Ambassador (ret.) Jana Zikmundova has acquired personal experience of today’s world challenges during her full career in the Belgian diplomatic service. After multilateral posts to the UN and the EU, she served as Ambassador in Ukraine and Colombia. Throughout her career, she has supported freedom and democracy around the world.

Dr. Paul Tang was a Member of European Parliament (2014-2024) and the Dutch national parliament (2007-2010). After his doctorate in economic sciences, he headed research at the Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis and the Ministry of Economic Affairs. In his political career, Paul has specialised in anti-corruption, fair taxation, sustainable finance, digital tax and data protection.

Elizabeth Kuiper is Associate Director at the European Policy Centre, a Brussels-based thinktank. Previously, she worked at the Permanent Representation of the Netherlands to the EU and as a political advisor at the national level. Throughout her career, she focused on social policies and societal resilience.

Governance

Defend Democracy has a three-tier governance structure: Management, Board, and Advisory Board. The roles and tasks of each of its bodies are laid out in the organisation’s statutes. Management is in charge of the day to day governance and management of the nonprofit organisation. It also has the responsibility for directing and implementing its programs. Management is monitored and supported by an independent Board and assisted on long-term policies and strategy by the Advisory Board.

The Board and Advisory Board are generously offering their time in a personal capacity.

The day to day work of Defend Democracy is led by its founder and Executive Director, Alice Stollmeyer. She is currently the only Management member, in accordance with Dutch law and the ‘Code Goed Bestuur voor Goede Doelen‘ (Code of Good Management for Charities, also known as the ‘Code-Wijffels’). The Executive Director is tasked to represent and manage the nonprofit organisation; develop, implement and report on its annual and multi-annual plans and report on financial management; prepare the annual state of accounts and ensure its sustainability. The execution of the Executive Director’s tasks is monitored by the independent Board.