Explore the heart of our commitment for female empowerment
Lead with Her is a structured, high-level mentorship programme designed to empower young women across Europe to grow as leaders in activism, policy, civil society, and public life.
Despite increased attention to gender equality, many young women still face structural and informal barriers when accessing leadership opportunities, professional networks, and spaces of influence. Mentorship can play a decisive role in navigating these challenges, when it is intentional, transparent, and grounded in mutual commitment.
Lead with Her was created in response to this need. The programme offers a shared-ownership mentorship model, where 14 mentors and 18 mentees enter the relationship with clarity, purpose, and equal responsibility. Mentorship is approached as a collaborative process built on dialogue, trust, and active engagement from both sides.
Aligned with feminist values of solidarity, accountability, and community-building, Lead with Her is designed as a thoughtful and ambitious space in which young women can grow (as professionals, as activists and as individuals) while contributing to a wider network of women supporting one another.
How does it work?
The programme aims to:
- Support young women in strengthening leadership skills, confidence, and agency
- Facilitate meaningful and reciprocal mentor–mentee relationships
- Build lasting intergenerational networks of women leaders
- Promote values-based, inclusive leadership across professional sectors
- Develop a sustainable and replicable mentorship model
Through these objectives, LeadWithHer contributes to the long-term empowerment of women in public life, civil society, and professional leadership. The programme pairs 18 selected young women (mentees) aged 18–29 with 14 experienced women professionals (mentors) from diverse sectors including EU policy, advocacy, communications, governance, and international organisations, companies. Each mentor works with one–two mentees, ensuring both personalised guidance and peer exchange within small, trusted circles.
The programme combines structured learning, personalised mentorship, and community building through a carefully balanced hybrid format
Activities
The programme combines structured learning, personalised mentorship, and community building through a carefully balanced hybrid format. Through this integrated structure, LeadWithHer combines high-level mentorship, practical learning, and strong community building to create a transformative leadership experience for young women across Europe.
Events
Three flagship in-person events will take place at The Nine, offering participants the opportunity to connect in a feminist, women-led, welcoming, inspiring, and professionally enriching environment.
Mentors Circle (only for mentors): 20th May from 18.30 to 21.00
Welcome event 26th May 2026 from 19.00 to 22.00
First online event 23rd June 2025 from 19.00 to 21.00
Summer gathering 15th July 2026 from 18.00 to 22.00
Mentors’ lunch (only for mentors) TBC in September
2nd Online Event 30th September 2026 from 19.00 to 21.00
Closing event 17th November 2026 from 18.30
One-to-One Mentorship Sessions
Personalised mentorship lies at the heart of the programme. Mentors and mentees engage in regular one-to-one sessions (minimum 3), creating a dedicated space for reflection, guidance, and strategic growth. The format, frequency, and focus of these meetings are jointly defined by each pair, ensuring a tailored approach that responds to evolving personal and professional priorities. Sessions can take place in-person or online, but presence is highly encouraged.
To further enrich the experience, The Nine offers exclusive benefits to mentees, including: access to the clubhouse as guests (5 mins from European Commission), special meal deals, 10% discount at The Nine restaurant. These benefits complement the mentoring process by facilitating networking and professional exposure in high-quality settings.
Community
A dedicated LinkedIn group brings together all mentors and mentees, as space for informal exchanges, peer support, and collaboration. Mentors and mentees can use the group for sharing of opportunities, resources, and relevant events.
This digital community strengthens relationships and fosters solidarity throughout the programme.
The Mentors
At the heart of the LeadWithHer Mentorship Programme are the outstanding women mentors recruited and engaged by The Nine. These mentors are accomplished professionals, leaders, and changemakers who bring extensive experience, insight, and commitment to supporting the next generation of women leaders.
Role of the mentors
Mentors play a central role in shaping the quality and impact of the programme. They are actively involved in providing personalised guidance and strategic advice, supporting mentees in defining and achieving their goals, encouraging confidence and ethical leadership, opening access to professional networks and opportunities, acting as role-models. Each mentor works closely with two mentees, allowing for meaningful, long-term relationships built on trust.
Selection and quality standards
All mentors are carefully selected by The Nine through a rigorous recruitment and engagement process, ensuring proven leadership experience, strong alignment with programme values, high ethical and professional standards, commitment to safeguarding and inclusive practices.
Who are the mentors?
The LeadWithHer mentors are nine women professionals selected for their expertise, leadership track record, and dedication to women’s empowerment. They come from diverse sectors, including: EU institutions, international organisations, civil society and NGO, media, business and social innovation, diplomacy. This diversity ensures that mentees are exposed to multiple career pathways.
Georgia Mourad Brooks
She is the Founder of The Nine and Managing Director of the Fempower Initiative. Based in Brussels, she is a passionate advocate for women’s rights and gender equality. Originally British-Canadian-Lebanese, she grew up between the U.K., Canada, and Egypt. She holds degrees from University College London and the University of Warwick, and speaks English, French, Italian, and Egyptian Arabic, with working knowledge of Flemish.
Lorea Claude
Principal & Founder of CL4Change. She is a recognised expert in sustainable transition for hard-to-abate industries, she has shaped decarbonisation pathways and driven collective action within major industry associations at both sectoral and systemic levels. She works as an independent advisor and executive coach, supporting organisations and leaders in navigating change. She also serves as Strategic Advisor at the Global CCS Institute and the GCCA, and as a Member of the External Advisory Boards of LEILAC and DETOCS.
Atty Cheïma Zaïzouni
She is specialised in EU digital policy. As Founder of Bayan Law Firm, she supports organisations in navigating complex EU legislative frameworks, with a focus on digital, cybersecurity, and regulatory compliance. Her experience spans leading law firms and organisations, including roles at Délégation des Barreaux de France and Strelia, as well as consulting at Athenora. She combines strong legal expertise with strategic advocacy to help clients anticipate and shape EU policy.
Paola Bermeo
She is a claims professional specialising in complex financial lines at AIG, with over 10 years of experience in insurance and claims management. She combines strong technical knowledge with a practical, solution-oriented approach, advising on complex cases and coordinating with international stakeholders. Alongside her professional role, Paola is actively engaged in human rights advocacy as a legal coordinator and board member at Amnesty International Belgique Francophone, contributing to legal work, training, and awareness-raising initiatives.
Dr Madeleine de Hauke, MD
She is an executive coach and leadership expert helping leaders and teams overcome bottlenecks and achieve ambitious goals. After +20 years of experience in the life sciences sector, she founded Business4Good, where she delivers leadership development programmes, team synergy sessions, and strategic off-sites, combining coaching, training, and facilitation to drive lasting change. A medical doctor by background, she brings a structured, diagnosis-driven approach to leadership challenges, enabling organisations to save time, reduce friction, and focus on strategy and impact.
Olga Simonova
She is a leadership coach and facilitator supporting leaders and teams in strengthening leadership, team effectiveness, and organisational culture. She is the Founder of Made Human. She brings +7 years of experience leading and developing teams, alongside a strong corporate background in retail and product organisations, including senior leadership roles at Levi Strauss & Co. and earlier experience at Inditex. She is actively engaged in mentorship and inclusion initiatives, including mentoring refugee women with Tent Partnership for Refugees and contributing as a council member to internal DEI groups, supporting more inclusive and equitable workplaces.
Christine Reinders
She is a senior Brussels-based marketing, communications, and inclusion leader with +20 years of experience helping organisations grow purpose-driven brands and build inclusive workplace cultures. She combines corporate leadership expertise with a strong commitment to diversity, equity, and belonging, positioning inclusion as both a people priority and a business driver. She serves as Head of Marketing Consulting Benelux & France at NTT DATA. Previously, Christine spent over a decade at KPMG Belgium and AG Insurance in progressively senior marketing and communications roles. Christine is the founder of European Asian Network, a platform empowering Asian women to break the “bamboo ceiling” in Europe through visibility, community-building, and leadership development. She has also been active with The Brussels Binder and The Nine.
Anna Borys
She is Senior Director of Government Relations Europe at McDonald’s, based in Brussels, where she leads advocacy with EU institutions and stakeholders. With over 20 years of experience in public affairs and communications, she works at the intersection of policy, business, and societal impact, navigating complex regulatory frameworks and contributing to public policy discussions at European level. Throughout her career, Anna has advised and led communication programmes for major global brands across sectors including food, technology, finance, defense, energy, and consumer goods. Originally from Poland, she combines corporate leadership with a strong commitment to empowering others. She is an EMCC-accredited coach and mentor at Practitioner level and holds advanced business coaching qualifications from Akademia PwC. She is passionate about empowering women in their professional and leadership journeys and has long experience supporting NGO leaders through her work with the School for Leaders Foundation, contributing to leadership development and strengthening civil society.
Isabella Sofia De Gregorio
She is the Founder of Eduxo.eu and President since 2020. Based in Brussels, she is a lesbian and feminist non-profit leader and activist. Originally Italian and Chilean, she works at the intersection of democracy, gender equality, SRHR, and civic participation. With over six years of experience in civil society, she has led international communications, advocacy, and events. She studied Diplomatic and International Affairs and speaks Italian, English, French, and Spanish.
Atty Marie Barani
Intellectual Property, Data Protection & Health Lawyer at A&O Shearman. Marie has experience in intellectual property transactions across the entire innovation cycle, from research and development to the commercialisation of intellectual property. Her expertise includes patent, trade secret, and software licensing, as well as software assignment and patent litigation. She has specific knowledge of competition law and data protection requirements.
Olga Naert
Founder of Aretéa Life & Leadership Coaching, a coaching space for women leaders, entrepreneurs, and ambitious professionals. She helps clients transform emotional pressure into strength, enabling them to lead with calm, confidence, and balance. With a background in sustainability consulting and strategy at EY, McKinsey & Company, and Volvo Trucks, she combines business expertise with coaching to support professionals navigating complex careers and transitions.
Maya Doneva
She is a political advisor and expert in social innovation, social entrepreneurship, and sustainable development, with a strong focus on strategic decision-making, change management, and civil society. She has held senior leadership roles, including Secretary General of EASPD, and Executive Director of Karin Dom. With extensive international experience across more than 35 countries, Maya has worked on human rights, youth empowerment, and innovative service models. She is the founder of The Social Teahouse. She serves as Coordinator at the European Women’s Lobby, continuing to drive advocacy, partnerships, and systemic change at European level.
Sabine Seggelke
She is a senior public affairs professional with extensive experience across highly regulated industries, including food, nutrition, biotechnology, and financial services. As Head of Public Affairs EMEA at Zurich Insurance, she leads EU advocacy, stakeholder engagement, and integrated communication strategies on key issues such as ESG, digitalisation, and the future of work. With a strong background in global advocacy campaigns, issue and crisis management, she brings a strategic and diplomatic approach to influencing policy and supporting senior leadership decision-making. Sabine holds a PhD in Political Science and is a strong advocate of inclusive, coaching-oriented leadership.
Florentina Dumitru
A senior professional in strategic communication and public diplomacy, she currently serves as Executive Director of the European Economic Security Center (ECESTR) and Aspen Brussels Hub Coordinator at Aspen Institute International Partners. With over six years at the European External Action Service (EEAS), she led work on communication policy, public diplomacy, and stakeholder engagement at EU level. Her background spans international organisations and the private sector, including roles at Aspen Institute Romania and GSK, PwC, combining strategic planning, communications, and policy expertise to support complex, international environments.
Kristin de Peyron
A highly experienced EU official, she serves as Director-General for Resource Management at the EEAS, overseeing budget, human resources, and organisational strategy at the EU’s diplomatic service. With over 15 years at the EEAS, she has held multiple senior leadership roles, including Director of Budget and HR, HR Director, and Head of Division across key areas such as EU-Africa relations, multilateral affairs, and HR policy. Previously, she held policy roles at the European Commission, working on EU–UN relations and contributing to the Secretariat of the European Convention on the Future of Europe. She began her career in diplomacy with the Government Offices of Sweden and the Swedish Embassy in Paris.
Sarah Wheaton
Sarah Wheaton is a prominent political journalist and editor based in Brussels, known for her sharp reporting on European politics, policy, and power dynamics. She currently serves as Journalists at POLITICO Europe and is also the host of the widely followed EU Confidential podcast, one of Brussels’ leading insider podcasts on EU politics. Before she was Chief Policy Correspondent at POLITICO Europe, where she co-authored the influential Brussels Playbook newsletter and covered top EU political and policy developments through investigations, analysis, and long-form reporting. Prior to moving to Brussels, Sarah built her career in Washington, D.C. at POLITICO, where she covered the White House during the Barack Obama administration. Earlier in her career, she worked at The New York Times in digital editorial and political coverage roles, contributing to mobile and web political journalism during key U.S. election years.
The Mentees
- Natasha May Sheahan Drake, 20 years old, United Kingdom
- Maxima Obholz, 20 years old, Germany
- Maneli Rojan Sabouhi, 22 years old, Germany
- Nia Khechikashvili, 23 years old, Georgia
- Natasja Enthoven, 25 years old, United Kingdom and The Netherlands
- Margherita Rossi, 26 years old, Italy
- Zahia el Saman, 26 years old, The Netherlands
- Tilda Marie Lennartsson Lambert, 26 years old, Sweden
- Emma Castellin, 27 years old, Italy
- Alexandra Popova, 27 years old, Belgium
- Valerie Müller, 27 years old, Germany
- Anela Sylvester, 28 years old, USA and Croatia
- Olga Molina Tomey, 28 years old, Spain
- Rebecca Bortolato, 28 years old, Italy
- Jasmien Van Hulle, 28 years old, Belgium
- Rosa Maria Currò, 28 years old, Italy
- Laura Orleāne, 28 years old, Latvia
- Renata-Dorina Bud, 28 years old, Italy and Romania
- Felicitas Huck, 28 years old, Germany
- Laura Desaintillan, 28 years old, France
- Clara Dassonville, 29 years old, France
- Elisavet Rozaki, 29 years old, Greece
- Maryna Venneri, 29 years old, Ukraine
- Anaïs de Bergeyck, 29 years old, Belgium
- Kitti Modroczky, 29 years old, Hungary
- Katarina Oja, 30 years old, Estonia
- Kel Nkondock, 30 years old, Spain
- Dr Ana Carolina Campera de Rezende Soares, 30 years old, Brazil and Italy
Organisers and Contacts
EDUXO.EU – European Network for Democracy and Equality ASBL (non profit organisation) and The Nine are partners in the organisation of this programme.
For any questions related to the programme, please contact us exclusively at leadwithher@eduxo.eu.
Kindly refrain from using other official email addresses you may find online, as inquiries sent elsewhere may not be processed.
