At the end of last year Christine Martinez, Deputy Secretary General (Programme) since 2009, left the ICA Secretariat in order to prepare herself for the fresh challenges of leading the archives départementales in the Yvelines and of finding new synergies between cultural institutions in an area of France that is especially rich in history and heritage. She took up her new post formally at the beginning of this month.
This major and thoroughly deserved promotion brings to an end a decade of highly distinguished service to the International Council on Archives. Christine was appointed to head a new ICA Training Committee in 2003, shortly after her arrival in the French Archives Directorate as Head of International Relations. She served as a member of PCOM from 2004 to 2008 and as its Secretary from 2008 to 2012. Under the outstanding leadership of Lew Bellardo, PCOM funded many useful projects and developed programme themes relevant to the needs of the working archivist. Christine acquired a very detailed knowledge of these projects, personally guiding many of them to a successful conclusion. She latterly spent a significant part of her time delivering training sessions in different parts of the world and building up a large international network. No one can doubt her passion for archives, capacity for hard work, commitment to training, and engagement with colleagues in the French-speaking world.
I am sure that Christine’s many friends in the global ICA network are already missing her and will join her former colleagues in the ICA Secretariat in wishing her every success in her new post.
David A Leitch, ICA Secretary General