Katie Schweitzer, President.

I have been living in the Netherlands since Aug 2017. I am originally from the US. I was raised outside of Philadelphia, PA, but moved to Washington, DC for my bachelor’s degree and then worked there for 5 years before moving to the Netherlands. I knew I had wanted to move to Europe at some point. I had been going to Ireland to visit family – my mother is Irish – since I was a kid. But a study abroad semester in Germany really left a lasting impression. Not only did I love the lifestyle, I loved being able to travel to so many different countries, and experience different cultures, with only a short plane or train ride. So, when the opportune moment came, I decided to get my master’s degree in the Netherlands and have been working here since I completed my studies. I joined TIC in 2020, though I had been to some events before that. Shortly after, I saw that there was an opening for Treasurer. I had been looking to get more involved in Tilburg and the (expat) community, so I applied. Then this year, when Yolanda was (still trying) to step down, we found a new Treasurer, Dietrich, which gave me the opportunity to take on the role of president, so here I am!

Elvire Landstra, Treasurer.

I’m Elvire, and I’m thrilled to serve as the treasurer of TIC. I may be a bit of an imposter on this board, being Dutch myself, but after years of living and working abroad, I found I missed the international environment. My journey started at University College Utrecht, then continued with a Master’s degree in London. I then spent over four years in Germany for my PhD, working in an incredibly diverse group with colleagues from all over the world. After returning to the Netherlands in early 2024, I joined Tilburg University as a postdoc and quickly realized how much I missed the multicultural atmosphere. Hearing Dutch all the time felt a bit too familiar, so I decided to fix this ‘problem’ by looking for an international community! This is how I found TIC, which seemed perfect due to its special mix of backgrounds and incredibly welcoming people. TIC filled the international spot in my heart, and I’m excited to help keep our finances in order while getting to know everyone here. Looking forward to meeting you all!

Anne Durand, Membership Director and Secretary.

I am originally from France (southeastern part) and I have been living in the Netherlands since August 2014. I came here to do a master at Delft University of Technology, as part of a double-degree programme with the French university where I was studying, in Marseille. After a successful master thesis experience working for the metro of Rotterdam, I got convinced to stick around and start my career here. Fortunately, my French boyfriend – now husband – was in, so we settled in Breda, and moved to Tilburg in 2019. I now work as a researcher in transport and travel behaviour for the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in The Hague. As a good introvert, I first found tíc’s book club and later discovered tíc’s friendly community. I am keen to foster a sense of belonging for myself and other internationals here and that's why I decided to contribute to tíc’s community by taking the role of secretary and membership at the end of 2024.

Liliana Gonzalez, Events coordinator.

I grew up in the northern part of Mexico (Baja California). Since I was young, I have been really interested in other cultures just by listening to people talking in their own language (even though I did not understand a word) or reading books where the story was set somewhere in Europe. This gave me the idea that it would be nice to live somewhere outside Mexico, somewhere in Europe. It was in August 2016 when my dream to live in Europe came true, and I had the opportunity to pursue my Master's in Geo-Information Science at Wageningen University (NL). After my studies, I found a job in Den Haag but ended finding a house in Tilburg in November 2019. Being more settled in Tilburg made me realize that I really wanted to be part of a group/association where I could meet more people. That's how I found tíc! After few months I became a volunteer to help organize and host events for the club. It was after the Welcome Event 2020 that I officially joined, and I'm really happy to be able to meet new people and enjoy events together.