Rehab Tech Summit Keynote
Dr. Zayna Khayat
PhD
Dr. Zayna Khayat
PhD
Zayna is VP of Business Development & Strategy with Teladoc Health in Canada. Teladoc Health’s mission is to provide a new kind of healthcare experience with greater convenience, outcomes, and value. Zayna Khayat previously co-founded and led the Futures team at the national home health and aging non-profit, SE Health, as their Future Strategist. In 2017 she spent the year on secondment to the REshape Health Innovation Centre at Radboud university medical centre in Nijmegan, Netherlands where she led several initiatives to advance health innovation in the country. From 2014 to 2017, Dr. Khayat lead health system innovation with MaRS Discovery District, a major innovation hub based in Toronto. At MaRS, Zayna and her team helped smooth the path to adoption of innovation by healthcare systems in Ontario and around the world.
Zayna is adjunct faculty with the Rotman School of Management in the Health Sector Strategy stream where she teaches a health MBA course on Healthcare Innovation. Dr. Khayat has been on the Faculty of Singularity University (Exponential Medicine) since 2016.
In 2021 Zayna will be one of 100 participants in the new reality TV Show, The Social Movement - where her and her team will engineer viable financial solutions to one of 10 Sustainable Development goals.
Dr. Khayat was previously a senior leader and adjunct faculty member with the International Centre for Health Innovation at the Ivey School of Business at Western University. From 2010-2012, Zayna was an associate partner with SECOR Consulting/KPMG Canada. There, Zayna worked with medium and large sized public and private health and life sciences organizations in Ontario and nationally on issues of strategy and management. Prior to joining SECOR-KPMG, Zayna was a Principal with the Toronto office of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global management consulting firm, from 2001 to 2010.
Zayna earned her Ph.D. in biochemistry from the University of Toronto / Hospital for Sick Children where she was a scholar of the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, studying how insulin and exercise regulate blood glucose in the muscle, and why/where this process breaks down during disease states such as diabetes. She has more than 10 publications and chapters in international journals and textbooks. Zayna completed undergraduate studies in biochemistry at the University of Windsor, where she earned the President's Medal for top all around graduate of the University (1996) and the Board of Governor's Medal for top graduate of the biochemistry department.
Zayna speaks proficiently in French and Arabic, and is based out of Toronto where she lives with her husband and 3 children. She is proficient in French and Arabic languages (and a bit of Dutch!).
Dr. Lili Liu
PhD
Dr. Lili Liu
PhD
Lili Liu is a professor in the School of Public Health and Health Systems, and Dean of the Faculty of Health at the University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Dr. Liu earned degrees in BSc (Occupational Therapy), MSc and PhD (Rehabilitation Science), at McGill University. She began her academic career at the University of Alberta where she progressed through the ranks and served as chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy from 2008 to 2019 before joining the University of Waterloo.
In 2018, Liu received the 40th Muriel Driver Memorial Lectureship Award. The prestigious award recognizes a member of the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT) who has gone above and beyond for the profession through research, education and practice. Her lecture, titled “Occupational Therapy in the Fourth Industrial Revolution”, reviewed the evolution of occupational therapy and the technological innovations faced by occupational therapists and their clients in the context of automation and changing job market requirements.
Liu advances health-care technology through her leadership roles in research, administration, service and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students, as well as post-doctoral fellows. She maintains an externally funded research program that examines acceptance and adoption of technologies by older adults, their care partners, health care professionals, and unlicensed care personnel.
As a rehabilitation professional, Liu also engages with community organizations, as well as policy and decision makers. Alzheimer Societies, search and rescue personnel, dementia advocacy and caregiver associations, nationally and internationally, are partners in her research program.
Liu is an AGE-WELL network investigator, and her current research program examines the applications of technologies and other innovations to mitigate risks of going missing among persons living with dementia. Her team focuses on approaches to inform and implement policies that create safe environments for older adults.
Sarah Thomas
OTR/L
Sarah Thomas
OTR/L
Sarah Thomas is an accomplished leader of innovation. She serves as a global aging expert advising startups, large corporations and investors, with nearly 20 years dedicated to transforming the aging experience. Sarah is CEO of multinational staff-hosting company, MezTal in Guadalajara & CEO of the consulting firm Delight by Design, creating age-inclusive products, brands, spaces and experiences that delight the consumer at every age. Sarah has held key leadership positions across the US and Asia, developing and implementing strategic corporate innovation initiatives, including change management. She serves as Executive-in-Residence at Aging2.0,Principal Fellow in the Nexus Insights firm for aging transformation, and co- founder of AgeTech News. She formerly led all commercial activity for Seismic Holdings - a Silicon Valley-based company shaping human potential through integration of apparel and robotics to augment human strength and performance. Sarah’s commercial expertise helped position the organization for esteemed recognition by the World Economic Forum, Fast Company, The Economist and CES. Prior to Seismic, Sarah led all global innovation for the largest post-acute care provider in the US, Genesis, serving more than 55,000 individuals a day. She combines her Occupational Therapy expertise with her operational, clinical and entrepreneurial experience to inspire global improvements in design and systems innovation worldwide. She designed an innovation center in China as a part of a vitality initiative to improve the health and well-being of global communities. A published author, she serves in multiple advisory positions, sits on numerous boards and is an accomplished keynote speaker on topics like healthy longevity and aging innovations.
Mai Ling Chan
MS, CCC-SLP
Mai Ling Chan
MS, CCC-SLP
Mai Ling is a speech-language pathologist, industry historian, global connector, and technology entrepreneur. Building on 16 years of clinical experience and a lifetime of entrepreneurship, she focuses on supporting disability-focused thought leaders and creating digital products that make a difference in the global special education ecosystem.
In her role as co-founder and Chief of Partnerships of XceptionalLearning, she facilitates national and international partnerships with disability experts to support the creation of professional development courses, digital services, and virtual therapy. In addition, after publishing three Amazon best-selling books in 18 months, Mai Ling continues to spotlight industry leaders on her Xceptional Leaders podcast, now in its 4th year reaching over 25K global listeners.
Mai Ling is passionate about helping parents, educators, therapists, and people with disabilities to expand on their creative ideas and achieve success in their disability-focused offerings.
Dr. Leada Malek
DPT
Dr. Leada Malek
DPT
(she/her/hers)
Dr. Leada Malek, PT, DPT, SCS is a board-certified sports clinical specialist and certified strength and conditioning specialist. She is also an adjunct faculty instructor at a local DPT program along with the Physical Therapy Guide for Athletawell, by Athleta. Her insight has been featured in numerous publications including GQ, Women's Health, Shape, Oxygen Magazine, and U.S. News. She has worked with athletes and dancers of all ages from teens to the professional level. Dr. Malek likes to advocate for the "athlete triad" and mental health as it relates to injury recovery. In her free time, Dr. Malek enjoys exploring new restaurants, getting outdoors, and spending time with friends and family.
Rosalie Wang
PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.)
Rosalie Wang
PhD, OT Reg. (Ont.)
Rosalie Wang is an assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto. She is an affiliated member of the University of Toronto Robotics Institute and a faculty fellow at the Schwartz Reisman Institute for Technology and Society. She is an Affiliate Scientist at KITE - Toronto Rehabilitation Institute – University Health Network and a member of their AI and Robotics in Rehabilitation Research Team. Rosalie's research focuses on developing, evaluating, and implementing technology to enable daily activity participation and social inclusion of seniors and people with disabilities. She is leading research in robotics for post-stroke rehabilitation and on the use of information and communication technologies by seniors with cognitive impairments. As an AGE-WELL investigator she co-led a national project on enhancing equitable access to assistive technologies.
Sara Aghvami
As Director of Best Buy Health at Best Buy Canada, Sara Aghvami leads a team committed to enriching older adults' lives through technology. In her role, Sara develops strategies and business models through partnerships with health care providers, senior living organizations, clinicians, and researchers to drive positive benefits for consumers, businesses and communities. Last year, Sara led the launch of Assured Living, a wellness monitoring solution to enable aging in place for older adults and peace of mind for caregivers. She has also lead the creation of Digital Citizen, a digital literacy and technical support program for residents in senior living.
With more than 20 years' experience in retail and leadership, Sara is an expert in technology commercialization, omnichannel logistics, service offerings, customer experience, and humanizing processes to gain customers for life. During her time at Best Buy, Sara has led new service offerings such as trade-in programs in stores, established secondary retail markets, radically improved customer experiences including national home delivery through implementing the voice of customers, and delivered significant service transformations.
Sara believes staying human and relevant in any industry drives business success and community trust – she is motivated by creating meaningful change. Sara is passionate about mentorship and helps young professionals identify their personal brand and find success while pursuing their career aspiration.
Sara lives in Port Moody, BC with her husband. They enjoy discovering different parts of the world with a lens on art, history, and culinary scenes.
Alyson Stover
MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP
Alyson Stover
MOT, JD, OTR/L, BCP
Alyson Stover is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh and Owner and Director of Clinical Services at Capable Kids. Additionally, she co-founded a non-profit organization that uses occupation to address community, societal and population needs. She obtained her juris doctorate in law with a post-graduate certificate in health law from the University of Pittsburgh. Her areas of practice expertise include pediatrics, specifically trauma-informed occupational therapy, family-centric interventions, and holistic approaches to substance use disorder and high risk behaviors. Alyson is AOTA Board Certified in Pediatrics. Alyson's interests include using occupational therapy as a powerful driving-force for larger health care change, advancing occupational therapy’s national and global relevance and occupational therapy’s role as a leader in policy development and implementation. On July 1 2021, Alyson commenced her position as President-Elect of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She will transition to her role as AOTA President for the July 2022 to June 2025 term.
Robert Latz
PT, DPT, CHCIO
Robert Latz
PT, DPT, CHCIO
Robert “Bob” Latz, PT, DPT, CHCIO is the Chair of the HIMSS LTPAC Committee, the Director of Technology and Innovation Board Member of the APTA Academy of Leadership and Innovation, a Board Member of the National Association for the Support of Long Term Care (NASL), and a member of the CHIME Policy Steering Committee. He is a member of the LTPAC HIT Collaborative and the LTPAC CIO Consortium.
In all of these roles, Dr. Latz seeks to make a positive impact on health and wellness thru proper use of technology and improved data sharing across the entire spectrum of care.
Dr. Latz is the Chief Information Officer for Trinity Rehabilitation Services, which improves human function by providing contracted therapy services in Post-Acute Care (PAC) settings.
Leslie Schrock
Leslie Schrock is an investor, advisor, and entrepreneur with a decade spent working in health and technology. She helped grow Rock Health, a research and venture firm, from an idea to a globally-known organization partnered with healthcare giants like the Mayo Clinic, UCSF, P&G, and Genentech. Leslie is also the author of BUMPIN’, a popular pregnancy guide, and a second book, FERTILITY RULES, which is taking on the complicated landscape of male and female fertility with Simon and Schuster in spring 2023. Her work has been featured in publications like NPR, Time, GQ, Entrepreneur, CNBC, Wired, STAT News, and The New York Times.
Carine Carmy
Carine is Co-Founder and CEO at Origin. She has focused her career on increasing access to products and services that improve lives, from healthcare to 3D printing. Carine's passion for women's health started in her early twenties when she experienced painful sex for years and was unable to find treatment that worked. She is honored to be able to work at the forefront of a major cultural shift to help women feel their best.
Before Origin, Carine was VP Sales and Marketing at Amino, the leading platform for healthcare financial wellness. She also served as VP of Marketing at Shapeways, the leading 3D printing service that enables individuals to make, buy and sell custom products. She started her career in management consulting at Monitor Deloitte, and in 2009, helped found Marketspace, a boutique digital strategy firm spun out of Monitor alongside the former president of CBS News and the leading e-commerce professor from HBS.
When she's not heads down trying to change the standard of care for women, you'll find Carine exploring California's outdoor hikes with her husband Patrick and dog Gigi.
Jessica McKinney
PT, DScPT, MS
Jessica McKinney
PT, DScPT, MS
Jessica L. McKinney, PT, DScPT, MS has 20+ years of career experience as a women's health care provider (Physical Therapist), educator & advocate with current roles as Vice President at a women's digital health company (Renovia, Inc.), adjunct university faculty (Andrews University), and consultant in global/community women's health (Mama, LLC). Her career has included over 10 years as faculty in a Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery (FPMRS; Urogynecology) fellowship program and mentorship of physical therapy students and early-career professionals. Recent relevant work includes a peer-reviewed open-access infographic addressing female urinary incontinence, co-authorship of an open-access training manual on physiotherapy care for reproductive morbidities in low-resource settings, now available in English, French, Swahili, and Portuguese, and securing listing in the Product Library of the Digital Therapeutics Alliance for the leva® Pelvic Health System (manufactured by Renovia Inc.). Dr. McKinney also provides programmatic and research support in global health and development and has contributed to multiple peer-reviewed publications, abstracts and academic videos in the areas of pelvic pain, global and domestic maternal and female pelvic health, fistula, and surgical ergonomics and is a regular educator and speaker on these subjects. Key strengths in the areas of health education, public speaking, literature search and synthesis, clinical rehabilitation, academic and patient-focused writing. She has presented on women’s health aspects of rehabilitation, obstetric fistula, reproductive morbidities, gender-based violence, and health and human rights at numerous national and international meetings and has related publications.
Camilla Hermann
Camilla Hermann is the CEO and cofounder of Oath Care, a purpose-built social platform for families across different life stages. She began her health tech journey when she developed contact tracing technology to scale the capacity of doctors during the Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Prior to Oath, she built a chat-based telemedicine product for private practice physicians in the US. Her work has been featured by CBS News, Harvard University, Huffington Post.
Manish Shah
Manish Shah is an entrepreneur that has been building companies for nearly 20 years. A native to the bay area, he studied at UC Berkeley and started his first company just before graduating with his bachelor's degree in Computer Science. He went on to co-found LiveRamp, a leading data business that is publicly traded today on the New York Stock Exchange. Additionally, Manish is an active investor and has invested in a wide range of startups including Datavant, SafeGraph, TravelJoy, Facet Wealth, DraftKings, and Care+Wear.
Currently, Manish is the Co-founder and CEO of PeerWell, a tech enabled medical group that specializes in whole person musculoskeletal care. Through its interdisciplinary programs, patients are able to overcome pain and immobility faster and with lesser costs than standard of care.
Dr. Jonathan Slotkin
MD, FAANS
Dr. Jonathan Slotkin
MD, FAANS
Dr. Slotkin is chief medical officer of Contigo Health, a Premier, Inc. ($PINC) company. In this role, he leads the clinical strategy, innovation, and operations of Contigo – partnering with some of the nation’s largest employers and health systems. He works to support the development of novel products and implementation approaches that always aim for clinical excellence, patient satisfaction and value. Slotkin has developed key strategies and solutions to drive digital provider and patient engagement, including the use of mobile device technology. He serves on the board of directors of PeerWell, and is chair of the National Advisory Committee for TigerConnect. He has a particular interest in consumerism in healthcare, and digital methods for both the measurement of clinical patient outcomes and the improvement of patient experience. He has active translational research in the area of materials engineering, and co-led the development of two novel biomaterials that are the subject of ongoing first-in-human clinical trials. Dr. Slotkin is also associate chief medical informatics officer at Geisinger Health System, where he serves as clinical professor and vice chair of the Department of Neurosurgery. Slotkin completed residency training and was chief resident of neurological surgery at The Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School.
Trish Williams
OT (c)
Trish Williams
OT (c)
Hey there! I’m Trish.
CEO and Founder at TWC
Each obstacle I’ve overcome has made me ready for this work!
I'm a warm, outspoken, driven Canadian OT turned business coach with a passion for helping other OT entrepreneurs build a profitable and lasting business.
I have been an OT for 27 years and built two successful businesses. Whether you’re looking for biz coaching related to an OT practice or an outside-the-box idea. I’ve got you covered.
I draw from a wealth of experiences from my 10 years as the owner of a bricks-and-mortar clinic, Spring OT. Meaning I understand those very maddeningly specific business questions unique to OT practice.
I get what it's like to have aspirations outside of the clinical setting. In the pursuit of leveraged offers that could impact more OTs, I launched an online summit, built a coaching program, and developed my own VIP Day. That’s right, I have the experience to help you bring your great idea to life as a money-making machine.
My #1 goal is to lay it all on the table to empower you with the tools and resources you need. It’s time for you to step out from under frustration, overwhelm, and feelings of unworthiness into your power as a leader, change-maker, and successful business owner.
I spent years as an entrepreneur working IN my business instead of ON my business, and I now know (and can share!) the benefits of truly embodying a CEO lifestyle.
I’ve done a lot of growing (and it never truly ends) and unlocked keys to success in business and in life.
In a distinctly OT way.
Matthew Condon
As the Founder & Chief Executive Officer of Bardavon Health Innovations, LLC,
Matthew J. Condon works as an advocate for transparency in healthcare and champions technology innovation within the industry that benefits injured workers across the country. He has been recognized nationally as an “entrepreneur to watch” by repeatedly forming companies that bring positive disruption to the marketplace.
At Bardavon, Matt has combined his passion for the industry and
desire to make a difference with his experience of successfully running startups. The resulting effort is an industry-leading, company focused on promoting a culture of financial and clinical transparency in the Workers’ Compensation sector, and beyond.
Matt’s vision for Bardavon is to optimize the way patients, therapy providers, employers/carriers, and other key stakeholders interact with each other. By using clinical treatment data gathered through bNOTES®,
Bardavon’s proprietary cloud-based clinical intelligence system, Bardavon is succeeding in its mission to change care pathways, experience, and outcomes across the country. Combining clinical treatment data with claims data enables key stakeholders to define functional outcomes based on each individual patients’ health.
Bardavon is not Matt’s first startup in the world of technology and employer driven healthcare. Matt previously founded ARC Physical Therapy+ (ARC) in 2003. It became one of the largest regional physical therapy clinics in the Midwest with 26 clinics in 2021, and over 100,000 annual patient visits. ARC was chosen as a Champion of Business by the Kansas City Business Journal for three straight years (2011-2013), earning a spot in the Hall of Champions. In 2013, ARC merged with U.S. Physical Therapy Inc.
As a nationally recognized thought leader, Matt is a sought-after speaker and an author in the fields of healthcare, technology, and Workers’ Compensation. He was named a regional finalist for the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” award, business magazine Ingram’s recognized Condon as a “Rainmaker,” and named him to its list of “40 under 40” high achievers, and since 2014, Condon has been included on the “Power 100” list published in the Kansas City Business Journal, which includes some of the most influential leaders in Kansas City’s business community.
Dr. Veronica Velasquez
PT, DPT
Dr. Veronica Velasquez
PT, DPT
Dr. Veronica Velasquez, PT, DPT has been practicing as a physical therapist for over 2 years-- with experience in both the acute care setting and home health setting. Since her new grad days in 2019, she started her content creation journey as an intimate and up close look into the life of a working professional. On instagram, she is known as Dr. V of @thisptlife. In 2 years time, it has now grown to 18k followers. She shares her story as a new grad physical therapist, financial tips to paying off student loans, and her experience as an undocumented healthcare provider. She enjoys using her platform to mentor and enlighten prospective students in their own journeys.
Speakers
Cheryl Crow
OTR/L
Cheryl Crow
OTR/L
Cheryl Crow is an occupational therapist who's lived with rheumatoid arthritis for eighteen years. In 2019, Cheryl started Arthritis Life to help others thrive with arthritis. She facilitates online courses and support groups to help people adjust to their conditions and live full and meaningful lives. Most days you can find Cheryl creating life hack videos, sharing patient stories on the Arthritis Life Podcast or spreading the word about ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT).
Krupa Kuruvilla
MA, OTR/L
Krupa Kuruvilla
MA, OTR/L
Born and raised in India, Krupa earned her Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2008 from Mumbai, and her Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles in 2009.
She has been practicing since, working in a variety of settings such as Pediatric clinics, Schools, and Skilled Nursing Facilities, but her forte was always Pediatrics. She has plenty of management experience being the Director of Rehab in SNFs. She has dabbled in teletherapy for Pediatrics as well. Krupa has been a Clinical Instructor to Level 1 and Level 2 Fieldwork students.
In 2020, Krupa founded TotalReport which is a service geared towards addressing the Documentation needs of Pediatric OT Practitioners, and soon after she joined the startup XceptionalLearning, a highly integrative teletherapy and professional education platform that aims to provide therapists and educators all over the world with the best online experience. She is currently a Product Specialist for XceptionalLearning. Krupa is extremely tech savvy and her aim is to integrate technology with therapy in every possible way. In her free time, Krupa loves to write (she has published two fictional novels), watch movies, listen to music, learn new dance forms, travel and spend time with her husband and two children.
Ciara Salmon
OTR/L
Ciara Salmon
OTR/L
Ciara (Kiki) Salmon is a user experience researcher who specializes in accessibility. She started her journey as an occupational therapist (OT) in geriatrics, acute and sub-acute care. When working as an OT, she witnessed the difficulty her patients and their families had when using technology to connect with her for services. This became more apparent during the pandemic when many of the services were virtual. This was the first step in starting the transition over to user experience research and the desire to specifically specialize in accessibility.
Shiyen Shu
Msc.OT, H.BSc, PMP, CYT
Shiyen Shu
Msc.OT, H.BSc, PMP, CYT
Shiyen is a Certified Executive Coach, who works with high-performing ambitious leaders. She is the host and curator of “Lessons in Leadership and Life”, the first of its kind video podcast that features candid conversations with top leaders in healthcare. She is also a professional speaker, having shared the stage with the iconic leader Jack Canfield, co-author of the Chicken Soup for the Soul series.
She holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Toronto and a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from McMaster University. She trained with the World’s #1 Executive Coach, Marshall Goldsmith and uses a distinctive coaching approach that is evidence-based, outcomes-focused and measurable.
She is a Certified Visionary Leadership Coach, Certified LEADS coach, and Certified Hogan Coach. In addition, she is a Certified Yoga Teacher, and blends her diverse certifications and expertise to create a truly holistic and empowering approach that guarantees results.
She has served the most vulnerable in the healthcare industry in Toronto as a frontline clinician, and quickly progressed to leadership roles, leading strategic projects and large teams. She previously co-founded a holistic wellness organization and has trained, coached and mentored top clinicians and leaders in Canada. She is a life-long learner, an Adjunct Lecturer at the University of Toronto and serves as a Director on the Board of the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists. Her clients describe her as inspirational, yet caring, gentle and strong, to deliver top-class results.
Tanya Peterson
MS, OTR/L
Tanya Peterson
MS, OTR/L
Tanya Peterson, an Occupational Therapist turned entrepreneur, received her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy in 2010 from Utica College of Syracuse University and a Bachelor's degree in Health Studies in 2008. Tanya's career has been anything but linear, after working in traditional therapy she pivoted into teaching and then opened her own indoor playground business in 2019.
An entrepreneur through and through, Tanya began working with healthcare professionals and clinicians globally on career skills, job search strategy, networking, resume writing, and interview coaching in 2020 when she became a partner at Polish2Prosper Career Consulting. Tanya is a dedicated partner and career coach who is invested in highlighting your unique talents and professional contributions to healthcare organizations and businesses. Her passion is to help clients polish their presentation, both on paper and in person, to help accomplish their career and business goals.
Dr. Elizabeth Fain
EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Elizabeth Fain
EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Dr. Elizabeth Fain (BS Occupational Therapy- Medical College of Georgia, MHS Medical Health Sciences-Medical University of South Carolina, EdS-Appalachian State University, EdD- University of Saint Augustine is the Founding director of Occupational Therapy and Associate Dean of Applied Health Sciences at Pfeiffer University. Dr. Fain received the prestigious Fellow of Rosters Award recognizing her efforts in professional contribution, mentorship and academic education. Dr. Fain has enjoyed an illustrious career with focus on the lifespan and all levels of acuity and practice settings. She is committed to enhancing the future healthcare professionals are lifelong learners and ethical visionary leaders. She has served on several committees and received various education and research awards. She has developed probono clinics to enhance student education and to provide needed therapy services to the uninsured.
Tom Curry
OTS
Tom Curry
OTS
Thomas Curry (BS Health Science- Monmouth University). Currently enrolled in Pfeiffer University MSOT program. Thomas has recently become published in OT Practice, for his work with 3D printing and it’s application for impacted drivers. Thomas is interested in the future pursuit and innovation of occupational therapy ingenuity.
Dr. Reina M. Olivera
DrOT, OTR/L
Dr. Reina M. Olivera
DrOT, OTR/L
(she/her/hers)
Dr. Reina M. Olivera is the owner of Telehealth OT Services and founder of the Business to Boss group coaching program. Her journey started during her post-professional doctorate where she learned about telehealth and then went on to create an online private practice. Since then, she has progressed to develop additional sources of online revenue and now focuses on teaching occupational therapy practitioners how to create online courses, programs, summits, and conferences.
Rafi Salazar
MHS, OTR/L
Rafi Salazar
MHS, OTR/L
Rafael E. Salazar II, MHS, OTR/L (Rafi) is the Principal Owner of Rehab U Practice Solutions and the host of The Better Outcomes Show. He has experience in a variety of rehab settings, working with patients recovering from a variety of injuries and surgeries. Rafi has worked in a variety of settings, from orthopedic and musculoskeletal rehabilitation, to academia, and even healthcare consulting. He spent the majority of his clinical experience working at Charlie Norwood VA Medical Center, where he was the lead clinician and clinical education coordinator for the outpatient specialty rehab program. In this role, he treated many veterans with chronic pain and helped to establish an interdisciplinary pain management program. He has worked on projects ranging from patient engagement initiatives to marketing communication campaigns to a multi million dollar project assisting the State of Georgia’s Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Disabilities transition individuals out of state institutions to community residences. His work on Telehealth has been discussed in Forbes. He also has experience as a core faculty member at Augusta University’s Occupational Therapy Program, as a Licensed Board Member on the GA State OT Board, and he serves on the Board of Directors for NBCOT. He works to help healthcare clinics and organizations deliver uniquely impactful patient experiences by improving service delivery through The Ultimate Patient Experience™ and courses & training programs.
Marieke McCloskey
(she/her/hers)
Marieke is the Director of UX Research for LinkedIn's Talent Solutions, focused on helping professionals advance their career and organizations advance their talent strategies. Marieke's passion is informing the product strategy and delivering user value by leveraging data and rich qualitative insights at scale. Formerly of Humu, UserTesting, and Nielsen Norman Group she's also trained thousands of professionals on the value of gaining a deep customer understanding.
Adina Bradshaw
MS, CCC-SLP, ATP CPACC
Adina Bradshaw
MS, CCC-SLP, ATP CPACC
Adina Bradshaw, MS CCC-SLP, ATP, CPACC is the project coordinator for the Accessibility Center of Excellence at Twitter. Prior to joining Twitter, Adina worked as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Assistive Technology Specialist in a rehabilitation hospital, school district, and private practice settings. Adina has over 20 years of experience evaluating, implementing, adapting, and developing solutions to support individuals in their ability to communicate, complete activities of daily living (ADL), and perform instrumental activities of daily living (IADL).
Dr. Pooja Viswanathan
PhD, Robotics and Assistive Technology
Dr. Pooja Viswanathan
PhD, Robotics and Assistive Technology
Dr. Pooja Viswanathan is the CEO and Co-Founder of Braze Mobility. She has a passion for improving accessibility and independence for people with physical disabilities. She has completed doctoral and post-doctoral research in robotics and assistive technologies, and has been working with "smart" wheelchair technology for over a decade. Pooja is an expert in knowledge translation and commercialization and acts as a consultant to many Canadian networks and organizations. She has received awards and scholarships from several prestigious organizations in Canada and the U.S., including Google. When she's not working, she's climbing, teaching music, playing racquet sports, or solving escape rooms.
Ashley Reina
OT - BSc. OT
Ashley Reina
OT - BSc. OT
Ashley is an Occupational Therapy graduate from the University of Alberta. She has worked in various areas of OT but specialized in paediatrics. While working with kids with autism and developmental delay, she became an expert in behaviour & emotional regulation, executive functioning skills, sensory integration and praxis, social thinking curriculum--among other areas.
In 2015 Ashley created Therabyte, a Practice Management EMR App that helps therapists like her run their private practice. Today, she is not only the CEO of a thriving tech company but also an advocate for tech adoption in the allied health space.
You may find Ashley snowboarding or hiking the mountains of the Okanagan valley in BC, or attending professional conferences to promote her vision to bring great tech to therapists across Canada.
Jason Yeung
(he/him)
Jason Yeung is the Co-Founder of PrintLab – a 3D printing curriculum developer based in the UK, who support hundreds of schools globally with their online platform of creative lesson plans and projects. He brings design expertise from his architectural background and combines it with his passion for 3D printing, to create learning experiences based around assistive technology, sustainable product design and other impactful solutions.
Arnav Dalmia
Arnav is the CEO and one of the founders of Cubii, a startup that is passionate about making wellness approaching for all ages, abilities, and lifestyles. Named as one of Crain’s Chicago Business 40 Under Forty Class of 2020, he is a successful entrepreneur who has taken the time to listen to customers, using their direct feedback and personal stories to continue improving the products and experience for users of all fitness levels.
Cubii was included in Inc. 500’s Fastest Growing Companies of 2020 for the second year in a row with a team that has now doubled in size and continues to grow. Even with expanding numbers, in sales and employees, Arnav and the leadership team have held close the importance of being a company that feels like a close-knit community. They strive to maintain a safe environment where people can be vulnerable, be heard and listened to, and can collaborate as a true member of a team.
Amanda Mongiove
MA, CCC-SLP
Amanda Mongiove
MA, CCC-SLP
Amanda Mongiove, a Speech-Language Pathologist turned Software Engineer, received her Master of Arts in Communication Sciences and Disorders in 2018 from the University of Texas at Austin and a Bachelor's degree in Hearing and Speech Science from the University of Maryland in 2016. Amanda's career has been spread across a variety of hospital, outpatient, private practice, and private school settings working with both pediatrics and adults. In 2020, Amanda signed up for a coding bootcamp through the Flatiron School and has since pivoted into the world of tech. Currently, Amanda is the Junior Software Engineer at Literably. Literably is an EdTech company specializing in improving the quality and accuracy of literacy assessments in the classroom. Amanda is passionate about successful communication and creating solutions to problems that impact people in a positive way each day.
Sarah Karmali
OTR/L
Sarah Karmali
OTR/L
My career started as an Occupational Therapist where I used my knowledge and passion for accessibility to improve the independence and patient experience for individuals with disabilities. I loved being able to use the insights from user research to make an impact for patients in a critical care setting.
Over time, I realized a lot of what I was doing was around improving UX and I wanted to do more of that but for everyone. So, I pursued a master's in human centered design and engineering from University of Washington and started working as a contractor/vendor on the Microsoft 365 Admin Center team, where I did a lot of work understanding IT admins experiences with change management within enterprise and small business companies. After a couple years in that role, I landed my first FTE UX researcher role on the Microsoft digital studio support team.
Outside of work, I love to play tennis and read 🙂
Jennifer Gallant
PT, DPT, MBA, GCS, CDP
Jennifer Gallant
PT, DPT, MBA, GCS, CDP
Jennifer Gallant has had an illustrious 10+ years as a physical therapist. She graduated from SUNY Stony Brook University's Doctorate of Physical Therapy program
and has worked in a variety of settings including school-based, assisted living, acute care and home health. Jennifer has a passion for educating others and feels
her career as a PT has helped prepare her transition to that of a user experience (UX) researcher. She boasts the ability to conduct in-depth user interviews, and to
use her innate observational and investigative skills while being driven by the user-centered process. These essential skills were shaped by her experiences as a PT.
These are just a few of the experiences she likes to share with others when giving informational interviews. There is a lot more overlap than meets the eye when it
comes to the worlds of rehab and UX. Jennifer now works for Bold Insight, an innovative company that many other companies and brands count on to provide
valuable insights based on solid research. Jennifer believes that the most intriguing part of UX are its endless possibilities. She's very much looking forward to
utilizing her new skills in ways that also encompass her PT knowledge and has already met some very interesting people through networking.
Katie O’Shea
PT, DPT, MBA, GCS, CDP
Katie O’Shea
PT, DPT, MBA, GCS, CDP
(she/her/hers)
Dr. Katie O'Shea is a licensed Physical Therapist in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, and has been practicing since 2006. Dr. O'Shea graduated from Thomas Jefferson University in 2006 with her Masters in Physical Therapy, and completing her Doctorate from Thomas Jefferson University in 2008. From there Dr. O'Shea pursued her Masters in Business Administration from Holy Family University in 2010.
Dr. O'Shea has clinical experience in the acute care, inpatient acute and subacute rehabilitation, homecare, and outpatient settings. She has found her passion in working with the geriatric population and is a Board Certified Geriatric Clinical Specialist (GCS) by the American Board of Physical Therapy Specialists. Additionally, Dr. O'Shea has co-authored the chapters on rehabilitation status post total knee and hip arthroplasty.
Dr. O'Shea has spent the last several years of her career growing in clinical operations and leadership development. She has been involved from ground up facility operations to over-seeing established rehabilitation programs. Dr. O'Shea has extensive experience in program development, clinical pathways, marketing, staff training, performance improvement, and budgetary oversight. Dr. O'Shea founded Therapy Edge Consulting in 2019 and now works with healthcare agencies and providers on creating operational efficiencies, sustainable clinical excellence, and communication initiatives.
Dr. O'Shea is a credentialed clinical instructor by the American Physical Therapy Association and is recognized as a Certified Dementia Practitioner as appointed by the National Council of Certified Dementia Practitioners. Dr. O'Shea is also a member of the Society of Professional Consultants.
In her free time she enjoys spoiling her dog (Puff), baking, pickleball, traveling, meditating, and being outside.
Aliya Dhalla
B.Sc, MPT
Aliya Dhalla
B.Sc, MPT
Aliya is a Pelvic Health Physiotherapist + Educator with over 12 years of experience. She exclusively focuses on women's health, including prenatal and postpartum pelvic health, preparing women for labour + delivery, and addressing common issues such as leaks, pelvic pain, painful sex, and diastasis recti. She has extensive training in pelvic floor dysfunction, prenatal + postnatal pelvic health considerations, cesarean section recovery, and diastasis recti (abdominal separation) rehabilitation. Aliya is on a mission to educate + empower women about the changes that occur in their bodies throughout their lifetime.
Robert C. Ferguson
MHS, OTRL
Robert C. Ferguson
MHS, OTRL
Rob is the Clinical Specialist in Therapeutic Technology and Neurorehabilitation at University of Michigan Health, He provides leadership in program design, competency development and treatment through the Therapeutic Technology Program, which includes the Computer Therapy Treatment Lab, Therapeutic Virtual Reality Program and the inpatient rehabilitation MakerPod.
Dr. Kathryn Wise
OTD, MHSc, OTR/L , OT Reg. (Ont.)
Dr. Kathryn Wise
OTD, MHSc, OTR/L , OT Reg. (Ont.)
Kathryn Wise is an Occupational Therapist, innovative healthcare leader, and educator who is passionate about the intersection of innovation, technology, education, and leadership. With over 20 years of healthcare and higher education experience in the United States and Canada, she has worked and led teams in a variety of settings along the care continuum. As an educator, Kathryn is passionate about ensuring technology and innovation are integrated into healthcare management and rehabilitation curriculum. Kathryn enjoys supporting companies to ensure that their products have clinical relevance to support pediatrics and older adults and to encourage clinicians to integrate technology into their practice! Along with her role as an Assistant Clinical Professor at the University of the Pacific - Doctor of Occupational Therapy Program and adjunct faculty member at McMaster University, Kathryn created the “Leadership Spot” to support clinicians transitioning to leadership or in leadership positions. In her spare time, Kathryn loves to hike, travel, read, obsess over finding the latest podcast to listen to, cook, and spend time with her two daughters!
Emil Berengut
PT,DPT, MHA, MSW, OCS
Emil Berengut
PT,DPT, MHA, MSW, OCS
Emil Berengut, PT, DPT, MHA, MSW is the Director of Clinical Operations at Kaia Health-a digital health company. He received his Master's in Social Work from the University of Maryland and a doctorate in Physical Therapy from NYU, following which he was the first graduate of the orthopedic physical therapy residency program at the Hospital for Special Surgery. He also completed his Master's in Health Administration at the NYU's Wagner School of Public Service. Dr. Berengut is a board-certified physical therapist and an adjunct lecturer at the NYU Program of Physical Therapy. He is a published author, having contributed to two textbooks on cancer rehabilitation and peer-reviewed articles. He has presented at the Combined Sections Meeting of the APTA, at the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, and the MSKCC Rehabilitation Symposium.
Dhanya James
DrOT, OTR/L, CLT
Dhanya James
DrOT, OTR/L, CLT
Dhanya James is an occupational therapist, graduated in 2016, who practiced for 5 years before switching into her current role as Key Accounts Manager in the Northeast Area at Tactile Medical. Dhanya got certified in lymphedema therapy in 2017, and spent her clinical years working almost exclusively in breast cancer and lymphedema rehabilitation.
Teresa Fair-Field
OTD, OTR/L
Teresa Fair-Field
OTD, OTR/L
Teresa Fair-Field, OTD, OTR/L is the Early Markers Chief Clinical Officer. She has specialized in neurological development through the lifespan to include early intervention and infant motor skills, issues of preterm infancy, and infant feeding as well as those affecting development of the school age child. She is certified in Ayres Sensory Integration® and enjoys understanding movement, sensation, and behavior from a nervous system perspective. She is an Assistant Clinical Professor in the Baylor University (TX) School of Occupational Therapy, and on the AOTA Roster of Accreditation Evaluators (RAE). Teresa received her OT Doctorate from Chatham University (2016) and Pacific University School of Occupational Therapy (1993).
Nancy Yamoah
OTR/L
Nancy Yamoah
OTR/L
I am an occupational therapist , I work primarily in the adult geriatric rehabilitation industry, in the skilled nursing facility and assisted living facilities settings. I have my own business doing consulting ( OT students and clinicians) . I also have a business on social media: I am commonly known as LovelyyOT with a media presence on Youtube, Instagram , twitter and clubhouse where create post and videos and host lives about Occupational Therapy . I also created a network called the Therapist of color/TOC , for people of color therapist and students to meet every Wednesday with over 1k network members as a safe space to just talk about struggles and accomplishments as well as advice for improvements. I am also the author of two ebooks , Travel therapy blueprint and becoming an occupational therapist. I would like to continue to inspire other Healthcare professionals to do more with their degree and live on purpose , their true authentic self as well as create a better healthcare system for older adults.
Joan Green
M.A. CCC-SLP
Joan Green
M.A. CCC-SLP
Joan Green is a speech-language pathologist, assistive technology specialist, online tech coach, and the mother of 4 young adults. She is the founder of Innovative Speech Therapy, a uniquely effective private practice based in the Washington, DC area. For 35 years, she has helped children and adults with both developmental and acquired disabilities.
Joan published her first book in 1997 titled, Technology for Communication and Cognitive Treatment: The Clinician’s Guide: A revolutionary approach to enhance treatment outcomes for people with speech, language, learning and cognitive disabilities. Since that time, she wrote 3 editions for the book titled, Assistive Technology in Special Education: Resources for Education, Intervention and Rehabilitation. The most recent edition was published in 2018.
In addition to providing person-centered family friendly therapy in the Washington, DC area, she always has an eye out for affordable technologies to make life easier and speed up progress for individuals across the lifespan who communicate, learn and think differently. She regularly speaks on a wide variety of communication, cognitive, literacy, and learning topics. Her passion is sharing her knowledge of effective systems, techniques and strategies for using affordable cutting-edge resources that empower families and professionals to improve engagement and achievement. She is passionate about connecting with colleagues and families all over the world to help them leverage the benefits of tech.
Joan is originally from Buffalo, NY, received her formal undergraduate as well as graduate education at Northwestern University, and now lives in Potomac, MD.
Lindsay DeLong
Lindsay is an Occupational Therapist of 10 years focusing on adult populations in home health. She is the founder of EquipMeOT, an online platform on YouTube and Instagram focusing on modifications and adaptations for maximizing safety and quality of life through the lifespan.
Felix Watson Jr
Megan Hill
PT, DPT
Megan Hill
PT, DPT
Sophia Hall
Sophia Hall is a Senior Sales Recruiter at Splunk focusing on Enterprise and Strategic Sales reps and leaders, and the recruiting lead for Splunk's Black Employees and Mentors Employee Resource Group. She came to Splunk through the acquisition of SignalFx, and also held HR & Talent Acquisition roles at UserTesting, Palantir, and BrightEdge. {She has two young daughters and lives in Silicon Valley, where she spends her free time chasing after them, making them wear clothes in public, and watching Frozen and Encanto way too often.} She is passionately committed to inclusive and equitable hiring. Learn more about Sophia here - and connect with her on LinkedIn!