Vermont Occupational Therapy Association (VOTA) |
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North Country Hospital

Our region is beautiful and is surrounded by mountains and lakes for those who like outdoor activities. We are roughly 2 hours from Burlington, Vermont, 1 hour from Sherbrooke, Quebec, 2 hours from Montreal and 4 hours from Boston. North Country Hospital is a rural hospital located in Northern Vermont, with a progressive outpatient department, inpatient department, school, home health, and skilled nursing contracts. We currently have five OTRs. We have a certified hand therapist on staff who provides orthosis fabrication and training. We also provide ergonomic consultation for our hospital employees. Our occupational therapists provide services for all outpatient care (adults and pediatrics). We provide pediatric school based services for the local school district. Our OTs also contract to support home health OT services.
Visit us online at www.northcountryhospital.org
Address: 189 Prouty Drive/ Newport, Vermont 05855
Phone: 802-334-7331
NBCOT

Who We Are & What We Do: NBCOT provides initial and renewal board certification for occupational therapy in the United States
Our Mission:NBCOT protects the public through the validation of essential competencies for effective and safe occupational therapy practice.
Our Vision:We envision everyone will benefit from high-quality services provided by certified occupational therapy professionals.
Vermont Adaptive Ski and Sports

Vermont Adaptive Ski & Sports is a nationally recognized organization that empowers people of all abilities through inclusive sports and recreational programming regardless of ability to pay. In addition to sports, year-round programming options integrate environmental, holistic wellness, and competitive training philosophies for people of all ages with cognitive, developmental, physical and emotional disabilities. Vermont Adaptive is recognized for its client-centered programs and for providing access and instruction to sports and recreational activities with the belief that these things provide a physical, mental and social experience that is immeasurable in promoting self-confidence and independence in an individual. Vermont Adaptive’s Veteran Ventures Program serves to support those military servicemen and women to experience a new sport or excel in an existing one while creating a safe social community of friendship and trust.
To learn more about any of Vermont Adaptive’s programs, visit www.vermontadaptive.org
Rutland Regional Medical Center

As the needs of our community have grown and changed, so has Rutland Regional, adding services, staff and facilities. Today, Rutland Regional Medical Center is a 144- bed hospital, employing over 1,800 professional and support staff including over 240 providers trained in more than 40 specialty areas. Providing preventive, diagnostic, acute and rehabilitative services, Rutland Regional Medical Center serves Rutland County, portions of southern and central Vermont and communities in eastern New York State.
Address: 160 Allen Street Rutland, Vermont
Phone: 802-775-7111
Wheelpad, LLC

WheelPad L3C is dedicated to helping people live in a home they love. Universally accessible homes keep families together and create true housing choice for all. WheelPad creates housing solutions to make it easy to live, work, and play at home.WheelPad builds modular accessible housing that can rapidly make any property a safe and cozy universally accessible place. We aim to help people have more housing choice: whether they are seeking to stay in their home as they age, or recover after an accident.
For more information or questions about WheelPad contact RJ Adler at (802) 458-7194, or rj@wheelpad.com https://www.wheelpad.com/
Green Mountain Adaptive Sports and Northeast Disabled Athletic Association


Green Mountain Adaptive Sports & Northeast Disabled Athletic Association have partnered to bring an exciting new technology - the Tetraski - to Stowe Mountain Resort. The TetraSki is designed to allow people with complex disabilities to ski independently, guiding their own turns as they glide down the mountain. Equipped with actuator controlled articulating skis connected to a toggle that can be operated with limited strength and dexterity or to a breath control system, this ski opens possibilities never believed possible for the people skiing in it. The TetraSki program is supported by a grant from Vermont Outdoor Recreation Economic Collaborative. It is one of only 25 available worldwide. Prime candidates are people of all ages who have high level SCI, MD/ALS, CP, MS and similar disabilities. The program can also make available a Snow’Kart for individuals who can use one or both of their arms. It is essentially the same design as the TetraSki, but it is operated manually by the skier. The Snow’Kart is the only one arm drive sit ski. Both organizations offer a multitude of programming including mountain biking, climbing, kayaking, swimming, Nordic skiing, sled hockey, power soccer and more, all empowering independence, exploration and activity.
Please visit our websites (https://greenmtnadaptive.org and https://disabledathletics.org) for more information.
Southern California University of Health Science Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (On-line)

Elevate Your OT Practice with SCU’s Post-Professional OTD Program
At SCU, we know that as a practicing OT, you’re already making a difference. Now, take your career to new heights by earning your Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD). 16 Months 100% Online $24,990 Tuition Financial Aid Eligible 6 Specialty Certification Tracks Go Beyond day-to-day practice and lead in the field.
https://www.scuhs.edu/doctoral-degrees/post-professional-doctor-of-occupational-therapy/
Vermont AMBUCS

Vermont AMBUCS is a non-profit organization founded in 2007 as a chapter of National AMBUCS, which has over 150 chapters across the US. The mission of Vermont AMBUCS is to create mobility and independence! This is achieved through the therapeutic bicycle program, which matches individual riders with custom-fitted AmTrykes (adapted bikes). Vermont AMBUCS is a volunteer organization that is totally funded by donations. The Amtryke therapeutic Tricycle Program is about abilities, not disabilities! AMBUCS also awards annual scholarships to OT, PT, SLP and Audiology graduate level therapy students.
Please join us as a volunteer! https://www.vtambucs.org/
Thank you to our 2025 VOTA Conference Community Partners!


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Find a detailed schedule of the 2025 VOTA Conference HERE The following are links to this year's presentations: Wiley_VOTA_Capaity and Consent.pptx.pdf Wiley_VOTA_Bathing Presentation.pptx.pdf VT OT School Practice Guidelines - VOTA 2025.pptx.pdf UVM Doctoral Capstone VOTA 2025.pptx.pdf Routines based approach.pptx.pdf Revised Tara Mansour Vermont OT Association Presentation.pptx.pdf Fine motor - VOTA 2025.pptx.pdf Empowering Healthy Aging through Occupational Therapy.pptx.pdf Considerations for Bowel Programs (1).pptx.pdf _Jeanne Zobel Lachiusa Interdisciplinary Service Learning.pptx.pdf CONGRATULATIONS!!! Award of Recognition goes to Chelsea Tillinghast, MS, OTR/L Chelsea serves in the role of Vice President of VOTA and led our conference planning for 5 years! The VOTA annual conference takes many, many hours of planning and coordination, and Chelsea has always approached the work with enthusiasm and dedication to creating meaningful conference experiences. Chelsea was flexible when pivoting to offering online learning experiences through COVID and is our go-to for all of our conference technology needs. We are deeply appreciative of the time Chelsea has devoted to enriching occupational therapy practice in Vermont and creating opportunities for OTPs to learn and grow.
Award of Recognition goes to Kristen Jackson, MOT, OTR/L, ATP Kristen Jackson has been a consistent and dedicated VOTA board member since 2015. She served as the Newsletter Chair from 2015-2020 and the Public Relations Chair from 2021-2025. In her 10 years on the board, Kristen has spent many hours contributing to VOTA. She consistently demonstrates dedication to our profession in all of her actions and communications. In her Public Relations role, she shares updates relevant to VOTA on social media and on our website, in a timely manner, many times each week. She also goes above and beyond to navigate technical aspects of our website including setting up registration for our educational offerings such as our annual conference. Kristen's positive spirit of collaboration, attention to detail and professionalism are exemplary. She will be sorely missed in these roles and we greatly appreciate her contributions!
Award of Appreciation goes to Margaret Maynard M.Ed., OTR/L, OTD, BCP, CHT, FNAP Margaret has played a key role in establishing the Occupational Therapy Academy within the National Academies of Practice (NAP). The NAP is a non-profit organization founded in 1981 to advise governmental bodies on our healthcare system and it is comprised of 17 different academies. The Occupational Therapy Academy is a newer academy and one that Margaret took a key role in establishing, and then growing the membership via careful nomination of colleagues recognized for interprofessional work. Having occupational therapy recognized as an established academy is of value as it allows another avenue with which we can promote and advocate for our profession.
Award of Appreciation goes to Amy Maxwell, OTR/L Amy works in inpatient and outpatient adult rehabilitation at North Country Hospital and has held a role on the VOTA board for nearly four years, primarily working on our newsletter production. Amy is active in seeking out local, regional, and national articles to share with VOTA members to enrich our knowledge of occupational therapy practice and current events related to occupational therapy. Amy also serves on the Membership Committee, working on initiatives to engage members and strengthen member support of VOTA. We are grateful to Amy for her leadership and dedication.
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Thank you to our sponsors!

University of Vermont Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program

MicroTransponder

The Vivistim System is a FDA approved vagal nerve stimulator that is used in conjunction with neuro-rehabilitation for ischemic stroke survivors who are suffering from upper-extremity impairment and function deficits 6-months post stroke. During rehabilitation exercises, Vivistim delivers a gentle pulse to the vagus nerve forming new neural pathways in the brain that were previously damaged by a stroke.
For more information contact Kyle Theriault at kyle@microtransponder.com
https://www.microtransponder.com/
Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center

Dartmouth Health- New Hampshire’s only academic health system and the state’s largest private employer, serves patients across northern New England. Dartmouth Health provides access to more than 2,000 providers in almost every area of medicine, delivering care at its flagship hospital, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center (DHMC) in Lebanon, NH, as well as across its wide network of hospitals, clinics and care facilities.
Visit online at: https://www.dartmouth-hitchcock.org/