Arameh Anvarizadeh OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA (she/her/hers)
Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy
CHP 128
(323) 442-2822
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Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA is a founding member and chair of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD), a non-profit organization striving to empower occupational therapy leaders to engage in practices that increase diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and anti-oppression for a more transformative occupational therapy profession. She is responsible for developing the COTAD toolkit, the Ignite Series and COTAD Chapters.
Dr. Anvarizadeh recently made history as the youngest and first African American/Iranian woman to become vice president of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She is also the youngest woman of color inducted into the association’s prestigious Roster of Fellows (FAOTA). In 2024, Dr. Anvarizadeh was elected AOTA president-elect, and begins her three-year term as AOTA president in 2025.
She also currently holds leadership positions with AOTA as chair of the Credential Review and Accountability Committee (CRAC), as a member of the Representative Assembly Leadership Committee (RALC), as a Governance Task Force member and as liaison between the Governance and DEI task forces. Dr. Anvarizadeh was also a member of the AOTA Special Task Force on Entry-Level Education, and a crucial contributor to the professional dialogue on the entry-level degree requirements. She is a recent alumna of the 2020 cohort for the Executive Leadership Program for Multicultural Women.
Within the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC), Dr. Anvarizadeh serves as a member of the Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee. She is a recipient of OTAC’s Janice Matsutsuyu Outstanding Service Award and Vision Award. She previously held the position of Communications Chair for seven years.
Dr. Anvarizadeh is an accomplished speaker who has lectured in numerous state and national conferences, as well as internationally at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists’ (WFOT) Congress. Dr. Anvarizadeh is passionate about building healthy, diverse communities through inclusion, equity, empowerment and advocacy.
Education
Doctorate of Occupational Therapy (OTD)
2007 | University of Southern California
Master of Arts (MA)
in Occupational Therapy
2006 | University of Southern California
Bachelor of Science (BS)
in Occupational Therapy
2005 | University of Southern California
Selected Publications
Wolske, J., Lee, S. W., Ullah, M. M., & Anvarizadeh, A. (2024). Habituation: Patterns of daily occupation. In R. R. Taylor, P. Bowyer, & G. Fisher (Eds.), Kielhofner's Model of Human Occupation: Theory and application (6th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. Full text
Robinson Johnson, K., & Anvarizadeh, A. (2024). What is occupation? In G. Gillen & C. Brown (Eds.), Willard and Spackman’s Occupational Therapy (14th ed.). Wolters Kluwer. Full text
Muñoz, J. P., Hoyt, C., Hamed, R., Anvarizadeh, A., & Taff, S. D. (2023). Generative disruptive questions: Operationalizing diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and accessibility in occupational therapy education. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education, 7(4), 13. https://doi.org/10.26681/jote.2023.070413 Show abstract
Diversity, equity, and inclusion is one of five pillars upholding the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) strategic plan. Ensuring organizational, educational and governance structures, policies, programs, and services all reflect diversity, equity, inclusion, justice and accessibility (DEIJA) is a priority for the profession. Yet, addressing DEIJA remains a significant challenge in the occupational therapy academic community. Educational programs are a gateway to the profession and play a critical role in whether minoritized persons feel they belong in occupational therapy. This paper proposes a set of Generative Disruptive Questions (GDQ) that can be used to critically examine practices within education that reflect commitment and action towards DEIJA and to facilitate focused conversations that accelerate the creation of measurable, action steps that ensure DEIJA practices are effectively addressed within occupational therapy educational programs. These questions are intended to foster authentic reflection and brave discussions that will dismantle processes and practices that perpetuate systemic injustices. These conversation starters could help faculty, staff and learners engage in courageous conversations that may, at times, be challenging, but which can lead to transformative changes. The questions promote reflective analysis of DEIJA in multiple aspects of the educational process from examination of vision and mission and DEIJA processes and practices in the broad institutional context to more focused analysis of the culture, climate, recruitment, retention, and teaching practices.
Anvarizadeh, A. (2023). Letter to the Editor. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(5), 7705050010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.077503
Anvarizadeh, A., Nxumalo, K., Bennett, A., McLaughlin Gray, J., & Baranek, G. T. (2023). Promoting health equity through holistic admissions in occupational therapy education. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 77(5), 7705347010. https://doi.org/10.5014/ajot.2023.050103 Show abstract
As the U.S. population shifts away from a White majority, it is imperative that the health care workforce reflect the diversity of client populations served. Increased diversity in the health care workforce fosters access to more personalized, culturally responsive, and client-centered care, thereby facilitating improved outcomes and reduced health disparities. Occupational therapy education programs function as gatekeepers for diversity and need to be accountable for representation in the profession and to produce graduates who reflect the diversity of the broader population. Holistic admission practices, which ensure that no single factor excludes an applicant from admission, are recognized as a meaningful strategy for increasing student diversity in higher education and provide a pathway to create a representative workforce with the ability to improve care disparities and client outcomes. As one of the largest occupational therapy programs in the country, and located in a diverse urban area, the University of Southern California’s Mrs. T. H. Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy has embraced the profession’s responsibility toward greater health equity through holistic admissions. In this column, we discuss holistic admission best practices and report diversity outcomes resulting from enactment of these practices within our occupational therapy education program.
Chang, M. C., & Anvarizadeh, A. (2023). An adapted model of constraint-induced movement therapy for young children with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. In E. A. Pyatak & E. S. Lee (Eds.), 50 studies every occupational therapist should know (pp. 217-222). Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press. https://doi.org/10.1093/med/9780197630402.003.0031 Show abstract
The chapter “An Adapted Model of Constraint-Induced Movement Therapy for Young Children with Hemiplegic Cerebral Palsy” describes a study examining the effects of a modified constraint-induced movement therapy on children between 18 months and 4 years of age who were diagnosed with hemiplegic cerebral palsy. The results showed that the 6-month modified constraint-induced movement therapy significantly improved voluntary hand use on the affected hand after 2 months of treatment with 2 hours of use daily. The chapter also provides information about related research evaluating the modified constraint-induced movement therapy among children with cerebral palsy and presents a case study applying the study’s findings to clinical practice.
Keywords. constraint, movement therapy, pediatric rehabilitation, hemiplegia, cerebral palsy, occupational therapy
DeJesus, M., Oliver-Derry, K., Baldwin, E., Anvarizadeh, A., Lancaster, S., & Hoyt, C. R. (2021, June). Acting in 2021 for occupational justice: Acknowledging roles, creating conversations, and taking action. OT Practice, 26(6), 12-15. Full text
Wilson, S., Anvarizadeh, A., Hoyt Drazen, C., Holland, D., Kwebetchou, N., Reyes Smith, C., & Skowronski, J. (2015, November). Diversity in the workforce: Perspectives from emerging leaders. OT Practice, 20(21), 19-21. Full text
Awards
Roster of Fellows | 2020
American Occupational Therapy Association
Certificate of Appreciation for Valuable Contributions | 2010–2018
Occupational Therapy Association of California
Vision Award to the Centennial Float Committee | 2017
Occupational Therapy Association of California
Service Commendation for Mentor, Emerging Leaders Program, 2015 | 2017
American Occupational Therapy Association
Janice Matsutsuyu Outstanding Service Award | 2013
Occupational Therapy Association of California
In Chan News
July 28, 2022
How a six-week undergraduate pathway program empowers future occupational, physical therapists from underrepresented minority backgrounds.
January 29, 2021
USC Chan faculty members and alums Arameh Anvarizadeh ’05, MA ’06, OTD ’07 and Ashley Halle ’08, MA ’11, OTD ’12 will soon be contributing their talents to the national occupational therapy professional association, as each won their respective races for volunteer leadership positions,…
January 6, 2021
Meet the Trojans looking to make a nationwide difference for the good of the profession.
November 2, 2020
Four USC alumnae, including current faculty member Arameh Anvarizadeh, to join AOTA Roster of Fellows in 2021.
September 16, 2020
Four USC Chan faculty members and two alumni will be speaking during the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2020 Education Summit. The annual event brings together hundreds of faculty members from academic institutions across the country to learn about new trends, innovative classroom…
September 27, 2017
By Mike McNulty Eight Trojans have been named recipients of annual awards presented by the Occupational Therapy Association of California, a non-profit professional society that represents the interests of the more than 15,000 occupational therapy practitioners working in California. Associate Chair…
February 27, 2015
By Mike McNulty All three USC Chan Division students running for elected positions to the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Assembly of Student Delegates (ASD) won their respective races. Joseph Ungco MA ’16 was elected chairperson, Ellen Wleklinski BS ’14, MA ’15 was elected…
June 11, 2014
Congratulations to the 39 USC Trojan alumni and faculty members scheduled to present at the 2014 International Congress of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists in Yokohama, Japan. Congrats and Fight On! Click below to view the list.
March 26, 2014
Congratulations to the 68 USC Trojan faculty, alumni, students and staff who presented at the 2014 Conference of the American Occupational Therapy Association, March 3-6 in Baltimore. Additionally of special note, alumnae Dottie Ecker Cert. ’58, MA ’68 and Sue Knox MA ’68, PhD ’97 were…
October 22, 2013
85 Trojan alumni and faculty will be presenting at the 2013 Conference of the Occupational Therapy Association of California, Oct. 24-27 at the Sacramento (Calif.) Convention Center. On the evening of Friday Oct. 25, be sure to join your USC Trojan Family at the conference's alumni cocktail mixer.…
April 23, 2013
128 USC alumni, faculty, and students are scheduled to present at the 2013 Conference of the American Occupational Therapy Association, April 25-28 at the San Diego Convention Center. Presentation formats include a pre-conference institute, workshops, short courses, research and professional posters…
January 18, 2012
Two Trojans were among 17 future professional leaders selected by the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) to attend the 2012 Emerging Leaders Development Program, hosted last week at AOTA headquarters in Bethesda, Maryland. Arameh Anvarizadeh (BA ’05, MA ’06, OTD ’07) and current…
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