Theo Verhoeff was born in 1954 and holds a Masters degree in Public Health (Geneva 2000) in addition to a degree in Physiotherapy (Amsterdam, 1976) and in Manual Therapy (Utrecht, 1988). He entered the Dutch Development Cooperation in 1977 and was posted in health projects in Tanzania and in Ethiopia during six years.

He joined the ICRC in 1985 and worked in Ethiopia, Pakistan, Yugoslavia and Angola as project leader, relief coordinator and as ICRC delegate. He joined the ICRC headquarters in 1995 as the coordinator of the Special Fund for the Disabled (SFD).

From 1998 to 2004, Theo Verhoeff was in charge of the ICRC's physical rehabilitation programs world wide in addition to being a Board member of the SFD. He has been Director of the ICRC's SFD since September 2004.