About Me
My Story
How I designed and built the life I wanted
Born in the Netherlands, I went to school and university in Amsterdam. Growing up in a Christian community, coming out as gay wasn’t easy. But I did it anyway, and chose my own path rather than the one expected of me.
Initially I went to law school but realized my heart wasn’t in it. So I left to find and create jobs that were right for me, and build my skills around what interested me most. I held senior leadership roles in data and technology with some of the world’s largest companies. I lived and worked in different countries, with people from all backgrounds and cultures.
In 2024, I left the corporate world and established my own coaching, mentoring and consulting practice. Now I support LGBT+ individuals who want to improve some part of life – whether that’s related to health, career, family, relationships, or personal growth. Together we work out what they want, and how to build their life.
I also coach and mentor start-up founders and teams in sustainability and technology. I am an ICF Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and hold a Professional Coach certification from the Collective Change Institute in Singapore.
My Approach
My coaching helps you figure out what you really want, and how to get there.
ICF defines coaching as: “partnering with clients in a thought-provoking and creative process that inspires them to maximize their personal and professional potential.”
I help you take a fresh look at your situation, challenge assumptions about what’s possible, and figure out what you really want. From there, we work out how to make it happen.
My coaching takes a practical, forward-looking approach, focused on learning and growth.
Coaching is different from other kinds of support. A mentor might tell you what works, based on their prior experience. A counsellor might help you heal from emotional struggles, often by exploring the past. Those kinds of support can be valuable, but not always what you need.
As your coach, I partner with you to find your own answers, see new possibilities, and decide how to move ahead.
My Style
My coaching style is calm, sharp, and direct — shaped by years of guiding people through complex, high-stakes projects and environments. I listen deeply, ask clear questions, and help you cut through noise and uncertainty to what really matters. I’m practical and supportive, giving you the space to pause, think clearly, and act with intention. My clients appreciate that I am straightforward yet warm, bringing both experience and honesty to every conversation — and never losing sight of who they are and who they want to become.
I partner with you on the journey you’ve chosen, and give you my full attention.
I am clear, direct, and honest, without judgment. You are safe with me.
I not only listen to what you say; I also see or sense what you don’t say.
I ask thought-provoking questions, to help you explore new ideas and directions.
I echo back or summarize your words, to clarify, organize, or reframe your thoughts.
Sometimes I ‘hold up a mirror’ to help you see, hear, and make sense of yourself.
My Human Advantage
Before becoming a coach, I spent decades working in Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning — I understand how AI works, and it’s limitations. AI can analyse or summarise what you tell it, and even mimic empathy for it. But it can’t notice what you might not be telling it, or what’s happening with you in that moment.
As a human coach, I can sense and observe your unspoken signs. I can question your assumptions — as well as my own — or challenge blind spots, and explore new directions when the conversation needs it.
AI can be a useful thinking partner. But coaching is also about human connection, understanding what happens beyond the words, and knowing when to challenge, support, or simply listen.