MEET THE TEAM

AP University of Applied Sciences and Arts Antwerp (AP), Belgium

Ms Kuni Vergauwen

(Occupational therapist, Dra. Medical Sciences (University of Antwerp & Maastricht University), MSc Occupational Therapy)

is project coordinator of the SIMBA-project (Sep 2023-current), and a lecturer and researcher at the Faculty of Heath and Science in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). She is currently completing her joint PhD in Medical Sciences at the University of Antwerpen and Maastricht University. She has clinical experience in locomotor and neurological rehabilitation and primary care. Her research focuses on health-related quality of life, physical activity, chronic fatigue and pain, and primary care.

Ms Laurence Magerat

(Occupational Therapist, MSc Health education and Health Promotion)

is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Heath and Science in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). Her primary focus is physical rehabilitation, home modifications and adaptive equipment. After a broad literature review, she has been integrating authentic learning and assessment into her courses for several years now. She also has ten years of experience in physical rehabilitation.

Ms Annick Van Gils

(Occupational therapist, PhD Rehabilitation Sciences, MSc Occupational Therapy)

is a senior researcher and lecturer at the Faculty of Heath and Science in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). She has an extensive clinical experience in neurological rehabilitation before she made the switch to research and education. Since 2013, she worked in occupational therapy education both on bachelor and master’s degree programs and was involved in international projects in occupational therapy education. Within her research, she put focus on development and validation of assessments and recovery and rehabilitation after stroke.

Ms Katrien Maes

(Occupational therapist, Master of Training and Education Sciences)

her primary focus is on physical rehabilitation, oncological rehabilitation, movement techniques in healthcare, and technology in healthcare. In this project, she takes the lead in designing the manuals and the various scenarios. In previous research, she investigated the design of using virtual reality for acute pain relief and how to implement this. She also developed and introduced an application to guide oncological patients in the healthcare and support landscape.

Ms Hanne Van Tiggelen

(Occupational therapist, PhD Health sciences, MSc Health Care Management and Policy)

is a lecturer and thesis coordinator at the Faculty of Health and Science in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). She also works as a clinical study coordinator at Antwerp University Hospital and has experience as an occupational therapist working in physical rehabilitation.

Ms Mariotte Wyckaert

(Occupational Therapist, Msc Occupational Therapy)

is project coordinator of the SIMBA -project (Dec 2022 – Sep 2023) at the Faculty of Heath and Science in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). Her primary interests are simulation based learning, recovery oriented mental healthcare and self-management. Mariotte also works as a project manager focused on improving quality of care in a psychiatric hospital and has experience as an occupational therapist working in mental healthcare.

University of Health Sciences, Croatia

Claire Sangster Jokić

(Occupational Therapist, B.Sc. Psy., B.Sc. OT, MPhil Ed. research, Ph.D.)

is a Lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Health Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia. Her primary teaching areas include theoretical and empirical foundations of occupational therapy and occupational science and occupational therapy in neurodevelopmental rehabilitation. She is also involved in the coordination and supervision of clinical practice experiences. Claire's research interests include occupational participation, cognitive learning-based approaches for enabling occupational performance, and developmental coordination disorder. She has participated in numerous professional and scientific projects and is a certified instructor of the Cognitive Orientation to Occupational Performance (CO-OP) approach. She is actively engaged in professional and educational program development and has presented her professional and scientific work in academic journals and books and at numerous national and international conferences.

Andreja Bartolac

(B.A. Occupational Therapist (reg.), M.A. Psychologist, Ph.D. Social Sciences)

Andreja Bartolac is a senior lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Health Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia. She holds degrees in physiotherapy, occupational therapy and psychology. Her primary teaching areas include theoretical foundations of occupational therapy, occupational science, occupational therapy assessment, inclusive design and ergonomics and play therapy. Her special field of interest as a practitioner is inclusion of neurodiverse children, support for their parents and sensibilization of professionals and society to neurodiversity. She is also an EAIP licensed child and adolescent integrative psychotherapist and delivers services to support members of neurodiverse families in the community. She has acted as representative of international professional organizations (ENOTHE, WFOT) for many years. She is actively involved in continuous professional development, education and professional training, academic research, and publication.

Ivana Klepo

(Licensed occupational therapist, M.Sc., B.Sc.)

Ivana Klepo is an occupational therapy practitioner at the Special Hospital for Medical Rehabilitation Krapinske Toplice and a lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Health Sciences in Zagreb, Croatia. Her primary field of work is subacute neurological rehabilitation and enabling meaningful participation for people with various acquired neurological conditions. She is educated and certified in the implementation of various specialized techniques and methods in the occupational therapy process. Her primary teaching area is in the field of neurological rehabilitation, while research interests are specifically focused on participation in everyday occupations of people following traumatic brain injury. Ivana has been actively involved in the work of occupational therapy professional organizations and was a member of the working group that contributed to the legal regulation of occupational therapy in the Republic of Croatia. She is the author of many scientific and professional papers.

FH JOANNEUM University of Applied Sciences, Austria

Julia Unger

(Occupational Therapist, BSc, MSc)

is the head of the Institute of Occupational Therapy at FH JOANNEUM. She has been a lecturer and researcher since 2011, focusing on (workplace) health promotion and prevention and inclusion of patient perspectives. She is co-editor of the peer-reviewed occupational therapy journal “ergoscience”. Julia Unger is also Vice President of the Austrian Society for Occupational Science (AOS) and President Elect of the Austrian Society for Rheumatological Health Professions (ÖGRG).

Brigitte Loder-Fink

(Occupational Therapist, MSc)

is a qualified Occupational Therapist since 2006 and was working since then as an Occupational Therapist in a geriatric care institution. Since 2014, she has been employed as a lecturer at FH JOANNEUM and has been involved in the implementation of various projects focusing on healthy aging, dementia research, compensation for age-related limitations, quality of life in old age, health promotion and Palliative Care. She also managed two privately funded projects, which were awarded the Teleios for Innovation, Quality and Sustainability in Care for the Elderly and the KCI Austria Award.

Katrin Pechstädt

(Occupational Therapist, MSc)

has been a state-approved occupational therapist since 2006 and worked in the special education kindergarten as a freelance practitioner in Austria. Since 2017 she works at the Institute of Occupational Therapy. Her responsibilities include working on project proposals, working in various interdisciplinary research projects, and supporting students as international coordinators of the bachelor’s degree program. The research focus of Katrin Pechstädt is the topic of inclusion in all its diversity from school-based occupational therapy to job adaptation.

Elisabeth Schwab

(Occupational Therapist, BSc MSc)

works as a lecturer at the Institute of Occupational Therapy at FH JOANNEUM since 2021, focusing on the professional field of neurology. Furthermore, she is the coordinator of the cooperative online program focusing on intercultural learning skills in Occupational Therapy known as “COPILOT”. In addition to teaching, Elisabeth Schwab has been passionately supporting people to regain or maintain their independence in everyday life since 2016, in both inpatient and outpatient settings in the specialist field of neurology.

Stefanie Schwarzl

(Occupational Therapist, BSc MA)

works as a lecturer at the Institute of Occupational Therapy at FH JOANNEUM since 2015 where she passes on her knowledge of the professional field of orthopedics in occupational therapy to students. She has also been responsible for the practical training of students at the Institute of Occupational Therapy. In addition to her teaching, Stefanie Schwarzl works since 2012 as a freelance occupational therapist with clients with orthopedic injuries and illnesses.

Turku University of Applied Sciences, Finland

Ms Anu Kuikkaniemi

(Occupational Therapist, M.Sc. Health Science)

is a Senior Lecturer at the Faculty of Health and Well-being in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). Her primary teaching areas are basics in occupational therapy theories and methods and enabling occupation in the elderly. She is also supervising the practical training of future OT professionals. Kuikkaniemi also works as a contact person for the internationalization of the OT department. She is currently working as a content specialist in the PEDAXR RDI project that develops digital and XR solutions for teaching. She has also been a content specialist in several national and international projects. Currently, Kuikkaniemi is doing professional development studies on developing digital learning environments at the University of Helsinki.

Ms Heli Arokki

(Occupational Therapist, Sensory integration therapist, professional teacher AMO)

is a full-time teacher at the Faculty of Health and Well-being. She teaches in the Degree Program of Occupational Therapy (BA). Her primary teaching areas are basics in occupational therapy theories and pediatric occupational therapy. She also supervises the practical training of future OT professionals in the field and Turku TUAS teaching concerning business for the OT programme. Recently Arokki has been working on the BANISTER project. Arokki also works as a private practitioner and offers occupational therapy for children. She has experience working in hospitals with neurologically ill and disabled children, and she also has experience in child psychiatry.

Ms Arina Ventelä

(Administrative Project Manager, B.Sc. Business Administration)

is a certified project management professional at the Project Management Office at Turku UAS. Her primary focus encompasses executing comprehensive project planning, monitoring progress, and ensuring the smooth completion of various initiatives. Ventelä’s proficiency in organizing, coordinating, and managing resources makes her a critical asset to the team.

Istanbul Medipol University, Turkey

Mr.Ahmet EMİR

(Physical Therapist, MSc)

is a lecturer and department Erasmus coordinator at department of Occupational Therapy at Istanbul Medipol University. His primary focus on rehabilitative technologies on physical rehabilitation especially video game based rehabilitation. He gives courses related to virtual reality, rehabilitative technologies and physical rehabilitation in Occupational Therapy department.

Ms.Hilal Bostancı

(Occupational Therapist, MSc)

is lecturer Department of Occupational Therapy at Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Health Science in Istanbul, Turkey.She completed her master's degree in the Cognitive Rehabilitation Program at the same university in 2022. Following her graduation in the undergraduate program, she started working as a research assistant in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Istanbul Medipol University Faculty of Health Sciences in 2019. She continues her academic and scientific studies in the fields of Technology in Rehabilitation, Cognitive Rehabilitation, Neuroscience, and Video Game-based Rehabilitation.