About

I am an Associate Professor of Sustainable Careers and Organizational Behavior at the School of Business and Economics of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, the Netherlands. In this role, I: (1) coordinate, supervise, and perform academic research; (2) manage, design, and assess teaching programs; and (3) apply research findings and theoretical knowledge to solve contemporary work and business challenges. I always aim to build bridges between research and practice as I believe that both will only be able to truly flourish if they are closely connected and work together. 

My research primarily focuses on three interrelated themes: career sustainability, careeer shocks, and employability. Some of the questions I try to answer with my research include: What role do employees and employers play in creating sustainable careers and enabling workers to be employable? How do unexpected events - career shocks - impact on people's career decisions and career goals? What types of career "resources" (e.g. career competencies) can enable individuals to thrive in their career? What do career paths look like for non-traditional workers, such as entrepreneurs, project workers, and gig workers? I have published my work in journals such as Journal of Vocational Behavior, European Journal of Work and Organizational Psychology, Applied Psychology, and Human Resource Management. I am currently an Associate Editor for the Journal of Vocational Behavior, and the former Division Chair for the Academy of Management Careers Division.

My teaching tasks consist of management, program development, and course coordination. I am the program director of the Business Administration Master’s (graduate) program at the School of Business and Economics. This MSc program consists of five specialization programs: Human Resource Management, International Management, Leadership & Change Management, Management Consulting, and Strategy & Organization. In addition, I coordinate an MSc course on Careers and Organizations, I give guest lectures in several courses (e.g., HRM & Organizational Behavior, Managing People: A Global Perspective), and I contribute to several other courses, such as a PhD course on HRM and OB, and an executive course on Ethics, Behavior, and Decision Making. I also supervise several PhD students and Master students. I have been trained as a senior university teacher (SKO) and have completed the VU Educational Leadership Program. The single most important goal of teaching to me is to enhance student learning, well-being, and career preparation. In 2016, I won the Faculty Best Teacher award, and I was voted in the top 3 Best Teaching Talents of VU Amsterdam.

Finally, I am actively involved in cooperating with businesses and professionals. Among other things, I am a member of the Amsterdam Young Academy (AYA), a former board member of the Dutch Foundation of Management Development (NFMD), and I am regularly invited for keynote lectures and workshops during conferences and in companies. In addition, I enjoy working together with organizations to find answers to their business challenges by creating innovate and impactful research projects. My research has also been featured in the media, for example on the Dutch national television (NPO 3) and radio (NPO Radio 1, BNR Newsradio), as well as newspapers (e.g., NRC Handelsblad, FD, and Parool).