BEING | BECOMING | BELONGING

2022 OTAC Conference Logo

President's Message

I am excited to welcome you to the Occupational Therapy Association of California Annual Conference & Innovation Expo in Santa Clara, California. We look forward to safely seeing everyone in person, supporting one another, learning from one another, and connecting. This year's theme – Being, Becoming, Belonging – is inspired by multiple factors, including aspects of our profession's history to the more contemporary themes and foci of our Association and profession's work.

Our community's response to the ongoing challenges of the past several years laid the foundation for last year's Annual Conference theme: Resilient, Renewed, Rising. The theme resounded with our commitment to continual improvement. As we approach this year's Annual Conference, returning to connecting in person and with the same commitment to improving the work of the Association and the profession as a whole, we reflect on the seminal work of Ann Wilcock.

This year's theme sets the table for our Annual Conference and our work for the year. We encourage you all to join us in "doing" – learning together, networking, advocating for the profession, and connecting on professional and personal levels. We hope our collective being will create environments where "being" our authentic selves is appreciated and celebrated – helping us reach our capacities. We invite you to attend as many Conference sessions as your schedule permits to elevate your self-actualization and potential to develop your professional vision for the future. As we connect as a community through our collective being and becoming, we hope to foster a greater sense of "belonging" within the profession and the Association. We have all chosen occupational therapy for a reason; we have shared values and a belief in the profession's promise. With this in mind, OTAC will continue its efforts to support diversity and inclusion, advocate for the profession, and provide meaningful educational and networking opportunities to enhance belonging.

With Being, Becoming, Belonging as our thematic backdrop, I am so pleased to welcome our keynote speaker, Shirley A. Wells, DrPH, OTR, FAOTA, who has a long-standing history of advocacy for diversity and inclusion. Dr. Wells' talk, entitled "Who Are You? Who Will You Become? Where Do You Belong?" will challenge us as individuals and as a community to enhance our clinical and collegial interactions. We are also so honored to have Dr. Wells join us as part of the Conference program, where she will present her session "Addressing Population and Cultural Health Through Occupation."

This year's program is, once again, packed with exceptional professional development opportunities and the opportunity to see one another in person again – connect, laugh, support, brainstorm, and collaborate. This Conference is also a time to celebrate the accomplishments of our colleagues through our Annual Awards Celebration.

I am looking forward to safely seeing one another again, and I am also very encouraged and inspired by our theme and the work that OTAC is committed. Please join us at this year's Annual Conference & Innovation Expo, and in our commitment to the profession. See you there!

Bryant Edwards, OTD, MA, OTR/L, BCP, MPH
President, Occupational Therapy Association of California


Keynote Presenters

4:15pm–5:15pm
Friday, October 28, 2022

Who Are You? Who Will You Become? Where Do You Belong? (.5 PDUs)
Shirley A. Wells, DrPH, OTR, FAOTA
Having the right to “being, becoming, and belonging” is key to practicing diversity, equity, and inclusion. It begins with accepting your past, shaping your future, and knowing where you belong. It requires learning, risking, exploring, and growing. Come hear from this highly acclaimed and experienced professional who AOTA named as one of the 100 Influential People in Occupational Therapy 100 Years History (2016).

Also presenting session 57 – Addressing Population and Cultural Health through Occupation (3 PDUs)

7:30am–9:15am
Sunday, October 30, 2022

Occupational Justice for Underserved Populations (.5 PDUs)
Moderator: Winifred-Schultz-Krohn, PhD, BCP, FAOTA
Panelists: Courtney Boitano, OTD, OTR/L, BCBA-D; Heather Javaherian, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA; Eugene Torres, BA, Program Manager


CFOT Awards Luncheon and Symposium Honored Lecturer

11:30am–1:00pm
Saturday, October 19, 2019

Preparing for the Future of Practice: Professional Growth, Self-Care, and Meaning (.5 PDUs)
Christy Billock, PhD, OTR/L, Dip ACLM
As a thriving profession, occupational therapy holds even greater potential to meet a wide range of needs in our ever changing world. Our work in occupational therapy depends on engaged professionals ready to innovate and adapt in a range of settings. The purpose of this lecture is to explore how we can better understand and support our own professional growth, self-care, and meaning in our work to perpetuate the beloved profession of occupational therapy. Separate fee required.


Chair's Message

Dear Occupational Therapy Practitioners, Educators, Students, Colleagues, and Friends,

On behalf of the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) and the 2022 OTAC Annual Conference & Innovation Expo Committee, we are excited to invite you to join us for the 46th Annual Conference! The Conference theme of Being, Becoming, Belonging reflects the continuum of professional development. As depicted, these three words create an ongoing process. Being an occupational therapy practitioner or student, Becoming aware of the profession’s new needs and approaches to benefit those who receive our services and a sense of Belonging to a community committed to occupational engagement for everyone.  We are excited to offer the Conference in person at the Hyatt Regency Santa Clara! Being together again in person, Becoming enriched by the continuing education and networking opportunities, and Belonging to a dynamic community of occupational therapy practitioners and future practitioners is a wonderful experience.

We are honored that Shirley A. Wells, DrPH, OTR, FAOTA, will offer the Friday Keynote Address and a session during the Conference. Dr. Wells was named one of the 100 most influential occupational therapy practitioners in the first 100 years of the profession! Her work in multicultural healthcare and diversity has significantly contributed to occupational therapy. As noted in the AOTA statement, Dr. Shirley Wells “has been a tireless advocate for cultural inclusion and diversity in occupational therapy.” We are honored and delighted to have Dr. Wells join us, in person, for the 2022 OTAC Annual Conference & Innovation Expo!

I would be remiss not to acknowledge that COVID-19 is still present. To help reduce risk, the sessions will be set as best we can for social distancing. Most sessions will offer a 15-minute break between sessions. The hotel will provide hand sanitizing stations, as will OTAC. We will also follow current Santa Clara County guidelines, including respecting any individuals who wish to wear a mask. We are excited to offer the OTAC Annual Conference in person again while being mindful of current conditions.

The OTAC Annual Conference theme of Being, Becoming, Belonging is echoed in the amazing sessions offered during the Conference. The highcaliber, peer-reviewed Conference presentations and poster sessions will reinforce your commitment to being an occupational therapy practitioner or student, becoming more informed of innovative approaches to support those we serve, and a sense of belonging to an incredible profession! As we move forward, occupational therapy is poised to reaffirm its commitment to occupational engagement for everyone. To do so means finding creative solutions to meet the unique and varied needs of those who need our services. The resolve to increase the diversity and inclusiveness of the occupational therapy profession continues, and the OTAC Annual Conference is one opportunity to pursue that goal.

I look forward to seeing everyone in person, not just a small square on a computer screen, at the OTAC Annual Conference in Santa Clara … even if we aren’t hugging and shaking hands yet!

Winifred Schultz- Krohn, PhD, OTR, BCP, FAOTA
Chairs, OTAC Ad Hoc Committee for 2022 Conference