Great people are the heart of a great club. Mensen zijn het hart van de club.

General Manager

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Joost Heijmenberg

Joost moved to New York with his family in 2017, and he still remembers what it felt like to start over — new streets, new schools, a search for a bit of home. The NL Club was part of how he found his footing, and now it's a privilege for him to help build that same sense of belonging for others.

His path has never been a straight line — building an energy company from scratch, designing wayfinding systems for NYC's airports, and reporting as a correspondent for Dutch radio. Nine years in, he still explores this city like he did in his first month: camera in hand, chasing the next hiking trail, hidden beach, or neighborhood he hasn't wandered yet. He's a street photographer and published author, with a second book on the way, and most weekends you'll find him outside, dragging his family along for the adventure.

Through it all, the Dutch thread stays constant — Koningsdag, the Herring Party, Sinterklaas, and simply a borrel with people who get it without explanation. His goal for the Club is to keep that thread strong: whether you landed last week or have called New York home for decades, this should be your place to explore, connect, and feel at home.

  • joost@nlclub.nyc

Membership & Communications Manager

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Shawn Kent

Shawn Kent oversees membership and communications for the Netherland Club of New York, helping the Club grow in a way that feels modern while staying true to its roots. He works on how the Club presents itself, how members stay engaged, and how the value of belonging is clearly felt.

Born in the U.S., Shawn lived in Amsterdam for 15 years before moving to New York in 2013 with his Dutch partner where he was Festival Director for Tomorrowland USA with ID&T. He later held senior global marketing and product roles at Mastercard, and previously served as Marketing & Sales Director at Cirque du Soleil Europe in Amsterdam — experience spanning marketing, operations, and leadership within the experiential industry.

  • shawn@nlclub.nyc

Board of Directors

  • Treasurer
    Principal, Transaction Advisory Services, GHJ&. Patrick is a leader with 20+ years of experience in global M&A transactions in the United States, Europe and Asia.

  • Vice President
    Executive SVP Citco Fund Services

  • Director
    CFO ING Bank

  • Secretary
    Non-profit management professional experienced and successful in public speaking, raising funds and running programs

  • President
    SVP & Chief Corporate Affairs Officer Heineken

  • Director
    Principal Carlyle Group

  • Director
    Cultural Attaché, Dutch Consulate (Head of Cultural Affairs for The Netherlands in the USA)

Each year, the NL Club sends out 50+ invites to its members to attend gallery openings, concerts, celebrations, discussion panels, fietstochten (bicycle rides), and of course the monthly borrel avond. (The NL Club meets monthly at the fabulous rooftop bar at citizenM - corner Delancey St., and the Bowery.

All that activity relies our amazing Volunteers who give their time freely and often, so that quality events keep coming.

Become an Ambassador!
Help with our events and projects by giving your talent and time. In return, you'll develop deeper connections, receive special access and be part of making it all happen.

Join the Team