2024

Awards & Recognitions Ceremony at AOTA INSPIRE Conference, Saturday,  March 23, 2024

ACADEMY OF RESEARCH 
Ganesh M. Babulal, PhD, OTD, MSCI, MOT, OTR/L, Associate Professor, Department of Neurology, Knight Alzheimer Disease Research Center, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
Lindy Clemson, PhD, MAppSc (Research), BAppSc (OT), Dip OT, FOTARA, Emeritus Professor, Faculty of Medicine & Health Sydney School of Health Sciences, The University of Sydney Sydney, Australia
Roberta Gittens Pineda, PhD, OTR/L, CNT, Associate Professor, Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, Herman Ostrow School of Dentistry, University of Southern California Los Angeles, Calif.

AOTF/AOTA PRESIDENTS' COMMENDATION IN HONOR OF WILMA L. WEST
Karen Jacobs, OT, EdD, OTR, CPE, FAOTA, Associate Dean of Digital Learning & Innovation, Program Director of the post-professional doctorate in OT program & Clinical Professor at Boston University's Sargent College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, Boston, Massachussetts 

AOTF EARLY CAREER RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD
Adam R. Kinney, PhD, OTR/L, Research Health Science Specialist, Rocky Mountain Mental Illness Research, Education, & Clinical Center (MIRECC), Department of Veterans Affairs

AOTF MID-CAREER RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD
Sook-Lei Liew, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor, Mrs. T.H. Chan Division of Occupational Science & Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA

AOTF A. JEAN AYRES AWARD
Batya Engel-Yeger, PhD, OT, Professor, Social Welfare and Health Sciences, Department of Occupational Therapy, University of Haifa, Haifa, Israel

AOTF VIRGINIA SCARDINA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Shelly J. Lane, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Professor & Academic Program Director, Department of Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO

FRED SAMMONS VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARD
Clare Giuffrida, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, C/NDT, Clinical Assistant Professor, Department of Physical Medicine & Rehabilitation, Rush University Medical Center, Evanston, IL

AOTF MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD 
Dagny Fidler, PhD, Assistant Academic Coordinator, Adjunct Professor, Morningside University, Des Moines, IA
Stephen M. Shore, EdD, Clinical Associate Professor, The School of Education Ruth S. Ammon College of Education & Health Sciences, Adelphia University, Garden City, NY

AOTF LEADERSHIP SERVICE COMMENDATION
Simone V. Gill, PhD, OTR, FAOTA, Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy & Rehabilitation Sciences (PhD), Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences: Sargent College, Boston University, Boston, MA

AOTF PI THETA EPSILON MARY J. BRIDLE FIRST RESEARCH
Cortney Leverentz, OTD, MS, OTR/L, CLT, Creighton University (Alpha Iota) 

2023

Awards & Recognitions Ceremony at AOTA INSPIRE Conference, Saturday,  April 22, 4:30 pm–6:00 pm CT, Reception 6:00 pm–7:30 pm CT

ACADEMY OF RESEARCH 
Carolyn Unsworth, PhD, BAppSci (OT), GCTE, OTR, MRCOT, FOTARA, Professor, Discipline Lead Occupational Therapy Institute of Health and Wellbeing, Federation University Australia, Victoria, Austrailia
Sook-Lei Liew, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor; Director, Neural Plasticity and Neurorehabilitation Laboratory; Chair, ENIGMA Stroke Recovery Working Group; Co-Director, USC SMART-VR Center; Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, Biokinesiology and Physical Therapy, Biomedical Engineering, and Neurology USC Stevens Neuroimaging and Informatics Institute, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

AOTF EARLY CAREER RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD
Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, Assistant Professor, Division of Occupational Therapy, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio

AOTF MID-CAREER RESEARCH EXCELLENCE AWARD
Elizabeth Pyatak, PhD, OTR/L, CDCES, FAOTA, Director of the Lifestyle Redesign® Knowledge Mobilization Initiative, and Associate Professor, Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

FRED SAMMONS VOLUNTEER RECOGNITION AWARD
Bonita Kraft, retired occupational therapist practicing in behavioral health focusing on schizophrenia, psychosis, depression, bipolar disorder and other personality disorders, Camarillo, California

AOTF A. JEAN AYRES AWARD
Teresa May-Benson, ScD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Owner, President, TMB Occupational Therapy Resources, Inc. Norristown, Pennsylvania

AOTF VIRGINIA SCARDINA AWARD OF EXCELLENCE
Erna Imperatore Blanche, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, Clinical Professor of Occupational Therapy, Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California

AOTF MERITORIOUS SERVICE AWARD 
Felicia Chew, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, FNAP, President, Integrity Health Solutions, Mount Royal, New Jersey
Donald Fogelberg, PhD, OTR/L, Associate Professor, Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Washington Seattle, Washington
Susan Magasi PhD, MS, BScOT, Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy; Associate Professor, Disability and Human Development; Associate Head, Occupational Therapy, Department of Occupational Therapy and Disability Studies, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
Kerri Morgan, PhD, OTR/L, ATP, Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy and Neurology, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri
Kristie Patten, PhD, OT/L, FAOTA, Vice Dean of Academic Affairs, Professor of Occupational Therapy Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, New York, New York

AOTF LEADERSHIP SERVICE COMMENDATION
Tracey Ellis, OTR/L, MPH, CEO & Founder, International Diagnostic Solutions, Inc. and Ellis Therapeutic Consultant, Inc. Washington, District of Columbia
Elizabeth Pfeiffer, PhD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA, Associate Professor, Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences; Director of the REACH Lab, Temple University

AOTF PI THETA EPSILON MARY J. BRIDLE FIRST RESEARCH
Sarah Synek, OTD, OTR/L, Creighton University, Occupational Therapist at Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals, Lincoln, Nebraska. Research Title: The Effectiveness of Upper Extremity Orthotic Interventions on Functional Participation for Adults with Stroke: A Systematic Review