About me
Authentic, caring and direct are words that describe me. In my coaching I can be both compassionate and confrontational. I listen with my heart, observe, ask questions and hold up a mirror.
I'm aware of the high pressure and often stressful environment that is common within professional services, so I keep things simple and get to the point quickly. Depending on the question, clients frequently use me as an unbiased sparring partner. They often describe my approach as hypothesis-driven - going straight to the core of the matter, always in a mindful manner.
Being a diplomat's daughter, I was born in the Bahamas and lived in developing countries until I was 18. Along the way I encountered many different cultures and learned that we cannot measure people by the same standards. This experience also taught me to trust my own instincts, as the world around me was continuously changing.
I'm married to Marnix, mother of three teenagers who keep me on my toes, and I live in Bussum, a small town near Amsterdam. Going on an adventure without a plan, together with my family, is still one of my favorite things - these days that includes no-phone holidays, a small way of helping them navigate a world that never really switches off.
Coaching, outdoors
Nature has always brought me back to myself - never more so than last year during a five-day solo nature quest on a mountain in Sweden, five days spent alone with nothing but the wind, the rain, the reindeer, the silence. It reminded me that no matter your age, staying curious and open to trying new things is what keeps you moving forward. The world changes fast, and standing still isn't really an option - reinventing yourself, again and again, is how you stay close to your own path. I bring that same belief into my coaching: alongside meeting clients at my office in Amsterdam, I regularly take sessions outdoors - on the heath or in the woods of Bussum. There's something about walking side by side, rather than sitting across a table, that opens up a different kind of conversation.
Beyond coaching:
chairing KLABU's Supervisory Board
Alongside my coaching practice, I chair the Supervisory Board of KLABU, a non-profit that builds sport clubs with refugee and local communities. I grew up watching my father dedicate his career to World Food Programme, and somewhere along the way, caring about people became part of who I am - it's the same thing that drives me as a coach, and the same thing that drew me to KLABU. Play is universal, and so is belonging. Being part of this work keeps me close to what I care about most: seeing people find their footing, whether that's on a pitch or in daily life.
To find out more about KLABU or if you want to support KLABU go to www.klabu.org.
Some of my clients
I work with lawyers, consultants and leaders across professional services - and increasingly with founders navigating the pressure and pace of building something of their own. Different worlds, same underlying questions: how to lead well, stay grounded, and keep growing without losing yourself along the way.
