.jpg)
I am pleased to present the 2020-2023 World Federation of Music Therapy Council members. We are very excited for this term, looking forward to promoting the music therapy profession throughout the world.
Dr. Anita Swanson has served as Regional Liaison for North America, Public Relations Chair, and Secretary. She works at the University of Texas at Austin in one of her research areas - assistive technology. Dr. Swanson maintains a private practice serving individuals with autism spectrum disorder, persons with neurological concerns, and hospice patients. She is the WFMT President.
Dr. Melissa Mercadal-Brotons served as President and Publications Chair. She is the Academic Director and Director of the Masters in Music Therapy at Escola Superior de Músia de Catalunya (Esuc). Her research and clinical practice focus on older adults with dementia. Dr. Mercadal-Brotons is WFMT Past-President.
Ms. Aksana Kavaliova-Moussi served as Regional Liaison for the Eastern Mediterranean and as a member of the Education and Training commission. She is a co-chair and a founding board member of the Online Conference for Music Therapy and Vice-president of the Music Therapy Association of Ontario. In her clinical practice, she works with children with special needs, anxiety, depression, ADHD; adults in long term care; women and children survivors of trauma. Ms. Kavaliova-Moussi is WFMT Secretary.
Dr. Andrea Hunt is Assistant Professor and Music Therapy Program Director at Rowan University. Her research focuses on the use of electroencephalogram (EEG) in live music therapy experiences, particularly addressing mental health needs. Her interests also include exploring the role of community music therapy in social justice movements in the US. Dr. Hunt is continuing in her role as WFMT Treasurer.
Ms. Caitlin Schulze served on the WFMT Assembly of Student Delegates as the student representative for Africa during the 2017-2020 term. She is a registered music therapist who completed her Master of Music Therapy degree through the University of Pretoria in 2018. Since then, she has worked mainly with children living with Autism Spectrum Disorders and children facing serious social issues, including poverty and abuse. Ms. Schulze is the WFMT Executive Assistant.
Dr. Satoko Mori-Inoue is the director of a child development facility in Japan. She served as the Japanese Music Therapy Association Public Relation Committee member during the 2017 World Congress of Music Therapy. She has many hours of clinical experience as a music therapist, has conducted research in hospitals and school settings, and has developed music therapy advocacy programming. Moving forward, she is interested in exploring clinical practice in different countries and promoting access to music therapy services globally. Dr. Mori-Inoue serves as the WFMT Chair of Clinical Practice.
Ms. Vivian Chan has served as the Regional Liaison for the Western Pacific region of the WFMT. She practices as a freelance music therapist in her own private clinic, and with continual engagements at the Hong Kong Children Hospital and several NGOs in Hong Kong. Her areas of expertise involve providing music psychotherapy services to individuals with mental health issues, cancer patients and their primary caregivers, at risk youth, and music therapy services to children with special needs. Ms. Chan serves as the WFMT Chair of Education and Certification.
Dr. Indra Selvarajah is the Director of Music Therapy Program for University Putra Malaysia (UPM), and is the founding president of the Malaysian Music Therapy Association. She helped establish music therapy support for several NGOs in Malaysia and continues to provide long term support to those NGOs as well as Cheras Rehabilitation Hospital, Kuala Lumpur General Hospital and UPM Hospital. Her music therapy research and clinical practice interests center around medical music therapy, special needs education, and crises intervention. Dr. Selvarajah previously served on the WFMT Research & Ethics Commission and currently serves as WFMT Chair of Global Crises Intervention.
Dr. Andeline dos Santos co-directs the Music Therapy Master's training at the University of Pretoria, leading theory and research. She is also the Research Coordinator for the School of the Arts at the University. She served as the Arts Therapies representative on the Health Professions Council of South Africa for five years. Dr. dos Santos was the co-chair of the Scientific Committee for the 2020 World Congress of Music Therapy and served on the Organizing Committee. She was also on the Scientific Committee for the 2011 World Congress of Music Therapy. Dr. dos Santos serves as WFMT Chair of Publications.
Dr. Carol Lotter has served as the Regional Liaison for Africa and the 2020 World Congress Organizer. She co-ordinates the Arts Therapies program at the University of Pretoria, heading up Clinical Training and supervision of music therapy students and is course leader for the BMus (Hons) Music Communication Course. In addition, in a part time capacity, Dr. Lotter works in private practice with a range of client groups. Locally, she is involved in the work of advocacy for music therapy and the arts therapies. Dr. Lotter is the WFMT Chair of Public Relations.
Dr. Amy Clements-Cortes has served as a commission member, Clinical Commissions Chair, President, and Past-President of the WFMT. She previously served on the Canadian Association for Music Therapists Board as President and Internship Chair. She is Assistant Professor, Music and Health Sciences, University of Toronto; Instructor and Supervisor, Wilfrid Laurier University; Academic Coordinator, Interdisciplinary Studies, Ryerson Chang School. Dr. Clements-Cortes is the WFMT Research and Ethics Chair.
Dr. Vicky Abad is President of the Australian Music Therapy Association and previously served as convenor of AMTA conferences and professional development seminars. Dr. Abad is the Founding Director of Sing & Grow, and the Founding and Managing Director of Music Beat Australia. Her clinical work and research focus in the area of music therapy parent-child intervention and the impact of music early learning on family health and well-being. Dr. Abad is the WFMT World Congress Organizer for 2023.
Mr. Nsamu Moonga is a therapist grounded in holistic anti-oppressive practice, working with people exploring health and lifestyle choices, medical complications, human sexualities and gender, spiritualities and religious experiences, psychosocial support, and learning enhancement. His music therapy experience spans health, medical, and school settings, and centre human development programming, design and facilitation, community infrastructure and social development, cross-cultural living and working. He is affiliated with the Health Profession Council of South Africa, South African Music Therapy Association, South African National Art Therapy Association, and Institute for Creative Conversations. Mr. Moonga is the Regional Liaison for Africa.
Dr. Daphne Rickson continues to serve as the Regional Liaison for Australia and New Zealand. She is Associate Professor at the New Zealand School of Music – Te Kōkī, Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand. Her research has involved critical analysis of the concept of disability and investigation into music as an inclusive resource, including: Participatory Action Research with young people who have intellectual disability; an investigation into singing for wellbeing in a Christchurch school severely affected by earthquakes; song-writing with adolescents experiencing life-limiting illness; and music therapy with children who have Autism Spectrum Conditions.
Ms. Kristal Foster is a board certified music therapist from the United States working in Kuwait. Her 10 years of clinical experience have provided opportunities to work with a variety of populations; yet she has found most interest in working with pediatric palliative patients and their families. She has written about music therapy in Kuwait and presented on the topic of medical migration and music therapy at the Online Conference of Music Therapy and the 2020 World Congress of Music Therapy. Ms. Foster continues in her role of Regional Liaison of the Eastern Mediterranean.
Ms. Marinella Maggiori has planned and led music therapy projects in schools and in many different public and private institutions, working with children, teenagers, and adults. She is a lecturer at the Conservatoire “A. Casella” in L’Aquila, and a member of the Italian Association of Professional Music Therapists (A.I.M.). In 2017, she started a training and work project in Music Therapy in Mozambique that is currently developing in Maputo (Africa). Ms. Maggiori is the Regional Liaison for Europe.
Ms. Camila Siqueira Gouvêa Acosta Gonçalves works with a diversity of people, especially in the field of neurorehabilitation, in private practice. She is also a professor at CENSUPEG. Her music therapy research interests include technology, people with Disorders of Consciousness, Autism, and Disability Studies. She was a council member of the Music Therapy Association of the State of Paraná, and Brazil's representative of the Latin American Music Therapy Committee. Currently, she is the coordinator of the Professional Organization Policies Commission at UBAM. Ms. Gonçalves serves as the Regional Liaison for Latin America and the Caribbean.
Ms. Bronwen Landless is Assistant Professor at Shenandoah University. Her work focuses trauma-informed care and community practices. She is currently researching the effect of music therapy on people experiencing homelessness and their surrounding communities. Ms. Landless continues in her role as Regional Liaison for North America.
Ms. Bhuvaneswari Ramesh served on the WFMT Assembly of Student Delegates as the student representative for the Southeast Asia region. She is a faculty member at the Center for Music Therapy Education and Research (CMTER), Sri Balaji Vidyapeeth University. She is the clinical coordinator for Internship trainees and observer programs. She publishes in the areas of pediatrics, gynecology, ICU caretakers in a hospital setting. She has experience working with geriatrics, children with cancer, children with special needs, and transgender community. Ms. Ramesh is the Southeast Asia Regional Liaison.
Dr. Jin Hyung Lee is a Professor of Research at Chung-Ang University
(CAU)’s Human IT Clinical Research Center in Seoul Korea and serves on the
board of directors for the National Association for Korean Music Therapists (NAKMT). His research consortium currently works on a multimillion-dollar project funded by the Korean government for developing a digital social skills training platform for adults with communication challenges. Dr. Lee is the Western Pacific Regional Liaison.
