Founder of SPARK (formerly known as ATA before July 2007), Yannick has been working in the field of development cooperation in post-conflict countries since 1994. With an MA in International Relations and Sociology from the University of Amsterdam, Yannick worked for the Netherlands Minister of Development Cooperation from 1996 to 1997. Later with the Dutch IKV; and the Development organization of the Dutch Labor Party, the Evert Vermeer Foundation, Yannick was engaged as researcher for the Netherlands Institute of International Relations "Clingendael" to evaluate the performance of the OSCE Mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2000/2001).