We are proud to present our board members
Peter comes from Argentina and holds an AB from Vassar College and an MBA from Duke University, both in the US. He has over 35 years of banking experience, mainly as a career expatriate with ABN AMRO Bank, holding management positions across different positions and geographies. Currently, Peter holds a number of non-executive board positions with financial institutions, private companies, NGOs and educational institutes. In addition to chairing our board, Peter also serves on the board of United Way in Romania.
Steven van Groningen is a banker who over the past 20 years occupied various top management positions in subsidiaries of Western European banks in Romania, Hungary and Russia. He is very much involved in organizations and professional associations which aim to improve the investment climate, stimulate the development of the Romanian economy and the quality of life. Steven teaches an MBA business ethics course at Maastricht School of Management in Bucharest. He is a former canoeing Olympian and Ironman triathlete and remains very active in sports. He is one of the founders and the first president of United Way Romania and a former chairman of the United Way Worldwide Leadership Council.
Bas van Rhijn has worked for 35 years in various roles in the financial industry, as a banker and investor, both in the Netherlands and abroad. He currently serves a few advisory roles for family offices and asset managers and is the treasurer of the F.G. Waller fund, Boardmember of the Friends of CODART Foundation and Supervisory Boardmember of de Jonge Strijkers Foundation.
Pien started her career in various commercial positions at Heineken NV. She subsequently worked at Philips NV before moving to Yess International executive search. Pien has been lady-in-waiting to HM Queen Máxima since 2013. She is currently a board member of Rijksmuseum Fonds and has been on the boards of various foundations throughout her career. She holds a master’s degree in economics from the University of Amsterdam.
Michiel started his career at the Bank of Scotland in Edinburgh. He subsequently worked with
various financial services companies in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. He
currently runs the private markets business for Providence Capital NV. Michiel is also a
board member of the F.G. Waller Foundation and Stichting De Wiersse and has been on the
boards of various other foundations throughout his career. He holds a master’s degree in law
from the University of Utrecht.
various financial services companies in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. He
currently runs the private markets business for Providence Capital NV. Michiel is also a
board member of the F.G. Waller Foundation and Stichting De Wiersse and has been on the
boards of various other foundations throughout his career. He holds a master’s degree in law
from the University of Utrecht.
Hélène van Melle has 25+ years of experience in the corporate and NGO sectors. She
worked in various consulting, HR and project management roles. Passionate about
supporting vulnerable communities to connect to employment, she currently holds the
position of deputy director Europe at the Tent Partnership for Refugees. Hélène was a board
member of Stichting Grote Kerk Naarden and Stichting De Appelzak.
worked in various consulting, HR and project management roles. Passionate about
supporting vulnerable communities to connect to employment, she currently holds the
position of deputy director Europe at the Tent Partnership for Refugees. Hélène was a board
member of Stichting Grote Kerk Naarden and Stichting De Appelzak.
Though retired as a clinical neurologist, Henry Chanoch Weinstein remains affiliated with OLVG and the Alzheimer Centre of Amsterdam UMC. He currently works as a consultant neurologist for different organizations. In addition to his work as a general neurologist, he developed a special interest in the boundaries between neurology and psychiatry and was for many years involved in the training of medical specialists, both regionally and nationally. Through his work in various medical centres in and around Amsterdam, which was supported by scientific literature, he became lastingly aware of the importance of social factors for the well-being and functioning of individuals. As a result, Henry has a long-term involvement with various social organizations. He enjoys channelling his passion and expertise into supporting United Way.
Meet our staff and volunteers
Machiel is an experienced representative with a demonstrated history of working in international affairs. He is a strong professional, skilled in humanitarian assistance, international law, policy analysis, refugee law, diplomacy and international humanitarian affairs law. He recently retired after a distinguished career with the United Nations, where he held various positions, including UN Resident Coordinator, in ten countries. In his most recent capacity as head of the policy development and evaluation service in the cabinet of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, Machiel published various reports. He is the founder of United Way the Netherlands.
Myles is a Dutch and British dual citizen. He is currently studying artificial intelligence at the University of Amsterdam. His experience of volunteering with international organizations in Costa Rica, Nicaragua and the Netherlands has been focussed on developing sustainable communities.
Terri is a multilingual writer, editor and communication consultant based in Amsterdam and France. While thinking of herself as a generalist, she likes to focus on cultural, humanitarian and travel-related subjects. Working for such clients as KLM, World Press Photo and the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs has deepened Terri’s international orientation. She developed formulas for a wide range of magazines and newsletters, for publication in print and online.
After studying law at Utrecht University, Floris started his career in various management positions at KPN and Ahold. After ten years experience in the corporate world, he made a career switch and became director of Museum Speelklok in Utrecht. He subsequently became alderman for cultural and economic affairs for the city of Utrecht and director of Utrecht Science Park. In 2020 he moved from Utrecht to Friesland province, where he grew up. There he worked for LF2028, the foundation that organized Leeuwarden Cultural Capital of Europe. Today he is active as an independent professional for cultural and scientific organizations and as a volunteer. Floris temporarily assists United Way the Netherlands with the expansion of its support of Ukrainian refugees to areas outside Amsterdam.
As soon as the war with Russia began, Olena moved with her family to Amsterdam. Currently she is project manager at UWRA (the Ukrainian Women Refugees Association in the Netherlands). She organizes various classes, sports, meetings and psychological support groups for Ukrainians in Amsterdam. Before she left Ukraine, Olena worked for 17 years at as key account manager and director at Fischer Ukraine Ltd (skis, hockey sticks). She subsequently worked for one year as executive director at a private school in Kyiv.
Polina lived in Kyiv at the start of the war between Russia and Ukraine. In April 2020 she moved to Amsterdam and became part of the UWRA community. She has a master's degree in psychology and social pedagogy as well as solid working experience in IT and marketing. Linking IT and psychology provided her with adaptability skills, and 10+ years of marketing experience taught her to be innovative, build effective communications and set up long-term partnerships. Polina’s solid analytical skills and understanding of the psychology of human behaviour enable her to find creative approaches to solving problems. She enjoys working in a multicultural team and contributing to society. Polina currently manages Healing the Mind, the UW-NL mental health project for Ukrainians. She is responsible for the project’s implementation and scalability.
Yulia Panova is a psychologist with more than 15 years’ experience of providing individual and group counselling, teaching and mentoring of children, adolescents and adults. Throughout this period, she has taken part in projects for these target groups such as organizing camps and retreats, lecturing and team-building, mentoring, training mentors, etc. Yulia enjoys working with children and seeing them overcome their difficulties. Her goal is to team up with parents and teach them to motivate and communicate with their children and enjoy their parenthood. Yulia has lived in the Netherlands since March 2022, when she left Kyiv because of the war.
Olexandra is a child psychologist for mothers specialized in family psychology. She is also a certified art therapist and fairy tale teacher. During more than 11 years of experience she has become a media expert and coach at international festivals and online conferences. Clients from 20 countries have chosen her as their guide to family happiness.
Olena was born in Kyiv and lived there until the invasion of Ukraine. She has a higher education degree in psychology and graduated as a Gestalt therapist. She specialized in trauma, PTSD and child-parent relations and has worked with teenagers and lead groups. Since her arrival in the Netherlands, Olena’s work as a psychotherapist has consisted of the counselling of Ukrainians who were forced to leave their homes.
Maryna is a psychologist and psychotherapist in the psychoanalytical and trauma-focussed fields of psychotherapy. Before the war, she worked in Ukraine in a charitable foundation and private practice. In the Netherlands, Maryna is continuing her counselling of both children and adults. She works with adaptation issues, psychosomatic problems, apathy, anxiety and panic attacks.
Before the invasion, Anna practised in Kyiv as a clinical psychologist. Her life took a turn in March 2022 when she moved to Utrecht, where she continued to enhance her professional skills. Anna pursued further studies at Maastricht University and studied the treatment of PTSD. This educational experience significantly expanded her therapeutic toolkit. She is proud to be the founding leader of a mental health project based at the Vitalnia Foundation in Utrecht. This foundation is dedicated to providing mental health support to those in need, focussing on innovative and effective therapeutic approaches. Since 2023, her collaboration with United Way has allowed Anna to contribute to larger mental health initiatives. She looks forward to continuing work in mental health and contributing to the wellbeing of both individuals and communities.
Rutger Engels is an award-winning full professor in developmental psychopathology at the Erasmus University Rotterdam. He is chief science officer at Zylorion, a Canadian-based digital mental health start-up and director of research at Amplio Health. He is also a board member of the venture philanthropy De Verre Bergen. Engels has a track record of successfully coordinating research projects and mentoring PhD students. He is passionate about taking science to the frontline, where it matters most, and developing state-of-the-art prevention and treatment programmes that will have a far-reaching international impact on policy and practice. He is currently a consultant for the UW-NL mental health project for Ukrainian refugees.
Ionela Petrea, director of implementation at Amplio Health, is a senior international mental health expert with over 22 years experience of working with national governments. She also has nine years experience at WHO Europe and nine years as head of the international department of the Trimbos Institute, the Netherlands’ institute of mental health and addiction, where she also served as director of the institute´s WHO Collaborating Centre for Mental Health. In addition to her years of experience across the world, Petrea holds a PhD in medicine as well as a post-graduate diploma in public health and policy from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. She is currently advising United Way the Netherlands on its mental health project for Ukrainian refugees.
Kat has an educational background in clinical and organizational psychology. She is passionate about providing accessible healthcare for all and working towards a more equitable world. She is currently supporting UW-NL’s Healing the Mind project. Prior to this, Kat completed HR internships at Heineken and Tesla, where she gained experience in employee engagement strategies and improving internal benefits communications. This work experience equipped her with the ability to adapt quickly to challenges, work effectively in a fast-paced environment and show initiative through seeking out new learning opportunities. Kat is excited to be part of United Way to have a positive impact on others and contribute towards creating a healthier, happier and more resilient society.
