Blogs

Early Friday morning, November 18, 2011, I logged onto the AOTA website and found that I was on the AOTA slate for President-Elect.... I was thrilled. As current AOTA Vice-President, I have found the job to be one where I am continually learning and enjoying the contact I have with AOTA members and staff...

OT Colleagues- During the next month, the AOTA is conducting its elections and I ask for your support to serve as the AOTA Vice-President. At this point in my career, I hope to bring both new energy (it's been 6 years since I served on the AOTA Board of Directors and as the SISSC Chair), new knowledge...

What does it mean to have vision? Never has this question been tested than it has been during this economy. I am learning very quickly that dealing with the everyday concerns this economy raises can quickly side track a vision, like our Centennial Vision. This tough economy takes it toll on leaders...

Hi all, The past two days, because of technology, I was able to visit two Universities. At the University of Oklahoma I conversed via videoconferencing with the student occupational therapy association. This was a rescheduled visit as I was supposed to talk to the students the day I was stuck in South...

My husband and I take the train in the morning to work. He takes the train all the way in to Union Station in downtown Washington, D.C. and one morning he called and said there were secret service men all over Union Station and huge black SUVs parked outside. I told him it was probably our Vice President...

If you don't know this before, you will know now. I am currently running for the President position of the Assembly of Student Delegates in AOTA. Unlike the formal email some (if not most) of you might have probably receive, I am going to do it in an informal way. Yes, my resume is not as impressive...

Last year at this time, I was getting the news that I was nominated to run for the ASD Chairperson position. While I didn't win last year, I actually learned a lot in my first shot at cracking the door of professional leadership at the national level. This year, I am stepping on the sidelines for...

With the latest loss in the AOTA elections, it marked that I am 0 for 3 in OT leadership elections this school year. I was upset not because I lost the election (although that stings, too), but the fact that I wasn't rewarded for the fact that I am a changed man in being more responsible for my future...

A fellow classmate told me a few months ago, "You get along with everyone so well. I have never seen you get angry with anyone before." I replied, "Really? I just don't want people to see that side of me, as it can get pretty ugly." Apparently, I have a few instances this past...

When I saw the blog post that the AOTA elections will be extended 4 more days due to the fact that the site needs maintenance, I was like, "Oh great!" I say that not because of the fact it's 4 more days... but the fact that it is going to drag on to my birthday, which is the day before...

If you read my last blog, you will know that I recently traveled from New York to Washington D.C. on the Acela train. But what I did not tell you was that I was traveling to be a speaker at AOTA’s first Middle Managers Leadership Training Seminar. Now, no doubt, you are aware that for the past...

Can you believe just a few days after presenting my keynote address at the AOTA/NBCOT National Student Conclave, I wished I would have given it a different title? The keynote was called “Winning: The Internal Dimension of the Pixel Mindset” and it emphasized embracing the competitive spirit...

I am in the habit of attending primarily occupational therapy conferences, so when I recently was a participant at the annual meeting of the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine (ACRM), it seemed out of the ordinary at first—no big opening ceremony, no dancing in the aisles, far fewer participants...

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I have been blogging and sharing my experiences over the last few months about the strategic planning process for the Department of Rehabilitation Services at MD Anderson. The Department of Rehabilitation Services includes occupational therapy and physical therapy, employs approximately 90 FTE’s...

So, we continue with our process of strategic planning and visioning in the Department of Rehabilitation Services at MD Anderson Cancer Center. This month we are conducting a SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunities and threats) analysis to compliment the SOAR (strengths, Opportunities, Aspirations and...

Today was a perfect day as a professional. Today I presented along with a large group of my physical therapy colleagues at the Texas Physical Therapy Association Conference in the The Woodlands, Texas. These colleagues are all members of the staff I supervise and they submitted a full day workshop...

I am very excited to have been approved by the Nominating Committee as a candidate for the office of AOTA Vice-President for 2012 to 2015! I would like to take this opportunity to tell you about myself as an occupational therapist and as a long-time volunteer for AOTA and the profession. Over the...

Hi everyone, Voting opens today in the AOTA General Elections. I am so excited about the idea of serving our Association as the Next Vice-President. Please log on to www.aota.org and vote! I am honored to consider my two opponents in this election as close colleagues and friends. The great thing about...

The summer has been busy (and HOT) in Houston! Much of July was spent on preparing the budget for the 2012 fiscal year which starts today and operational planning and issues, but we continue to move along with the strategic planning process in the Department of Rehabilitation at the University of...

After a lot of hard work on the part of my Leadership Team I am ready to share the next step of our strategic planning process at the MD Anderson Cancer Center Department of Rehabilitation Services. We have spent over 6 months revising our Mission Statement, developing a vision statement for 2021, analyzing...

Recently the new President of the UT MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Ronald DePinho, shared his vision that we will cure 5 cancers in the foreseeable future. Now THAT is a vision worth supporting! I believe it to be true; when you have a strong, clear, aspirational vision of the future it is easy to rally...

Health care reform is here. Whether you were in support of its passage or not, it is the law of the land. I hope we can agree we must be prepared for its implementation. What will health care reform mean for occupational therapy moving forward? What can we do as practitioners to shape the role of occupational...

I have been honored to serve the profession of occupational therapy as a volunteer leader with AOTPAC for the past six years. As I conclude my second and final term as Chair of AOTPAC, I have been doing a lot of reflection on our successes, challenges and opportunities as a political action entity and...

When I reflect on my career in relation to my qualifications to fulfill the role of Vice President of AOTA, I have had the opportunity to ruminate on the experiences that have made me into the professional I am today. Those who are close to me know I do not often talk about things I have done or accomplished...