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
Mirian Santamaría Peláez is a permanent lecturer in the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Burgos (Spain), where she teaches undergraduate and master’s degree occupational therapy students, as well as supervising master’s and doctoral students. She also teaches occupational training and online training for health professionals. Her research is multidisciplinary in nature and focuses on health conditions and how they affect people’s lives. Currently, Mirian does research in Rehabilitation Medicine, Neurology and Geriatrics. Throughout her career she has worked as a OT especially in the field of geriatrics and physical rehabilitation; she has also been a director of nursing homes for the elderly for more than 10 years. She is currently the Coordinator of the Committee of Experts for the evaluation of the Accreditation / Reaccreditation of Educational Programmes, in the Spanish territory, of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists ( WFOT) within the General Council of Occupational Therapists’ Associations of Spain (CGCTO). https://investigacion.ubu.es/investigadores/37011/detalle
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.
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.
Lead for the ROTOS Network, Friends, and RIGs
With over 20 publications and several authored books, Dr. Dimbwadyo’s brings extensive expertise in applying cutting-edge technologies, such as virtual reality and robotic systems to clinical practice, and contributing to pioneering research. She currently holds the role of Research Delegate at the Spanish General Council of Occupational Therapists’ Colleges(CGCTO), and she is also the creator of “Ready4Science,” a platform designed to provide research resources for occupational therapists.
CO-OPTED MEMBERS OF ROTOS.
OCCUPATIONAL SCIENCE EUROPE LIASON
LEAD FOR THE COST-GRANT APPLICATION
Dr Sinéad Hynes.
