During the Berlin congress a number of changes to the make up of the SIETAR Europa Board took place.

Francien WIERINGA, President for normally one more year decided not to continue in that role. Instead she will remain on the board as Vice President but will pass to Nathalie LORRAIN her role of President. It allows to the both women to work closed to each other and start a process by which the experience of the board is transferred more effectively.

Three old members left the board.

Klara FALK BANO, who has served for four years, two as Treasurer and two as Vice President. She was also the chair of the Budapest Congress and will be assisting with the 2005 Congress planning.

George SIMONS, who served on the Communication team for two years and will continue to work there but not as a board member.

In the photos below, outgoing Board President Francien WIERINGA gives our thanks to Klara and George at the Gala Dinner at the Berlin Congress. She is flanked in the picture on the left by Christine Longe, the SE Office Secretary and on the right by Maria Jicheva who will continue as Board Treasurer for the next term.

We also sent our best wishes to Jan VERHOVEN who also served for two years on the communications committee, but was not able to attend the Congress!

Ingrid Kramina was elected to the Board as a direct member. She comes to us from Latvia where she is a professor at the Faculty of Modern Languages of the University of Latvia. Her field of research interest is applied linguistics. At present she serves as the Head of the English Department. The student body as well as the staff of her department are made up of representatives of the two main national communities residing in Latvia: Latvians and Russians. They share bilingual and bicultural experience as we are involved in a 'joint venture` - studying and researching the English language. We hope that Ingrid's presence on the board will increase our involvement with the new nations of the European Union.