POSITION STATEMENT

I have developed skills and competencies through various roles including coalition-building, conflict management, organization and coordination, advocacy, and change management. These have built upon my personal core values of empathy, integrity, inclusion, and collaboration. My past leadership roles have included owning a private pediatric practice, serving a term on the AOTA Board of Directors, and various clinical, managerial, academic, advocacy/policy, and research roles. I currently teach Leadership and Management courses and serve as the Admissions Director of an Occupational Therapy program. There I also helped obtain and co-direct a $3.25 million HRSA grant of scholarships for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

I have coordinated and presented multiple workshops, mentored students and practitioners, reviewed and coauthored AOTA official documents, and served with my state association for multiple terms. My experiences have also included national and international publications and presentations on topics such as health equity, social determinants of health, health care legislation, and holistic admissions. I hope to leverage these experiences to help move the profession forward through collaboration, innovation, and strategic partnerships. I also aspire to catalyze meaningful change through promoting leadership and advocacy, growth as a valued and inclusive profession, and equitable access to occupational therapy education and services to meet societal needs.