I am the author of several published works in the area of Law and PSL.
Dijana Vincek, Croatia
Since 2022 I have served as president of the NAD-HSGN, providing strategic leadership and representing members at national level. Previously, I was a board member and delegate in the assembly of the largest local member association. I work in HSGN as a coordinator among member associations, supporting cooperation, project implementation and advocacy activities. As a volunteer I acted as the leader of the parent section in the local association as well as in the activities of national association, contributing to initiatives that strengthen the voice and inclusion of our community. Through these roles I gained strong governance and coordination experience.
Mari Virtanen, Finland
Mari Virtanen, M.Ed., Finland. I am a Deaf professional interpreter (B.A.) and a certified International Sign interpreter (CISI #2) with training from Rochester Institute of Technology. With 19 years as a Senior Lecturer, I have expertise in pedagogy, linguistic rights, and interpersonal communication. I serve as a member and Vice Chairperson of the Finnish Association of the Deaf (since 2020) and the Finnish Sign Language Board (2018–2024), including local board experience. My academic work focuses on deaf culture and social media discourse on interpreter services. I aim to further EUD’s strategic goals by applying my experience in advocacy.
