The new financial year at ISSUP has brought a significant change in the leadership roles in the organisation. As of November 1st, 2017 Joanna Travis-Roberts is the new Acting Executive Director. Former Executive Director, Jeff Lee, will continue to support the work and development of ISSUP in a Senior Consultant role.
Joanna Travis-Roberts brings many years of experience and substantial expertise of working with Governments, NGOs and international organisations in the substance use disorder field. In regard to the new leadership, Jeff says that he hands over the reins to someone "who has played the key role in supporting me and ensuring ISSUP is now 'on the map'. She has been fundamental in making this possible and I know she will bring energy, enthusiasm, creativity and the leadership required to move ISSUP to the next stages of its development."
In her first message as Acting Executive Director, Joanna would like to to thank Jeff for doing a fantastic job establishing ISSUP and leading us to this point with the support of the board, a dedicated staff, the U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL) as well as the Colombo Plan Drug Advisory Programme (DAP) and the International Organisations who are observers to the organisation.
She adds: "I take over with the support of a fantastic team and the motivation of a wealth of enthusiastic members! ISSUP looks forward to continuing to support you in your substance use prevention and treatment endeavours, sharing knowledge, building expertise, establishing networks and broadening our membership. I am very proud of the achievements of ISSUP over the last 2 years, having been involved from its origination."