The Foundation’s Board comprises a maximum of seven members, elected to serve terms of four years, with the option of extending their tenure to a maximum of six years. The collaboration of CO-OPTED members with ROTOS is crucial to leveraging specialized expertise. These individuals are chosen by the Board based on their demonstrated knowledge and experience levels.
‘ROTOS was not built in a day.’ It was the hands and hard work of several people who built, shaped and grew the ROTOS Foundation.
CURRENT BOARD MEMBERS
CHAIR
Professor Alison Laver Fawcett is Professor in the School of Science, Technology and Health at York St John University, York, UK where she teaches undergraduate and pre-registration Masters occupational therapy students, in addition to supervising Masters and Doctoral students and delivering Continuing Professional Development for qualified occupational therapists. Alison’s research is clinically orientated, focussing on occupational therapy assessment and outcome measurement and occupational therapy for people with dementia and their carers. She has developed the Structural Observational Test of Function (SOTOF) and the Activity Card Sort – United Kingdom version (ACS-UK). She is author of the text book ‘Principles of Occupational Therapy for Occupational Therapists and Physiotherapists: theory, skills and application’ https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Alison-Laver-Fawcett
VICE-CHAIR
Dr. Margo J. van Hartingsveldt is Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at the Faculty of Health at the Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences, Amsterdam and is affiliated with the BSc OT and the European MSc in OT. Margo graduated from the Bachelor OT in 1983 and holds a Master of Science in Allied Healthcare as well as a PhD. During her career she has been committed to enhance the field of OT and OS by bridging the gap between research, education, and its practical application. She contributed to the national development of OT in the Netherlands and is the first author of the Dutch OT profile and is co-editor of the last three editions of the Dutch OT textbook. Hence, she has contributed the research field with more than 30 International peer-reviewed publications, more than 30 conferences/ seminares during the past 5 years and collaborating in 6 books for Occupational therapists. Her professorship is about Participation and Environment..
SECRETARY
Dr Daphne Kos joined the ROTOS Board in 2020 as Acting Vice Chair and Secretary. During her career Daphne has worked as a practitioner, lecturer and researcher. Her PhD was a study of fatigue management and assessment in people with multiple sclerosis. Daphne is coordinator of scientific research in the rehabilitation department of the National MS Center Melsbroek and professor and co-manager of the OT master program in KU Leuven. She continues to research in the area of neurological rehabilitation. Daphne is current president of the international network for best practice and research in Rehabilitation in MS (RIMS) and a board member of the Belgian Society for Neurological Rehabilitation (BSNR).
BOARD MEMBER
Ms. Naomi Hankinson (UK) former Vice President of COTEC. She is also a Trustee of the Elizabeth Casson Trust and Mental Health Matters. Her current professional roles are Consultant in health and social care and Associate Mental Health Act Manager for the Cambian Group. As an occupational therapist, she has worked as a clinician, manager, and clinical leader within mental health services. She has always had a strong focus on workforce and leadership, believing that if we value, develop and equip our staff effectively we will ensure good services for our users and communities. Naomi was Chair of the College of Occupational Therapists (COT) from 2009 to 2013 and then undertook the role of Chair of the COT Audit committee from 2013 – 2016.
COMMUNICATIONS LEAD
Mss. Sandra Sánchez Viramalay is an Occupational Therapist graduated in 2018 from ‘Universidad Complutense de Madrid’ (Spain). Her experience as former treasure of the ‘Asociación de Alumnas de Terapia Ocupacional’ (AATO) in her University and as an Occupational therapist’s content creator on social media (@elretodelato) leaded her to join the ROTOS Foundation in June 2023. Mss Sánchez Viramalay is currently studying the Master in Research with a Major in Occupational Therapy from Jönköping University to further develop her career as an OT.
ENOTHE LIASON
Lisette Farias Vera is an Assistant Professor at the Division of Occupational Therapy at KI. Lisette is involve with many organisation as a Board Member of the European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (ENOTHE), a Faculty member of the European Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, Academic Adjunct Professor at Dalhousie University Master of Science in Occupational Science, and Associate Editor of the Journal of Occupational Science. She is also a registered Occupational Therapist in Chile and Sweden with work experience in both countries.
CO-OPTED MEMBERS OF ROTOS.
OCCUPATIONAL SCIENCE EUROPE LIASON
LEAD FOR THE COST-GRANT APPLICATION
Dr Sinéad Hynes.
