International Women’s Day Spotlight: A Conversation with EO’s Next Global Board Chair

To celebrate International Women's Day (Sunday, 8 March), EO is highlighting members who are helping pave the way for other women to lead and thrive.

Taunya Renson-Martin (EO Belgium)

Taunya Renson-Martin (EO Belgium) will step into the role of EO Global Board Chair in July. Born and raised in Washington, D.C., and based in Belgium since 2000, Taunya is the founder of Mach Media, a B2B communications agency serving global companies in highly technical industries. An EO member since 2018, she credits Forum as a defining force in both her leadership journey and her approach to building psychologically safe, high-performing teams.

In advance of her stepping into her new role and delivering a keynote at the 2026 Global Leadership Conference (GLC) in Dublin, we connected with Taunya to learn more about her journey.

In the following Q&A, she reflects on motherhood and entrepreneurship, the power of Forum, and the responsibility entrepreneurs carry as global leaders. (Responses have been condensed.)

EO: More than a decade into your professional career, what prompted you to launch your own business? What were the biggest obstacles or challenges you faced early on, and what lessons did you have to learn on the fly?

Taunya: The short answer is motherhood. Before starting my company, I was freelancing and juggling a wide range of projects. When I had my first child, I assumed I could just keep everything going as I always had. When I became pregnant with my second child, though, that assumption started to unravel. I realized I was carrying too much and a little panic set in. A friend of mine, a serial entrepreneur, gave me very simple advice: “Why not just start a company?” He made it sound incredibly easy — in hindsight, it is not.  

Still, I did not overthink it. I registered a company and hired someone to take over client work while I was on maternity leave. The goal was peace of mind and the opportunity to fully focus on my children at that precious time in their lives. When I came back from leave, I started operating like I had a company to build. From there, it grew organically. Looking back, there was quite some naïveté in those early days, but that may have been my advantage. I did not wait until I felt ready: I just did it.

Taunya with her sons, Julien and Jean-Rene

EO: Mach Media serves corporations in highly technical industries. What is your approach to translating complexity into clear communications without losing nuance?

Taunya: First, I am genuinely curious. I enjoy learning new topics, and I know that if I do not understand something myself, I cannot communicate it clearly for someone else. My first step is never simplification — it is understanding.

I spend a lot of time asking questions. That process helps me learn and also helps clients distill their own thinking. I am constantly asking, “What actually matters here?”  That moment when someone identifies what truly matters to their audience is the breakthrough.

Once that clarity exists, storytelling becomes essential. Stories make information personal and help people connect what you are saying to their own lives and experiences. That is how complexity becomes meaningful instead of overwhelming.

EO: Why and how did you apply Forum-style practices to your own business? How has that proven beneficial as Mach Media has grown?

Taunya: Forum changed me. And I truly believe that if it changed me, the principles behind it can change others as well. Deep listening, speaking from experience instead of giving advice, adopting a beginner’s mindset — those are powerful practices.

I wanted to bring that culture into Mach Media because I admired the environment my Forum created. I wanted our company to be a place where empathy mattered and where people felt safe being vulnerable and human. A business should not be defined only by performance metrics. Emotional impact, how we relate to each other, and how we show up for clients matters just as much, if not more.

Accountability is one of our core values, but accountability only works when people feel safe admitting mistakes. You cannot expect honesty without psychological safety. Forum taught me how to create that kind of space.

EO: Can you recount an impactful Forum experience?

Taunya: A Forum retreat feels like flying at 35,000 feet. You step away from your daily life and spend a few days focused entirely on self-reflection and connection. My current Forum is relatively new; made of two Forums that blended together. Our recent retreat in Lyon, France was about bonding and building trust.

I am also the only woman in this Forum, and those men are like brothers to me. I value hearing their perspectives, learning about their families, and seeing their vulnerability. That level of openness is rare, and it is what makes Forum so meaningful.

EO: You studied theater and continue to act professionally. Has acting always been a passion, and how have you made space for it alongside EO and your business?

Taunya: Acting has been part of my life for as long as I can remember. I started as a child, continued through high school, and earned my degree in theater arts and acting. I performed extensively after school and toured with a Shakespeare company in the U.S. and Europe.

When I moved to Belgium at 26, I continued acting, doing voice-over work, commercials, films, and guest roles on television. Even now, while balancing EO and Mach Media, I still act when opportunities fit my schedule. Acting also supports my business work. I coach executives on presentation skills, and those theatrical tools translate directly.

EO: You also founded the BELUSA theater company. What stands out from that experience, and what has running a theater company taught you?

Taunya: I started BELUSA not long after moving to Belgium, when my life was less full than it is now. BELUSA stands for Belgium–USA.

The first play we produced was “The Lover” by Harold Pinter. The most recent was “Art,” which we performed a little over a year ago. That project was especially meaningful because it was a story I had always wanted to tell. Traditionally, “Art” is performed by three men, but we reimagined it with two women and one man.

We also made a creative choice to reflect life in Belgium by incorporating multiple languages — English, Dutch, and French — just as people switch languages in everyday conversations here. It was experimental and deeply fulfilling.

EO: Among your many EO leadership roles, which stretched you most? How has EO’s Path of Leadership shaped your leadership style?

Taunya: The role that stretched me the most was serving as Regional Chair for Europe. During my tenure, two major wars directly affected the region. These situations deeply impacted EO members.

I was confronted with a question I never expected to face: How do you lead people above politics? Forum offered the answer. Its principles, particularly listening without judgement, are tools for navigating complex human situations.

The learning process was messy. As humans, we react emotionally. As a leader, I realized my role was to model something different. Sometimes that meant running toward the fire instead of away from it, to include bringing people with the strongest emotions and loudest voices together in a Forum-style environment to have an open and authentic exchange. Risky? Possibly. Courageous? Definitely. Necessary? Absolutely.

That experience fundamentally shaped me and how I think about leadership.

EO: As you step into the role of EO Global Board Chair, what priorities energize you most?

Taunya: Entrepreneurs play a powerful role in society. We impact economies, support communities, and shape culture. The way we lead matters.

I am passionate about amplifying a more responsible, values-driven form of leadership globally that is rooted in trust and servant leadership. At the same time, I want to give the gift of EO to as many entrepreneurs as possible, which means thoughtful growth without sacrificing the instant intimacy that makes the EO experience so beautiful. The challenge will be maintaining that immediate sense of connection and shared values as we grow.  

EO: Many women founders still face systemic barriers to capital, networks, and visibility. What practical advice would you offer?

Taunya: I have never loved networking. It always felt superficial to me. What I value is building real relationships. That is why EO resonates so deeply. Instead of superficial networking, it feels like connecting deeply with people and having meaningful conversations. My advice is to build relational capital because real relationships compound over time and you will see a return on those investments.

Also, if you are not in the room where decisions are being made, then create your own room. Tell your story. Create the space you need, and do not wait until you feel ready. Confidence is the result of action, not a prerequisite. I did not wait until I understood everything about P&L statements and business planning and before starting mine. I just did it.

EO: Having served as a judge on “Start it Up” what impresses you most about the next generation of entrepreneurs, especially young women?

Taunya: Purpose is baked into their businesses from day one. They think globally, they are digitally native, and they are unapologetically ambitious — especially the women. So many seem to want to tackle real problems, from health to hunger.

Honestly, at their age, I was focused on more trivial things and making ends meet. They are focused on changing the world while building careers and making money in the process. I love that this generation is so fearless.