FROM CHANGE TO OPPORTUNITY

Leadership Unlocked – Katja Pahnke at FEMpions: An energetic FEMpions gathering full of connection, shared wisdom, and inspiring conversations.

From Bianca Thomas

Our Meet & Greet at the Best Library brought together a warm and diverse group of women ready to support each other, grow together, and transform change into new opportunities. We also celebrated an important milestone for our community: Our new website is live! Discover our story, mission, and members: www.fempions.com

Insights from Irene Walbeek – Municipality of Best

We were delighted to welcome Irene Walbeek. She explained how the municipality of Best aims to support women in business, public life, and community engagement. Together, we explored ideas such as: Company breakfasts and informal networking, platforms that increase visibility and collaboration, English-language communication and language buddies, easier access to local information, meetings between Dutch locals and internationals, strengthening neighborhood dialogue and much more. It was an open, friendly exchange – and the beginning of a promising collaboration.

Guest Speaker Spotlight: Katja Pahnke – “Turn Change into Opportunities”

We were honored to welcome Katja Pahnke, a strong, authentic leader in high-tech environments and the most influential woman in the Brainport region (2022). Katja is known for her open communication style, social intelligence, and her ability to connect people and ideas. She shared not only her impressive leadership journey but also personal insights into navigating challenges and embracing growth. Our community had many sincere questions—about female leadership, overcoming obstacles, and staying resilient. Katja responded with warmth, honesty, and practical wisdom. One of her messages extremely resonated with us: “We can think about it, or we can commit to shaping it.”

Networking, Connection & Photography

We concluded the event with a relaxed networking reception – full of new conversations, shared experiences, and valuable connections. A perfect reflection of what FEMpions stands for.

A special thanks to Marijke Vermeulen, who took beautiful profile photos all afternoon. Marijke, you did a fantastic job – your photos look stunning on our website!