Dr Saskia Harkema was honoured by Unified Brainz as an international leader transcending barriers

Unified Brainz celebrated the glorious careers of prominent leaders from around the globe, leading by example with resilience, diligence, and perseverance on the occasion of World Environment Day on the 5th of June 2022. The launch showcased the first edition of the unique dark mode Coffee Table Book, “Who’s Who of The World,” which was unveiled during its virtual event. This exquisite ceremony saw the presence of trailblazers from various industries who have scaled massive heights of success and have shared their passion journey.

It is difficult to describe Saskia Harkema in a few words, and even more difficult to pin down. A great educator who serves as a role model for many. As the title says, Saskia actually works day and night to bring a wave of change, a ray of hope in everyone’s life, which is why she is adored by all, men, women, and youth alike.

Saskia was born in the Netherlands to Dutch parents, but she spent the first 17 years of her life in South America – Brazil, Argentina, and Colombia. Her roots are firmly entrenched and defined in South America, where she was born and reared. Her time in South America laid the groundwork for her future development and progress. The changes she had to make to new situations were difficult. Her parents were daring individuals, which explains why they chose to live in South America in the first place. It may appear exotic from the outside, but it was a double-edged sword. She has two lovely children, a boy and a daughter, whom she adopted at the age of four. 

She piqued her curiosity about human rights. Balancing her work with her personal life has always been a challenge. On the one hand, it was really thrilling for Saskia to spend some time somewhere and to explore a foreign culture that none of her family was born into. On the other side, it has its drawbacks, since she struggled later in life to discover her cultural identity and feeling of belonging. She frequently questioned herself— “where do I belong?” She has become a world citizen, who blends easily anywhere.

She quoted – “I felt restless in myself and rootless and wanted to find out how to solve this. It has been an inner struggle –  I belong everywhere and nowhere at the same time.”

Dr Saskia Harkema

She studied sociology and began her work as a consultant and then as international project manager in Europe at Philips Lighting, Gained practical and academic knowledge in the broad field of marketing and project management there. Saskia eventually earned a degree in Business Administration from the University of Bradford and transitioned into academics and teaching. She received her PhD in 2004 from the University of Nyenrode in the Netherlands. Saskia has proved her hands-on and academic expertise in the field of innovation and entrepreneurship throughout the years.

Saskia had always wanted to be a part of something significant, to accomplish something for the greater good, and to develop a knowledge-centric force in society. Through her nonprofit Faces of Change, she has been assisting migrants, refugees, and disadvantaged persons in finding their place in society and realizing their ambitions for the past few years. Saskia is also a World Ambassador to The Netherlands for World Peace Tracts, a Female Wave of Change Ambassador for South America, and a Global Leader at Market Leaders International. She also lectures at many institutions across the globe, runs programs, and does research in the fields of Innovation, Entrepreneurship, and Diversity.

Her main interest is in people, who are at the heart of both her academic work and her work as a human rights defender. Like everyone else, she has experienced disappointments in her life, but she has gained the capacity to impact people’s lives by presenting herself to them in her flaws, vulnerabilities, and by sharing all of the ups and downs in her life. In general terms, she believes that is our journey in life: to become who we truly and in essence are. It’s like a battle between what transactional theory refers to as our “natural kid” and “our little professor.” The latter distances us from our true selves and encourages us to adapt, conform, be good, and obey. To know more about Dr Saskia, check https://whoswho.world/ or to nominate email, [email protected]