Afke van der Woud

Afke van der Woud is a Lecturer Researcher at NHL Stenden University of Applied Sciences, serving as head researcher within the Communication & Creative Business academy. She holds a Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Resources from Michigan State University (2001), and her work focuses on community development through leisure and recreation initiatives. Her research explores the intersection of civic participation, urban planning, and stakeholder engagement in recreational infrastructure projects.

Education:

• Master's degree (1997)
• Ph.D. in Parks, Recreation and Tourism Resources (2001), Michigan State University

Research Interests:

• Community development via recreational facilities and trails
• Impact of rail-trails on local businesses and residents
• Casino visitor behavior and economic effects
• Leisure participation's role in civic engagement
• Tourism dynamics in linear trail systems

Key Contributions:

• Indycaster project leadership
• Development of hybrid research programs aligned with DBE education philosophy
• Co-author of pivotal studies on rail-trail utilization and casino visitor segmentation

Labs/Teams:

• Professorship Organisations and Social Media at NHL Stenden
• Contributor to strategic documents and proposal writing