Profile

My career in education began in 2011 when I started the BA Health & Social Care — part-time, combined with work. From 2015 I worked full-time in education as a teacher, examiner and curriculum developer across multiple levels: secondary, special and vocational education. I taught Citizenship, Health & Social Care and English, developed school examinations and assessment policy, and guided digitalisation projects. Alongside teaching I actively contributed to improving the education around me. That pattern runs through every school I worked at.

My interest in innovation started at Raldon Montage, where I analysed and improved processes and built project management software myself. It became scientific from 2015: at ArtIST I conducted qualitative research on open innovation in European higher education as part of my MSc thesis. Thesis: The Influence of Social Capital on the Creative Process of STE(A)M Education Realisation in Higher Education through Open Innovation within a European Context. This research resulted in: Kirkels, Y., Podmetina, D., Vlaming, L. (2026) The Art of Organizing Education Development within European Collaboration, Paper accepted at the R&D Management conference 2026.

My policy and advisory experience runs as a connecting thread through my entire career, even when the job title did not always reflect it. At Raldon Montage I was the director's strategic sparring partner for 17 years on investments, finance and business strategy. In education I advised school management on quality, digitalisation and innovation. At Esprit Scholen I guided a change and improvement process as a teacher, resulting in a concrete school guide that clarified the educational programme for students. At the Dutch Education Union I chaired the Diversity & Inclusion Network for three years, providing policy advice on behalf of 81,000 members. My research on open innovation produced policy-relevant recommendations for European educational institutions.

At Raldon Montage I was responsible for the full range of business operations for 17 years: HR, finance, marketing, procurement and I built project planning and reporting software myself. I did not do this as someone following orders — I thought along with the company's direction and served as strategic sparring partner to the director. In 2018 I added an interim assignment as head of administration and project manager at Geert Groote College. I know the business side of organisations from the inside, and that makes me a natural bridge builder in education and the public sector.

My digital journey started at Raldon, where I built software for project planning and reporting myself — back in the nineties. In education I implemented Google for Education at Atlas College and developed digital learning environments and assessment systems. I hold certificates in Azure AI Fundamentals, Generative AI and Scrum Master. In 2025 I completed the National Quantum Course. I am not a software engineer, but someone who wants to understand technology, implements it and deploys it strategically. I now build SaaS software using AI as a no-code developer.

My societal engagement is not a side note — it is my compass. Social issues around democracy, women's rights and equal opportunities are subjects of lasting interest to me. I chaired the Diversity & Inclusion Network at the Dutch Education Union for three years, representing 81,000 members. I served as a moderator at the International Documentary Festival Amsterdam and at Filmhuis Oostereiland in Hoorn. Since 2025 I have been an active follower of the D66 party caucus. My BA in Cultural Management at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences laid a foundation of creativity that I draw on every day. I believe creativity leads to innovation — and that connection between people, ideas and sectors is the basis of real progress.