Occupational Therapy Essentials for Clinical Competence

Karen Jacobs, EdD, OTR/L, CPE, FAOTA is a past president and vice president of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). She is a 2005 recipient of a Fulbright Scholarship to the University of Akureyri in Akureyri, Iceland; the 2009 recipient of the Award of Merit from the Canadian Association of Occupational Therapists (CAOT); the 2003 recipient of the Award of Merit from the AOTA; and recipient of the 2011 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award. The title of her Slagle lecture was PromOTing Occupational Therapy: Words, Images and Action. Dr. Jacobs is a clinical professor of occupational therapy and the program director of the distance education postprofessional occupational therapy programs at Boston University. She has worked at Boston University for 30 years and has expertise in the development and instruction of online graduate courses. Dr. Jacobs earned a doctoral degree at the University of Massachusetts, a Master of Science at Boston University, and a Bachelor of Arts at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. Dr. Jacobs’ research examines the interface between the environment and human capabilities. In particular, she examines the individual factors and environmental demands associated with increased risk of functional limitations among populations of university- and middle school–aged students, particularly in notebook computing, use of tablets such as iPads (Apple), backpack use, and the use of games such as Wii Fit (Nintendo). In addition to being an occupational therapist, Dr. Jacobs is also a certified professional ergonomist (CPE), the founding editor in chief of the international, interprofessional journal WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation (IOS Press, The Netherlands), and a consultant in ergonomics, marketing, and entrepreneurship. She is the proud mother of three children (Laela, Josh, and Ariel) and Amma (grandmother in Icelandic) to Sophie, Zachary, Liberty, and Zane. Her occupational balance is through travel, photography, walking, and co-writing children’s books. Nancy MacRae, MS, OTR/L, FAOTA is an associate professor at the University of New England (UNE), in Portland, Maine, where she has taught for 23 years. She is a past president of the Maine Occupational Therapy Association and a past director of the UNE occupational therapy program. Nancy’s work experience has been within the field of developmental disabilities, primarily mental retardation, across the lifespan. Her graduate degree is in adult education, with a minor in educational gerontology. Involvement in interprofessional activities at UNE allows her to mentor and learn from future health care practitioners and to model the collaboration our health care system needs. Scholarship has centered around aging and sexuality, documentation, professional writing, and interprofessional ventures. She has been a member of the editorial board of WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation since its inception. Nancy is the proud mother of two sons and a 14-year-old granddaughter. Occupational balance is maintained through participation in yoga, reading, walking, baking, and basket making. Karen Sladyk, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA has been an occupational therapy educator in New England for over 18 years―first at Quinnipiac University and currently at Bay Path College. She “accidentally” fell into writing when she was a substitute at a focus group at an American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) annual meeting and conference, offering suggestions of what she thought students wanted to know. Since that time, she has edited or authored 9 textbooks targeted specifically at occupational therapy/occupational therapy assistant students’ specific needs. Known as a “hard and demanding” teacher, she cares very deeply about students getting an intense and meaningful education. Like every occupational therapist/occupational therapy assistant, she has a difficult time balancing her life, but she enjoys travel, quilting, crafts, and writing. She visited all 50 states before turning 50 herself. Karen spends time with her sisters and nephews in Connecticut and Utah and continues to collect vintage jewelry at flea markets. Lately, she has been hunting for Disney Lanyard pins.