Meet our team

The team of Kentalis International Foundation consists of 6 employees working on deaf education projects.

Maria Brons - Program manager

©Kentalis Maria BronsMaria obtained her PhD in Political Science from Groningen University, published on the Horn of Africa, and worked as a university lecturer at Amsterdam and Leiden. About 25 years ago she entered the development cooperation field. Before joining Kentalis, Maria worked for the International Organization for Migration as a policy advisor and manager. Developing and fundraising for capacity-building projects for marginalized groups, such as migrants and persons with disability, is the core of Maria’s career.

At Kentalis International Foundation, Maria oversees program management and executes projects.

Vacant - Project manager

Soon to be filled.

Peter Drijfhamer - Project controller

©Kentalis Peter DrijfhamerPeter studied business economics and has focused his career on the education and healthcare sector. He worked as an assistant controller at Inholland University of Applied Sciences and as a controller at a Dutch foundation offering care for people who are homeless, face domestic violence, or have psychological problems. Peter is dedicated to contributing to organizations with socially meaningful projects. 

At Kentalis International Foundation, Peter monitors project budgets and handles financial project administration. 

Esther Kool - Program officer

©Kentalis Esther KoolEsther is a European Studies graduate, wants to contribute to a better tomorrow, and has an eye for detail. She started her career working for various Dutch municipalities as a policy advisor and project officer. After 5 years she moved on to the field of international development cooperation. First working at the Netherlands Helsinki Committee as a program officer, before joining Kentalis. 

At Kentalis International Foundation, Esther takes care of contracts, project logistics, and online communication.

Roel van Eijk - Project manager e-learning

©Kentalis Roel van EijkRoel has a background in audiovisual art, specializing in film. He worked as a teacher  at multiple Dutch vocational colleges, developed digital tools for a Dutch democracy knowledge center, and contributed to the development of an e-learning platform for Google. With his talent to visualize difficult topics, he feels motivated to expand our online modules sharing the experiences of deaf and hard-of-hearing people.  

At Kentalis International Foundation, Roel works on the development of our e-learning platform.

Suzanne Martens - E-learning administrator