Curadis currently has eight (8) board members to serve the needs of the communities we work with; we also have volunteers from over twenty-five (25) countries across five (5) continents speaking a combined eighteen (18) languages! We are always looking for new volunteers to assist on projects, both on-site and from afar. Please contact us if you have any interest in becoming a Curadis member!
Dave Ross, M.Sc, CCC-SLP (Co-Founder, US branch)
Dave connected with Katja in 2017 to found the US branch of Curadis after they connected over their shared interest in creating a non-profit charity to provide outreach, treatment and education to the various communities of Latin America who may not have access to such specialized healthcare. Dave has been working for the past years as a Medical Speech-Language Pathologist, providing endoscopy, stroboscopy and laryngoscopy to various communities in the United States. Dave is currently working on his Board Certification (BCS-S) in Swallowing Disorders, and is working to complete his Doctoral degree. Dave works with an ASHA-approved CEU provider that offers endoscopy training to various healthcare providers, and he has also been invited to speak around the world on swallowing and voice disorders, as well as various other topics in Medical Speech-Language Pathology. Dave is excited to continue to work and build on the original vision and mission of Curadis that Katja began. Dave speaks English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Esperanto and Swedish.
Contact: info@curadisusa.org - www.curadisusa.org
Katja Verstraelen (Founder, Belgium Branch)
Katja is a Speech-Language Pathologist located in Belgium, and she began Curadis in 2015. Katja specializes in Dysphagia/Swallowing Disorders and has a passion for helping others while utilizing evidence-based, patient-centric data. Katja had only been practicing for a few years after graduating from her clinical program before founding Curadis, and she has worked tirelessly since then to bring awareness of swallowing disorders in the various communities in Latin America in need of this type of specialized medical outreach. Katja continues to work with various facilities, communities and companies to expand the vision and mission of Curadis all while working as a clinical Speech-Language Pathologist. Katja has a personal interest in the communities of Latin America, which is reflected in her passion in Curadis. Katja has presented at various hospitals and facilities in Brazil and continues to open her arms to any community who may need the outreach that Curadis may provide. Katja speaks Dutch and English, and she is currently learning Portuguese and Spanish.
Contact: info@curadis.org - www.curadis.org
Gabriel Lucas, B.Sc (Co-Founder, US Branch)
Gabriel has been working as Business Director and Consultant for a Medical Speech-Language Pathology practice for the past two years before connecting with Katja in 2017. Gabriel graduated with his degree in International Business and has worked with multiple Fortune 500 companies since, honing his business skill and acumen. Gabriel is originally from Brazil, and specializes in creating and enacting culturally-sensitive business practices, marketing, graphic design and databasing. Gabriel is excited to bring volunteer outreach to the areas around his homeland and is looking forward to continuing to enact the original Curadis mission and vision that Katja began. Gabriel has been working closely various aspects of the medical field and has immersed himself in the various research, issues, problems and paradigms of swallowing disorders over the past two years. Gabriel speaks Portuguese, Spanish and English.
Contact: info@curadisusa.org - www.curadisusa.org