Awards

Dr. Lela A. Llorens Award of Excellence for Diversity Equity & Inclusion

This award was established in 2023 to honor Dr. Lela A. Llorens, an occupational therapy pioneer known throughout the profession. The purpose is to honor a member of AOTA who has utilized Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice, Accessibility, and Belonging (DEIJAB) principles to address the needs of marginalized, under-resourced, and/or underrepresented persons, groups, and populations.

Description and purpose

  • To recognize occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who demonstrate exemplary interprofessional collaboration in order to provide client-centered care or innovation in health professional education, or to improve health outcomes through research.
  • To recognize occupational therapy practitioners (clinician, educator, or researcher) who work collaboratively with other professions to meet the needs of clients in health, community, or educational settings.
  • To recognize occupational therapy educators who have made an outstanding contribution to interprofessional practice, education, or research.

Minimal requirements

  • Individuals or teams are eligible for this award as long as at least one member of the team is an occupational therapist (OT) or occupational therapy assistant (OTA) who is a member in good standing of the Association at the time of the nomination and presentation of the award.
  • The nominee(s) shall demonstrate exemplary leadership in the development and implementation of interprofessional practice, education, or research incorporating the Interprofessional Education Collaborative (IPEC) competencies:
    • Communication
    • Teamwork
    • Roles and responsibilities
    • Values and ethics
  • The nominee(s) shall disseminate their interprofessional education or practice model and/or results through presentations or publications.

Specific information regarding award

Multiple awards may be given each year.