Executive Committee

Vera Lantelme-Faisan

Vera's professional background is in Equine Assisted Physiotherapy in the Czech Republic. Over the past thirty years, Vera has thrived in international collaborations and expatriate life, fostering a deep understanding of diverse cultures and perspectives. Her visionary approach and innovative strategies have been instrumental in creating and teaching international courses, organising various events, building networks, and leading large-scale projects. Notable milestones include her eight-year tenure as the Chair of the Czech Equine Facilitated Therapy Association (CEFTA) and the founding of the European Equine Assisted Therapy Network in 2019. Vera is a co-author of several publications: "Hippotherapy" (2018), "Therapy Horse Certification System" (2018), and "Zooterapie v kostce" (2020). Between 2004 and 2009, she played a key role in establishing a hippotherapy centre and conducting certified hippotherapy courses at a rehabilitation hospital in Saudi Arabia. Since 2021, Vera has been an Executive Committee Member of the Federation of Horses in Education and Therapy International (HETI) and assumed the role of President in 2024. She is a happy horse owner.

Alexandra Stergiou

Alexandra has been running her own business at Ioannina Therapeutic Riding Centre in Greece for the last 12 years. She holds a master degree in Special Education from the Department of Primary Education and a PhD from the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation of the Medical School of the University of Ioannina. She is also a further and professional education instructor, registered at the Greek Department of Education in selected modules in Special Education and Rehabilitation. Her research interest is on the rehabilitation of children with neurological-muscular disorders and with an autism spectrum disorder. Alexandra is a junior Editor of the HETI scientific journal and has taken part in numerous scientific conferences and served as a member of organising and scientific boards. She has also attained and announced many oral and poster presentations in congresses and published numerous articles in international scientific journals.

Laurence Ikan

Laurence was the Founder and President of the Therapeutic Riding National Committee at the Equestrian Federation Israel (2008-2018). Achievements: - Writing and publishing of the charter of ethics and best practices (Rules and Regulations for Therapeutic Riding). - Developing a national training course curriculum for therapeutic riding instructors. - Collaborating with experts from the United States to design training courses and establish a national team of endorsed mentors and evaluators. - Implementing ongoing training for professional development and enrichment. She also created and currently co-manages The Wizo Sports and Therapeutic Riding Accreditation Instructor/Practitioners Courses. - Co-founder (2014) and general director of the Non-Profit Org. “Israel Mitzvah Horses - IMH” for the creation, financing and management of EAS projects in partnership with existing equestrian centers. Throughout the year, Laurence also participates in initiatives with Special Olympics and Para Equestrian Dressage.

Renate Deimel

Renate says, “Therapy with horses has become my passion! I am lucky to work with Gundula Hauser and Roswitha Zink, so I had the honour to learn from them from my very start in this field. Now 10 years later, I am working as a psychotherapist with horses with foster children, children with different problems and disabilities and palliative care patients but also in the organisational Work, currently, I’m working a lot at our social media and website also fundraising and Team organisation”. At emotion Lichtblickhof, it has always been essential not only to work but also to think about what is working for the patients; there were many interesting research projects which showed the impact of horses on human health. Therefore, I would like to take this knowledge further. By joining the HETI board, I could get to know other people with the same passion and motivation to improve the quality of equine-assisted therapy. I studied special needs education and am a psychotherapist and riding and vaulting instructor, also with special training for disabled people; I have the certificate from the Austrian association for therapeutic riding (Österreichisches Kuratorium für Therapeutischesreiten) and many smaller formations.

Kiginu Nakata

I first encountered therapeutic riding 15 years ago and started volunteering as a member of the RDA Japan and continue to present. Since I was little, I have been riding horses, and I had a physical disorder with coxarthrosis, so I started volunteering because I wanted to help people and society through therapeutic riding activities. I had worked as the secretariat of RDA Japan from 2012 to 2020. During that time, I managed the entire organisation's operation and was involved in reconstructing the Instructor qualification system. I mainly work in the field as an instructor, and I have two qualifications, RDA Japan level A instructor and HETI level 1 instructor. I am currently serving as a lecturer at the instructor training courses. And I’m acting as the vice president of RDA Japan. I also worked as a general manager or in charge of management departments like corporate planning, public affairs, including human resources and accounting in the foodservice industry and cosmetic industry from 1985 to 2012. Through these experiences, I would like to contribute to the HETI Executive Committee, bringing my skills such as strategic planning, qualifications, and human resource development to spread the spirit of HETI’s activities.

Harriet Laurie MBE

Harriet Laurie MBE is the founder and CEO of TheHorseCourse - a horsemanship-based EAS charity in the UK which specialises in high need, high risk psychosocial referrals from NHS Mental Health, Education and Social Services. TheHorseCourse has a busy centre with 7 full-time staff and 15 horses in the SouthWest, and also trains and supports others to run EAS centres in the UK and overseas. Harriet has built an exceptional evidence base for TheHorseCourse and brings her experience of research-friendly practice, good governance, fundraising and collaboration to HETI. Harriet has developed the first UK government recognised EAS Diploma which is modality-blind, in collaboration with several other EAS charities. She is an experienced presenter and workshop leader. In 2024 Harriet was awarded the honour of an MBE for her charitable work in EAS. TheHorseCourse approach is built on the power of excellent relationship-based horsemanship to build psycho-social skills.

Henrika Jormfeldt

Educational Credentials/qualifications Professor in Nursing Sciences at Halmstad University, School of Health and welfare - 2019-still. Associate professor at Halmstad University, School of Health and welfare - 2013-2019. Senior lecturer at Halmstad University, School of Health and welfare - 2009-2019. Relevant work experience or work on committees etc. IFSAP Halmstad (http://ifsaphalmstad.dinstudio.se) President 2012 and still. Swedish Association of psychiatric and mental health nurses http://www.psykriks.se) President - 2009 and still. Horatio (http://horatio-web.eu/) Board member - 2017 May and still. Bråddared’s Horse for Health & Well-being (http://braddaredshast.dinstudio.se/14/1/hem/) CEO - 2018 and still. Experience working specifically with human and equine interactions.

• Since 2018, I have been involved in horse assisted activities for people with enduring mental health issues at the company Bråddared’s Horse for Health & Well-being. For more information, go to http://braddaredshast.dinstudio.se/17/10/in-english/
• I have received funding from the Swedish postcode lottery during 2018 and 2019 to provide and lead horse assisted activities for people diagnosed with schizophrenia and their relatives in cooperation with the user organisation IFSAP Halmstad.
• I have received funding from the municipality of Halmstad during 2020 to provide and lead horse assisted activities for people diagnosed with schizophrenia and their relatives in cooperation with the user organisation IFSAP Halmstad.

I am involved in research (including fundraising), teaching, and the practical implementation of horse assisted activities regarding people with enduring mental health issues. I have also experience from being a board member at local, national and European levels.

Inês Pereira de Figueiredo

With a PhD in Neurosciences from the University of Salamanca, Spain, and a Master's Degree in Zootechnical Engineering from the University of Evora, Portugal, Inês completed her fellowship and Graduation Thesis at INRA, Laboratoire du Bien-Être Animal et Ethologie in Tours, France. For 12 years, Inês has been the Coordinator for Research Projects focusing on the effects of handling foals on emotional reactivity, learning, and human-horselrelationships at the National Stud Farm in Portugal. She is also the Founder and President of the International organization TheKidsFellows-Research Group in Anthrozoology, and collaborates with the Institute of Neurosciences of Castilla y Leon, Spain. Currently, Inês works as a Project Manager and Researcher in various international Projects. She has authored several Research Articles concentrating on the effects of stress on emotional outcomes, posttraumatic stress disorder, and depression-like models. In addition, she is an Academic member of the International Society for Equitation Sciences (ISES) and serves as an Associate Editor of HETI.

Selcuk Akpinar

Prof. Selcuk Akpinar is presently employed at Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University within the Faculty of Sports Sciences, serving as a dean. His academic journey began with the completion of his bachelor's degree with honors (attaining the first rank position) at Hatay Mustafa Kemal University. Initially designated as a Physical Education Teacher by the Ministry of Education, he fulfilled this role for a duration of two years. Pursuing further education, he followed a master's degree at Bolu Abant Izzet Baysal University, where he transitioned into a research assistant position. Subsequently, he pursued his doctoral studies at Middle East Technical University, with a focus on motor learning and control studies. During this time, he undertook a visiting scholar role at Penn State University in the United States for a year and a half, followed by a six-month post-doctoral position. At Penn State, he contributed to research in a motor control laboratory, investigating the impact of sports training participation on motor lateralization. Upon completing his doctorate, he relocated to Nevsehir and was promoted to the position of Associate Professor by the Higher Education Council of Turkey in December 2017. Further recognition followed, as Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University elevated him to the rank of full professor in February 2023. His involvement in Equine Assisted Activities dates back to 2013, with active participation in Erasmus+ Projects in this field and ongoing research endeavors. Additionally, he serves as the assistant principal of the Equine-Horseback Riding Application and Research Center at Nevsehir Haci Bektas Veli University. Prof. Akpinar's scholarly contributions extend to respected international journals, particularly in the realm of equine-assisted activities. Prof. Akpinar is primarily involved in equine-assisted learning and adaptive riding practices. He has cultivated numerous international collaborations and maintains a diverse network of colleagues worldwide. His primary research interests encompass motor lateralization in sports and equine-assisted activities, arm selection, motor learning and pedagogy, and body composition.

Marie-Thérèse Kuypers

Marie-Thérèse is a physiotherapist from Belgium involved in a neurological paediatrics hospital since 1978. In 1980, she introduced horse therapy in the CHN William Lennox Hospital. She is a treasurer of “Handhippo”, the national non-profit association of Belgium, and has specialised in horse therapy and is a well-known expert in this field. She has been involved in FRDI-HETI as a board member, a vice-president and finally a “de jure” member for 20 years. She continues to help students in high school and university in completing scientific research relevant to this field.

Kirstin O’Neill

Kirstin holds a post-graduate diploma in Education. After many years of teaching in secondary schools and teaching English as an additional language, Kirstin merged her love for education and working with horses when she became a human/horse interaction facilitator working with people with additional needs and children from socio-economic disadvantaged areas. Within this role, she aimed to improve the social and emotional well being of her service users through ground work with horses. She undertook a research project looking at the benefits of this work on the emotional intelligence of children and presented her findings at the 2018 HETI Congress in Dublin.