Madelyn is an occupational therapy master’s student in St. Louis, Missouri. As a child, she remembers feeling profound unease when learning about global warming, acid rain, and damaged ecosystems in school. Through the years that unease morphed into a sense of agency in addressing climate change through her professional passion for occupational therapy. She is determined to see our field take action in preserving the planet to uphold our value of occupational justice.

Alison is an occupational therapist working in inpatient rehabilitation in Denver, Colorado. While she has always chosen sustainability in her personal life, over the last few years her increased understanding of the seriousness of climate change has led her to take action in a larger way. She is so excited to combine her passion for occupational therapy, social justice, and the planet.

Jill is an occupational therapist in NY, where she works in outpatient pediatric and school settings. Jill lives a low-waste and plant-based lifestyle but understands the importance of collective action; Jill is working eagerly and urgently with OTEA to address climate change and associated occupational disparity to promote sustainable well-being of humans, ecosystems, and the planet.

Carol is a semi-retired occupational therapist in Boulder, CO. She is truly a generalist with experience in diverse practice settings with clients ranging in ages 18 months to 107 years. Carol loves international volunteering and travel, most recently in Asia, Scandinavia, and Poland. Pursuing occupational, social, racial, and environmental justice has been a lifelong pursuit personally and professionally. As an avid nature lover, she believes strongly in protecting our planet for future generations, and the well-being of all sentient beings.

Kelly is an occupational therapy master’s student at Washington University in St. Louis. She is particularly interested in the intersection between the climate crisis, mental health, and outdoor adventure within the scope of occupational therapy. As an avid lover of the outdoors, she strongly believes in the importance of protecting our planet for current and future generations. She is enthusiastic about the power of collective, interdisciplinary action in responding to the climate challenge.

David is a retired occupational therapist living in Tennessee. He has worked in many settings in the USA, as a program manager for disability programs in India, Sierra Leone, and the Comoros, and as a tutor of Occupational Therapy in Guyana and Uganda. He has seen the dire impact of climate change on vulnerable people as lives are disrupted and destroyed. He believes that climate change must be incorporated into occupational therapy treatment if we are empower our clients through holistic interventions.

Bill lives in California, where he works as an occupational therapist in a skilled nursing facility setting as well as an adjunct faculty in Stanbridge University’s OT and OTA programs. Bill believes there are many opportunities for OT students and practitioners to show their distinct values in climate change and sustainability to the general public. Bill is the only individual in OT who is an active TEDx organizer who has spoken at more than 1 TEDx event. One of his latest goals is to organize a virtual TEDxCountdown event every year to address the climate change while also promoting OT’s role in sustainability.

Hannah is an occupational therapist living in Portland, OR. She works in nature-based pediatric practice. As someone who loves working with nature as an occupational therapist, she feels strongly about preserving our planet and the significance of this mission to support occupational justice.

Debora is a semi-retired OT living in Centennial, CO. She has resided and worked in four regions of the U.S. and specialized in child, adolescent and adult mental health; transition from HS to adult roles; and academic education. She is passionate about caring for our planet and all of its inhabitants, and is delighted to join with fellow OTs who share her commitment. Hope and inspiration: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.” — Margaret Mead

Carole is a pediatric occupational therapist with a deep appreciation for the importance of the environment for human occupation. She is passionate about occupational justice and the health and well-being of those most vulnerable to the effects of climate change. She has spent time working with students and others in the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Morocco, Sweden, Tanzania, and Russia. She is faculty emerita at Ithaca College in upstate New York and currently works with Assistance in Motion on the development of a novel mobility device for infants and toddlers.

Tee Stock is a Pediatric OT who supports protecting our earthly environment, preventing climate change, and educating others on the OT role with regard to climate change, occupational justice, and sustainability. She regularly sees clients in natural outdoor environments. Tee is an adjunct faculty member who has presented on occupational justice and the related terms and issues. Tee has 2 adult children who study environmental engineering and environmental science. She continues to learn about climate change and the OT role and has contributed to a PPT for OTEA on this subject. Tee is facilitating a Conversation That Matters at AOTA 2023 on The Effects of Climate Change on OT Practice.

Kelly DeMarco is an occupational therapist, rehabilitation services manager and green team leader working for Horizon Home Care & Hospice in SE Wisconsin. She is also a board certified health and wellness coach specializing in climate coaching and founder of kellyGREENcoaching, LLC. She is an active member of Wisconsin Climate Health, Occupational Therapy for Environmental Action, WSBC’s Wisconsin Women in Sustainability, and the Climate Coaching Alliance. Kelly is a TEDx speaker and contributing writer to Solve Climate Change Now: Do What You Love for a Healthy Planet by Don Maruska and Climate Change Coaching: The Power of Connection to Create Climate Action by Charly Cox and Sarah Flynn. She lives with her family on a hobby farm in Cascade, Wisconsin where they explore permaculture and regenerative land management.

Kelsey Van Horn (she/her) is a new OT graduate living in Philadelphia, PA and has an interest in starting her OT career in mental health. She has a passion for combating climate change and taking care of our planet. She recently completed a Level II fieldwork at a pediatric nature-based clinic in Washington State and got to watch clients blossom outdoors while reaching their goals. Additionally, she recently completed her capstone titled Walking on Sunshine: Promoting Mental Wellness through Nature. She looks forward to working with a group of passionate people in OTEA!

Jennifer is an occupational therapist in Nebraska where she works as a pediatric school based therapist in rural school districts. Jennifer believes OTs have the responsibility to address ways human occupation can mitigate climate change as well as the responsibility to protect the marginalized communities we often work with. Jennifer is the Nebraska State Coordinator for Citizens' Climate Lobby.