Full Biographies

Dr. Marcus Teunissen, DBA

Chief Executive Officer

Dr. Marcus Teunissen is an international healthcare executive whose career has been dedicated to strengthening mental healthcare systems, advancing evidence-based treatment, and building sustainable models of care for vulnerable populations.

With almost four decades of experience across specialised mental healthcare, addiction treatment, organisational leadership, and humanitarian collaboration, he has consistently focused on one central principle: that high-quality healthcare should combine scientific excellence with compassion, integrity, and long-term sustainability.

In 2026, he completed his Doctor of Business Administration (DBA) in Healthcare Management, building upon earlier postgraduate qualifications in healthcare management and public health. His doctoral research explored leadership, organisational effectiveness, and sustainable healthcare systems—principles that continue to guide the strategic development of GIST-T.

As Chief Executive Officer of GIST-T, Dr. Teunissen is committed to building international partnerships that empower communities affected by conflict, disaster, and adversity to develop their own long-term capacity for trauma recovery through research, education, clinical excellence, and local leadership.

He believes that the greatest humanitarian legacy is not the number of programmes delivered, but the strength of the institutions, professionals, and communities that remain.

Rolf Carriere

Founder, Global Initiative for Stress and Trauma Treatment (GIST-T)

Rolf Carriere is the founder of the Global Initiative for Stress and Trauma Treatment (GIST-T), an organization dedicated to expanding access to effective and evidence-informed approaches to stress and trauma treatment worldwide.

Rolf began his international career as a development economist, working in countries including Indonesia, Bhutan, Burma (Myanmar), Bangladesh, and India. He initially worked in agriculture with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Indonesia before joining UNICEF, where he focused on nutrition and health and later served in leadership roles across several UNICEF country offices in Asia.

During more than three decades within the United Nations system, Rolf developed extensive experience in international development, public health, nutrition, and humanitarian work. He later became the first Executive Director of the Global Alliance for Improved Nutrition (GAIN) in Geneva and co-founded the International Council for the Control of Iodine Deficiency Disorders (now the Iodine Global Network).

Following his retirement from the United Nations, Rolf dedicated himself increasingly to raising global awareness of effective trauma treatment and the potential of EMDR to contribute to healing and peace. His work has focused particularly on making effective trauma interventions accessible to communities where specialist mental health resources are limited.

In 2016, Rolf founded the Global Initiative for Stress and Trauma Treatment (GIST-T), with a vision of strengthening local capacity to address stress and trauma and making evidence-informed treatment more accessible to vulnerable populations around the world.

GIST-T was established with the support and encouragement of the late Dr. Francine Shapiro, the originator of EMDR therapy. Her pioneering work, together with Rolf’s experience in international development and humanitarian settings, helped shape the organization’s early vision and commitment to expanding access to effective trauma care.

Rolf continues to advocate for approaches that bring effective trauma treatment closer to the communities that need it most, with the broader goal of contributing to healthier, more resilient, and more peaceful communities worldwide.

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The Board

The Board makes all decisions concerning GIST-T activities and finances. All members offer their services pro bono. 

Legal Status

The Global Initiative for Stress and Trauma Treatment (GIST-T) is an incorporated association in Switzerland (Statutes of Association). It is in the process of incorporating in France, Netherlands and United Kingdom.

Advisory Groups

GIST-T Technical Advisory Group (TAG)

From 2016 to 2019, the TAG supported GIST-T’s early growth with quarterly meetings, expert advice and encouragement. Their contribution remains deeply appreciated.

TSR Technical Advisory Group (2016–2019, Founding Members)

During the first four years of start-up (2016-2019), GIST-T was very lucky to have advice and support from many members of the TAG which met quarterly. Their experience and encouragement were, and still are, much appreciated. This group is for cutting-edge mental health experts engaged in design, promotion, training, development or research regarding work related to traumatic stress relief and PTSD treatment. They are pioneers in shifting this paradigm.

• Femke Bannink
• Esly Carvalho
• Sushma Mehrotra
• Ron Ockwell
• Ian Barron
• Derek Farrell
• Mark Nickerson
• Elan Shapiro

TSR Technical Advisory Group (Current Members)

This group is for professional therapists actively involved in implementing, developing and evaluating TSR. It has been established to facilitate information exchange, research and study findings and offer mutual support among members.

• Yesim Arikut-Treece
• Cécile Bizouerne
• Esly Carvalho
• Anne Dewailly
• Shiraz Farrand
• Elia Gimenez Fernandez
• Fanny Guidot
• Silvia Guz
• Kinga Komarzynska
• Sonny Provetto
• Adeline Pupat