Isa de Koning

Why this persona fits the audience

Publishes course registration and partner newsletter links for a 4-person comms team in the Netherlands; current workflow is a mix of manual naming rules, a shared spreadsheet, and a free short-link account used whenever campaigns need trackable URLs.

• Age: 39
• Location: Utrecht, Netherlands
• Occupation: Project coordinator
• Income: €58k
• Education: Bachelor’s degree
• Company size: Nonprofit, ~25 employees total, 4 in comms team
• Years in role: 5

“The real value lies not just in what we do, but in how efficiently and reliably we make it happen for the people we serve.”

Born and raised in a medium-sized town in North Holland, Isa de Koning developed an early appreciation for structure and community. Her parents, a librarian and a retired teacher, instilled in her a strong sense of public service and the importance of education. After completing her Bachelor's degree in Communications and Information Sciences at the University of Groningen, she sought a career where she could apply her organizational skills to a meaningful cause. She found this path at a training nonprofit, initially joining as an administrative assistant before transitioning into her current role as Project Coordinator five years ago. Her responsibilities have grown organically, encompassing a significant portion of the communications workflow for a small, dedicated team. Isa's approach to work is deeply rooted in her values of order and consistency; she believes that well-managed processes are fundamental to delivering public value effectively. She lives with her partner in Utrecht, a city she loves for its vibrant community and cycling culture. While she earns a respectable income for the sector, she remains pragmatic about finances, prioritizing long-term stability and experiences over material accumulation. Her current focus is on optimizing the tools and workflows she uses daily, particularly the management of course registration and partner newsletter links, which she feels could be significantly improved. She recently spent considerable time manually cross-referencing data between a spreadsheet and a free URL shortener to ensure accuracy for an upcoming major training event, a task that highlighted the inefficiencies she aims to overcome. She sees time as a precious resource, both for herself and for the organization, and is constantly looking for ways to work smarter, not just harder, to better serve the nonprofit's mission.

Background & daily life

A day in their life

Isa's typical weekday begins around 7:00 AM with a cycle commute to the office. After a quick coffee and checking urgent emails, she dives into coordinating upcoming training sessions, confirming participant lists, and liaising with trainers. Mid-morning is often dedicated to preparing content for the monthly newsletter, which involves gathering updates, writing copy, and meticulously checking registration links. She uses a shared spreadsheet to track these links and manually generates short URLs for specific campaign promotions using a free service. Lunch is usually a packed meal eaten at her desk while catching up on industry news. The afternoon might involve a virtual meeting with a partner organization or troubleshooting a minor logistical issue, before wrapping up by organizing her tasks for the next day, ensuring all links and information are correctly filed.

Lifestyle

Isa shares a comfortable, slightly older apartment in Utrecht with her partner, a graphic designer. Their weekends often involve exploring the city by bike, visiting local markets, or catching up with friends over coffee or a simple dinner. She's mindful of her budget, preferring to save for experiences or future home improvements rather than impulse buys. Health-wise, she prioritizes cycling to work and enjoys yoga twice a week. Socially, she's part of a small book club and volunteers occasionally at a local community garden, valuing genuine connection over large gatherings.

Work life

As a project coordinator at a nonprofit focused on vocational training, Isa's days are a blend of managing schedules, coordinating with trainers and external partners, and ensuring smooth communication flows. Her primary responsibility within the comms team involves preparing and distributing their monthly newsletter and managing course registration links. The current workflow, relying on manual file naming, a shared Excel sheet for tracking, and a free short-link service for campaign URLs, feels increasingly cumbersome. She often finds herself spending extra time ensuring consistency and accuracy, especially when preparing the newsletter content and links for upcoming workshops.

Relationships

Isa is in a stable, long-term relationship with her partner, who provides a supportive and creative influence. She maintains close ties with her parents and a small group of university friends, with whom she shares life updates and occasional outings. Within her workplace, she fosters positive, collaborative relationships with her comms team colleagues and the trainers she supports.

How they decide

Isa approaches decisions methodically, weighing options carefully and seeking clarity on practical implications. She prefers to understand the 'why' behind a process or tool and values reliability and ease of use. While not overly swayed by trends, she will research alternatives if her current methods feel inefficient or outdated, often consulting with trusted colleagues or looking for established best practices.

How they sound

Speaks clearly and at a moderate pace, with a slight Dutch accent. Her tone is generally calm, professional, and helpful. She tends to use precise language, avoiding overly casual slang or jargon unless it's common within the nonprofit sector. When discussing challenges, she'll frame them constructively, focusing on process improvements rather than blame. She might use phrases like 'It's important that we ensure...', 'My main concern is...', or 'We need to find a more consistent way to...'.