“It was always my dream to be Obama's speechwriter”

For over 25 years, we have been connecting organizations with the best marketing, communication, and content professionals. We find suitable assignments or positions for junior, medior, and senior professionals. In Spot On, we would like to introduce them to you. This time, Spot On: Mylène Tabernal, Communications Advisor (ai) at the Province of North Holland.

“From the very beginning, Babbage's recruiter proactively thought about what I wanted and what options were available.”

Mylène (30) knew from her studies that she wanted to do something with communication in politics or government. She did an internship at the Dutch embassy in Singapore and worked for a year at the party office of Volt. At the moment she works on an assignment at the Province of North Holland via Babbage.

“As a child I devoured books and had a strong sense of justice. My family always said: 'You should become a politician or a journalist.' After high school I didn't really know what I wanted to do. I first had a gap year and worked and traveled. After that I started and stopped three different studies. In the end I started Language and Communication at the UVA. That was an immediate hit. The study was about persuasive communication, argumentation theory, speech act theory and rhetoric. All fun subjects!”

The West Wing

“During my studies I was a big fan of the television series The West Wing, about an American president and his staff. Since then I always wanted to become a speechwriter. In the fourth year of my studies I did a six-month internship at the Dutch embassy in Singapore. That's where the fire was fanned further. I wrote speeches for the ambassador, for example for Remembrance Day. Back in the Netherlands I did a master's degree in Leiden and wrote a thesis about Queen Beatrix's Christmas speeches.”

Political party

“I worked part-time as a student assistant at the TU in Delft and later as a teacher of communication skills. I taught presentation, writing, debate techniques. That was really fun. When I only had to finish my thesis, I started working at the party office of Volt. That was a turbulent time. It was fantastic to work there, but also very busy. When my contract expired, I started looking for something else. I did remain politically active at Volt, but then as a volunteer.”

Babbage

“During my bachelor’s degree, I had already registered with Babbage for a communication job with the government. But at that time, I didn’t do anything with it. I first did my internship in Singapore and my master’s degree in Leiden. After the job at Volt, I contacted Babbage again and sent my CV. The contact was immediately pleasant. My recruiter was proactively thinking about what I wanted and what the possibilities were. It actually went very quickly, I started at the Province of North Holland in mid-July.”

Province of Noord-Holland

“At the province, I was first a mid-level communications advisor at the Nature Area Process. I worked for the Eastern Vecht Lakes, where 21 parties work together to improve nature. I was also responsible for communications on two overarching themes: Natura 2000 and Nature Restoration Measures. I organised a residents' evening, wrote press releases and gave communications advice to the board of the Provincial Executive. I also made a television episode about nature restoration measures together with NH Media. When my contract expired at the end of December, they asked if I wanted to stay longer.”

Citizen consultation

“I am now a communications advisor for the Provincial Rural Area Program that should be ready on July 1. The nice thing is that we are also going to do a residents' consultation, where every resident can give their opinion about the rural area. It is an interesting assignment, because everything is very politically sensitive. Take the nitrogen policy for example. Of course, it is also exciting what the outcome of the elections on March 15 will be. In the meantime, we are continuing to write the area program, so that it is ready on time.”

To fight

“I think transparent communication in government is very important. You have to involve residents, because as a government you work for those people, don't you? Sometimes I miss that, that colleagues take the target group into account. Then I feel like I have to fight for that. For example, when colleagues write an important piece and knock on the door at the last minute for communication advice. Such a residents' consultation is also important in the context of transparency. I want everyone in North Holland to know or could have known that they can make their voice heard.”

Trots

“I already know that I am proud after the residents' consultation. Because I can say: I contributed to people being heard. But there are more moments in my career that I am proud of. Last year I contributed to Volt being elected in ten municipalities during the municipal elections. I think that is really cool. I am also still proud of the speech in 2018 in Singapore for Remembrance Day. I come from a Jewish family myself. When you hear someone speak your words and touch people with it, that is very rewarding.”

Art of speaking

“The best part of my job is strategy, spokesperson and speechwriting. I want to do more with that. Eventually I would like to be spokesperson and speechwriter for a minister or maybe even the prime minister. It was always my dream to become a speechwriter for Obama, because I think he is a fantastic speaker. Here in the Netherlands we have a less rich rhetorical tradition than in America. The Netherlands is more of a 'just act normal, that's crazy enough' kind of person. I want to contribute to a richer Dutch culture of speaking.”

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