Alumni

From Classroom to Career: Hotelschool The Hague Alumni Stories | meet Natalie

In our new alumni series, Hotelschool The Hague highlights the journeys of its graduates. Former students who are making a difference across the hospitality industry. Featuring graduates who are now 5 years into their careers, this series shows where the programmes can take you. Each story highlights different career paths, employability, industry connections, and the key takeaways these graduates gained during their studies. Designed to inspire and inform, “From Classroom to Career” offers insights into the pathways that can be taken after graduating from Hotelschool The Hague.

Natalie van Ogtrop – Class of 2020

Sustainability Manager | Bangkok, Thailand

Natalie graduated in 2020, right at the start of the pandemic. “Honestly, it was the worst possible time to be entering the hospitality industry,” she says. Like many grads that year, she had to pivot. Her first job was as a relocation coordinator for a startup in Amsterdam, helping expats settle into life in the Netherlands. “It was fast-paced, I learned a lot, but something just didn’t feel right. I knew hospitality was still where I belonged.”

That instinct eventually led her to pursue a Master’s in sustainability. “I’d already done my final internship at Six Senses, so I knew sustainability mattered to me, I just didn’t know yet how to make it part of my career.”

Now, she’s based in Bangkok, working as a Sustainability Manager at Yaana Ventures, a travel and hospitality venture that focuses on creating sustainable and culturally immersive experiences. They currently run two lodges, with plans to expand. Her role touches upon everything, from certification, implementing sustainability policies to developing creative community projects.

"Sustainability isn’t just about the environment. It’s about people, culture, connection. Especially in hospitality, people are everything."

What are you most proud of in your career so far?

"Finding my way back to hospitality. After everything with COVID and trying different paths, I trusted my gut and made the switch back, and now I’m doing something I truly care about. Combining my passions for Hospitality and Sustainability."

What is your biggest takeaway from Hotelschool The Hague?

Natalie doesn’t hesitate: "Working with people." She credits the diverse group dynamics, practical leadership training, and constant collaboration for shaping her into the adaptive, considerate leader she is today.

What advice would you give to current students?

"Enjoy it. The grades matter, but what really stays with you are the friendships, the network, the memories. So, when you're deep in the books, take a break. Go out, make memories, that’s what lasts."

Next in the “From Classroom to Career” Series

Next in our “From Classroom to Career” series, meet Nat Asamoah, an HTH alumnus whose career spans Ghana, the United Kingdom, and the Netherlands. Stay tuned! If you’re a potential student and have questions about the programmes Hotelschool The Hague offers, take the opportunity to chat with our Student Ambassadors here. You can also find more information about our programmes on our website.