SCIAF appoints new Director – CIDSE

SCIAF appoints new Director

SCIAF today announced the appointment of its new Director, Patricia Chalé, as she met with the Board of Directors, with the Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and with staff in SCIAF’s Glasgow office.

SCIAF is the official aid agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland. It works in some of the poorest countries in the world including the Democratic Republic of Congo, South Sudan, Haiti and Burma. Its work enables hundreds of thousands of people affected by poverty, war, disease and natural disasters to receive immediate aid in emergencies and long term support so they can work their way out of poverty. In 2011 the charity provided direct help to over 279,000 people which benefitted more than three million people in total.

SCIAF’s President, Bishop Peter Moran, led the search for a new leader of the SCIAF staff team. Introducing Ms Chalé to his fellow Bishops at the Gillis Centre, Edinburgh, he said:

“During an exacting selection process, Patricia particularly impressed the recruitment panel with her drive and commitment. I am so pleased that we have found Patricia and I know she will be an excellent leader for SCIAF’s able staff team.”

Cardinal Keith O’Brien, President of the Bishops’ Conference and Chairman of SCIAF, said:

“It is indeed with joy that I welcome Ms Patricia Chalé, as our new Director of SCIAF. In doing so I thank the senior management team for the outstanding work which they have accomplished during their period of responsibility under the Board of SCIAF. And it is with great pleasure that I welcome Patricia to be a member of our team. As you will know she comes with a great background of experience in different parts of the world which of course she will share with us; and her credentials speak for themselves.

“We do hope to go forward now ever more positively with our Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund, not only offering immediate relief when there is disaster but ensuring that there is long term support for communities with which we are engaged and that advocacy continues on our initiative, where that particular help is needed. I welcome Ms Patricia Chalé most sincerely and assure her of every support from our Bishops’ Conference of Scotland and indeed from the people of Scotland.”

Ms Chalé joins SCIAF from her current role as Executive Director of Caritas Diocese of Westminster, an agency which works to address poverty and social exclusion.

SCIAF’s new Director brings a wealth of experience to the role. Patricia Chalé has had a varied career, spanning over 20 years, as an international management consultant in the UK and across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As an adviser to a number of governments she has helped to shape initiatives to tackle inequality and social injustice.

On meeting members of the Bishops’ Conference, Patricia Chalé said:

“I am extremely delighted and honoured to have been appointed as Director of SCIAF. I very much look forward to working with the team to build on SCIAF’s very good work in addressing the huge gulf between the rich and poor in the world. Working in close collaboration with SCIAF’s Board, I look forward to strengthening its mandate as the official international aid agency of the Catholic Church in Scotland.”

Patricia joins SCIAF as Director (Photo: Paul McSherry)

 

 


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