Occupational therapist Amy Coopersmith, MOT, OTR/L, MAEd, has worked as an educator and OT for more than 25 years. She currently works as a lecturer on topics related to children’s independence and positive mental health. For 17 years, she worked as an OT Supervisor, clinician and evaluator for the NYC Department of Education. Amy is passionate about promoting children’s self-determination through AOTA workshops as well as national/regional conferences and online learning communities. In 2020, she created Captain Me®, a video-based musical self-determination program for all children. Through the evidence-informed use of guided questioning, role play, music, puppets and video modeling, Amy helps practitioners learn how to best utilize their pediatric sessions to promote motivation, engagement and independence. Currently, she is pursuing her OT doctorate at Temple University. Previously, Amy taught Pediatric Assessment and Treatment at Mercy College and worked as a teacher in New York City. Her favorite hobby is writing songs about self-determination and mental health to promote children’s independence.

Occupational therapy assistant Amy Mahle is passionate about promoting the occupational therapist/occupational therapy assistant (OT/OTA) collaboration, uniting and motivating OT practitioners, advocating for occupational therapy, and finding solutions. She is the founding OTA Program Director at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College in Salisbury, NC and co-author/co-editor of the comprehensive textbook, Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants. Amy has been an active member of AOTA and the North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association for her entire career and has served in leadership roles in both, including President of NCOTA. She is currently pursuing her EdD in Community College Leadership at NC State University. Prior to her career as an OTA, she was a small business owner and worked in the social service sector.

Vikram Pagpatan, MS, OTRL, ATP, CAS, BCTS, EdDc is a practicing Asian-American occupational therapist from New York City. He is a full time Assistant Professor and Admissions Coordinator at SUNY Downstate’s MSOT program as well as an adjunct lecturer at York College. Prior to beginning his work as an OT, Vikram served the city he loves as a paramedic and found the profession of OT on his graveyard shift through one of his patients. Vikram's clinical interests are in the areas of assistive technology and seating and mobility systems within pediatric practice. He presently serves on the AOTA DEI committee, as the social media chair of the Asian-Pacific Heritage Occupational Therapy Association, and as a cohort member of the 2021 AOTA Academic Leadership Institute. On this episode, Vik shares about the influence of diversity - and diversity of thought - within the OT profession- diversity of thought, his path into the profession, what OT has allowed him to do personally and professionally, and more - including his bid for a seat on the AOTA Board of Directors. 

Mike Jankowski has been an occupational therapist since 2011 and has spent the majority of his career working with the pediatric population in start-up therapy clinics. In November of 2020 Mike started working at the EMR company SimplePractice as their Occupational Therapy Clinical Specialist. At SimplePractice, Mike brings together his knowledge of OT and private practice and works with SimplePractice's product and marketing teams to continue to enhance SimplePractice for its OT users.

For this interview, I brought back the guest from Episode 119 so we could dig deeper into the topic of time management for clinicians and clinical practice owners and managers.Jamey Schrier, P.T. is an author, former practice owner and founder of Practice Freedom U. PFU solely focuses on helping practice owners work less, earn more, and reignite their passion for patient care. His book, The Practice Freedom Method, has been an Amazon best-seller. Jamey is on a mission to help ambitious practice owners achieve their dreams of what he refers to as Practice Freedom.

Lydia Cremer Kite is an occupational therapist who has experience in a variety of settings including skilled nursing facilities, subacute rehabilitation, outpatient rehabilitation, long term acute rehabilitation, community based, along with ergonomics, injury and prevention. She has a focus in work rehab and is a certified aging in place specialist. She has been teaching at University of St. Augustine for several years and also practices OT at an outpatient clinic with a focus on return to work. Lydia earned her Bachelor of Arts with a major in psychology from Georgia Southern University and a Master's of Occupational Therapy from University of St. Augustine in 2015. She also has experience in not-for-profit organizations, day programs, group homes for adults with varying intellectual and developmental abilities.Lydia's sister, Kaitlyn Cremer, is also an occupational therapist and was featured on Episode 120 of On The Air. On this episode, Lydia talks about OT and community partnerships.

On this episode, we talk about the importance of the support provided by therapists during rehab and the incredible power of hope.Cindy Kolbe has been a lifelong disability advocate—even before her youngest daughter’s spinal cord injury. In her memoir, Struggling with Serendipity, she shares about her battle with depression and guilt after her daughter's injury. Since the injury, Cindy and her daughter have shared many adventures which Cindy calls "unexpected," from during her daughter's time in rehab in their small town in Ohio to time they spent at Harvard, on Capitol Hill, and around the world. Cindy has now signed a movie contract with a producer/writer who is shopping Struggling with Serendipity to Hollywood movie studios. Her motto is: “If you never give up, hope wins.”

Kimberly Kearney, COTA/L, has been an occupational therapy practitioner since 2003. She has worked in Skilled Nursing, Rehab, Memory Care, Acute Care, Home Health, Community Health, and Early Intervention settings. Most recently, Kim has been working in Home Health in Virginia. She has held licenses in Indiana, Florida, Colorado and now Virginia. Kim has been involved with AOTA serving on the Commission on Practice for over 5 years and assisted with the OTA Forum. She has also presented as a panel member at a few national conferences in these roles. She was involved with the topic of Driving and Community Mobility and worked with the ADED group in Colorado and presented at the Colorado OT Association Conference on the topic. Over the years, Kim has been happy to work with students in various aspects of their OT learning journey as a fieldwork educator. In addition, she views volunteering as a way of life after having worked with American Cancer Society, Girl Scouts, American Red Cross, the MS Society, Medical Reserve Corps, Make A Wish Foundation. She is an advocate for lifelong learning and enjoys a variety of challenges most recently exploring new occupations including meditative drumming, Cricut Maker projects, and solo camping in her teardrop trailer.

Kaitlyn Cremer, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, has been an occupational therapist for over 10 years. She has worked in a variety of settings including geriatrics, pediatrics, acute-care, acute-rehabilitation and in low vision and workplace wellness and ergonomics. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree from Florida Southern College and Master of Occupational Therapy and then Doctorate of Occupational Therapy from The University of St. Augustine. She is an onsite prevention specialist. She was awarded AOTA's specialty certification in low vision (SCLV). She is an advocate for interprofessional teamwork having presented at national conferences to advocate for OT’s role in the interprofessional team. She is currently a consultant for a community-based long term support and service agency for adults with intellectual and developmental disability advocating for occupational therapy’s role as well as clients’ quality of life and employee support.