A Revived Tradition: Idaho State University Takes Center Stage for IOTA State Conference

"More than a decade ago, the annual OT conference used to rotate among various districts," explained Joanne Trammel, the program coordinator for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program at ISU. “This year marked a significant revival. ISU boldly stepped forward, extending its reach beyond Boise. Spanning two enriching days, the conference focused on continuing education in areas like mental health, pediatrics and general population care. This commitment underlines IOTA's dedication to the holistic needs of clinicians across the state."

Among the notable moments, Linda Clark, an ISU Occupational Therapy Assistant student, and Emily Spencer, a Master of Occupational Therapy student, earned IOTA Future Leader Awards. The event also celebrated the election of several ISU representatives to IOTA positions: ISU OTA Clinical Instructor Kaden Stimpson was elected as the OTA representative to the board, OTA Students Morgan Miller and Shantae Sparrow and MOT students Renee Phillips and Mallory Preston were elected as student liaisons. These leaders are now poised to act as crucial bridges, connecting their OTA and MOT cohorts with the latest from the IOTA.

Other notable moments included presentations by Dr. Amanda Henschied from the ISU MOT program and research poster presentations from both MOT graduates and current students. Additionally, OTA students showcased their work through poster presentations. The event featured a welcome address by Dr. Teresa Conner, Dean of the College of Health, and Dr. Darin Jernigan, Co-Chair of the Health Occupations Department, culminating with a closing presentation by second-year MOT student Ms. Melanie Shaw.

An exciting announcement was made regarding Dr. Catie Canavan, Department Chair and Program Director for the ISU MOT program, who, in addition to her presentation at the conference, was appointed as the Idaho Representative Assembly member to The American Occupational Therapy Association. This prestigious role allows Canavan to represent the voices of key partners within the occupational therapy community at a national level, bringing the unique perspective and experiences of ISU to the forefront.

"Being able to serve the OT community including practitioners, students, future students, consumers of OT services, and many others is a huge honor,” said Canavan. “I am humbled to represent the Idaho community as well as Idaho State University at a national level."

The event wasn't short of its share of luminary attendees.

"As a veteran educator, the sheer joy of witnessing students and faculty engage so deeply with national association figures, like Alyson Stover, the President of the American Occupational Therapy Association, is unparalleled,” remarked Darin Jernigan, co-chair of the Health Occupations Department at the ISU College of Technology.

Idaho Occupational Therapy Association President Megan Doyle was also in attendance and said, “It's no secret having it at ISU was going to afford us the greatest access to as many of the students as possible ... We want to have student members who want to stay on as practitioner members. That's a really big deal. So there were many different things that were taken into consideration for why having it as ISU.”

The indispensable role of IOTA in the occupational therapy landscape of Idaho remains evident. It offers a dynamic platform for events, job opportunities and educational initiatives. Additionally, IOTA stays on the frontlines, keeping its members updated on legislative shifts and licensing updates.

In unison, ISU and IOTA remain committed to uplifting the realm of occupational therapy in Idaho, underscoring its pivotal role in the larger community.