Mirjam joined PONT as Executive Director in 2016. She is an expert on natural resources management and brings more than 20 years of experience managing nature conservation projects for both governmental and non-governmental organisations. She has worked in several countries such as Lao PDR, South Africa, Kenya and Cameroon.

Prior to joining PONT Mirjam was Project Director for the GIZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft fuer Internationale Zusammenarbeit) in Lao PDR where she developed a model on collaborative governance for the Hin Nam No National Protected Area. In this position she developed and implemented result-based monitoring systems, including the development of indicators and methods on how to assess good governance and management effectiveness of natural resources. During her time in South Africa she contributed to the national protected area expansion strategy and was a key person in the drawing up of the national South African co-management framework and the people and parks toolkit.

Mirjam has written several publications around her work on governance of natural resources. She holds a PhD on land restitution and co-management of protected areas from the University of South Africa (UNISA).