Leadership & Innovation

 

We are extremely proud of the many achievements of our grads. In this section, we are pleased to profile OT alumni making a difference in their workplace, their communities and our profession through leadership and innovative initiatives.

Hand Therapist, Teacher, Advocate


Susan Hannah

BScOT ’88

I’m so pleased to be in a position to tell stories about therapists – both physical and occupational – all of whom have played a part in changing the world in ways that may be small but are important to all of us. These thoughts are swirling as I’m beginning to write about Susan Hannah.

Rebecca Solnit (she gave us the term mansplaining) has a useful way of packaging social and cultural forms and shares with Margaret Mead the notion that individuals can change the world – think of Greta Thunberg. In her latest book Whose Story is This? she appraises who gets to shape the narrative of our times and how emerging voices are beginning to change that narrative… now back to Susan.

Graduating from University of Toronto with a BScOT in 1988 and an MEd from OISE in 2008, Sue’s career has been marked by sharing her work with colleagues through conferences, publications and teaching students. She served as Student Placement Lead for OT and PT students across 12 sites of Altum Health and has received a number of awards for her outstanding contribution to Occupational Therapy education at the University Health Network and the University of Toronto. She was appointed to the faculty of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy in 2019.

We met in the early nineties when she joined the Hand Program at the Toronto Western Hospital, a source of fascination for me. I was impressed by the easy collaboration of OT’s and PT’s in the specialized treatment of patients following devastating upper limb injuries. Working in psychiatry at the time, I was also struck by the awareness and attention paid to the psychosocial aspects presented by each individual following complex reconstructive surgeries. Sue developed her clinical expertise with hands – assessing, case managing and teaching – at the Toronto Western from 1992 to 2011, qualified as a Certified Hand Therapist and currently serves as vice president of the Canadian Society of Hand Therapists.

In 1994 Sue’s relation to the wider world began when she left work in Canada to travel extensively through Southeast Asia, India, Nepal, China and New Zealand.  As her children grew older, she began to renew this interest, volunteering at a community based program in Haiti teaching rehabilitation therapists. She joined a group of therapists in 2018 with a WFOT program at Ukrainian Catholic University; training the first OT’s in Ukraine.

Written by Wendy Campbell, PTOT Alumni Assocation, November 14 2019

Public Health and Social Justice: Guiding Principles

Season Kam

Season Kam

MScOT, 2013

Leadership in Community Healthcare

Camille Carter

Camille Carter

BScOT, 1997

Leading with Care

Carey Lucki

Carey Lucki

MScOT, 1989

OS&OT Alumni: Dream Weavers

Amanda Landry & Mira Etlin-Stein

Amanda Landry & Mira Etlin-Stein

MScOT, 2011

OS&OT Alumna Named YMCA Woman of Excellence

Michelle Quintyn

Michelle Quintyn

MScOT, 1981

Advancing OT Role in Responsive Behaviour Initiatives

Heather McDonald

Heather McDonald

MScOT, 2005

OS&OT Alumnus Demonstrates Passion for Community Mental Health Services

Vinh Nguyen

Vinh Nguyen

MScOT, 2011

Margaret Bahen Gold Medalist at the Pencer Brain Tumour Centre

Ilyse Lax

Ilyse Lax

MScOT, 2013

Return to Work Expert Shows Leadership in Northern Ontario

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia

Behdin Nowrouzi-Kia

MScOT, 2006

OS&OT Alumna is a Dedicated Geriatric OT

Megan Kohls-Wiebe

Megan Kohls-Wiebe

BScOT, 2000

Dance Ability Movement Helps Fulfill Kids’ Dreams

Jade and Mallory Ryan

Jade and Mallory Ryan

Jade (MScOT’13) and Mallory (MScOT’11)

Psychotherapy Expert Co-authors Resource Compendium for OTs Practicing in Mental Health

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Lisa Detwiler

BScOT’98

World Expert in the Field of Inclusive Design

Jutta_Treviranus_Headshot

Jutta Treviranus

B.Sc.’81

 

Dr. Nick Reed and Fellow Alumni are Leading Efforts to Improve the Lives of Kids and Youth Who've Experienced Concussion

Nick Reed and Fellow OT Alumni
Left to right: Nick Reed (’07), Stephanie McFarland (’14), Talia Dick (’11), Katie Mah (’11), Andie Hickling (’14) and Melissa Paniccia (’13)

Dr. Nick Reed (MScOT’07) is a kids concussion guru who spends his time developing, implementing and evaluating research, educational and clinical programming for kids with concussion and their families. Nick grew up playing sports and experienced a fair share of sports-related injuries and such exposure developed his initial interest in sports medicine and physiotherapy. While attending a joint physiotherapy and occupational therapy information session, he was immediately drawn to occupational therapy’s view of seeing injury as part of “a bigger picture that includes the person, their environment and the occupations that bring meaning into individuals’ lives.”

Talented Young Alumni Make Us Proud

Heather Moyse

Heather Moyse

MScOT’07

robinMazumder_139

Robin Mazumder

MScOT’11

Jenny Hardy

Jenny Hardy

MScOT’13

 

OT Alumni Leadership with the Ontario Society of Occupational Therapists (OSOT): Profiling Recent Members of the Board of Directors

OSOTDirectors (1)

The mission of OSOT is to “lead the profession of occupational therapy in Ontario by providing vision, voice, visibility and value for Ontario occupational therapists”. We are both proud and grateful that many of our alumni have chosen to take on a variety of roles and responsibilities with OSOT over the years. Congratulations and thanks to all of you!

BethLinkewich

Beth Linkewich

President-Elect (2014 – present), Director (2004-2007)

 

Sylvia Davidson

Sylvia Davidson

Director (2014 – present)

 

Andrea

Andrea Thompson

Director (2007–2009), President-Elect (2012–2013), President (2013–2014)

 

Leta Stenge

Leta Stegne

Director (2011-2012, 2014)

 

Barbara Cawley

Barbara Cawley

Director (2010-2014)

 

Iris Greenspoon

Iris Greenspoon

Director (2010 – 2014)

 

Gail Teachman

Gail Teachman

President-Elect (2008-2009), President (2009-2011), 
and Past President (2011-2013)
Doctoral Candidate, Rehabilitation Science Institute, 
University of Toronto.

 

Examples of OT Alumni Leadership

 

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Katie Churchill | MScOT, OT. Reg. (Ont.)

Senior Practice Lead, Occupational Therapy, Alberta Health Services

 

angela colantonio

Angela Colantonio | PhD, OT. Reg. (Ont.)

Professor, University of Toronto 
CIHR Research Chair in Gender, Work and Health
Senior Scientist, Toronto Rehabilitation Institute,
University Health Network

 

mandy lowe

Mandy Lowe | MSc, BSc(OT), OT Reg. (Ont.)

Congratulations Mandy on your appointment as Director of Education,
Co-Director, University Health Network (UHN) International Centre for Education,
Associate Director, Centre for Interprofessional Education, 
University of Toronto.