bloom.
Inspiring stories of women in tech.
In our "bloom" series, we publish stories of inspiring women in the tech sector. These amazing people all have a unique path and their own definition of success. Our goal is to inspire you to go for your goals and dreams, no matter how ambitious, average or different. We hope to show that the tech sector can be a perfect path for women who want to make an impact on the world.
Looking for a specific story?
bloom: Liesbeth Verachtert
From not knowing what to study, to IT, to marketing and back again: Liesbeth's story is proof of continuous growth, despite doubt. And of the fact that you don't have to be a crack at math to be a successful developer. We asked her, if she thinks coincidence exists. "Who knows?" her answer. What is certain, however, is that an "accidental" gift sparked Liesbeth's interest in IT....
bloom: Sylvia Maeckelberghe
The world of technology is known for its dynamism and constant evolution. But what if your path does not lead directly from a technical background to a tech career? The story of Sylvia Maeckelberghe, Quality Assurance manager at Telenet, offers an inspiring insight into how passion, eagerness to learn and flexibility led to a blossoming career. 🦺 🖥️ 💪🏽
bloom: Marlies Claeyssens
Where some women only lose their hearts to tech later in life, for Marlies Claeyssens it was clear from childhood: she would be with her hands in cables! As Network and Security Engineer and recently Product Owner Network Security at KBC, that's exactly what she does! "For me, things can be a little exciting." 🦾🖥️🔌
bloom: Melissa Franklin
If you work in tech, is it enough to be passionate about IT? Or is the enthusiasm of those around us part of it, too? For Melissa Franklin, Program Manager at OMP, you don't even have to ask. She loves how she combines her analytical and people skills in tech. 👩🏾💻🔥🙌🏾
bloom: Gerline Gheysens
Life goes fast for Gerline Gheysens. After her master's degree in commercial engineering in policy information technology, she immediately joined Flexso in 2020, where she quickly developed into a project manager and functional consultant. Yes indeed: Gerline wears two hats in her job. "I want to be the link between two worlds."
bloom: Soizic Launay
It doesn’t matter where you start, all roads can lead to tech. Don’t believe us? Meet Soizic Launay, and you’ll quickly change your mind. From studying molecular biology, Soizic is now a Senior Quality Assurance Test Manager for OMP, a supply chain software company. Curious how she made the change? Keep reading to find out.
bloom: Krystyna Cichon
19 years ago, at the age of 21, Poland's Krystyna Anna Cichon set foot on Dutch soil for the first time. The language? She didn't speak that. But neither that nor the illness that would strike her would stop her from making the most of it. Privately and professionally. Flexso's business analyst looks back and ahead: "Actually, in my life I have already achieved everything I dreamed of as a child."
bloom: Jie Wu
It’s not easy to uproot yourself and move halfway around the world to live, study and work in a new language, culture and country 🌏. But that's what Jie Wu did when she moved from China to Belgium. 20 years later, Jie is still based in Belgium, combining the best of both worlds as Team Manager for OMP China. Want to find out how she does it? Keep on reading.
bloom: Marinke Van Laer
"At work, I am often at the computer. During remodeling, as with ceramics, I can work with my hands. That combination between the physical and the mental helps me develop further." That's Marinke Van Laer's take on balance as the key to growth. Discover how Marinke not only connects art and IT in her life but also how she actively put a spin on her career, true to the slogan "he who doesn't dare, doesn't win!
bloom: Esma El Harti
Different industries, different countries, different challenges: it's all daily business for Esma El Harti, Managing Director at Cronos Nordics. Just take a peek at her CV to see what we mean: from training as a physiotherapist🏅 to being a freelance photographer📸-and that was all before she entered the tech world. Let's find out where her next challenge will take her.
bloom: Sigrid Van de Wiele
Constantly learning is the path Sigrid Van de Wiele followed to finally find her niche at Flexso in 2018. "The choices that I had trouble making during my studies, I don't have to make them at all now," the mother of two teenagers explains about her path, that of SAP FICO Consultant as well as that of mother and human being.
On talents, choice stress and being a tireless learner: discover Sigrid Van de Wiele!
bloom: Debbie Gijsbrechts
Since 2017, Debbie Gijsbrechts has been working as an accessibility expert & UX architect at the Antwerp-based company Humix. Here Debbie can combine her interests: "I find it fascinating that in my job both the technical approach and user needs are often addressed, because both appeal to me a lot. My interests flow nicely together in my work. The nice thing about what I do is that I can support and help people. Not only people with disabilities as we often know them, but actually everyone", he says.
bloom: Stefanie Monteyne
In her own words, Stefanie Monteyne arrived at Flexso in 2015 "rather by chance," but she is completely in her place. "I can perfectly combine and develop my passion for IT and for people here. Add to that a pleasant work culture and numerous opportunities for advancement, and I see myself working here for a very long time to come," she says of her job as Lead Consultant SAP SuccessFactors. "I grab every opportunity that comes my way. In this way, I have already grown tremendously in eight years, and I hope to continue doing so for a long time to come."
bloom: Jenny Ambukiyenyi Onya
Is it possible to have fulfilling careers simultaneously in both the arts and technology sectors? With her thriving tech company and successful dance theatre projects, Jenny Ambukiyenyi Onya is proof that anything is possible with powerful ideas, hard work, and dedication. 💻🤝🏾💃🏼
bloom: Anisya Weeteling
Anisya was born and raised in Indonesia. She studied Nursing, because girls simply did not become IT professionals back then. Today she lives in Ghent with her Dutch husband and works as a Quality Assurance (QA) Engineer at Refleqt. Anisya's story can be called distinctive to say the least. Be inspired by her perseverance and endless drive for knowledge.🙌🏼
Bloom: Sophie Angenot
Tech entrepreneur, Sophie Angenot, believes in the human side of data: "My focus is first and foremost on people, and then on technology." For Sophie, however, going into business in the technology sector was not a logical choice. "I don't come from a nest of entrepreneurs and doubted for a long time whether I was ready to run a company," she says.
bloom: Athena Van Migem
How does someone with an English-French teacher's degree get into the IT world? Helping people is what drives Athena. Rather accidentally, she started her career at a tech company and last year she found the ideal job at Arxus: Customer Success Manager in a Cloud Infra environment. Why that position is a perfect fit for Athena, she explains here.
bloom: Lien Keulemans
Her passion for technology brought bioengineer Lien Keulemans to the data consulting firm Sparkle after a career of more than 15 years in consulting and biotech. As Managing Partner, she values human leadership. Find out how she aims to become the best version of herself!
bloom: Barbara Delchambre
Barbara is an SAP consultant at Flexso and works as a business analyst in the Business Transformation team. It's the ideal job for someone with an analytical mind and a passion for inspiring people and taking them with her through change. Barbara does it with as much perseverance as the marathons she runs. A driven mind in a healthy body.
bloom: Valeska Remmery
Valeska was working as a software tester when she began training as an analyst-programmer. It soon became apparent that she enjoyed programming as much as testing. Fortunately, there is such a thing as test programming, so Valeska became a test automation engineer at Refleqt. Sometimes life seems predetermined!