Ex-Government minister is new chair of Goede Doelen Nederland

Ingrid van Engelshoven is the new chair of the supervisory board of EFA member Goede Doelen Nederland, succeeding longstanding incumbent Jan van Berkel.

The appointment was confirmed at the organisation’s general meeting at the end of June.

Van Engelshoven was Minister of Education, Culture and Science between October 2017 and January 2022, and was also previously chair of the Democraten 66 (D66) political party. She says:

“In the role of chair of Goede Doelen Nederland, I see an important opportunity to contribute to strengthening the social position of charities in the Netherlands. Because charities are of great value to our society. I look forward to working with the supervisory board and the board to contribute to achieving the mission of Goede Doelen Nederland.”

GDN director Margreet Plug describes van Engelshoven as a “a very experienced chairman with extensive political and administrative experience”. Alongside her new GDN role, van Engelshoven also sits on the boards of arts organisation PLT and the Hague Institute for Innovation of Law (HiiL), and is an advisor to cultural sector consultancy Blueyard.

Her predecessor, van Berkel, had served as chair since 2016 and had been on the board since 2012. He was also one of GDN’s co-founders in 1995.

A statement on the organisation’s website says:

“Charity Netherlands is extremely grateful to Jan van Berkel for everything he has meant to the organization and the sector and the way in which he has fulfilled his role as chairman of the supervisory board.”

In addition, Julie Verhaar was also appointed to GDN’s six-person board at the general meeting. Verhaar is currently director of children’s aid organisation Terres des Hommes Nederland, and has also worked for Greenpeace, UNHCR and UNICEF.