wfn.org | Rev. Karin Achtelstetter appointed new WACC General Secretary

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Rev. Karin Achtelstetter appointed new WACC General Secretary

The Rev. Karin Achtelstetter is the new General Secretary of 
WACC.  In making the announcement on behalf of the Board, WACC 
President Dennis Smith said:  "Rev. Achtelstetter possesses the 
managerial skills, knowledge, leadership experience and potential for 
continued professional growth needed by WACC at this time."

Karin Achtelstetter is well known in global communication circles as 
the current Director and Editor-in-Chief of the Lutheran World 
Federation, and as former Coordinator of the Public Information Team 
& Media Relations Officer of the World Council of Churches, both 
based in Geneva.  Achtelstetter has served on both the WACC Europe 
and WACC Board of Directions.

"Rev. Achtelstetter demonstrates a strong ability for strategic 
thinking, extensive experience in working effectively with 
constituencies from many nations and cultures, and the ability to 
work well with a Board of Directors and with professional staff", 
said President Smith, noting that she "has a solid grounding in 
communication theory and practice as well as proven experience in 
fund-raising."

"WACC is a membership organization," noted President Smith "and Rev. 
Achtelstetter understands that WACC exists to serve the regions and 
its members."  She brings helpful and significant experience of 
working with individuals and groups throughout the world as they 
respond to their particular communication challenges.

A German by birth, Karin Achtelstetter, who speaks all of WACC's four 
official languages and holds a Masters in Theology 
(Friedrich-Alexander University, Erlangen, Germany) and a Master of 
Arts in Women's Studies (University of Kent at Canterbury, England), 
was ordained to the ministry of word and sacrament of the Evangelical 
Lutheran Church in Bavaria in January of this year.  She has served 
as an occasional lecturer in the Department for Practical Theology, 
Christian Communication Unit, Faculty of Theology, 
Friedrich-Alexander University.

In concluding his announcement, Mr. Smith noted that the Search 
Committee sensed that: "Rev. Achtelstetter is a gifted, visionary 
leader who can bring along WACC members, staff and partners as WACC 
continues to develop and live out a common vision. She will represent 
WACC articulately and thoughtfully before different stakeholders 
including the membership, governments, faith-based groups, the 
academy, the media and the private sector."

The Rev Karin Achtelstetter will join the WACC staff, based in 
Toronto, Canada, on October 1st, 2010 and will become General 
Secretary one month later on November 1, 2010.