Abstract
In her farewell Presidential Address at the AOTA INSPIRE 2025 Annual Conference & Expo in Philadelphia, Alyson Stover invited attendees to be a part of shaping the future of occupational therapy.
In her farewell Presidential Address at the AOTA INSPIRE 2025 Annual Conference & Expo in Philadelphia, Alyson Stover invites attendees to be a part of shaping the future of occupational therapy.
This is a moment. A moment where the weight of history meets the urgency of the present. A moment where our shared purpose as occupational therapy professionals collides with an undeniable truth: We are standing at the edge of the future, and the future is standing at the edge of us.
When we were together in San Antonio, Texas, just over three years ago today, in her Farewell Address, President Wendy Hildebrand called on us to act with urgency—to embrace our responsibility as changemakers and lead boldly into the future. I am grateful for her brilliant insight and the charge she left us with, a call that has only grown more relevant with every passing day. Because if the past three years have taught us anything, it’s that waiting is not an option, and action cannot be delayed.
The world is moving forward—and so must we.
When I first stepped into this role as AOTA President, I knew that this profession—our profession—was built on the foundation of adaptability, innovation, and an unwavering commitment to the people we serve. What I didn’t fully grasp then, but have come to understand deeply, is that occupational therapy doesn’t just react to change—it drives it.
Occupational therapy doesn’t wait for permission.
Just ask Lindsey Vestal, whose bold leadership through The Functional Pelvis and OTs in Pelvic Health Summit have paved the way for occupational therapy practitioners to step into a space where we have always belonged. She didn’t wait for other disciplines to give us “permission” to practice in this critical area of care.
She took action.
Her work is a testament to what happens when occupational therapy refuses to be sidelined—when we claim our rightful place as leaders, innovators, and essential providers in health care.
Occupational therapy doesn’t sit on the sidelines.
Just ask Julia Lam, occupational therapist and founder of Outreach Therapy, who delivers care on the streets, in shelters, and in housing—meeting people where they are and advocating for equitable access to rehabilitation. As the only OT embedded in this initiative, she is redefining what it means to transition sustainably into permanent housing. This is what happens when occupational therapy refuses to watch from the sidelines—we step in, we innovate, and we lead.
Occupational therapy doesn’t accept barriers as immovable.
Just ask Sarah Brown and Amy Thompson in South Dakota, who are not only driving hundreds of miles each week to provide desperately needed services to children on the Pine Ridge Reservation, but are also building a plan for lasting change. They see beyond the immediate challenges of access and workforce shortages and are working to ensure that Lakota community members can enter the occupational therapy profession—on their reservation, using their language, and honoring their cultural learning styles.
They are proving that occupational therapy isn’t about fitting into systems that were never built for the people we serve—it’s about reshaping those systems so that every community has the resources, representation, and providers they deserve. Because when we refuse to accept barriers as immovable, we create solutions that will outlast us.
Occupational therapy: WE reimagine possibilities, dismantle obstacles, and forge new paths where others see dead ends.
In the past few years, I’ve had the privilege of traveling across the country—visiting OT and OTA programs, clinics, schools, hospitals, community programs, and research labs—seeing occupational therapy in action. I have watched you, my colleagues, push beyond expectations to design environments that include everyone, to revolutionize how we use AI in health care, and to amplify our voices beyond the walls of our own profession.
Today, I stand before you with an invitation.
The future is not something that happens to us. It is something we create—with the choices we make, the actions we take, and the voices we raise right now.
So, I ask you: Will you be part of shaping it?
Because whether you are in an OT classroom, a hospital, a school, a research lab, a start-up, a policy meeting, or a patient’s home—what you do today will define the breakthroughs of tomorrow.
And I am not just talking about small, incremental changes. I am talking about the big, bold, game-changing shifts that will ensure occupational therapy is not just relevant, but essential.
To illustrate this, I want to introduce you to three leaders who are not waiting for the future to arrive. They are creating it.
Francisco Lasta is pioneering inclusive, human-centric design that makes every environment an invitation for participation.
Sarah Brzeszkiewicz is leading the way in AI, proving that an occupational therapy lens belongs at the forefront of technology and innovation.
Ganesh Babulal is proving the power of speaking outside the OT echo chamber, taking our expertise beyond traditional boundaries and into the heart of systems that shape health care, policy, and research.
These are the voices shaping what comes next. And so are you.
So, as we embark on this conversation, let’s make a commitment. A commitment that our actions today will define the future of occupational therapy. Because make no mistake: The future is now.
Francisco Lasta
It is my absolute pleasure to introduce Francisco Lasta [OTR/L, Assoc. AIA], a visionary at the intersection of occupational therapy and inclusive design. Francisco is not only an experienced occupational therapist with over a decade of working across ages, disabilities, and socioeconomic backgrounds, but he is also a leading advocate for the role of OT in the built environment.
His expertise in human-centered design, task analysis, and accessibility gives him a uniquely empathetic and functional perspective in architecture and design—ensuring that spaces are not just aesthetically pleasing, but truly accessible and usable for all.
As a core member of M2’s Inclusive Design Team, Francisco is pioneering inclusive design guidelines within his firm and creating a pipeline for occupational therapy students to gain invaluable experience in architecture.
Beyond his design work, Francisco serves as M2’s Marketing Strategist, collaborating with architects and designers to drive strategic planning and business development. He is a thought leader, engaging with academic institutions and design professionals to elevate occupational therapy’s role in shaping the built world.
Francisco doesn’t just talk about change, he makes it happen. His passion for breaking barriers, driving inclusion, and redefining what is possible is exactly the kind of leadership we need in OT today.
Let’s give a warm welcome to Francisco Lasta! (See the full interview with Francisco Lasta beginning at minute 15:00 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4XKPrCAig&t=6s]).
Alyson
Question 1: Francisco, one of the hallmarks of your approach is bringing occupational therapy into spaces where we historically haven’t had a seat at the table. You’re actively collaborating with architects, user experience or UX designers, and industry leaders to redefine what accessible environments should be. What challenges have you faced in getting OT recognized in these fields, and how have you successfully positioned OT as essential in inclusive design?
Question 2: The profession of occupational therapy often defines itself within the boundaries of health care and rehabilitation, but your work challenges that status quo. You’re proving that OT belongs in the design of cities, public spaces, and digital environments—places where health, function, and participation are shaped long before a person ever needs therapy. If we as a profession truly embraced this broader role, how would that change the way OT is perceived, practiced, and even taught in schools?
Question 3: Occupational therapy often talks about inclusion, but true inclusion starts before someone ever enters a clinic—it starts in the design of our world. You are actively reshaping how cities, buildings, and public spaces are created by embedding OT’s expertise in human function and accessibility into the design process itself. If every occupational therapy professional in this room embraced this mindset, what bold steps should we be taking right now to position ourselves as essential contributors to the design and policy decisions that shape participation in everyday life?
Francisco, your work is redefining what inclusion truly means—not as an afterthought, but as a fundamental part of how spaces are designed from the start. You’ve shown us that occupational therapy belongs in architecture, urban planning, and user experience design, and that occupational therapy doesn’t have to wait to be invited into these spaces—we can claim our seat at the table and prove our value. Thank you!
[Francisco exits back stage.]
Sarah Brzeszkiewicz
Now, while Francisco is shaping the physical world to be more inclusive, our next guest is pushing the boundaries of occupational therapy in the digital world.
Sarah Brzeszkiewicz is leading the charge in integrating artificial intelligence into health care, ensuring that AI supports clinicians in delivering more efficient, effective, and personalized care. As a clinical AI advocate, she challenges the status quo—thinking outside the box and empowering others to do the same by leveraging technology to expand possibilities in health care, not replacing the human expertise at the heart of occupational therapy. Please help me welcome Sarah! (See the full interview with Sarah Brzeszkiewicz beginning at minute 22:10 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4XKPrCAig&t=6s].)
Alyson
It is an honor to introduce Sarah Brzeszkiewicz [OTR/L], a trailblazer in the integration of artificial intelligence and occupational therapy. With over a decade of experience spanning clinical care, AI and data analytics, research, and consulting, Sarah is proving that OTs don’t just adapt to change—we drive it.
She began her career specializing in neurorehabilitation for stroke and traumatic brain injury, working at top institutions like Shirley Ryan Ability Lab and St. David’s Rehabilitation Hospital. But in 2022, Sarah took a bold step—she transitioned into health technology, bringing her OT expertise to the world of AI. At Sensi.AI, she helped develop AI-driven solutions supporting older adults aging in place. Now, as a Clinical Impact Specialist at Ambience Healthcare, she is at the forefront of implementing ambient AI scribing technology to enhance health care efficiency while keeping patient care at the center.
Sarah is not just integrating technology, she’s reimagining how occupational therapy can shape the future of health care. A passionate advocate for innovation, she challenges all of us to think beyond traditional roles, explore new frontiers, and embrace technology as a tool for better patient outcomes.
Question 1: Sarah, you’ve had an incredible journey from clinical neurorehabilitation to becoming a leader in AI-driven health care innovation. The OT profession often defines itself within traditional frameworks of rehabilitation and direct patient care, but your work challenges that mindset. As AI continues to evolve, how should occupational therapy expand its role in shaping the future of health care? What bold steps do we need to take now to position OT as essential in digital health innovation and beyond?
Question 2: Occupational therapy often emphasizes creativity, adaptability, and holistic problem-solving, but many OTs still feel uncertain about stepping into emerging spaces like AI and health tech. You’re not just thinking outside the box, you’re empowering others to do the same. How are you helping clinicians embrace innovation, and what steps can every OT professional take to not only follow their passions, but also uplift and inspire others to push boundaries?
Question 3: AI and digital health are transforming the way care is delivered, yet many in occupational therapy hesitate to embrace these changes, fearing that technology may replace the human element of our work. But what if the real risk isn’t AI taking over, but OT being left behind? How do we shift our mindset from resisting change to actively leading it, and what uncomfortable but necessary conversations do we need to start having about the future of our profession?
Sarah, your work is a powerful reminder that innovation and human-centered care are not at odds—they are partners in shaping the future of health care. You’ve shown us that AI is not something to fear, but something to harness and that occupational therapy has a critical role to play in ensuring technology enhances—not replaces—the work we do. More importantly, you challenge all of us to not just think outside the box, but to empower others to do the same, making sure we aren’t just adapting to change, but leading it. THANK YOU!
[Sarah exits backstage.]
Ganesh Babulal
Now, while Sarah is pushing the boundaries of OT in AI and digital health, our next guest is proving the power of breaking out of the OT echo chamber and taking our expertise into new, unexpected spaces.
It is an absolute privilege to introduce Dr. Ganesh Babulal [PhD, OTD, MSCI, MOT], a pioneering researcher whose work is transforming how we understand cognition, mental health, and functional independence in aging populations.
As a tenured Associate Professor of Neurology at Washington University School of Medicine, Ganesh is at the forefront of investigating the relationship between cognitive and mental health and daily function. His groundbreaking research focuses on how age-related changes impact instrumental activities of daily living, particularly driving, as an early indicator of cognitive decline.
Ganesh leads The DRIVES Project and ARCHES laboratories, where he utilizes biomarkers, behavioral markers, and social determinants of health to identify early risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. His work not only advances early detection, but also highlights the critical role of occupational therapy in shaping brain health interventions, particularly for underrepresented and minoritized populations both in the U.S. and globally.
With over 110 peer-reviewed publications, eight book chapters, and more than $29.4 million in research funding, Ganesh’s contributions to neurology, public health, and OT are reshaping how we approach aging, cognitive and mental health, and functional independence. He challenges us to think beyond traditional OT roles and embrace our expertise in function and participation as essential in cutting-edge neurological and public health research.
Please join me in welcoming Ganesh Babulal! (See the full interview with Dr. Ganesh Babulal beginning at minute 29:55 [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uo4XKPrCAig&t=6s].)
Question 1: Ganesh, occupational therapy tends to stay within its own echo chamber: We present at our own conferences, publish in our own journals, and advocate within our own circles. Yet, your research has been featured in high-impact medical and public health journals, and you’ve successfully secured over $29 million in funding, all from funding organizations outside of OT. What mindset shift needs to happen for OT to stop waiting for validation within its own profession and start positioning itself as an indispensable voice in broader health care and policy discussions?
Question 2: Many occupational therapy professionals are passionate about pushing OT forward, but passion alone isn’t enough. We need visibility, credibility, and a seat at the table where major health care decisions are made. You’ve done this successfully in your work, but the challenge remains: How do we, as a profession, break through the barriers that keep OT siloed? What bold steps must every member of the OT community take—right now—to ensure that our expertise is heard, valued, and integrated into larger health care, research, and policy conversations?
Question 3: Ganesh, you’ve successfully embedded occupational therapy’s expertise into neurology, public health, and cognitive and mental health research, fields where OT is often overlooked. From your perspective, what is OT doing wrong that keeps us stuck in our own siloes and echo chambers? Are there specific habits, assumptions, or missed opportunities that are holding us back from having the influence and impact we should have in broader health care and research communities?
Question 4: Ganesh, your work is a wake-up call for all of us. You’ve shown that occupational therapy doesn’t just belong in broader health care, research, and policy discussions—it is essential. But too often we confine ourselves to our own professional spaces, speaking only to those who already understand our value. Your work proves that if we want OT to have a lasting impact, we must step out of our echo chamber, claim our place at the table, and make sure our expertise is heard. Thank you!
[Ganesh exits stage, Alyson stands center stage.]
And that brings me to my final thoughts today. Francisco, Sarah, and Ganesh have shown us what’s possible when we step beyond the expected, break through barriers, and refuse to wait for permission to lead. They are expanding occupational therapy’s reach, embedding our expertise in spaces where it’s never been before, and proving that our profession is not just relevant—it is essential.
But now the question is no longer about them. It’s about you.
You’ve just heard how OT can shape inclusive design, artificial intelligence, and cognitive research. But what about the work you do every day? What about the impact you are making—or could be making—if you were willing to step beyond the comfort of the familiar?
I want to leave you with one final story. One that is deeply personal, but also universal. Because leadership is not about a title. It’s about urgency.
Let me tell you about Ieecha Harvey and the lessons she left for all of us.
For far too brief a time, I had the privilege of being Ieecha Harvey’s faculty advisor during her postprofessional clinical doctorate at Pitt’s CScD program. Bold and beautiful, yet the kindest and most thoughtful soul, Ieecha saw humanness in everyone and everything. She carried an unshakable grace, a radiant spirit, and a commitment to serving others that left an undeniable mark on every life she touched.
Her capstone project reflected the very heart of who she was—a fierce advocate for mothers and their young children in shelters in California, a population so close to her own heart. She didn’t just work to support them—she saw them, truly saw them, in all their complexity, their struggles, and their strength.
On August 9, 2024—just eight short months after her graduation—I had the rare and precious gift of 90 uninterrupted minutes on the phone with her. She shared with me the journey—if that’s what we call it—of discovering that cancer had spread throughout her entire body. She was given a prognosis of just one to three years to live. She was not even 50 years old.
She told me, “July 1. The day my life changed. Forever. The day they told me I had cancer. The day I learned I couldn’t think in long-term goals or retirement planning themes, but rather in terms of today … and maybe tomorrow.”
I could speak endlessly about Ieecha’s brilliance, her light, her love of life, her passion for fashion and beauty, her ability to radiate resilience while making everyone around her feel welcome and safe. But I want to share two lessons she taught me in those 90 minutes—lessons that I now carry forward and that I hope each of you will too.
Lesson One: We say we are person-centered, but do we truly understand what it means to be a patient?
We practice in this profession for years—decades—believing we are deeply person-centered. Yet, we often forget what it actually means to be a patient. A person who is afraid of the future. A person in unrelenting, constant pain. A person navigating grief, anger, sadness, and gratitude all at once. A person with loved ones who depend on them—or no loved ones at all.
We argue over client versus patient terminology. We debate cultural humility versus cultural competence. We expect from our patients a level of executive functioning that we ourselves may not be capable of if we were in their place.
Ieecha challenged me to stop before every patient I see and remember what it is like to be one. To truly be one. And then to practice the best profession in the world through their lens.
Lesson Two: Your time is limited—lead now.
We often talk about leadership as something for the future. “One day, when I graduate … When I have more time … When I gain more experience … When I feel ready.”
But leadership doesn’t start later—it starts now.
AOTA is made up of incredibly brilliant, dedicated staff who tirelessly serve our profession so that we can practice it. But they are often limited—by us. By our silence. By our inaction. By our own echo chambers.
You are the next AOTA Board member. The next AOTA President. But you don’t have to wait until you hold a title to be a leader.
Hold your AOTA Board of Directors accountable.
Show up. Ask questions. Invite them to come and see your work—not to speak, but to listen.
You don’t see AI represented in your OT practice? Ask your Board why.
You fear for the future stability of your job? Ask your Board how they are planning for it.
You don’t see OT reimbursement issues reflected in meeting minutes? Ask your Board where those conversations are happening.
That is leadership. And you never know when your time as a leader may end.
Because on the morning of Monday, February 24th, Ieecha left this world.
She was surrounded by her best friends and her two beautiful dogs, and I have no doubt she is now dancing in Heaven with our beloved Lands Banks—two extraordinary souls, gone too soon, but leaving behind a legacy of action, passion, and purpose.
Ieecha’s lessons are not just for me. They are for all of us.
So I ask you, in honor of Ieecha Harvey and Lands Banks: Are you ready to stop waiting for change and start leading it?
Thank you for giving me the greatest honor of my career—three years of sharing in your stories, your practice, and your vision for occupational therapy.
Thank you for allowing me the privilege of representing you, the best of this profession, in the best profession in the world.
Now, for Ieecha and for Lands, let’s say it together: We are AOTA!
Thank you!