ACOT Executives
ACOT President
Rachael Gaunt qualified as an Occupational Therapist from Coventry University England in 2000. She has worked with adults and children in physical and mental health settings both within the UK National Health Service and private practise. She has worked for an overseas non-profit Child Developmental Centre in St Lucia and has project managed the funding, installation and training to create a sensory room for children with disabilities on the island. She is currently employed by Cayman Islands Department of Education, working within her speciality as a paediatric Occupational Therapist. She is qualified as a UK advanced prationaire in Sensory Integration Therapy and holds an MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Rachael has been a member of ACOT since 2014 and has served as various positions on the executive board. She is looking forward to her current role as ACOT president.
Rachael Gaunt qualified as an Occupational Therapist from Coventry University England in 2000. She has worked with adults and children in physical and mental health settings both within the UK National Health Service and private practise. She has worked for an overseas non-profit Child Developmental Centre in St Lucia and has project managed the funding, installation and training to create a sensory room for children with disabilities on the island. She is currently employed by Cayman Islands Department of Education, working within her speciality as a paediatric Occupational Therapist. She is qualified as a UK advanced prationaire in Sensory Integration Therapy and holds an MSc in Child and Adolescent Mental Health.
Rachael has been a member of ACOT since 2014 and has served as various positions on the executive board. She is looking forward to her current role as ACOT president.
ACOT Vice President
Ms. McIntosh holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Occupation with a minor in psychology from D’Youville College, Buffalo, New York in 2010 and a Master of Science in Occupational therapy from D’Youville College, Buffalo, New York in 2011. She is a Certified Autism Specialist, working with children on the Autism Spectrum for more than 5 years. She has extensive experience in both physical rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, and pediatrics, having both worked in the United States of America and The Bahamas. She was employed at Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau, Bahamas in acute care, physical rehabilitation, and Neurodevelopmental Centre for almost five years. In 2016, Ms. McIntosh established Occupational therapy Consulting Services, a consulting firm that evaluate and treat children with neurological disorders, learning, developmental, and intellectual disabilities in Nassau, Bahamas. The firm also provides training and consultancy services to medical professionals, teachers, and civic groups.
Ms. McIntosh is the President of the Occupational therapy Association of The Bahamas and serves as the Bahamian delegate for the World Federation of Occupational Therapy. She is an athletic coach for The Bahamas Special Olympics program where she trains athletes with intellectual disabilities in track and field events. She enjoys traveling, swimming, and exploring new foods.
Ms. McIntosh holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Human Occupation with a minor in psychology from D’Youville College, Buffalo, New York in 2010 and a Master of Science in Occupational therapy from D’Youville College, Buffalo, New York in 2011. She is a Certified Autism Specialist, working with children on the Autism Spectrum for more than 5 years. She has extensive experience in both physical rehabilitation, neurological rehabilitation, and pediatrics, having both worked in the United States of America and The Bahamas. She was employed at Princess Margaret Hospital, Nassau, Bahamas in acute care, physical rehabilitation, and Neurodevelopmental Centre for almost five years. In 2016, Ms. McIntosh established Occupational therapy Consulting Services, a consulting firm that evaluate and treat children with neurological disorders, learning, developmental, and intellectual disabilities in Nassau, Bahamas. The firm also provides training and consultancy services to medical professionals, teachers, and civic groups.
Ms. McIntosh is the President of the Occupational therapy Association of The Bahamas and serves as the Bahamian delegate for the World Federation of Occupational Therapy. She is an athletic coach for The Bahamas Special Olympics program where she trains athletes with intellectual disabilities in track and field events. She enjoys traveling, swimming, and exploring new foods.
Treasurer
Melanie S. Büge is a Registered Occupational Therapist practicing in the island of Barbados. She is an honors graduate from the London School of Occupational Therapy, Brunel University, London, UK. She is currently the President of the Barbados Occupational Therapy Association and Treasurer of the Association of Caribbean Occupational Therapy Association. Ms. Büge is one of the OTs working on the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados. She is also the founder of Quality of Life Therapy Services, which specializes in domiciliary care.
Melanie S. Büge is a Registered Occupational Therapist practicing in the island of Barbados. She is an honors graduate from the London School of Occupational Therapy, Brunel University, London, UK. She is currently the President of the Barbados Occupational Therapy Association and Treasurer of the Association of Caribbean Occupational Therapy Association. Ms. Büge is one of the OTs working on the Stroke Rehabilitation Unit at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Barbados. She is also the founder of Quality of Life Therapy Services, which specializes in domiciliary care.
Secretary
Ashley Kahila graduated with a Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2008 from Mayville University – Saint Louis. In 2014, after working for six years at a non-for- profit outpatient children’s facility in Missouri, she moved to Haiti where she currently resides. She founded an outpatient OT/PT clinic within a non profit organization, Respire Haiti. The clinic currently employs five nationals and services pediatric and adult patients of all diagnoses. The therapy clinic also provides OT/PT services to students at the Respire Haiti Christian school. In addition to one-on-one therapy sessions, her clinic provides group therapy is provided for stroke and arthritis patients, a parent support group, equipment fabrication using local resources, community education, and education to students and staff associated with Respire Haiti. She continues to serve as the director of the therapy clinic as well as an active participant on the Medical Advisory Board for Respire Haiti.
Along with four others, she founded the Haiti Association of Occupational Therapy. She currently serves as the secretary and the WFOT delegate for the association. She has a passion for advocating for disabilities and the profession of occupational therapy not only in Haiti, but also throughout the Caribbean and internationally.
Ashley Kahila graduated with a Masters in Occupational Therapy in 2008 from Mayville University – Saint Louis. In 2014, after working for six years at a non-for- profit outpatient children’s facility in Missouri, she moved to Haiti where she currently resides. She founded an outpatient OT/PT clinic within a non profit organization, Respire Haiti. The clinic currently employs five nationals and services pediatric and adult patients of all diagnoses. The therapy clinic also provides OT/PT services to students at the Respire Haiti Christian school. In addition to one-on-one therapy sessions, her clinic provides group therapy is provided for stroke and arthritis patients, a parent support group, equipment fabrication using local resources, community education, and education to students and staff associated with Respire Haiti. She continues to serve as the director of the therapy clinic as well as an active participant on the Medical Advisory Board for Respire Haiti.
Along with four others, she founded the Haiti Association of Occupational Therapy. She currently serves as the secretary and the WFOT delegate for the association. She has a passion for advocating for disabilities and the profession of occupational therapy not only in Haiti, but also throughout the Caribbean and internationally.
WFOT Delegate
Raquel Martinez BScH, MSc, OTR is the Secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Occupational Therapy Association (TTOTA). She received her Masters in OT at Columbia University, and is currently pursuing her Doctoral degree at Boston University. She is the Head of the OT Department at the St. Ann’s Psychiatric Hospital, and a lecturer in the Masters of Occupational Therapy programme at the University of the Southern Caribbean. Raquel enjoys working with a variety of clients and practices in pediatrics, geriatrics, physical disability and mental health
WFOT Delegate (Alternate)
Pauline Campbell is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist (Developmental and Behavioural Specialty), PhD. Candidate Educational Psychology and Founder /Executive Director of McCam Child Development and Resource Centre, Kingston, Jamaica. Pauline is an Awardee of the National Award, Badge of Honour for her services to the field of Occupational Therapy and Child Development in Jamaica. She has 30 years experience in pediatrics focusing on children with physical, developmental and behavioural disabilities. She has a particular interest in children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Pauline has worked as a consultant for GOJ/UN/ UNFPA, Dudley Grant Project, Ministry of Education, Shortwood Teacher’s College and UNICEF. She is co-author of the McCam Curriculum – a Developmental Approach to Learning. She is currently Acting President of the Occupational Therapy Association of Jamaica.
Pauline Campbell is a Paediatric Occupational Therapist (Developmental and Behavioural Specialty), PhD. Candidate Educational Psychology and Founder /Executive Director of McCam Child Development and Resource Centre, Kingston, Jamaica. Pauline is an Awardee of the National Award, Badge of Honour for her services to the field of Occupational Therapy and Child Development in Jamaica. She has 30 years experience in pediatrics focusing on children with physical, developmental and behavioural disabilities. She has a particular interest in children with Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder and autism spectrum disorder. Pauline has worked as a consultant for GOJ/UN/ UNFPA, Dudley Grant Project, Ministry of Education, Shortwood Teacher’s College and UNICEF. She is co-author of the McCam Curriculum – a Developmental Approach to Learning. She is currently Acting President of the Occupational Therapy Association of Jamaica.