Marion Mulder (MuldiMedia)

Board member

After a successful career at ING where Marion Mulder built up an extensive track record in know-how on intranet, content management and new media, she currently runs her own business MuldiMedia. She supports and advises organizations to identify and exploit the benefits of digital technology for their businesses.

Marion has been active in LGBT workplace issues for almost a decade. As one of the founders of ING’s LGBT employee network, GALA, she helped set the tone very early for full inclusion of lesbians in the workplace.

Ellen van Essen (Vodafone Group Enterprise)

Board Member

Ellen van Essen is currently Director Digital Transformation for Vodafone Group Enterprise in the UK.

Prior to joining Vodafone, Ellen was a part of the leadership team of Accenture in the Netherlands, responsible for the Business Process Outsourcing practice. Ellen has, in this role, worked with many large multinational clients on large scale transformations, BPO and innovation programs.

As part of her career, Ellen was responsible for global alliances and ventures of AT&T in the United States working with organizations in many countries across the globe.

Most organizations are aware of the importance of nurturing a culture of inclusion and positivity and uphold policies with respect to human rights in the workplace. Ellen believes we still have a long way to go and as a leader has therefore committed to championing diversity as a strength and priority for the long term wellbeing of the company.

Ellen lives with her husband Patrick and their three children in The Hague, The Netherlands

Graham Sparks

Advisory Board Member

Graham Sparks is VP Diversity & Inclusion at Shell where he is responsible for developing and implementing business focused D&I strategies and policies across the company. Graham has been with Shell for more than 30 years and has broad experience including roles in Human Resources, sales, marketing, business management, and manufacturing. Graham is a chemical engineer by profession and holds an MBA from Manchester Business School. He has worked in London, New York, and Houston and is currently located in The Hague.

As well as supporting Workplace Pride, Graham is also member of the advisory boards of Women’s International Networking and Catalyst Europe

Boris Dittrich (Human Rights Watch)

Advisory Board Member

Boris Dittrich is a human rights activist, former Dutch politician and writer. He works on national and international levels to achieve non-discrimination and equal rights for LGBT people. In 2007, Boris became Advocacy Director of the LGBT Rights Program for Human Rights Watch, a non-governmental organization, at their headquarters in New York City. In 2013, he moved from New York to Berlin where he continues to work as Advocacy Director of the LGBT Rights Program at Human Rights Watch. Boris will remain a global advocate.

Boris divides his time living between Berlin and Amsterdam with his husband Jehoshua.

Treasurer

Board

Aad Buis is a business manager at ING Wholesale Banking based in Amsterdam. After a 10-year career as a certified auditor at PWC, he has been with ING since 1996 and has fulfilled various positions throughout the organization. As Workplace Pride’s Treasurer, he is fully engaged in securing the foundation’s financial health for further growth ambitions and forthcoming challenges.

In his spare time, Aad has a broad variety of interests keeping him occupied. Besides running a successful B&B, he has a passion for gardening, is learning Spanish and, as a five-time New York City Marathon runner, is a regular at a spinning or Bootcamp class at the gym. Aad has one lovely Berner Senner dog and with his partner, René, he enjoys the finer things in life.

Mark Emdin

Chair

Mark was appointed as Foundation Chair in 2014. Since then he has focused on strengthening the strategic direction of the Foundation, particularly the development of partnerships with other LGBT+ organisations and addressing international challenges of LGBT+ workplace inclusion. He is a former chair of Shell Netherland’s LGBT network “Pink Pearl” and works to support LGBT staff in countries where Shell does not yet have LGBT networks.

Mark has been with Shell since 1995, starting his career in Australia. He is currently Organisation Effectiveness Manager for Shell’s Global Functions. He and his team are responsible for supporting executives and senior directors in the areas of organizational design, behavior, leadership and team effectiveness.

He has held a number of human resources based roles both in the field and head office. He has a for supporting individuals in achieving their potential and creating challenging, stimulating and enjoyable workplace environments.

He holds a Masters in Leadership and Management (Hon) degree from Curtin University, Australia and is originally trained as an Agricultural Economist. He is a recipient of the Vincent Fairfax Award for Ethics in Leadership through the St. James Ethics Centre in Sydney.

Mark lives with his husband, Michael, in Amsterdam. Both are avid travellers and enjoy what the world has to offer to those willing to step outside and take a risk.

Claudia Brind-Woody (IBM)

Co-Chair

Claudia Brind-Woody is currently Vice President and Managing Director for IBM Global Intellectual Property and Advanced Technology Licensing. She is responsible for licensing and assignment of IBM patents and technologies to companies in the software, services, web technology and financial sectors. She also runs IBM’s Small Divestiture Practice and the specialized consulting group known as IP Management Services.

In addition, Claudia serves as the co-chair of the IBM Executive LGBT Taskforce that focuses globally on the issues of Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender employees in the workplace. She is an accomplished keynote speaker and serves on the Board of Directors of Out & Equal Workplace Advocates and co-chairs their International Advisory Committee. She has also served on the Lambda Legal Board of Directors and the John C. Stennis Institute of Government Board of Advisors.

In 2011, she received the “Out & Equal Trailblazer Award” for her work in LGBT diversity and was listed in GO Magazine’s “100 Women We Love, Class of 2011”. In 2012, she received the “Emily Wirsing Kelly Leadership Award” from Mary Baldwin College and was named in The Guardian’s “WorldPride Power List Top 100”.

Claudia lives with her wife, Tracie, in Oxfordshire, England.

Paul Overdijk

Co-Chair

In his active career, Paul Overdijk has been, among many other positions, Director Strategy at TNT and Royal Post NL. In his last job before retirement, he was responsible for the parcel division PostNL Parcels and for mergers and acquisitions.

Next to his day-job, Paul has always been active in LGBT organizations. He was co-founder of the LGBT networks at TNT and PostNL. Paul was also co-founder of Workplace Pride and its chairman until 2013. Next to his membership of the Workplace Pride Advisory Board, Paul is also member of the Advisory Council of the Foundation for Homosexuality and Armed Forces in The Netherlands, and chairman of the Association of the LGBT Heritage Foundation IHLIA.

Paul divides his time living in Bangkok with his Thai partner Virot and in Amsterdam. In Bangkok he is co-founder of the OUT Business Network Bangkok, the new organization for LGBT inclusion at work in the Thai Capital.