Borne and brought up in the Netherlands, Anja became a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine at the University of Utrecht, the Netherlands, in 1967.
 
Anja worked  for over 20 years as a Veterinary Doctor. Mostly  in Liberia, West Africa,
 
After a serious accident in Africa in 1986, Anja came to the US and obtained her Masters Degree in Veterinary Epidemiology at the University of California, Davis in 1990.
 
In 1994 Anja came to San Francisco for a two-year leave of absence. She decided to stay, and  started her own flower, garden and special event business "Petite Fleur." The motto of her business was " Nil Nisi Amore," which translates into "Nothing Without Love."
 
In 2004, she joined Coldwell Banker, which she left in the summer of 2008 to join Zephyr Real Estate.
 
Anja has four grown sons, one grown foster daughter, and fourteen grandchildren.
 
Anja's motto remains " Nil Nisi Amore,"  every day of her life!