Centered People

About us

Three forces. One mission. Same beliefs.

Our Story: Bringing Culture, Heart, Strategy, Connection, and Experience Together

At the heart of Centered People are our founders, Rashied Ilahi, Stephany Bernabela, and Cristina Popescu, who have a background in coaching, business, social work, recruiting, leadership, and a passion for making a difference.

The Changemaker

Trauma healer, culture shaper | Healing, focus, leadership, people | The Heart – brings depth, empathy, and cultural transformation

Cristina, our founder, knows firsthand what it’s like to navigate cultural differences in a new country. Originally from Eastern Europe, she moved to the Netherlands and quickly realized that working and fitting in here wasn’t always easy. From different communication styles to workplace expectations, the challenges added up, but so did her understanding and empathy.

Her heart has always been with people like her, Eastern Europeans who come to Western Europe seeking a better life and a fulfilling career, but who sometimes struggle to find a workplace that truly fits their values and cultural identity.

Cristina believes culture isn’t a barrier or a weakness. It’s a strength that many people don’t have the courage to explore. She’s passionate about coaching her community to embrace their unique backgrounds and discover their place in companies where they can really thrive.

Her passion is to bring trauma coaching into business. Because businesses are the ones that make the most difference in our world, she believes that if we want to heal and change the world, we must heal and change the business first. And that starts with helping people in business heal from past trauma and hurt.

Her dream? To create better, healthier, and more inclusive workplaces that celebrate cultural diversity and empower Eastern Europeans working in Western Europe to grow both personally and professionally. Workplaces where part cultural trauma and power games have no place, and people operate from a compassionate and collaborative place.

The Strategist

Tactical visionary | Strategy, clarity, pace, leadership | The Mind – drives direction, frameworks, and momentum

Stephany, born and raised in Curaçao, moved to the Netherlands to study Business and has since helped many teams and individuals find clarity, direction, and understanding in their work. She brings over 18 years of experience as a recruiter and business coach.

Stephany’s passion is to build workplaces where people truly come first—places where the workplace works for the people, not the other way around.

Her strong point is strategy! There is no chaos in a room that Stephany can’t sort out. Not herself, but by teaching people to sort it. There is no business that hurts and can’t benefit from her overview abilities and her heart that hears beyond what is told. She will give you a plan as soon as you stop talking.

Her dream is simple but powerful: to create environments where everyone feels valued, supported, and able to bring their best selves to work.

The Connector

Network builder | Connection, building, deal-making | The Bridge – expands reach, builds alliances, and drives growth

Rashied was born in Suriname and grew up in the Netherlands, watching his father running a business next to a successful career. Over the years, he developed a deep passion for supporting people who face challenges in finding their place because of their cultural background, race, or personal values. With his extensive experience as a pastor working across various cultures and countries, and starting businesses everywhere he went, Rashied combines heartfelt cultural understanding with firm guidance and clear direction in business settings.

His strong point is connections, people, and relationships that not only bring businesses together but also build lives and long-lasting friendships. He is a breadge-builder that brings people together with ease, joy, and meaning.

He firmly believes that true growth happens when we recognize and build on each person’s unique strengths. This belief shapes how he coaches and leads, helping individuals and teams to find clarity, confidence, and belonging in diverse environments.

Together, we bring our diverse experiences and shared passion into one mission: to add real value to your company and teams while you grow, by helping people and you, truly find their place, grow, and thrive.

Centered People is a collective of three visionary leaders who converge at the intersection of transformation, strategy, and connection. We empower people, organizations, and ecosystems to evolve—through healing, clarity, and meaningful growth.

We believe:

• We believe leadership is not a title. It’s a practice of presence.

• We believe healing is strategic. That unresolved pain shows up in culture, in communication, in the way teams break down. And that is when leaders heal, organizations transform.

• We believe strategy should feel like clarity, not control. That pace matters. That rest is part of the plan.

• We believe connection is not a transaction, it’s a truth. That networks should nourish. That ecosystems should elevate.

• We believe people are the center of every business.
  And when you center people, everything changes.

We look forward to partnering with you!

All the best,