GDC announces appointment of Dick Van der Tak as Executive Director

Dick Van der Tak

Global Doctors for Choice, LLC, is pleased to announce that Mr. Dick Van der Tak will become its first Executive Director.

 “The voice of physicians is critical in the debate about reproductive health and rights. Physicians are on the frontline of reproductive health, caring for millions of women all over the world. They know their needs, and their choices, and the consequences of good care for their health. I very much look forward to helping to further develop Global Doctors for Choice as a recognized leader in engaging physicians in reproductive health advocacy,” Van der Tak said.

Van der Tak is a highly seasoned professional with extensive experience in the global health field.  He has worked in the Netherlands, Rwanda, Zaire, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, and China, and served in a directorial capacity at Medecins Sans Frontieres Hong Kong, International Planned Parenthood Federation (East South East, Asia and Oceania Region), and AIDS Concern. He is currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the PT Foundation in Malaysia. He holds an LLB (law) and a Master of Arts degree in Social-Economic and International Law from the University of Groningen (Netherlands).

Van der Tak will join Global Doctors for Choice in January of 2015 and will be based in Kuala Lumpur.

GDC’s Global Steering Committee said, “This is a transformative moment for Global Doctors for Choice as it takes the steps necessary to grow  programmatically and expand its contribution towards  advancing reproductive health and rights globally.  Global Doctors for Choice is thrilled to have someone of Dick’s skills and experience to lead us through this important next phase.”