Ilse holds a Master’s degree from the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management and worked almost two decades in the industry as a project manager, consultant and trainer. Subsequently, Ilse studied applied linguistics and translation studies at the Brussels University Association, specialising in Dutch, French and Spanish. She has an upper secondary teaching qualification. Ilse held a language teaching post at two universities and various schools in Hong Kong, and worked as IB teacher in Singapore, Frankfurt, Antwerp and Amsterdam. She currently teaches at the International School Haarlem.

Ilse assists the IBID-director in the field of administrative and financial management, and she is also a teacher.