Dr Athanasia Kouroupa
Director Of Implementation
Bertrange
Summary
Dynamic mental health professional with 10 years of experience in clinical and public research organizations in the UK, Greece, and Luxembourg. Proactive individual with team-oriented mentality. Enthusiastic about community outreach activities in culturally diverse environments to leverage public health initiatives and community implementation.
Overview
11
11
years of professional experience
3
3
Languages
Work History
Program Co-ordinator (Senior)
Luxembourg Institute of Health
6 2023 - Current
- Lead the operation, quality assurance and implementation of an autism program improving internal procedures
- Mentor PhD students in project management
- Provide technical and operational support to staff streamlining procedures and developing new skills specific to autism
- Establish partnerships with external organizations expanding program impact
- Secured funding for new initiatives to showcase the value of our programs
Program Manager (Senior)
Division of Psychiatry, University College London (UCL)
12.2019 - 6 2023
- Led the operation, quality assurance and implementation of mental health programs in autism and intellectual disability ensuring timely and quality completion of activities
- Increased recruitment of participants by 100% within 2 months
- Recruited and coached research assistants and MSc students supporting their professional development
- Coordinated 21 sites and 10 clinicians ensuring quality implementation of the program
- Initiated a community outreach project enhancing the implementation of the program
Project Manager (Senior)
Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Mental Health Service Development, Queen Mary University of London
02.2019 - 11.2019
- Managed a mental health program testing the feasibility of online training in crisis mental health services
- Engaged with service providers and community groups to collect user feedback and developed recommendations
- Initiated weekly research talks among PhD students and researchers promoting critical appraisal of our work
- Analyzed data contributing to scientific papers and presenting to conferences
Research Assistant (Senior)
Department Of Psychology, University Of Hertfordshire
04.2017 - 02.2019
- Recruited autistic and Looked After children, parents/carers ahead of recruitment end date
- Maintained up-to-date records of research activities and results for future reference
- Engaged with school staff and child social care services implementing procedures
- Conducted quality checks to ensure quality data analysis
- Presented research findings at conferences and contributed to publications, showcasing expertise in mental health topics
Assistant Psychologist
Cambridgeshire And Peterborough NHS Trust
02.2016 - 03.2017
- Initiated a service evaluation system to define metrics for ongoing funding of the service
- Conducted psychological assessments supporting the diagnosis of autistic children
- Worked with (mainstream and special) schools by implementing evidence-based psychosocial interventions tailored to individual needs
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary teams, providing input on children's mental health needs
- Maintained detailed and accurate client records, ensuring confidentiality and compliance with ethical guidelines
Pivotal Response Training Therapist
Private practice
10.2014 - 01.2016
- Built strong rapport with young autistic children, children with rare syndromes and parents fostering trust and open communication for effective therapy sessions
- Facilitated group therapy sessions, promoting a supportive environment for shared learning and growth
- Worked with (mainstream and special) schools prioritizing the individual needs of children
- Adapted interventions as needed based on ongoing assessment of client progress throughout the course of treatment
- Wrote up summary (clinical) reports to guide the implementation of recommendations
Assistant Psychologist
Social Communication Difficulties Panel, Humber NHS Foundation Trusts
10.2013 - 09.2014
- Conducted psychological assessments supporting the diagnosis of autistic children
- Worked closely with my supervisor, receiving regular feedback on clinical work to continuously improve diagnostic practices
- Collaborated with other healthcare professionals to coordinate care plans and implement continuity of care
- Promoted mental health awareness by participating in community outreach events and educational initiatives
Education
Ph.D. - Clinical Psychology
University of Hertfordshire
Hatfield, UK 04.2001 -
Master of Science - Child And Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH)
University College London (UCL)
London, UK 04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Panteion University
Athens, Greece 04.2001 -
Skills
Team Leadership
Crisis intervention
Mentoring
Analytical Skills
Community Outreach
Budget Control
Publications
For the full list of publications copy and paste the link into a browser: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3659-160X
Dimitrova, E., Kouroupa, A., Totsika, V. (2024). Resilience in families of autistic children and children with intellectual disability during the COVID-19 pandemic, American Journal on Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (manuscript under review)
Kouroupa, A., Totsika, V., Timmerman, A., Allard, A., Gray, K., Hastings, R., ... & Tonge, B. (2024). Educational experiences of autistic students and students with an intellectual disability during COVID-19: a mixed methods systematic literature review and thematic synthesis. Educational Research Review (manuscript under review)
Kouroupa, A., Irvine, K., Mengoni, S., & Sharma, S. (2024). The knowledge and preferences of parents/carers of autistic children about technology-based interventions, Research in Autism Spectrum Disorders (manuscript under review)
Pinto da Costa, M., Virdi, K., & Kouroupa, A. (2024). A Phone Pal to overcome social isolation in patients with psychosis—Findings from a feasibility trial. PLOS Digital Health, 3(1), e0000410.
Totsika, V., Kouroupa, A., Timmerman, A., Allard, A., Gray, K., Hastings, R., ... & Tonge, B. (2023). School attendance problems among children with neurodevelopmental conditions one year following the start of the COVID-19 pandemic. Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, 1-10.
Kouroupa, A., Hamza, L., Rafiq, A., Hassiotis, A., Rapaport, P., Jahoda, A., ... & Ali, A. (2023). Stakeholder views on the barriers and facilitators of psychosocial interventions to address reduction in aggressive challenging behaviour in adults with intellectual disabilities. NIHR open research, 3.
Presentations
- 2024, Online safety and use in intellectual disabilities, International Association for the Scientific Study of Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities, Chicago, US
- 2023, Stakeholder views on the barriers and facilitators of psychosocial interventions to address reduction in aggression in intellectual disabilities, European Association for Mental Health in Intellectual Disability, Helsinki, Finland
- 2023, The educational experiences of autistic students and students with intellectual disabilities during COVID-19, European Association for Mental Health in Intellectual Disability, Helsinki, Finland
- 2022, School attendance in children with neurodevelopmental conditions one year after COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, International Network for School Attendance, Egmond aan Zee, The Netherlands
- 2022, School attendance in children with neurodevelopmental conditions one year after COVID-19 in the United Kingdom, British Education Research Association, University of Liverpool, United Kingdom
- 2022, Use of online procedures to facilitate carer involvement in inpatient care, European Congress of Psychiatry, Budapest, Hungary
- 2022, Carer involvement and inpatient care: stakeholders’ views on critical ingredients and implementation in England, European Congress of Psychiatry, Budapest, Hungary
- 2021, The use of social robots with children and young people on the autism spectrum: A systematic review, International Conference in Autism, London, UK
- 2021, Parents’ preferences about Technology-Based Therapy for Children and Young People on the Autism Spectrum – a UK Survey, International Conference in Autism, London, UK
- 2021, Views and experiences from multiple stakeholders of Intensive Support Teams, European Association for Mental Health in Intellectual Disability, Berlin, Germany
- 2021, Clinical and cost evaluation of Intensive Support Team (IST) models for adult with intellectual disabilities who display challenging behaviour, European Association for Mental Health in Intellectual Disability, Berlin, Germany
Timeline
Program Manager (Senior)
Division of Psychiatry, University College London (UCL)
12.2019 - 6 2023
Project Manager (Senior)
Unit for Social and Community Psychiatry, WHO Collaborating Centre for Global Mental Health Service Development, Queen Mary University of London
02.2019 - 11.2019
Research Assistant (Senior)
Department Of Psychology, University Of Hertfordshire
04.2017 - 02.2019
Assistant Psychologist
Cambridgeshire And Peterborough NHS Trust
02.2016 - 03.2017
Pivotal Response Training Therapist
Private practice
10.2014 - 01.2016
Assistant Psychologist
Social Communication Difficulties Panel, Humber NHS Foundation Trusts
10.2013 - 09.2014
Ph.D. - Clinical Psychology
University of Hertfordshire
04.2001 -
Master of Science - Child And Adolescent Mental Health (CAMH)
University College London (UCL)
04.2001 -
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
Panteion University
04.2001 -
Program Co-ordinator (Senior)
Luxembourg Institute of Health
6 2023 - Current
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