Executive Committee
Anu Söderström 2019-2023 President |
I have been involved in COTEC since 2000 – first as the appointed COTEC Delegate of the Finnish Association of Occupational Therapists 2000-2010 and Programme Area Coordinator of the Organizational Issues 2004-2008. I have held different positions in COTEC Executive Committee years 2008-2012 and 2013-2019 before my election as the President in October 2019.
With over 20 years of experience working as an OT in Finland, I am committed to leading the work of COTEC with the aim to make the profession better known and valued in Europe. COTEC is the voice of Occupational Therapists in Europe and provides a good network for practitioners and provides many opportunities to be involved in European projects and events relevant to the profession. I would like to encourage our Member associations and individual OTs to actively take advantage of the information and opportunities provided.
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Naomi Hankinson 2021-2023 Vice President |
My involvement with COTEC began when I was chair of the council for the British Association of Occupational Therapists in 2009. I have always believed that we achieve more when we work in partnership and collaboration, and the strategic plan which COTEC has developed puts this at its centre.
Whilst my clinical work has always been in mental health and social inclusion I have worked at local, national, and international levels, in operational and strategic roles, across the boundaries of health, social care, and education. A key focus for me is the support and development of staff – as when staff feels valued they provide better care and treatment for our service users. I am looking forward to working with both the executive team and member organisations to make Occupational Therapy visible and valued across Europe. |
Lisa Wetzlmair 2022-2026 Vice President Finance |
As a passionate traveller with working experiences as an OT practitioner, lecturer, and research assistant in various European countries, I am very eager to support collaborations and the work of the European Occupational Therapy community. My clinical work included work in secondary care in neurology, mental health, and cancer treatment. I was able to work and engage at local, national, and international levels with both clinical and academic contributions. My professional focus is heavily influenced by acknowledging the importance but also the beauty of interprofessional collaboration and practice. Therefore, I am invested in promoting interprofessional education initiatives in Europe’s health and social care education. As a member of the COTEC Executive Committee, I want to be an advocate for successful, high-quality interprofessional collaboration and practice in Europe’s health and social care teams and systems. In my role as Vice President Finance, I am responsible for managing and overseeing all financial matters of COTEC. This is a huge responsibility, but I am certain I will enjoy working with COTEC’s member organisations. Together we can make a difference in Europe’s health policies by contributing to the visibility and recognition of Occupational Therapy as an important healthcare profession in the interprofessional team and the international community. |
Ann-Marie Morrissey 2022-2026 Vice President Administration
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I have been lucky to have a diverse career in Occupational Therapy over the past ten years, working in academia, clinical practice, and practice education. I am currently working as a Lecturer in Occupational Therapy at the University of Limerick, Ireland. As a proud Occupational Therapist, I am excited to work toward the development and advancement of our profession throughout Europe. |
Sarah Kufner 2022-2026 Executive Committee Member |
I got to know COTEC during my studies at the Hogeschool Zuyd, Netherlands in 2012, which opened up new dimensions of possible working fields, taks and professional identity as occupational therapist. Since then, this positive power of doing and belonging drives me to stay engaged for our profession, its development and promotion. My clinical, interdisciplinary (team-) work of 15 years is within the pediatric field, accompanied by lecturing, publishing and congress contributions on subjects such as coaching, change and empowerment. I feeling strongly about the power of trustful relations, partnership and caring communities. So circumstances asking for an enouraging turn lead me to found the empowerment-project in 2016, a participatory network Initiative I am engaging with colleagues on a local, national and international level. As member of the Executive Committee I am happy to give my share working with both the COTEC-Executive Team and their member organizations for a visible and valued OT of impact throughout Europe. |
Anneliis Aavik 2022-2026 Executive Committee Member |
Occupational therapy is my second career. I graduated first with a degree in Biology and Gene technology. I started my occupational therapy studies a few years later, and currently, I’m working on my MA in occupational therapy. I practice in the mental health field and provide home occupational therapy services, the latter as a private service provider. I teach occupational therapy at Tallinn Health Care College. I love my job as an occupational therapist! I’ve been a member of the Estonian Association of Occupational Therapists since my 1st year of studies. From 2021 I was the president of said association. I’m really passionate about occupational therapy, especially in the mental health field, and I feel a strong need to prove myself, develop, advertise, and make the profession of occupational therapy even more sustainable. Developing occupational therapy is very near to my heart. |