Prior to joining LIS, Marielle served as the VP for Global Affairs at the African Leadership University, where she was responsible for developing and implementing the University’s global strategy – including international student recruitment, institutional global partnerships, international summer programmes and raising the university’s global brand.

Before that, Marielle was the MD for EME at Minerva Schools at KGI, where in 3 years she recruited 25% of the class, developed strategic partnerships throughout the region and successfully set up Minerva’s first overseas campus in Berlin, which opened in August 2016.

Marielle’s 15 years of experience in international HE include a broad range of areas such as international student recruitment, pathways, admissions, programme management, brand development, strategic partnerships and development of new programmes and campuses. She has worked for both public and private institutions in the Netherlands, the UK, US and Africa and has an extensive understanding of internationalisation in HE from a range of perspectives.

Marielle is also the Founder and Director of La Sagesse, an education consultancy assisting education providers with strengthening their international strategy, brand and growth, with a particular focus on non-traditional and innovative models of education.

Marielle has an MA in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Amsterdam and spent years travelling around the globe in pursuit of curiosity.