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The Executive Committee
The Executive Committee of IFFTI is a specialized body responsible for overseeing and making key decisions related to the Foundation’s operations and strategic direction. Composed of elected representatives from the Regular Members, the Committee addresses critical issues, sets policies, and ensures the implementation of the Foundation’s mission and objectives. Additionally, the Executive Committee plays a crucial role in the preparation and organization of the IFFTI Annual Conference, guiding the development of the event.
Prof. Robyn Healy
- Chairperson
RMIT University,
Australia
Oceania
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Professor Robyn Healy is Associate Deputy Vice Chancellor of Learning, Teaching and Quality in the College of Design and Social Context at RMIT University.Robyn led RMITs School of Fashion and Textiles as Dean for eight years and continues to supervise PhD candidates. As an elected Board Director on the Executive Committee for The Australian Fashion Council, Robyn advocates for whole of life education in industry with sustainable partnerships and collaboration between industry and tertiary education institutions.In previous roles Robyn has developed two major Australian public collections of fashion, as Senior Curator of Fashion and Textiles at the National Gallery of Victoria and National Gallery of Australia.
Prof. Liz Barnes
- Deputy Chairperson
Manchester Metropolitan University
UK
Europe
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Dr Liz Barnes is Head of Manchester Fashion Institute at Manchester Metropolitan University, and a Professor of Fashion Marketing. As Deputy Chair, Liz’s focus for IFFTI has been to address marketing and communication, as well as looking at ways of collaborative working for the Executive Committee. Liz is also regularly involved in supporting the IFFTI Annual Conference hosts in the preparation for their events and reviewing conference abstract submissions. Alongside her role as Deputy Chair for the IFFTI Executive Committee, Liz also serves on the IFFTI Membership Sub-Committee.
Prof. David Zajtmann
- Chair Research Sub-Committee
Institut Francais De La Mode
France
Europe
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
David Zajtmann holds a PhD in Management Science from Université Paris 1 Sorbonne, a Research Master (DEA) in Industrial Economics from Université Paris Dauphine, and is a graduate of Sciences Po Paris and IFM. His areas of research include strategies of couture and ready-to-wear companies, as well as creative cities in fashion industries. At IFM, he is an academic and research project coordinator. David Zajtmann is preparing a book entitled Haute couture and the Parisian fashion industries which will be published in the second half of 2025 by Editions EMS.
Prof. Jose Teunissen
- Chair Education Initiative Sub-Committee
Amsterdam Fashion Institute (Hogeschool),The Netherlands
Europe
Tenure until 2028 Annual Conference
Since March 2023 José Teunissen is Director of Amsterdam Fashion Institute and a professor in Fashion and Identity at Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences. Her research is focusing on the transformational impact of Fashion Tech, Inclusivity and new value systems. From 2016-2023 she was dean of School of Design and Technology at LCF, UAL and a professor in Fashion Theory. Next, she is a free-lance Fashion Curator, chair of State of Fashion (Arnhem Biennale) board, chair of RCDF board and a board member of IAF (International Apparel Federation).
Prof. Margo Barton
- Chair Membership Sub-Committee
Otago Polytechnic
New Zealand
Oceania
Tenure until 2028 Annual Conference
Professor Margo Barton PhD, Otago Polytechnic, iD Dunedin Fashion Co-Chair, Creative Director.
Margo is a fashion educator, researcher, practitioner, creative director of fashion events, collaborator, and a curator of fashion in both traditional and non-traditional senses. Through her research and practice she aims to connect emerging and independent fashion designers to the public and the wider fashion industries with the aim to break stereotypical dressing habits and encourage dialogue between these people. In her fashion designing practice she utilizes traditional and non-traditional (3D CAD) methodologies and materials to design and make millinery and fashion.
Aditi Srivastava
- Chair Finance Sub-Committee
Pearl Academy
India
Asia
Tenure until 2028 Annual Conference
Prof. Norio Nakanishi
- Membership Sub-Committee
Bunka Gakuen University
Japan
Asia
Tenure until 2028 Annual Conference
Graduated from Faculty of Science and Technology at Kinki University, and Bunka Fashion College, Apparel Design Department Fashion Designer at Kenzo paris etc…(France 1991-2014), professor at Bunka Gakuen University(Japan 2015)
TOKYO 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games staff, city volunteers and referees Uniform design selection committee member (2019).Currently, Head of the Fashion Design Laboratory, the Fashion Crafts Laboratory and the Fashion Painting Laboratory in Bunka Gakuen University.(2023)
Dr. Circe Henestrosa
- Membership Sub-Committee
LASALLE College of the Arts,
University of the Arts
Singapore
Asia
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Dr. Circe Henestrosa is a fashion curator and Head of the School of Fashion at LASALLE College of the Arts, Singapore. She curated the exhibition Frida Kahlo: Appearances Can Be Deceiving at the Frida Kahlo Museum in Mexico (2012) and co-curated the blockbuster exhibition Frida Kahlo: Making Her Self Up at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London (2018). Her work has also been showcased at the Brooklyn Museum (2019), the Fine Arts Museum DeYoung (2020), and Palais Galliera (2022). Henestrosa completed her PhD on Frida Kahlo at London College of Fashion in 2024 and has published several notable works on fashion and curatorial practice.
Laura Washington
- Membership Sub-Committee
FDS TAFE, NSW
Australia
Oceania
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Dr. Lisa P. Chapman
- Research Sub-Committee
North Caroline State University
USA
Americas
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Dr. Lisa P. Chapman is Professor, University Faculty Scholar, and Director of Doctoral programs at The Wilson College of Textiles at NC State University. Dr. Chapman’s research focuses on digital design technologies that help bridge design and manufacturing. Engagement with industry has led to groundbreaking research in the areas of digital printing and knit product development and her research labs, The Digital Design Lab and The Digital Manufacturing Lab, serve small businesses and entrepreneurs as well as large global corporations. As a Fulbright senior specialist Dr. Chapman contributed to the development of a new graduate program in South America and created computer aided design learning modules for industry and graduate level courses.
Dr. Anne Porterfield
- Research Sub-Committee
North Caroline State University
USA
Americas
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Dr. Anne Porterfield is an Associate Professor and Interim Director of Undergraduate Programs in the Department of Textile and Apparel, Technology and Management at Wilson College of Textiles, North Carolina State University. She teaches design and technology courses at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Her research is focused on how 3D apparel visualization software is used in apparel design and customization. In addition, she is engaged in research on design pedagogy and creative design applications.
Prof. Dr. Dennis Jie Sun
- Membership Sub-Committee
Donghua University,
P.R.CHINA
Asia
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Prof. Dr. Dennis Jie Sun serves as the Dean of the College of Fashion & Design, and Chair of the Academic Committee for Art and Design at Donghua University in Shanghai. In 2015, has been honored as a National Distinguished Expert in the Arts and Humanities category by China’s Ministry of Education. He stands as one of the most influential figures in sustainable interdisciplinary fashion and design research, practice, and curation across Greater China. His academic focus lies on sustainable fashion through the lens of design-driven innovation, encompassing themes including well-being, inclusive societies, intangible heritage, digital transformation, and artificial intelligence.
Dr. Jun Li
- Finance Sub-Committee
Donghua University,
P.R.CHINA
Asia
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Dr. Jun Li is a full professor and Dean of the College of Fashion and Design, director of the Key Laboratory of Clothing Design and Technology of the Ministry of Education at Donghua University. His research interest is functional clothing design and performance evaluation, apparel merchandising and product development. In recent years, his team has mainly carried out research work about clothing comfort and function in areas of sports, firefighting and emergency rescue. He has won 10 provincial and ministerial science and technology progress awards, and 10 national and provincial teaching achievement awards. He has published over 200 academic papers. He is on the World’s Top 2% Scientists 2023 released by Stanford University and Elsevier Data Repository.
John Lau
- Education Initiative Sub-Committee
London College of Fashion
UK
Europe
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Prof. Carolyn Hardaker
- Education Initiative Sub-Committee
De Montfort University
UK
Europe
Tenure until 2028 Annual Conference
Prof. Gargi Bhaduri
- Education Initiative Sub-Committee
Kent State University
USA
Americas
Tenure until 2028 Annual Conference
Gargi Bhaduri, (Ph.D., University of Missouri) is an Associate Professor, Associate Director and Program Lead of Fashion Merchandising at the School of Fashion, Kent State University, USA. Her research focuses on understanding how various stakeholders in the supply chain can be empowered to make sustainable choices. She believes that the key to empowerment is through providing adequate information about the choices they make, and thus, take an information processing and communication-driven approach to my research. Dr. Bhaduri consistently publishes in top-tier journals both within and outside the field of fashion. She uses quantitative, qualitative and mixed-method approaches in her research.
Dr. Helen Gaudette
- Membership Sub-Comittee
Fashion Institute of Technology
USA
Americas
Tenure until 2026 Annual Conference
Helen Gaudette is the Interim Dean for International Education at the Fashion Institute of Technology, SUNY. In this capacity, she leads and manages international programs, including study abroad and exchanges, builds relationships with partner institutions, and develops new international curricular and extra-curricular initiatives. She also serves on the FIT Sustainability Council, and as a member of the External Advisory Board of one of FIT’s partner institutions, Florence University of the Arts-The American University of Florence, in Florence, Italy. She holds a PhD in History from The Graduate Center, CUNY. She is the winner of the 2013 Fulbright US – Japan International Education Administrator Award.