At the age of nineteen I moved to Italy, to learn Italian. At a language school in Esquilino, Rome. This turned out to be one of the best schools I ever went to. On the first day we were quizzed on verbs we didn't know and we learned how to use them properly in different real life settings.

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I decided to study Italian Language and Culture at Utrecht University (2000). The first course on linguistics I was hooked. I followed as many courses as I could on this subject and specialized in language development (MA). In particular in bilingual development. During my research MA and after completing this (2005) I spent a lot of time in Italy (Rome, Siena, Perugia, Terni) and also in Scotland (Edinburgh), where I assisted in research projects within different fields of linguistics.

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After various supplemental studies (e.g. Diploma in Public Service Interpreting and a course on subtitling) I moved back to The Netherlands to start my own business (2010) as a freelance computational linguist. I love learning how to use new systems and come up with creative ideas on how to improve them. I have a special interest in making existing mental health apps and smart assistants more inclusive for the neurodiverse community and in creating smart tools and smart assistants for a diverse community.

 

Please see Linkedin for my curriculum vitae.
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