Bio

A proud mother of a lovely son and daughter, living and working in Maastricht, in the southern tip of the Netherlands. I was born in Eindhoven, and spent my late teenage years in North Carolina. After returning to the Netherlands, I studied Applied Linguistics (Translation and Interpreting from English and Spanish into Dutch), and did a six-month internship at Boehringer Mannheim, in Barcelona, Spain.

Upon graduation, I combined teaching Dutch as a foreign language with freelance translation, writing and editing. In 2002, shortly after my son and daughter were born, I took a break from language teaching, to become the founder and managers of Hotel Iban, a small boutique hotel in Maastricht. Nine years later, I sold my business and returned to my original area of expertise: languages, communication and training. In addition to setting up the language department of a student service company, I started my own company specializing in translation and language teaching.

When I discovered how e-learning and online learning can facilitate mobility and continuous knowledge expansion, I joined the army of lifelong learners and enrolled in the online Master of Distance Education (MDE) program of the University of Maryland University College (UMUC). This accredited program has an excellent reputation and a collaborative and constructivist learning approach. Some established names in the DE field serve as faculty and visiting professors within this program. In January 2016, I started my current position as an online learning specialist at Maastricht University, an international university known for its problem based learning approach.

When not working or studying, I enjoy long walks with our dog, cycling, dancing, trying to play the upright bass, reading, traveling and any sport that involves water.