Meet Master Judy

We would like to introduce you to Judy, our process improvement specialist at Masters In Lean. Who is Judy exactly? What excites her, and what drives her? In this story, you will get to know her better!

Judy gets energy from working together and improving processes. She is engaged with the people around her and enjoys coming up with creative solutions. Whether it is baking and embroidery for friends and colleagues, or photographing small natural scenes in her surroundings, Judy knows how to turn every moment into something meaningful. In addition, she is active as a volunteer at the local tennis club, happily supports her son’s youth competitions, and combines sports and social connection in her daily life.

Judy discovered her passion for Lean at Gasunie. There, she was given the opportunity to set up an improvement process within her own department and experience it from start to finish. For the first time, she saw how small improvements can make a big difference for both employees and customers. Judy noticed that analyzing, structuring, and improving processes together with colleagues gave her energy.

What appeals to her most about Lean is the combination of people-oriented work and achieving results: when employees feel good, better work naturally follows. The structured approach of Lean immediately appealed to her; everything is documented, information is accessible to everyone, and processes are less dependent on a single person. This creates calm, clarity, and trust, something Judy has applied in all her work ever since. It was immediately clear to her that this was the direction she wanted to develop in further.

One project Judy is particularly proud of is her first major assignment at Enexis: upgrading household connections for homes owned by a housing association. When she started, there were 1,800 pending requests, while only 300 had been completed in three years. Thanks to her overview and attention to both the process and the residents, 1,300 connections were completed in 14 months. For residents, this meant clarity and peace; for the organization, it was a huge step forward.

For Judy, Lean is not limited to work. She also applies the philosophy at home, for example in her kitchen: frequently used items are kept within easy reach, while less frequently used items are stored further back. Efficiency and clarity are principles that create peace for her, both personally and professionally.

Judy dreams of teaching Lean courses and further developing herself as a trainer. She has previously delivered a Yellow Belt training at Gasunie and looks forward to doing this more often. Her passion lies in projects related to gas and energy, an area in which she feels completely at home.

On a personal level, she is looking forward to a special trip in a few years: together with her partner and son, she wants to go island hopping in Hawaii, a place that has special meaning for them since her partner once did an internship there. Judy herself did an internship in Calgary, an experience that inspired her and further developed her love for travel and discovery. With her open, transparent, and direct way of working, Judy improves processes and connects people, an ability that defines her both professionally and personally.