Thank you for joining us this year!
See you in Anaheim, California for AOTA INSPIRE 2026—April 23–25, 2026.
Foundation Friday, April 4, 2025
Breakfast with a Scholar
7:00 – 9:00 am ET
Marriott Salons GH, Philadelphia Marriot Downtown
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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 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
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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:
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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.
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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!
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