Executive Board

• Officers
• Committee Chairpersons

Liaisons

• Student Representatives
• Licensing Board
• Regional Representatives

President's Message

By Laws and Policies

Photos

Officer Profiles

Executive Board
	Martha Hartgraves President Greetings! My name is Martha Hartgraves and I am honored to serve as the President of the UOTA for the 2007-2009 term. I have lived in Utah County with my husband and children since 2004. In my career as an OT, I have had the privilege of working in a number of clinical and academic settings, and currently serve as a senior clinician with the Utah Valley Specialty Hospital and as a faculty member with Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions, both in Provo. As an academician, I also travel 3 times each year to teach OT students in the rehabilitation department at the Universidad Autonoma de Yucatan in Merida, Mexico. I am proud to be part of the advancement of evidence-based practice in hopes of challenging assumptions and improving the practice of the art and science associated with occupational therapy. As the UOTA president, my main goals are 1) to provide timely information about important professional issues to all members, and 2) to develop innovative strategies to carry out UOTA business with maximal participation of members, regardless of their geographic location. I hope to achieve all these with the support of an active, dynamic, effective, and innovative Executive Board. I want to end by encouraging you to be a proactive/participatory member of the association, one who will not hesitate to contact me (us) with any issue or concern you may have related to the UOTA. You can make a real difference!
	Ron Honey Vice-President Hello, my name is Ron Honey. This is my second year as Vice President of the UOTA. There have been many exciting things going on to help connect all Utah OT professionals through UOTA. We had a great annual conference this last May that was well attended. I have been organizing conferences and general meetings in the hopes to cater to everyone’s needs in the state. I started my OT career 14 years ago after graduating from University of Southern California and recently received my doctorate degree from Rocky Mountain University. I work full time at Intermountain Medical Center in the neuro rehabilitation center as the team lead in the OT Department. I have worked in many settings that range from NICU to pediatrics to hand therapy to home health to geriatrics. I have lived in Utah for most of my life and love it here. I have been married to my beautiful wife for 18 years and have a 15 year old daughter, twin girls that are 12 and a five year old son. I love to snowmobile, snowboard, wake board, motorcycle ride, and camp. It is my goal to help build a professional organization that will be the envy of the country. It is through the help of all OT professionals in the state that this accomplishment will come to fruition. I am thankful and feel it an honor to serve you at this exciting time in the OT profession.
	Nancy Johns Treasurer Hi, I’m Nancy Johns. I am currently serving as the treasurer. I am a clinical instructor and fieldwork coordinator in the Division of Occupational Therapy at the University of Utah. I am married and have a daughter who’s a senior in high school. We have been living in Utah for 16 years.
	Heather Welch Secretary Hi, I’m Heather Welch. I am currently serving as secretary of the UOTA. My main responsibilities are to record and distribute UOTA meeting minutes as well as to maintain UOTA records. I have been involved with the UOTA since last September when I was elected and served at UOTA President until the expiration of my term in July of this year. I was born in St. Louis, Missouri and moved to Salt Lake City as a child. I remained in Salt Lake until I returned to St. Louis to complete my Masters Degree in Occupational Therapy at Washington University. After completing my second level two fieldwork at New York University’s Rusk Rehabilitation Institute, I stayed in New York City and worked for 2 years in Rehabilitation. I eventually moved back to Salt Lake City and began working at LDS hospital in Outpatient NeuroRehabilitation. I worked for 2 years as a staff therapist and an additional 2 years as team lead for Outpatient NeuroRehab. I then moved to team lead of acute occupational therapy services at LDS for 2 years before moving to Intermountain Medical center 1 week ago. I just recently completed my transitional doctorate of occupational therapy at Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions.
Representative Assembly
	Brenda Lyman AOTA Representative Hi, I’m Brenda Lyman, the Utah Representative to the AOTA Representative Assembly. I’ll be serving the OT practitioners who are AOTA members in Utah for three years from 2007 until 2010 and attending the AOTA National Conference in the spring and the on-line meetings in the fall. I’m an occupational therapist and work for the Salt Lake Community College as the Program Coordinator (and presently also as the Fieldwork Coordinator). I’ve been in Utah for 20 years and am raising five children (4 girls and 1 boy). My background is in pediatrics with a love for Hippotherapy. I’m a strong advocate of NDT and SI in practice.
	Heidi Hanley Alternate AOTA Representative Hi to all! Heidi Hanley OTR/l, currently serving as Alternate to the AOTA Representative Assembly. My journey into Occupational Therapy began in 1975 (over 30 years ago, Yikes!). I graduated from USC and completed a graduate year with Mary Reilly but as most of the faculty retired and I moved onto marriage and family, (I never finished my thesis on "play".) Since moving to Utah 15 years ago, I have worked in acute care, home health and for the last 14 years in pediatrics in Park City and the surrounding rural areas. Believing that giving as a volunteer is an important professional quality, I have been involved in the UOTA, since arriving from California, as- Newsletter Chair, President, Schools SIG chair, OT school development liaison to the Board of Regents, EMT (Emergency Management Team) coordinator, AOTA Rep and my present position. It has been an interesting, challenging and wonderful journey. I would encourage you to grow in professional character by becoming a volunteer in this valuable organization. UOTA! PS My current hobbies include keeping up with two grandsons (ages 4 & 2) and the adventures of my 4 sons and 2 daughter in laws!
	Ginger Huerta COTA Representative Hi I’m Ginger Huerta and I am honored to be serving as COTA Representative! A few of my duties include representation of OTA concerns to the executive board, act as a liaison for members with questions in regards to OTA/OT roles, and of course to encourage OTA/student OTA participation in UOTA. I am a Native Utahn! I graduated in 1998 from Grossmont College in El Cajon, California. I have been very fortunate to have worked in a variety of settings. I currently work for Weber County School District. I am married and have two beautiful children ages 4 and 7.
	Kathy Hanks Student UOTA Representative My name is Kathy Hanks. I am the student UOTA representative for Salt Lake Community College. I love it so far. I know that I will love being a COTA. I enjoy taking care of people and helping them in need. I am also a Certified Nursing Assistant. I have lived in Utah my whole life and have recently gotten married.
	Rebecca Good Student UOTA Representative Hi, I’m Rebecca Good. I am the student representative for the University of Utah Masters of Occupational Therapy program. I am also an ASD representative. I will be graduating in May 2009.
Committee Chairs
	Sherrie Dahl Membership Chair Hi, my name is Sherrie Dahl. Welcome to UOTA, an organization that has been close to my heart for several years. I am originally from Utah and the Salt Lake area. I am married with 3 children and 10 grandchildren. I graduated from the Salt Lake Community College OTA program in 1996 and have been working as a COTA since then. I work full time for the Granite School District and have in the past worked for Primary Children’s Medical Center and Federal Heights Rehabilitation. I have been involved in the Utah Occupational Therapy Association for several years and have been a part of the Executive Board in the positions of Secretary and COTA Representative. I have worked as the Nominations Chairman for several years and am currently serving as the Membership Chairman. I’m looking forward to all the new changes and new benefits that UOTA has to offer including the new website which will allow applying for and paying for UOTA membership online.
	Audrey Saunder PR Committee Chair Hi, I’m Audrey Saunders! I had a blast working with Ron Honey on the conference committee this spring and am excited to be considered for the PR committee chair position. I look forward to serving with the UOTA. My duties involve managing the communication between the Association and the public. Internal: contributions to the newsletter and web site, highlighting information/products from AOTA/UOTA, internal training to promote UOTA and the profession of OT. External: organization and support of occupational therapy events, media relations, participation in community health fairs/educational events, and public awareness campaigns. An Idahoan at heart, I have resided in Utah for the past 22 years. I am married with 2 children, a son 20 currently in France and daughter 17. I gained curiosity/passion for OT as a motor para-educator in public Ed. A graduate of the Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) OTA program, was active in AOTA as the SOTA club secretary. Opportunities include representing the SLCC student body as the Foundation Honors Awards Luncheon speaker and OTA program speaking at the SLCC Humanitarian Banquette. I enjoyed working with the editorial staff of OT Practice to publish works in their Feb 5, 2007 issue. My current practice is with Infinity Rehab at Sunshine Terrace in Logan, Utah. This campus facility serves the in-patient, assisted living, and day center populations. We look forward to expanding services to include out patient, community wellness, home health, and palliative care beginning in 2008. Other volunteer affiliations include therapeutic horse riding, Top Sport adaptive baseball, respite/hospice care, and field work education.
	Kelly Brown Administrative Assistant Greetings! About a year and a half ago, when UOTA was in a state of repair, Heidi Hanley asked me if I would be interested in being the administrative assistant for UOTA. I gladly accepted. My duties with UOTA are to get the mail from the PO Box and direct it to the appropriate person. I also maintain the membership database. I send out new membership cards as well as processing renewals. I attend the board meetings but am not eligible to vote. Currently, I am the point person for email notifications. I am a “behind the scenes” person so please contact an officer or committee chair with any UOTA business. Originally from Wisconsin, I have been in Utah since 1999. I am married with 2 girls, ages 5 and 2. I am the academic advisor and administrative assistant for the Division of Occupational Therapy at the University of Utah as the. In that position I am responsible for student recruitment and advising for admissions as well as managing the Division’s finances and ensuring that operations run smoothly. My other occupations include playing with my family, sewing, hiking and camping.