Verena heinzel

Senior Associate

Verena brings people together with warmth, attentiveness, and a deep belief that meaningful development begins when individuals can show up as their whole selves. What drives her work is the desire to contribute to positive societal change and to encourage others to use their own sphere of influence with courage and intention. At KONU, she brings together her long-standing experience in the German foundation sector with leadership experience and coaching practice, supporting teams and leaders in expanding their impact in complex contexts and shaping change responsibly.

For many years, Verena worked at the Robert Bosch Foundation, where she designed and implemented international programmes with courageous societal actors and took on leadership responsibility as a team lead. These intensive years deeply shaped her understanding of what it takes to guide change constructively – within political systems, organisations, and one’s own leadership practice. Most recently, she worked at the Centre for Higher Education Development (CHE), where she supported university leaders through role-specific leadership programmes in demanding development processes.

Verena is particularly inspired by people who stand up for what matters to them, even when doing so is uncomfortable. In her work, she creates spaces characterised by calm, clarity, and encouragement – spaces in which teams feel supported to take meaningful next steps. As a New Work Professional and a trainee systemic coach, she supports clients in strengthening their sense of agency and gaining new perspectives on their challenges.

Outside of work, Verena can often be found in the garden, listening to podcasts, or at the playground with her children. She draws strength from places where quiet creates space and dreams of one day hiking through the mountains on her own.