The people and purpose behind DANAmark.

Irene combines an entrepreneur’s initiative with the empathy of someone whose work centres on people. That combination shapes her leadership: she makes decisions, brings others on board and keeps a project moving, while listening and nurturing relationships built on trust.

Her background spans social work, entrepreneurship and the coordination of international projects. She founded a business specialising in Spanish gourmet products and catering, establishing import connections that brought Spanish gastronomy to the Danish market. She also coordinated the Indigenous Peoples Pavilion at the IUCN World Conservation Congress in Abu Dhabi, using her organisational skills to support an exchange between cultures.

Originally from Ávila and now based in Denmark, Irene is a mother of two girls and married to a Dane. She knows life across two cultures first-hand. She has a gift for finding common ground and bringing people with different experiences together around a shared goal. Her warmth encourages people to get involved; her determination helps things move forward when challenges arise.

Irene is the heart and driving force behind DANAmark. She leads through personal commitment, with the courage to take the first step and the perseverance to turn ideas into action. She recognises what each person can bring and builds a team where every contribution has a place and is valued.

Pablo is one of those people who is a pleasure to work with: generous with his time, effective when something needs sorting out and always ready with a smile. His easy-going, down-to-earth manner makes him approachable and puts people at ease from the very start.

Originally from Vitoria-Gasteiz, he graduated in Biochemistry from the Autonomous University of Madrid and came to Copenhagen with a ”la Caixa” Foundation fellowship to specialise in Bioinformatics. Today, he is a PhD student at the University of Copenhagen. That demanding academic path goes hand in hand with an open, warm and unassuming personality.

His interest in sharing knowledge has also led him to take part in science outreach initiatives for young people. He has a knack for explaining things, connecting with others and contributing wherever he is needed.

At DANAmark, Pablo manages social media, combining his ability to get things done with a generosity that comes through in everyday interactions. He gets involved, helps things move forward and makes working together easier and more enjoyable.

Rebeca has a way of organising things that makes life easier for everyone working alongside her. Warm and approachable, she combines excellent coordination skills with an easy manner that makes her a pleasure to work with.

She has lived in Denmark for 25 years and previously spent three and a half years in Montréal. A mother of three with a natural flair for languages, she brings experience of life across cultures and an ease in connecting with people from different backgrounds.

Her professional background spans IT infrastructure consulting, project management and the coordination of doctoral programmes. She has worked to connect organisational needs with technological solutions and supported academic processes that call for careful organisation, follow-through and attention to people.

At DANAmark, Rebeca brings structure and thoughtfulness. She pays attention to both the tasks and the people behind them, and her approachable nature makes collaboration feel easy. With her on the team, turning ideas into action becomes a smoother and more enjoyable shared effort.

Irene has built her career in HR and talent acquisition, working with international teams in Copenhagen. At Worksome, she has been involved in recruitment during a period of rapid growth, helping to build a diverse team.

She studied at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and also has experience volunteering in human rights with the Central America Committee in Denmark. Her background combines work in the technology sector with involvement in social initiatives.

At DANAmark, she is part of the volunteer team, contributing her professional experience and willingness to help.

Sara’s professional background is in planning and the technical coordination of building projects. Trained in Madrid, she has worked in both Spain and Denmark, with experience in pharmaceutical facilities, healthcare buildings and complex construction projects.

Her training includes digital tools for building design and coordination, a field that calls for attention to detail and the ability to bring different disciplines together. This experience gives her a practical foundation for handling projects with many moving parts and varied requirements.

Colleagues who have worked with her highlight her thoroughness, the quality of her work and her willingness to find solutions. They also describe a friendly, helpful colleague whose good humour contributes to a positive working environment.

At DANAmark, Sara is part of the volunteer team, contributing her experience in organisation and teamwork to the association’s initiatives.

Eva is full of energy, with a willingness to help that you notice from the moment you meet her. Alongside that generosity comes a culinary talent she has made her profession: she has a special touch in the kitchen and knows how good food can bring people together.

Originally from Valencia and founder of Ris Paella in Copenhagen, Eva has been cooking paella since childhood. In Denmark, she has built her career as a chef and entrepreneur, bringing Valencian traditions to festivals, private celebrations and food events. In 2025, she was selected to represent Denmark in the World Paella Day Cup final, marking the country’s first appearance in the final of this international competition.

Her cooking draws on her craft and respect for her roots, as well as her personality: enthusiastic, warm and devoted to what she does. There is a little magic in her touch and a great deal of work behind every dish.

At DANAmark, she brings that same enthusiasm and is always ready to lend a hand. Eva gets involved and puts her talent at the service of the team, with the ease of someone who enjoys sharing what she does best.

Álex is one of those people who steps forward, gets involved and always brings something to the table. He takes initiative, is ready to lend a hand and offers perspectives that help the team spot another possibility or approach a problem from a different angle.

A mechanical engineer specialising in offshore wind energy, he works on the modelling, analysis and testing of floating offshore wind turbines. His work demands technical rigour and the ability to find solutions, qualities he also brings to collaborative projects.

Originally from Valencia and a keen runner, Álex became involved with DANAmark after organising a run to raise awareness of the aftermath of the DANA floods in his home region. Sport became his way of bringing people together and keeping attention on those who still needed support.

At DANAmark, he has managed auctions and helped with the on-site preparations for the Social Run. He is willing to take on tasks and turn ideas into action. Working with Álex means having someone who gets involved and brings sound judgement alongside a readiness to help.

Marta enjoys giving ideas shape and finding ways to put them into practice. She has a knack for finding solutions and gets involved in both developing a proposal and working through the practical details needed to make it happen.

An architect trained in Madrid, she has worked in urban planning, building rehabilitation and housing. Her background also includes teaching, creative workshops and care work, giving her experience of different needs and ways of working.

Originally from Spain, Marta lives in Denmark and is a mother of three. She is interested in how spaces affect everyday life, especially those that help us feel at ease without drawing much attention to themselves.

At DANAmark, she helps with communications, outreach to businesses and partners, and event organisation. She enjoys exploring what each person or organisation can contribute and finding a way to bring that into the project. And when the day comes, she is also there to prepare, set up and lend a hand.

Leire is full of surprises: one day she is making a video for social media, the next she is securing a batch of products from a supermarket. Resourceful and proactive, she is always willing to help and easy to count on.

With a degree in Psychology and training in teaching Spanish as a foreign language, she combines teaching with her interest in languages. She knows first-hand how much effort learning another language can take and adapts her lessons to each person’s needs.

At DANAmark, she helps create content and find partners. She is comfortable taking on a wide range of tasks and gets involved wherever she is needed, whether that means raising awareness of an initiative or securing the resources to make it happen.

She has also donated Spanish lessons as a prize for the DANAmark raffle. It is a way of sharing her work that reflects her approach to volunteering: approachable, practical and always ready to lend a hand.