Annual General Meeting (AGM) 2025 and Council Elections 2025
Notice is hereby given that the Annual General Meeting (AGM) and Elections of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works will be held at 1 Birdcage Walk, Westminster, London SW1H 9JJ on 27 January 2025 at 6.30 pm GMT, London time.
In accordance with Article 11 permitting Hybrid General Meeting, this AGM will be at a physical location where simultaneous participation will also be enabled via an electronic platform (Zoom). Members are invited to attend in person or participate in the AGM via a live webcast, which you will be able to access by a Zoom link which we will send shortly before the event, as well as making available to eligible members by logging into the IIC website. A copy of the agenda and minutes from the last AGM can be viewed online.
You will be asked to consider and vote on the resolutions below:
1. To receive and consider the Reports of the Council and the Auditors and the Financial Statements for the year ended 30 June 2024. Read here.
2. To authorise the Council to appoint auditors or independent examiners to the Institute, and to fix their remuneration for the ensuing year
3. To elect a President
4. To elect a Director, Emerging Professionals
5. To elect an Ordinary Member of Council
6. To transact any ordinary business of The Institute
By Order of the Council
Jane Henderson
Secretary-General
This notice was sent to all eligible members on 23 December 2024
Voting at the AGM
Honorary Fellows, Fellows, Individual, including Pathway to Fellowship and Early Career Members of IIC in good standing (that is, having paid their IIC membership fee for 2024- 2025) are able to vote at the AGM.
There are three ways you can vote:
i. in person at the meeting
ii. logging into your IIC member account online and using the new online ballot form, which will be live, and can be used for voting in advance, until 5pm (London time -GMT) Friday 24 January 2025.
iii. using the form found at the bottom of the page here, which you can then complete and send to the IIC office by email.
Please note if you cannot attend the AGM in-person and intend to join remotely you will need to vote in advance online or appoint a proxy, it will not be possible to vote online during the AGM. Voting in advance or completion of a proxy form will not prevent you from attending in-person and voting at the AGM. If you appoint a proxy or vote in advance, and then decide to attend the AGM in person or by an electronic platform and vote, then that vote in person will override the vote in advance or proxy.
Online voting closes at 5.00 pm (London time - GMT) on Friday 24 January 2025.
Proxies
Members eligible to vote, including Individuals, Fellows, Fellows and Honorary Fellows, may appoint a proxy to exercise all or any of their rights to attend and to speak and vote at the AGM.
For paper votes and proxy votes the form can be returned by email to iic@iiconservation.org. Please remember that votes and proxy votes must reach IIC by 5.00 pm (London time - GMT) on Friday 24 January 2024 at the latest; votes and proxies received after then will not be counted.
Completion of a proxy card or voting online will not prevent you from attending and voting at the AGM. If you appoint a proxy or vote online, and then decide to attend the AGM in person and vote there, then the vote in person will override the proxy vote or online vote.
Candidates for Election
Their election statements / manifestos can be viewed below:
IIC President:
Juergen Vervoorst FIIC
I am standing to rejoin IIC’s Council as President. IIC is stronger than ever and has become an increasingly inclusive and truly international organisation. I am proud to have played my part as IIC’s Treasurer, Director of Awards and Grants, and currently as Deputy President. I have been Head of Collection Care at The National Archives, UK since 2016. Following graduation, I have held positions in major collections and have taught at universities in Germany, Austria, and the UK. In 2022 I completed a programme in Circular Economy and Sustainability Strategies at Cambridge University, combining cultural and environmental conservation and merging two of my main interests. As Trustee of the Institute of Conservation, UK and its Chair from 2012-14, I have gained Board experience, on which I have built with IIC’s Council since 2018. My IIC work has focused on achieving financial sustainability and improved governance, both enabling and strengthening IIC’s ability to operate with greater agility and impact. More recently I took a leading role in IIC’s partnership with the Palace Museum, Beijing. IIC stands for global inclusivity and innovation: we need to continue growing our membership and the number of Fellows around the world; we must make it easier for everyone to join; we need to deliver programmes vital for the development of the conservation profession everywhere; and we need all of you to face the persistent threats to our heritage. I would be very honoured to play a part in IIC’s next chapter.
IIC Director, Emerging Professionals:
Lee Bilson FIIC
With a decade of conservation expertise in the UK and Europe, I would relish the opportunity to help by serving on the Council. My role at Recclesia, a private conservation practice known for innovative heritage preservation, has given me a deep understanding of the diverse challenges our sector faces. I manage high-profile projects, balancing historical integrity with contemporary needs, while ensuring our work adheres to best practice. In addition to my conservation work, I bring valuable governance insights from my seven years as a Trustee of The Arvon Foundation, where I chair the Properties Committee and guide the management of historic estates, ensuring compliance with conservation standards. I have championed EDI initiatives, advocating for younger trustees and the training of new ones. As I near the end of my term at Arvon, the openings on the Council seem timely. I am passionate about fostering learning in the conservation field, tutoring and lecturing at institutions like The King’s Foundation and The University of Manchester. If elected, I would prioritize the voices of emerging professionals and nurture platforms for collaboration, empowering the next generation of leaders in conservation.
Phedra Komodromou
The IIC has been invaluable to my growth as a conservator since 2020, offering opportunities for public speaking, publishing, mentorship, and skill-building. It has also helped me form friendships that will last a lifetime. For these reasons, I am presenting my candidacy for Chair of Emerging Professionals of the IIC. In doing so, I will ensure that the IIC remains as much a source of support and inspiration for EPs as it has been for me. As an IIC EP Committee member, with leadership experience, and a multicultural background, I bring a global perspective to the greater issues facing early-career conservators. Over the past 4 years, I have seen the EP committee’s potential yet noticed many IIC members are still unaware of its existence. If elected, I will prioritize raising awareness of the EP committee’s existence. I will furthermore work to make all EPs feel welcomed and confident in seeking guidance, or voicing concerns. I intend to promote existing EP resources and collaborate to develop new initiatives. Additionally, I plan to support the IIC Student and Emerging Conservator Conference (SECC) through promotional and organizational efforts. Lastly, I will encourage EP contribution to IIC publications, helping them share their insights with the conservation community.
Meaghan Monaghan FIIC
I was first introduced to IIC when invited to speak at the 2013 Student & Emerging Conservator Conference (S&ECC) and was inspired by the active involvement and leadership opportunities for emerging conservators. I quickly became an active IIC member, successfully chairing four IIC Congress Student Poster Committees (SPC) and recently serving as Ordinary Member of Council. These roles are extremely rewarding; especially given the exciting new directions our organization is headed to advance IIC’s sustainability, access, and inclusion agenda through online conferences, events, and learning platforms. Alongside the committed volunteer members of S&ECC LOCs, Congress SPCs, and IIC personnel, I supported conference contributors in overcoming language barriers through mentoring, peer-review, pre-recorded sessions, and translation support during Q&A sessions. I presented online networking and information sessions and assisted in the development of accessibility guidelines for conference posters. If elected as Director, Emerging Professionals, I will draw on these experiences and champion existing initiatives as opportunities to engage students and emerging professionals globally. With the support of council members and IIC Fellows, I will expand on initiatives related to future proofing the IIC and the conservation profession at large, such as career advice sessions and S&ECC joint sessions with IIC Fellows. I will dedicate myself to harnessing the enthusiasm and potential within our membership of students and emerging conservators as we work to shape and develop future leaders in the field. I am an enthusiastic advocate for IIC, and I welcome the opportunity to continue to contribute to the organization through the responsibilities of this position.
IIC Ordinary Member of Council:
Lee Bilson FIIC
With a decade of conservation expertise in the UK and Europe, I would relish the opportunity to help by serving on the Council. My role at Recclesia, a private conservation practice known for innovative heritage preservation, has given me a deep understanding of the diverse challenges our sector faces. I manage high-profile projects, balancing historical integrity with contemporary needs, while ensuring our work adheres to best practice. In addition to my conservation work, I bring valuable governance insights from my seven years as a Trustee of The Arvon Foundation, where I chair the Properties Committee and guide the management of historic estates, ensuring compliance with conservation standards. I have championed EDI initiatives, advocating for younger trustees and the training of new ones. As I near the end of my term at Arvon, the openings on the Council seem timely. I am passionate about fostering learning in the conservation field, tutoring and lecturing at institutions like The King’s Foundation and The University of Manchester. If elected, I would prioritize the voices of emerging professionals and nurture platforms for collaboration, empowering the next generation of leaders in conservation.
Amber Kerr FIIC
In seeking the position of ordinary council member, I bring my past experience on council, leadership skills, and supportive commitment to the membership of this organization to fulfill the responsibilities of this role. As we enter the IIC’s 75th anniversary year, our organization faces new challenges. It is evolving to support the critical initiatives and sustainable practices that are essential to the care of cultural heritage throughout the world. Now more than ever, the IIC’s dedication to building vital support networks, lifting the voices of our global community, and bridging obstacles through community engagement, learned dialogues, trusted publications, and shared experiences is critical to a sustainable future. If elected I shall apply my experience in outreach, education, and conservation practice, as well as my professional training, and administrative knowledge to the tasks before council. I am a supporting member of the IIC Communication Team, serve as an IIC mentor, and actively participate in Fellow meetings and events. As my record reflects, I serve as a dedicated representative to the needs of the IIC membership, working collaboratively to identify new pathways forward and to support the directions our members and leaders envision for the IIC’s future.
James Licari FIIC
I obtained a Masters of Science (2016) and a Bachelors degree (2003) in Conservation and Restoration Studies (with honours) through the University of Malta. My academic and empirical specialisation is within the field of conservation of Archaeological, Architectural, and Historical: metals, ceramics, glass, stone and composite materials. I work full-time within Heritage Malta, preserving the national collections as well as providing academic and empirical support for any educational programs/ public relations. I have been one of the initiators of ‘MAPCo-Re: The Malta Association of professional Conservator-Restorers’, currently holding the position of president. I am also President of the Malta Federation of Professional Associations (MFPA). I hold membership with the European Confederation of Conservator-restorer Organizations (E.C.C.O.), ‘ICOM-Malta’ and 'ICOMOS-Malta'. I have also been a visiting lecturer at the University of Malta (UoM) as well as a part-time lecturer at the Malta College of Arts, Science and Technology (MCAST). I regularly published cultural heritage related articles. I also work freelance part-time and sometimes voluntarily with NGO, in order to preserve the cultural heritage of the past for present and future generations.
Ashley Lingle FIIC
As an experienced conservation educator specializing in archaeological heritage, I am dedicated to sharing IIC’s mission and values. My background, which combines both academic rigor and practical fieldwork, has earned me a reputation for fostering collaborative research and bridging diverse perspectives in the heritage sector. As an IIC Fellow and active member of the Grants and Awards Committee, I understand the critical role IIC plays in supporting innovation and upholding excellence within our field. If elected as an Ordinary Member of Council, I will work closely with Council members and the conservation community to drive initiatives that promote sustainable, accessible, and inclusive conservation practices. I am particularly passionate about amplifying underrepresented voices within IIC and building stronger platforms for knowledge exchange at all career stages. My experience as an educator has equipped me with excellent communication skills, allowing me to engage effectively with diverse audiences and support others in sharing their insights. With a commitment to accountability and transparency, I will work to support IIC’s strategic role as a vibrant, inclusive community for conservators worldwide.
Dee Stubbs-Lee FIIC
I recently attended the 30th biennial IIC Congress in Lima, Peru, where I had the great pleasure of assisting with conference promotion and information dissemination as a Digital Engagement Volunteer. Ever since the Congress, I have been thinking about the broader work of the IIC and wanting to get involved in the profession internationally in a more meaningful way, so the fortuitously-timed call for volunteers to stand for IIC Council caught my attention! Professionally, I am an objects and preventive conservator with particular interests in the care of mixed collections and in public engagement with conservation. For the last 20+ years, I headed the Conservation section of Canada’s oldest public museum, overseeing the care of diverse Humanities, Natural History and Archival collections. A long-time volunteer in the conservation professional organizations in Canada, I am a former President of both the Canadian Association for the Conservation of Cultural Property (CAC) and the Canadian Association for Professional Conservators (CAPC), and I continue to serve both organizations in various capacities. I have contributed content and peer review for several conservation and museum professional journals, including IIC’s Studies in Conservation. I would love to bring my experience gained in a Canadian and international context forward to the international professional community, while also bringing inspiration, ideas and initiatives generated internationally back home to Canada, contributing to international efforts to help preserve the world’s cultural, artistic and natural heritage
AGM TALK + SMALL RECEPTION
After the formal business is concluded, the AGM Talk will include a presentation by Yuri Yanchyshyn, 'Conservation in Wartime Ukraine - Context, Challenges and Opportunities' and will start at approximately 7.15 pm (GMT, London). Yuri is an established conservator based in New York, a Fulbright specialist and Scholar to Ukraine before the war.
There will be a small drinks reception after the AGM Talk. In-person attendance will be prioritised for members as capacity at the venue is limited, you can sign up to attend in-person here.
The AGM Talk is free to attend will also be live streamed for members not able to attend in-person, a live stream link will be circulated to all members before the AGM. We are hoping a recording of the talk will be made available to IIC members to view afterwards on the IIC Community platform.
Biography: Yuri is a conservator emeritus of Period Furniture Conservation LLC and Kensington Preservation LLC, both metropolitan New York City firms dedicated to wooden artifact conservation, as well as cultural heritage objects preservation. Yuri holds degrees from the University of Michigan and the California Institute of the Arts. He received conservation training from the Amsterdam Academy for Restoration and the Smithsonian Center for Materials Research and Education. Before the founding of his firms, Yuri worked as a consulting conservator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Yuri has treated wooden objects for more than 40 years and was awarded Fulbright Specialist Status in 2018, teaching wooden artifact conservation at the Lyviv Polytechnic National University, Ukraine. In 2019, he was awarded Fulbright Scholar Status and returned to teach in Ukraine once again. Since the invasion of Ukraine in 2022, Yuri as been involved in numerous initiatives to preserve Ukraine's cultural heritage.