Elizabeth Pyatak’s original and impactful research program focuses on the development, implementation, and assessment of innovative occupational therapy interventions that enhance the health, well-being, and quality of life of individuals with chronic conditions such as diabetes, particularly among medically underserved and at-risk populations.  By grounding her pioneering lifestyle interventions on the findings of her qualitative inquiries on the day-to-day issues of underserved populations living with diabetes, Dr. Pyatak has transformed how the field of occupational therapy approaches the management of medically complex chronic conditions by addressing not only the therapeutic needs of clients, but also the broader social contexts that contribute to their conditions.  She currently serves as Principal Investigator on two NIH R01 awards totaling over $6.7 million, has published 39 peer-reviewed articles in high impact journals, and has provided over 70 invited and refereed presentations to international, national, and regional audiences.
 

Shannon Skowbo is an occupational therapy student at Northern Arizona University (NAU) pursuing an entry level doctorate. As a student leader, she served as a graduate teaching assistant for NAU’s anatomy program, vice president of the student occupational therapy association, and representative for the college of health and human services. Working routinely on executive board teams, she strengthened her leadership skills and Not only is she committed to fulfilling the position of National Treasurer, she believes her role as a student will provide an inside lens of the current needs, passions, and concerns of occupational therapy students today. Looking forward, her vision for Pi Theta Epsilon is to redefine expectations and involvement of chapter boards, increase membership, host international students webinars, and increase chapter engagement with and expanding grants for research and resources that target underrepresented and minority groups.