The American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Planning Grant Collective 2023: Functional Cognition- Moving the Science Forward
2023-10-16 00:00 - 2023-10-17 23:59 (America/Detroit)
The 2023 AOTF Planning Grant Collective, “Functional Cognition: Moving the Science Forward,” was held in Alexandria, VA, on October 16-17, 2023.

The program brought together over 45 occupational therapy leaders to clarify and advance occupational therapists’ critical role in supporting positive consumer outcomes through assessing and treating functional cognition across different age groups and care settings. The focus of this two-day AOTF Planning Grant Collective workshop, titled “Functional Cognition: Moving the Science Forward,” was to set priorities for functional cognition research, identify and address the gaps in evidence, advance the science, and influence education, practice, and policy.

This meeting is a first step in developing collaborative teams that will continue to meet to create further action steps and projects, white papers, and new research grant proposals to move the profession forward in the area of functional cognition to maximize client outcomes.

The Foundation plans to convene one Collective a year, and plans are underway for 2024. We believe this interdisciplinary approach to identifying essential research topics will result in critical new research in questions of great interest and opportunity for the OT profession.

View OTJR article for a summary of the key concepts and recommendations: Functional Cognition: Moving the Field Forward

Planning Grant Committee

Carolyn Baum, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis Lisa Tabor Connor, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisDorothy Farrar Edwards, PhD, University of Wisconsin–MadisonErin R. Foster, OTD, MSCI, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisYael Goverover, PhD, OTR/L, NYU SteinhardtGordon Muir Giles, PhD, OTR/L, Samuel Merritt UniversityJoan Toglia, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Mercy UniversityScott Campbell, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Participants

Katie Alexander, OTD, MS, OTR/L, Unstuck and On TargetPeggy Barco, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisNathalie Bier, PhD, University of MontréalAnna Boone, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, University of MissouriCarolina Bottari, PhD, University of MontréalCatana Brown, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Midwestern University-GlendaleSuzanne Burns, PhD, OTR/L, University of New MexicoSusan Cahill, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)Beth Cardell, PhD, OTR/L, University of UtahKelly Casey, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, ATP, CPAM, Johns Hopkins HospitalPatricia Cornille, OTD, OTR/L, Vita Cura SolutionsMeghan Doherty, OTD, OTR/L, Saint Louis UniversityWinnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, University of MissouriLindsay Escott, OTD, OTR/L, Shirley Ryan AbilitylabMeredith Gronski, OTD, OTR/L, CLA, FAOTA, Methodist UniversityCatherine Hoyt, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, Washington University School of MedicineJill Jonas, MSOT, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisKristen Kehl-Floberg, MSOT, OTR/L, BCG, University of Wisconsin-MadisonJessica Kersey, PhD, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisYejin Lee, PhD, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisYating Lei, MS, OT, PhD Candidate, NYU SteinhardtTrudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The George Washington UniversityTim Marks, PhD, OTR/L, University of Missouri – ColumbiaHelene Polatajko, PhD, University of TorontoMary Radomski, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Allina Health/Courage Kenny ResearchElizabeth Rhodus, PhD, MS, OTR/L, University of Kentucky Juleen Rodakowski, OTD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, University of PittsburghMeirav Rosenfeld, MS, OTR/L, NYU SteinhardtShlomit Rotenberg, PhD, University of TorontoSharmila Sandhu, JD, American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)Jaclyn Schwartz, PhD, OTR/L, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisCaitlin Synovec, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, National Health Care for the Homeless CouncilJaclyn Stephens, PhD, OTR, Colorado State UniversityQuinn Tyminski, OTD, OTR/L, BCMH, Washington University School of Medicine in St. LouisAsha Vas, PhD, OT, CBIST, Texas Woman’s UniversityKelsey Watters, CScD, OTR/L, BCPR, CBIS, Shirley Ryan AbilityLab

Partners

Tina Harris, University of PittsburghSular Gordon, Washington University in St. LouisRachel Sieber, OTR, Texas Institute of Rehabilitation and Research (TIRR) Debbie Amini, EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)

Planning Grant Collective 2025: Coaching in Occupational Therapy
2025-10-20 00:00 - 2025-10-21 23:59 (America/Detroit)
The 2025 AOTF Planning Grant Collective, “Coaching in Occupational Therapy,” brought together over 25 experts to engage in an insightful discussion on how coaching can be incorporated into occupational therapy practice.

The Collective was attended by leaders from diverse interdisciplinary backgrounds – including coaching, community mental health, speech-language pathology, nutrition science, pediatric intervention, early childhood education, adult rehabilitation, and occupational therapy. They came together using their unique expertise to define and discuss the role coaching plays in occupational therapy through the lenses of core components, curriculum, and research priorities.

All three groups emphasized the importance of establishing a common language to talk about coaching, the need to define the role coaching plays in occupational therapy, and the framework for incorporating this technique into practice.

This meeting marks a first step in developing collaborative teams that will continue to meet to create further action steps and projects, white papers, and pilot programs to enable occupational change through a client-centered and coaching-infused approach. We believe this interdisciplinary approach to establishing definition, education, and priorities for coaching-integrated practice will lead to further alignment and advancement.

Planning Grant Committee

Dorothy Kessler, PhD, MSc, OT Reg., Queens University Lauren Little, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Rush University Medical Center MJ Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L, CPPC, CLCP, FASIA, Thomas Jefferson University Patricia Davies, Professor, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Colorado State University Scott Tomchek, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Louisville University Winifred Wiese Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, University of Missouri Scott Campbell, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, American Occupational Therapy Foundation

Participants Alexandra O. Carlsson, MSc, Queens University Anna Boone, PhD, OTR/L, MSOT, University of Missouri Anne Hoffmann, PhD, CCC-SLP, Rush University Cathy Piersol, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, FNAP, Thomas Jefferson University Chrystine Mitchell, DHSc, OTR/L, Thomas Jefferson University Cori Schmitz, MSc, OT Reg., CPCC, University of Alberta Courtney Williams, Founder and CEO, TORSH INC. Gord Unsworth, MSc, OT (Reg.), Providence Care, Regional Director, Community Specialty Adult Mental Health Julia Beach, PhD, MSOT, Providence Care, Community Specialty Adult Mental Health Kevin Cloninger, PhD, MBC, HWC, University of MissouriLeigh Wagner, PhD, RDN, Integrative Dietitian, Dr. Leigh Wagner, LLC Marie Christine Potvin, PhD, OTR/L, Thomas Jefferson University Mary Beth Kadlec, ScD, OTR, MGH Institute of Health Professions Melanie Tkach, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, University of Missouri Myriam Chrétien-Vincent, PhD, OT Reg., University of Quebec Trois Rivieres Nicole Gerhardt, OTD, OTR/L, CBIS, CPPC, Thomas Jefferson University Sabrina Salvant, EdD, MSOT, MPH, Vice President, Education and Professional Development, AOTA Sarah Smith, DSc, OTR/L, University of New Hampshire Serena Wheeler, PhD, IECE, Louisville University Steven Taylor, PhD, OTD, OTR/L, Rush University Timothy Dionne, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L, University of New Mexico

Training in Grantsmanship for Rehabilitation Research (TIGRR)
2026-01-05 00:00 - 2026-01-09 23:59 (America/New_York)
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AOTF Engage Summit 2026
2026-02-19 08:00 - 17:00 (America/Detroit)

AOTA INSPIRE 2026 Annual Conference & Expo
2026-04-23 08:00 - 2026-04-25 17:00 (America/Los_Angeles)
Early Bird Registration Ends Feb. 23!

Foundation Friday, April 24, 2026

Breakfast with a Scholar (7:00–9:00 am PT)
Hilton Anaheim (HQ Hotel)

Augmented Care: Reimagining Occupational Therapy in the AI AgeKevin B. Johnson, MD, MS

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how we document, communicate, learn, and make decisions in healthcare—but its impact on occupational therapy is still being defined. In this session, Dr. Kevin B. Johnson, a pediatrician, informatician, and national leader in digital innovation, will explore how AI can strengthen the core mission of OT: supporting people as they navigate the real routines, roles, and environments of daily life.Drawing on examples from his work building multimodal, real-world applications, Dr. Johnson will demystify what AI is and is not. Participants will gain a practical understanding of how AI might enhance assessment, support clinical reasoning, reduce documentation burden, personalize interventions, and expand access to care across diverse communities. At the same time, he will highlight key cautions around bias, privacy, inequity, and the delicate balance between technological efficiency and human connection.

In-person: $75- Add to your full AOTA conference registration

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By attending AOTF Breakfast with a Scholar, you will:*

Gain a better understanding of the latest AI

Learn practical strategies to implement into your practice

Network with like-minded colleagues

Bonus reference material will be available to attendees.

Speaker Bio:

As the David L. Cohen University Professor at the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Johnson has led groundbreaking work in electronic health records and e-prescribing. His recent work explores how artificial intelligence can reinvent clinical documentation to reduce clinician burnout and provide better patient care. Through his lab at Penn’s Perelman School of Medicine, he leads the OBSERVER Project, which uses video and audio recordings of clinical visits to gain necessary insights to improve patient-provider interactions on both sides. The goal is to remove clinicians from the secretary position that EHRs have put them in, reduce the burnout caused by the burden of documentation, and restore a more connected patient encounter. While the visit is being recorded, AI will summarize the appointment qualitatively, quantitatively, and equitably, and provide assessment based on symptoms shared verbally as well as those captured visibly by the technology. The long-term goal is to provide real-time automated guidance. ‍

His podcast, Informatics in the Round, features lively, non-technical conversations on hot-button cultural issues from an informatics perspective. He is a co-author and co-editor of the Who Me? children’s book series featuring scientists from marginalized groups, encouraging young children to consider careers in STEMM. He also produced and directed the documentary No Matter Where about the challenges of sharing information across the healthcare system, how these communication failures impact patients and providers, and the changes that must occur to create a safer world. ‍

The author of over 200 publications, Dr. Johnson has won dozens of awards over his career, holds numerous national leadership positions, and serves on various advisory boards. He was elected to the American College of Medical Informatics, the Academic Pediatric Society, the National Academy of Medicine, the International Association of Health Science Informatics, and the American Institute of Medical and Biological Engineering. He received his MD from Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore and his MS in Medical Informatics from Stanford University.

*Given the dynamics of Artificial Intelligence, objectives subject to change.

State of the Science (Friday, 3:00–5:30 pm PT)
Hilton Anaheim (HQ Hotel)

The Coaching Connection: Where Science Meets Practice in Occupational Therapy

Coaching practices have caught OTs’ attention in recent years. The alignment of coaching and OT is unmistakable. Yet, this alignment still requires us to a.) examine the evidence supporting coaching practices, and b.) implement coaching with fidelity across practice areas and settings. Coaching keeps our focus on people’s authentic lives as we foster their self-determination and support action to live their best lives through occupational participation on their own terms. The AOTF convened interdisciplinary stakeholders who did a deep dive into coaching evidence and practices to identify how coaching fits into OT education, practice, and research. Join us to discuss where we are and where we can go to discover what coaching looks like when OTs integrate these ideas into best practices.

Objectives:

Examine coaching evidence from other disciplines.

Describe core components of coaching and illustrate how they manifest in authentic coaching-infused occupational therapy.

Establish the alignment between coaching practice and occupational therapy practices, and demonstrate how occupational therapists “do” coaching.

Discuss current state of coaching in occupational therapy education and practice, describe research priorities.

Present the evolution of a state-wide coaching program in early intervention, discuss outcomes and implications for other practice areas.

Speakers:

Winnie Dunn, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Distinguished Professor, Occupational Therapy Education, Certified Positive Psychology Coach, University of Missouri

Lauren M. Little, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Associate Dean of Research, College of Health Sciences, Professor, Occupational Therapy, Rush University

MJ Mulcahey, PhD, OTR/L, FASIA, CLCP, Professor, Department of Occupational Therapy, Director of the Center for Outcomes and Measurement, Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Sidney Kimmel Medical College, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia

Scott D. Tomchek, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor, Record Review Project Director, School of Medicine, Department of Pediatrics, Division of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, University of Louisville

In-person: $60 (Student: $30) – Add to your full AOTA conference registration

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Research Excellence Symposium (Friday, 12:30–2:00 pm PT)
Hilton Anaheim (HQ Hotel)

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 Early- and Mid-Career Research Excellence Awardees, and our Lifetime Achievement Awardee, share insights from their career journeys and latest research.

Early Career Research Excellence Awardee: Emily Kringle, PhD, OTR/LMid-Career Research Excellence Awardee: Andrew C. Persch, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTALifetime Achievement Awardee: M. Carolyn Baum, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Included with your AOTA Inspire main registration- Add to your agenda.

Academy of Research Symposium (Thursday, 4:00–6:00 pm PT)
Hilton Anaheim (HQ Hotel)

The 2026 AOTF Academy of Research (AOR) in Occupational Therapy Inductee and select AOR members share their career journeys and the latest developments 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- Add to your agenda.

Plus, don’t miss (Tip: Search “AOTF” in the AOTA INSPIRE App.)…

STRIDE Mentored Research Scholarship Posters, Thursday, 3-5 pm, Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) Hall A

Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture: Beyond the Score: Reclaiming the Meaning of Assessment in Relationship-Centered Care, Trudy Mallinson, PhD, OTR/L, FACRM, FAOTA, NZROT, AOTF Academy of Research Member, Saturday, April 25, 11:15 am–12:30 pm

Awards & Recognitions Ceremony, Saturday, April 25, 4:15 pm–5:15 pm

Visit our AOTF Booth, Anaheim Convention Center (ACC) Hall A: tbd

Dates and times subject to change. Please refer to the AOTA INSPIRE app. for the most up-to-date information.

Thank you for joining us last year in Philly!

Cancellation/Refund/Transfer Policies

AOTF Conference Archives:

Research Excellence Symposium Archived Recordings

Breakfast with a Scholar (1995–present)

AOTF’s signature event, Breakfast with a Scholar provides a forum for sharing the ideas of preeminent scholars (usually from other disciplines) that resonate with occupational therapy.

State of the Science Symposium (2015–present)

Each year, AOTF selects a topic to explore and invites respected researchers to summarize scientifically validated evidence that guides best practice and identify gaps in the evidence and research priorities that must be addressed to support future practice. This integrated review of the state of the science includes a discussion of the implications for practice, education, research, and policy.

Research Colloquium (1982–2014)

An AOTF tradition from 1982 to 2014, the Research Colloquium provided a forum where scientists engaged in the important process of constructive critique and dialogue.

Qualitative Research Exchange (1997–2008)

The Qualitative Research Exchange provided a forum for sharing new ideas related to current and emerging theoretical and practical issues in qualitative research.

AOTF Gala

2015 Gala – Champagne and Chocolate. Celebrating AOTF’s 50th Anniversary.2014 Gala — Express Yourself! AOTF and friends celebrated creativity at this American Visionary Art Museum.2013 Gala — AOTF saluted the military at the San Diego Air and Space Museum.2012 Gala — Dancing with the Stars (Indy-Style).

AOTF-AOTA Institute for Future Scientists in Occupational Therapy
2026-04-24 00:00 - 2026-04-25 23:59 (America/Los_Angeles)
Anaheim, CA

A cohort of entry-level OT students will be selected to participate in the American Occupational Therapy Foundation/ American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTF/AOTA) Institute of Future Scientists in Occupational Therapy on April 24-25, 2026, at the AOTA INSPRIRE Annual Conference & Expo in Anaheim, Calif. The in-person sessions will match potential student scientists with doctoral and post-doctorate mentors. Program participants will meet with leading occupational therapy scientists to discuss topics such as possibilities within OT science, considerations when evaluating potential doctoral programs, and career opportunities in the field of science.

Eligibility:

To apply, you must be a student currently enrolled in an OT program with an interest in science and research in the field of OT.

As the program aims to train and mentor future occupational therapy scientific researchers who may have limited exposure to research opportunities at their current institution, students attending research intensive institutions and/or institutions with a heavy research mission are not eligible (e.g., DRU-VH Carnegie Classification). Students from diverse backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply supporting the Associations’ objective of developing a clinical and research workforce to meet society’s diverse occupational needs in underserved areas or communities.

If you are unsure of your eligibility, email edleadership@aota.org.

Applications closed October 22, 2025. Selected participants are posted below.

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WISH Workshop
2026-05-26 00:00 - 2026-05-28 23:59 (America/New_York)
Alexandria, VA The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF), Center on Health Services Training and Research (CoHSTAR), and Learning Health Systems Rehabilitation Research Network (LeaRRn) invite rehabilitation researchers with an interest in implementation science, learning health systems research, and/or health services research to apply to participate in our Workshop in Implementation Science and Health Grant Writing (WISH), May 26-28, 2026. This intensive grant writing workshop is the fourth iteration available to rehabilitation researchers from all professions.

Registration is complimentary. Additionally, five travel awards designated for OT researchers will cover hotel costs and provide up to $500 for travel expenses for:

Junior Faculty or Trainees

Foreign Nationals who meet travel reimbursement eligibility requirements

Workshop Tracks:

Implementation Science

Health Services Research

Mixed Approach (components of both)

Participants in each track will be assigned to mentored pods to discuss and critique draft research proposals.Application closed Jan. 19, 2026.

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OT Summit
2026-06-11 00:00 - 2026-06-13 23:59 (America/Chicago)
Washington University, St. Louis

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