Meet the Mentors

McKinsey & Company
Strategy Consultant

Hi! I’m Shea, and I joined McKinsey & Company as a strategy consultant in 2024. I studied in Delft, where I completed a bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering and a master’s in Management of Technology. Somewhere along the way I decided to do a full 180 and spent a year in Paris studying fashion-it was a fantastic year in which I was able to live out my very own Emily in Paris dreams. In my day-to-day work, I collaborate closely with clients to help them structure complex problems and co-create solutions that actually work in practice. I especially love whiteboard sessions: standing in front of a blank screen, sketching ideas live at high speed with the team. Outside of work, I’m big on sports (gym, boxing, and pilates) and I’m always on the hunt for good thrift finds. Looking forward to meeting you!  

Trinseo
Site Logistics & Lab Leader

Lynn Zegers is Site Logistics & Lab Leader at Trinseo, where she leads two teams that provide critical support to the ABS performance plastics plant. Passionate about bringing out the best in people in the broadest sense, Lynn sees team development as one of the most engaging topics to discuss. After earning her Chemical Engineering degree in Delft, she began her career as a Production Engineer, a hands-on troubleshooting role focused on process efficiency and safety. Two years later, she moved to a similar role at another company, seeking greater opportunities for growth and development, and through a series of progressive steps, advanced to her current leadership position. Her top strengths, arranger, activator, and individualization, shine through her ability to organize complex processes, drive change, and tailor her approach to individuals. Outside of work, Lynn loves cooking and experimenting in the kitchen, where creativity meets flavor innovation.

NLR
Aerospace / Wind Tunnel Test Engineer

Cansu works as a Test Engineer at the German-Dutch Wind Tunnels (DNW) at the Royal Netherlands Aerospace Centre (NLR) in Amsterdam, where she is involved in high-speed and supersonic wind tunnel testing with a focus on aerodynamics, data analysis, and calibration.

She studied Aeronautical Engineering and gained experience through internships in R&D and radar technology.

Alongside her engineering career, Cansu works as an athlete in figure skating shows on ice and is also active in competitive figure skating and gymnastics. She coaches alongside her own training, enjoying the balance between technical precision, movement, and performance.

Through this combination, she pursues both technical and athletic paths, reflecting her belief that it is possible to follow multiple passions alongside a technical career.

Maven Securities
Trader

Karyna is a trader at Maven. She has loved maths since primary school and went on to study it at Cambridge. Even though she enjoyed university, she always had an entrepreneurial mindset and couldn’t imagine herself in academia. She tried teaching and did a spring week at a bank, but was still searching for a direction that appealed to her.

Trading ended up matching all the boxes. It offered constant intellectual challenge, innovation, and the chance to work with like-minded people.

Outside of work, Karyna enjoys picking up new hobbies that vary from aerial sports to guitar classes. Maths and trading, however, have stayed at the core of her day-to-day life.

Picnic
Tech Trainer and Software Developer

Svava Bjarnadottir is a backend developer, trainer and former tech lead at Picnic Technologies. She got her master’s degree in Computer Science from the VU Amsterdam in 2020, and after a thesis internship with Picnic, she started working there full-time. She has explored many different areas of Picnic, including supply chain distribution, automated warehouses and now platform engineering. She is part of Picnic’s Tech Academy as a trainer, where she creates and teaches courses on leadership, organizes bigger programs and mentors juniors. She has also been heavily involved in recruitment events on behalf of Picnic, spoken at multiple conferences and meetups and organized internal events for women in tech. She is motivated and energized by coaching and supporting others, solving tricky problems and pushing improvements.

Outside of work, Svava has a passion for sustainability and fashion and combines these two by spending her time knitting, sewing and thrifting. She is also an avid reader and her favorite genres are fantasy, sci-fi and contemporary literature. Other hobbies include video games, powerlifting, swimming and yoga.

Picnic
Software Engineer

Tijana is a software developer at Picnic with five years of experience. Her journey in computer science started with bachelor studies at the University of Belgrade, followed by master studies at the University of Grenoble, where she studied Advanced Information Systems and Software Engineering.

She began her career in Paris, in a startup focusing on e-commerce analytics. Afterwards, she worked in a fintech company developing software for asset management. Currently, she works at Picnic in Amsterdam, focusing on search algorithms in their consumer-facing app.

Her experience across several industries gave her a broad understanding of how technology powers different kinds of products and organizations.

Having worked in international and dynamic environments, from a 15-person startup to an international company, she learned how to quickly adapt to new environments. She enjoys sharing that experience with others, whether it’s adjusting to a new country, adapting to different team dynamics, or collaborating effectively across cultures.

Outside of work, Tijana enjoys learning languages and practices aerial silks.

TWD
Ms. Civil Engineering - Structural Engineering

Robin van der Vaart has countless hobbies, always eager to explore new creative pursuits and add fresh interests to the list. With both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in Civil Engineering, Robin sought a dynamic, creative, and technical environment after graduation and found the perfect match at TWD in the offshore wind industry.

Starting as an Engineer, Robin quickly embraced opportunities in project management and client communication, progressing into the role of Project Engineer. Today, as Lead Engineer, Robin thrives on working with people, supporting their growth, and tackling exciting engineering challenges alongside the team.

Creating a fun and stimulating environment where everyone can develop is central to Robin’s leadership style. Since beginning the journey at TWD five years ago, Robin has grown into a role that once seemed unimaginable, and is passionate about helping others discover what drives them in their own professional paths.

TWD
Environmental Engineer

Irina is an Environmental Engineer with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, where she blended process and mechanical engineering but always gravitated toward the mechanical side. Early in her career, she designed agricultural machinery in Romania while completing her master’s studies in the evenings. An internship in the Netherlands with a company developing innovative industrial wastewater treatment solutions marked a turning point, eventually leading her to relocate for a full-time role.

Her passion for the energy transition grew after joining TWD Engineering, where she moved into offshore wind and discovered her talent for designing smart temporary structures. Now a Technical Lead at TWD, she finds great fulfillment in mentoring younger engineers.

Outside her engineering career, Irina is an avid dancer and a dedicated upcycler. She restores and reimagines special vintage clothing and bags, selling them at pop-up events around Rotterdam. Through her small shop, she aims to show that old garments can become modern, high-quality wardrobe staples - without ever looking outdated or carrying the stereotypes often associated with vintage fashion.

Isabelle van Schilt is a project manager and principal consultant at Portwise, a leading consultancy company located in the Netherlands with the mission to design smarter, more efficient, and more sustainable ports and terminals for future-proof logistics. What motivates her on a daily basis in her work is bridging the gap between the real-world problems and data-driven solutions, and making a real difference in decision-making processes across the entire world. A great way to combine work with a passion of travelling and socializing.

She holds a PhD degree in supply chain simulations from Delft University of Technology at the faculty of Technology, Policy & Management in collaboration with the Dutch Police AI Lab. She did her bachelor and master Engineering and Policy Analysis at the same faculty with a focus on transportation & logistics. She studied abroad at MIT in Boston, and did her thesis internship at KLM. Currently, she lives in Rotterdam with her partner, a chef, and a love for good food and wine.

Access to Medicine Foundation
Data Management Coordinator

Hey there! I'm Anastasia and I work as a data management coordinator at Access to Medicine Foundation. Originally from Moldova, I moved to the Netherlands to pursue a masters in International Relations at Leiden University. From there, I moved to Brussels where I worked as a consultant for the European Commission, collaborating closely with different IT teams - which sparked my interest in technology. Not long after, while the world was in a lockdown, I took the leap and enrolled in a web development bootcamp. This led to three years in startups and tech consultancies, taking on roles as technical analyst, scrum master and briefly as a web developer.

Currently, I work at a healthcare non-profit, leveraging data and technology solutions to drive positive change.

Outside of work I enjoy working on personal documentary photography and filmmaking projects, taking dance classes and bike-packing across Europe.

Directie X
Strategic Product Designer

Nadiye is a strategic designer at the Dutch Ministry of Justice and Security, where she works on large-scale transitions and change management projects. With a Master’s in Strategic Product Design, she uses design principles to help navigate complex societal challenges and guide colleagues through transformation. She’s focused on making design more accessible in the public sector, aiming to create systems that are more adaptable and effective for everyone involved. Outside of her professional life, she enjoys (trail)running, biking and CrossFit, and she’s always looking for ways to balance her career with her personal goals.

NLC Health Ventures
Sr. Venture Development Associate

Born and raised in Italy, Marta has spent the past 15 years across Europe, building a career that connects healthcare and technology. After living in Norway and Germany, she moved to the Netherlands to pursue a PhD in Biomedical Engineering at TU Delft, developing new technologies for minimally invasive surgery. She then worked at DORC International as an R&D engineer, turning technical ideas into real tools for eye surgery. Now, as a Senior Venture Developer at NLC, she helps transform promising medical innovations into successful startups. Marta looks forward to sharing her story with young women exploring their own career paths, whether in research, business, or something in between. Having navigated the international job market herself, she knows how it feels to take different routes and figure things out along the way. In her free time, you'll probably find her on a beach volleyball court, her favorite place to unwind, compete and have fun with friends.

Usability Lead
Philips

Maite Gieskes is actively shaping the future of healthcare as a Usability Lead at Philips, where she focuses on designing intuitive, human-centered medical technologies that support clinicians and improve patient outcomes. She holds a background in Industrial Design Engineering and a dual master’s degree in Biomedical Engineering and Integrated Product Design from Delft University of Technology, enabling her to bridge engineering, design, and user experience.

During her studies, Maite contributed to multiple interdisciplinary, award-winning projects, applying rapid prototyping, user testing, and iterative validation to translate complex challenges into impactful real-world solutions. Her passion for innovation extends beyond her professional role. As a member of the advisory board of Skateland Rotterdam and the Education Advisory Committee of TU Delft’s Industrial Design Engineering faculty, she helps shape inclusive spaces and educational programs that empower others to explore, create, and grow.

Through her work, Maite aims to inspire the next generation to challenge conventions, push boundaries, and design a more sustainable future. She firmly believes that you are the architect of your own life and that your actions leave lasting traces on the world around you.  In her free time she enjoys skateboarding, snowboarding and and surfing. Arts and crafts are one of her other greatest passions.

TU Delft Electrical Engineering
Associate Professor

Dr. İlke Ercan is an Associate Professor and Chair of the Electrical Engineering Education Section at TU Delft where she teaches in the BSc Electrical Engineering and the MSc Quantum Information Science & Technology programmes. She holds a PhD in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the United States and has held academic and research positions at various institutions including Smith College and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where her work centered on the theoretical foundations of quantum and nanocomputing systems. Beyond teaching, research and education management, Dr. Ercan is engaged in various outreach initiatives to attract and support more women in STEM fields. She looks forward to mentoring students through Librae, sharing experiences, and building meaningful connections as a proud supporter of the network.

Lely
Senior Safety & Compliance Engineer

Laura Dahlgren is a Senior Compliance Engineer with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and a career spanning environmental engineering,compliance and product development. She spent the first decade of her professional life working in environmental remediation for government agencies, where she developed a strong foundation in risk-based decision making and stakeholder management.

Today, Laura works in R&D at Lely, supporting engineers to navigate compliance during all product design stages.  Her main focus areas include CE certification, risk assessment, material compliance, sustainability, process improvements, and change management. She is particularly motivated by helping teams weave compliance into their existing way of working, while also enabling innovation without compromising safety or environmental stewardship.

Laura is originally from the US and has lived in Delft for the past 3 years. She has 2 wonderful girls and is an avid student of Astanga yoga.

OMA
Junior Architect

Myrto Karampela-Makrygianni is a practising architect and independent researcher with master’s studies both at TU Delft and at the University of Patras. She is currently working as a junior architect at OMA, where she combines her experience from practising architecture in Greece with her academic interests. Her work motivation derives from her strong belief that spatial sciences can play a crucial role in addressing the 21st-century crises, facilitating alternative forms of coexistence between humans and more-than-humans. In this direction, her research work brings together architecture, urbanism, landscape design, cartography, art, and philosophy in an ongoing attempt to engage critically with the complex conditions of contemporary design.

Dutch Flood Protection Program
Innovation Manager

Anouk te Nijenhuis is currently working in flood risk management and innovation manager with the Dutch Flood Protection Program (hwbp.nl). She was senior policy advisor at the Ministry of Water management for 15 years. A vital role in Room for the River project taught her that she want to combine people and technique, policy and research, legislation and implementation and budgets and spatial quality.

After her MSc Civil Engineering in Delft, Anouk started her career as a hydrologist with Witteveen en Bos, moved to Egypt for work. As former chair of the Rhine committee on hydrology she values local, national and international perspectives. Working with Deltares made her appreciate research.

Cycling and hiking gives her ample opportunity to enjoy water outside working hours. Cross country skiing brings her best of nature. Books and family lift her spirit in every season.

If you are considering a position with the government (either (inter)national or more regional), Anouk will be happy to listen to you and share her experience.

Maven Securities
Quantitative Researcher

Marija is a quantitative researcher at Maven Securities in Amsterdam, where she designs systems and data‑driven models for options market making and low-latency trading. Her day‑to‑day work spans market microstructure analysis, data‑driven pricing model development, and algorithm design for high-frequency trading. Born and raised in Croatia, she earned a BSc in Mathematics from the University of Zagreb and an MSc in Computational Science (UvA & VU Amsterdam). Three years ago, Marija started at Maven as a Graduate Trader before progressing into the quant research role, giving her a practitioner’s view on how research impacts the PnL and risk. She looks forward to meeting engineering students and future colleagues, and hopes her experience can help make the study‑to‑industry transition less daunting.

Van der Bouw
Sustainability Consultant

Britt van der Linden is a sustainability consultant at Van der Bouw in Delft, where she helps organizations tackle sustainability challenges within the built environment. With an academic background in Biomedical Sciences, she brings a strong systems-thinking approach shaped by a lifelong fascination with nature. From a young age, Britt was curious about how people interact with their environment. A curiosity that evolved into a clear purpose: helping others create positive impact.

In her current role, she develops sustainability strategies that guide organizations in embedding responsible practices across the entire value chain. What sets Britt apart is her ability to combine analytical thinking with empathy, turning complex challenges into practical, actionable solutions. She describes herself as an inspirational change agent and wants to become a Corporate Sustainability Officer. Students should choose Britt for her real-world experience, mentorship, and approachable guidance, which empower them to become confident, purpose-driven change-makers.

Fluor Corporation
Structural Engineer

Anjali Shah is a Structural Engineer at Fluor Corporation, where she specializes in the design and analysis of complex industrial structures across both industrial and infrastructure projects. She moved from Nepal to the Netherlands to pursue her Master’s degree in Civil Engineering at TU Delft - a journey that has profoundly shaped both her personal and professional growth. Over the past three years, she has contributed to multidisciplinary projects that encompass both design and execution, fueling her passion for applying engineering principles to solve real-world challenges. Alongside her technical career, Anjali is committed to fostering diversity and inclusion for women in STEM. She values the power of mentorship and open dialogue, and she actively supports students and early-career professionals by sharing her journey and encouraging them to pursue their goals with confidence. As a role model at the Librae Dinner, she looks forward to connecting with attendees, offering guidance, and sharing insights to help aspiring women in STEM navigate their own paths. She believes that creating spaces where different voices and perspectives are heard is essential to driving innovation and building stronger, more supportive communities. Outside of work, Anjali enjoys reading, traveling, and photography.