NOTA BoardVoting Executive Board Positions President- Erin Westover, OTD, OTR/L, BCP Non-Voting Officers: Past President- Lindsay Tuxhorn, OTD, OTR/L
 President - Erin Westover, OTD, OTR/L, BCPContact: [email protected] Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: University of Nebraska Medical Center Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: College of Saint Mary
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: I am a Certified Hand Therapist (CHT). I love helping people of all ages live their fullest lives after an UE injury or condition. My favorite leisure occupation is: Reading, socializing, time with family, going to movies, being outside The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: Recreation - because of the importance on mental and physical health. One random personal fact about me is: I love animals - we have 2 dogs, 3 cats, have had 2 foster dogs, 2 pet rats, and I work at HETRA part-time. Contact: [email protected]
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Madonna Rehabilitation Hospitals- Lincoln campus; Immanuel CHIMy OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: Acute Rehabilitation, I love training and teaching new skills/ adaptions for return to life roles and activities; I work with families and patients for adapting the home and completing home assessments for promoting safety with returning to their home environment. I get to work with AT and introducing patients to adaptions and resources for return to work/home/leisure tasks. My favorite leisure occupation is: cooking new recipes and gym time- spin class, bootcamps, and running The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: It’s a draw for me Education and Rest/Sleep: I do LOVE rest/sleep- very important part of healing and recovery; Education- we are constantly learning and adapting our skills, knowledge and understanding of ourselves, environment, others, and much more. One random personal fact about me is: I am originally from Lee’s Summit MO, it’s a little outside of KC
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Phelps Memorial Therapy Center in Holdrege, NE
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: Certified Lymphedema Therapist, Women's Health, Orthopedics, Vesibular & Neuro Rehab (Rural Health Care- you do it all!) My favorite leisure occupation is: Cooking & baking, spending time with my two kids The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: One random personal fact about me is: I have been skydiving over 10 times, including 2 free fall!
 Vice President of Mental Health & Wellness - Michael Tambone, OTD, OTR/LContact: [email protected] Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: I work at Lasting Hope Recovery Center as an inpatient/outpatient occupational therapist.
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: I work in an inpatient psychiatric setting with a focus on behavioral health. I also work as an outpatient OT for individuals with behavioral health needs. I love the holistic perspective OT allows me to bring in to each session with clients. My favorite leisure occupation is: Watching movies or going to the movie theater with friends. The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: Leisure, as it can be the most important factor for healthy work-life balance as well as a major factor in social participation. One random personal fact about me is: I have a twin sister who also works in the mental health field.
 Vice President of Neurorehabilitation - Rebecca Kinnison, OTD, OTR/LContact: [email protected] Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Creighton University
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: I love all things neuro focused! I was previously a spinal cord injury therapist for 10 years. My favorite leisure occupation is: Anything outdoors including hiking, jogging and watching my kids' events! The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: Shopping? In all seriousness, Health Management because as OTs we tend to take care of others and we all need to take better care of ourselves One random personal fact about me is: I have been known to eat ½ of a Costco sized watermelon in one sitting!
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Key Complete Therapies
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: I love working with pediatrics, primarily with vision and/or community integration! My favorite leisure occupation is: Going to the gym or spending time with my dog The occupation I value the most from the OT Practice Framework is: Play, for both patients and myself! It’s so important to make sure that we continue to play as adults, as well as teaching/allowing children to play! One random personal fact about me is: I am currently enrolled at University of Alabama - Birmingham for my Post Professional Doctorate, as well as the Graduate Program for Low Vision.
Contact: [email protected]
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Pediatric Therapy Center
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: My clinical expertise lies in infant and toddler feeding and swallowing dysfunction, as well as orofacial myofunctional therapy. What I love about the OT profession is it’s diversity in specialty areas and that I learn something new nearly every day, from patients, from OTs and other colleagues. My favorite leisure occupation is: Being active outside in all four seasons and reading. The occupation I value the most from the OT Practice Framework is: Play is the primary occupation I focus on, with rest and sleep being a close second. One random personal fact about me is: I won a Euchre tournament in college. (not many people in Nebraska know what Euchre is).  Vice President of Rural Health & Community Services - Amanda Hegy, OTD, OTR/LContact: [email protected] Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Franciscan Healthcare in West Point, NE. I serve the pediatrics to adult populations and see work primary in the out patient role but any day can see an inpatient, home health patient and/or nursing home patient.
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: My specialty is the jack of all trades as an OT. I have worked with so many patients that I have used all my education to make a splint, get a patient a custom mold for a wheelchair, helping a picky eater learn to eat, helping a bilateral amputee learn how to use their prosthetics, low vision, to using scissors, how to drink from an open cup and to learning to dress again. You name it, I have seen it. My favorite leisure occupation is: Traveling and spending time cheering on my 3 boys in all they love to do The occupation I value the most from the OT Practice Framework is: Leisure and play One random personal fact about me is: I have walked up the Leaning Tower of Pisa.
 Vice President of School Based Practices - Amy Schnacker, OTR/L, TBRI PractitionerContact: [email protected] Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Founder of Connecting Kidz Pediatric Therapy
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: As an OT, I love having the opportunities to make moments matter. I specialize in using a trauma informed lens to empower, connect and strengthen families struggling with difficult behaviors and unexplained emotions through my mobile cash based practice. I have worked in the school setting for the past 23 years and the last 4 have been virtually. My favorite leisure occupation is: My favorite leisure activity is reading and spending time with my family. The occupational I value the most from the OT Practice Framework is: Play is my most favored occupation One random personal fact about me is: I outshoot my husband every deer season.
 Contact: [email protected]
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: College of St. Mary, assistant professor in the OTD
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: When I was 15 years old, I had Guillain-Barre Syndrome, where I had a lot of different therapies. Although all of them were so valuable, I connected instantly to my OT. When I understood what occupational therapists did, I was sold. Healing through occupation was about the best thing that ever happened to me, and I never looked back. Here I am 27 years later, and I still find the same awe and respect in what occupational therapists do everyday; we do it all! My favorite leisure occupation is: biking, reading, hiking, and raising my beautiful 6 kids in our blended family The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: Social and emotional health promotion and maintenance. Making choices to strive for quality of life! One random personal fact about me is: I was born in Mano River, Liberia, West Africa
 Secretary - Megan Classen, OTD, MSOT, OTR/L, CLT, CHTContact: [email protected]
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Union Adventist University, Assistant Professor, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the Master of OT program. I also work PRN at a local SNF and at an outpatient clinic in Lincoln.
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: My clinical experience has afforded me opportunities to work in many settings over the past 18 years, from school-based pediatrics to outpatient lymphedema and hand therapy to vision and neuro rehabilitation and even as a mastectomy fitter. I love that our profession can move and adapt not only to our clients needs and community needs, but also to our needs and interests as practitioners. My favorite leisure occupation is: My favorite leisure activity is traveling with my family, baking, and Christmas - decorating, baking, and snow! The occupational I value the most from the OT Practice Framework is: Health Management, because to me that is all inclusive: mental, physical, and social wellbeing. One random personal fact about me is: I have my high school's record for pole vault. Tre  asurer - Kylie Widhelm, OTD, OTR/LContact: tre[email protected]
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Creighton University and volunteer at a pro bono clinic at the Stephen Center, a homeless shelter and inpatient addiction recovery program in Omaha.
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: the joy in addressing every and any area of life for an individual and the passion of finding something meaningful for every individual. My favorite leisure occupation is: spending time camping and boating with my husband and three young girls The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: physical activity One random personal fact about me is: I have water skied 23 miles in the Lake of the Ozarks Non-Voting NOTA Officers  Past President - Lindsay Tuxhorn, OTD, OTR/LWhere I work as an Occupational Therapist: I work at Syracuse Area Health. I see inpatients and outpatients at our critical access hospital as well as serve the students at the Syracuse School. My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: One of the things I really love about the OT profession is knowing I can make a fundamental difference in someone's life by helpingthem achieve their goals through meaningful occupations. It is truly amazing to see the joy on a patient or student's face when they are accomplish a task that may not have been possible before occupational therapy was involved. As occupational therapists, we each have a gift that we are able to use daily in our work. One random personal fact about me is: A random fact about myself is that St. Patrick's Day is my favorite non-major holiday.
 Administrative Assistant - Kristin GzehoviakContact: [email protected] Kristin Gzehoviak has been the Administrative Assistant for NOTA since 2011. She and her husband Aaron reside in Omaha with their two children, Henry (12) & Greta (9), and their boxers, Bella & Hopper. Kristin is a full time office administrator and bookkeeper at Rejoice! Lutheran Church.
Julie is managing partner of ACG, Inc., amassing 30 years of experience in legislative and administrative lobbying, organizational planning, fundraising and governmental communications. American Communications Group, Inc. was founded in 1985 by Rich Lombardi and Julie Erickson. Today, more than thirty years later, their team supports the efforts of local, state and national organizations to craft public policy. Utilizing skills in law, economics, media communications, their team provides clients with strategic plans for influencing public policy through coalition building, government relations and campaign consulting. To read more about American Communications Group, Inc. and Julie, check out their website.
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist: Assistant Professor at Creighton University
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: I value OT’s holistic and collaborative approach to individuals’ health and wellness using occupation and compassion to facilitate achieving their best selves. My favorite leisure occupation is: Volunteering
The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: Health Management One random personal fact about me is: I attended clown school and did some semi-professional “clowning” in highschool.
Contact: [email protected]
Where I work as an Occupational Therapist:
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: My favorite leisure occupation is: The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: One random personal fact about me is: Conference Chair 2 (Appointed) - Contact: [email protected] Where I work as an Occupational Therapist:
My OT specialty or what I love about the OT profession is: My favorite leisure occupation is: The occupation I value most from the OT Practice Framework is: One random personal fact about me is: |
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