German American Chamber of Commerce – Colorado Chapter Hires New Executive Director

DENVER - Oct. 26, 2015 - PRLog -- The German American Chamber of Commerce – Colorado Chapter (GACC-CO) is very excited to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Ms. Natalia Wobst, who will start at her new post on October 26th. Ms. Wobst will be taking over from Joshua Seeberg, who has held the position since January 2013. Mr. Seeberg has accepted a position with the GACC of the Midwest headquarters in Chicago to assist with the workforce apprentice program known as the Skills Initiative. “I’ve had the opportunity to speak to Natalia and communicate with her extensively via email. She is a delightful and very professional individual who I believe will help launch the GACC into a new era of success” Seeberg commented.

After Ms. Wobst’s start date, Mr. Seeberg will continue on in an advisory role until November 30, 2015 to ensure a smooth transition. Peter Einsle, President of the GACC-CO thanked Mr. Seeberg for his willingness to stay on the job until November 30, 2015 and said “the GACC of the Midwest and our chapter wanted to ensure a smooth transition, especially during this critical time of the load-in and start of the Denver Christkindl Market, which opens on November 20th.”

A search committee tasked with finding Seeberg’s replacement, headed by Mr. Einsle, was very impressed with Ms. Wobst’s German background, her experience in the non-profit sector and ability to coordinate events.

Ms. Wobst most recently served as director of programs at American Friends of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation in Washington, DC, where she developed national and international networking events and recruitment activities to engage the 5000+ alumni of the Humboldt Foundation in the United States - a community of scientists, scholars, artists, and other professionals.

Previously, she coordinated the Atlantic Council’s Energy and Economic Summit in Istanbul, Turkey, the Council's preeminent annual policy forum for global leaders to discuss the key challenges, vital relationships, and business opportunities in a region spanning from Central Europe and the Levant to Central Asia.  Ms. Wobst began her career a decade ago as international programs coordinator at Language Link, Moscow, where she facilitated programs for teachers, students, and volunteers pursuing language studies throughout Russia. She has enjoyed convening international academic and professional capacity building programs in the United States and abroad ever since.

Ms. Wobst earned a Bachelor’s degree in German and Russian, with a minor in Journalism, from Beloit College in Wisconsin, and a Master’s Degree in Russian, Eastern European and Central Asian Studies from the University of Washington in Seattle. Raised in a German-American family in Massachusetts, she has had the opportunity to live abroad in Erlangen and in the village of Gniebel. She was also enrolled for a semester as a full-time student at Eberhard-Karls Universität in Tübingen. She speaks fluent German and Russian and is proficient in Uzbek. She enjoys biking, hiking, cooking, gardening, and mentoring.

The GACC-CO is looking forward to working with Ms. Wobst on the Christkindl Market, membership development, the Skills Initiative and  the 2016 Hannover Trade Fair, where the GACC-CO will lead a delegation of Colorado companies.

Ms. Wobst can be reached at executive-director@gacc-co.org.