ISF is delighted to welcome Thessa Dupeyron as our new Events and Administrative Coordinator. With a background in hospitality and a passion for delivering meaningful event experiences, she brings a fresh perspective and global mindset to the ISF team. From the Olympic Museum to the ISF World Seed Congress in Istanbul, her journey reflects both adaptability and drive.
Thessa officially joined ISF in June 2025 and will support all of ISF’s event organization, including the ISF Midterm Meetings and the World Seed Congress, as well as ISF’s day-to-day administration. She will be reporting to Camille Beronie, who is currently on maternity leave and will assume the role of Events Manager upon her return in October 2025.
Get to know Thessa in her own words!
Q: Welcome to ISF! Can you tell us a bit about your background and what brought you to the world of international events?
Thessa Dupeyron (TD): I moved from France to Switzerland in 2019 to study hospitality management at the Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne. Over time, I developed a strong interest in events, but due to the impact of Covid, most events were canceled, and job opportunities in that sector became very limited. Instead, I worked as an Office Manager for an outplacement company in Lausanne, where I was responsible for administrative tasks and also involved in organizing both internal and external events.
Before joining ISF, I completed a 15-month post-graduate internship at the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, as part of the Corporate Events team. While many of the events were organized for Swiss companies, a significant number involved international institutions or were related to the Olympic movement, giving me a taste of large-scale and globally connected event planning.
Q: What are you most looking forward to by joining ISF, and what are you excited about in your new role as Events and Admin Coordinator?
TD: What excites me most about working in events is the moment everything comes together: seeing something you’ve planned for weeks, months, or even years finally take place.
My very first days at ISF were spent in Istanbul during the congress – a real deep-end experience! It was both intense and exciting, and now I’m looking forward to supporting the preparation and learning from the upcoming meetings and congresses. I’m also eager to explore the seed industry, which is completely new to me.
Q: ISF events bring together a diverse global community. What strengths or experiences do you bring that will help support the success of these international gatherings?
TD: Having worked and studied in multicultural environments, I’ve developed strong adaptability and the ability to communicate effectively across cultures.
During my time at the Olympic Museum, I honed my organizational and multitasking skills. Events were held almost daily, and this dynamic environment helped me build the resilience and flexibility that I now bring to ISF.
Q: Outside of work, what do you enjoy doing? Are there any fun facts you’d like to share with the ISF community?
I really enjoy hands-on, creative activities such as pottery, gardening, sewing… and especially cooking.
I once cooked for 70 people over 3 days, one of the most challenging (and stressful) experiences I had!
On weekends, I love to swim, run, and cycle as I prepare for my first triathlon. Unfortunately, the office is a bit too far for any of those to be my regular commute.#
Please join us in giving a warm welcome to Thessa!
