Madison joined the American Occupational Therapy Foundation in the Summer of 2025. As the Communications Coordinator, Madison assists in developing engaging content and strategies to promote AOTF's core mission of advancing evidence-based occupational therapy research across all methods of communications.

Previously, Madison was the Communications Associate at the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition, an international affairs advocacy nonprofit. There, she utilized social media and digital communications to amplify events, grow the organization's audience, and tell the story of why investing in diplomacy is critical to Americans. 

Madison graduated cum laude from the George Washington University in 2022 with a B.A. in International Affairs. Originally from Boston, Madison has been proud to call the DMV home for the past 7 years. In her free time, she enjoys fundraising and volunteering for causes she cares about, particularly suicide prevention and mental health awareness.

Candy Cooley joined the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) in 2025 as Executive Assistant. In this role, she provides comprehensive administrative support to the Chief Executive Officer and serves as the primary liaison to the Board of Trustees. She also supports strategic planning initiatives and several standing committees. Additionally, Candy contributes to the Foundation’s Awards & Recognition Program, Volunteer Development efforts, and Awards Nominations processes, and assists with the coordination of the Planning Grant Collective, the Engage Summit Conference, and the Annual Conference.

Prior to joining AOTF, Candy held Executive Administrative Assistant roles supporting several Directors, as well as a Program Specialist position at the National Institutes of Health. Her work focused on strengthening operational systems, supporting leadership teams, and advancing mission-driven collaborations.

Candy attended the Rochester Institute of Technology and later earned her Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Maryland Global Campus. Outside of work, she enjoys exploring diverse culinary experiences, spending time in the mountains and at the beach, and cherishing moments with her daughter and family.

The AOTF Scholarship Program is proud to recognize the dedicated service of Kerri Morgan, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, professor at Washington University in St. Louis, School of Medicine, as she concludes her term as Co-Chair of the Scholarship Review Committee. Dr. Morgan's leadership has been instrumental in modernizing the application and review process, making it more user-friendly for students and more efficient for reviewers.

Under her guidance, the program experienced remarkable growth. In the most recent cycle, the Scholarship Program received nearly 350 applications and awarded over 50 scholarships—a significant increase in both applicants and awards compared to previous years.

While Dr. Morgan will be stepping down from her Co-Chair role, Mary Zadnik, PhD, OTR/L, will continue in her position, providing continuity and experienced leadership. Joining her as the new Co-Chair is Tracey Recigno, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, a professional occupational therapist with nearly two decades of experience in clinical and academic settings. Dr. Recigno is the program director for the developing hybrid Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at Hawai‘i Pacific University in Honolulu. Though the program is based in O‘ahu, she resides in southern New Jersey, just outside Philadelphia. In addition to her new role, Dr. Recigno also serves as Vice President of Pi Theta Epsilon (PTE), a national occupational therapy honor society. 

New Timeline for the 2026 Application Cycle

In a departure from tradition, the AOTF Scholarship Program will shift its application launch from mid-August to mid-January 2026. This change is designed to better align with academic calendars and provide applicants with additional preparation time. Scholarship recipients will be notified in May 2026.

For more information about the Scholarship Program or to submit questions, please contact: David Robertson, scholarships@aotf.org.