Nathalie Rietman

Nathalie is deeply passionate about “change for the better” and “making things happen.” As a project manager at 360º of Innovation, she has led several projects aimed at making Aruba and other islands more sustainable.

During her studies at Wageningen University and Research Centre, she completed her thesis in Colombia, where she came up with the idea of starting a foundation for street children. In 2007, she founded her own primary school in the slums of Cartagena, a highly successful project that provided education to more than 100 students. After ten years, she decided to hand over the school, which continues to operate with the support of the local community.

Her love for social causes and the Caribbean led her to join the Red Cross Aruba in early 2018. There, she worked with Venezuelan refugees, coordinated a senior citizens project, and assisted with the opening of Aruba’s first hospice.

Since early 2019, she has been part of 360º of Innovation, managing and supporting various initiatives such as Happy to Give Back in Aruba, SMILE in St. Maarten, and several other sustainability-focused projects. She also provides operational and strategic support to the organization’s director.

A project manager at heart, Nathalie loves organizing and can easily switch between languages. Her fluency in English, Spanish, and Dutch, along with her understanding of Papiamento — allows her to connect with all kinds of people and bridge cultures effortlessly.