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AOTF Scientific Advisory Council

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January 06, 2026

 

  

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AOTF Scientific Advisory Council

AOTF convened its Scientific Advisory Council (formally the AOTF Research Commission) in 2012. In 2015, the AOTF Scientific Advisory Council became a standing committee of the AOTF Board of Trustees. The Scientific Advisory Council advises the AOTF Board and the CEO on priorities and programs for advancing the science of occupational therapy that supports people’s full participation in meaningful life activities.

Chair:

Andrew Persch, PhD, OTR/L, BCP FAOTA

Andrew Persch, PhD, OTR/L, BCP FAOTA

Dr. Persch is an Associate Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at Colorado State University and is Director of the Transition, Employment, and Technology (TET) Lab. The TET Lab is focused on improving the transition to adulthood and employment among those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This work has been funded by NIH, NIDILRR, SSA, and various state and local organizations. He worked with Dr. Dennis Cleary, MS, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA and partners in special education and vocational rehabilitation to create the Vocational Fit Assessment (VFA), providing an accurate, person-centered measure of work-related adaptive behavior that informs job placement and customized employment decision-making. Launched in 2016, VocFit.com is a knowledge translation tool designed to implement the VFA using a custom-developed web-app. Over 7 years, the registered userbase of VocFit.com has grown to more than 12,000 employment support professionals across North America and Europe. Dr. Persch teaches pediatrics and program development at CSU. He served as Chairperson for the AOTA Special Interest Sections Council, a nationally-elected leadership position, from 2016-2020. He is an Associate Editor for AOTF's publication, OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research.

Council Members:

Scott Campbell, PhD

Scott Campbell, PhD

Staff
CEO, American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Patricia Davies, PhD, OTR, FAOTA

Patricia Davies, PhD, OTR, FAOTA

Professor, Occupational Therapy
Department of Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies 
Colorado State University 
Fort Collins, Colorado

Evan Dean, PhD, OTR/L

Evan Dean, PhD, OTR/L

Assistant Professor
Department of Occupational Therapy Education
University of Kansas KU Medical Center
Kansas City, Kansas

Khalilah Robinson Johnson, PhD, OTR/L

Khalilah Robinson Johnson, PhD, OTR/L

Assistant Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, FACRM

Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, FACRM

Interim Associate Dean for Health Sciences Research
Associate Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership
The George Washington University
Washington, DC

Mary Jane (MJ) Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L

Mary Jane (MJ) Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L

Professor, Thomas Jefferson University
Philadelphia, PA

 

Elizabeth A. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA

Elizabeth A. Pfeiffer, Ph.D., OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA

Associate Professor
Health and Rehabilitation Sciences
Temple University
Philadelphia, PA

Shawn C. Roll, PhD, OTR/L, RMSKS, FAOTA, FAIUM

Shawn C. Roll, PhD, OTR/L, RMSKS, FAOTA, FAIUM

Emily F. Rothman, ScD, MS

Emily F. Rothman, ScD, MS

Professor and Chair, Occupational Therapy
Sargent College
Boston University
Boston, MA

In addition, the AOTA Academic and Scientific Affairs Officer (Dr. Neil Harvison) and the editor of OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health (Dr. Timothy Wolf) are invited to participate in all meetings that address research priorities and joint initiatives for advancing the science of occupational therapy.