‘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.
Dr. Esther Steultjens (The Netherlands) was the inaurgural chair of the ROTOS standing committee which commenced in 2016. Under her leadership the charity – the ROTOS Foundation – was formed in The Netherlands. She was actively involved in ROTOS affairs until her untimely passing in 2021. She will be long remembered by her occupational therapy colleagues around the world.
Mr. Niall Turner (Ireland) was a original member of the ROTOS standing committee. He established the ROTOS ICT infrastructure including the website. He also took a lead role in the two COST Grant Applications and established contacts for ROTOS across Europe. When the ROTOS Foundation was formed in The Netherlands he undertook the role of Tresurer. Niall resigned from the Board in 2021 to concentrate on his research.
Dr. Panagiotis Siaperas (Greece) is Occupational Therapist and Psychologist. He has worked at the Institute of Psychiatry, University of London, where he specialized in the diagnosis and intervention of children and adolescents with developmental disorders. In 2008, he received a doctorate from the University of Cambridge researching Autism Spectrum Disorders. He has publications in refereed journals and contributions in handbooks of Occupational Therapy, Psychology and Special Education. He has research experience from University of Cambridge, University of Athens, and University of Peloponnese and Metropolitan College in Athens.
Ms. Saša Radić (Croatia) is currently the President of the Croatian Association of the Occupational Therapist. She has worked as a practitioner and manager of occupational therapy services in the health and social sector. She has been fortunate to be one of the occupational therapists involved in the legal establishment of the profession and one of the founders of the Croatian Health Care Council in the Republic of Croatia. Her current role is in establishing occupational therapy community-based team in the capital of Croatia Zagreb, using occupational therapy in telehealth in intervention, facilitation of family-based practice and animal-assisted intervention. Her research focus is European base projects and their influence on change management of the Occupational Therapy practice and Occupational Therapy Communities of practice.
Jantina Kroese – King, OT/ MSc joined the ROTOS board as a treasurer in 2022. In 2000 she finished her bachelor at the University of applied Science in Amsterdam (Hogeschool van Amsterdam). The Master of Evidence Based Practice at the University of Amsterdam was finished 2014 becoming a clinical epidemiologist. From 2013 until 2019 a role was performed within the Dutch committee of International Relations. Besides her work as an occupational therapist at Reade Amsterdam, she is freelance (post) bachelor teacher focusing on Evidence Based Practice and applying science. She was involved with conducting the new research program for Pro Education bachelor physiotherapy, speech therapy, dietician end occupational therapy. As an examinator she is within different Occupational Therapy Universities of applied Science, accessing final report focusing on evidence-based practice.
