INSPIRE25 April 3- 5, 2025 in Philadelphia, PA
INSPIRE25 was a wonderful event with over 8000 attendees from at least 27 different countries. AOTA wishes to highlight a few of the events that occurred during INSIRE25 below.
AOTA’s 8th annual Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Meet-Up
At INSPIRE 2025 in Philadelphia, AOTA hosted its 8th annual OTA meet-up, right where the first one was held during the centennial celebration in 2017. The OTA meet-up was so well attended that attendees spread out into the hallway to engage, network, and connect with others. The OTA meet-up has been a consistent event where OTAs and OTs come to celebrate the intra-professional partnership of OTAs and OTs, and where OTAs come to find mentors, identify partners to present with, learn about volunteer leadership opportunities and share the work they are doing clinically and academically. We hope to see more OTAs in Anaheim at INSPIRE 2026!
AOTA Awards & Recognition Committee Member, Robin Pegg, EdD, COTA/L, ATP; AOTA Program Manager, Practice Improvement & Advance Certification, Shannon White, MA, COTA/L, CAPM, ROH; AOTA Director of Governance and AOTA/WFOT International Staff Liaison, Melissa Tilton, OTA, MS, COTA, ROH
International Breakfast
AOTA was thrilled to host WFOT President, Samantha Shann, MSc, PGCert, Dip COT (UK), FRCOT, as this year’s International Breakfast speaker. Sam’s presentation was titled “Creating Our Own Future Through Intentional and International Advocacy and Engagement “and reminded occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants how we all have a role to play in advocacy, engagement, and ensuring that occupational therapy is accessible to all.
AOTA Presidential Addresses at INSPIRE 2025
Alyson Stover, MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP, AOTA President 2022-2025, delivered her outgoing Presidential address, and Arameh Anvarizadeh, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, who will begin her term as President of July 1, 2025, delivered her inaugural Presidential speech at INSPIRE25 in Philadelphia, PA in April 2025. Please enjoy both speeches via AOTA's YouTube channel.
AOTA Vision 2030
AOTA Board of Directors Vice President and Vision 2030 Strategic Plan Committee Chair, Cristina Reyes Smith, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Sharmila Sandhu, COO, and others unveiled AOTA’s Vision 2030 session held at INSPIRE25.
Board President Alyson Stover and Board Vice President Cristina Reyes Smith taking questions during the Vision 2030 session at INSPIRE25.
AOTA’s New Chief Executive Officer (CEO)
Katie Jordan, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA, the first occupational therapist to lead AOTA since 1999, joined AOTA as CEO in August of 2024. Dr. Jordan leads with a focus on the Mission, stating “My overarching vision for the organization is anchored in our mission—to advance occupational therapy practice, education, and research through standard-setting and advocacy on behalf of the members, the profession, and the public. To actualize our mission, we must ensure that every corner of society understands, values, and promotes the practice of occupational therapy and its power to transform a person’s physical and mental health, maintain well-being, and ultimately enjoy a higher quality of life altogether by enabling their participation in activities they value most.”
You can read more about Dr. Jordan here.
AOTA CEO, Katie Jordan, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA
AOTA INSPIRE 2026 is in Anaheim, California, April 23-25, 2026
Are you interested in submitting a proposal or volunteering as a reviewer for AOTA INSPIRE | 2026 Annual Conference & Expo in Anaheim, California? The Call for papers and reviewers for AOTA INSPIRE 2026 is open May 15–June 16, 2025.
Mark your calendars to submit your presentation or poster!
To stay connected and hear more about INSPIRE 2026, please sign up for updates! Registration will open in late October 2025. AOTA is pleased to offer the member rate to all international attendees who are members of their country’s professional association.
AOTA Specialty Conference on Entrepreneurship
Join us for a powerful, one-day virtual event that brings together occupational therapy practitioners who are ready to innovate, lead, and launch. The AOTA Specialty Conference on Entrepreneurship, on June 23, is designed for anyone who wants to start, grow, or refine their occupational therapy business.
AOTA’s Fellowship Program
Former fellow and current fellowship program mentor Lauren Wlazelek joined Tasha Holmes, AOTA Fellowship Program Manager, on the AOTA Podcast to discuss the impact and benefits of fellowship programs in advancing clinical skills, professional growth, and mentorship in occupational therapy.
The Fellowship podcast is live on the AOTA podcast platform Libsyn.
It can also be found on Spotify
AOTA Practice Guidelines Accepted into Esteemed Clinical Practice Guideline Repository
Five AOTA Practice Guidelines focusing on Stroke, TBI, Alzheimer's, Autism, and Cancer were recently accepted to ECRI Guidelines Trust (EGT), an independent, non-profit organization that rates guidelines based on rigorous criteria following the Institute of Medicine standards for development and trustworthiness.
AOTA Approved Provider Program (APP)
The AOTA Approved Provider Program (APP) recognizes organizations dedicated to delivering high-quality, evidence-informed professional development for occupational therapy practitioners. While based in the U.S., APP’s global presence includes providers in Canada, Germany, Greece, Israel, and soon, Australia—expanding access to quality continuing education worldwide.
Explore the full list of AOTA Approved Providers (list of providers)
Interested in applying? Visit our Prospective Provider page (prospective providers)
The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) in the United States accredits occupational therapy programs at Bond University and Brunel University.
We are excited to announce that the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE®) has granted accreditation to the Master of Occupational Therapy and Doctorate programs at Bond University in Australia. This milestone reflects Bond University’s commitment to providing high-quality education and preparing future occupational therapy professionals for success in an evolving global healthcare landscape.
In addition to the new accreditation at Bond University, ACOTE has also successfully reaccredited the well-established Master of Occupational Therapy program at Brunel University in London. This reaccreditation underscores the university's continued excellence in delivering an exceptional occupational therapy curriculum that meets the rigorous standards set by ACOTE.
About ACOTE The Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE) is the accrediting body recognized by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation to evaluate occupational therapy programs. ACOTE ensures that accredited programs meet the highest educational standards, preparing students to be competent and compassionate practitioners in the field of occupational therapy. By conducting thorough reviews of curricula, faculty, resources, and outcomes, ACOTE supports the continuous advancement of the occupational therapy profession. Students graduating from an ACOTE-accredited occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant educational program are eligible to take the National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT) certification exam and apply for licensure in the United States. For more information about ACOTE please visit our website at www.acoteoneline.org.
Congratulations to both universities on their commitment to excellence in occupational therapy education.
Paving the Way: Meet the RISE Scholars Pathways Program Cohort
The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), the largest organization serving occupational therapy practitioners, selected the first cohort for the Recruitment, Inclusion, Sustainability, Education (RISE) Pathways Program.
Through an extremely competitive selection process, six occupational therapy practitioners (OTPs) across the country were selected as part of the 2025-2027 RISE Pathway Program. They include:
- Dalmina Arias, OTD, OTR/L, University of Illinois Chicago (Chicago, IL)
- Sarah Grinder, MOT, OTR/L, University of Southern Maine (Portland, ME)
- Lisa Johnson, OTR/L, B.Sc. OT, MHS OT, OTD, University of Findlay (Findlay, OH)
- Tajze Johnson, OTD, MBA, COTA/L, Central Piedmont Community College (Charlotte, NC)
- DeAndre Nunn, OTD, MSEd, USAW-2, OTR/L, Chicago State University (Chicago, IL)
- Grayson Owens, OTD, OTR/L, Washington University School Medicine in St. Louis (St. Louis, MO)
The RISE Pathways Program is a national initiative designed to increase access and opportunities for impact in the occupational therapy (OT) profession by developing leader-scholars across the United States. This program strategically identifies, recruits, and supports individuals from underrepresented communities, equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and leadership necessary to excel in the field of occupational therapy and drive future growth and innovation.
Supported by the Fund to Promote Awareness of Occupational Therapy and made possible through a generous donation from The Sandra Hoskins Legacy Foundation, RISE Pathways Program addresses barriers within the occupational therapy profession through four long-term goals:
- Increased Access: Achieve increased access to the OT workforce.
- Enhanced Awareness: Improve awareness and understanding of diverse perspectives within the OT profession, leading to better client outcomes and increased satisfaction among the communities served by OTPs.
- Leadership Development: Foster a new generation of OT leaders equipped to advocate for inclusive practices and policies within the profession.
- Sustainable Impact: Establish a sustainable model for increasing access to OT that can be replicated and scaled across other healthcare professions.
During the two-year program period, The RISE cohort, known as “Scholars” will participate in a variety of activities including leadership and coaching sessions, group mentoring meetings, education through a scholar leadership retreat and annual conference and expo, and most significantly, developing and executing a leadership project to address an issue or challenge within their community, organization or the profession that spans across their region.
Scholars will collaborate with an identified mentor to implement a community-based project within their region that serves as a pathway to encourage the next generation of occupational therapy practitioners, while simultaneously increasing the awareness of the profession.
“We are incredibly proud of these exceptional members of our inaugural RISE Pathways Program cohort, and we look forward to witnessing their contributions in shaping the future of occupational therapy,” said Varleisha Lyons, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, ASDCS, FAOTA, FNAP, AOTA’s Vice President of DEIJAB Integration and Ethics. “AOTA is committed to uplifting our profession and creating opportunities like RISE for the next generation of OT practitioners.”
For more information, visit http://www.aota.org/rise. For inquiries, please contact Janelle Battle, RISE Pathways Program Coordinator at [email protected].
About the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
AOTA represents more than 244,500 occupational therapists, occupational therapy assistants, and occupational therapy students in the United States and beyond, to advance occupational therapy practice, education, and research.
Our mission is to advance occupational therapy practice, education, and research through standard setting and advocacy on behalf of its members, the profession, and the public.
Please visit us at www.aota.org or reach out to Melissa Tilton, OTA, MS, COTA, ROH, our Director of Governance and International Staff Liaison at [email protected]. or [email protected] We look forward to connecting!