Professionals at work for you
Therapists
Patrick Jordan
“The unique contact and remarkable exchange between humans and dolphins inspires me daily.”
Merel Schuringa
“After work I come home with such a positive feeling, the patients and the dolphins make my work so special.”
Gerwin Bijker
“It is an honor working together with all these beautiful participants, as well as our amazing dolphins. I wouldn’t miss this for all the gold in the world.”
Dolphin Trainers
Romy van Leeuwen
Why have you choose to work at CDTC?
I started as an intern in 2009/2010 in the dolphin trainer department. After a wonderful time it was time to go home again. I couldn’t get CDTC out of my head and after about a year I got the opportunity to come back and work as a dolphin trainer.
In which way do you contribute in making the difference?
I am a dedicated employee/person who is giving a 100% for the dolphins in our care.
Krista Krijger
Why have you choose to work at CDTC ?
I have always been fascinated by the ocean and have a lot of love for marine mammals. During my study I gained a lot of experience with different (sea) animals and with finishing my study, animal assisted therapy got my attention. It’s just wonderful how we work together and get the best out of a human-animal relationship. At CDTC it all comes together.
In which way do you contribute in making the difference ?
By doing my very best to make sure the dolphins are taken care of in the best way possible. By doing so, we have a happy and healthy dolphin, a happy trainer and therefore we can both give our best during therapy sessions. Which hopefully results in us contributing to a positive change and a loving memory to bring back home in their hearts.
Tess van Sulten
Ever since I was a little girl, I dreamed of working with animals and people together. There is no better combination than working with these fascinating animals in combination with the therapy. To see what the dolphins can contribute to therapy makes me very happy and I am glad to be a part of it.
Dolphins
Nubia
Nubia is the sister of Chabelita and Samí. She is very playful and enjoys all the attention she gets from her patients. You can recognize Nubia by her short and pointy rostrum.
Chabelita
Chabelita is a young female dolphin who is very energetic. She is always eager to learn new stuff and is very cuddly. Chabelita is curious and loves to chase fish and crabs. She is the daughter of Bonnie and the big sister of Nubia and Samí.
Bonnie
Bonnie is the mother of Chabelita, Nubia and Samí. Her motherly skills fit our program very well. She is very kind and sweet for our patients. You can recognize Bonnie by her big round eyes and her belly full of grey spots.
Management
Kirsten Kuhnert
“We are here to make the difference. That’s what we had in mind, when we started building CDTC. And that is what we carried forward. We’re making that difference for hundreds of participants every year, every month, every week, every day.”
Jeannette Pot
Why have you choose to work at CDTC ?
Via my work as an executive assistant and HR at the Curaçao Sea Aquarium, I got involved with the CDTC and I just never left☺
In which way do you contribute in making the difference ?
We can only make a difference for our families together as a team; and as a team we go all the way to try to make everything possible for them. Thankful to work with such passionate and enthusiastic colleagues.
Office
Alette Borger
It is a great honor to be able to manage a special organization such as CDTC.
An organization with highly skilled professionals, each in their field, together providing a very special and effective program that support each participant and his/her family to grow towards a next step in their development. Being a witness and able to contribute to this is a very valuable asset to me.
It inspires me to support and coaching others, providing the best possible organization, to create the foundation for our highly qualified team to be able to perform at their best, in order to deliver the best results in therapy. With the goal to make a difference in the lives of our participants.
“Together we are here to make the difference”
Photo/Video
Giscard Johannes
I chose to work here at the CDTC because I have seen the influence that this therapy has had on the patients who come here and undergo this process with us. Also, how much care and attention go into the dolphins [which for me is also super important] was a big factor in my decision to work here. Thus, to see with how much enthusiasm and love the dolphin trainers attend to the dolphins it was a no-brainer. I have always loved animals so the opportunity to work with these beautiful animals every day and to learn so much about and from them is truly a dream. The therapy style here is so different than what you are using in conventional therapy. The time invested in each patient and the work I see each therapist doing for every single patient is quite remarkable. It is this love and dedication to every individual that really makes a difference here at the CDTC. Being able to document this experience as a part of the Photo & Video department is one way, I contribute to making each experience here unique.
