OT24Vx2016

Theme: Making it Together

27-28 October 2016 UTC
Conference Program

In this program you will find the schedule of sessions and presenters, some tips
to get ready and more information to help you choose which sessions to
attend. The links to the rooms are available on our website for access.

Special thanks to Eastern Washington University for being the technical hosts
and Boston University for hosting the event

Introduction
OT4OT is a group of six occupational therapists originating from Australia,
Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom, and the United States who are
passionate about using online technology to advance entry-level education, on
going professional development, research, and practice. As volunteers we
coordinate and run activities for the overall benefit of our profession. For more
about us please visit our website www.ot4ot.com
What is OT24Vx?
OT24Vx stands for Occupational Therapy 24-hour Virtual eXchange. The 24hour fully online and free event is designed to showcase the important work
being done by occupational therapists around the globe and to provide an
opportunity for occupational therapists to make global connections.
This free and wholly online conference provides equitable access to knowledge
sharing activities, which was important to us as we were aware that for some
occupational therapists attending a conference could cost as much as a whole
years salary.
Therefore, in a world where technology is becoming more and more
ubiquitous, many occupational therapists are gaining techno-confidence and
thus the idea of delivering a 24-hour, free, real time, online conference for
knowledge sharing was born. We chose World OT Day in 2010 as our first 24hour Virtual Exchange (24Vx) and following its success, we have held the event
annually since then.
In 2014 OT24Vx was the first event to be run in partnership with the World
Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT) and we are honoured to be
collaborating with the WFOT again in 2016.
In 2016 we will again provide an Unconference Space; a place to visit,
network and continue your discussions with like-minded colleagues across the
world. The virtual room will be open throughout the 24 hours and can be
accessed using this link: http://tinyurl.com/24VxUnConference-room16

Some things you can do to prepare for OT24Vx16

1. Follow link for orientation to Webinar system in Blackboard Collaborate
2. Visit the Participants Practise Room http://tinyurl.com/vx16try-out to
check that your computer system is working and maybe even meet an
international colleague!
3. Start tweeting and dont stop the hash tag for this year is #OT24Vx16
or #OTvx16
4. Links to join each session will be available on our website
http://ot4ot.com/ot24vx.html
Evaluation
We would also be most grateful if you would take the time to complete our
short evaluation survey after the event - we will also have the link in each of
the sessions for you too.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/otvx16

Time Zones:
Some help with Time Zones the best link is to go to the World clock converter
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
Place, Time, Day, & Date for Session 1 - Opening Ceremony
Place

Time

Day

Date

Time zone

UTC

4:00pm

Thursday 27 October

Coordinated Universal Time

Los Angeles

9:00am

Thursday 27 October

PDT

New York

12:00
midday

Thursday 27 October

EDT

London

5:00pm

Thursday 27 October

BST

Budapest

6.00pm

Thursday 27 October

CEST

Cape Town

6:00pm

Thursday 27 October

SAST

Mumbai

9:30pm

Thursday 27 October

IST

Beijing

Friday
12:00
midnight

28 October

CST

Perth

Friday
12:00
midnight

28 October

AWST

Brisbane

2:00am

Friday

28 October

AEDT

Sydney

3:00am

Friday

28 October

AEST

Auckland

5:00am

Friday

28 October

NZDT

Schedule of Presenters and Session Times: http://ot4ot.com/ot24vx.html

Place, Time, Day, & Date for Session 24-Closing Ceremony

Some help with Time Zones the best link is to go to the World clock converter
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
Place

Time

Day

Date

Time zone

UTC

3:00pm

Friday

27 October

Coordinated Universal Time

Los Angeles

8:00am

Friday

27 October

PDT

New York

11:00am Friday

27 October

EDT

London

4:00pm

Friday

27 October

BST

Budapest

5.00pm

Friday

27 October

CEST

Cape Town

5:00pm

Friday

27 October

SAST

Mumbai

8:30pm

Friday

27 October

IST

Beijing

11:00pm Saturday 28 October

CST

Perth

11:00pm Saturday 28 October

AWST

Brisbane

1:00am

Saturday 28 October

AEDT

Sydney

2:00am

Saturday 28 October

AEST

Auckland

4:00am

Saturday 28 October

NZDT

Schedule of Presenters and Session Times: http://ot4ot.com/ot24vx.html

Schedule of OT24Vx16

1.1

Time - UTC

Title

Presenter(s)

Abstract

1600 - UTC

OT24Vx16 Opening
Ceremony & Welcome

Karen Jacobs

Welcome to the seventh annual OT24Vx

Christopher Altiero

George Barton harnessed the 'maker culture' in creating the first occupational therapy private
enterprise named "Consolation House." This presentation will assist learners in applying this
model and vision for modern private practice. Educational Objectives: 1) Understand how the
Arts and Crafts philosophy influenced the founding of Consolation House. 2) Analyze how
Barton's personal belief system influenced his vision. 3) Translate the Consolation House model
into a working plan for a successful 21st century practice.

Orli Weisser-Pike,
Karen Jacobs,
Jennifer Kaldenberg,
Naomi Ferziger

Globally, there are not enough occupational therapists with expertise in low vision. We illustrate
how Ono Academic College (Israel) and Boston Universitys Occupational Therapy Departments
created an online course in low vision to begin to meet the needs of practitioners worldwide.
Learning Objectives: 1) Describe the international collaboration process to address the workforce
needs for occupational therapists with expertise in low vision rehabilitation 2) List the content in
an on-line course in low vision rehabilitation for occupational therapists 3) Identify international
resources for information on vision loss.

Using consolation
house as a model for
21st Century private
practice

1.2

2.1

1700 - UTC

International
collaboration in OT
education in low vision
rehab

2.2

Building Connections
through cardboard
collaborations

Pam Stephenson &

Carolyn Moore

This presentation describes an innovative interprofessional project where OT and PT students use
cardboard to design and fabricate adaptive devices for local children with disabilities. Students
collaborate with families, schools and other community partners to design and produce adaptive
devices that maximize children's participation and engagement in activities. The devices are
customized to fit the specific needs of each child. Cardboard devices are surprisingly durable,
more personalized and less expensive than commercially available options. Objectives: 1)
Understand the benefits and challenges of using cardboard to design and construct individualized
adaptive devices for children 2) Describe the interprofessional skills that OT and PT students
develop through hands-on group learning activities 3) Understand the process of collaboration
within the context of designing and fabricating individualized adaptive devices for children.

3.1

Access for all: The role

of Telehealth OT in
underserved
populations

Tracey Davis

By the end of this session participants will be able to 1) Identify the role of telehealth in OT; 2)
Know the most appropriate populations for virtual OT services and; 3) Adapt a basic standard OT
session for use in a virtual setting.

Using Telehealth to
Provide Services in

Jennifer Phillips

Through the Affordable Care Act, telehealth delivery will be an innovative way that occupational
therapy practitioners can provide services to various populations in need requiring limited access

3.2

1800 - UTC

Primary Care

4.1

1900 - UTC

Introducing the
therapeutic step
programme

4.2

5.1

5.2

There is no place like

home: Using telehealth
technology to support
a proposed model for
restorative care in the
community for seniors

2000 - UTC

E-Portfolio creation for

public sphere
pedagogy

Development of an
international expert
group for sharing
resources of upper

Kathryn Wise

to do so. By allowing easy access to occupational therapy services, the promotion of occupational
therapy can be achieved through telehealth. This presentation will share the process of delivering
occupational therapy services through telehealth in a primary care family medicine practice. The
process that this author has gone through to promote occupational therapy services in primary
care includes education to the physician, licensing requirements, communication, and internet
access.
Lack of continuation of treatment goals is one causal factor for hospital readmissions for seniors.
This presentation will describe a proposed model for using telehealth technology in the post-acute
care occupational therapy service delivery to assist in the successful transition of a senior from the
hospital to home. Objective 1) Identify opportunities for telehealth in the community to support
seniors to remain in their homes. Objective 2) Discuss best practice occupational therapy services
that assist seniors to remain in their homes Objective 3) Identify policies that help to govern
occupational therapy practice via telehealth technology.

Shelley Margow

The step-up model uses evidence based, integrated interventions to facilitate improved sensory
processing and neurological changes in children with varying diagnosis. The model offers
innovative strategies in a logical sequence to meet the needs of our clients. The presentation
focuses on mid-level neurological concepts requiring therapists to have a solid understanding of
pediatric intervention. Objective 1) Apply an integrated intervention model to facilitate pediatric
treatment in a variety of settings Objective 2) Understand how to integrate higher level sensory
integration concepts into treatment sessions Objective 3) Synthesize how the various sensory
systems influence neurology and daily function

Stephanie Lancaster

Public sphere pedagogy (PSP) is an instructional approach based on social models of reflection and
communities of practice that moves student work into public arenas for the purpose of facilitating
the learning process through dialogue and mutual engagement. In this session, the professional
online portfolio will be presented as a way to allow occupational therapy students participate in
the Makerspace Movement while simultaneously expanding the reach of the teaching and
learning process through PSP. Learning Objectives. 1) Participants will discuss the benefits of
public sphere pedagogy. 2) Participants will view an example of an e-portfolio created by an
occupational therapy student as part of the academic preparation provided in a course in an
occupational therapy program. 3) Participants will name 3 digital tools that can be used to create
e-portfolios.

Debra Latour

An exciting and constantly-changing environment in upper limb prosthetics challenges clinical

teams on a daily basis. Prosthetic devices and control systems, and individuals requirements and
expectations have continually developed over the past several years. To meet, or even exceed
expectations, and to obtain the best outcomes in a coordinated clinical care continuum, therapists

limb absence
worldwide

6.1

2100 - UTC

6.2

7.1

2200 - UTC

7.2

8.1

2300 - UTC

Making Progress
Together

Eleanor Cawley

Making it Together:
4OT Groups
Administrator &
Membership
Guidelines

Eleanor Cawley and

Karen [Williams]
Henderson

How to act more

effectively as change
agents

Annie Carrier and

Damien
Contandriopoulos

need to have foundational skills and knowledge. Our aim is to gather universal best clinical
practice and to provide resources for therapists.
Maker culture and craftism, by definition, incorporate the idea of learning by choice a core
concept in the intrinsic values of occupation. Creating and environment of learning by choice and
a therapist/client partnership in progress monitoring creates an opportunity for therapeutic
literacy. By the end of this discussion the participants will be able to incorporate the concepts of:
1) Therapy by Choice 2) Therapeutic Literacy 3) Therapist/Client Partnership
Devoted occupational therapists around the world have given their free time to administrate an
expanding number of 4OT Facebook groups. The concept of 4OT is to network with other OTs and
those interested in the profession. As we grow, it has become increasingly evident that we
needed to develop standards to maintain true to our profession. Through Facebook polls,
discussions with other admins and the founding members, the following document has been
developed.
A core skill for change agents is the capacity to synthesize, integrate and communicate knowledge
to decision-makers, clinicians and stakeholders in organizations and policy-making arenas. To
make knowledge stick, important lessons can be learned from communication theory and
cognitive psychology, which could be included in occupational therapy curricula. The five core
principles of effective knowledge communication will be presented. Then, participants will discuss
their application by occupational therapists and relevance of including them in entry-level
curricula. Three learning outcomes for the presentation After attending this presentation,
participants will be able to: 1) Explain the five core principles of effective knowledge
communication and associated underlying cognitive processes 2) Discuss practical applications of
these principles in occupational therapists change agent actions 3) Discuss the relevance of
including these principles in occupational therapy entry-level curricula

Making hope visible:

Occupational
Therapists Inquiring
together

Dorit Redlich-Amirav,
Elizabeth Taylor &
Denise Larsen

Although hope is important in health, it is not part of the main curriculum in occupational therapy.
To better understand their own personal and professional way of hoping and how to use hope in
their practice, an interactive course using narrative inquiry methodology was developed for
occupational therapists. Individual and group discussions of the personal, environmental, and
occupational aspects of hope enabled participants to make their experiences of hope visible.
Objectives: After this presentation, participants will 1) be exposed to the concept of hope; 2)
learn a way of teaching hope to occupational therapists; and 3) appreciate the importance of the
group learning

The Use of Quiet Books

with People with Late
Stage Dementia: A

Monique Chabot

People with late stage dementia often exhibit agitation and aggression during daily tasks with
caregivers, especially during uncomfortable activities. Sensory stimulation activities and the
Tailored Activity Program (TAP) have been proven effective at managing negative behaviors

Case Study

through the use of activity-based interventions. This poster utilizes a case study to illustrate the
creation and use of a quiet book to decrease outbursts of agitation and aggression in a person
with late stage dementia. Learning Objectives: 1) Understand the impact of sensory stimulation
and Tailored Activity Program principles in decreasing agitation in people with late stage dementia
2) Apply sensory stimulation and Tailored Activity Program principles to managing behavior
symptoms in people with late stage dementia; 3) Identify the benefit of a quiet book as sensory
stimulation in reducing behaviors and increasing ADL participation in a client with late stage
dementia

8.2

One Game, many users

Rachel Profitt

A number of video games have emerged as potential interventions for clients with various
disabilities and medical conditions. Occupational therapy practitioners frequently adopt new
games, only to find that after a few months it goes unused. There is little integration of the
consumer in the video game development process. This presentation will discuss, through a case
example, how the game development team and the consumer can Do It Together to make a
game for rehabilitation. 1) Describe the role of the consumer in the game development process.
2) List two facilitators and two barriers to collaborating with engineers and computer
programmers in the game development process. 3) Explain the user-centered design process and
provide one example of how it has been utilized in the development of a rehabilitation
technology.

8.3

Wrap up first 8 hours

of OT24Vx16

Susan Burwash &

Karen Jacobs

Highlights of the first 8 hours of OT24Vx16

Susan Skees Hermes,

Dai Hu, Fengyi Kuo,
Kristy Troutman

Overcoming greater than 6000 mile and 12 hour time zone differences, six occupational therapists
have been making it together to build pediatric services for children and their families in China. At
different points each of us discovered two degrees of separation and found ourselves connecting
to share our passion and knowledge for occupational therapy services for children and youth. This
presentation will review how our journey brought us together and how we stay connected. 1)
Participants will be able to identify innovative ways of connecting internationally in the
occupational therapy community 2) Participants will identify how collaboration occurs over years
to support professional & personal goals 3) Participants will gain knowledge about the rapid
expansion of pediatric occupational therapy in China

Elisabeth Liebrock

The majority of educational programs for Chinese rehabilitation therapists do not promote bestpractice for pediatric rehabilitative care. Providing a higher level of sophistication in education for
practicing Chinese therapists has been identified as a means to improve rehabilitative services.
Multidisciplinary practitioners from the United States have joined with Chinese organizations to
create online education that will enable practicing therapists to more effectively address the
needs of children with disabilities. Learning objectives: 1) Understand the current educational

9.1

9.2

2400 - UTC

Connecting East to
West: Less than 2
degrees

Collaborative Online
Education to Improve
Pediatric Care in China

standards for rehabilitation therapists (OT, PT, SLP) in China. 2) Appreciate the cultural context
that shapes rehabilitative care in China. 3) Gain awareness of current international efforts to
provide best-practice education for Chinese practitioners.

Emma Smith,
Shalaleh Rismani

When creating new assistive technologies, cross-disciplinary collaboration is critical to achieving

successful outcomes. In our presentation, we will discuss the experience of an OT, Engineer, and
Computer Scientist, at "making it together". Specifically, we will discuss how we overcame
challenges with communication across disciplines, through an iterative design process, to achieve
a goal of creating new technologies which match users needs. Learning objectives: 1) At the end
of this session, participants will understand the similarities and differences between the OT
practice process, and the engineering design process. 2) At the end of this session, participants
will be able to name three concrete strategies for communicating across disciplines. 3) At the end
of this session, participants will be able to list three benefits to working together to create new
technologies.

10.2

Building An Executive
Functioning Toolbox:
An Interactive Online
Course for Schoolbased Occupational
Therapy Practitioners

Allison Laygo

School-based occupational therapy practitioners actively support students functional

participation in school-related activities. Underlying these daily school activities are executive
functioning skills. Although addressing executive functioning (EF) skills is within occupational
therapys scope of practice, school-based practitioners typically do not support the development
of these skills in students. Identified factors that contribute to this gap in practice are limited 1) EF
knowledge, 2) availability and access to EF resources, and 3) time to complete job demands. To
address this clinical gap, an interactive online course for school-based occupational therapy
practitioners was developed which presents current EF research, knowledge, and resources. The
course utilizes interactive features to support practitioners in applying course information in the
school setting. This includes practicing EF assessments, designing EF interventions, and preparing
advocacy resources and dissemination tools to share with school administrators and school staff
about the importance of addressing executive functioning skills in school-age students. The
objective of the online course is to develop a community of occupational therapy practitioners
committed to improving EF skills in students through contributions in research, assessment,
interventions, and school collaborations.

11.1

Professional
development for OT
students and
Practitioners with
disabilities

Bill Wong

In this presentation, attendees will identify needs of OT student and practitioners with disabilities
in professional development, discuss components of successful and failed mentor-menthe
relationships, and identify opportunities that are created because of social media.

Service-Learning
Experience in India

Rachel Wong
Rachel Heidling

Seven Boston University occupational therapy students completed a four-week service learning
experience in Jaipur, India at Disha, a resource center for children with disabilities. The students

10.1

11.2

100 - UTC

200 - UTC

Collaborating to Create
AT: Cross-Cultural
Dialogue

Sarah Howie
Mary Hennessy
Samantha Anscher
Emily D'Agostino

present on what they learned about Indian culture and how they perceived the impact on
occupational therapy treatments and goals.

Childrens literature can be a powerful educational tool because these books can use images and
words through engaging stories to convey messages. A Hand to Hold was written to provide a
better understanding of neonatal care and the role of occupational therapy in this area of service
delivery. A Hand to Hold will be read during this presentation. A Hand To Hold is a childrens book
written by Karen Jacobs and Julie Kunisch and illustrated by Breanna Landry. It tells the story of a
young boy who visits his new brother in the neonatal intensive care unit with his parents. The
book describes many of the different types of medical equipment and people they come across
during their visit including an occupational therapist that helps the young boy do something very
important to him. This presentation will discuss the process of creating the book and the meaning
behind it, followed by a reading of the book by Julie Kunisch.

12.

300 - UTC

A Hand to Hold

Julie Kunisch

13.1

400 - UTC

Making Occupational
Therapy Stronger
Together

Marilyn Pattison

In this presentation Marilyn Pattison will give an update on the global reach of our International
professional body the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT).

Kavitha Murthi

Documented evidence that supports Indian OTs rationale behind choice and incorporation of
therapeutic approaches, principles and conceptual models is sporadic (Shetty 2011). Due to this
Indian therapists employ models that are originated in Western practice contexts (Al Busaidy and
Borthwick 2012). Although Western models provide a unique, flexible occupational focus (Turpin
and Iwama 2011); they do exhibit culture-specific rigidity (Hammell 2009). Therefore, this
presentation aims to lay foundation for developing culture specific practice in India. Educational
Learning objectives: 1) To provide a clear, current picture of the Indian Occupational Therapy
context. 2) To raise awareness about the various professional challenges faced by Indian
Occupational Therapists. 3) To lay a foundation which can be used to build culturally relevant
Occupational Therapy practice in Indian context.

Deepa Pradhan

Since occupational therapists can work with clients motor skills as well as psychological problem,
we can be the best mediators with clients from communities facing problems due to natural
disasters or psychological and physical trauma due to migration like people from Syria. As the
affected community is large in numbers, facilities provided by the government fall short

14.1

14.2

500 - UTC

Building relevant and

current OccupationalTherapy (OT) practice
in India

Challenges faced by
occupational therapists
in Community Based

rehab

particularly regarding medical field. Occupational therapists can work as evaluators regarding
physical and psychological problems, curators, and rehabilitators, as the main principle in
Occupational Therapy is holistic approach. Occupational therapists core skills of problem solving
and lateral thinking can be used as an enabling agent in situations where a small or a large
community is involved. It will be very challenging particularly with the people suffered from
natural calamity (eg. Nepal earthquake victims, tsunami affected victims from Japan) who may
have multiple physical as well as psychological problems. The people who had to leave behind
every thing and who had to migrate to a new state (e.g. people impacted by events in Syria and
Afghanistan) will have multiple problems due to adjustment to the new place. The skill of
occupational therapist will be a tremendous help for the local government to rehabilitate the
individuals affected in small as well as large in numbers.

Kimberley Forsythe

Dr Jane Taylor,
Rachel Cole, Mary
Kynn, & John Lowe

In this presentation Kimberly will tell the story of the evolution of Shine On! Kids, a Japan-based,
Nintei registered non-profit supporting children with cancer and other serious illnesses, and their
families, to manage treatment. The focus is on empowerment of the individuals and their families
through psycho-social support through innovative, evidence-based programs in hospitals. Two key
programs will be presented; Beads of Courage and Facility Dogs.
Men have worse health outcomes across all age groups compared to females in western
countries. The health of men is a national priority in Australia which has led to the
resourcing of Mens Shed (MS), a voluntary, non-profit, community-based organisation for
men. There are currently over 1,000 sheds throughout Australia, with an estimated
175,000 shedders. The goal of Sheds is to provide men, particularly retirees, with a
supportive and collegial environment to socialise, learn new skills, become involved in
community- based initiatives, learn about health related issues, and share ideas,
experiences and their concerns.
Research on MS to date is limited to descriptive surveys or small qualitative studies on
participants perceptions on health impacts. This pilot research was done at the request of
and in partnership with a large MS in regional Australian to ascertain shedders: perceptions
of the health and wellbeing benefits of Shed activity to shedders; the contribution Shed
activity makes to the local community; and factors that contribute to a successful Shed. An
anonymous self-completed questionnaire collected quantitative and qualitative data about
shedders perceptions about the health and wellbeing benefits of participating in the MS.
Subsequent face-to-face group interviews with shedders collected data about their
experiences of participating in MS activities. There was no evidence of change in overall

15.1

600 - UTC

Shine On! Kids: Making

a difference for kids
and families with
cancer and other
serious illnesses

16.1

700 - UTC

Shedders, doing things

together and for me!

self-reported health status of shedders between before and after joining the MS. However,
most shedders had expanded their circle of friends after joining, and valued the fellowship
of other men as well as being able to share and learn new skills with equipment that they
may not have access to otherwise. Interestingly, and maybe most importantly to shedders,
the MS was seen as a place that they could do something for themselves.
Wrap up second 8
hours of OT24Vx16

16.2

17.1

800 - UTC

17.2

18.1

900 - UTC

Merrolee Penman &

Anita Hamilton

Occupational therapy
in WWI

Stephanie Moloney
and Dr. Judith
Pettigrew

Occupational
performance areas
which have requested
occupational therapy
treatment in Kosovo

Dianna Ullrich

Why Seating Matters

The quality of their
chair determines the

Martina Tierney

Highlights of the second 8 hours of OT24Vx16

American Occupational Therapy Reconstruction Aides were sent to France in 1917 to engage
injured soldiers in activities to increase motor function and divert minds. This presentation
examines soldiers experiences of occupational therapy (through analysis of a poem contained in
reconstruction aide Lena Hitchcocks memoir) and articulates positive dimensions of engaging in
activities. Participants will gain knowledge of early occupational therapy practice and the
experience of making through the lens of an occupational therapist and a patient.
Occupational Therapy, OT as a health profession is new and developing in Kosovo. This study aims
to explore the areas of occupation, which have been presented for occupational therapy
treatment by a licensed Occupational Therapist through an OT clinic thus far. This service case
study will identify the various areas of occupation for which both physical and mental health
affect in occupational performance of activities of daily living. Data collection will be gathered
from archived and current Occupational Therapy client files. Occupational areas identified for
treatment will be documented based on the clients and their carers concerns, which were
expressed during the initial consultation and assessment visits with the clients. This exploration
will also give account to the results of OT treatment in addressing the occupational concerns of
the clients. Most clients seeking occupational therapy services thus far have expressed concerns
regarding limitations in gross and fine motor function. This reflects the populations
understanding of the profession of occupational therapy. However, there have been a few cases
seeking help for emotional health issues, which have negatively impacted their daily living skills.
There are a significant number of clients who sought for help for speech and communication
issues. A large number of the clients are children and or adults with developmental disabilities.
These clients have expressed concern in limited function in a variety of areas of occupation
including independence in self-care, leisure skills and productivity skills either at school or in the
home.
Seating is typically an area of neglect in many hospitals and nursing homes. As an OT for
over 30 years I have seen the debilitating effects of poor seating on the health and

quality of their life.

wellbeing of patients with low mobility. Poor seating contributes to the development and
exacerbation of pressure injuries and many other health issues and it is my goal to
educate as many people as possible on the benefits of specialist seating.
Our clinical research trial results were staggering, proving a reduction in preventable
pressure injuries by 88% whilst also dramatically reducing other negative effects of poor
seating which include:
Poor posture, pain, discomfort
Reduced independence, limited function
Higher risk of injury from accidental falls
Manual handling risk to patient and caregiver from constant repositioning
Recurring infections - respiratory /urinary/digestive
Prolonged bed rest contributing to many other negative health issues including
mental health issues
Seating assessment, provision and training needs to become a priority to improve patient
overall health and wellbeing whilst ensuring clinical and functional goals are met. The
correct application of specialist seating can be life changing for patients in need,
increasing communication, activity, participation and independence in those with low
mobility.

19.1

1000 - UTC

Building leadership
development together
with occupational
therapy students

Heather Davidson

In this presentation Heather will will outline her doctoral studies that explore the design of
leadership development activities with female undergraduate students. Describing the feminist
participatory action research methodology that created a collaboration of building the activities
with the students as co-creators. Three key aspects - an overview of research findings - the
relevance of leadership to occupational therapy - links between occupational therapy, feminism
and feminist methodology. Each aspect will include a number of opportunities for audience
comments and debate. Three Learning Objectives. Following the presentation participants will 1.
Understand the application of feminist participatory action research within this research. 2. Begin
to identify their position in relation to feminism and occupational therapy. 3. Identify their
leadership position and evaluate their leadership development preferences and needs.

1100 - UTC

Making it Together:
Citizen science for
occupational therapy

Katrina Bannigan

The aim of the Institute of Health and Community (IHC) Plymouth Case Study Research Project is
to enable practitioners to get involved in increasing the evidence base in occupational therapy by
collecting case studies of practice. This presentation is your opportunity to 1) learn about case

19.2
20.1

study research 2) understand the value of the goal attainment scale and 3) appreciate how the
IHC Plymouth Case Study Research Project will generate evidence for occupational therapy.

Making sense
together:
Interprofessional
learning in mental
Health

20.2

21.1

1200 - UTC

Innovative teaching
method at the HAN
University of Applied
Sciences

Lisa Brown

Inter-professional learning approaches in education focus on improving teamwork and

collaboration between professions (Reeves et al, 2013) and are one way of delivering the
collaborative practice-ready workforce required for the future of healthcare internationally
(World Health Organisation 2010). This presentation will explain the approach taken in a mental
health trust to allow students to make sense of their differing roles in mental health and discuss
implications of inter-professional learning for the occupational therapy profession. Learning
Objectives: 1) To explain the need for interprofessional learning in practice education 2) To
describe the methods used to implement interprofessional learning in a mental health trust 3) To
evaluate the benefits and potential drawbacks of the introduction of interprofessional learning to
occupational therapy practice education.

Marie-Antoinette
Minis

The aim of the presentation is to give insight into an innovative way of teaching OT students at the
HAN University of Applied Sciences. Students will demonstrate how they learn by choosing their
own assignments in a real context. This new teaching method includes the triad of education,
research and practice, which makes students more ready for practice. Learning outcomes: 1)
Understanding of how the learning environment contributes to the development of OT students.
2) Understanding how the ability to choose assignments influences the motivation of students.
Students as partner of the teacher, with own rights and responsibility. 3) Exchange of ideas with
the audience about this new teaching approach/learning environment.

21.2

InnOvaTe: A Derby Uni

student led conference

Nick Peart

This presentation focuses on the first ever student led OT conference ran by Derby University
innOvaTe 2015. The conference was a great success last year and we are currently planning the
2016 conference. The presentation will cover my personal experience as a student presenter and
discuss the overall challenges and benefits of the conference. The conference brought together
students from across three years, ex graduates and placement tutors Learning outcomes 1)
Understand the benefits of the conference to individual students and to the OT student
community; 2) Barriers to running the conference

22.1

Occupational therapist
perspectives on the
potential of
Performance Profiling
in Practice

Michelle
Perryman/Dr Karen
Morris

The presentation will critically review occupational therapy literature and approaches of client
centred practice, introduce the performance profile tool, discuss the findings of the international
research and highlight future recommendation for research development and best practice. This
ultimately will allow for the attendees to consider their own practice and to reflect upon how our
perceptions may influence the client choice within the occupational therapy process.

OT Restore: Veterans
Repair and Donate
Wheelchairs to Their

Karen Duddy

Veterans have already served their country; however they also desire to serve their communities
in a meaningful way. Previously Veterans were frustrated that they could not return unused
equipment for reissuance to others. To address this issue the occupational therapy department

22.2

1300 - UTC

Community

23.1

1400 - UTC

Occupational WellBeing model

promoting victims of
crime functional
wellbeing

collaborated with voluntary services and the wheelchair repair department at the Long Beach VA
to develop a way to make good use of these mobility devices. Now Veterans are giving back to
the community by restoring gently used wheelchairs and donating them to community
agencies. This presentation will share how the collaboration evolved and elements of the
program.

Naama Katz, Noomi

Katz, Dana Pugach

A first time collaboration between lawyers and OT's was created. Using the Occupation Wellbeing
Model, a new OT theoretical model that aims to promote well-being of Victims of Crime, a
population which is becoming a growing social phenomenon. The model will be illustrated with a
case study. 1) To learn about the unique needs of Victims of Crime and define new practical wellbeing application for professionals counselling them. 2) To present an innovative model for OT
intervention in a unique community service for victims of crimes.

Connie Trimboli

Human displacement is an increasingly prevalent issue and asylum seekers and refugees are a
vulnerable group in society. There is currently very little documented within the occupational
therapy literature on which interventions occupational therapists are using when working with
this population. This presentation will identify the results of a Masters dissertation: 1) Which
interventions are currently being used by occupational therapists / occupational therapy students
with refugees and asylum seekers; 2) Which interventions are not being used with this client
group, but which would be useful; and 3) Barriers to providing interventions to this client group.

23.2

Occupational therapy
interventions with
refugees and asylum
seekers

24.1

Keynote: Integrating
education, praxis and
research to create a
powerful and socially
relevant Occupational
Therapy

Dr. Salvador Sim

Recently it has been claimed that there is a need to create a more relevant profession. Concepts
as occupational deprivation, occupational apartheid, occupational justice or occupational ecology
to name a few - have emerged in occupational therapy literature. Nonetheless, it is not so
evident how these concepts are being translated into education, praxis and research. During his
presentation Salvador will argue about the importance of connecting education, praxis and
research. After a brief analysis of contemporary context, he will present concrete projects that he
is leading internationally, integrating this dimensions to create a more socially relevant and
powerful profession.

Closing Ceremony &

Celebration

Karen Jacobs

Thank you to all our presenters, facilitators, support crew and participants!

24.2

1500 - UTC

10

Presenter Biosketches
Presenter(s)

Presenter Biosketches

Christopher Altiero

Christopher J. Alterio, Dr.OT, OTR is an occupational therapist who has 29 years of practice experience. He is the owner of ABC
Therapeutics, an occupational therapy private practice. He is also Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at Keuka College.
Chris' research interests include the history of the American occupational therapy founding and knowledge translation for
occupational therapy theory development. He has extensive experience in occupational therapy credentialing and analysis of
requirements for practice. He blends his interests in education, credentialing, theory, and history to inform and guide his
successful private practice.

Orli Weisser-Pike, Karen

Jacobs, Jennifer
Kaldenberg, Naomi Ferziger

Orli Weisser-Pike is a doctor of occupational therapy with specialty certification in low vision who has for the past 13 years
specialized in treating people disabled by vision loss. She is assistant director of a low vision clinic and also owns a private practice
in low vision. She has more than a decade of instructional experience in this topic to students and professional audiences.
Professor Jacobs is a clinical professor and the program director of distance education post-professional programs in occupational
therapy at Boston University. Dr. Jacobs research and scholarly pursuits examine the interface between the environment and
human capabilities.

Pam Stephenson & Carolyn

Moore

Pam Stephenson OTD, OTR/L is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Program at Murphy Deming College of Health
Sciences in Fishersville, VA. She is an experienced occupational therapist and faculty member who has worked in mental health
and pediatrics interprofessional practice settings. As a former school-based therapist, she was part of an assistive technology
team. Pam has presented at state conferences with a variety of interprofessional colleagues including physical therapists,
occupational therapists and behavior analysts. She is passionate about collaboration and believes this is at the heart of effective
health and social care. Carolyn Moore PT, DPT is an Associate Professor in the Physical Therapy Program at Murphy Deming
College of Health Sciences in Fishersville, VA. She previously served as Director of the PTA Program at Volunteer State Community
College in Gallatin, Tennessee. She has extensive experience working in pediatric neuro-rehabilitation settings and in working with
families. She has held numerous professional and community service positions and has been involved in international service
learning. Carolyn likes to create and produce in all areas of her life.

3.1

Tracey Davis

Tracey L. Davis, MOT, OTR/L is a USA trained occupational therapist with 1 7 years experience in the fields of pediatrics and adult
orthopedics. She has worked in many practice settings, but has been providing telehealth services for the last three years. She
owns a private practice and consultation business, Global Therapy Consultants, working virtually to provide direct and consultative
services to families worldwide. Additionally, Tracey is now offering training courses through Udemy and direct hire to other
therapists looking to enter the field of telehealth. Tracey currently lives with her family in Budapest, Hungary.

3.2

Jennifer Phillips

Jennifer Phillips has a master of science in occupational therapy and is currently pursuing her doctorate in occupational therapy.
Working in home care, she clinically sees the need for occupational therapy to focus on factors related with obesity. She is a
participant of the LEND program, and is an external reviewer of the WORK journal

1.2

2.1

2.2

11

4.1

4.2

5.1

5.2

6.1

6.2

Kathryn Wise

Kathryn Wise is an Occupational Therapist originally from Toronto, Canada. She completed her BHSc(OT) from McMaster
University and MHSc(Health Admin) from the University of Toronto. She is completing her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from
Boston University. She began her career working in the area of pediatrics and then began to work in the area of administration
with a focus on developing innovative programs for seniors in the community. Kathryn is also an Assistant Clinical Professor at
McMaster University where she instructs in their online Masters of Healthcare Management and Masters of Rehabilitation
Sciences Program.

Shelley Margow

Shelley Margow MS.OTR/L is the owner and clinical director of Children's Therapy Works and Academy at North Fulton, a pediatric
private practice and accredited school for children with special needs in Roswell, Georgia. She has been practicing since 1993 and
has Shelley has various certifications including SIPT and sound therapy programs and is currently working on her OTD at Boston
University. Shelley published her first book in 2014 - "Is this my child? Sensory Integration Simplified". Shelley has lectured to
therapists, teachers and parents. Her passion is understanding how to integrate neurological research into occupational therapy
treatment.

Stephanie Lancaster

Stephanie Lancaster has a B.S. in occupational therapy from Washington University in St. Louis and a Master's degree in
Leadership & Policy Studies, Stephanie has served as an occupational therapy specializing in assistive technology for 25 years. An
assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center, she is
currently pursuing an EdD in Instructional Design & Technology through the University of Memphis. Her experience and
educational training have prepared her to share innovative instructional techniques that will enhance classroom practices and
improve engagement of students preparing to enter the field of occupational therapy.

Debra Latour

Debra Latour, B.S. (Tufts University 1978); M.Ed., Advanced Practice of OT (Springfield College, 2006) is an occupational therapist
since 1978 and who specializes in upper limb prosthetic rehabilitation through her consulting practice Single-Handed Solutions.
She is the inventor of record of patented prosthetic technology and methods, including the Cutaneous Anchor Technology. Debra
is enrolled in the OTD program at A.T. Still University, with planned graduation 2018. She is a core member of the HandSmart
group.

Eleanor Cawley

Eleanor Cawley, M.S., OTR/L Ms. Cawley is an occupational therapist in private practice with 19 years of practice in Early
Intervention, TBI, Rehab, School Based and Assistive Technology. She currently focuses on school based practice, partially in
middle and high school. She is the author of two publications: 1. Using Rubrics to Monitor Outcomes in Occupational Therapy and
2. The Student Interview. Her passion is client centered practice. She includes all her patients/students/clients as active
participants in progress monitoring. She believes that all her clients should have every opportunity to be therapeutically literate
and contribute to therapeutic outcomes.

Eleanor Cawley and

Eleanor Cawley, M.S., OTR/L Ms. Cawley is an occupational therapist in private practice with 19 years of practice in Early
Intervention, TBI, Rehab, School Based and Assistive Technology. She currently focuses on school based practice, partially in
middle and high school.
Karen [Williams] Henderson, BSc (Hons), OT. Mrs. Henderson is the senior OT at the UK's leading charity which helps veterans
with PTSD and other mental health issues. She set up the service in a location which had never had an OT before, and once the

12

7.1

Annie Carrier and Damien

Contandriopoulos

other treatment centres saw how successful her department was, endeavoured to spread the service throughout all of the
treatment centres. The centre now has 21 in the team including community OT's. Her belief is that no veteran should be defined
by their diagnosis and that they are all entitled to feel a sense of wellbeing in their lives. The next chapter in her career is to study
for her masters to get some UK coverage in the care of veterans mental health.
Annie Carrier occupational therapy, BA(Psy), LLM, MSc, PhD (1-3) & Damien Contandriopoulos PhD (1,2) 1 CIHR Health Policy and
Evidence Applied Public Health Research Chair, Faculty of Nursing, Universit de Montral, Montral, Qubec, Canada; 2 Public
Health Research Institute, Universit de Montral, Montral, Qubec, Canada; 3 School of Rehabilitation, Universit de
Sherbrooke, Sherbrooke, Qubec, Canada.

7.2

Dorit Redlich-Amirav

Dorit Redlich-Amirav is an occupational therapist in Israel, working in the mental health field mostly with family members. In her
Masters degree, she studied hope in family members of mentally ill children, before and after a psycho-educational course, and
revealed in herself an in-depth passion to know more about hope. Presently she is a PhD candidate in the Faculty of Rehabilitation
Science at the University of Alberta, Edmonton, Canada. Her research is about Composing Lives in the midst of the PalestinianIsraeli Conflict: A Narrative Inquiry into Mothers Experiences of Hope alongside Adult Children Struggling with Mental Illnesses.

8.1

Monique Chabot

Monique Chabot, OTD, OTR/L, CAPS is an assistant professor at Philadelphia University and completes her clinical work with Fox
Rehabilitation. She specializes in geriatrics and has worked in home health for over six years.

Rachel Profitt

Dr. Rachel Proffitt is Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Missouri. She is the
director of the Virtual Reality-Augmented Rehabilitation Lab and her research focuses on developing, testing, and implementing
virtual reality- based interventions for adults and older adults with neurological conditions. Dr. Proffitt was previously the Director
of the Game Based Rehab Lab at the Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California (USC). She received
her OTD from Washington University School of Medicine in 2010.

Susan Skees Hermes, Dai

Hu, Fengyi Kuo, Kristy
Troutman

Susan Skees Hermes is a US-licensed occupational therapist for 31 years (16 years pediatric focused), is currently completing
clinical doctorate through Boston University. She has worked across all settings and will all ages, and is on second cycle of AOTA
pediatric board certification. She has been active with state and national occupational therapy association initiatives, and
volunteered with student and civic international exchange organizations. Ms. Hermes has been an adjunct faculty for early
childcare certificate programs, AOTA and occupational therapy (masters and entry level doctorate) programs. Dr.Dai Hu has a
medical degree, and Masters in occupational therapy from Queen Margaret University, Glasgow, Scotland. He has worked for 8
years as a Pathologist, 4 years as an occupational therapy clinician & occupational therapy program director, and management for
greater than 2 years. Dr. Hu has attended numerous rehabilitation and healthcare international conferences, and is active in the
occupational therapy association activities in China. He currently is in management as the Director of training and deputy general
manager for LIH Olivia's Place Clinic Beijing, China. Fengyi Kuo, DHS, occupational therapyR, CPRP has been an occupational
therapist for 23 years and has SIPT, Global Mental & Trauma Recovery, and HWT specialty credentials. She is a Visiting Faculty
from Indiana University, is providing direct occupational therapy services and consultation at LIH Olivias Place Shanghai Pediatric
Outpatient Center, and Adjunct Professor at the following university program: Creighton University, Shanghai University of
Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai TaiHua College, Nanjing Medical University, and Kunming Medical University. She has been
active in AOTA activities and attended conferences. Kristi Troutman is a US-licensed occupational therapist for 26 years (17 years

8.2

9.1

13

pediatric focused). She has worked in hospitals, out-patient centers, school systems, and home based early intervention. Her
experience includes: Director of Operations for out-patient centers responsible for management of therapeutic staff, clinical
operations, insurance utilization and billing oversight, and staff professional development programs. The past 4 years, she has
worked in China as a practicing pediatric occupational therapist, Therapy Director and Director of Health Services. In her current
role, she oversees clinical staff and processes in the medical, psychology and therapy departments.

9.2

Elisabeth Liebrock

10.1

Emma Smith, Shalaleh

Rismani

10.2

Allison Laygo

11.1

Bill Wong

11.2

12.0

Rachel Wong
Rachel Heidling
Sarah Howie
Mary Hennessy
Samantha Anscher
Emily D'Agostino

Julie Kunisch

Elisabeth Liebrock is a recent graduate of Pacific University with a doctoral degree in occupational therapy. As a student, Elisabeth
travelled to China to explore the current state of pediatric rehabilitative care and provide direct service to children without access
to occupational therapy. Elisabeth is employed in a pediatric setting and is pursing specialty training in NICU care. Elisabeth
continues to work directly with Chinese organizations to provide specialized pediatric education for Chinese therapists.
Emma Smith is an Occupational Therapist from Vancouver, Canada, who is currently working on her PhD in Rehabilitation
Sciences. Emma has broad clinical interests in assistive technology, ranging from switch access to powered wheelchairs. Her
research focuses on access to powered mobility for older adults with cognitive impairments, and on creating new and innovative
ways to teach powered wheelchair skills. Shalaleh Rismani is a graduate of the University of British Columbia Mechanical
Engineering Program, and a current student in the Master of Engineering program. Shalaleh has specific interest in the design and
use of technology in health contexts, and in low resourced settings.
Dr. Allison Laygo works with school-age children in the school-based setting in Southern California. Allison has worked with
students in elementary, secondary, and post-secondary programs. Allison is currently working on developing an online executive
functioning course for school-based occupational therapy practitioners. Allison is interested in ensuring that students in both
general education and special education programs are equipped with the tools and supports needed to succeed in their school
environment.
Bill Wong currently works at Interface Rehab as an occupational therapist in Los Angeles, California. He was diagnosed with
Asperger's Syndrome in 2010. He completed his Masters and clinical doctorate degrees at University of Southern California. He
was a TEDxGrandForks speaker in 2015. He is also a vibrant figure in OT social media. Bill is currently serving as a professional
development mentor for 5 OT students and practitioners across the United States, while being professional development mentee
under several prominent OT practitioners virtually.

Emily D'Agostino, Samantha Anscher, Rachel Heidling, Rachel Wong, Cara Dart, Mary Hennessy, and Sarah Howie are all
occupational therapy graduate students at Boston University in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. In August 2016, they had the
opportunity to volunteer at DISHA in Jaipur, India.

Julie Kunisch, OTD, OTR/L

Julie graduated with her bachelor of science degree in occupational therapy from the University of Buffalo in 1996. She graduated
with her post professional doctorate degree in occupational therapy from Boston University in 2014. She has worked in many

14

various settings in her 20-year career including school based, early intervention, outpatient, acute care for adults and pediatrics
and NICU. She is currently an assistant clinical professor at Nazareth College in Rochester, NY and an occupational therapist at
University at Rochester Medical Center in the acute care and inpatient rehabilitation settings. She is also certified in administering
the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test. Her interests are across the life span and include Aging in Place, Neurorehabilitation, and
the effects of stress on neonates.

13.1

Marilyn Pattison

Marilyn Pattison Dip.COT(UK), B.App.Sc.(OT), MBA. FWFOT is the Managing Director of MPOT Pty Ltd, a leading provider of
workplace health services in South Australia, the founder and Director of Rehabilitation at Access Fitness, a Rehabilitation Centre
and Day Hospital and fully accessible gym and the President of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT). Marilyn
has been involved in a wide variety of practice settings and has shared her knowledge and skills both in Australia through her
involvement in the various Australian Occupational Therapy associations and worldwide, including a range of projects with the
World Health Organisation. Internationally, Marilyn is recognised as an expert in Workplace Health, Rehabilitation and
Entrepreneurship and is regularly invited as a guest speaker internationally. Amongst other national and international awards,
Marilyn has received the Occupational Therapy Australia National Award, the Sylvia Docker Lectureship from Occupational
Therapy Australia and has been a finalist in the Australian Telstra Businesswoman of the Year. Internationally, Marilyn has been
conferred an Honorary Life Membership of the Swedish Occupational Therapy Association and most recently has been made an
Honorary Fellow of WFOT, the highest international honour an occupational therapist can receive.

14.1

Kavitha Murthi

Kavitha Murthi MSc OT/ FHEA/ OTR Pediatric Occupational Therapist - more information coming soon

Deepa Pradhan

Dr. Deepa Pradhan (MSc OT) has been Associate Professor in D.Y. Patil college of Occupational Therapy Navi Mumbai for 10 years.
Experience as Rehabilitation Therapist in Community Based Rehabilitation for 15 years. Was working in Rural Area in Kalyan
(Maharashtra). Worked with a Neuro Surgeon as Occupational Therapist and managed intensive care unit in Hospital for 15 years.
Also managed OPD patients as well as home visit patients in Rural area. Have extensive Experience in Rehabilitation management
in community based rehabilitation.

Kimberley Forsythe

Kimberly Forsythe and her husband Mark Fraser co-founded Shine On! Kids (originally the Tyler Foundation) after they lost their
son, Tyler, to infant leukemia before his 2nd birthday. Though currently living in the Sunshine Coast of Australia, Kimberley remain
President of Shine On! Kids in Japan and as co-founder will continue to have a passionate interest in the success and sustainability
of the organization.

16.1

Dr Jane Taylor

Dr Jane Taylor has an extensive and varied practice and academic background in health promotion and is the Program Leader for
the undergraduate and postgraduate Health Promotion programs at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Jane was involved in the
initial establishment of the public health and health promotion programs at USC and has taught at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels since 2004. Prior to academia, Jane worked for non-government and government organisations on a range of
community-based health promotion programs and has always had a strong interest in schools as settings for creating health,
women's, and Indigenous health.

17.1

Stephanie Moloney and Dr.

Stephanie Moloney graduated in 2016 from the University of Limerick, with an MSc in Occupational Therapy (Professional

14.2

15.1

15

Judith Pettigrew

17.2

Dianna Ullrich

18.1

Martina Tierney

Qualification). She works as a part-time lecturer in occupational therapy in the Department of Clinical Therapies at the University
of Limerick, Ireland. Her masters dissertation, which was supervised by Dr Judith Pettigrew, examined the practice of occupational
therapy during World War One. Stephanie presented the findings of her research at the Council of Occupational Therapists for
European Countries/ European Network of Occupational Therapy in Higher Education (COTEC-ENOTHE) congress in June 2016. Dr
Judith Pettigrew is a senior lecturer in occupational therapy at the University of Limerick, Ireland. Her current research is on the
history, culture, knowledge and practices of occupational therapy and is informed by her dual backgrounds in occupational
therapy and social anthropology. Judith leads the History of Occupational Therapy Research Group at the University of Limerick
which includes academics, PhD and masters students. She has published widely on a range of topics including the everyday life
experiences of civilians in Nepals civil war, mental health in Nepal and the history of psychiatry and occupational therapy.
Dianna Ullrich is the coordinator for the BScOT program at QEAP-Heimerer University in the Rep. of Kosovo. She has lived and
worked in Kosovo since the end of the war in 1999. As the only qualified occupational therapist in Kosovo, she is working to
develop the profession of OT in the country. Dianna has also founded the Ergoterapia AGAPE OT clinic located in Gjilan, Kosovo.
Prior to her move to Kosovo, Dianna worked in the USA for 15 years in paediatric OT, early intervention and with persons with
developmental disabilities of all ages, as a Certified Occupational Therapist Assistant. Dianna received a Master of Arts degree in
International Work from Simpson University, Redding, CA, in preparation for her work overseas. She continued her studies to
become a fully qualified and licensed OT in Europe at Northumbria University in Newcastle, England, May 2011. She is currently
student in Boston Universitys online post-professional doctorate of occupational therapy program.
Martina Tierney Occupational Therapist, Researcher, Author, Worldwide Educator, Designer of Award Winning Range of
Specialised Seating and Clinical Director at Seating Matters. Martina Tierney is an Occupational Therapist, Author, Worldwide
Educator and Clinical Director at Seating Matters. Since becoming an Occupational Therapist over 30 years ago Martina often had
difficulty finding seating solutions for clients with complex needs. To provide a solution to this problem, Seating Matters was
established by the Tierney family in 2006, designing and manufacturing a specialised seating range that is changing the world of
healthcare seating. As Clinical Director at Seating Matters, Martina oversees the Clinical Team working on groundbreaking
research, education and clinical trials. Martina has worked with Ulster University in the UK to complete groundbreaking clinical
research on the effectiveness of specialist seating for posture and pressure management. It is the only research of its kind globally
and has staggering results including 88.3% pressure injury reduction in a 12 week period.
Martina Tierney is also the author of The Clinicians Seating Handbook which is used around the world to teach students, clinicians
and care givers on seating provision. Martina and the Seating Matters team carry out regular free education workshops, Lunch &
Learns and present our latest research at conferences worldwide to pass this knowledge on so as to influence best practice and
improve patients lives.

19.1

Heather Davidson

Heather Davidson is a lecturer on the BSc Occupational Therapy Programme and MSc Advanced Occupational Therapy programme
at The University of Salford. I have a motivation to develop leadership skills for occupational therapy students and have built my

16

doctoral studies around this.

19.2

20.1

Katrina Bannigan

Dr Katrina Bannigan, BD, BSc, SFHEA, PhD, is Associate Professor (Reader) of Occupational Therapy at Plymouth University where
she is the lead for occupational science and occupational therapy research. Her own research focuses on occupation-focused
interventions to promote participation and leading the IHC Plymouth Case Study Research Project to increase research in
occupational therapy. She is also a co-editor of the 5th edition of Creeks Occupational Therapy in Mental Health and a core
member of the Joanna Briggs Institute affiliated centre at Plymouth University. Katrina is a qualified trainer for the JBI
comprehensive systematic review training.

20.2

Lisa Brown

Lisa Brown has been working as an occupational therapist in acute mental health since 2005. She has recently taken a role as
practice education facilitator for Manchester Mental Health and Social Care Trust alongside her clinical role.

Marie-Antoinette Minis

Marie-Antoinette Minis PhD, Senior Lecturer and Researcher at Bachelor and Master Programs at the HAN University of Applied
Sciences. President of the European Network of Occupational Therapists in Higher Education (ENOTHE). Marlies Nijenhuis is
currently completing her third year of occupational therapy education at the University of Applied Sciences Nijmegen (HAN).
Besides being a student, Marlies is also the president of SPOTeurope. This is a platform for occupational therapy students from all
over Europe to exchange ideas and knowledge. Marlies visited Bulgaria for the ENOTHE-congress and Ireland for the first conjoined
COTEC/ENOTHE-congress and really enjoyed being surrounded by and talking with occupational therapists from different
countries.

21.2

Nick Peart

Nick Peart BSc Business Economics graduate, is currently studying BSc Occupational Therapy at Derby University (2nd year).
Between these two degrees Nick has worked for Nottingham City Council social services for three years as a support worker for
the occupational therapists. Nick then moved to Nottinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust for a further three years working in the
NICE guidance team, promoting NICE and completing audits against guidance. Nick has now completed 2nd year in occupational
therapy at Derby, which included placements in high secure forensic mental health and community learning disabilities.

22.1

Michelle Perryman

Michelle Perryman MSc BA (Hons) - Acute Occupational Therapist and soon to be part time PhD student. Main interests are in
approaches of occupational therapists and the value of practice.

Karen Duddy

Karen Duddy earned a Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Boston University, a Master of Science in Healthcare
Administration from California State University Long Beach and a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from
University of Southern California. Karens doctoral project focused on integrating occupational therapy in primary care
at the Veterans Affairs (VA) hospital in Long Beach CA. She is currently the supervisor of the OT department at the VA
Long Beach, where she has been employed since 2002. Karen is currently conducting research as the co-investigator
for the comprehensive program evaluation of her occupation-based self-management workshop for Veterans with
chronic conditions called the VA Everyday Matters workshop. She has published in the textbook Occupational Therapy
Essentials for Clinical Competence, 3rd edition (2016).

21.1

22.2

17

23.1

23.2

24.1

Naama Katz, Noomi Katz,

Dana Pugach

Naama Katz, PhD OT, head of the mental-health department in the occupational therapy faculty, Ono academic college. Working
with people with psychiatric disabilities for over 24 years. Conducted a pilot research on social lawyers, taught them mediate
commination skills to elaborate their own skills. Furthermore, one of the model dev elopers and the professional supervisor of the
occupational therapy field work in the VC center.

Connie Trimboli

Concettina Trimboli is an Occupational Therapist with 16 years of experience working in Australia, London, Barcelona, and
Bremen. Her experiences range from working in pediatrics, brain injury, spinal cord injury, mental health, acute, rehabilitative and
community settings. Her expertise includes assessment, intervention planning and functional rehabilitation of clients of all ages
and backgrounds. In addition, she is interested in the development of her profession, contributing to research and publication. She
has just finished a Masters of Advanced Occupational Therapy via distance learning at Salford University and her interests include
the occupational needs of refugees and asylum seekers. She works as a lecturer for the Fachschule fr Ergotherapie.

Dr. Salvador Sim

Professor Salvador Sim i Algado graduated as an occupational therapist in 1994 at Universidad de Zargoza. He was trained as
occupational therapist in Canada and Sweden. He obtained his PhD in 2011 in Inclusive Education and a Master in Business
Administration in 2013.
Salvador is cofounder of Occupational Therapy Without Borders. He has vast experience in developing projects in the cooperation
field (he has been working in Bosnia, Kosovo and Guatemala) and in the social and mental health areas in Spain.
Salvador has been teacher and researcher at Universitat de Vic Universitat Central de Catalunya since 2000. He is the researcher
responsible for the Faculty of Health Sciences and Wellbeing. His research mainly focuses on social determinants of health, social
entrepreneurship, suicide prevention and the use of art as an asset for health and social inclusion. He has been the coordinator of
the research group Mental Health and Social Innovation since 2013.
He is international consultant for the development of projects integrating research, education and interventions. He has lectured
or worked in more than 30 countries. You can view his portfolio at www.salvadorsimo.org

18