Our support team

Geert Hoefman - Operations Director and co-founder of Bizzy Bee

Geert is a motivated and creative self starter and has built up a solid business experience with a strong focus on service and operations. In addition to holding various management positions with large corporations, he has acquired entrepreneurial know-how with his own business, offering computer-related services to private individuals and small companies.

From 1993 to 1998, Geert left the mainstream business world to focus on social work, as the manager of a Salvation Army homeless shelter that housed up to 80 men. Geert applied his business knowledge and turned the home into a self-financing operation within three years.

Geert has reinforced his interest in Human Resources with various training courses, including Educator training (1995), Human Resources Management – EHSAL (1993) and Leadership, coaching, performance interviews/management, recruiting (2000 – 2005).

As co-founder of Bizzy Bee, Geert focuses on the financial, operational and human resources aspects.

Ariane Denoyel – International Development Manager

Ariane has worked in publishing for the last 14 years. During this time she has followed training in multicultural team management, stress management and non-violent communication. Since the birth of her first child, she has done extensive self study on specific health issues as well as on child psychology and education. Among other things, she has followed training in baby massage, infant and adult CPR, holistic medicine and nutrition. She already uses sign language with her children and is looking forward to introducing them to yoga.

She completed her studies in European affairs in several European universities, and has always lived and worked in international environments. As Bizzy Bee International Development Manager, Ariane is responsible for developing the business internationally, monitoring relevant trends and cultivating a culture of continuous improvement.

Ariane lives in Belgium with her family.

Amanda Roberts – Legal Advisor

Amanda is a licensed attorney who has previous experience working with entrepreneurs on all the legal aspects of running a business. She has also worked at Thomson Reuters as a Legal Content Associate. As a former elementary school teacher, Amanda is passionate about education and truly believes in Bizzy Bee’s vision.

Amanda holds an undergraduate degree in Psychology, a Masters Degree in Education Curriculum and Design and a Juris Doctorate in Law. She is currently completing a Masters of Law at the Katholieke Universiteit Leuven with specialisations in Financial Law and the E.U. in International Relations.

Originally from the United States, Amanda now lives in Brussels with her husband and son.

Kathryn Carke – Training Manager

For over 10 years Kathryn has designed and delivered training to multicultural teams of sales and customer service staff for two fast-growing and successful international organisations.

She has trained many international groups in ethical consultative sales and customer service skills, as well as business processes and systems management. Her extensive knowledge and experience in designing classroom and online training is aimed at meeting the needs of groups with diverse skill sets.

Kathryn’s training skills and business knowledge will be used to equip new Bizzy Bee teachers with the right skills to set up and successfully run and develop their own business. Her business acumen and experience as a mother of a 19-old month-old daughter gives Kathryn the ideal skills and knowledge required to train people in developing a strong customer base within Bizzy Bee.

Siobhán McGonigle – Copywriter

Siobhán has been working in communications for large international organisations in Brussels for the last eight years. She has built up solid experience in writing and editing web content, service descriptions and user documentation for a wide range of target audiences on a variety of topics.

Delighted to have a chance to write about something other than international finance, Siobhán has worked closely with Diana, Sylvie and Cristin to develop the website content and training materials for Bizzy Bee Signing, Massage and Yoga.

Siobhán has an undergraduate Masters in French and Translation Studies from UMIST, Manchester and has a diploma in Teaching English as a Foreign Language.

She is originally from Northern Ireland and now lives in Belgium with her husband and two young sons.

Stijn Hoefman - IT Coordinator

Having discovered a passion for computers at a young age, Stijn has steadily built a great deal of expertise over the years. From taking old computers apart and putting them back together again for his dad’s computer business, he moved on to installing and configuring new PCs and networks, and eventually to selling hardware and creating websites. Stijn studied IT, and has completed several internships that have allowed him to further broaden his knowledge.

Building on his studies, Stijn is now responsible for installing new PCs and servers, and he is also the IT coordinator for a local Belgian school. His role as Bizzy Bee IT Coordinator includes responsibility for the Bizzy Bee website and providing IT support to our Team Members and Licence holders.