Team

Ana Muñoz Padrós – President

I am a freelance journalist based in Brussels. At present, I mainly report data-driven stories for Deutsche Welle. I also collaborate in cross-border investigations and I’m a board member of the Association of European Journalists in Belgium. Since 2012, I’ve written for various international outlets.

Back in the day, I also worked in EU communications for a while, and in a past life, international business in Latin America. But that’s a story for another time.

Elena Sánchez Nicolás – Board Member (Former President)

Elena has been the president of AEJ Belgium from 2022 to 2026. She is from Spain and she joined AEJ Belgium in 2017. Elena is an accredited journalist, working for the online newspaper EUobserver. She covers institutional affairs, climate change, and tech policy; and she likes to illustrate data and trends with infographics. She also moderates online, in-person and hybrid events. Before joining EUobserver, she worked on European affairs at the Brussels-based think tank VoteWatch Europe and the Spanish news agency EFE. She holds a MA in New Media and Society in Europe from the Vrije Universiteit Brussels and a MA in Transmedia Journalism from UNED.

Miquel Sánchez – Board Member (Advocacy Officer)

Miquel is a Spanish journalist who is currently pursuing a double master’s degree in European Studies and Political Analysis at the Université Catholique de Louvain and the Universitat Oberta de Catalunya. He has been collaborating with the AEJ Belgium as a volunteer since February 2022, writing articles, conducting interviews, and making contributions related to media freedom and the role of journalists’ associations. Miquel’s interest in European policies and laws stems from his previous work with the International Federation of Journalists, where he focused on the European Freedom of the Media Act and strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs).

Heleen van Geest – Board Member

I am a visual journalist and producer developing and pitching narrative-driven video and photo projects in China and Europe. I collaborate closely with photographer and storyteller Justin Jin to create stories that cut through complexity and make global issues tangible. Our work has been published internationally, including several stories in National Geographic, two of which became cover stories. I also produce accompanying video content for NatGeo’s website and social media channels. Beyond media partnerships, we support international organisations in conveying their missions through powerful, editorial-quality visuals.

Sonja Rijnen – Board Member

Executive Assistant/ Newsroom Coordinator at Politico Europe

Julian Hale – Board Member

Multilingual communications professional (freelance) – Audiovisual producer, translator (Belgian CBTI member), journalist (UK NUJ member), copyeditor/proofreader, report writer English/French/Spanish/Italian/German

Wael Maâninou – Member – Volunteer

Communications Specialist, passionate about European Public Affairs and Journalism. He joined the Association in 2025 and supported the organisation efforts around the Annual Conference 2025 as well as the website redesign.

IHECS Academy Brussels and ISIC Rabat alumnus in European Public Affairs and Political Communication.

Aagje Van Raemdonck

Aagje joined the AEJ as an intern in February 2025. She is pursuing a professional bachelor’s degree in International Journalism at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Mechelen. Aagje was born and grew up in Belgium. At the AEJ she’s mainly occupied with the organisation’s social media platforms and covers different events. During her internship her aim is to improve her journalistic skills and broaden her knowledge about various subjects. Her interests include politics, environmentalism and international conflicts. Besides journalism, Aagje creates content for multiple organizations and she loves to travel.

Jan Rehaag

Jan joined the AEJ as an intern in February 2025. Originally from Germany, he is currently pursuing a bachelor’s degree in International Journalism at Thomas More University of Applied Sciences in Mechelen. Before arriving in Belgium in 2024, he spent two years working and traveling across Australia and New Zealand, which he later wrote about in an article. At the AEJ, Jan covers press conferences and helps out with the organisation’s social media presence. While working in Brussels, he is eager to gain more insights into EU politics and further develop his journalistic skills. Jan’s interests include conflict journalism, social dynamics, and storytelling. Outside of journalism, he also loves to volunteer for student organisations, play the piano, and explore the outdoors.

Gabriela Lopez

Gabriela is a Colombian communications student at ISFSC College in Brussels. She previously graduated in modern languages and studied anthropology at Pontificia Universidad Javeriana in Bogota. Additionally, she pursued a one-year master’s in cultural project management before pursuing a career in communications and journalism. She arrived in Belgium four years ago to build an international profile.

Gabriela joined the Association of European Journalists as an intern in April 2024. Her main interests include politics, EU-Latin American affairs, culture, diversity, gender equality, decolonisation, and migration. So far, she has attended conferences and events related to her areas of interest and has met various professional journalists at the Brussels Press Club. She has enjoyed her time at AEJ and is looking forward to remaining as a volunteer when her internship comes to an end.

David Poelemans

David is a 25-year-old student from Antwerp currently studying history at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. He has been collaborating for AEJ Belgium since January of 2023. So far, he has enjoyed his time at the association, where he has been given the opportunity to conduct interviews, write articles, help improve social media outreach and mingle with professional journalists at the Press Club Brussels. In the coming months, he hopes to continue on the path the association has helped pave. He will work with the new team of interns and volunteers when his internship at the AEJ Belgium comes to its eventual close in August 2023.

Wenka Weber

Wenka, a German student with a Bachelor’s in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics from Utrecht University, is passionate about the interdisciplinary nature of political issues, including inequality, feminist theories, peace studies, populism, and postcolonialism. In September 2024, she moved to Brussels to gain practical experience at a German political foundation, where she engaged with diverse perspectives and deepened her interest in making complex political topics more accessible. With some experience in journalism, Wenka is eager to further develop her writing and interviewing skills, focusing on European politics. She looks forward to her time at AEJ to explore the link between EU institutions, political communication, and its societal impact.

Anne-Marie Brennan

Anne-Marie Brennan is a student of journalism and French at the University of Galway in Ireland, where she developed a particular interest in human rights and freedom of speech. She has just joined the Association of European Journalists in Belgium as an intern in September 2023. Her areas of interest are mainly migration, freedom of the press, indigenous rights and prison reform in Europe. During her internship at AEJ Belgium, her work is expected to give her plenty of time to learn more about European politics.  She believes it is important for journalists to have a place where they can come together to create a sense of community, such as the Press Club in Brussels where you can find her most of the time.