Karin Refos is a Senior “Branding” and Communication expert and the founder of STAS International, Strategic Communication and “Branding” (www.stasinternational.com). STAS is currently the strategic authority on communication and branding in Suriname. After studying Public Relations and Information as well as Pedagogy at the Free University in Amsterdam, she completed a range of post – HBO trainings such as: Political Lobby Strategies, Policy and Project Development as well as Personal Leadership. She held the position of Director of Minority Policy for the Province of Flevoland in the Netherlands and was appointed by the respective governments of the Netherlands Antilles, Aruba and Suriname as the Regional Gender Policy Coordinator for this Dutch -speaking Caribbean region. Karin Refos has led several institutes on behalf of the respective governments and initiated and coordinated their corresponding high-profile national (awareness-raising) campaigns at among others:

1. the establishment of the Bureau of Gender Policy in Suriname and Aruba, in addition to 3 regional conferences.
2. the establishment of the Bureau of Children’s Rights and, among other things, the campaign “Violence against Children, A no kan!”
3. the establishment of the National School of Music for the People;
4. the breast cancer campaign and the establishment of the Pink Ribbon Suriname Foundation;
5. in relation to Free and Secret Elections in Suriname: the national conference Women in Leadership in 2000, the “OOK ZIJ” campaign for More Female Leadership in decision-making in 2015 and the “Balans in 2020” campaign for more women and youth in politics.

She is a well known and in demand “motivational speaker” on the subject of Ethical Personal Leadership as well as “Personal Branding” and was named Communication Personality of 2016. Karin is the mother of two children: Kenzo, Creative Director of STAS International (www.stasinternational.com) and Dayle, Artist and Psychologist (www.hiddendivine.nl).