A
Short about
I ām a Creative Business student at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, with a focus on branding, editorial storytelling and digital media. Iām currently co-developing Havena, a platform that helps people navigate access to specialized healthcare in the Netherlands.
Born in Philadelphia and raised in Amsterdam by my two fathers ā one Dutch, one Italian ā Iāve had the pleasure of growing up between languages and cultures. That perspective helps me how I approach my Ā work: clear in intent and oftrn sensitive to context.
Education
B.A. Creative Business, AUAS ā Amsterdam (sep2024ājul2028)
- Completed propedeuse (acquiring all possible credits in first year)
Experience
Operational Lead, Havena
- Developing a digital platform for navigating specialized healthcare
Editor-in-Chief (among other roles), Mosaic Magazine
- Led concept, production, and editorial strategy with 4-person team
Marketing, Service Desk & Interim Office Manager, Ksyos
- Supported brand communication and hybrid service flows
- Initiated and led an internal project to improve office experience
Head Producer, Alice in Wonderland (Theatre Production)
- Directed logistics and creative execution in public performance setting
View CV
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Havena ā Branding Access to HealthcareĀ
www.havena.nlHavena is a digital platform that connects patients directly with qualified healthcare providers across the Netherlands. We aim to make specialized care more accessible by improving transparency, reducing wait times, and empowering patients to choose how, when, and by whom they are treated.
AddressingĀ the problem
From the start founder and ceo Leonard Witkamp saw that patients often face unnecessary barriers when trying to access specialized care. Long wait times, unclear referral processes and a lack of transparency about treatment options are still the norm. People donāt know who they can see, what their options are, or how long it will take and that uncertainty leads to frustration, delays and possible worse outcomes. At the same time many care providers operate below capacity because they lack digital reach or efficient ways to connect with patients.
Our solution
With Havena Ā we wanted to flip that logic. Instead of the system deciding for the patient the patient takes the lead. Choosing how, where, and by whom they are treated. Our platform simplifies the journey: we make options visible, information understandable and contact direct. We donāt give medical advice or replace the healthcare system, we make it more navigable.Ā
My role in this project
When Ā starting to building Havena I wasnāt entering familiar territory. Healthcare is complex and heavily regulated and not easy to navigate especially without a medical background. But I did have two things, a clear sense of the problem we wanted to solve and a father who has spent over 25 years trying to modernize this sector.
My role is centered around positioning, communication strategy and helping to shape the patient journey from a user-first perspective. Iāve been involved in translating system-level problems into clear platform logic and in aligning our brand narrative with the needs of both patients and providers.
Havena reflects the kind of innovation I care about. Working to that mission so early in my life is a challenge but also a opportunity.
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AUASĀ
Semester 1Ā
During my first semester at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, my coursework centered around the storytelling and narrative project, "Wij Zijn Onze Verhalen" (We Are Our Stories). My primary role was Editor-in-Chief for our online magazine where I oversaw content coherence, creative direction and project quality.
The idea for the name Mosaic Magazine emerged from a Ā brainstorming session aimed at including multiple perspectives and narratives on identity, cultural differences and personal experiences within our community. Similar to how multiple stones come together to form a cohesive artwork, our magazine combined diverse perspectives into a unified story.
Narrative Feature: Living Between Two Cultures
My narrative feature centered around cultural identity, specifically the intersection of Italian culture and Dutch directness-culture experienced by my father, Giovanni. I integrated desk and field research including expert interviews and personal anecdotes to highlight how cultural differences shape social interactions and relationships. The narrative was supported by documentary-style photography visually reinforcing the themes of duality and adaptation.
Online Magazine: Mosaic of Identities
As Editor-in-Chief I managed our team to create a cohesive online magazine reflecting diverse narratives on identity. My responsibilities included strategic content planning, team coordination and final editing to ensure consistency and high-quality output. The completed magazine featured a cover, interviews, articles and visually impactful photography. This project really helped my collaborative and leadership skills.
This semester's projects was a start to develop my approach to storytelling, combining research, Ā narrative structures and visual elements to effectively communicate sometimes difficult ideas to targeted audiences.
Stories that where included in the magazine individually written by Ā each member of the team
- Living with a different culture in the Netherlands
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Two new families, two new realities
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Living with a OCD disorder as a teenager
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Tennis as the meaning of love
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The influence of success gurus
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Growing up in a single-parent family
- Watching your mother change due to dementia
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AUASĀ
Semester 2
During my second semester my coursework focused on creating a strategic marketing-communication campaign for De Koffiejongens (The Coffeeguys), a sustainable coffee brand targeting young urban professionals. The central objective was addressing the brand's visibility and distinction challenges within the competitive, sustainability-oriented coffee market.
The Process
The project began with Ā desk and field research to identify market position, consumer insights and communication barriers. Key findings revealed consumer skepticism around sustainability claims and an overcrowded market where differentiation was essential. Leveraging these insights I formulated a proposition emphasizing genuine sustainability backed by transparent communication.
My general idea for this project was to push boundaries beyond traditional advertising by utilizing AI-generated visuals to create a world that embodied a utopia of sustainability effectively communicating the brand's core values.
To creatively convey the campaign message "The Coffee-guys are really sustainably" I developed multiple concepts. After feedback-driven improvements, the chosen direction used impactful visuals and clear messaging emphasizing sustainability without compromise. During this process I also acquired Ā skills in Photoshop.
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AUASĀ
Semester 3
ĀIn semester 3 I developed "Harmony," an app designed for AUAS Limitless. This application aims to foster awareness and empathy among students without disabilities by simulating the experiences of peers with functional impairments through interactive storytelling and immersive simulations.
I used multiple design methods including card sorting and usability testing which helped the development process . Feedback and research showed the importance of clear, engaging, short-form content (5ā10 minutes), creating my decision to incorporate microlearning and gamification elements into the app.
During this project I gained new skills in prototyping tools such as Figma and further developed my graphic design skills using Illustrator and Photoshop.
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AUASĀ
Semester 4
In this semester I created an explainervideo, aimed at raising awareness among high school students about the impact of media influence on perception and mental health. My video focused on filter bubbles within TikTok and Instagram and how these reinforce unrealistic beauty standards.
Through Ā research, expert sources like Dr. Cathy OāNeil and Dr. Jean Twenge and a street interview (voxpop), I explored how algorithms isolate users from diverse perspectives. The final video combined personal storytelling, academic insights and visual contrasts between idealised and body-positive content.
During this semester I learned how to translate research into accessible visual content, structure a compelling narrative and present complex information.
Key takeaways include the importance of aligning creative choices with audience expectations and maintaining a strong emotional and visual hook. This project improved my skills in research and mostly video editing.
G. Projects
A collection of some projects I did -- Fashion, Music, Producing and surely more to come.
Highschool - Alice in Wonderland
As Head Producer I led the production of Alice in Wonderlanda six-show immersive theatre experience performed in the Botanical Garden Zuidas in Amsterdam. All performances were sold out.
Working with a team of four I oversaw with of course the head theater professor the creative and operational execution ensuring that lighting, scene changes and timing were in sync across all performance routes. The production concluded in a shared final scene in the central field where all groups came together.Ā
The audience moved in rotating groups through different scenes set across the garden requiring coordination between multiple cast and crew clusters. Managing logistics, spatial transitions and audience flow in an open-air format was complex but was all fun in the end!
Fashion Styling
I worked with a starting artist to put together outfits suited for different shoot locations and themes. Each look was chosen to match the setting, from graffiti walls to modern architecture, while reflecting his personal style and my creative input. The images were used as cover art for each of his new singles, keeping the clothing practical and fitting the mood of each scene.
Amfi -
Semester
At the Amsterdam Fashion Institute I experienced multiple creative sides in my first semester. The subjects moved between three disciplines: sewing and working with fabrics and patterns, branding with a focus on image and identity and fashion design. Switching between the technical side and the strategic-storytelling side of branding gave me a broader view of how the most creative ideas also a practical need have.The work ranged from draping experiments on the mannequin to collage s exploring image and identity with hands-on exercises in sewing.I was admitted to AMFI through a selection procedure with only 350 students accepted. Due to an enrolment issue on both sides I could not finish the year but the semester gave me insight and a practical foundation that continues to influence my work.Ā
The visuals included here reflect some of those explorations, tests of fabric, design, and image that capture the variety of what I worked on.