I feel fortunate to have embarked on a fulfilling journey of personal and professional growth. My career has been fueled by a profound passion for societal issues and solutions. Throughout my professional life, I immersed myself in various captivating topics, ranging from geopolitics, international development, diversity, and migration, to regional economy, urban life, discourse and identity.

My studies involved various papers and projects, delving into the overarching spatial patterns of societies and examining peoples and places. For a semester, I even got to study at the University of California, Irvine, following courses on U.S. international relations. During my master’s studies, I instead zoomed in on local and regional issues, particularly on urban living and regional economics, with a specific project centered on the London neighborhood of Brixton.

“We applied and fine-tuned a methodology for studying patterns and framing in spatial representations like news and popular media. Along that journey”

It was during this time that I also developed a deep passion for political structures, exploring the impact of discourses and representation, which ultimately led me to teach academic courses on these topics for six years. In the course, we applied and fine-tuned a methodology for studying patterns and framing in spatial representations like news and popular media. Along that journey, I had the opportunity to contribute to academic and professional journals. I conducted a study on geopolitics for an academic journal, and in a separate project, I explored tourism policy and its effects on urban life for a professional journal. Over the years, it was a privilege working as a lecturer, coordinator, and researcher at Utrecht University.

“I feel immensely blessed to have the opportunity to collaborate with people from all walks of life”

As my interests evolved, I found myself drawn to the captivating world of the public sector, governance, and policy, which has now become my current area of work. I was for instance actively involved at the Dutch Research Council, where I contributed to developing research programs on societal missions in interdisciplinary settings. Currently, I find myself working at a directorate of a Dutch ministry, with my focus centered around themes such as spatial economics, regions, and governance structures. Working in such diverse and dynamic settings energizes me the most, and I feel immensely blessed to have the opportunity to collaborate with people from all walks of life.

Life is short, enjoy it and explore whatever you want to explore, I’m sure I will! I feel deeply grateful to have shared my insights and knowledge through blogs and podcasts, and I have had the pleasure of conducting workshops for various audiences, including professionals, public workers, and researchers. Moreover, I was privileged to play a role in founding and establishing a geography blog that has been enduring over time. For an idea of what keeps me busy, you can explore my Thought Centre on this website or visit my LinkedIn page.

“Life is short, enjoy it and explore whatever you want to explore, I’m sure I will!”