Aaltje founded the Stichting Papageno (Papageno Foundation) in 1998. As a Master of Education in Arts and as a mother of a child with autism, she advocates development and stimulation programmes for children with autism. As an advisor and board member of Papageno, she is the driving force behind a large number of projects developed and offered by the foundation In 2015 the Papageno House, a house which provides supervised accommodation and work for young adults with autism in Laren was opened.She is also involved in, among others, setting up a national centre of expertise for early diagnostics and intervention for very young children with developmental challenges Autismejongekind.nl. Recently her memoires ‘Om wie je bent’ were published at Ambo/Anthos.She frequently delivers guest lectures and gives talks in the Netherlands and abroad.Aaltje is married to conductor Jaap van Zweden. Together they advocate children with autism and promote the worldwide initiatives of the Papageno Foundation.Specialties: special educationart education higher educationautismnon-profitinclusion