2026 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference & Expo
The faculty, staff, students and alumni of USC Chan will be well represented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2026 Inspire conference in Anaheim. With feature presentations, dozens of USC-affiliated speakers/presenters and numerous USC-affiliated award winners, and an awards ceremony and Trojan Family Reception, this year’s conference will be one to remember!
USC Chan Awards Ceremony followed by the USC Trojan Family Reception
Saturday, April 25, at 7:00 p.m.
Hilton Anaheim
777 W. Convention Way, Anaheim, CA
Click to RSVP by April 13
Feature Presentations
“Our Defining Moment: Reimagining our Future, Together”
The 2026 Presidential Address by Arameh Anvarizadeh on Friday, April 24, at 11:30 a.m.
USC Faculty, Staff Members, Current Students and Alumni Presenters/Speakers
List forthcoming
2025 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference & Expo
The faculty, staff, students and alumni of USC Chan were well represented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2025 Inspire conference in Philadelphia. With two faculty feature presentations, more than 80 USC-affiliated speakers/presenters and nine USC-affiliated award winners, this year’s conference was one to remember!
USC Trojan Family Reception
Our annual social reception for USC alumni, faculty and staff, students, colleagues and friends
Friday, April 4, 2025
7:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Philadelphia Marriott Downtown, Salon A
1201 Market St. (guest entrance at 1200 Filbert St.)
Feature Presentations
“Shattering Glass Ceilings: Thriving in the Shadows of Underestimation and Collective Diversity,” the Incoming Presidential Address by Arameh Anvarizadeh
“The Impact of Long COVID on Occupational Performance: Opportunities for Occupational Therapy Intervention and Research,” the American Occupational Therapy Foundation’s State of the Science Symposium featuring Shawn Roll
2025 AOTA & AOTF Awardees
Jayson Davies ’11, MA ’12 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Assistant Professor Leah Stein Duker MA ’06, PhD ’13, Postdoc ’15 | AOTF Virginia Scardina Award of Excellence
Donald Fogelberg PhD ’08, Postdoc ’10 | AOTF Leadership Service Commendation
Professor Mary Lawlor | AOTF Fred Sammons Volunteer Recognition Award
Annie Baltazar Mori MA ’00, OTD ’03 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy Chantelle Rice Collins ’07, MA ’08, OTD ’09, faculty member | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Krysti Teng OS Minor ’14 | AOTA Gary Kielhofner Emerging Leader Award
Heather Thomas MA ’98 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Jennifer Weaver MA ’11 | AOTF Early Career Research Excellence Award
USC Faculty, Staff Members, Current Students and Alumni Presenters/Speakers
Joana Nana Serwaa Akrofi | Sultan Alfawaz | Yasi Amanat | Amber Angell | Arameh Anvarizadeh | Alex Arguelles | Asha Asher | Megan Atkinson | Karla Ausderau | Marlena Backlar | Annie Baltazar | Tiffany Barnes | Amber Bennett | Jeanine Blanchard | Aaron Bonsall | Ashley Bonzell | Lorie Brinkman | Kristine Carandang | Megan C. Chang | Alison Cogan | Rebecca Cunningham | Jayson Davies | Jesús Díaz | Caitlin Dobson | Leah Stein Duker | Aaron Eakman | Mia Esquiavel | Yiyang “Sunny” Fang | Kristine Frey | Rolando Garza Jr. | Heather Gates | Willa Giffin | Gabrielle Granados | Anijah Green | Yeini Guardia | Valerie Hill | Liza “Abby” Khou | Dawn Kurakazu | Elizabeth Larson | Gene Lee | Cindy Luff | Zoe Mailloux | Riley McGuire | Thomas Mernar | Stacey Morikawa | Stacey Schepens Niemiec | Kristin Nxumalo | Mim Ochsenbein | L. Diane Parham | Karen Park | Myka Persson | Elyse Peterson | Liz Phelps | Jesslyn Ponce | Hanna Popoviciu | Amy Prasad | Sarah Putt | Elizabeth Pyatak | Chantelle Rice Collins | Jessica Rios | Pamela Roberts | Mireya Rodriguez | Aja Roley | Susanne Roley | Shawn Roll | Shannon Roux | Jiehong Shi | Hyon Min “Catherine” Shin | Lily Shkhyan | Winny Soenaryo | Amanda Speights | Lawrence Stevenson | Vaishnavi Tallury | Krysti Teng | Marilyn Thompson | Brittany Trevino | Stephanie Tsai | Yongshi Wang | Jamieson Wilcox | Ella Wilson | Bill Wong | Janis Yue
Every effort is made to accurately recognize the USC Trojan Family; if an error or omission has been made above, please notify .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) — Fight On!
2024 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference & Expo
The faculty, staff, students and alumni of USC Chan were well represented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2024 Inspire conference in Orlando. With more than 100 USC-affiliated speakers/presenters and seven USC-affiliated award winners, as well as two special events, this year’s conference was one to remember!
Festschrift Retirement Celebration for Professor Sharon Cermak
An honorary academic symposium celebrating Professor Sharon Cermak and her 55-year career in occupational therapy upon her upcoming retirement
Thursday, March 21
1:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Rosen Centre Hotel
Ballroom D (9840 International Drive, Orlando)
USC Trojan Family Reception
Our annual social reception for USC alumni, faculty and staff, students, colleagues and friends
Friday, March 22
7:30 – 10:00 p.m.
Rosen Centre Hotel
Ballroom A
(9840 International Drive, Orlando)
2024 AOTA & AOTF Awardees
Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy Sarah Bream MA ’96, OTD ’09 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy Katie Jordan MA ’03, OTD ’04 | AOTA Award for Excellence in the Advancement of OT and AOTA Lindy Boggs Award
Associate Professor Sook-Lei Liew MA ’08, PhD ’12 | AOTF Mid-Career Research Excellence Award and AOTA Roster of Fellows
Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy Daniel Park MA ’09, OTD ’10 | 2024 AOTA International Service Award
Associate Professor Bobbi Pineda | AOTF Academy of Research
Rachel Proffitt Postdoc ’14 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Associate Professor of Clinical Occupational Therapy Samia Rafeedie MA ’05, OTD ’06 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
USC Faculty, Staff Members, Current Students and Alumni Presenters/Speakers
Joy Agner | Joana Nana Serwaa Akrofi | Sultan Alfawaz | Amber Angell | Asha Asher | Karla Ausderau | Grace Baranek | Katharine Elizabeth Bau | Tiffany Benaroya | Amber Bennett | Erna Blanche | Stefanie Bodison | Lorie Brinkman | Kristine Carandang | Sharon Cermak | Stuti Chakraborty | Megan C. Chang | Eddie Chu | Dejaney Clark | Alison Cogan | Brigid Connelly | Iana Cornelius | Shain Davis | Celso Delgado | Jesús Díaz | Miranda Donnelly | Rachel Eckerling | Mia Esquivel | Yiyang Sunny Fang | Alexandra Feldman | Caroline Klein | Daniela Flores-Madriaga | Daniella Florindez | Marshae Franklin | Lydia Kristine Frey | Rolando Garza Jr. | Sahar Ghahramani | Savannah Gluck | Gabby Granados | Julie McLaughlin Gray | Anijah Green | Ginny Green | Bethany Gruskin | Melanie Guzman | Ashley Halle | Sharon Han | Mark Hardison | Christine Haworth | Silvia Hernandez Cuellar | Tania Herrera | Cristin Holland | Lucy Nhan Hosoda | Yan-hua Huang | Seung Woo Hwangbo | Mariamme Ibrahim | Melanie Inouye | Elizabeth Isralowitz | Tracy Jalaba | Esequiel Jimenez | Katie Jordan | Amanda Jozkowski | Polly Kellner | Liza Abigail Khou | Dominique Kiefer | Sharada Krishnan | Mary Lawlor | Gene Lee | Pat Levitt | Carnie Lewis | Sook-Lei Liew | Jody Liu | Jennifer Lopez | Zoe Mailloux | John Margetis | Octavio Marin-Pardo | Stephanie Mielke | Tessa Milman | Tuyet-Nhi Nguyen | Kyle Nishimura | Maquela Noel | Mim Ochsenbein | Daniel Padilla Vega | Myka Persson | Kelsey Peterson | Elizabeth Phelps | Allison Phillips | Bobbi Pineda | Rachel Proffitt | Samia Rafeedie | Marinthea Richter | Sofronia Ringold | Jessica Rios | Stephanie Rivas | Pamela Roberts | Alexis Rodriguez | Shawn Roll | Bella Schaerf | Erika Schnaps | Janice Seol | Aviril Sepulveda | Hyon Min Catherine Shin | Lily Shkhyan | John Sideris | Alix Sleight | Winny Soenaryo | Amanda Speights | Leah Stein Duker | Svitlana Stremousova | Joan Surfus | Elinor Taylor | Cindy Teow | Lisa Test | Sherry Younesi | Janis Yue
Every effort is made to accurately recognize the USC Trojan Family; if an error or omission has been made above, please notify .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) — Fight On!
2023 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference & Expo
The faculty, staff, students and alumni of USC Chan were strongly represented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2023 Inspire conference in Kansas City. With more than 100 USC-affiliated speakers/presenters and nine USC-affiliated award winners, including the 2023 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture by Professor Mary Lawlor, this conference was one to remember!
2023 AOTA Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture Award
Professor Mary Lawlor
Mary Lawlor | The Mattering of “Little Things”
Occupational therapy is a complex practice encompassing both mundane and extraordinary aspects of living and learning in daily life. Dr. Lawlor will draw upon ethnographic and narrative phenomenological research to discuss the processes involved in discovering and making explicit the evidence of mattering. The phrase “little things” often signals experiences that are significant; matter deeply; and promote healing, recovery, or engagement. Alternatively, “little things,” when examined, can reveal disruptions or obstacles to achieving meaningful outcomes. Reflections will highlight how interactional, social and relational practices shape experiences and can inform our therapeutic encounters.
2023 AOTA & AOTF Awardees
Karla Ausderau MA ’00, PhD ’09 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Erna Blanche MA ’88, PhD ’98 | AOTF Virginia Scardina Award of Excellence
Stefanie Bodison ’92, MA ’94, OTD ’10 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Don Fogelberg PhD ’08 | AOTF Meritorious Service Award
Mary Khetani MA ’02 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Sook-Lei Liew MA ’08, PhD ’12 | AOTF Academy of Research
Elizabeth Pyatak ’02, MA ’04, PhD ’10 | AOTF Mid-Career Research Excellence Award
Bill Wong MA ’11, OTD ’13 | AOTA Recognition of Achievement Award
Featured Speakers during INSPIRE General Sessions
Karla Ausderau MA ’00, PhD ’09 | AOTF State of the Science Symposium Speaker
Susan Lingelbach MA ’13 | What’s So Funny About Burnout? Improv Skills for Burnout Prevention in Occupational Therapy
Aviril Sepulveda OTD ’17 | The Hidden Occupations and Co-occupations of Women: The Perinatal Period
USC Faculty, Staff Members, Current Students and Alumni Presenters/Speakers
Andrea Abad | Joana Nana Serwaa Akrofi | Melina Allahverdian | Amber Angell | Arameh Anvarizadeh | Asha Asher | Karla Ausderau | Grace Baranek | Amber Bennett | Alisha Bernal | Erna Blanche | Aaron Bonsall | Lorie Brinkman | Brandi Buchanan | Erin Bussell | Emily Campi | Kristine Carandang | Olivia Carroll | Kevin Casey | Jana Cason | Megan C. Chang | Elizabeth Choi | Dejaney Clark | Alison Cogan | Rebecca Cunningham | Lynette DeFrancia | Yiyang Sunny Fang | Yasmin Farasat | Alexandra Feldman | Heather Gates | Stephani Gharehptian | Savannah Gluck | Julie McLaughlin Gray | Ginny Greene | Janet Gunter | Ashley Halle | Cristin Holland | Judy Hopkins | Tiffany Hsu | Seung Woo Hwangbo | Mariamme Ibrahim | Jeanne Jackson | Esther Jahng | Tracy Jalaba | Jennifer Jones | Katie Jordan | Mary Khetani | Justin La | Elizabeth Larson | Mary Lawlor | Kelly Yu Chien Liao | Susan Lingelbach | Julia Lisle | Sophia Lovell | Cindy Luff | Anna Lynch | Marissa Marchioni | Jenny Martínez | Tessa Milman | Bryan Morales | Kristin Nxumalo | Elizabeth Nye | Emily Ochi | Justin Parnell | Allison Phillips | Bobbi Pineda | Angela Pogossian | Brianna Pollard | Rachel Proffitt | Samia Rafeedie | Lindsey Reeves | Caryn Roach | Pamela Roberts | Emily Rourke | Stacey Schepens Niemiec | Allie Schmiesing | Lisa Semro | Andrea Sherman | Hyon Min Catherine Shin | Alix Sleight | John Sideris | Linsey Smith | Emily Sopkin | Amanda Speights | Hilary Stanek | Leah Stein Duker | Lawrence Stevenson | Svitlana Stremousova | Adam Strizich | Karen Tapper | Cindy Teow | Marilyn Thompson | Joseph Christian Ungco | Ashley Uyeshiro Simon | Samantha Valasek | Jennifer Weaver | Amanda Wiles | Kimberly Wilkinson | Myka Winder | Bill Wong | Janis Yue
Every effort is made to accurately recognize the USC Trojan Family; if an error or omission has been made above, please notify .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) — Fight On!
2022 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference & Expo
The faculty, staff, students and alumni of USC Chan were strongly represented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2022 conference in San Antonio. With nearly 80 USC-affiliated speakers/presenters, nine USC-affiliated award winners and a Friday night Trojan Family Reception, this conference was one to remember!
2022 Award Winners
Mary Lawlor | Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award
Elizabeth Pyatak ’02, MA ’04, PhD ’10 | American Occupational Therapy Foundation Academy of Research in Occupational Therapy
Stacey Schepens Niemiec Postdoc ’13, Cheryl Vigen, Jenny Martínez, Jeanine Blanchard ’99, PhD ’10 and Mike Carlson | Cordelia Myers AJOT Best Article Award
Stacey Morikawa MA ’11, OTD ’12 | Distinguished Fieldwork Educator Award
Bryant Edwards MA ’05, OTD ’06 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Jenny Martínez ’09, MA ’10, OTD ’11 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
2022 AOTA Service Commendations
Arameh Anvarizadeh ’05, MA ’06, OTD ’07 | Member, Governance Enhancement Task Force, 2019–2021
Chantelle Rice Collins ’07, MA ’08, OTD ’09 | Representative, NQF Behavioral Health Standing Committee, 2021
Bryant Edwards MA ’05, OTD ’06 | Member, Affiliated State Association Presidents (ASAP), 2020–2022; Member, Affiliated State Association Presidents (ASAP) Ad Hoc Committee, 2021; Member, Pediatric Item Writing Committee, 2021
Mary Foto ’66, Board of Councilors | AOTA Advisor, Coding and Payment Policy, 2021
Katie Jordan MA ’03, OTD ’04 | AOTA Advisor, Coding & Payment Policy, 2021; AOTA Advisor, Telehealth Advocacy, 2021
Heather Kitching MA ’02, OTD ’10 | Chairperson, Affiliated State Association Presidents (ASAP), 2021–2022
Kimberly Lenington MA ’12, OTD ’13 | Advisor, MIPS Cost Measure, 2021–2022
Jenny Martínez ’09, MA ’10, OTD ’11 | Member, Bylaws, Policies, and Procedures Committee (BPPC), 2020–2022
Julie McLaughlin Gray MA ’95, PhD ’06 | Member, COE Framework for OT Curriculum Design Task Force, 2019–2022
Rachel Proffitt Postdoc ’14 | Member, Representative Assembly Agenda Committee, 2021–2022; Missouri Representative, Representative Assembly, 2019–2022
Pamela Roberts | AOTA Advisor, Inpatient Rehabilitation Facility Policy, 2021; AOTA Advisor, Quality Advisory Group, 2021; Representative, NQF Cost and Efficiency Committee, 2021; Representative, NQF MAP Post-Acute Care, 2021
Shelby Surfas MA ’04, OTD ’06 | Member, Pediatric Exam Review Committee, 2021; Member, Pediatric Item Writing Committee, 2021
Jamie Wilcox MA ’13, OTD ’14 | Advisor, MIPS Cost Measure, 2021–2022
Janis Yue ’16, MA ’20, OTD ’21 | ASD Liaison, Commission on Education, 2020–2022; Contributor, AOTA DEI Toolkit, 2021; Student Rep to the Commission on Education; Assembly of Student Delegates Steering Committee, 2020–2022
Highlight Sessions
Arameh Anvarizadeh led a live panel discussion, including Jesús Díaz and alumna Esther Suh Kwon, on “Leveraging the Power of Person-Focused Care”
Katie Jordan led a live panel titled “I’m the Boss: Building Your Entrepreneurial Identity”
USC Faculty, Staff Members, Current Students and Alumni Presenters/Speakers
Yasi Amanat | Eva-Maria Anger | Arameh Anvarizadeh | Karla Ausderau | Grace Baranek | Amber Bennett | Christy Billock | Jeanine Blanchard | Erna Blanche | Aaron Bonsall | Sarah Bream | Brett Buford | Erin Bussell | Sharon Cermak | Megan C. Chang | Alison Cogan | Dominique Como | Rebecca Cunningham | Celso Delgado | Jesús Díaz | Leah Stein Duker | Aaron Eakman | Cheryl Ecker | Yiyang Fang | Kayla Gan | Chen Gong | Elizabeth Goodman | Gabrielle Granados | Janet Gunter | Caroline Hardin | Mark Hardison | Valerie Hill | Cristin Holland | Kaho Ishizuki | Carli Jimenez | Jennifer Jones | Katie Jordan | Mary Khetani | Lynn Kim | Sharada Krishnan | Mary Lawlor | Kimberly Lenington | Jocelyn Lin | Julia Lisle | Katie Loomis | Marissa Marchioni | Erin McIntyre | Tessa Milman | Stacey Morikawa | Katie Narbutas | Kristin Nxumalo | Emily Ochi | Daniel Padilla Vega | Diane Parham | Loree Pham | Deborah Pitts | Ann Marie Potter | Julian Prado | Elizabeth Pyatak | Pamela Roberts | Shawn Roll | Stacey Schepens Niemiec | Emma Schiewe | Aviril Sepulveda | Hilary Stanek | Esther Suh Kwon | Melanie Symister | Sandy Takata | Joseph Christian Ungco | Samantha Valasek | Cheryl Vigen | Jennifer Weaver | Myka Persson | Bill Wong | Buwen Yao | Su-Min Yeu | Janis Yue
Every effort is made to accurately recognize the USC Trojan Family; if an error or omission has been made above, please notify .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) — Fight On!
2021 AOTA Inspire Annual Conference & Expo
The faculty, staff, students and alumni of USC Chan were strongly represented at the American Occupational Therapy Association’s 2021 virtual conference.
Highlight Sessions led by Trojans during AOTA Inspire 2021
Katie Jordan leads a panel discussion including Jamie Wilcox and alum Joi Willis MA ’19 titled “Are We Essential? Occupational Therapy in Crisis”
Tuesday, April 6, at 10:45–11:45am (Pacific)
Alum John Hwang MA ’03 presents “Skid Row Stories: How a Chance Encounter Led to Embracing a Community”
Thursday, April 8, at 8:00–8:50 am (Pacific)
Arameh Anvarizadeh, AOTA Vice President-Elect, joins in conversation with former adjunct faculty member Lela Llorens
Thursday, April 22, at 3:45–5:00 pm (Pacific)
2021 Award Winners
Arameh Anvarizadeh | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Julie Bissell MA ’79, OTD ’12 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Leah Stein Duker | AOTF A. Jean Ayres Award
Heather Kitching MA ’02, OTD ’10 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
Mary Lawlor | AOTF Meritorious Service Award
M. Pollie Price MA ’94, PhD ’03 | AOTF Leadership Service Commendation
Shawn Roll | AOTF Academy of Research in Occupational Therapy
Lisa Test MA ’89, OTD ’09 | AOTA Roster of Fellows
