Stella Pennekamp MA | Senior Expat Career Coach and Counsellor
Founder of Orange Expats, an Amsterdam based international career coaching and counselling practice for Expats living or working in The Netherlands.
Stella is a Senior Expat Career Coach and Counsellor with over 15yrs’ of experience helping highly-skilled professionals from over 80 + countries master their challenges and accelerate their international career.
Stella holds a Master in Cultural Policy and Management and embraces lifelong learning. She uses an client-based, integral, holistic approach to help you reach your full potential.
Stella is a Dutch native who speaks fluent English and by happily being married to an Expat herself, she fully understands the challenges Expats facing living and working abroad. She loves helping you feel at home and cope with cultural differences you might face in The Netherlands.
She also voluntary offers coaching trajectories to African Female Future Leaders pursuing optimal use of renewable energy in Africa.
Qualifications
Stella holds a Master's degree in Cultural Policy and Management at the University of Amsterdam (UvA)
She also holds Post Graduate qualifications in:
- Rational Emotive Behavioural Therapy (REBT)
- Mindfulness & Cognitive Therapy (MBCT)
- Focusing (G. Gendlin)
- Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP)
- Polyvagal-informed Therapy (S. Porges)
- Safe and Sound Protocol (SSP)
- Heart Rate Variability (HRV) Biofeedback
Mission
To help professionals master their challenges and accelerate their international career.
Integrative approach to career coaching and counselling
"To me, there is no single approach that can help each client in all situations. With my client-based, integrative approach to career coaching and counselling, I’ll bring together different elements of theories, methodologies and interventions to help you master your challenges. Through blending of these relevant elements, an approach is formed to effectively suit your needs. Combined with highly effective job marketing and career-related insights, it results in a tailored approach for successfully achieving your goals."
Clients
Her clients are Netherlands-based highly skilled employees: expatriates, (short- & long stay) migrants, their accompanying partners, Dutch natives and (inter)national companies employing them. Stella’s recent clients include IUCN, the University of Amsterdam (UvA), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU), the Dutch Whiplash Foundation (WSN), law firms and companies working in the creative, cultural, fmgc and retail sectors. Her clients work in marketing, finance, e-commerce, sales, I(C)T, HR, legal, consultancy, journalism, as a teacher, among others.
Membership & Think-tank
She associates with the "Landelijk Centrum Stressmanagement" - the National Centre Stressmanagement - an occupational health company, providing activities to activate selfregulation, selfregulation by heartcoherence, selfregulation of emotions and selfmanagement of stress.
Stella is a member of the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) and the Dutch Association of Professional Coaches (NOBCO).
As Burnout Expert Stella is part of the think-tank for Maaike Hartjes' "Burnout Diary" Animation. ‘Burnout Diary’ is a half hour-special and social media project about accepting imperfection. The project is currently being adapted from the graphic novel ‘Burnout Dagboek’ by Dutch comic artist Maaike Hartjes and won the 2020 Trickstar Business Award.
Testimonials
“A few years ago, I was coached by Stella; I wasn’t sure if I should go on freelancing or get a steady job again. Stella helped me by asking the right questions and doing some good listening. She looks at situations in a positive way, without losing sight of reality. She is a perfectionist, is patient and takes her time to solve things. But almost most important of all: she has a great sense of humor. Because of this you will always leave a coaching session with a bright smile.”
Top qualities: Great Results , High Integrity , Creative
R. Lankester
Asking the right questions, good listener, patient, great sense of humour
“It was a very good experience. Stella is an easy person to talk to and she gave me advises on how to approach people and improve my CV and LinkedIn profile.”
Read other testimonialsEasy person to talk to, very good experience
When I met Stella I knew I was ready for a career change but found it much more difficult than I thought to assess my strengths, weaknesses and desires especially since I was new in the Netherlands. Stella’s confidence in me was contagious and her positive attitude was wonderfully supplemented by extremely useful questions, exercises and strategies. I am a success story – I found my dream job.
S. Kutzenberger
Read other testimonialsConfidence in me, positive attitude, extremely useful questions, exercises and strategies
“Stella was a breath of fresh air for somebody (me) who tends to be very sceptical about the benefits of coaching. She made an enormous difference to me professionally and personally and I cannot praise her highly enough. She’s warm and enthusiastic and achieves great results in a surprisingly short time. If you’re at a career crossroads – contact her immediately. You won’t regret it.”
Top qualities: Great Results , Good Value , High Integrity
C. Walsh
Warm, enthusiastic, great results
“I got to know Stella as a very good listener who asks the right questions. Stella is result-driven and a true optimist: a hands-on coach who combines professionalism with warmth, humour and enthusiasm. For expats in Amsterdam looking for that extra push in their career: call Stella!”
Top Qualities: Personable, Good Value, High Integrity
C. van Thessen
Very good listener, result-driven