Our Senior Leadership Team

Our leadership structure positions us so that we can grasp the opportunities for occupational therapy and for us as a membership body

Introducing our Senior Leadership Team

Together, we're focused on our members' needs, delivering on our strategic priorities and living our values.

Gary Waltham

Chief Executive

I’m here to work with our members to make RCOT the best it can be – a professional home that listens, learns and leads together. By collaborating and embracing innovation, we’ll ensure occupational therapy has the strongest voice across health, education and social care.’

Gary is RCOT's Chief Executive, bringing a leadership style rooted in collaboration, openness and shared purpose. With more than two decades' experience in the professional health sector, he is passionate about ensuring members' voices shape RCOT's direction and strengthening the organisation's impact and influence on behalf of the profession.

Gary believes RCOT is strongest when staff and members work together to champion occupational therapy's vital role across health, education and social care. His focus is on strengthening the profession's profile and influence, supporting innovation and ensuring RCOT delivers meaningful impact for members, the people they support and wider society

Gary’s first priority is listening to you. Discover how you can connect and share your ideas.

Find out how to connect with Gary

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More about Gary

Before joining RCOT Gary was the Chief Executive of the College of Sexual and Reproductive Health (CoSRH). Since he joined in November 2021 he launched a new three-year strategy focusing on how the CoSRH enables its members to deliver high quality patient care; oversaw a comprehensive governance review; developed the organisations remit outside of the UK and delivered a digital transformation programme.

He led the organisation from being a faculty, into a college status, securing the visibility and influence this brings.

Prior to this, he was the Executive Director at the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists for six years, where he established a National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline development centre. Gary holds a BSc in Sociology and an MSc in Human Resources.  

Satvinder Reyatt

Deputy Chief Executive

I'm passionate about creating the conditions that help people and organisations thrive. When people, purpose and performance come together, we can achieve extraordinary things."

Satvinder is RCOT's Deputy Chief Executive, providing strategic leadership across the organisation and ensuring we have the people, systems, governance and capabilities needed to deliver our vision and priorities. She leads the Business Enablement and Compliance Directorate, bringing together expertise across people, finance, governance, compliance and organisational development to support colleagues and enable organisational success.

Her focus is on providing strong foundations and clear frameworks that enable a sustainable, high-performing organisation, helping ensure RCOT can deliver the greatest possible impact for members, the profession and the people they support.

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More about Satvinder

Satvinder is a Chartered Fellow of the CIPD, a qualified executive coach and trustee at a local hospice. With significant leadership experience across health and social care, higher education and membership organisations, she has successfully led major transformation programmes, organisational development initiatives and culture change programmes.

She is passionate about building inclusive, values-led organisations where people can thrive, develop and perform at their best. Her expertise spans people leadership, organisational effectiveness, governance and strategic change, helping organisations navigate complexity while remaining focused on their purpose and impact.

Gareth Groarke

Interim Director of Membership Engagement

I look forward to supporting, engaging and enabling our members to continue to make a vital difference in their work across the UK.'

Gareth’s role is to transform awareness of occupational therapy, so it is recognised, understood and respected across the UK. His focus is on building the profile of our profession, engaging a wide range of audiences with insight-led and creative approaches.

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More about Gareth

Gareth has vast and varied experience working across numerous membership organisations including CoSRH, IFoA, RSA and RNIB, and with a background in marketing, events and digital. He is excited to be able to add his experience to the sector-leading work the RCOT is known for.

He also brings a strong personal connection to the world of occupational therapy; and an understanding of both the vital work that our members deliver every day, and their priorities and challenges.

Gareth enjoys the personal occupation of outdoor swimming.

Karin Orman

Director of Practice, Innovation and Advocacy

"I love being an occupational therapist. Supporting people to accept, adapt and achieve so they can make the most of life. Who wouldn't want to be an OT?"

Karin leads RCOT's Practice, Innovation and Advocacy Directorate, ensuring occupational therapy has a strong voice and influence nationally and internationally. Working with members, external stakeholders and partners, her teams strengthen the evidence base for occupational therapy, advance research and innovation, shape and assure the quality of pre-registration education, support professional development, and lead external affairs, communications and advocacy activity to raise the profile and influence of the profession.

Her focus is on ensuring occupational therapists have the evidence, opportunities and support they need to thrive throughout their careers, while strengthening the profession's profile, influence and impact across health, social care, education and communities.

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More about Karin

Karin is a registered occupational therapist and has worked at RCOT for over ten years in a range of leadership roles.

Before joining RCOT, Karin worked in mental health for more than 20 years across a variety of inpatient and community settings. She also worked with the South East Strategic Health Authority and as an independent practitioner, providing training and supervision services.

Karin is passionate about strengthening the profession's evidence base, increasing recognition of occupational therapy and ensuring occupational therapists are influential in the conversations and decisions that shape health, care and wellbeing across the UK and internationally.

Outside work, Karin loves being outdoors. Whatever the weather or season, you'll often find her walking in the countryside or swimming in local reservoirs and the sea.

Thea Healy

Associate Director of Advocacy and Communications

Occupational therapy has a vital role to play in tackling many of society's biggest health and care challenges. I'm committed to helping ensure that role is recognised, understood and championed."

Thea leads RCOT's advocacy and communications activity, bringing together campaigns, media, social media and strategic communications to strengthen the profile and influence of occupational therapy across the UK. She works closely with members, partners and decision-makers to ensure the profession has a strong, trusted and influential voice.

Her focus is on developing insight-led campaigns and communications that raise awareness of occupational therapy, support members to advocate for the profession and help influence policy and system-level change. Thea is passionate about connecting communications, advocacy and evidence to create greater understanding of the difference occupational therapy makes to people's lives.

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More about Thea

Thea has worked in communications, campaigns and public affairs for more than 30 years across membership organisations, higher education and FTSE 100 organisations. Before joining RCOT, she held a number of senior communications roles at Serco and Royal Holloway, University of London.

Since starting to work at RCOT in 2020 she has led the transformation of OT Week and the organisation's wider campaigning approach, helping to build greater awareness and understanding of occupational therapy among the public, policymakers and stakeholders. Her work has contributed to a number of award-winning campaigns and communications programmes.

Outside work, Thea enjoys exploring the UK and beyond in her campervan with her dog, Bertie. Whether it's a summer festival, a weekend escape or a longer road trip, she's always looking for her next adventure.

CJ Odeleye (FCCA)

Associate Director of Finance

Strong financial stewardship is about more than numbers. It's about ensuring we have the resources, insight and resilience to deliver the greatest possible impact for our members and the profession."

CJ leads RCOT's finance and commercial function, providing strategic financial leadership and ensuring the organisation's resources are managed effectively to support our vision and priorities. He works closely with colleagues across RCOT to provide financial insight, strengthen decision-making and help ensure we deliver maximum value for members.

His focus is on building a financially sustainable organisation, supporting long-term planning and developing commercial opportunities that help strengthen RCOT's impact, while ensuring robust financial management that enables us to invest in what matters most for the profession and the people we serve.

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More about CJ

CJ is a Fellow of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA) and brings extensive experience in financial leadership across not-for-profit and membership organisations. Before joining RCOT in 2023 as Head of Finance, he held senior finance roles at organisations including the Royal College of Radiologists and Trinity House. He was appointed Associate Director of Finance in 2025.

Alongside his professional role, CJ is actively involved in the wider finance profession and has participated in ACCA's Leaders of Tomorrow programme. He is passionate about the role finance plays in helping organisations remain resilient, responsible and focused on delivering meaningful impact.

Outside work, CJ is a keen musician and plays piano as part of his church band. He is also passionate about supporting and advocating for neurodivergent young people and is committed to helping create opportunities for them to thrive and reach their potential.