The Executive Secretariat Team

Bio:

Pierre-Alain joined WAPES Executive Secretariat in February 2015.

Initially Pierre-Alain went for a three-month internship in Venezuela for his degree in Communication. However he decided to stay in this country for 12 years.

In 2014 he returned to Belgium. Developing a passion for audiovisual and cultural work, Pierre Alain first collaborated on the creation of a community television in a popular district of Maracay in Venezuela. Then together with his Venezuelan wife, he created a non-profit Socio-Cultural organization called “Fundación Socio-Cultural AUTANA” of which he was the director for 10 years. The Fundación organizes free workshops for audiovisual production, films and documentaries projections in popular neighborhoods called “barrios”, produces video reports and helps other organizations to emerge.

Pierre-Alain also holds a degree in education with mention in Cultural Development from the Experimental Nacional University “Simón Rodríguez” in Caracas, Venezuela. In his last position he worked for two years as a communication expert for the National Experimental University for Security “UNES” for the Aragua and Carabobo regions in Venezuela.

Pierre-Alain spends his leisure time with his two children helping them discover the Belgian culture.

Nicole CLOBES

Bio:

Nicole joined WAPES Executive Secretariat in March 2023.

Nicole is seconded by the German Federal Employment Agency.

In the German Public Employment Service (Bundesagentur für Arbeit) she has been working in various positions such as Placement Officer, Vocational Advisor, Team Lead and most recently at the European Representation of the German Federal Employment Agency.

Nicole has been living and studying in the USA for a couple years. Since 2021 she lives together with her family in Belgium.

Nicole holds a Bachelor’s degree in Communication and a Master’s degree in Industrial and Organizational Psychology.

Ulf NORMAN

Bio:

Ulf joined the WAPES executive secretariat in October 2023.

Ulf is seconded by Arbetsförmedlingen, the Swedish public employment service.

At Arbetsförmedlingen, he has held a variety of positions, including consultant, key account manager, international coordinator, project manager and international business manager (interim). Ulf lived and worked in Tunisia and France from 1988 to 2001 before returning to Sweden. He joined Arbetsförmedlingen in 2006.

He studied at Stockholm University, for example.

French with EU studies, French, culture and society and Interculturality and communicative competence.

Amandine MOIGNARD

Projects Director – Executive Secretary ad Interim
[email protected]

Bio:

Amandine joined the WAPES Executive Secretariat in June 2023 as Projects Director.

After studying international relations in Paris (France), Amandine chose Madrid (Spain) to complete her studies with a Masters in international cooperation and project management. It was here that she began a career in managing development projects with a consulting firm and then with a Spanish public foundation that promotes peer-to-peer technical cooperation for public administration. She then worked for 2 years in Bamako (Mali) for a family planning NGO, before finally returning to Europe, first in Paris with an experience with France Médias Monde and then in Brussels.

It was her experience at SOCIEUX+ that introduced her to the work of public employment services and made her want to join the WAPES family.

Minako TAKASAKI

Joint-Project Coordinator
[email protected]

Bio:
Ms Minako TAKASAKI is a Joint Project Coordinator seconded by the Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW), Japan in October 2024. She has a professional career at the MHLW for more than 20 years covering public employment service programs, employment measures for foreign workers, job counseling, employment statistics and employment insurance since she started her career as a job counselor at PES office (Hello Work). Before current position, she was first-ever female Head of the Employment Service Department at the Okinawa Regional Labour Bureau. She also worked for the Embassy of Japan in Republic of Korea as First Secretary of Economy. She holds Bachelor of Education and Master of Public Studies.

Emma MONSTER

Junior Seconded Consultant
[email protected]

Bio:
Emma is joining the WAPES Executive Secretariat from May 2025 until February 2026.
Emma is seconded by UWV (Uitvoeringsinstituut Werknemersverzekeringen), the public employment service of The Netherlands.
During her studies at University Emma developed an interest in international cooperation, and wrote her thesis about bilateral relations between Japan and China. Her interest led her to complete her master’s degree with an exchange to Tokyo, where she deepened her knowledge of foreign policy and intercultural communication.
Emma is currently taking part in UWV’s traineeship that is organized in collaboration with SVB and the Dutch Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment. Before joining WAPES she carried out research on delegation between doctors and nurses, a very relevant topic for the Social-Medical Affairs division of UWV.
Emma holds a Bachelor’s degree in Japanese Studies and a Master’s degree in Media & Business.