World Occupational Therapy Day: What is OT?

In this episode, we will learn about AOTF Scholarships and funding for the Uncommon OT Path from Lawrence Liff, MA, Chief Development Officer and Satvika Garg, PhD, OTR/L, Chief Scientific Officer, from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF). We explore AOTF scholarship and funding opportunities, with a special focus on students and practitioners interested in non-traditional and emerging areas of occupational therapy. Larry and Satvika discuss eligibility, the application process, and how leadership, service, community involvement, advocacy, research interests, and unique professional goals can help tell an applicant’s story. In This Episode: • AOTF scholarship and funding opportunities • Opportunities for non-traditional and emerging OT paths • Scholarship eligibility and the application process • How leadership, service, and community involvement can strengthen an application • Tips for communicating unique experiences and career goals • Why applicants should not automatically count themselves out Satvika Garg, PhD, OTR/L — Chief Scientific Officer, AOTF Dr. Garg leads AOTF’s scientific and research initiatives, helping advance occupational therapy research and build research capacity within the profession. Prior to joining AOTF, she worked as an occupational therapist and research collaborator at Children’s National Hospital and served as adjunct faculty at NYU. Research inquiries: [email protected] Lawrence Liff, MA — Chief Development Officer, AOTF Larry leads AOTF’s development and philanthropic efforts, including donor engagement, stewardship, and support for scholarship initiatives. He joined AOTF in 2017 after holding development leadership positions at the University of Maryland. Email: [email protected] American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) 12300 Twinbrook Parkway, Suite 520 Rockville, MD 20852 Phone: 240-292-1079 Email: [email protected] Website: www.aotf.org

In this episode, I sit down with Annie Tulkin, MS, Founder and CEO of Accessible College, an organization that supports students with physical disabilities and health conditions as they prepare for and navigate the transition to higher education. Annie’s work may not be occupational therapy per se, but the intersection with OT is undeniable. We talk about self-advocacy, executive functioning, independent living, healthcare and medication management, environmental accessibility, accommodations, routines and meaningful participation in college life. Sound familiar, OTPs?

The Uncommon OT Series is officially celebrating five years!

In this episode, we will learn from Elissa Lee, OTD, OTR, an occupational therapist whose work is redefining what community health can look like at scale. Dr. Lee is the Director and Senior Advisor of Community Engagement for California Volunteers in the Office of the Governor, where she leads the Neighbor-to-Neighbor initiative. It’s all about building social connection across communities and as OT practitioners, we know that connection isn’t just nice to have, it’s essential to health, resilience, and belonging. This conversation is a real reflection of Uncommon OT in action. Dr. Lee’s work lives at the intersection of public health, policy, and community-based programming, leading national mental health campaigns with Lady Gaga’s Born This Way Foundation and the Clinton Foundation, and designing programs around chronic care, CalAIM, and homelessness prevention. We talk about what it actually looks like to take the OT lens beyond traditional settings and apply it at a systems level, where the impact can reach entire communities. Dr. Lee’s work is a reminder that OT belongs everywhere, especially in the spaces where community, connection, and health intersect. What we get into: • Social connection as a core occupation • How OTs can show up in public health and policy spaces • Designing programs that meet people where they are • Addressing real-world barriers like chronic illness and housing instability • What Uncommon OT really looks like in practice

In this special roundtable episode, I am joined by fellow members of the AOTA Innovative Entrepreneur Ad Hoc Committee for an honest and inspiring conversation about innovation, entrepreneurship, emerging practice, and the future of occupational therapy. Together, we explore how occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants are creating impact in spaces far beyond traditional healthcare settings while remaining deeply rooted in the core values of our profession. From home organization and functional medicine to marketing, ergonomics, community-based practice, leadership, and advocacy, this episode highlights the many ways OT practitioners are applying their unique lens to solve problems, create opportunities, and improve lives. Whether you're a student, clinician, educator, entrepreneur, or someone simply curious about where OT can go next, this conversation offers encouragement, practical advice, and a reminder that there is no single path to being an occupational therapy practitioner.