Dr. Davies, director of the Brainwaves Research Laboratory at Colorado State University, focuses on understanding the development of neurophysiological mechanisms that underlie cognitive and motor behaviors in children with and without disorders.

Davies holds joint appointments in the Departments of Occupational Therapy, Psychology and Human Development and Family Studies, and is a faculty member in the Molecular, Cellular, and Integrated Neuroscience Program. She is a member of three interdisciplinary research teams: one developing brain-computer interfaces, one applying universal design for learning and post-secondary opportunities for college students with disabilities, and one developing and implementing obesity prevention interventions for young children. Davies has served on editorial boards for the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, the Occupational Therapy Journal of Research, and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics. Davies received her B.S. in occupational therapy from CSU. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in neuroscience and developmental psychology from the University of Wyoming.

Dr. Janet Poole is Professor and Division Chief of the Occupational Therapy Graduate Program at the University of New Mexico. Dr. Poole’s research has primarily focused on the impact of systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma) on participation in daily life. She and a colleague developed TOSS (Taking Charge Of Systemic Sclerosis), the only comprehensive self-management program for people with systemic sclerosis. The development and evaluation of the effectiveness of this internet program was funded by the Patient Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI). This program has received much acclaim nationally and internationally, leading to collaborations with other health professionals in Europe to develop similar culturally relevant programs for people with SSc. Dr. Poole also created a brochure with hand and face exercises for people with SSc that is available on the Scleroderma Foundation website; she was honored with the Foundation’s Volunteer of the Year award in 2011. Dr. Poole just concluded her term as President of the Association of Rheumatology Professionals (ARP), and currently, as Immediate Past President, is the Chair of the ARP Membership and Nominations Committee. The ARP honored Dr. Poole with the Distinguished Lecturer Award in 2018; the Master Clinician Award in 2012 and the Distinguished Educator Award in 2011. Dr. Poole is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and was elected to the AOTF Academy of Research in 2008.

Dr. Reistetter is Professor and Associate Dean for Research in the School of Health Professions at the University of Texas Health Sciences Center in San Antonio (as of January 2019). He is widely recognized for his leadership in health services research within rehabilitation in general, and in occupational therapy specifically. Through Dr. Reistetter’s K12, K01, and subsequently his currently funded Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality R01, he has brought the discussion of how to measure rehabilitation geographic regions to the forefront. Specifically, he is translating methodology from the hospital-centric research conducted at Dartmouth College and implementing these approaches to a rehabilitation context to define rehabilitation geographic services areas. Prior to Dr. Reistetter’s seminal work, any researchers examining geographic variations in rehabilitation quality of care were limited to the hospital-based regions, called Hospital Service Areas, even if they did not adequately reflect the context and environment in which rehabilitation was provided across the country, as this was the accepted approach. Thus, it has been Tim’s work, which has focused on developing and evaluating Rehabilitation Service Areas that has provided health services researchers with the necessary tools to effectively measure variations in service delivery, access, and quality. 

Anne Bryden PhD, OTR/L is the Director of Clinical Trials and Research for the Institute for Functional Restoration (IFR) of Case Western Reserve University, a non-profit organization with the mission of restoring function to people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and other paralytic disorders. Additionally, she is part-time lecturer in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate Program at Cleveland State University and Staff Scientist in the MetroHealth Center for Rehabilitation Research. Anne received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Cleveland State University, and PhD in Sociology from Case Western Reserve University. Anne has over 25 years of experience specializing in upper limb management of people with tetraplegia. Her research interests include upper extremity assessment, surgical interventions, outcomes measurement, and the social determinants of health and wellness in people with chronic, physical disability. Her current work focuses on the utility of human rights discourse to frame the barriers and limitations experienced by people with disabilities and their support persons in attaining services and technology to improve quality of life.

Dr. Mulcahey is a Professor of Occupational Therapy and Director of the Center for Outcomes and Measurement in Jefferson College of Rehabilitation Sciences (JCRS) at Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA. She has over 30 years of experience as a practitioner, educator and researcher, and is a certified health coach, competent coach and life care planner.  Her primary area of research is on the development, validation and utilization of new and existing outcome measures of impairment, physical function, activity, and participation for children, youth and adults with spinal cord injury (SCI), and other chronic conditions. She served as Principal Investigator for a seminal multi-center study on the psychometric properties of the International Neurological Classification of Spinal Cord Injury in children, which subsequently lead to evidence-informed guidelines on evaluation of the neurological consequence of SCI in children, and the first study aimed at establishing imaging biomarkers of pediatric SCI. Engaging and working collaboratively with others, Dr. Mulcahey has developed and validated IRT-based child and parent reported outcome measures, conducted psychometric studies to establish lower age guidelines for outcome instruments used in SCI clinical trials, established pediatric recommendations for the NINDS SCI CDE and International SCI basic data sets, and developed and validated estimates to allow linking between pediatric and adult patient reported outcome scores. Dr. Mulcahey is currently studying the feasibility and outcomes of coaching caregivers of children with SCI and developing an IRT-based clinical trial outcomes assessment. 

Dr. Mulcahey has published over 180 peer-reviewed manuscripts and 24 chapters, and served as editor for nine books/special journal issues. She has received research funding from the National Institutes of Health, Craig H. Neilsen Foundation, Rick Hansen Institute and the Shriners Hospitals for Children. Dr. Mulcahey is past-president of the American Spinal Injury Association (2015-2017) and past-vice president of the Pediatric Spine Foundation (2015-2020) current chair of the Board of Governance of the Steel Assembly for Pediatric SCI\D, associate editor for Topics in SCI Rehabilitation,  and editorial board member of Spinal Cord and the Physical Therapy Journal. Dr. Mulcahey is a member of the Academy of Research. 

Teal W. Benevides, PhD, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA, is a wife, mother, occupational therapist, and researcher. Dr. Benevides is a tenured Associate Professor in the Institute of Public and Preventive Health at Augusta University.

Dr. Benevides is committed to fostering access to services and support for autistic people and others with intellectual and developmental disabilities through community-engaged approaches and partnerships.

Dr. Benevides is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and serves on autism, suicide prevention, and occupational therapy organizations as a board or committee member to advance scientific knowledge translation and promote community priorities.

Dr. Brent Braveman has practiced as an occupational therapy clinician, educator, researcher, and manager since entering the profession in 1984. He is the Department of Rehabilitation Services Director at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas. MD Anderson Cancer Center was recently ranked as the top cancer hospital in the country by US News and World Reports. The Department of Rehabilitation Services employs over 140 occupational and physical therapy practitioners.

His volunteer service in state and national professional association activities included serving two terms on the AOTA Board of Directors as Speaker of the Representative Assembly and Secretary. He was a Board Director for the American Occupational Therapy Association Political Action Committee (AOTPAC). He served as a representative to the National Institutes of Health Working Group on Cancer Rehabilitation, as a Standing Committee Member on the National Quality Forum’s NQF) Cancer Project, and on the NQF’s project on co-designing patient-centered care. Now, he is on the Board of Trustees for the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF).

Dr. Braveman is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and a recipient of the AOTA Recognition of Achievement Award for “Exemplary Contributions in Management and Program Development.”

Hazel L. Breland, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, distinguished herself as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (FAOTA, 2016) through her commitment to excellence in OT service and innovations in interprofessional leadership, advocacy, and diversity.

The focus of Dr. Breland’s scholarship during her 16-year academic career included interprofessional education and practice, health disparities, community engagement, health promotion, and secondary prevention for persons aging with chronic conditions and underserved populations. Further, she dedicates her time to professional service that prioritizes health equity, mentoring diverse leaders, and addressing societal needs to positively impact and promote independence, equity, justice, and wellness for unrepresented and underserved groups.

Dr. Breland’s professional engagement and service include membership in the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA; 1998 – present), the Association of Prevention Teaching and Research (APTR; 2015 – present), the Association of Rheumatology Professions (ARP; 2004 – present; 2019 APR President), the National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus (NBOTC; 1998 – present; 2014-2019 NBOTC Vice President), and the South Carolina Association (SCOTA; 2006 – present).

Megan C. Chang is a Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at San José State University. She holds a Ph.D. in Occupational Science, an M.S. in Applied Biostatistics and Epidemiology, an M.A. in 
Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California (USC), and a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from National Cheng Kung University in Taiwan. Her expertise was further enhanced through postdoctoral training at USC and the UCLA Psychophysiology Laboratory within the G. Oppenheimer Center for Neurobiology of Stress and Resilience.

Dr. Chang leads a psychophysiology lab that explores the impact of stress on sensory processing, sleep, and mental health. Her research focuses on understanding sensory processing patterns and evaluating psychosocial and physiological risk factors associated with health behaviors and occupations across diverse populations. She investigates the effects of mindfulness practices on parents of 
children with disabilities, aiming to improve their well-being and coping strategies.

She has contributed to several book chapters, including Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction and Case-Smith’s Occupational Therapy for Children and Adolescents. Additionally, she directs a faculty-led program in Taiwan, providing students with immersive experiences in universal healthcare systems and 
enhancing their cultural humility. 

As an army occupational therapist for more than ten years, Major Erik Johnson was instrumental in the care for service members who had sustained devastating physical, cognitive and mental health injuries during combat operations. He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for his work with brain injuries while deployed to Afghanistan from 2009 to 2011. Leaving the Army after 20 years, Erik now serves as an assistant professor at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in Belton, Texas. He also serves as the Chief Medical Officer for Warfighter Engaged. As an occupational therapist, Erik specializes in the use of technology as a therapeutic medium for rehabilitation. He has used video games as a treatment tool for over 14 years and looks for opportunities to advance practice by incorporating them into the mix of traditional approaches. Erik also serves as a consultant to the video game industry as it relates to creating hardware and content that is more accessible for all gamers regardless of physical, mental, or cognitive deficits. He was on the team that worked with Microsoft to develop the Xbox adaptive controller and more recently worked with 343 Industries on their latest instalment of the Halo franchise to ensure proper representation of amputees in the game.

Lisa Juckett, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, is an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy in the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at The Ohio State University. She leverages her prior clinical experiences in physical rehabilitation and her doctoral training in implementation science to identify solutions that narrow the “research-to-practice” gap.

Dr. Juckett and her team have developed and tested strategies to expedite the use of innovations (e.g., standardized outcome measures, fall prevention interventions) in real-world practice settings, including stroke rehabilitation units, community-based organizations, and aging service agencies.

Her work has been funded by entities such as the NIH, PCORI, the Administration for Community Living, and the National Science Foundation, and she is actively involved in local and national service initiatives to improve the health outcomes of vulnerable aging communities. 

Dr. Rebecca Martin is the Manager of Clinical Research and Education at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury (ICSCI) at Kennedy Krieger Institute and an assistant professor at The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine in the Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation.

Dr. Martin received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Boston University and her Occupational Therapy Doctorate from Rocky Mountain University of Allied Health Professions.

She joined Kennedy Krieger in 2005 as a Senior Occupational Therapist at the International Center for Spinal Cord Injury. Since 2010, Dr. Martin has been the Manager of Clinical Research and Education and is responsible for program development, staff training, and oversight of the clinical research program. Dr. Martin speaks nationally on topics related to Activity-Based Rehabilitation; she has taught many continuing education courses for rehabilitation professionals in neurological pathology, rehabilitation, and research. She has been the principal investigator and co-investigator for grants from the Paralyzed Veterans of America Education Foundation and the Department of Defense to develop, promote, and disseminate an activity-based restorative therapy training program and curriculum.

Furthermore, Dr. Martin is the founder and primary investigator at Kennedy Krieger’s Neurorehabilitation and Recovery Lab, which focuses on the study of clinically meaningful interventions poised for rapid translation to practice.

Dr. Persch is an Associate Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department at Colorado State University and is Director of the Transition, Employment, and Technology (TET) Lab. The TET Lab is focused on improving the transition to adulthood and employment among those with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This work has been funded by NIH, NIDILRR, SSA, and various state and local organizations. He worked with Dr. Dennis Cleary, MS, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA and partners in special education and vocational rehabilitation to create the Vocational Fit Assessment (VFA), providing an accurate, person-centered measure of work-related adaptive behavior that informs job placement and customized employment decision-making. Launched in 2016, VocFit.com is a knowledge translation tool designed to implement the VFA using a custom-developed web-app. Over 7 years, the registered userbase of VocFit.com has grown to more than 12,000 employment support professionals across North America and Europe. Dr. Persch teaches pediatrics and program development at CSU. He served as Chairperson for the AOTA Special Interest Sections Council, a nationally-elected leadership position, from 2016-2020. He is an Associate Editor for AOTF's publication, OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research.

Dr. Pfeiffer is an associate professor in the Department of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University College of Public Health and the director of the Research, Engagement, and Advocacy for Community Participation and Health (REACH) Lab. Her research focuses on the development of interventions and outcome measures to support engagement in meaningful activities in the community for transitional-age youth and young adults with ASD and/or IDD.

In all aspects of her work in the REACH lab, she is committed to engaging stakeholders/community partners in research planning and decision-making. Dr. Pfeiffer teaches research in the post-professional and entry-level Occupational Therapy Doctorate program and mentors PhD students. She continues her clinical practice in the area of pediatrics.

Dr. Rachel Proffitt is Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Missouri. Her research focuses on developing, testing, and implementing virtual reality-based interventions for adults and older adults post-stroke. Dr. Proffitt has extensive experience working in an interdisciplinary setting with computer scientists and engineers and was previously the Director of the Game Based Rehab Lab at the Institute for Creative Technologies at the University of Southern California (USC). She has completed a T32 postdoctoral fellowship with an emphasis in rehabilitation clinical trials as well as a KL2 Career Development Award. She is currently translating effective interventions, such as LSVT®BIG, for use with the stroke population and pairing telehealth applications for remote delivery in rural areas. Dr. Proffitt is PI of an NIH R01 to evaluate a sensor system in the homes of rural community-dwelling older adults.

Shawn C. Roll, PhD, OTR/L, RMSKS, FAOTA, FAIUM, is a Professor in the Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Southern California, where he combines his expertise as both an occupational therapist and a registered musculoskeletal sonographer to conduct impactful research. His scholarship aims to understand intersections among the built, social, and organizational environments with health, well-being, and flourishing as we engage in occupations, particularly within increasingly diverse and ever-expanding technology-enabled workplace contexts.

Dr. Roll has received over $7M in grant funding to support his research, including multiple federal grants from the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health and the National Science Foundation; he has more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has spoken extensively to national and international audiences.

He is a fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. He has been inducted into the American Occupational Therapy Foundation’s Academy of Research and received the Distinguished Sonographer Award from the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine. 

Dr. Scott Campbell began his tenure as Chief Executive Officer of the Foundation in May 2015.  Prior to joining the Foundation, Dr. Campbell served as a Scientific Advisory Board member for Temptime Corporation and served as Executive Director and CEO of the Foundation for the National Institutes of Health.  He was responsible for overall leadership of the FNIH and was involved with many of the collaborative research projects funded through the FNIH including the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), the Biomarkers Consortium, the Observational Medical Outcomes Partnership (OMOP), Grand Challenges in Global Health, the US-Russia Scientific Forum and the mHealth Summit.  He also represented the Foundation on the Health Research Alliance and the Institute of Medicine (IOM) Forum on Drug Discovery, Development, and Translation.  

From 2001-2010, Dr. Campbell served as National Vice President of Research Programs at the American Diabetes Association.  In addition to overseeing all research-related programs at the ADA, he also was responsible for helping acquire major donations to the ADA Research Foundation.  He was a trustee on the Board of Trustees, Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care International (AAALAC); member of the IOM Clinical Research Roundtable; and served on the Board of Directors of the Health Research Alliance.  He also represented the ADA on several federally related committees, including the Diabetes Mellitus Interagency Coordinating Committee (DMICC) at the National Institutes of Health.  Before beginning his non-profit scientific administration career, Dr. Campbell spent 16 years in academia with academic appointments at the University of South Dakota, University of Missouri, and Michael Reese Hospital.

Dr. Campbell received his PhD in Basic Biomedical Sciences from the University of South Florida.  He is the author of 40 peer-reviewed articles, 9 invited reviews, and 14 book chapters related to cardiovascular disease.

Dr. Jaimee Hegge, OTD, OTR/L, CKTP, has been an occupational therapist since 2012 and a full-time Clinical Assistant Professor at Sacred Heart University since 2018. Dr. Hegge teaches and coordinates the adult and geriatric physical rehabilitation curriculum in the Graduate Occupational Therapy (OT) Program.

She received her Master of Science in OT degree from Sacred Heart University in 2012 and her Post-Professional Doctoral degree from St. Catherine University in 2018.  Dr. Hegge’s clinical expertise is in adult and geriatric physical rehabilitation, focusing on ergonomics and pelvic floor dysfunction.

Alyson Stover is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, at the University of Pittsburgh. Stover obtained her juris doctorate in law with a post-graduate certificate in health law from the University of Pittsburgh. Her areas of practice expertise include pediatrics, trauma-informed occupational therapy, and holistic approaches to substance use disorder, and she is AOTA Board Certified in Pediatrics.

She owns a private outpatient pediatric practice north of Pittsburgh and co-founded a non-profit organization that uses occupation to address community, societal, and population needs. Stover's interests include using occupational therapy as a powerful driving force for larger healthcare change, advancing occupational therapy’s national and global relevance, and occupational therapy’s role as a leader in policy development and implementation. Stover is also interested in access to care for underserved and underrepresented populations.  Stover serves as President of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) through June 2025.  

Dr. Cristina Reyes Smith is an Associate Professor and Director of Admissions in the MUSC College of Health Professions (CHP) Division of Occupational Therapy. Dr. Smith began as Vice President of the American Occupational Therapy Association in July 2024. She recently served as a Director on the American Occupational Therapy Association Board of Directors (2020-2023). She was Chair of the College of Health Professions Faculty Assembly and Faculty Council in 2023. She served on the Editorial Board of the Journal of Occupational Therapy Education from 2020 to 2024 and the Standing for Research Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity (STRIDE) Committee of the American Occupational Therapy Foundation from 2022 to 2024. She served two terms as the MUSC Faculty Senate Institutional Advancement Committee Chair. She has also coordinated multiple annual events through the Medical University of South Carolina, including the MUSC Culturally Sensitive Care Program and the Septima P. Clark Poetry Contest for children and youth across South Carolina.

Dr. Smith is a graduate of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program at Thomas Jefferson University and the Masters in Occupational Therapy program at the Medical University of South Carolina (MUSC). She has over 15 years of experience and expertise in community health promotion, program development, and leadership development, focusing on access to care for underserved communities. She has conducted presentations and published manuscripts locally, nationally, and internationally. Topics have included holistic admissions, workforce diversity, cultural competence and sensitivity, and related themes.

Fred Sammons began his professional life teaching mechanical drawing to high school students. It was after serving in the Army during the Korean War that he earned his occupational therapy degree at Virginia Commonwealth University on the GI Bill. His first job was at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago, becoming the director of occupational therapy in 1957. In 1960, Fred joined the staff of the amputee clinic at Northwestern University, and this is where he began to design and build devices to assist individuals with disabilities in their every day activities. With a growing demand for his devices, Fred decided in 1965 to devote all his time to creating, manufacturing, and distributing his inventions, and "the rest is history." Sammons, Inc. grew to a multimillion dollar business, and is now Sammons Preston, an AbilityOne Company. His honorary doctorate in occupational therapy, awarded by the Western Michigan University (WMU) Department of Occupational Therapy, recognizes the many contributions he has made to the profession. Mr. Sammons was named one of the 100 Influential People of Occupational Therapy by AOTA.

Mr. Sammons continues to give to the profession through grants, scholarships, and donations that support research, education, and clinical programs. In his retirement, he has been an active member of AMBUCS, Inc., with whom he collaborates to develop designs for adapted bicycles and tricycles (AmTrykes) for children with disabilities. He expresses great pride in his innovative seating system and in the ways in which he has been able to adapt these bikes to each child’s needs. His love for innovation and technology that help others has been present throughout his life and continues today.

Mr. Sammons' support of the Foundation has been generous, long standing, and diverse including the Fred Sammons and Barbara Rider Endowed Scholarship of the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association, and the Fred Sammons Endowed Scholarship of the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association. AOTF established a new volunteer recognition award in 2017 as a result of a generous endowment for the award from Fred Sammons and Barbara Rider: the Fred Sammons Volunteer Recognition Award. This award will be presented by the AOTF in perpetuity. Mr. Sammons was the inaugural recipient. With the establishment for the endowment for this new volunteer recognition awards, Mr. Sammons becomes the first, and to date only, living million-dollar donor to the Foundation.

In 2017, AOTF created the Fred Sammons Volunteer Recognition Award in honor of Mr. Sammon's devotion to volunteerism. Mr. Sammons was the inaugural recipient.