Special Events
Events labeled CE carry continuing education credit.
Wednesday, April 24
1:00 pm–5:00 pm
Balboa Park Garden Tour and Box Lunch
Tour the Alcazar and Japanese Friendship Gardens and the Botanical Building at one of San Diego's must-see destinations, Balboa Park. Guests will have a docent-led tour of the Japanese Friendship Garden and learn about the Japanese landscape design principle: "people, natural environment, and culture." Guests will have time to tour the Botanical Building with its 2,100 permanent plants, including collections of cycads, ferns, and orchids. Visit the Alcazar Garden with its vibrant display of color from over 7,000 annuals and several ornate fountains.
$72.00 per person.
Price includes round-trip bus transportation to the convention center and box lunch.
6:30 pm–9:30 pm
Doctoral Network Reception & Annual Meeting CE
Stories of Doctoral& Post-Doctoral Education and Different Career Paths
Speaker: Sherrilene Classen, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
The doctorate is often the beginning of a career path that includes research as either a primary or secondary focus. Occupational therapy leaders will share their journeys to becoming scholars, researchers, and scientists in different academic and clinical institutions. The panel will describe their doctoral programs, the role of mentors, post-doctoral experiences and opportunities, important choices made, and advice that was critical in shaping their careers.
Informal roundtable mentoring sessions will begin at 6:30 pm, followed by the formal reception and meeting at 7:30 pm. The informal mentoring is optional and participants will be provided with additional details prior to coming to the event.
$30 per person. Includes refreshments.
Sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation
7:30 pm–9:00 pm
Special Interest Sections (SIS)
Networking Reception
New and Seasoned SIS Participants! Get your Conference experience off to a great start with this favorite informal event. Take the opportunity to meet and network with both new and experienced colleagues who share your specialty interests. Meet your SIS leadership and explore your own SIS leadership opportunities. Each SIS has a designated gathering area at the reception so you can enjoy networking at its best. Join us!
Admission to this event is FREE! Cash bar and free snacks will be available.
Thursday, April 25
7:15 am–7:45 am
First-Timers' Orientation
Get the tips you need to make the most of your first AOTA Annual Conference & Expo during this fast- paced 30 minute presentation! Join us at the First-Timers' Orientation where the AOTA Director of Conferences will be on hand to help guide you through the extensive programming options and answer all of your questions.
Included with Conference registration.
7:30 am–9:00 am
International Breakfast CE
A Global Narrative of Appreciating Health: Mind-Body-Spirit
Sue Baptiste, OT(Reg)Ont., MHSc, FCAOT
McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada
Mental illness is emerging as a global epidemic with specific attention being paid to its treatment and management by the World Health Organization (WHO), the United Nations (UN) and multiple patient and client-centered organizations worldwide.
As I begin my role as Vice President of the World Federation of Occupational Therapists, I read communiqués from global organizations that speak to the urgency of finding ways to address the growing and complex problem that is mental illness. The global situation can provide us with multifaceted stories that in some cases are shocking, but can also relate closely to stories we uncover in our own communities. As a profession that prides itself on its core intention of enabling others, we have an imperative to embrace all who seek balance and comfort in their lives.
I hope you will join me on an exploration of the current mental state of the human condition around our planet, and relate what we discuss to your own professional reality. Together, we can create understanding of how practice can be enriched through a broader appreciation of the permeable boundaries between the myriad elements of what we know as "health."
$35 per person. Includes breakfast.
4:00 pm–5:30 pm
Welcome Ceremony and Keynote Address
AOTA Annual Conference & Expo goes live at the Welcome Ceremony! "Hall of Fame" procession, live music, and the AOTA President welcoming remarks ignites the days and nights to come. The dynamic Keynote Address is an inspiring part of the ceremony and it's something special to look forward to! When the Ceremony ends, the fun continues! Attendees flow into the Expo Hall for the Grand Opening and Reception and enjoy good food, good drinks, and good connections with friends and exhibitors.
Speaker: Aron Ralston, Fearless Adventurer and Subject of the Film 127 Hours
When Aron Ralston hiked into a remote area of Utah's canyon country in April 2003, he was an experienced outdoorsman. Seven miles into the canyon that day, Aron accidentally dislodged a boulder that crushed and pinned his right hand. After six days of entrapment alone, he freed himself with a cheap multi-tool knife and hiked to a miraculous rescue.
Since his amputation, Aron has written an internationally bestselling book, Between a Rock and a Hard Place, spoken to hundreds of audiences around the world, and interviewed with Tom Brokaw, David Letterman, and Jay Leno. And, with new prosthetic arms that he designed, Aron has returned to his outdoor passions.
Today, Aron lives in Boulder, Colorado. Speaking to audiences, one of his key messages hones in on overcoming extreme adversity, personally or professionally: "May your boulders be your blessing. May you be able to embrace them. And may you find what's extraordinary in yourself."
127 Hours, the major-motion-picture adaptation of his book, directed by Danny Boyle and starring James Franco, was nominated for 6 Oscars. As we hear this incredible story in our 2013 Welcome Ceremony, our boundaries in life will be touched and inspired by Aron Ralston!
Included with Conference registration.
5:30 pm–9:00 pm
Expo Grand Opening and Reception
Immediately after the Welcome Ceremony, join us in the Expo Hall for a Grand Opening Welcome Reception that abounds with socializing with colleagues, enjoying delicious hors d'oeuvres and drinks from a cash bar, picking up member ribbons and meeting AOTA leaders and staff in Marketplace and the Member Resource Center, and exploring hundreds of valuable exhibits! You won't want to miss this Conference highlight!
Included with Conference registration.
8:30 pm–11:00 pm
Students Un-Conferenced
After your full first day of conference, come join your fellow students for a fun meet-and greet. Remember, networking is one of those all-important professional skills that doesn't appear anywhere on your transcript. Start to hone those skills here as you meet your student colleagues from around the country and have a great time. Entertainment provided.
Includes cash bar and entertainment.
Open to all registered student attendees. Name badge required.
Friday, April 26
6:45 am–7:30 am
SIS Fitness Event—Bodybalance
Enhance your length, strength, balance, and coordination at the Bodybalance class with principles from Tai Chi, Yoga, and Pilates. A perfect start to the day!
7:30 am–9:00 am
19th Annual AOTF Breakfast With a Scholar CE
How Will the Future Be Different?
Rear Admiral Marty Evans, U.S. Navy (Retired)
What can we learn from past failures of imagination?
- The failure to imagine the scale and scope of natural and man-made disasters on vulnerable populations.
- The failure to imagine the extent and reach of battlefield-trauma affected veterans and the impact on families and communities.
- The failure to imagine the health and wellness challenges of an active but aging population.
How can occupational therapists working in partnership with the Armed Forces make a difference?
Engage in a conversation with Rear Admiral Marty Evans (Retired) who has a unique perspective from her nearly 30-year naval career. She was the first woman to command a U.S. naval station, and she chaired the task force formed to address the gender-based issues that gave rise to the infamous Tailhook scandal. After the Navy, RADM Evans led the Girl Scouts of the USA, and then became President and CEO of the American Red Cross, overseeing its response to Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma, as well as the deadly Southeast Asian tsunami in 2004. Evans was named a 1979-1980 White House Fellow and has been honored with numerous awards and accolades including eight honorary degrees.
$50 per person. Includes breakfast.
Proceeds from Breakfast with a Scholar help support AOTF research, scholarship and leadership programs. Be a sponsor. Learn more at www.aotf.org.
Sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation
11:15 am–12:00 pm
Farewell Presidential Address CE
As Viewed From Above: Connectivity and Diversity in Fulfilling Occupational Therapy's Centennial Vision
Florence Clark, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Our commitment to OT in HD has resulted in many accomplishments during our journey toward the Centennial Vision. We have embraced the idea that we each play a crucial role in making occupational therapy a powerful and widely recognized profession. We have been educating the public on how occupational therapy enables people to live life to its fullest. We know that an attitude of confidence coupled with the pursuit of personal excellence will accelerate our profession's capacity to fulfill societal needs. And we know that the credibility provided by science and evidence, which together form the third dimension of OT in HD-3D, are essential to achieving our Centennial Vision.
But our Centennial Vision also specifies that by 2017, occupational therapy will be a globally connected and diverse profession. Why are these aims critical for maximizing our impact in the short- and long-terms? What progress have we made towards connectivity and diversity? And what strategies can we use to ensure future success? To answer these questions and offer a blueprint for the future, Florence Clark's farewell Presidential Address explains how a transcendent perspective of connectivity and diversity is essential to our Centennial Vision destiny.
Included with Conference registration.
12:30 – 1:30 PM
Special Interest Section (SIS) Roundtable Discussions CE
Each of the 11 Special Interest Sections, the Hand and Private Practice
Subsections, and Driving and Home Modification Networks, will hold small group discussions, extended to one hour by popular demand!
Current topics in specialty areas of their practice will engage participants and provide you with the opportunity to ask questions and share your experiences. Choose a discussion that relates to your practice today or one that addresses something new that you've been curious about. Topics will be listed in advance on the Web site and in the Onsite Guide. Seating is very limited to allow for close interaction between all participants.
Tickets are free and included with conference registration, but they must be obtained in advance at the Information Booth for the session that you wish to attend.
2:00 pm–5:00 pm
2013 AOTF Research Colloquium CE
A New Era of Rehabilitation Research in Occupational Therapy: Science and Scientists
Moderator: Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, PhD, OTR
Featured Panelists: Barbara M. Doucet, PhD, OTR; Timothy Reistetter, PhD, OTR; Elizabeth Skidmore, PhD, OTR/L; Timothy J. Wolf, OTD, OTR/L
The 2013 Research Colloquium will highlight current rehabilitation research for neurological disorders and stroke, and it will also highlight the funding mechanisms that are preparing occupational therapists for research and scientific careers. Occupational therapists who have received Rehabilitation Research Career Development Training Grants will share their work and will describe their career paths, training grant experiences, the role of mentoring and constructive feedback in the research process, and the contributions they hope to make through their current funding. This event will provide abundant opportunity for lively discussion among presenters, mentors, scholars, clinicians, and students in attendance.
$35 per person. Includes refreshments.
Sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation
2:00 pm–3:30 pm
Town Hall Meeting CE
Centennial Vision Progress and Issues Facing the Profession
AOTA Leaders
In 2006, AOTA leaders had the extraordinary foresight to launch a Centennial Vision journey with towering goals to empower the profession to fulfill its potential and advance it through advocacy and public awareness. Strategic plans for practice, research, and education were mapped out clearly to reach those goals. Now, reaching the 8-year mark on the journey AOTA leaders want to meet with you in a Town Hall Meeting to share the substantial progress we have made and the challenges the profession is facing now. This is an excellent opportunity to ask questions, share perspectives, and contribute ideas about the road we must take now and beyond occupational therapy's centennial anniversary in 2017. AOTA wants your feedback. Please take the time to attend this vital session!
Included in Conference registration.
3:30 pm–5:00 pm
Centennial Vision Session (Session # TK) CE
(AOTA) The Centennial Vision in Action
The Centennial Vision serves as an inspiration and a foundation for our profession as we approach the end of our first century. This roadmap has provided occupational therapy with a laser-like focus that practitioners and leaders alike have used as a platform to move occupational therapy forward.
This interactive session will include presentations focused on three of the Centennial Vision priorities for 2013: a joint presentation focused on leadership development reflecting the impact of the emerging leaders and managers development programs; a practitioner who has participated in the promotion of occupational therapy within the mass media outlets; and a joint presentation focused on the promotion of evidence-based practice connecting an occupational therapy researcher and a clinician, using the research in practice. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with panelists and each other to identify ways they can individually and organizationally contribute to a "powerful, widely-recognized, science-driven and evidence-based profession with a globally-connected and diverse workforce, meeting society's occupational needs."
Included with conference registration.
5:15 pm–6:30pm
Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture CE
A Fork in the Road: An Occupational Hazard?
Glen Gillen, EdD, OTR, FAOTA
This lecture will explore contemporary evidence-based practice in relation to our historical roots and growth as a profession. It will trace our profession's voyage away from, and return to, authentic occupation-based therapy. Lessons we have learned and mistakes we have made on this voyage give us the potential to become the art- and science-driven, evidence-based profession we strive to be.
Included with Conference registration.
8:00 pm–11:00 pm
2013 AOTF Gala
AOTF Takes Flight!
Join the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) in its salute to OTs in the military at the San Diego Air & Space Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate and one of the country's premier aerospace museums, located in beautiful Balboa Park. Enjoy docent-led tours at the first aero-themed museum to be accredited by the American Association of Museums. Connect with colleagues and friends during an elegant celebration in the midst of historic aircraft and the Apollo IX Command Module.
Proceeds from the Gala help support AOTF research, scholarship, and leadership programs. Be a sponsor. Learn more at www.aotf.org.
$115 per person.
$60 per person. (Student Discounted Rate)
Sponsored by the American Occupational Therapy Foundation
Saturday, April 27
6:45 am–7:30 am
SIS Fun Run & Walk
An invigorating 5K run or walk in San Diego is a great way to start off your morning. Free T-shirts will be given to the first 300 participants.
8:30 am–9:30 am and
10:00 am–11:00 am
SIS Buzz Sessions
Conversations That Matter
Back by Popular Demand!
The SISs have selected a topic of current interest in their practice area for a brief presentation and facilitated discussion. The focus of these sessions will be to provide lots of opportunity for active participation by attendees with questions, answers and discussions to promote interactive learning among colleagues.
Included with Conference registration.
11:15 am–12:00 pm
Inaugural Presidential Address CE
From Heartfelt Leadership to Compassionate Care
Virginia (Ginny) Stoffel, PhD, OT, BCMH, FAOTA
Ginny Stoffel's Inaugural Presidential Address will reflect on the tremendous collective power that each and every AOTA member brings to shape the final and powerful words of the Centennial Vision statement: "…meeting society's occupational needs."
With four more years of focused work to fully realize the Centennial Vision, President-Elect Stoffel will encourage the development of one of occupational therapy's greatest strengths—heartfelt leadership.
As a scholar of leadership, Dr. Stoffel believes that the greatest strength occupational therapy practitioners offer society is the ability to connect with the people they serve, and with their families and communities, giving careful attention to their pursuit of meaningful occupations and guiding their full participation in everyday life. She seeks to build on the momentum and cultural transformation that has characterized AOTA during the past nine years. It is her desire to lead a passionate, engaged AOTA membership that will boost the outcomes they work to influencing lives and ultimately delivering compassionate care.
When a genuine connection is made with recipients of occupational therapy services, heartfelt leadership makes possible the outcomes that truly make a difference, allows people to "live life to its fullest" and builds the science that recognizes compassionate care as an active ingredient. Occupational therapy is poised, with heartfelt leadership and compassionate care, to truly meet society's occupational needs!
Included with Conference registration.
12:15 pm–1:15 pm
AOTA's 92nd Annual Business Meeting
Meet AOTA's Board of Directors and other Association leaders for 2012 Annual Business Meeting. Learn about the Association's progress toward the Centennial Vision and how you can become involved in our continued progress. Site with colleagues from your state and proudly announce "Present" during roll call, then feel free to come to a microphone to ask questions and give feedback. Your Association needs you to help create a positive future for the profession. Come join the excitement!
Included with Conference registration.
5:30 pm–6:30 pm
Annual Awards & Recognition Ceremony
AOTA and AOTF take great pride in honoring our colleagues who have made significant contributions to the profession. Join friends, family, and colleagues as we gather to pay tribute to those whose achievements have enriched the field of occupational therapy. This important ceremony provides a wonderful opportunity for each of us to reconnect with our profession and reflect not only on the accomplishments of others, but our own capacity for achievement.
Open to the public.
6:45 pm–7:45 pm
Annual Awards & Recognition Reception
Our honored award recipients are ready to celebrate! Please join them and all your colleagues to enjoy an evening of mingling and sharing of good wishes at this wonderful event.
$35.00 per person (Includes hors d'oeuvers and cash bar.)
Tech Day CE
Attend one or all 3 highly popular Tech Day sessions. Experience interactive exploration of high and low technology products that enhance client participation in occupations across the lifespan. Sessions will address technology applications for children and youth and adults of all ages and products and software will be demonstrated by the presenters. Attendees will benefit from hands-on learning on a variety of topics at multiple work stations. Up to 10 different stations will be set up during each of three 1.5 hour sessions.
7:30 pm –10:30 pm
Annual AOTPAC Night
35th Anniversary "Star Spangled" Celebration
Let's celebrate your AOTPAC's 35th year of political advocacy for occupational therapy! Join your friends and colleagues for an evening of special guests, music, dancing, snacks and cash bar—meet the stars of the profession. Help your AOTPAC to achieve its fundraising and political goals by signing up today to attend this premier event. We are still finalizing the details so watch for updates.
You are all stars of AOTPAC by supporting it with your contribution. We plan to have a memorable event you won't want to miss!
Stay tuned for the theme of our "Star Spangled" Celebration based upon the possibilities at some truly unique venues in San Diego.
OT/OTA: $40.00 per person. Students: $25.00 per person.
