Mieke van Heesewijk graduated in Russian Language and Literature, but her internet roots lie with XS4ALL, the first Internet Provider in the Netherlands. XS4ALL was founded by a group of internet pioneers in 1993. It stands for the full use of the possibilities of the internet. For free and uncensored exchange of data, information and ideas for everyone. Since then it has grown to become the quality internet service provider for businesses and consumers in the Netherlands.
Subsequently Mieke started working at the Dutch Ministry of Internal Affairs as policy advisor for internet participation.
Momentarily Mieke is program manager at SIDN Fund. SIDN Fund embodies for ‘a strong internet for all’ and provides financial support to ideas and projects to consolidate the internet’s position in contemporary society or that use the internet in innovative ways. By doing so, SIDN Fund wants to help increase the social impact of the internet in the Netherlands. SIDN Fund is an independent foundation established by SIDN, the foundation for internet domain registration in the Netherlands.
Mieke was co-founder and co-director of Network Democracy, which is a platform for democratic innovation. Network Democracy is committed to building a resilient democracy in which citizens are better involved and in which, with the help of technology, they can actively contribute.
Mieke is a member of the Dutch Internet Society chapter for over ten years, Chair of the board of the Dutch whistleblowing platform Publeaks, Chair of the board of City Festival WeMakeThe.City, and a member of the supervisory board of WPG publishers, a multi-medial publishing company. Finally, she still uses her expertise as an Expert of the European Commission on Communication Networks, Contents & technical Future Networks Next-generation Internet and as a member of the selection committee for the RIPE NCC Community Projects Fund.
