I feel a strong urgency to contribute to a better world. I do this by using my knowledge, experience, and talents in the field of behavior change. I draw upon my analytical skills acquired during my academic studies and my experience in change and development as a manager, coach, and project leader.
My home base is within walking distance of the coast in Southwest France. From here, I work and live with my partner and our deaf cat, Jason. Due to my emigration and multicultural background, I lead a somewhat nomadic lifestyle, regularly encountering Dutch, German, French, Luxembourgish, Belgian, and Danish cultures. You can also see this richness of perspectives reflected in my approach to my work.
Read below to learn more about what has shaped me as a person and what I bring into my coaching, training, and facilitation.
My Strength
If you let me into your life, you can expect the following from me. I am naturally curious and genuinely interested in you. I ask thought-provoking questions, aiming to truly understand your situation, and I don’t easily accept vague answers. I observe, identify patterns, make connections, and provide feedback to you. I confront you with these insights in a respectful and friendly manner. I can also help you see things from a different perspective, enabling you to understand the outcomes of your behaviors and recognize the steps and partial successes you’ve already achieved.
All of this starts by creating a safe and trustworthy environment for our work.
My own journey as a young professional and (emerging) leader in a large organization has given me substantial experience as a coach in these areas.
Career/Education
– 2023 Klimaatcoach, Klimaatcontact en Klimaatgesprekken
– 2020-2021 Post-HBO Coaching voor Professionals, School voor Coaching
– 2019 Over luisteren gesproken, Phoenix Opleidingen
– 2018 Assessor Big Five and Reflector 360, PI-company
– 2018 Tooling voor team coach in corporate gedrags-en leiderschapsprogramma, Aberkyn en Enexis Groep
– 2014-2016 Management Traineeship, Enexis Groep
– 2013-2014 Master Science Education and Communication, University of Twente
– 2011-2013 Master Industrial Engineering and Management, University of Twente
– 2006-2011 Bachelor Technische Wiskunde, University of Twente
Mijn uitgebreide profiel vind je hier
A Brief Life Story Across Four Borders
National borders, different languages, and cultures have played various roles throughout my life. Let me share a short piece of my life story based on three national borders.
Border Between Denmark and Germany
I grew up here, surrounded by three cultures.
My mother’s Dutch culture, with the language and many customs being prevalent at home. I still speak Dutch with both my parents. It’s the language of my heart. Even long after I left home and my parents separated, Sinterklaas remained the time when we came together as a family of three. Hagelslag (Dutch chocolate sprinkles) and vla (a Dutch dairy product) were brought home after every vacation or long weekend. I learned to read and write Dutch at home before attending primary school.
From kindergarten to my high school graduation, I received Danish-language education in schools belonging to the Danish minority in Northern Germany. This allowed me to speak Danish as fluently as Dutch and German and exposed me to much of Danish culture. I still enjoy the nostalgia of Danish Christmas traditions or the dark humor in Danish films.
The German culture came from my father’s side and the country in which I grew up. An attentive listener can still detect a hint of my German accent. This culture permeated everything outside of home and school, such as the friends I grew up with and the hobbies I pursued.
Border Between the Netherlands and Belgium (Interlude)
In the early part of the story, I had a brief interlude of two years in a village in Zeeuws-Vlaanderen. Here, I learned to walk amidst moving boxes and integrated a few Flemish words into my Dutch vocabulary because I attended the "kribbe." Later, this translated into my Dutch friends not understanding words like "goesting," and we spent many Christmases and New Year’s in Belgium, giving me the opportunity to connect with Flemish friends.
Border Between Germany and the Netherlands
After my high school graduation, I moved to the Netherlands to study at the University of Twente. At this border, I fully immersed myself in Dutch student life and, in addition to my analytical thinking, discovered my interest in personal development for both myself and others.
For my work, I relocated from Twente to Arnhem, another segment of the Dutch-German border. Here, I continued the development described above and increasingly focused on coaching.
Border Between France and Spain
This border became significant as the starting point for my hiking journey from Biarritz (France) to Santiago de Compostela (Spain). In six weeks, I covered 900 kilometers on foot along the northern coast of Spain. Later, I found that this initial trek to Biarritz was not the last, as I’m now settled here for love and delve into the French culture and language.