Ilona Ruitenberg, DTM

Toastmasters offices held and terms of service (international and regional level):

• 2020-2021 Area Director D59 E4
• 2021-2022 Division Director D59 E
• 2022-2023 Club Growth Director D59
• 2023-2024 Program Quality Director D59
• 2024-2025 District Director D59

Toastmasters honors and recognition (international level):

• 2023-2024 Excellence in Program Quality
• 2023-2024 Select Distinguished District
• 2023-2024 Smedley Distinguished Program Quality Director
• 2024-2025 Smedley Distinguished District Director
• 2024-2025 President 20+ award (3rd in the world and 1st in Region 10)
• 2024-2025 President Extension award (1st in Region 10)

Relevant work experience and how it relates to Toastmasters and your role as a Board Member:

Legal Advisor Municipalities Strategic Analysis & Practical Implementation:
Advise municipalities on translating policy intent and new legislation into effective ordinances and governance systems. This role requires balancing strategic foresight with practical application - analysing complex frameworks, simplifying communication for decision-makers and ensuring implementation integrity. The ability to turn strategic vision into workable action mirrors the leadership and governance required on the Toastmasters Board, where policy decisions must align with organizational purpose and member experience.

Legal Secretary Complaint Committee Hospital and Medical Disciplinary Board
Investigating complex complaints, create files, privacy- and data protection and communicating with hospital personnel and committee members. Required keen listening skills, the ability to synthesize complex, sensitive information, and meticulous adherence to procedural rules. Worked with medical and legal professionals on complicated medical complaints that could lead to a recommendation on policy and protocols or a disciplinary measure. This experience is directly relevant to managing organizational policy, internal disputes, and maintaining administrative integrity.

Judicial Officer (Judge/Prosecutor) :
Training in different fields of the Dutch Courthouse developed the ability to construct clear, logical arguments and statements and to deliver them persuasively, both verbally and in writing, even under pressure. Learned besides deep knowledge of the Dutch and International law also universal legal principles and principles of good administration to maintain strict impartiality and apply legislation fairly, essential for ethical decision-making and clear communication on a Board. Other skills that I developed were writing verdicts, mediation in civil cases, (cross)interrogation and leading large (investigation) teams.

What experience do you have in strategic planning?

As a Legal Advisor for Municipalities, it’s not just drafting law; but strategically diagnosing outdated policies, analyze future risks, and design efficient, practical new regulations and policies. My goal is to create robust, legally sound, and workable policy framework that can withstand politics and is workable for officials and understandable for citizens. Proposing new ordinances and policy documents requires approval from the municipal governance and often the city council.
Prior roles on Complaint Committees and the Medical Disciplinary Board required a strategy for conflict resolution and risk mitigation, turning sensitive findings into systemic improvements. For example, the improvement of communication in the many chains in a hospital. My background as a Judge/Prosecutor trained me to build compelling, strategic cases if it was to present a case or write a verdict. This unique blend of analytical, governance, and policy-implementation strategy is directly applicable to the Toastmasters Board.

What experience do you have in the area of finance?

Managed a budget as the secretary of the complaints committee. This budget was utilized to cover salaries for myself and an administrative employee, as well as compensation and expenses for the committee members and some administration costs like copying and sending out files. Also included the logistics and planning for an annual Christmas dinner involving the committee members and the hospital director.

Managed an annual subsidy as Treasurer for a legal aid office. Responsibilities included budgeting and expense control for administrative costs, annual notary fees, and volunteer expenditures.

What experience do you have in developing policies?

As a Legal Advisor for Municipalities, I directly draft new ordinances and policies, translating complex law into clear, efficient administrative rules for practical execution. This requires strategic analysis and clear communication. Lately I wrote policies about oversight and enforcement of restaurants and cafes, Public Administration Probity and limited permits. Been involved in implementing and rewriting ordinances and policies for the mandatory Environment Plan that came with the introduction of the “Environment and Planning Act” in three municipalities. This new law is one of the biggest implementations in the history of Dutch municipalities.
Earlier, as a Legal Secretary for Hospital Complaint Committees, developed systemic policy recommendations to resolve conflicts and prevent future risk. This experience, combined with applying policy and jurisprudence as a Judge, shows a wide range of developing, interpreting, and enforcing robust, workable governance policies.

What lessons did you learn from previous leadership positions?

Effective leadership, particularly with volunteers, hinges on empowerment and practicality. The cliche is true: teamwork makes the dream work. But only when you actively let others shine and create a collaborative environment.
A key takeaway I still use is investing time to take a genuine interest in my team. Consistently scheduling one-on-one calls with everyone on the team usually results in them investing fully in a project. This was evident last year when all Division Directors in D59 reached Select Distinguished or higher, driven by their own commitment and passion for the district's success.
Learning that clarity is paramount in problem definition, as the solution often follows naturally once the issue is crystal clear. This experience reinforced the need to translate complex objectives into clear, workable plans for diverse (volunteer) teams.

What experience and key strengths would you bring to the Board of Directors?

Robust Legal Background: Extensive experience as a judge, prosecutor, and legal advisor, showcasing skills in governance, ethical decision-making, and conflict resolution, highly relevant to Board responsibilities.
Toastmasters Leadership: Progressed from Club President to District Director in District 59, with notable achievements like Smedley Distinguished awards and top rankings in Region 10 and beyond.
Strategic and Analytical Skills: Proven ability to analyze complex systems, draft clear policies, and implement practical solutions, as demonstrated in municipal advisory roles.
Commitment to Toastmasters: Passionate about the organization’s mission, with a clear belief in its transformative potential.
Diverse Perspective: Multilingual (Dutch, English, German) with a Dutch Indies background, adding value to global outreach and inclusivity.

Why do you want to serve as an International Officer/Director?

I believe strongly in the transformative power of the Toastmasters educational program. I am living proof. Yet, it still surprises me that an organization capable of such fundamental personal change is not better known. I would love to move beyond the casual association with "grilled bread" and household appliances and reach more people that can benefit from the club experience.
Last year’s plateau in membership growth shows the stakes are high. As an organization that depends entirely on the passion of its members, we are poised either to flourish or to falter.
With my rich legal background and proven strategic planning capabilities, I feel I can make an immediate, tangible difference. I would be highly motivated to work on streamlining policies and removing administrative roadblocks that currently burden our members.
I am committed to bringing focus, stability, and practical, actionable solutions to the board, ensuring we empower our members and enter a new era of undeniable expansion.

What volunteer experience do you have outside of Toastmasters?

I worked in two Legal Aid offices when I was a student. One was in a small town and the other was dedicated to women only and was situated in a larger city.

For five years I gave trainings Human Rights in high schools for Amnesty International

Have you worked with other Boards of Directors outside of Toastmasters? If so, describe your experience.

Currently, as a Legal Advisor for Municipalities, I work directly with the daily executive governance, specifically the Mayor and Aldermen. My role involves advising this body on the legal risks and strategic implications of their policies, ensuring their decisions are compliant and efficient.
Previously, I served on the Complaint Committees of two hospitals and the Medical Disciplinary Board. This experience provided insight into administrative governance and the necessity of impartial, systemic decision-making.

In your opinion, what are Toastmasters International’s major objectives and how would you work to achieve them?

Membership experience: Our volunteers are the heart of Toastmasters; they use their free time and passion to make Toastmasters clubs successful. My goal is to make the administrative process seamless, ensuring volunteers have clear, efficient administrative support that removes potential roadblocks and keeps their focus squarely on their own mission.
Growth is stagnating: Even though our program is excellent, our name recognition isn't growing. Awareness has stalled, and we aren't reaching our full potential worldwide. I would like to introduce Smart Growth Strategy. A strategic analysis could be used to pinpoint exactly where growth is blocked. And instead of inventing solutions from scratch, we could identify and scale the proven successes of our top VPPRs and District PR Managers. Turn their best practices into simple, workable policies that volunteers everywhere can easily understand and put into action. During my time as Trio member, we offered a PR kit that proved so successful that a lot of clubs have a waiting list for guests.
By making volunteering easy and tackling growth barriers directly, we can ensure everyone's effort pays off.

Additional information about candidate:

A multilingual Dutch woman (Dutch, English, German) living in the South of the Netherlands just outside the beautiful city Maastricht. Background is Dutch Indies, which is the largest minority group in the country. Share my home with two adolescent sons and a White Shepherd named Snowy. For personal balance, I enjoy cooking (From Italian to Asian), walking in nature, listening to podcasts an, and practicing meditation and yoga. Home club is Toastmasters Maastricht.