We are very excited to announce a new Board of Directors for International Society Herning & Ikast Brande. You can find out more about everyone´s backgrounds and motivations below.
You can also meet us during our online Q&A session from 16:00-18:00 on November 20th. This is a great opportunity to provide your feedback on our events, pitch ideas for new events and just get to know us a little better. Here is the link for the meeting: https://meet.google.com/uto-cqxk-gdj look forward to seeing you there!
Bryan Gillenwater
President
I am from Cocoa, Florida, USA and moved to Denmark in 2015. I work as a Quality Manager at Siemens-Gamesa Renewable Energy and hold a BS in Mechanical Engineering as well as an International MBA. I live in Blåhoj with my girlfriend Dora and our two dogs. I enjoy spending time in nature, learning new things, exercising and spending time with friends.
As one of the many who the International Society has helped through the tough social transition for expats in Denmark, it was a privilege and honor to join the board in February 2020. I have recently stepped into the role of President and look forward to working with the board and all our members to further the goals of International Society.
Barbara Hanzewniak
Secretary
Barbara is originally from Poland and has lived in Denmark for 13 years. She works at Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy as a Demand and Qualification Coordinator, holds a masters degree in Corporate Communications, and has experience working in a board from Rotary Club. She is a talented photographer and loves sports. She has joined the International Society board to give back to the community, share her experience and help expats integrate in Danish society. We are very happy to have her on the board and know her talents will be of great service to the International Society.
Pete Johnson
Treasurer
Pete is a first time expat who moved to Denmark in January of 2020 from Brooklyn, New York. He works as the Head of Creation for the LEGO Agency (the in-house creative agency at LEGO) in Billund and has always worked in the creative and advertising world (Cartoon Network, Saatchi & Saatchi and Nickelodeon). He enjoys playing football (soccer) and is an avid runner. He lives in Herning with his youngest son Yobi. His wife Heather and older son Oscar are living in New York while Oscar finishes high school and his daughter Agnes is in her last year of university in Massachusetts. His transition to Denmark was not so smooth and making it better for others is one of his main motivations for joining the International Society board. He has taken up the role of Treasurer and we are excited to have him on the board.
Dora Gocze
Board Member
Dora moved to Denmark from Hungary in 2012 to study in Aarhus. While she holds a degree in Chemistry & Biotechnology and worked at Goethe University in Frankfurt, Germany for a year, her passion has always been horses. After finishing her education she worked in the US as an assistant horse trainer in California and in Oklahoma. After returning to Denmark she started her company Dora Gocze Performance Horses where she teaches people, trains horses, hosts workshops and participates in competitions throughout Europe. Dora is fluent in Danish and has several years of experience as a board member in another association in Denmark. She lives in Blåhøj (near Brande) with me (Bryan) and two dogs Pebbles and Chanel. She loves languages, learning about different cultures and helping people. Her experience living in a few different countries has given her an understanding of how difficult it can be to get settled in a new place. Making this difficult situation easier for others is one of her main motivations for joining the International Society board. Her prior experience as a board member in Denmark, her language skills and knowledge of Danish culture are a great addition to the board's skillset.
Dina Cravcenco
Board Member
Dina moved to Denmark in 2014 from the Republic of Moldova. She attended VIA University and finished her BA in Retail Management, while enrolled she also volunteered as a guide tutor for two student generations (helping them prior and post arriving to Denmark). Dina is currently the Brand Manager for Day Worker in Denmark, a job search platform helping both employed and unemployed people advance in their careers, integrate in Denmark, and understand the culture. She also works with international and local companies building their brand identity, marketing plans, and sales strategies and has experience in copywriting, Search Engine Optimization, and strategic development. She is passionate about people and networking and her motivation for joining the board of International Society is to bring Danes and internationals together through interactive events. Her diverse skillset, creative ideas and network in Herning will be assets to the work of International Society and we are excited to welcome her to the board.
Mihai Negru
Board Member
Mihai is likely a familiar face for many of you as he has been with the International Society board the longest. He has been in Denmark for since 2013 to study and is originally from Romania. He enjoys meeting people from all over the world, something he has started enjoying with his work with the international youth organization called AIESEC during his bachelor years. Since then he has lived in countries like Italy, Azerbaijan, France and now lives in Vejle with his girlfriend Shilan and her daughter Parmis and calls Denmark his home. Going through many transitions as he moved from country to country he understands the difficulties associated with getting established socially and how important organizations like International Society are. His depth of experience in volunteer organizations has been and continues being a guiding force behind International Society.
Hope to see you at our online Q&A. Thanks for reading :-)