About HaVen
Quality prevails while time
is of the essence.
HaVen distinguishes itself from other firms in the Dutch Caribbean by choosing highly skilled people with a lot of experience, working in small teams with profound director involvement, and offering short lines of communication. In building our workforce, we always maintain a certain amount of additional capacity. This provides room for growth for our staff and flexibility in servicing our clients timely throughout the year.
Erik van Engelen
Erik van Engelen (1979) started his career with PricewaterhouseCoopers in Curaçao in 2003. After obtaining his audit certification degree (‘Register Accountant’) in 2008, he moved back to the Netherlands and continued working for PwC in Amsterdam. After seven years of auditing, he decided to move back to the Dutch Caribbean and started working for the Financial Supervisory Board (Cft), then based in Curaçao. Erik opened Cft offices in both St. Maarten and Aruba and lived in St. Maarten from 2012-2014. In 2016 he moved back to the Netherlands and started working as a Compliance Officer for Flynth, the sixth’ largest accounting firm in the Netherlands. He moved back to St. Maarten in 2018, just after Irma hit the Island and worked for Baker Tilly up to 2020.
Taco Bruggink
Taco Bruggink (1975) started his career in 2000 in Amsterdam at PricewaterhouseCoopers, where Erik van Engelen later joined him. After eight years of auditing for international clients such as Tommy Hilfiger and Getronics, he pursued a career in financial and business controlling at PON Automotive in the Netherlands, a leading family multinational with its headquarters in the Netherlands. During these years, he obtained his RC controlling certification degree. From 2016 to 2023, Taco was Finance Director of Audi wholesale and MAN consecutively. In 2024, Taco (re)joined Erik to set up HaVen’s Bonaire branch and assist in existing audit engagements.
Maria York
Maria York started her career in Trinidad and Tobago with
over ten years’ experience in accounting within a diverse set of business
sectors. She worked for a non-profit organization functioning as a Senior Finance
Officer, she was a Senior Accounts Clerk at an insurance company and an Assistant
Accountant at an investment bank. She moved to Sint Maarten in 2017 after
receiving the opportunity to work at Baker Tilly, where she was able to expand
her professional career in auditing, financial reporting, and corporate
governance. She spent four years at Baker Tilly where she started as an
Assistant Accountant and grew to a Senior Assistant Accountant. Maria has her BSc
(Hons) in Applied Accounting from Oxford Brookes University along with being an
ACCA student affiliate. She is working towards obtaining full ACCA membership. She is result oriented, strives towards
quality professional service and is an all-round team player.
Sabrina Stienstra
Sabrina Stienstra was born and raised in Suriname. She moved to Sint Maarten in 2016. She has worked in administration in mostly retail environments. Sabrina has an affinity for numbers, and she is eager to expand her knowledge of accounting, payroll and tax administration. She has been working as a freelance Spanish translator since obtaining her Bachelor’s degree in Communication from Leidse Onderwijs Instellingen (LOI).
Lettitia Peterson
Born and raised on the beautiful isle of Sint Maarten, Lettitia Peterson has always been immersed in a vibrant and dynamic environment. Her professional journey began in the hospitality industry, where she developed strong administrative and service skills that are foundational to her career.
In 2020, seeking a new challenge and a fresh direction, Lettitia transitioned into the accounting sector. Joining a small accounting firm, she immersed herself in the intricacies of the industry, gaining valuable insights and upgrading her skillset significantly.
Lettitia’s expertise extends to local labor laws and tax procedures, areas where she is particularly well-versed. As she continues to build on her experience, Lettitia is eager to further expand her knowledge and skills, contributing to the success of her team and the satisfaction of their clients.Dedicated to continuous learning and professional growth, Lettitia strives to enhance her capabilities and deliver exceptional results consistently.
Shameka Brooks
Shameka S.P. Brooks, born and raised on the beautiful island of St. Maarten, has always been driven by her passion for nurturing young minds. Initially aspiring to become an early childcare teacher, Shameka pursued her studies at CIFMA with dedication. However, unforeseen circumstances led her to take a break from teaching.
In 2012, while helping her best friend who was overwhelmed with bookkeeping tasks, Shameka discovered a newfound love for accounting. This unexpected turn of events inspired her to further her education in the field. Eager to expand her knowledge, she enrolled in various accounting courses, cultivating her expertise and skill set.
With over eight years of experience in accounting, Shameka has honed her proficiency in payroll and local labor law. Her journey from early childcare education to a successful career in accounting exemplifies her adaptability and commitment to professional growth. Today, Shameka is recognized for her meticulous attention to detail and comprehensive understanding of the accounting landscape.
Daniel Ramsamoedj
Daniel Ramsamoedj grew up and studied in Suriname. He studied at the Anton de Kom University of Suriname where he obtained his Bachelor degree in Business Economics, which is soon to be followed by a Master’s Degree.
Over the past 10 years, Daniel worked as a corporate sales representative in the telecommunication industry, as account manager at IT company ClearIT Solutions, and as junior accountant at Finabank. His latest professional experience is that of Deputy Director Finance of Surinam’s Wanica Hospital.
Daryll Medar
Daryll Medar was born in Suirnam. He has experience in customer care, quality management, finance, and accounting. Following his career at Telenamic Suriname, he worked for several consulting firms, where he assisted companies in obtaining the ISO 9001 certification, implemented financial software, and trained the employees in the area of quality management, customer care, Microsoft Excel, QuickBooks, AccountView and bookkeeping.
In the past years, Daryll served as Finance Manager in the automotive industry and healthcare. In addition, he continues to implement financial software for several small companies as well as assisting these companies with their bookkeeping, annual financial reports and tax preparation.
Daryll has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Economics from the Anton de Kom University and has completed several modules from the Master of Research methods and Master of Business Administration.
Therese Gotschin
Bernice Pawirotaroeno
Galicia Bohé
With over three years of experience in payroll administration, Galicia is on an incredible journey. She has developed skills in problem solving, technology and customer service while maintaining her compliance knowledge. However, managing payroll can be complex, time-consuming and often requires specialized knowledge and attention to detail. She prides herself on providing high quality, reliable payroll services that enable companies to focus on their core business.
Rachel James
Rachel graduated high school in December of 2023 with a certificate of excellence in Dutch and her goal is to further her studies in accounting. She is working on an internship to gain working experience and to get a feel of what it’s like to have a job within an accounting firm. She is also using this opportunity to help her figure out if accounting is the path she would like to take for her future. She has also taken up many languages such as : Dutch, Spanish, French and Portuguese to assist her in the work field and in hopes of using these skills to have a side job as a translator.
Kyra Edwards
Kyra Edwards was born and raised in Dominica. She is currently a full-time student pursuing her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Accounting at the University of the Virgin Islands. She has a strong interest in financial systems, fraud investigation, and a passion for achieving financial responsibility and growth. She is eager to expand her knowledge of accounting, tax administration, and auditing.
Jean Bernard
Jean-Bernard is a dedicated professional with a passion for accounting and finance, continually seeking to advance his educational and professional development. He earned a Level 5 Diploma in Business and Accounting before completing his Level 6 Graduate Diploma (EQF level 6) in Accounting and Finance from Oxford Graduate College in 2024. Currently serving as an Accounting Intern at HaVen, Jean Bernard brings fresh knowledge in recording, analyzing financial transactions, and financial reporting , supported by his achievement of the CAPM® certification. His commitment to ongoing learning is evident in his pursuit of further educational and professional opportunities to enhance his expertise and contribute effectively to clients’ financial success.
Contact
Location
Welfare Rd 68,
Commercial Center 2
Cole Bay, St. Maarten
Our hours
8:00 AM – 5.00 PM
Monday – Friday
Contact us
Phone: +1721 524 2833
Email: [email protected]
