CAOT Appoints Irving Gold as CEO
CAOT is pleased to announce the appointment of Irving Gold as its new CEO following the retirement of Hélène Sabourin in October 2024 after an impressive 41-year career in the healthcare sector and nearly six years at the helm of CAOT.
Born and raised in Québec and currently residing in Ottawa, Mr. Gold is a bilingual senior executive who brings more than 25 years of experience with national health care associations and non-profits. His past accomplishments align well with CAOT’s strategic mandate to build a healthier, more inclusive world through occupational therapy practice and influence.
Mr. Gold served as the CEO of the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT) since 2019, following leadership roles at Resident Doctors of Canada, the Canadian Resident Matching Service, and the Association of Faculties of Medicine of Canada.
"I am deeply honoured and thrilled to join CAOT to help accomplish its critical mandate, support its members and others in the occupational therapy community, and ultimately, improve the quality of life of those living in Canada," said Mr. Gold. “I also extend my sincere gratitude to Ms. Sabourin for her tireless efforts and dedication to advancing the association’s priorities and growing the profession’s influence across the country and internationally. I am committed to further enhancing and contributing to this legacy of excellence.”
For more information, visit the website in English and French.
CAOT launches two free online learning modules about primary care
In collaboration with a cross-country research team, CAOT has created a suite of free primary care modules and companion guides for the profession. With occupational therapy poised to play an important role in supporting primary care teams in Canada and worldwide, the two online learning modules are designed to enhance the capacity of occupational therapists (OTs) to participate in collaborative primary care teams.
Led by Catherine Donnelly and Nicole Bobette and funded by the Foundation for Advancing Family Medicine, the primary care modules support both learning and practice for OTs at all stages of their careers.
The first online module, called “Occupational Therapy in Primary Care,” offers foundational information on the services OTs can offer in primary care teams and the emerging evidence and models to support practice. It’s available in English and French.
The second module, “Foundations of Team-Based Primary Care,” describes what defines primary care, its core principles, and why primary care is the foundation for strong health systems. It’s also available in English and French.