New Year, New Leadership at ITF
As we enter a new year, the International Trans Fund (ITF) also celebrates a significant milestone: 2026 is our 10th year of resourcing trans-led movements across the world! This moment invites both reflection and renewal, honouring the people and practices that have shaped ITF, while stepping forward with clarity and intention into what comes next. To kick off this milestone year, we want to share some exciting updates and news with our community.
Transitions on our Team
This year brings important leadership transitions within our team. We extend our deepest gratitude to Chivuli Ukwimi, whose time with ITF coincided with a period of significant institutional growth. Chivuli’s leadership was grounded in a strong commitment to social justice and trans community connection, shaped by her lived experience as well as her long-standing work across philanthropy and civil society. As Chivuli transitions out of ITF, we thank her for the care, insight, and dedication she brought to strengthening our engagement with global trans movements, and we wish her continued success in her next chapter.
We are also pleased to share that Viviane Simakawa has stepped into the role of Deputy Director. Viviane has been an integral part of the ITF since 2020, serving as Program Officer and previously as a member of the ITF Steering Committee. A transfeminist activist, researcher, and economist based in Brazil, Viviane brings deep institutional knowledge and political clarity to this role. Her work is informed by years of engagement with trans depathologization efforts and locally rooted initiatives in Latin America, as well as her research experiences in Trans, Queer, Gender, and Feminist Studies. As Deputy Director, Viviane will continue to strengthen ITF’s commitment to resourcing trans movements with care, accountability, and a long-term vision.
A Big Welcome to our New Program Officers!
As part of this new chapter, we are also delighted to welcome two new Program Officers, Hua and Pau, to the ITF team.
Hua Boonyapisomparn will join us as the new Program Officer for East, South, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Hua is a Thai transfeminist activist and movement builder with over two decades of experience advancing the rights, health, and dignity of trans and gender-diverse communities. Her work has been central to major policy and advocacy wins in Thailand, including marriage equality and access to gender-affirming healthcare. Hua brings deep regional knowledge, a strong commitment to intersectional justice, and a long history of trans-led movement building across Asia and beyond.
Pau González Sánchez will join us as the new Program Officer for Latin America and the Caribbean. Pau is a Panamanian trans masculine human rights advocate with extensive experience in strategic litigation, grassroots organizing, and international advocacy. Pau’s work bridges movement memory, policy change, and community leadership, including through documenting trans masculine histories in Latin America and building alliances across sectors. His approach is firmly rooted in community-driven, intersectional practice.
Read more about Hua and Pau here!
As ITF enters our 10th year of impact, we are energized to welcome new perspectives and deepen our collective work in support of trans movements worldwide. We remain firmly rooted in our founding commitment to trans-led resourcing, while continuing to evolve in response to the urgent and changing realities facing trans communities globally. With deep gratitude for those who have shaped our journey, and fresh momentum from those joining us, we move forward into this next chapter with purpose, solidarity, and hope.