Elysia Blake

Elysia is a true international with local flare. After growing up in the USA, Honduras, and France, in 2007 she graduated from McGill University (Canada) with a Bachelor’s in International Development Studies, and came to Brussels in 2009. Native in English and French, she also speaks Spanish and Dutch.   In her 17+ years of professional experience in international organisations, Elysia navigated multiple structural changes including corporate identity, ways of working, IT infrastructure, and team reorganisations. Before entering the association sphere, she worked in executive learning, international law firms, an EU institution, a large charity, and volunteered at youth organisations. She learned how a European trade association works from the inside out while spending over a decade in a mid-sized organisation, where she held roles in communications, operations, and governance.  Elysia brings a unique mix of interpersonal, communication, and organisational skills. Not afraid of the microphone, Elysia lead General Assemblies and was often asked to facilitate team or Board discussions on strategy and internal processes. People say she ‘translates’ the ideas and needs of people who sometimes don’t understand each other, and synthesizes complex discussions into conclusions everyone can get behind. Committed to operational efficiency and collaboration, she's known for simply finding ways to make things work better.  In 2026 Elysia set up her practice as an independent consultant focused on supporting European associations. She is expanding her services to include in facilitation and moderation.