Bakker is known for her commitment and fearlessness. Stakeholder participation is at the core of her approach. She was also a professor of Urban Planning at Eindhoven University of Technology. She now runs her own agency, Riek Bakker Advies, which has been involved in such projects as the construction of Noordrand Zevenbergen and Piushaven Tilburg and the strategic plans for Krimpenerwaard. She received the ARC Oeuvre Award in 2014 and the following year was knighted in the Order of the Netherlands Lion.