The Governing Board

The General Assembly, composed of the association’s members, is Public Eye's ruling body. The members of the Governing Board and the chairperson are elected by the General Assembly for a renewable term of 2 years. The maximum term of office is 12 years. Positions on the Governing Board are unpaid.

The Governing Board is the body that decides Public Eye's strategy. It is composed of a minimum of 9 members and a maximum of 13 members. Wherever possible, the board is formed with a representative balance of genders, ages, professional experience and linguistic regions. As such, it is ensured that French/Italian-speaking Switzerland and German-speaking Switzerland are each represented by at least four members. Each gender is also represented by at least four members. The current board was elected at the most recent general assembly on 18th of June 2022.

Chair

  • Aline Gavillet, Bachelor in Social Work (HETSL) and Master of Advanced Studies in Social Action and Policies (UniNE), social worker in the field of domestic violence. Joined the Governing Board in 2020, member of the Governing Board's Committee for personnel matters, co-chair since 2024.
  • Alfred Sommer, Masters degree in public administration, (Idheap, UniLS), independent consultant in financial management, auditing and coaching. Executive Finance Manager at the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) until 2014. Joined the Governing Board in 2015, member of the Governing Board's Committee for personnel matters. Co-chair since 2022.

Vice-chairs

  • Zineb Bekhelifa, BA in literature (Islamic studies), representative of the Mayor of the City of Zurich for the Equality of Persons with Disabilities. Joined the Governing Board in 2015.
  • Alessia Jemetta, Nursing science specialist, mental health nurse in Berne. Joined the Governing Board in 2018, member of the Governing Board's Committee for personnel matters. 

Other Board Members

  • Claudia Frick, lawyer, trained in human rights, lawyer for the Vaud Protestant Social Centre since 2002. Joined the Governing Board in 2016.
  • Beata Hochstrasser, BA in literature, trained in management and organisation and communications consultancy. Member of the executive committee of BEP Wohnbaugenossenschaft eidg. Personal. Joined the Governing Board in 2016, member of the financial commission.
  • Thomas König, professor and doctor of natural sciences, teacher and chair of the working group on psychiatric neurophysiology of the psychiatry and psychotherapy clinic at Berne University. Joined the Governing Board in 2018.
  • Yann Lenggenhager, Bachelor of Arts from University of Neuchâtel, former ICRC delegate for the Middle East and North Africa, secondary school professor of history in Zurich, human rights activist (Lead Educator, Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Switzerland). Joined the Governing Board in 2020.
  • Fabrice Lauper, Master's degree in physics (EPFL), EMBA, Technology advisor to the International Committee of the Red Cross on innovation and responsible digital transformation. Joined the Governing Board in 2023.
  • Jan Tschannen, Master of Advanced Studies in development and cooperation (EPFZ), Master's degree in theology and minor master's degree in interreligious studies (University of Bern). Head of the East Africa programme for a development fondation in Zurich, and pastor in Büren (BE). Joined the Governing Board in 2023.
  • Philipp Meyer, electronics engineer, MAS in management, technology and economics (ETHZ), business development at SBB Energy. Joined the Governing Board in 2023.
  • Sarah Burgess, lawyer, Master of Laws, legal officer at the Directorate of International Law of the Federal Department of Foreign Affairs (FDFA). Joined the Governing Board in 2023, member of the Governing Board's Committee for personnel matters.