Introducing a New Clinicians’ Benefit: 15 Occupational Therapy Communities of Practice!

The NYSOTA Communities of Practice (CoP) are a powerful resource for clinicians, offering a variety of professional and personal benefits that support growth, collaboration, and practice improvement. Clinicians, academicians, and students come together to share their diverse experiences and knowledge, clinical techniques, and evidence-based practice. The CoPs allow members to keep up on the latest trends and research in occupational therapy. Experts share their knowledge with new graduates and students, while the newer therapists and students help seasoned therapists reflect on their own practice, fostering self-awareness and continuous improvement. Creative and innovative ideas are shared in areas such as school based and early intervention, mental health, pelvic health, assistive technology, leadership, acute care, hand therapy, sexuality, entrepreneurship and more.

Participants report a strengthened sense of their professional identity. Being a member of the CoP fosters interprofessional collaboration and supports advocacy efforts. For those interested in more specialized areas of practice, it networks a community which may potentially lead to advanced career prospects, speaking opportunities, publications and leadership roles.

With your NYSOTA membership, you will have access to the Communities of Practice. This benefit allows you to engage with multiple and unique specialized Community of Practice areas in occupational therapy. Each CoP is a group of occupational therapists and occupational therapy assistants who practice or share an interest in the community of practice specialty area. Members are occupational therapy practitioners who are interested in deepening their expertise in integrating the specialty area into the profession.

Current NYSOTA Communities of Practice and Chairpersons

1. Leadership: Jocelyn Nackley, OTD, MSOT, OTR/L, jocelyn.nackley@gmail.com
   
   
2. Retirees: Lucy Ashbrook Sloan, MS, OTR/L; Pam Smith, OT retired
   
   
3. School-Based OT: Vera Gallagher, OTD, OTR/L, BCP, vgallagherot@gmail.com
   
   
4. Pelvic Health: Laura Rowan, OT/L, Laura@essentialpelvichealth.com; Marlene Handler, MS, OTR/L, marlene@lifted-lotus.com; Nicole Muriel, OTR/L, PCES, HSP, nicole@pivotalot.com email
   
   
5. Acute Care: Reis Cunningham, OTR/L, BCPR, CBIS, AIB-WRC, reiscunningham@gmail.com; Jess Boulia, OTR/L, jnboulia@gmail.com
   
   
6. Mental Health: Jeff Tomlinson, MSW, OTR/L, FAOTA, jefftomlinson8@gmail.com; Dave Merlo, MS, COTA/L, CPRP, ROH, davidmmerlo@gmail.com
   
   
7. Upper Extremity and Hand: Vijay Muni, MS, OTR/L, CHT; Jim Wagner, OTD, OTR/L, CHT CPAM, CSCS; Darwin Davis, OTR/L, CHT, CEAS; nysotahanduecop@gmail.com
   
   
8. Sexuality and Intimacy: Daniel Geller, EdD, MPH, CSOT, OTR/L
   
   
9. Early Intervention: Irma Pereira, OTD, OTR/L
   
   
10. Assistive Technology: Christopher Marotta, OTD, OTR/L
    
    
11. NYSOTEC (NY State OT Entrepreneur Collective): Frank Lombardo, MS OTR/L, CKTP, CPT; Crystal Mendez-Covington, MOT, OTR/L Nysotec@gmail.com
    
    
12. Academic Affairs Alliance: Janice Tona, PhD, OTR, CLA, FAOTA; Theresa Vallone, Ed.D., MS, OTR
    
    
13. Humanities and Ethics: Mary Walsh Roche, DMH, OTR/L, LMT, CAPS
    
    
14. NICU (in the beginning stages)
    
    
15. Spirituality (in the beginning stages)

How to Get Involved in a NYSOTA CoP

• Become a Member: With NYSOTA membership you will have open access to the CoPs.
  
  
• Attend a Meeting: CoPs have regular virtual or in-person meetings. Look for email blasts announcing the meetings and check the NYSOTA calendar for upcoming meeting dates.
  
  
• Reach Out: If a particular CoP aligns with your practice or interests, reach out to the CoP chairperson listed, or to Jennifer Tokash, CoP liaison, at jtokash@pace.edu to express your interest in joining.
  
  
• Contribute to Projects: Many CoPs offer opportunities to contribute to ongoing projects, whether it’s developing resources, creating educational content, or helping with advocacy efforts in your area of interest.
  
  
• Start a CoP: We are always looking for additional CoPs. If you have an area of expertise, interest, or passion and would like to join like-minded colleagues to learn, share, advocate, please considering chairing a CoP or recruiting a group of individuals to establish a new CoP Please contact Jennifer Tokash, CoP liaison, at jtokash@pace.edu.

Your membership in NYSOTA is not just about accessing resources—it's about contributing to and being a part of the greater occupational therpay community in New York. Please consider becoming a member and joining our collaborative and supportive CoPs that help clinicians grow professionally and personally. CoPs are facilitating clinical competence, providing emotional and professional support, and opening doors to new opportunities for career development and leadership within the profession. Together, we will continue to enhance the role of occupational therapy in transforming lives. For more information and to get involved, visit www.nysota.org.