IABC Belgium Community
Community Lead: Vacant
IABC Berlin Community
Community Lead: Olha Boiko
Olha Boiko is a CIPR-qualified communications professional with a decade of experience in PR, strategic communications, and employer branding.
Her work has received international recognition, including the Leader of the Future Award from the Davos Digital PR Awards and the Employer Brand Leader of the Year Award. For the past five years, she led global communications at Innovecs, overseeing PR, brand marketing, and employee communications across multiple regions.
A strong advocate for mentorship and industry development, Olha advises professional communities, mentors women in communications, and lectures on internal communications. She also co-hosts a podcast on PR and communications. Originally from Ukraine and now based in Berlin, she is an active IABC EMENA member, eager to collaborate and contribute to the industry.
IABC Netherlands Community
Community Lead and Advisor to the Board: Michael Nord
Michael Nord, SCMP, has been actively involved in IABC since 2007. Former Chapter President, Regional Chair, International Board Member and global Treasurer, Michael has served on numerous committees and is currently industry liaison for the GCCC. Michael hails from Denmark where he worked in-house in companies and organisations leading PR and communication activities. He has also worked in agencies specialising in tech and IT, leading PR and marketing projects.
Michael moved to Amsterdam in 2003 to pursue an international career. In 2006 he joined The Fifth Business, a specialised internal communications and change consultancy. He then worked for ERM as Client Services Director and left in 2021 to set up his own company, Michael Nord Consulting, to help organisations thrive through change. Michael has lived and worked in the EU, the UK and the US.
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 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.
