Hello, my name is Ciska. I would like to briefly introduce myself and my mission to you.
From an early age, I was fascinated by the stories and motivations of people. This curiosity drove me towards an academic career in which I wanted to understand the deepest layers of the human experience. I studied History at Ghent University and Social and Cultural Anthropology at KU Leuven, where I graduated magna cum laude.
My passion for human stories brought me to Cambodia, where I conducted fieldwork on the impact of the genocide on first- and second-generation Cambodians. There I lived among both perpetrators and victims, immersed myself in village life, and participated in rituals and everyday experiences. This intense period allowed me to understand the complexity of human suffering, resilience and recovery. I gained unique insights into the politics of memory and the dynamics behind genocide, unconscious bias and trauma.
After this enriching experience, I decided to take a new direction and worked in the financial sector as a Sales and People Manager. Yet my heart kept beating for stories and the depth of human interactions. After a world trip that ended in 2020, I decided to follow my passion and founded Oriënta in 2021, a consultancy focused on diversity, inclusion and equality (D, E &I), and started working as a freelance anthropologist. At the same time, I completed my Master’s in Gender and Diversity (magna cum laude).
My mission
My mission is to advance gender equality, diversity and inclusion through critical research, education and strategic guidance. I believe awareness and structural change are both essential to building a more inclusive society and inclusive workplaces.
Through my work I am committed to building a world in which everyone is heard, seen and valued, regardless of gender, ethnicity, class, age, (…). My work centers on sparking critical thinking, intersectional awareness and lasting social impact.
As an anthropologist with years of experience in DE&I consulting and qualitative research, I surface the hidden power structures and mechanisms of exclusion that organisations often overlook, and help companies, nonprofits and policymakers turn that insight into sustainable, inclusive and equitable strategies
My ethical commitment
Good research and consultancy are not neutral. I believe in being transparent about that.
- Participation over extraction: I don’t just collect data and leave. I work with communities, not on them – ensuring their voices shape the process and the outcome
- Transparency & honesty: I am clear about my methods, my limitations and my positionality. You always know how I work and why
- Power-conscious: I am continuously aware of the power dynamics between researcher and participant, consultant and client and I actively work to make those relationships as equitable as possible
- Contextual sensitivity: Every community, organisation and situation is different. I approach every collaboration with cultural humility and an open mind
- Privacy & confidentiality: The people I speak with and the organisations I work for can trust that their stories and data are handled with the utmost care and discretion
- Do no harm: I take responsibility for the impact of my work on individuals, communities and organisations. Research and advice should never reinforce the inequalities they set out to address
- Committed to growth: I continuously reflect on my own biases, blind spots and assumptions, because good practice starts with self-awareness.
Ethics are not a checklist. They are at the heart of everything I do.
Would you like to work together towards an inclusive future?
Follow me behind the scenes on instagram and Linkedin✨.
