Harriette Verwey

Harriette Florence Verwey, born in Suriname as a Dutch citizen, immigrated to the Netherlands at age 18 to pursue her dream of becoming a doctor. She graduated from Leiden University, Netherlands, with a medical degree, later earning a PhD, and dedicated her 34-year career to cardiology at Leiden University Medical Center.

Verwey pioneered the use of the left ventricular assist device as an alternative treatment for chronic heart failure when transplant is not feasible. The protocol she wrote for the treatment has been incorporated internationally. In 2003 she launched the campaign for better diagnosis and treatment for women with chest pain, called The Women Heart. For her work in cardiology she was recognized by His Majesty, King Willem Alexander of the Netherlands when she was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau in 2017, the second highest honor for citizens. 

Verwey joined Rotary in 2002. Her early involvement included organizing a national music concert for children born deaf and dumb, a transformative event for her.“They experienced music for the first time in their life by gently pressing an air-filled balloon close to their belly” to feel the vibrations of the music, Verwey says. “The joy and excitement were something I could never forget — I became a Rotarian for life.”

Verwey was the first Black district governor in the Netherlands and is the first female director coming from her zone. She’s also the first black female to serve in the Rotary International Board of Directors. As governor of District 1600, she prioritized youth engagement and Rotaract. She also served as regional Rotary Foundation coordinator from 2019 to 2022. She has volunteered to support the Rotary-IHE Delft Institute for Water Education international student scholarship program, and has participated in a National Immunization Day in India, which further exposed her to Rotary’s vast global reach.

“One of my goals is to get members involved beyond their clubs,” she says. Other goals are to get more people of color and young people into Rotary. “Some think because of their background, age and skin color they don’t belong in Rotary, but they do. They have a lot of skills and talents to bring to the table and make Rotary much more than they can ever imagine”.

Outside of Rotary, Verwey has served on several boards, including the board of the Leiden University Fund, the advisory board of the BuZz Foundation, which mentors’ immigrants in Leiden, Ethnic Female entrepreneurs and The National Boerhaave museum for medicine and Natural Sciences.

In her free time, Verwey enjoys cooking, gardening, walking, and exploring historic cities. She is devoted to her family and is a Christian.

Verwey supports The Rotary Foundation as a member of the Polio Plus Society, a Major Donor, and, the Bequest Society.