We are delighted to introduce you to Jeannette Fava, EHC’s Operations Director. Jeanette joined the EHC in June 2022 and will be overseeing the EHC’s financial and administrative activities as well as managing the EHC’s human resources. Here below we give you a quick interview of Jeanette so that you can learn more about her and her background. 

Jeanette, welcome to the EHC, can you tell us about yourself? 

Though my academic background is financial, I have an extensive career where I held diverse responsibilities, including project management, administration, marketing, advocacy and policy-making. I am originally Maltese, and during my career in Malta, I have worked both in the private and the public sectors. During such a period, I was also commuting to Brussels to liaise on big twinning projects with other countries from the European Union (EU).

I moved permanently to Brussels when the Maltese government appointed me as a diplomat. During this phase, I was very involved in the European political sphere. I worked within the European Council, I developed connections with the European Commission and members of the European Parliament, and I also liaised with other stakeholders such as non-governmental organisations (NGOs), think tanks and the United Nations.

Several NGOs approached me while I was working as a diplomat, and I felt their cry for help. I saw their employees’ dedication and appreciated that they were ready to make even personal sacrifices to help their NGOs fulfil their mission. Backed by this, I have not extended my contract as a diplomat and joined the first NGO in Brussels that was facing significant financial issues and was at the edge of closing up. We were able to settle critical problems, and from then onwards, they are still working for a crucial social objective, helping victims of any type. I never looked back and started working only for NGOs, some of which I have built from scratch.

What attracted you to join the EHC? 

I saw the job description and first considered whether I could fulfil the role. The EHC appealed to me personally because of the disease area it covered.

What are your main priorities at EHC? What do you hope to accomplish in your first year?

Currently, I am in the observation phase to assess what types of operational functions exist and what can be improved so that the association can better fulfil its mission. Nonetheless, various projections are coming in the short and medium terms, which I will be discussing with the CEO to help the association grow and be of better service to our patients and the community as a whole while at the same time creating a more considerable awareness of this disorder to the outer society.

What do you enjoy doing outside work in your free time?

I must admit that I do not put much time into myself, but I like travelling since it also helps me to meet new people and understand different cultures.