IABC EMENA Communities bring communication professionals together locally across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa. Our communities create opportunities to meet peers, exchange knowledge, attend local events and connect with the wider International Association of Business Communicators (IABC) network. Explore our current communities below, find your local group, or get in touch if you’re interested in building one in your city.
IABC Berlin Community
Community Lead: Tony Stewart
Tony Stewart is a digital employee engagement consultant with more than 20 years of communications experience across a range of sectors. He specialises in digital communication strategies that support business goals, employee engagement and meaningful participation. His work combines strategic thinking with a commercially aware, practical and personable approach.
In his role as Berlin Community Lead, Tony oversees the local community programme, keeps members connected between events and supports the development of a stronger professional network for communicators in Berlin.
Community Coordinator, Comms and Content: Diana Luna
Diana Luna is a senior communications professional with more than 10 years of experience in stakeholder management, content development, sustainability, policy and media relations. She advises senior leaders on reputation, thought leadership and complex communication challenges, translating regulatory, operational and technical information into clear narratives and content strategies.
Her focus within the Berlin volunteer team is communications and content, including event promotion, editorial planning, website updates and stronger visibility for IABC activity across Berlin and the wider EMENA region.
Community Coordinator, Events: Kateryna Chystiakova
Kateryna Chystiakova is Head of Europe Communications at Superhuman. She has spent the past seven years at Superhuman (formerly Grammarly), working across corporate communications, employer brand, internal communications, crisis communications and CSR. Based in Berlin, she supports teams across Germany, Ukraine and Poland and advises global leaders on regional context, change and growth.
For IABC EMENA, Kateryna coordinates the Berlin events programme, working with venues, speakers and partners to turn event ideas into well-run community gatherings.
IABC Netherlands Community
Kim Strickland
Kim Strickland is a strategic communications and organizational development leader with 15+ years of experience helping teams and organizations navigate change, find their voice, and work better together. Based in Amsterdam, she’s worked across Europe, the U.S., and Asia, leading transformation, building communication frameworks, and coaching leaders through complexity.
Originally from Atlanta, Georgia, Kim holds a Bachelor of Arts in Communication from Samford University and completed graduate coursework in Communication Sciences at Georgia State University before relocating to the Netherlands, where she is now an Executive MBA candidate at Maastricht University. She began her career in wealth management at Bank of America, gaining early exposure to client relationships and financial services.
Kim has served as president of the board of a nonprofit, leading strategic governance and community engagement. She also partnered with the University of Amsterdam to mentor young professionals in communication and international business, reflecting her commitment to developing the next generation of communicators. Currently, she facilitates a women’s investment group in Amsterdam and has been an active IABC member since 2021.
IABC Nordics Community
Community Co-Leads, David Baldwin Friedman and Ellen Summey
David Baldwin Friedman is a founder and communication & AI strategist. Based in Lund, Sweden, he has more than 16 years’ independent communication experience across technical and regulated industries. He co-leads C&F Sustainable Communication with Asaf Covo, a joint practice focused on building communication that endures in both human memory and machine logic.
David encodes ways of thinking into AI to align humans and AI around shared principles, positioning, and perspective. His work combines advising on brand and communication strategy as it translates into AI with building apps and workflows that carry this into practice.
In the community, he participates in and facilitates dialogue among communicators in the Nordics, bringing together local and regional perspectives and practices.
Ellen Summey is a strategic communications leader with more than 20 years’ experience helping organizations communicate clearly about complex topics, including technology, global health, and digital transformation. Based in Oslo, Norway, she supports global communication and multinational capacity-building efforts for the HISP Centre at the University of Oslo, which develops and maintains DHIS2, the world’s largest health management information system.
She holds professional certifications in project management and public relations, alongside an M.A. in human relations from the University of Oklahoma and a B.A in mass communication from Louisiana State University.
As co-lead of the new IABC Nordics community, Ellen looks forward to meeting communicators from across the region and creating opportunities for members to learn from one another, share best practices, and build community.
IABC Portugal Community
Community Lead and Advisor to the Board: Ana Magarida Ximenes
Ana is the President, Portugal, for Atrevia, Iberia’s largest Communication Agency. Ana Co-founded ATREVIA in 1999, and co-leads ATREVIA’s overseas international business development. With more than 20 years of experience, she assists clients in crisis communication, reputation and change management, lobby & public affairs, internal communication, community relations, brand & marketing management working with major category leaders.
Ana began her career as a journalist (in print, radio & television). She holds a Degree in Social Communications (Universidade do Minho) and a Business Management Degree (PDE) from AESE Business School. In 2009, she was elected one of the Most Motivating Persons in Portugal by Business School ISCTE. She speaks Portuguese, English & Spanish. Ana is based in Lisbon, PT.
IABC Poland Community
Internal Communications Director: Edyta Blachowska
Edyta Blachowska has 17 years of experience in public relations, including over 15 years in internal communications within the financial sector. Her team’s campaigns have won awards in competitions like BEA World, European Excellence Awards, and Golden Paperclips.
A Mentor and Fellow at the Institute of Internal Communication and Centre for Strategic Communication Excellence, she is also a member of IABC. Edyta also holds an Advanced Diploma in Internal Communication from Solent University.
She is a frequent speaker at the Polish events like iComms and IC Mobile, a juror for Golden Paperclips and Gold Quill Awards, and the only Strategic Communication Management Professional (SCMP) certified communicator in Poland.
IABC Belgium Community
Community Lead: Vacant
We are currently recruiting for a Community Lead for our vibrant Belgium community.
IABC EMENA Local Community Model for Growth
The IABC Local Community Growth Plan proposes a five-step framework designed to help members launch, build, and grow thriving local communities:
- Launch: Starting a local community should be easy. We suggest creating a dedicated WhatsApp group to serve as the central hub for communication and connection. This makes it simple for anyone to join.
- Build: Invite colleagues, friends, and fellow communications professionals to join the group and spread the word so that the group can grow organically.
- Meet: Organize regular, informal meetups, such as lunch, coffee, or cocktails to foster camaraderie and encourage networking.
- Recruit: Share information about IABC events, activities, and opportunities to highlight the benefits of joining the association.
- Grow: Once a critical mass has been reached, the local community lead can start organizing exclusive IABC events or activities with the support of the WhatsApp group, helping to retain current members and attract new members.
