CP-ECA Board

Matthieu Chatelin

Chair – France

Board member of ICPS and CPECA

Matthieu, 30 years old, was born at 25 weeks. Due to his very premature birth, he has got a cerebral palsy with secondary deficiencies. Matthieu receives assistance from PA’s for the 24 hours care he requires.

Matthieu obtained two Masters of Arts in the fields of Human Rights and International relations, thanks to the studies he completed both at University College London and the American University of Paris. He lived in London for several years prior to coming back in France during 2015.

He is a strong advocate in terms of Disability Rights and Human Rights at the international level. Following a United Nations volunteering which he undertook at the European Arm of the Office of the UN High-Commissioner for Human Rights, Matthieu carries on with his duties as an elected official.

Since 2015, Matthieu sits at the Youth committee of the European Disability forum and since 2018 he equally serves as a delegate at the 4th European Parliament of persons with disabilities. Finally, he was associated with the creation of La Fondation Paralysie Cérébrale, a French Foundation dedicated to research into cerebral palsy and currently serves as the president of its donor’s network.

Eleni Roditi

Treasurer – Greece

Eleni works at Cerebral Palsy Greece/Open Door since 1998 as Head of European Projects’ Department and she is involved in the organization of international meetings, seminars and training courses in the field of cerebral palsy. Since 2021 she is the Administrative Director.

She’s graduated the University of Northern Attica, in the department of Economics. She is married and has two children.

John Coughlan

Secretary General – Luxembourg

Secretary General of CP-ECA and ICPS since 2021. Chairman from 2017 to 2021.

Father of David, born 2006, who has cerebral palsy (spastic quadriplegia) and likes music and sport (especially boccia and rugby).

Director of Communications at the Academy of European Law (ERA), a public foundation funded by the EU to provide training and a forum for discussion for practitioners of law from across Europe.

Born in Wales. Mother from Scotland. Father from Ireland. Wife from Portugal. Lives in Luxembourg. Works in Germany. European.

Joaquim Alvarelhao

Assistant Secretary General – Portugal

After the graduation in Occupational Therapy (1989) I start working at Cerebral Palsy Association of Porto, in a new occupational centre for adults with Cerebral Palsy. Since then I have a special interest in the subjects concerned to adults with Cerebral Palsy and developed research and consultation closely to different rehabilitation services

Actual position
As Professional
Professor at Health Sciences School of Aveiro University As Volunteer
Collaborator of the Cerebral Palsy Portuguese Federation
Collaborator of the Cerebral Palsy Association of Porto Education
Master in Public Health at Faculty of Medicine of Porto University
Graduation in Occupational Therapy at Health Technologies School of Porto Areas of interest Information systems and assistive technologies in Health Sciences and Rehabilitation
Organizations and Politics in Disability and Rehabilitation