Reinvention Strategist · IntentionallyDutch
About Melissa
Proud GenX-er. Perpetual adventurer. Hates having my picture taken. Owned by my dogs. Planning my next tattoo. Not theorizing about bold moves - living them.
I'm not proof that it works out perfectly. I'm proof that it's worth doing anyway."
- Melissa, IntentionallyDutch Founder
Currently packing for
The Netherlands — permanently this time. Third international move. First one back to where it all started.
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The dogs
Quincy, our endlessly goofy Lab/Scottie cross and Henri, a Beagle with a heart of gold. They're inseparable.
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Countries lived in
USA · Netherlands · US Virgin Islands · Spain · Netherlands (again).
The short version
I'm a proud GenX-er, married to my wife Amy since 1999, and perpetually followed around by three dogs who have collectively lived on more continents than most humans. I work in corporate travel management — currently in a project management role I genuinely love — and I'm building IntentionallyDutch alongside it, because apparently I find a single full-time job insufficiently chaotic.
The longer version
It started with a college exchange programme in the Netherlands — the country that would apparently decide it wasn't done with me yet. That trip sparked something: a love of travel, a restlessness, a sense that the world was bigger than the plan I'd been handed.
Seven years in the US Virgin Islands followed. Tropical living, beautiful sunsets, the whole thing — until two Category 5 hurricanes hit within two weeks of each other. 110 days without power.
Did I mention 110 days without power? But hey, who's counting? (Me. That's who.)
We sold everything, quit our jobs and moved to Barcelona. Our timing was, shall we say, ambitious — we arrived six weeks before Covid shut the world down. What we found instead of crowds was something unexpected: empty streets, quiet cathedrals, space to breathe and think and figure out what we actually wanted. We made the most of it. We always do.
The part that changed everything
We came back to the US after two years, and I'm so grateful we did. My mum was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She was the happiest I'd ever seen her — she loved having us nearby. She passed two months after her diagnosis. What we had in that time was rare and precious: honest conversations, nothing left unsaid. I know not everyone gets that. I hold it gently.
Losing her, even in my 50s, was not something I was prepared for. The grief waves are real — you never know when one will knock you down. But I'm learning to find my footing again. And I know she'd be absolutely thrilled about the Netherlands move. She'd have strong opinions about the dog logistics, obviously.
IntentionallyDutch comes from a very real place — I know what it feels like to stand at a crossroads and hesitate. I've done it more than once. Not every leap lands perfectly — Barcelona during a global pandemic being exhibit A — but the leap itself? Always worth it. I started this practice because I want to sit with people who are facing big decisions and help them find their own version of yes.
Right now
I'm packing up our lives — again — and heading to the Netherlands with Amy, Beckett (our well-travelled Crucian lady), Quincy (55lb scruffy lab mix, heart of gold), and Henri (25lb beagle, joined at the hip with Quincy, non-negotiable). I speak a functional amount of several languages, know where every gelato place is within a reasonable radius, and I am an excellent planner of the details that other people forget to plan.
I'm also building IntentionallyDutch — a coaching practice for GenX women who are done pretending the map was accurate and ready to draw a new one. If that's you, I'd love to talk.
The short version
I'm a proud GenX-er, in love with my wife Amy since 1999 (officially married in 2015, and perpetually followed around by my dogs, Quincy and Henri. I work in corporate travel management — currently in a project management role I genuinely love — and I'm building IntentionallyDutch alongside it, because apparently I find a single full-time job insufficiently chaotic. Oh, and I'm an artist too but that's another story.
The longer version
It started with a college exchange programme in the Netherlands — the country that would apparently decide it wasn't done with me yet. That trip sparked something: a love of travel, a restlessness, a sense that the world was bigger than the plan I'd been handed.
Seven years in the US Virgin Islands followed. Tropical living, beautiful sunsets, the whole thing — until two Category 5 hurricanes hit within two weeks of each other. 110 days without power.
Did I mention 110 days without power? But hey, who's counting? (Me. That's who.)
We sold everything, quit our jobs and moved to Barcelona. Our timing was, shall we say, interesting — we arrived six weeks before Covid shut the world down. What we found instead of crowds was something unexpected: empty streets, quiet cathedrals, space to explore and figure out what we actually wanted. We made the most of it. We always do. That time gave us the opportunity to learn a lot about ourselves and each other and found we really are a great team!
The part that changed everything
We came back to the US after two years, and I'm so grateful we did. My mom was happy to have us so close after so many years away. Sadly, that period of 'happy' was short lived as she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer a little over 2 years after our return. She passed two months after diagnosis. What we had in that time was rare and precious: honest conversations, nothing left unsaid. I know not everyone gets that. I hold it gently.
Losing her, even in my 50s, was not something I was prepared for. The grief waves are real — you never know when one will knock you down. But I'm learning to find my footing again. And I know she'd be absolutely thrilled about the Netherlands move. She'd have strong opinions about taking her granddogs away though.
IntentionallyDutch comes from a very real place — I know what it feels like to stand at a crossroads and hesitate. I've done it more than once. Not every leap lands perfectly — Cat 5 hurricane taking off your roof being exhibit A — but the leap itself? Always worth it. I started this practice because I want to sit with people who are facing big decisions and help them find their own version of yes.
Right now
I'm packing up our lives — again — and heading to the Netherlands with Amy, Quincy (55lb scruffy lab mix, heart of gold), and Henri (25lb beagle, joined at the hip with Quincy, non-negotiable). I speak a functional amount of several languages, know where every gelato place is within a reasonable radius, and I am an excellent coordinator of the details that other people forget to plan.
I'm also building IntentionallyDutch — for GenX women who are ready to put all that pent up rage to work.
I call this IntentionallyDutch because I choose to live my life with deliberate purpose. Packing up, moving to the Netherlands, building something from scratch - none of this is accidental. These are decision made with thought and a good bit of luck tossed in. I'll deal with the consequences - good or badland.
I’m here to help you see new possibilities—and believe in yourself enough to make bold, meaningful decisions.