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AOTF Events at the AOTA Annual Conference

Research Resources   >   AOTF Events at the AOTA Annual Conference
June 01, 2025

 

  

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Thank you for joining us this year!

See you in Anaheim, California for AOTA INSPIRE 2026—April 23–25, 2026

AOTA INSPIRE 2025 Annual Conference & Expo Philadelphia, Pa. | April 3-5, 2025

Foundation Friday, April 4, 2025 

Breakfast with a Scholar

7:00 – 9:00 am ET 
Marriott Salons GH, Philadelphia Marriot Downtown
View program

A Journey Through Anxiety
David Anthony Rooney

Unprecedented exposure to the world around us is taking a toll on our mental health. Health polls indicate that U.S. adults are experiencing increasing anxiety, with young adults showing even higher trends. Drawing from his 30-year journey, David will inspire positive change in those dealing with anxiety or caring for others who do. Through authentic storytelling, validation, practical insights, and community building, he hopes to catalyze healing and support.

By attending AOTF Breakfast with a Scholar you will:

  • Recognize anxiety's emotional and physical dimensions.
  • Learn practical strategies to reduce, manage, and overcome anxiety.
  • Gain hope, resilience, and lasting calm.

The goal is to impart hope and illuminate the possibility of breaking free from the mental prison of anxiety, offering a roadmap to a life characterized by resilience, empowerment, and lasting calm. Acting as a guide and companion on the journey to mental well-being, David will inspire positive change in the lives of those dealing with anxiety or caring for others who do. Through authentic storytelling, validation, practical insights, and community building, he hopes to be a catalyst for healing and support.

Book will be available onsite for speaker signing.

Speaker Bio:

David RooneyDavid Anthony Rooney is an Emmy-winning filmmaker and Guinness world record-breaking musician from Dublin, Ireland. He has spent the last decade captivating audiences with his residency at Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas. His documentary, "An Irish Story: This Is My Home," explores the American Dream from an Irish immigrant perspective and has millions of views on Netflix, Amazon Prime, and Apple TV. He performed 60 shows in all 50 U.S. states in 40 days. Voted Best Irish Singer/Songwriter of the Year, he won an EMMY for outstanding achievement in a documentary and the Beloit International Film Festival's People's Choice Award.  

Beyond music and film, Rooney advocates for mental health and authored "Journey Through Anxiety," detailing his 30-year struggle with anxiety. Known for his honest and humorous approach, he is a respected musician, speaker, and author who regularly conducts talks on mental health and resilience and co-authored the TAP (Teen Anxiety Program), an evidence-based school curriculum utilizing cognitive behavioral therapy principles. 

 

State of the Science

3:00 – 5:30 pm ET 
Marriott Salons GH, Philadelphia Marriot Downtown
View Program

The Impact of Long COVID on Occupational Performance: Opportunities for Occupational Therapy Intervention and Research

Long COVID emerged as a complex, multi-system condition that challenged traditional diagnostic and treatment approaches. Learn about the opportunities for occupational therapy (OT) interventions and research to address the multifaceted nature of Long COVID symptoms. The panel will also discuss evidence-informed practice guidelines, using functional performance as a diagnostic marker, leveraging metacognition to mitigate the functional effects, long-term impact on disability and participation, and the importance of practice and policy development to support workplace accommodations.

Speakers:

 

Dorothy Farrar Edwards, PhD, Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Professor of Kinesiology and Medicine Director, Collaborative Center for Health Equity School of Education Associate Dean of Research University of Wisconsin-Madison
Anna Boone, PhD, OTR/L, MSOT, CBIS, Assistant Professor, University of Missouri Columbia
Malachy Clancy, PhD, OTR/L, BCPR, Assistant Professor, Thomas Jefferson University
Kristen Kehl-Floberg, MSOT, OTR/L, BCG, PhD Student, University of Wisconsin–Madison, School of Medicine and Public Health
Shawn C. Roll, PhD, OTR/L, RMSKS, FAOTA, FAIUM, Associate Professor at the University of Southern California’s Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy
Joy Hammel, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy and Department of Disability and Human Development, University of Illinois
Jamie Wilcox, MPH, OTD, OTR/L, Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California’s Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy.

AOTF Foundation Friday

Research Excellence Symposium

12:30 – 2:00 pm ET
Marriott Salons F, Philadelphia Marriot Downtown 

AOTF fosters and celebrates research excellence across various career stages with a vision of having a vibrant science that builds knowledge to support effective, evidence-based occupational therapy. The 2025 AOTF Early- and Mid-Career Research Excellence Awardees along with our inaugural Lifetime Achievement Awardee share insights from their career journey and latest research. Included with your AOTA Inspire main registration- 

Jennifer Weaver, PhD, OTR/L, CBIS, Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO
Janet Njelesani, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy New York University, New York, NY
Wendy Coster, PhD, OT, OTR, FAOTA, Professor Emerita, Occupational Therapy, Boston University Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation, Boston, MA

 

Thursday, April 3, 2025

Academy of Research Symposium

4:00 – 6:00 pm ET 
Marriott Salons GH, Philadelphia Marriot Downtown

The 2025 AOTF Academy of Research in Occupational Therapy Inductees share their career journeys and the latest development in their research. Established in 1983, the AOTF Academy of Research in Occupational Therapy recognizes and honors individuals who have made exemplary, distinguished, and sustained contributions to the advancement of the science of occupational therapy. Included with your AOTA Inspire main registration- 
Batya Engel-Yeger, PhD, Professor, Dean of Students, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel
Susan Magasi, PhD, MS, BScO, BSc, FACRM, Head and Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Illinois, Chicago, IL
Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FACRM, FAOTA, NZROT, Associate Dean for Health Sciences Research, Professor of Clinical Research and Leadership, The George Washington University, Washington, DC
Elizabeth A. Pfeiffer, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA, Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA

Plus, don't miss (Tip: Search "AOTF" in the AOTA INSPIRE App.)...

  • STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship Posters, Thursday, 3-5pm, Phila. Convention Center, Ballroom AB
  • STRIDE Committee Informal Meet-Up, Thursday, 2:00 – 3:00 pm and Friday, 12:30 – 1:30 pm. AOTF Lounge, adjacent to AOTF Booth
  • Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture: Precision Occupational Therapy Through Data Driven Decision Making, Roseann Schaaf, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, AOTF Academy of Research Member, Saturday, 11:15-12:30 pm, Phila. Convention Center
  • Promoting Engagement and Empowerment in Researchers (PEER) Hangout, Saturday, 1:30-2:30 pm. AOTF Staff Office (PCC Room 301). 
  • Awards & Recognitions Ceremony, Saturday, 4:15-5:45pm, Phila. Convention Center, Hall C
  • Visit our AOTF Booth (Grand Hall across from registration):
    • Support Occupational Therapy Research: Join us at our booth and spin the "Wheel of Philanthropy"! Your generous gift will be matched by Korro AI, doubling your impact on critical OT research.
    • OT Student Scavenger Hunt & Gift Card Giveaway: Calling all OT students! Participate in our exciting Scavenger Hunt. Complete it by April 6 at 12:00 pm, to be entered to win one of five $100 Gift Cards sponsored by Occupationaltherapy.com
    • Celebrate our 60th Anniversary
    • View display of 2025 Grant and Scholarship recipients, St. Catherine Challenge Results and Award recipients
    • Relax in our Donor Lounge 
    • Pick up free AOTF swag
    • And more!

Thank You Sponsors

Sponsors

Premium Sponsors

                  

 

       

       

       

 

Cancellation/Refund/Transfer Policies 

AOTF Conference Archives:

Research Excellence Symposium Archived Recordings

Kristin Bukovsky
/ Categories: News

AOTF/MJFF Grant Recipient: Overcoming Motivational Roadblocks to Fitness

A new project funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation uses goal setting, feedback and self-management strategies to help people with Parkinson’s overcome challenges to physical activity.

Katrina Long with ClientPhysical activity can improve Parkinson’s symptoms — balance, mood and memory changes, to name a few — and some studies show it may slow disease progression. But, for varied complex reasons, many people with Parkinson’s do not follow a regular exercise routine.

Occupational therapist Dr. Katrina Long, EdD, MS, is addressing some of those reasons with a client-centered program funded by The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF). Long’s project was selected through a funding program announced by the partners in 2020. We talked with Dr. Long, assistant professor of occupational therapy at San Jose State University, about her study and its goals.

MJFF/AOTF: Congratulations on your award and thank you for this important work. Please tell us about your study.

Long: Thank you! Studies show how exercise benefits the body and the brain. But we also see that people with Parkinson’s decline in their physical activity compared to other adults their age, even before changes in gait and stability. This could be due to, among other factors, issues of motivation and lack of knowledge and support.

This program creates a paradigm shift from exercise being a matter of compliance — "this is what you have to do” — to adherence, where a person is exercising because they see the value in it.

MJFF/AOTF: So, changing the way we look at exercise to encourage physical activity.

Long: That’s right. The participants meet with an occupational therapist to set goals for their fitness across the domains of exercise: aerobic, strength, balance training and stretching. We discuss needs and motivation with the client: Where do they feel they’d like to improve? Do they respond to more extrinsic motivation like getting an award or to intrinsic motivation such as feeling good about helping their wellness. These conversations help participants pick the types of exercise and set personal goals. In addition, we focus on identifying barriers and supports to their exercise engagement and working collaboratively to create a plan that enables success in their goals. This client-centered approach makes them more likely to follow through.

Often after diagnosis some people with Parkinson’s can have a negative outlook on their future selves and abilities, which may affect their current behavior and engagement. An important part of the intervention is providing role models or examples of people living with PD. Each participant also receives the Engage-PD Workbook that provides disease-specific information alongside encouraging quotes and images from people living with PD.

In addition, the participants wear a Fitbit that gives them real-time data on their activity. They can report back to the therapist and can see their progress. This feedback, in addition to the positive role-modeling, helps to support their exercise self-efficacy, which is their belief in their ability to accomplish their goals.

This program is based on my dissertation pilot study, called Pre-Active-PD, that I completed at Columbia University under Dr. Lori Quinn in the Neurorehabilitation Research Lab.

MJFF/AOTF: How are you measuring progress toward the goals the clients set?

Long: At the start of the study, participants will wear an ActiGraph, a wearable device that measures physical activity. They will wear it for one week to capture their physical activity levels. Then at the end of the four-month study they will wear it for another week to look for changes in activity.

They also will complete questionnaires on their physical activity behaviors to complement the wearables output. In an earlier pilot we saw that there was an increase in planned physical activity.

MJFF/AOTF: Is there a control group to assess how effective these strategies may be?

Long: We are recruiting 50 people for the study. Half will receive the intervention. The other 25 will still have visits with an occupational therapist but will receive exercise education without goal setting or feedback through the Fitbit. We will compare the activity of each group to evaluate the impact of our intervention.

MJFF/AOTF: Part of your funding application was around engaging underrepresented populations. Can you share more on those plans?

Long: There is a gap in service provisions to underrepresented populations and in research with volunteers from these communities. For these reasons, we are prioritizing outreach toward an inclusive study cohort.

We are recruiting around San Jose, California and in New York City, at Columbia University’s Neurorehabilitation Research Lab. In New York, we have been working with our multidisciplinary team on community engagement in the Harlem and Washington Heights neighborhoods, and hope to recruit individuals from the Latinx and Black and African American communities.

A therapist on our team speaks Spanish, and we have translated the workbook that we share with participants into Spanish as well.

MJFF/AOTF: You are recruiting at those locations, but the visits are virtual.

Long: Correct. Our therapists will be using telehealth visits to meet with the participants. We understand that means that participants will need to have access to the Internet, but we hope not having to come into the clinic will help with recruitment and compliance. I am planning to have tablets and hot spots available for participants who do not have the technology supports to participate.

We are only recruiting close to the sites, though, due to licensing and share of data with local neurologists. We hope to open the program more broadly in the future.

MJFF/AOTF: When people think of occupational therapy, a project like this may not be the type of work that comes to mind. Can you tell us more about the different roles those in your field can play for people with Parkinson’s disease?

Long: Typically, referrals for occupational therapy come late in Parkinson’s disease stage to address issues with activities of daily living (ADLs) such as dressing, personal hygiene and functional mobility. Occupational therapists also address activities to support daily life within the home and community, which we call Instrumental Activities of Daily Living (IADLs). IADLs include communication management and home management, for example.

This program has a particular focus on health management, which includes activities related to developing, managing, and maintaining health and wellness routines. This includes symptom and condition management, emotional health, communication with the health care system, medication management, nutrition management, and physical activity.

It’s important that people with Parkinson’s are able to express their needs and have access to resources and supports within the health care system. The best approach to treating Parkinson’s is a collaborative interdisciplinary team. I believe interventions that target health management early in the disease can help people with Parkinson’s establish health promoting habits routines that last a lifetime.

MJFF/AOTF: Thanks for your time and again for this important work, Katrina. We’ll be following along closely!

Reference MJFF article

AOTF collaborates with partners to award emerging research grants as part of its mission to advance the science of occupational therapy.

 

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