National
Coordinators
Each country that participates in the Stroke Action Plan for Europe has nominated one or more National Coordinator(s) who act as spokespeople for SAP-E.
These individuals lead and coordinate the specific activities that are carried out to reach the four overarching targets of the SAP-E.
Together with other stakeholders such as representatives from local Stroke Support Organisations (SSOs), the National Coordinators work as a team to implement the Stroke Action Plan across Europe.
Directory
View the current National Coordinators by selecting a country below:
Albania
- Dr. Mentor Petrela
- University Hospital Center "Mother Teresa", Tirana
- mentor.petrela@gmail.com
Armenia
- Dr. Marine Balasanyan
- Neurologist, Neurology Department and Comprehensive Stroke Center, Erebuni Medical Center
- dr.marinebalasanyan@gmail.com
- Prof. Nune Yeghiazaryan
- Head of Neurology Department, Erebouni Medical Center
- ynune@yahoo.com
Austria
- Dr. Sigrid Schwarz
- Dr. Stefan Kiechl
- Professor of Neurology and Clinical Stroke Medicine, Director Department of Neurology Innsbruck
- Prof. Wilfried Lang
- Neurologist, Austrian Stroke Society
- lang@neuro-vienna.at
Azerbaijan
- Dr. Nara Hesen
- Doctor neurologist from Republican Clinic Hospital
- Dr. Rahim Aliyev
- National Association of Neurologists of Azerbaijan
- rahim_aliyev@mail.ru
Belarus
- Dr. Yaroslav Zholnerkevich
- Sergey Marchenko
- Head of the Department of Neurology and Neurosurgery of Minsk Scientific and Practical Center for Surgery, Transplantation and Hematology
- sergey.marchenko.2021@yandex.by
- Dr. Tanya Pavlovskaya
- Belarussian Scientific Society of Neurologists
- tanya-pavlovskaya@list.ru
Bulgaria
- Dr. Dimitar Taskov
- Dorina Dobreva
- President of the Association for Stroke and Aphasia Bulgaria
- dobreva@stroke.bg
- Prof. Dimitar Maslarov
- Chairman Neurology Clinic, Medical University Sofia
- maslarovdb@abv.bg
Belgium
- Dr. Laetitia Yperzeele
- Neurologist, active member of the Belgian Stroke Council
- Dr. François Delvoye
- Neurologist, active member of the Belgian Stroke Council
- Prof. Sylvie DeRaedt
- Neurologist, active members of the Belgian Stroke Council
- Sylvie.DeRaedt@uzbrussel.be
Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Dr. Marija Bender
- marijabender@yahoo.com
Catalonia
- Esther Duarte
- Director of the Catalan Stroke Foundation - Fundació Ictus
- Dr Sònia Abilleira
- Stroke Programme Director
- sabilleira@gencat.cat
Croatia
- Ervin Jančić
- Maša Ožegović
- Moždani val - Stroke Support Organisation
- mozdani.val@gmail.com
- Dr. Hrvoje Budincevic
- Croatian Stroke Society
- hbudincevic@gmail.com
Cyprus
- Dr. Andreas Charidimou
- Cyprus Stroke Association
- andreas.charidimou.09@ucl.ac.uk
- Dr. Georgios Kaponides
- President Cyprus Neurological Society
- gkaponides@gmail.com
- Dr. Marina Charalambous
- President of the Cyprus Stroke Association
- marina.charala@gmail.com
Czech Republic
- Ms. Magdalena Pohnanová
- reditel@cerebrum2007.cz
- Dr. Aleš Tomek
- Cerebrovascular Board of Czech Neurological Society
- ales.tomek@gmail.com
Denmark
- Dr. Helle Klingenberg Iversen
- Danish Stroke Society
- helle.klingenberg.iversen@regionh.dk
- Dr. Dorte Damgaard
- dorte.damgaard@auh.rm.dk
- Birgitte Hysse Forchhammer
- HJERNESAGEN – The Danish Stroke Association
- hysse@hjernesagen.dk
England
- Michelle Dharmasiri
- Dr. Jatt Khaira
- Consultant Stroke/General Medicine
- Sarah Belson
Estonia
- Prof. Janika Kõrv
- Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu Professor in Clinical Neurology, Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu Neurologist at the Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Tartu University Hospital
- janika.korv@kliinikum.ee
- Dr. Riina Vibo
- Reaseacher at the Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Tartu Neurologist at the Dept. of Neurology and Neurosurgery, Tartu University Hospital
- Riina.Vibo@kliinikum.ee
Finland
- Dr. Susanna Roine
- Dr. Pauli Ylikotila
France
- Guillaume Turc
- Board member - French Stroke Society
- Prof. Charlotte Cordonnier
- President - French Stroke Society
Georgia
- Dr. Nino Lobjanidze
- Pineo Medical Ecosystem, Tbilisi, Georgia
- ninalobjanidze@hotmail.com
- Prof. Alexander Tsiskaridze
- President Georgian Stroke Association
- alexander.tsiskaridze@tsu.ge
Germany
- Christina Franzisket
- Prof. Tobias Neumann-Haefelin
- Geschäftsführer der Deutschen Schlaganfall-Gesellschaft Fachauditor Stroke Units
- Dr. Markus Wagner
- Stiftung Deutsche Schlaganfallhilfe - Stroke Support Organisation
- markus.wagner@schlaganfall-hilfe.de
- Prof. Jürgen Faiss
- Geschäftsführer der Deutschen Schlaganfall-Gesellschaft
- faiss@dsg-berlin.org
Greece
- Dr. Hariklia Proios
- Associate Professor of Neurocognitive Disorders and Rehabilitation, Department of Educational & Social Policy, University of Macedonia, Thessaloniki
- hproios@gmail.com
- Prof. Georgios Tsivgoulis
- Professor & Chairman, Second Department of Neurology, National & Kapodistrian University of Athens, Athens
- tsivgoulisgiorg@yahoo.gr
- Prof. Haralampos Milionis
- Professor & Chairman, Second Department of Internal Medicine, University of Ioannina, Ioannina
- hmilioni@uoi.gr
Hungary
- Tamás Jarecsny
- Dr. Folyovich András PhD (András Folyovich MD PhD)
- President of National Stroke Prevention and Rehabilitation League, Hungary
- andras.folyovich@janoskorhaz.hu
Iceland
- Marianne Elisabeth Klinke
- RN, PhD, Landspitali University Hospital Reykjavik and the University of Iceland
- marianne@hi.is
- Thorir Steingrímsson
- Chairman of Heilaheil, Stroke Support Organisation
- heilaheill@heilaheill.is
- Dr. Bjorn Thorarinsson
- Neurologist, University Hospital Reijkjavik
- Bjornlth@landspitali.is
Israel
- Dr. Rani Barnea
- Prof. Natan Bornstein
- President Israeli Neurological Association
- natanb@szmc.org.il
- Pnina Rosenzweig
- CEO at Neeman, Stroke Survivors Organization
- neemanpninar@gmail.com
Italy
- Ettore Nicolini
- Paola Santalucia
- Prof. Danilo Toni
- Italian Stroke Association - Associazione Italiana Ictus (ISA-AII)
- danilo.toni@uniroma1.it
- Dr. Massimo Del Sette
- Italian Stroke Association - Associazione Italiana Ictus (ISA-AII)
- massimo.del.sette@galliera.it
- Fabrizio Pennacchi
- A.L.I.Ce. Associazioni per la Lotta all'Ictus Cerebrale - Stroke Support Organisation
- Fabrizio.Pennacchi@gmail.com
Kazakhstan
- Adilbekov Yerzhan
- Kazakhstan League of Stroke specialists
- Sabina Medukhanova
- Head of the Coordination Center in Kazakhstan
- Dr. Zauresh Akhmetzhanova
- Chief specialist of "Republican coordination centre for stroke problems
- zauresa@yandex.ru
Kosovo
- Dr. Dren Boshnjaku
- Kosovo Society of Neurology
- drenboshnjaku@yahoo.com
- Dr. Fisnik Jashari
- Kosovo Society of Neurology
- fisnikjashari@yahoo.com
Kyrgyzstan
- Dr. Djamal Turgumbaev
- Chief of Neurology 3 Department of National Hospital under Ministry of Health
- t.jamal@mail.ru
- Dr. Elmira Mamytova
- Head of Neurology and Medical genetic Department, Kyrgyz State Medical Academy
- elmiramamytova@yahoo.com
- Dr. Kunduz Karbozova
- Assistant on Neurology and Medical genetic Department, Kyrgyz State Medical Academy
- Karbozova89@mail.ru
Latvia
- Prof. Evija Miglane
- President of Latvian Stroke Society
- evija.miglane@stradini.lv
- Dr. Guntis Karelis
- Latvian Stroke Society
- guntis.karelis@gmail.com
Lithuania
- Prof. Dalius Jatuzis
- President of Lithuanian Stroke Association Professor in Neurology at Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine
- dalius.jatuzis@santa.lt
- Dr. Aleksandras Vilionskis
- Member of the Board of Lithuanian Stroke Association Associate Professor in Neurology at Vilnius University Faculty of Medicine
- aleksandras.vilionskis@rvul.lt
Luxembourg
- Dr. Monique Reiff
- Service de Neurologie Centre Hospitalier de Luxembourg
- Reiff.Monique@chl.lu
Malta
- Maria Bonello
- Neurologist, MD MRCP(UK) (Neurology) FEBN, Mater Dei Hospital
- maria.bonello.2@gov.mt
- Dr. Maria Mallia
- Neurologist, Mater Dei Hospital
- mariamallia@live.co.uk
Montenegro
- Dr. Sandra Vujovic
- President of the Montenegrin Stroke Association
- sandrinapg@gmail.com
- Dr. Milovan Roganovic
- Montenegrin Neurological Association
- milroganovic@gmail.com
North Macedonia
- Gordana Dimeska
- Certified Stroke Nurse, Macedonian Stroke Association - University Clinic of Neurology
- Dr. Elena Lichkova
- Neurologist, Clinical hospital, Neurology department, Shtip, North Macedonia, Board member of the Macedonian Stroke Association
- eedrovska@yahoo.com
- Dr. Maja Bozinovska Smicheska
- Neurologist, Special hospital "St. Erasmo", Ohrid, North Macedonia, President of the Macedonian organization for a fight against stroke (SSO) and Board member of the Macedonian Stroke Association (President)
- majabozoh35@gmail.com
- Prof. Anita Arsovska
- Neurologist, University Clinic of Neurology, University "Ss. Cyril and Methodius"-Faculty of Medicine, Skopje, North Macedonia, President of the Macedonian Stroke Association
- anita70mk@yahoo.com
Northern Ireland
- Dr Ivan Wiggam
- Interim Clinical Lead, NI Stroke Network
- ivan.wiggam@belfasttrust.hscni.net
- Fiona Quigg
- NI Stroke Programme Lead
- fiona.quigg@hscni.net
- Sarah Belson
Norway
- Agnethe Eltoft
- Norwegian Stroke Organisation
- Dr. Annette Fromm
- Norwegian Stroke Organisation
- atfm@helse-bergen.no
Poland
- Michal Karlinski
- Dr. Adam Kobayashi
- adamkobayashi@gmail.com
Portugal
- Diana Aguiar de Sousa
- Dr. Gustavo Santo
- Sociedade Portuguesa do AVC - National Stroke Association
- Dr. Elsa Azevedo
- Programa Nacional para as Doenças Cérebro-Cardiovasculares - Cerebro and Cardiovascular Diseases National Program
- elsaazevedo@dgs.min-saude.pt
- Diana Wong Ramos
- Portugal AVC – Stroke Support Organsation
- dianawong76@gmail.com
- Dr. Ana Catarina Fonseca
- Sociedade Portuguesa do AVC - National Stroke Association
- catarinagfonseca@gmail.com
- Dr. Ana Nunes
- Portugal AVC - Stroke Support Organisation
- anapaivanunes@gmail.com
Ireland
- Frances Horgan
- Associate Professor of Physiotherapy at the School of Physiotherapy, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI)
- Molly Manning
- Lecturer in Speech and language therapy - School of Allied Health and Health Research Institute, University of Limerick
- Dr. Rachael Doyle
- Irish Heart Foundation Council of Stroke
- rachael.doyle@hse.ie
- Prof. Ronan Collins
- Clinical Lead National Stroke Programme
- ronan.collins@tuh.ie
Moldova
- Emerei Zota
- Dumitru Cernobrov
- Prof. Stanislav Groppa
- Stroke Association from Republic of Moldova
- stgroppa@gmail.com
Romania
- Elena Oana Terecoasa
- Dr. Cristina Tiu
- Head of Stroke Unit in the University Hospital Bucharest Romanian Society of Neurology
- cristinatiu@yahoo.com
Russia
- Prof. Alla Guekht
- Moscow Research and Clinical Center for Neuropsychiatry
- guekht@gmail.com
Scotland
- Neil Muir
- Mary Joan MacLeod
- Sarah Belson
Serbia
- Ivan Milojevic
- Dr. Željko Živanović
- Faculty of Medicine University in Novi Sad Head of the Clinic of Neurology, Clinical Centre of Vojvodina
- drzzivanovic79@gmail.com
Slovakia
- Prof. Peter Turčáni
- turcani1@gmail.com
- Dr. Vladimir Nosal
- President of Slovak Stroke Society
- Vnosal@gmail.com
- Prof. Zuzana Gdovinova
- Head of Department, Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, P.J. Safarik University Košice
- z.gdovin@gmail.com
Slovenia
- Dr. Zvan Bojana
- President of the National Stroke Society at the Slovenian Medical Association
- bojana.zvan@kclj.si
Spain
- Dr. Maria del Mar Freijo
- Spanish Society of Neurology: Stroke group - Coordinator
- marfreijo1064@icloud.com
- Elena Lopez-Cancio
- Spanish Society of Neurology: Stroke group - Secretary
- elenacancio@gmail.com
Sweden
- Prof. Mia von Euler
- Chair, Swedish Stroke Register
- mia.von-euler@oru.se
Switzerland
- Dr. Timo Kahles
- Swiss Stroke Society
- Timo.Kahles@ksa.ch
- Prof. Krassen Nedeltchev
- President Swiss Stroke Society
- krassen.nedeltchev@ksa.ch
Netherlands
- Dr. Bert Vrijhoef
- Dutch Stroke Knowledge Network
- b.vrijhoef@kennisnetwerkcva.nl
- Dr. Vincent Kwa
- Dutch Association of Neurology, Working Group Neurovascular diseases
- I.H.Kwa@olvg.nl
Turkey
- Prof. Attila Özcan Özdemir
- Professor at Osman Gazi University, Eskisehir
- atillaozcanozdemir@gmail.com
- Prof. Mehmet Topcuoglu
- Professor at Hacettepe University, Ankara President, Turkish Cerebrovascular Diseases Society
- matopcuoglu@yahoo.com
Ukraine
- Dr. Dmytro Lebedynets
- Feofaniya Clinical Hospital
- Prof. Maryna Guliaieva
- Prof. Yuriy Flomin
- Universal Clinic ‘Oberig’, Head of the Stroke and Neurorehabilitation Unit
- flomin.yuriy@gmail.com
Wales
- Christine Owen
- Sarah Belson
Spain
Sorry, no Coordinators are available in this Country at the moment...
National Coordinator Role
The following tasks fall under the responsibility of each SAP-E National Coordinator
- Stakeholder analysis
- Form a working group/committee – the national SAP-E network – through the stakeholder analysis
- Gathering data/lived experience and its analysis to support the demand for improvement
- Communicate to public, media, and policy makers
- Act as point of communication for the SAP-E Steering Committee
- Give advice on the best approach to communicate with national policy and decision makers
- Communicate with the Ministry of Health to gain support for the SAP-E implementation including an official signing of the Declaration
- Development of a national stroke plan
- Upload national summary data
- Chair the national auditing committee to ensure annual national auditing and benchmarking
Regional Spokespeople
While we act globally within SAP-E, best practice and exchange happens on a regional level between countries with similar backgrounds and pre-requisites to facilitate benchmarking on a more relatable level. Each of the 4 regional groups — East, South, West, North — has designated a Regional Spokesperson who is integrated into the Steering Committee.
Spokespeople are expected to lead and support their respective groups and provide regional insight at the SAP-E Steering Committee level.
East (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Czech Republic, Georgia, Hungary, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Russia, Slovakia, Ukraine)
• Ales Tomek (Czech Republic)
South (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Greece, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Malta, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Turkey)
• Hrvoje Budincevic (Croatia)
West (Austria, Belgium, Catalonia, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Portugal, Spain, Switzerland)
• Gustavo Santo (Portugal)
North (Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Northern Ireland, Norway, Republic of Ireland, Scotland, Sweden, Wales)
• Aleksandras Vilionskis (Lithuania)