Meeting back in 2016, our required work relationship naturally evolved into a chosen friendship over the commonality of being fueled by challenges and driven by personal growth. We are work colleagues, genuine friends and now Rebelle Rally team 161 blending our Virtuoso and Logistician personalities to achieve unimaginable things! Jully excels at quick troubleshooting and calmness under pressure while Amanda excels at realistic problem solving with consistent dependability. We each bring our own unique superpowers and pitfalls to the table, and it is our synergy that unlocks the power of our team. Whether we are sitting in an office or sitting in a Jeep, with grit and determination, we are always pushing for the next milestone, proving that our greatest strength is our own will. We are here to dig deep, honor our achievements, and finish stronger than we started.
Stryten Energy
I’m a proud Latin woman that has never backed down from a challenge and works hard to learn and surpass said challenges, whether by sheer stubborn grit and / or a lifetime of wisdom. I don’t take myself too seriously and rarely freak out, which makes me a delight to have as a teammate…hahaha!
First and foremost, I am mom and wife, my most important titles! Second, I am a Vice President at Stryten Energy, responsible for Product Marketing, Sales Operations, Pricing, and Customer Service. While titles do not mean anything to me, my current title reminds me of how hard I have worked and how far I have come since 1999 when I started my adventures in Corporate America. I began my career as a Customer Service Representative and learned every job, every aspect of business, including the technical side of manufacturing, never stopping. I have held many jobs, some that I knew nothing about and had no business having, but it invigorates me to figure it out and take on the challenge! My current title reminds me that I do not back down from challenges or from learning new skills…hence why the Rebelle Rally is right up my alley way!
Diamond Bar, CA
Milwaukee School of Engineering - MS Marketing & International Business
“Intelligence is the ability to adapt to change.” Stephen Hawking
From kindergarten to high school, I went to 9 different schools. Some were in different states, cities, some even in a different country (Ecuador). I was always the new kid every year, sometimes multiple schools in a year. I used to joke that my parents were either wanted by the FBI or were in witness relocation because of all the moving around….to this day, I still don’t know WHY we moved all the time!
2024 was my first Rebelle and it was a completely new experience and challenge. Like everything else in life, I approached last year as a learning opportunity. Now, I am excited to apply my learnings and continued practicing leading up to the 10th Anniversary Rebelle. From mapping to learning how to better read and understand the terrain... I am more excited than scared this go-round!
My kids, my husband, and grandkids inspire me to be better. They inspire me to continue growing and reaching for the stars! There is no limit as to what you can accomplish when you set your mind to it. I want them to see me and think I’m a badass!
Yellowstone series is a favorite, along with watching re-run after re-run of The Big Bang Theory. I’m not much of a podcaster or reader but do love watching reels in IG to unwind at the end of a long day!
Before the Rebelle last year, one of the biggest adventures in my adult life, was moving to CA (on my own) after 32 years in WI. I moved with my car, my clothes, and my avocado peeler…all in the name of hope and love. The move introduced me to a whole new world, which includes off-roading.
2024
My personal objective is to improve our placement from last year! I am not in it to win it. I am in it for the experience and most importantly to take it all in and have fun…something we forgot (or were too scared) to do last year!
Taking pictures of landscapes and candid shots of people feed my soul! I love finding just the right angles and the natural landscape that frames a good shot. The Rebelle offers so many magnificent shots, which is part of the attraction to the challenge as well! Traveling goes hand-in-hand with photography, in my opinion. I love every aspect of traveling, including the planning process, the research, I love it all. Again…makes my soul happy!
Living in WI for most of my life, I had ZERO idea there was an off-road world! My idea of off-roading was driving in snow and ice or on a loose gravel road. Seven years ago, I was introduced to the offroad world as a spectator watching my then boyfriend (husband now) race a 1600 car. Last year, I became a Rebelle. I learned new skills – navigation and off-road driving. I proved to myself that I can do hard things and take on new challenges. This year, I am no longer new to it, so I am going into the Rebelle in “IMPROVEMENT MODE”.
Two things that stand out to me are: 1. Running a marathon in 4:25 in my 40’s after taking on running for the first time in my life after turning 40 (long time ago….)2. I have traveled to 29 countries in the world, and for the most part, I have traveled to these countries through work and then explored on my own; my adventurous side takes over and removes any fear of being a solo traveler.
Believe it or not, I am not a fan of speed. So, by default, I enjoy the desert terrain that is more technical that forces you to slow down and really think about the driving. From a navigation stand point, I LOVE power lines and the handrails it provides us out there.
I travel weekly for work, so being away from home is not the hard part. What is hardest for me are two simple things:1. Talking to my husband at the end of each day, like we have done every day since meeting. Not being able to check in every night is the most challenging for me2. Not being able to shower daily! Hahaha…Bad days happen in the Rebelle and outside the Rebelle, so bouncing back from it and getting ready to move on to the next mistake is easy for me. It’s how I approach most things in life.
Amanda (my teammate) and I took on the lessons learned from last year’s Rebelle and took them on head on! We created our own inside hashtag - #RebelleGrowth2025. This hashtag reminds us of the lessons we learned last year, but also to NOT get hung up on the little things or the mistakes we make today. We need to let go of the mistakes and not let them impact or next steps! Do like Elsa, and “Let it go!”
My first car was a 1990 Geo Metro stick shift. I had zero input in the car, my parents picked it out for me while they were on a Saturday afternoon. They came home and communicated what my car payment would be every month…oh…and neither one of my parents knew how to drive stick shift! I had to go pick it up from the dealer the next day and be taught how to drive it by the salesman that sold them the car. Also, I should note that he taught me in the parking lot of a funeral home!
I am an individual constantly in the pursuit of perfection even though perfection exists only as an ideal within oneself; I have a timeless aspiration of striving to be my personal best. Driven by curiosity and the uncomfortable moments in life, I welcome new personal challenges to continue growth and self-improvement.
One of the most important and cherished roles I have in life is being a mom to my 2 ½ year old son. I get to teach him to crawl, walk, and run, bracing him for the falls and dusting him off after he does. I get to teach him to be kind and giving while reminding him smart and capable of achieving great things. Motherhood has shown me the true definition of unconditional love that only continues to grow and is the best part of me. I am also the Director of Product Marketing for Stryten Energy. My professional career has been about pushing myself into the uncomfortable and embracing that discomfort to foster growth and adaption. Transitions throughout my career are not uncommon. I worked my way up from Green Belt to Master Black Belt, I have supported both regional and global teams, and now hold the position of Director of Product Marketing. My history is certainly not the typical career path for someone with an OSHM degree, but looking back I feel a sense of accomplishment for what I have been able to achieve.
Allendale, MI
Grand Valley State University, Occupational Safety and Health Mgmt
“It always seems impossible until it is done.” ~ Nelson Mandela
I drove my first car when I was 4 years old. It was brand new, only 1 week into her new residency before she had the most impressive joyride of her very short life. Before it was over, new friends were made with trees and many mailboxes…sorry mom and dad!
We are back! After the Rebelle Rally last year Jully and I got hooked! As challenging as it was, it was an extremely impactful journey that opened my eyes to a brand new world full of opportunities for improvement within myself and working with my teammate. I am a very competitive individual who seeks out opportunities for personal growth and self-improvement. If not now, then when?
My parents have always been a foundation of inspiration for me. Their work ethic and drive to support loved ones is unmatched, shaping who I am today. I was raised to not expect life to just hand things to you. You need to work hard for what you want, never settling for mediocrity. You can achieve many great things if you put your mind to something.
I’ve graduated from Llama Lama Red Pajama and The Pout Pout Fish to What the Ladybird Heard, See You Later Alligator and Where to Hide a Star.
Outside of the 2024 Rebelle Rally, my journey to motherhood has to date been one of my greatest adventures. I never knew such a tiny creature could bring so much joy, fear, and love into my life all at once, proof that magic does exist in this world.
2024
Remember to have fun and be sure to take time to let the full beauty of this experience in. Don’t let the competition get in the way of exploring the world in ways we never imaged were in our futures. You can miss a lot of what this rally has to offer by narrowing your focus to hitting a certain ranking or placement. Continue development and growth of our skills and mindset to strengthen our strategy. This is not something that we do in our everyday lives; it was completely new to us. This competition pushes us to use skills we already poses; creating order from chaos, resilience, realistic problem-solving, and an unwavering dedication to following through on commitments in new, challenging ways.
Whether it’s going to boo in the zoo or going to the park, I live for building meaningful and lasting memories with my son. I find solace in nature, spending as much time as I can in the outdoors, with a focus of establishing a similar connection for my son. It is a source of pure happiness and joy for me to watch what has become a common thing to me, be a brand new thing for him. It is a reminder of the beauty around us by seeing things through his eyes, a lens of curiosity and intrigue for life. We love to do household projects ourselves and not just because I am Dutch, but because we find reward in being able to accomplish something we never thought we could. We have built a shed from start to finish, built stain glass cabinets with a kitchen remodel, and installed stone veneer onto walls both interior and exterior. We have proven time and time again even though we don’t have the experiences of doing things on a daily basis, when we set our mind to something we are capable of more than we originally gave ourselves credit for and that is a great feeling of accomplishment.
Growing up and living in Michigan, you see and hear of people driving on the Silver Lake Sand Dunes, but I myself had zero experience or exposure to this world prior to Rebelle Rally 2024. I have been taught a number of great tools and techniques through the RebelleU courses, along with having at least 1 Rebelle Rally under my belt. As a beginner, my focus is to remember the skills I learned and have practiced, putting them to use!
A LONG time ago back in high school, I was selected to participate in the Hudsonville Summer Science program. There were about 20 students and 2 teachers trekking out west in a yellow school bus. We would camp under the stars, hike during the day learning about the great outdoors (Geology and Biology), cook our own meals and take bucket showers at night. We visited places like the Black Hills, Badlands, and all throughout Yellowstone. From the Tetons to the Grand Canyon of Yellowstone to the Mammoth Hot Springs the views and wildlife was something that will be with me for a lifetime. This fostered a love and passion for the outdoors that has led to many more personal adventures including Alaska and most recently the Rally!
All terrains offer unique challenges and rewards. I personally find the rocky trails that require maybe a bit more precision and technical skill during challenging climbs rewarding and usually have some phenomenal views. The bird’s eye view offers otherwise unseen features providing a powerful sense of perspective. I will say silt is also pretty fun and makes you feel fierce.
While in the rally, managing my expectations day after day as the pressure cooker continued to builds was a challenge. Learning to embrace the suck! The other biggest challenge was being away from my family for that length of time without being able to see or talk to them. Even though I travel for work I am able to video call at the start and end of my day. I feel like my son changes every day so not being with him for 2 weeks is tough.
#REBELLEGROWTH2025. Also known as, LET IT GO. This was a phrase created on January 1st, 2025. I am a self-critic which can lead to a focus on shortcomings and/or underestimating my achievements, so my year included a goal that focused on personal development of not holding on to things. What better way to see if I made any progress then putting me right back in the Rebelle Rally??
My younger years in life revolved around working on old cars in the garage with my dad. Of course I was just the one handing him the tools he needed, but even that got my hands dirty so they looked more like his. My favorite vehicle my parents owned was one of the biggest flops in the late 50’s to early 60’s, the Edsel. My dad had taken a 1958 hard top rust bucket found in a corn field and made it into a Sunday driving, family vehicle. He could fix anything from the brakes to the suspension, all the way to replacing an engine. He didn’t need drawings or YouTube, he just knew where everything went. To this day, for me there is nothing better than the distinctive smell of an old car to bring back memories from my childhood.
