Annique thinks language is such a fascinating construct, and she loves exploring new languages with Duolingo in her spare time. Plot twist: she rarely uses any of her language skills though, because she freezes whenever an opportunity arises!

Extracurriculars

When she’s not working, she’s probably out discovering the Maryland trails, baking, watching movies, reading, knitting, or checking out breweries. She’s also partial to combining drinks with activities like playing pool, trivia night, corn hole, or watching a baseball game.

Why we love Annique

She is an incredible listener and will make any person (staff or member) feel seen, heard, and supported. We can always count on her being ready to laugh or be a goof! Once you know Annique, the word you immediately associate with her is “joy”. She pays special care to the staff here at Cowork – don’t get us wrong, we feel loved by all members! But Annique has been known to memorize our coffee or lunch order, and show up with a delicious, unexpected surprise when we needed it most. She is the ultimate lunch buddy, the perfect afternoon walk-companion, and a steady presence in our space.

Q&A with Annique

How did you get into your field?
I don’t necessarily consider myself a data person, and while I love working at this intersection of law, technology, and social policy, this is not what I pictured myself doing when I was younger. I always thought I wanted to be a teacher or professor, and started grad school with the goal of applying for a PhD program and working at a university.

After grad school, the feeling grew that I wanted to leave academia to “make a difference.” I know, cliché. I felt policy was the best way to change society for the better, and that’s how I ended up working for local, provincial, and national governments.

My last job in the Netherlands was with the Dutch national government, where I worked on implementing efficiencies in government services through the reuse of administrative data, so when my husband and I moved to the US, I looked for something similar. Being new to the country and unfamiliar with the job market made it harder to figure out exactly what to look for, so I cast a wide net and expanded my search outside of government to think tanks and other non profits, and that’s how I ended up at the Data Foundation. It actually worked out perfectly, because I’m still government adjacent, and I get to do research and provide recommendations on how to improve government, which I always loved doing, and never had much time for as a civil servant.

What inspires you and keeps you going?
Helping people. I always feel kind of helpless at helping, and I ask myself sometimes if I should have made a different move in my career, but if you ask me what I want most in life, it’s to help others. That also extends to my personal life: being there for family and friends, to support them, oftentimes just by offering a listening ear, is incredibly important to me.

Cowork Frederick members tend to be a little unconventional. How does that apply to you?
I certainly don’t think I’m unique in this, but work-life balance is very important to me. Spending time with my family and exploring the world are my favorite things to do, and will always come first. I don’t mind working hard, and if I have to put in extra effort to get things done, I absolutely will. But as much as I like my job, it needs to be in balance with all the other things I love doing. Also, this might be the European in me, but I think taking breaks to recharge is a necessity. 

Which of the guiding values defined by Cowork Frederick members speaks to you?
I’m notoriously bad at making choices, so this is a hard one. Authenticity, curiosity, generosity, and balance all jump out at me, but if I have to pick one, it’s probably balance. Too much of anything isn’t good for anyone, and that’s certainly true for me. Definitely in work-life, but also socially: I love taking trips, hanging out with friends, and fun-filled weekends, but I need to balance those out with hanging out on the couch and knitting, watching movies, or reading.

Any tips for someone looking to work in policy?
One of my early “mistakes” was that I got a little overly excited when I had the opportunity to work on a project in a field where I had extensive background from the Dutch policy setting, and so my recommendations for improving services within the US government were very much based on that experience.
I quickly noticed a lot of resistance, and realized that how deeply federalism shapes the US system should not be underestimated. There is a lot more fragmentation, both intentional and perhaps unintentional, which can make building consensus across different levels and agencies more challenging.
It’s great to look at best practices from other countries, but I’ve learned to approach it with a lot more humility, taking the time to understand the local landscape, who the stakeholders are, where the authority actually sits, and where the political friction points are likely to be, before bringing a solution to the table.

Why Cowork Frederick?
Cowork actually started out as a work place benefit from my employer, but it turned into so much more! When it was just me and my husband at home, I didn’t come in as much, because it was just too easy to stay home. But then our office turned into a nursery last year, and I was forced out of the house… and it’s been great! We were also new to the area, and Cowork has been a great place to learn more about Frederick, the goings-on, and make new friends!

For those who want to learn more, how can you be reached?