![Golden-Trophy-1200x791-BG](/-/media/aota-images/community/2022-awards/golden-trophy-for-awards-hero-more-bg-1200x791.png?cx=0&cy=0&cw=850&ch=484&hash=A8CBF7A8E8FCF2569D087F68E65AC074)
2023 AOTA Awards & Recognitions
Congratulations to the recipients, which were honored at the 2023 Awards & Recognitions ceremony on April 22.
![2023-Inspire-logo-1100x1100](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/2023-inspire-logo-1100x1100-new.png?cx=0.49&cy=0.65&cw=575&ch=575&hash=255306B5391320090526577B41881B3D)
Congratulations!
Each year, AOTA and AOTF recognize and honor colleagues who have made significant contributions to the profession of occupational therapy. Each organization’s respective committee is responsible for reviewing nominations and making final selections from each of the outstanding candidates. This tradition is a source of pride within the profession. Additionally, it provides an opportunity to increase public awareness and focus attention on the contributions of individuals, and of the profession as a whole.
AOTA Awards
The 2023 recipients of AOTA’s prestigious awards
AOTA Roster of Honors
The Roster of Honor, established in 1979, cognizes occupational therapy assistants who through their knowledge, expertise, leadership, advocacy, and/or guidance have made a significant contribution over time to the profession with a measured impact on consumers of occupational therapy services and/or members of the Association. In 2023, eight (8) new Roster of Honor awardees are recognized for this distinction.
![Natalie R Chang-Mason-3](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/natalie-r-chang-mason3.jpg?cx=0.5&cy=0.43&cw=254&ch=254&hash=D1768492D61364E8D6ED570F5F27E110)
Natalie Chang-Mason
![Lauren N Gray](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/lauren-n-gray.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=45364815C560B781A02C8FC48AB6AE05)
Lauren Gray
![Hurt](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/hurt.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=144F1015A043ACA6B3ADCF626E377D71)
Jackie Hurt
![Mashelle K Painter](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/mashelle-k-painter.jpg?cx=0.21&cy=0.49&cw=254&ch=254&hash=EA81061B9430869F8792F0734645764C)
Mashelle Painter
![Robin S Pegg](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/robin-s-pegg.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=B83D8455E95D39E10905EA6754E49375)
Robin Pegg
![Dr Krysta M Rives](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/dr-krysta-m-rives.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=63029C40690B9C0D642107DC13C3D034)
Krysta Rives
![Abigail Swidergal](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/abigail-swidergal.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=FFBD00E3E0844A096B4B7CC81ACABA04)
Abigail Swidergal
![Sophia Uehara](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/sophia-uehara.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=B834FCA3541BBA7E0DB15A4DE551E7D5)
Sophia Uehara
AOTA Roster of Fellows
The Roster of Fellows, established in 1973, recognizes occupational therapist members of AOTA who, through their knowledge, expertise, leadership, advocacy, and guidance have made a significant contribution over time to the profession with a measured impact on consumers of occupational therapy services and/or members of the Association. In 2023, 34 new Fellows join this distinguished society.
![Karla Ausderau](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rof/karla-ausderau.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=6AFE98840ED2500ACF912B817B202F85)
Karla Ausderau
![Jeryl DiSanti Benson](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/jeryl-disanti_benson.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=2CCAA1CDC6A8C22BB5A00DBEA2C9BEF7)
Jeryl DiSanti Benson
![Stefanie Bodison](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/stefanie-bodison.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=1DE3BBDD02B6B3B20437E189310DA464)
Stefanie Bodison
![Renee Causey-Upton](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/renee-causey-upton.png?cx=0.3&cy=0.49&cw=254&ch=254&hash=45893E841F2BE9AAB243A49CB31953E0)
Renee Causey-Upton
![Frederick Covington](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/frederick-covington2.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=7C4EB61652E7ECFB2C6B3A08F9583C86)
Frederick Covington
![Melinda A Cozzolino](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/melinda-a-cozzolino.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=CC651F775A2BC5B9F76F91A5C8857C6B)
Melinda Cozzolino
![Kimberly A. Davis](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/kimberly-a_davis.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=58797C09BA2C96A8585291647B432973)
Kimberly Davis
![Tina M DeAngelis](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/tina-deangelis.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=DEEA6FBCEA79EFBC6C2DC913782102FD)
Tina DeAngelis
![Matthew Brooks Dodson](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/matthew-brooks-dodson.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=20CFF3FCFAFCC4E48BCC30E2D25EC710)
Matthew Dodson
![Nancy Robert Dooley](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/nancy-robert-dooley.jpg?cx=0.54&cy=0.63&cw=254&ch=254&hash=A7457C21BA2405F0E23CF864A4CA6A25)
Nancy Robert Dooley
![Chris Eldson PHD](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/chris-eidson.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=A9758837415E7500031ED9059C1699CE)
Chris Eidson
![Bryan Gee](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/bryan-gee.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=561D1458B645E5568473B1D4AA20B604)
Bryan Gee PhD
![Varleisha Gibbs](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/varleisha-gibbs.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=FC4B93FCDC7F6F4F4B7A70B03B231FFD)
Varleisha Gibbs
![Goverover](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rof/yael-goverover.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=6FD5F787DEE2F63DF0FB2F016F1DDF46)
Yael Goverover
![Vanessa Jewell](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/vanessa-jewell.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=08678DE9989BE726EDC9570029E044E9)
Vanessa Jewell
![Michael D Justiss](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/michael-justiss.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=635414D5BE7951478EA0A830DD44D3A8)
Michael Justiss
![Mary A. Khetani](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/mary-khetani.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=307888D70746E88891EB7570365EC377)
Mary Khetani
![Lauren Little](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/lauren-little.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=36E57985AA7A2B5D97B8DA188C3ED600)
Lauren Little
![Wanda Mahoney](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rof/wanda-j-mahoney.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=D858C98956D6239F9EA7F9AB3842C3E7)
Wanda Mahoney
![Valley McCurry](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rof/valley-mccurry.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=755E4899DD92783FA46E1857663BB02A)
Valley McCurry
![Rosanne DiZazzo Miller-ROF](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rosanne-dizazzo-miller-rof.jpg?cx=0.51&cy=0.6&cw=254&ch=254&hash=9BCDC8B2576EDC41570017C7161B7A41)
Rosanne DiZazzo Miller
![Tracy Mroz](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rof/tracy-mroz.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=5988CC891F91C88E4ACDB8AD26B0043E)
Tracy Mroz
![Susan L Noyes](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/susan-l-noyes.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=689D18B3B07FE246382F2CD07DF62C0E)
Susan Noyes
![Rebecca Ozelie](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/rebecca-ozelie.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=9FE05B7E22861FA46B7462E5CC8D8C63)
Rebecca Ozelie
![Andrew Persch](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/andrew-persch2.jpg?cx=0.5&cy=0.64&cw=254&ch=254&hash=4905373728D1394790F11F7A2B4AC40F)
Andrew Persch
![Kris Pizur-Barnekow](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/kris-pizur-barnekow.jpg?cx=0.45&cy=0.59&cw=254&ch=254&hash=FA0815AB40FA3654321C4D4362F480D9)
Kris Pizur-Barnekow
![Sandra L Rogers](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/sandra-l-rogers2.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=F163EF764F7E5D060FEFBB24823B3D9B)
Sandra Rogers
![Marla-C-Roll](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/marla-c-roll.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=44FD22780E74032A51A8ACBD3802658E)
Marla Roll
![Deborah Schwind](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/deborah-schwind2.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=4D6F3711E7787873A6B0B553D694BED8)
Deborah Schwind
![Nathan Short](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/nathan-short.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=BEC9A32011FA0D004787EAC37DBD6AD6)
Nathan Short
![Cristina Reyes Smith](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/cristina-reyes-smith.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=DF29AAA2EF61FA28874FB1A70FA48DFE)
Cristina Reyes Smith
![Karen Vance-ROF](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/karen-vance_rof.jpg?cx=0.47&cy=0.51&cw=254&ch=254&hash=A0518214CFE0B43E333AADB090DA9FD7)
Karen Vance
![Laura VanPuymbrouck](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/laura-vanpuymbrouck.jpg?cx=0.49&cy=0.59&cw=254&ch=254&hash=F292EADB8C99E93471440B6953F57C9E)
Laura VanPuymbrouck
![Leanne Yinusa-Nyahkoon](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/leanne-yinusa--nyahkoon.jpg?cx=0&cy=0&cw=254&ch=254&hash=CF9D04036F79B1F76CBC0935EBC134F2)
Leanne Yinusa-Nyahkoon
![roped-walkway](/-/media/aota-images/community/2023-awards/roped-walkway3.jpg?cx=0.45&cy=0.4&cw=575&ch=575&hash=74EA8133063EF58255B2C53BAC314374)
AOTF Awards
The American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) is proud to recognize exemplary colleagues who have made significant and sustained contributions to the mission of AOTF to advance the science of occupational therapy to support people’s full participation in meaningful life activities.
2023 AOTF AwardeesCommittee Members
AOTA Awards & Recognitions Committee
Chairperson, Susan McDonald, EdD, OTR/L
Cindy Bell, MS, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
DeOnna Clark, MOT, OTR/L
Anna Haertling Clearman, MOT, OTR, CLT
Jewel Crasta, PhD
Pam Stephenson, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, FAOTA