Staff

I work at the Avalon Foundation since September 2001, as a financial assistant and I am responsible for the daily financial activities.

My education background is the Higher Economic School. After finishing this I’ve been working for several years as an assistant-accountant in the agricultural sector.

In my free time I like walking, active holidays and working as a volunteer for the Oxfam shop.

Press releases, websites, newsletters, brochures, follow up on projects, etc. These words are like a 'rose ligne'  that fill up my two day working week with Avalon. That short period means: planning, communicating with suppliers and co-workers about agreements, project communications and timelines. 

And when I'm home I like to spend time sailing on the Frisian lakes. Furthermore you can see me jogging around my home-town Joure or enjoying a well prepared diner.

I live in Langweer, a small, touristy village in the north of Holland. I recently joined the Avalon staff, as the personal assistant of Martien Lankester. As you will understand, it’s hard to tell about my new job in detail, because I have only just started, but as far as I’m concerned, I will do my best to make it work. I love playing tennis, long-distance walking and playing the piano. My other hobbies are reading, bookbinding and calligraphy.

As a medical student in Amsterdam, I became convinced of the need to stimulate organic food and farming for the benefit of nature, the environment and health. This led me to establish an organic restaurant. In 1977 I set up an organic farm and an organic food shop next to my medical practice, and I also started promoting the conversion of farmers in the Dutch province of Fryslân. With a nature conservation organisation (one of) the first agri-environmental programme(s) in the Netherlands was developed. In 1991 I founded the Avalon Foundation in order to promote similar activities in Central and Eastern Europe and beyond. Networking is in my blood, and my experience in the field of institutional development, (co-)organising international conferences and project financing comes in handy. Current issues to be further developed are the relation of organic farming and food with nature conservation, climate change and energy use.

  

Holding an MSc from the Wageningen Agricultural University, I have worked with international organisations and private companies in more than 35 countries on four continents. I joined Avalon in August 2004 as a Senior Project Manager. Presently, I am Executive Director (Projects) and I am managing a number of international projects. Together with my three little children, I live in a lovely little village in the Frisian countryside. Despite the busy family life, I still find some time for bicycling, ice-skating and canoeing.

I am 34 years of age, and I live in Fryslân, one of the northern provinces of The Netherlands. I’m married and have two beautiful children. Since January 2007 I am, on part-time base, the financial controller at Avalon. It is a challenge to contribute to Avalon’s work field in a financial kind of way. In my spare time I love to play Frisian Draughts and I sometimes play tennis or racketball.