Ieva is the co-founder of placemaking team "nēbetjā" and a researcher at Amsterdam Business School. Ieva's professional experience and interests combine strategic management, particularly in beyond-profit settings, with topics related to creativity, design, and urban planning. In her PhD project she studies how creative service firms manage conflicting goals through business model design. In addition, she works on placemaking projects that involve using creativity and community development as tools for solving complex urban problems in a more sustainable and responsible manner. She lectures and consults on these topics.