Gary Hays was born in London England, but has lived and worked in the Netherlands for thirty years. With a technical background (Chemistry first degree and a Physics PhD), Gary started working for Shell in research & development, but for the majority of his time at Shell he has had either HR roles or line & business roles, switching between the two areas a number of times. HR roles have included being global HR Manager within Shell Chemicals for six years and line roles have included Site Director of the Shell Technology site in Amsterdam.

Gary became interested in both the procedures for internationals coming to live in the Netherlands and support offered, when he managed a project which involved all aspects of moving over 200 senior positions from Shell in London and other locations to The Hague. Until recently, Gary was HR Director for Fonterra (Europe) based in Amsterdam, effectively a start-up of the European operation of Fonterra, a New-Zealand milk co-operative, which deals with 40% of the world trade in milk and milk products. Currently he is Deputy Vice President Human Resources and Organisational Development with TNK-BP in Moscow.

Gary has three children who are now all attending university or college in the Netherlands and who went through the Dutch education system.

Cypriot by origin, grew up in the UK and Studied Business Economics, and then Marketing & Communications in London. Kiri came to Holland for a 6 month project for UPC to work on a pilot for Interactive television... this was in 1999!

Staying because of his love of The Hague and knowing that the airport was only 30 minutes away connecting him anywhere in the world, Kiri has firmly settled with life in the Netherlands living with his fiancé Juliette and raising their daughter Chloe.

Running his own consultancy firm, Kiri has held roles in the Broadband Industry, Telecoms Industry, Music Industry, recruitment and the Oil & Gas Industry. Kiri is currently working on a project at Shell as an Analyst and runs a program of lessons learned capture and implementation on projects globally - this involves facilitating the learning from experience process and lesson capture process. Kiri has been with the ACCESS Board since end of 2008.

Imanda Wapenaar is Executive Director of the West Holland Foreign Investment Agency (WFIA), the investment promotion agency for the western  part of the Province of South Holland, with its major cities The Hague, Leiden, Delft, Zoetermeer, Lansingerland.

The WFIA advises and assists foreign companies in establishing, expansion and relocation. The agency works closely with ACCESS in supporting the international community and to enhance and protect the international working and living climate in the region.

Imanda has a background in both business and government. For more than fifteen years she has worked for Dutch and American companies in the music industry in various marketing and management positions. After this she worked for the City of Amsterdam for seven years as deputy head of economic affairs, including foreign investment promotion. Then after working some years in a consultancy firm again, in the autumn of year 2000 she was invited to come to work for the WFIA which had just been formed by the above mentioned cities.

Koosje Ploegmakers is Director of International Clients The Hague, ABM AMRO Bank. This special department of the bank provides financial advice and services to expats and impats in the Netherlands, and in the rest of the world. International Clients The Hague is located in The Hague and Rotterdam, but also has branches inside the Shell, OPCW and ESA Estec headquarters.

Koosje was born in Algeria and lived in Africa for two years before she moved back to the Netherlands with her parents.

Koosje lives in The Hague with her three sons and partner Jelle. Besides her passion for work and quality time with her family, Koosje plays weekly tennis and supports her sons every Saturday on the hockey field.

Willemijn L. van Oppen-Stuyt is the founder and principal of Educaide, the International Education Solution House, and has been involved with ACCESS since 1996.

Profile: Established organisational skills, networker, bringing host of differing positions/opinions together. Getting things done.
Focused, dedicated to international education and the international community in the Netherlands. Influencing skills. International experience (USA and Japan). Multicultural skills.

Jessie Rodell, an American, has lived in the Netherlands as long as ACCESS and followed the growth of ACCESS within the international community through the years. Now serving as a Board Member she works to keep the focus on the Helpline and counselling referral services that ACCESS offers - the heart of the services that make ACCESS so unique.

Jessie has served as the Director of External Relations at the American School of The Hague for 25 years, working with the multicultural community as well as host country nationals to facilitate intercultural understanding.

Jessie is one of the founders of A Safe Harbour, the School's acclaimed transitions programme for students, staff and families. She enjoys playing tennis, reading and walking - and is on the Board of OAR - Overseas Americans Remember - a community organisation hosting American events including Thanksgiving at the Pieterskerk in Leiden and the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Tribute and Dinner to bring special aspects of her culture to the American and international community here in the Netherlands.