our team
Michaela Váňová
Director of Vlaštovka and Child Life Specialist
Michaela studied acting at the Prague Conservatoire and Drama education at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague — DAMU (MgA., PhD.), where she now teaches. She has also taught at the Department of Pre-Primary and Primary Education at the Faculty of Education, Charles University.
As the director, she was one of the founders of Vlaštovka. Alongside leading the organisation, she also works as a child life specialist. She has completed courses with ICPCN and EPEC-Pediatrics (Levels 1, 2 and 3), as well as Gestalt Theatre in Education. She learned child life from her international colleagues and through university courses at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB).
Academically, she focuses on the role of play and theatre in palliative care and leads seminars on child life. When she is not flying with Vlaštovka, she can be found wandering in the mountains, jumping on a trampoline or dancing.
KLÁRA ŠTOURAČOVÁ
Child Life Specialist, Department of Long-Term Intensive Care, Hořovice Hospital (AKESO Holding)
Klára studied in the United States, where she earned a Master of Science degree from a university in St. Louis. For more than ten years, she has worked in international technology companies, focusing on business scaling, building healthy workplace cultures, and talent development.
She also helped establish the educational project makeITtoday, which helps children discover creativity through programming.
Today, she works as a child life specialist at Hořovice Hospital, where she supports children in the long-term intensive care department. Thanks to the support of Vlaštovka, she completed the ICPCN course Introduction to Children’s Palliative Care and also took part in an internship at a children’s hospital in St. Louis.
In her free time, she loves travelling, spending time in nature, and recharging through movement. She enjoys board games and everything connected to art — which brings her joy, calm, and new ideas.
RŮŽENA ŠTANCLOVÁ
Child Life Specialist, Long-Term Intensive Care Unit, Hořovice Hospital (AKESO Holding)
Růženka studied at the Department of Alternative and Puppet Theatre at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague — DAMU (BcA.). She works as a drama education teacher at ZUŠ Prosek and as a theatre educator at Minor Theatre.
As a child life specialist, she now works at Hořovice Hospital, where she supports children in the long-term intensive care department. Under Vlaštovka’s wing, she completed the ICPCN course Introduction to Children’s Palliative Care.
She likes to unwind by playing board games, going for walks in the forest, and baking.
ŠÁRKA VLTAVSKÁ
Child Life Specialist for Families in Home Care
Šárka studied special education with a focus on dramatherapy in Olomouc (Mgr.). She is currently completing her master’s degree in drama education at the Theatre Faculty of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague — DAMU. She has worked as a facilitator of prevention programmes at Sdružení D in Olomouc, as a drama education teacher at a leisure-time centre, and as a leader of children’s hobby groups with the organisation Kroužky in Olomouc.
She currently works at an art school in Liberec, where she teaches literary and dramatic arts. Alongside her work with Vlaštovka, she enjoys singing, theatre, playing the piano, and sports.
Fundraising & Donor Relations
EVA KUBIŠTOVÁ
Eva studied economics, but already during her studies she felt that work with a direct impact on people — work that helps change the world for the better — made much more sense to her.
Later, she decided to bring together her experience in working with children, mediation, and event organisation, and develop it fully within the non-profit sector. It was precisely this combination of communication, relationship-building and a meaningful purpose that led her to fundraising, which she now focuses on fully.
She enjoys finding ways to secure support for meaningful projects, building long-term partnerships, and raising awareness of the importance of child life in healthcare. After all, we never know what life may bring — and when we ourselves might need Vlaštovka to fly to us.
MICHAEL VÁCHA
PR & Communications, Social Media
Michael has many years of experience in the non-profit sector. Through this work, he has gained experience in communicating with people and communities — something he enjoys developing further.
He works with illustration, photography, video and writing, because he likes telling stories. He also continues to work on his own projects that feel meaningful to him. He likes to be in places where people care about those who are more vulnerable, and about one another. For Michael, work needs to have meaning — which is why he decided to follow Vlaštovka on its journeys and become part of them.
VERONIKA RUBÁŠOVÁ
Production Manager for Na každý chvilce záleží
Veronika holds a bachelor’s degree in Adult Education and Personnel Management from the Faculty of Arts, Charles University. She is currently completing a bachelor’s degree in Korean Philology at Palacký University in Olomouc and plans to continue with a master’s degree in the same field.
During her studies, she gained experience in production, especially through cooperation with the Turnov-based theatre group NOTDIS, as well as through organising the podcast Hlava v pohodě, created as part of a project of the same name focused on mental health.
She enjoys spending her free time with friends, in nature, making music and dancing. She currently uses her production skills at Vlaštovka, where she coordinates performances and promotion of our theatre production Na každý chvilce záleží.
Board Members