IFMA Announces 2026-27 Global Board of Directors Jul 01, 2026 Viña elected to lead board of world’s largest association of FM professionals IFMA GLOBAL HQ – (1 July 2026) – The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is pleased to announce the member-elected executive committee and appointees to the global board of directors for the 2026-27 fiscal year (1 July 2026 – 30 June 2027). Luis R. Viña begins his term as board chair today. He is joined by First Vice Chair Wayne Whitzell, CFM, FMP, SFP, LEED®AP, BEP, GBO, IFMA Fellow and Second Vice Chair Nick Heibein, MCR, FMP, SFP. Members of the executive committee serve one-year terms. “Luis has spent years influencing the FM industry in Latin America, raising awareness, growth and collaboration,” said IFMA President and CEO Michael V. Geary, CAE. “His global experiences will help IFMA continue to connect professionals and further our ability to guide our members to be positive forces for the organizations and people they serve.” Viña, a native of Madrid, has lived in Mexico City since 2013. He has an MBA, as well as degrees in philosophy and theology. He has built his career around real estate, integrated facility management and workplace services for global portfolios. Viña has served on IFMA’s Global Board of Directors since 2022 and was the second vice chair in 2024-25 before becoming first vice chair in 2025-26. Since 2019, he has participated in IFMA’s development in Latin America through a variety of initiatives. “I am very grateful to IFMA’s membership and Global Board of Directors for entrusting me with the leadership of the association for the 2026-27 term,” said Viña. “IFMA has come a long way since 1980. We want our association to continue being that North Star pointing the way for leaders and professionals in the built environment across the globe for the next 45 years. How do we lead in a fast-paced, AI-enhanced world? How do we serve as a global organization? These are questions I intend to address during this term with the support of our membership and board of directors.” Returning board members Tariq Chauhan (UAE), Ted Cohen, CFM (Canada), Giselle Holder, PMP, CFM, FMP, SFP (Trinidad and Tobago) Frank Ngoh, CFM, FMP, SFP, CFME Tier 1, IFMA Fellow (Singapore), Bobby R. LaRon, MScM, CFM, FMP, SFP (USA) and Darin Rose, CFM, SFP, GGP, CRFP, IFMA Fellow (USA), are joined by newly appointed board members Andrew (Drew) DePriest (USA), Alexandra (Alex) Liz (USA) and Maria O’Callaghan-Cassidy, MSOD, CFM, SFP (USA). These individuals bring a broad range of subject matter expertise to the organization, including emerging technologies, real estate and accommodations, change management, tactical execution, stakeholder management and client relations. IFMA thanks outgoing Chair Christa Dodoo CFM, FMP, CIWFM, CMQ/OE for her steady leadership over the last 12 months. Dodoo has been a visible and vocal advocate for FM and IFMA, speaking to industry and aligned buildings professionals around the world. She is a frequent contributor to IFMA's Connected FM Podcast, bringing her vast expertise on critical FM topics such as sustainability, circular economy, climate challenges, technology adoption and expanding workforce skills to a global audience. During Dodoo’s term, IFMA: increased its membership to more than 26,000 global members, including a 10 percent increase in EMEA expanded IFMA’s job board to include global FM career and internship opportunities unveiled IFMA’s Top Global FM Influencers, a list of visionaries driving change and innovation across the built environment reactivated IFMA’s Young Professionals network launched chapters in Indonesia, Uganda and Rwanda and reorganized the formation of the Caribbean Chapter published the Strategic Playbook for Scalable FM Training updated IFMA’s Self-Assessment tool to assess skills and take a more strategic approach to professional growth introduced IFMA’s inaugural FM Index/Pulse Report, delivering data-driven insights on global FM workload trends, budgets, staffing and risk published regional white papers on circular economy (North America, Africa & Europe), along with groundbreaking reports such as The Rise of the FM Analyst secured participation in the United Nations Commission on Indoor Air Quality, provided FM recommendations and testimonials to U.K. Parliament, and joined the Renovate Europe campaign “IFMA and its diverse, global membership worked as one unit to accomplish so much this year,” said Dodoo. “We set new benchmarks for what stewardship and advocacy can achieve in the facilities management profession and strengthened IFMA’s position as a true global partner across various sectors within the built environment. Thank you, IFMA, for a wonderful year. I’m excited to see Luis’ positive influence in the year to come.” Learn more about IFMA’s global board of directors at ifma.org/about/leadership-staff/board-of-directors/global-board-of-directors/. IFMA 2026-27 Global Board of Directors Chair Luis R. Viña Senior Director, Global Operations Ciudad de México, Mexico First Vice Chair Wayne Whitzell, CFM, FMP, SFP, LEED®AP, BEP, GBO, IFMA Fellow Senior Vice President SOLID Surface Care San Francisco, California, USA Second Vice Chair Nick Heibein, MCR, FMP, SFP Executive Director, Integrated Facilities Management JLL Toronto, Ontario, Canada Ex-Officio Michael V. Geary, CAE President & CEO IFMA Savanna, Georgia, USA Past Chair Christa Dodoo, CFM, FMP, CIWFM, CMQ-OE Head, Global Workplace Strategy and Safety United Nations World Food Programme Rome, Italy Board of Directors Tariq Chauhan Cofounder & Vice Chairman EFS Facilities Services Dubai, UAE Ted Cohen, CFM CEO Hillel Lodge LTC Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Drew DePriest, MCR.w Director, Workplace Services Vendor Management Salesforce Chicago, Illinois, USA Giselle Holder, PMP, CFM, FMP, SFP Director Acuitas Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago Bobby R. LaRon, MScM, CFM, FMP, SFP Senior Commercial Property Manager CBRE Portland, Oregon, USA Alexandra Liz Vice President, Corporate Real Estate and Workplace Blackstone New York, New York, USA Frank Ngoh, CFM, FMP, SFP, CFME Tier 1 Managing Director EM Real Estate Pte Ltd Singapore Maria O'Callaghan-Cassidy, MSOD, CFM, SFP Senior Associate Vice President Facilities Development and Operations San José State University San Jose, California, USA Darin Rose, CFM, SFP, GGP, CRFP, IFMA Fellow Director of Facilities & Real Estate Credit Union of Colorado Littleton, Colorado, USA About IFMA Founded in 1980, the International Facility Management Association (IFMA) is the world’s largest, most widely recognized association for facility management (FM) professionals. Supporting more than 26,000 members in over 140 countries, IFMA is a key contributor to the development of international FM standards and works with decision-makers to inform FM-related policy. IFMA provides career resources and continuing education, offers three industry-respected credentials, maintains the largest repository of FM-related content on the web and hosts year-round global events. With a vision to lead the future of the built environment to make the world a better place, IFMA believes in the benefit of global diversity, inclusion and social equity, and recognizes that sustainability, resilience and responsible environmental stewardship are paramount. For more information, visit ifma.org and our LinkedIn, YouTube, Facebook, Threads, X and SmugMug pages. Follow IFMA’s Connected FM podcast and blog for expert insights on trending industry topics.
