Oral History Project
Introduction
The L&LS OT Oral History Preservation Project seeks to collect, document, and disseminate the personal stories of occupational therapy’s leaders, the shared recollections of persons with robust knowledge of a deceased leader’s contributions to the field, and the shared memories of OT practitioners about seminal events in the profession’s history.
The project honors the legacies of our profession’s leaders by preserving for perpetuity their contributions to occupational therapy’s practice, education, and/or scholarship and the memories of OT practitioners who personally experienced the impact of significant historical moments on the profession, those we serve, and society at large.
This page contains information as to how you can become involved with this project, resources for project completion, and links to oral histories, interviews, collective recollections, transcriptions, and/or synopses that have been collected by OT L&LS members, the AOTA, State Occupational Therapy Associations, Universities, and others.
Table of Contents
Get Involved
The acquisition of oral histories, interviews with our profession's leaders, and shared recollections about deceased leaders and/or seminal moments in the profession’s history is a work in progress. If you are interested in contributing to this project, have any questions or suggestions on how you can contribute, or have questions regarding project completion resources, please contact the OTL&LS Administrator at administrator@otleaders.org.
Project Completion Resources
Interviews of Leaders
Interview release form: this form will be required to be completed for all interviews that will be directly posted on the OTL&LS website. All completed forms will need to be signed, dated, and submitted to administrator@otleaders.org. Videos from public domains (e.g., YouTube) do not require a release form.
'We Remember:' Recollections on Leaders' Enduring Legacies
Release form for Recollections on Leaders’ Enduring Legacies: this form will be required to be completed for all recollections that will be directly posted on the OTL&LS website. All completed forms will need to be signed, dated, and submitted to administrator@otleaders.org. Videos from public domains (e.g., YouTube) do not require a release form.
'Remember When:' Recollections of Seminal Events in OT's History
Release form for Recollections of Seminal Events in OT’s History: this form will be required to be completed for all recollections that will be directly posted on the OTL&LS website. All completed forms will need to be signed, dated, and submitted to administrator@otleaders.org. Videos from public domains (e.g., YouTube) do not require a release form.
General Project Resources for Audio/Video Files and Transcribing
Guidelines for recording a Zoom interview (with transcript feature)
Guidelines for audio recording telephone interviews
Oral History Interviews
These interviews were conducted with several of the 100 most influential people in occupational therapy for the profession's Centennial celebration in 2017 to obtain their perspectives about their careers, practice innovations, and the evolution and future of the profession.
This site includes important dates in OT's history, particularly in Maryland. If you scroll mid-way down the site, you will find information of 22 interview synopses with OT leaders who were selected by the History Committee for their significant contributions to OT in Maryland. The History Committee of the Maryland History Project worked in collaboration with Towson University to complete oral histories with the occupational therapists selected by the committee.
OT L&LS Interviews of Leaders and Transcriptions
The following interviews were conducted by members of the OT L&LS with OT L&LS members and other recognized leaders in the profession to obtain their perspectives about their professional trajectory, extensive career in occupational therapy, and lasting contributions to the field.
NOTE: To ensure ability to play complete audio files, please download the recorded interview files to play with your computer's default audio player as opposed to playing the file through Google Drive.Beatriz Abreu Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). Read Abreu's 2011 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Accentuate the positive: Reflections on empathic interpersonal interactions.
Lori Andersen Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Carolyn Baum Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). Read Baum's 1980 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Occupational therapists put care in the health system.
Esther Bell Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). View Esther's membership bio here.
Jerry Bentley Transcript* (Part 1) and Audio Recording (Part 2) (Interviewed by Janet DeLany)
*Due to audio quality, the first part of Jerry's interview is posted as a written transcript, and the remainder of the interview is posted as the audio file.Teresa Black Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Bette Bonder Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Ann Burkhardt Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Charles Christiansen Recording (Interviewed by Penny Kyler). Read Christiansen's 1999 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Defining lives: Occupation as identity: An essay on competence, coherence, and the creation of meaning.
Patricia Crist Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Janet DeLany Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Anne Dickerson Recording (Interviewed by Christine Hischmann)
Kathryn Eberhardt Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Wimberly Edwards Recording and Interview Transcript (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). See the NYSOTA News article about Wimberly Edwards' Retirement from York College (1999).
Melanie Ellexson Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Cynthia Epstein Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Rhoda Erhardt Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). Read about the Rhoda P. Erhardt Endowed Scholarship Fund established by Rhoda's family to support OT students who demonstrate commitment to enter pediatric practice. See Erhardt's MOTA poster on Aging in Place.
Mary Evert Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Janet Falk-Kessler Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Thomas Fisher Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Frank Gainer Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Susan Garber Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). Read Garber's 2016 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: The prepared mind.
Nedra Gillette Recording (Interviewed by Susan Robertson)
Yolanda Griffiths Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Susan Haiman Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Christine Helfrich Recording (Interviewed by Allison Sullivan)
Margo Holm Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). Read Holm's 2000 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Our mandate for the new millennium: Evidence-based practice.
Cynthia Hughes Harris Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Satoru Izutsu Recording and Interview Transcript (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Shirley Jackson-Jackson Recording (Interviewed by Janet DeLany)
Karen Jacobs Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). Read Jacobs' 2012 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: PromOTing occupational therapy: Words, images, and actions.
André Johnson Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Robin Jones Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Judith Kimball Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Ellen Kolodner Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Penny Kyler Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Barbara Larson Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Lindsey Lawrence Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Valnere McLean Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
David Merlo Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Suzanne Peloquin Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). Read Peloquin's 2005 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Embracing our ethos: Reclaiming our heart.
Elizabeth Peterson Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Michael Pizzi Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Antje Price Recording (Interviewed by Cathy Dolhi). This interview was originally recorded for the AOTA Centennial History Project called the OTArchive. The AOTA has provided access to this interview to archive in our Oral History project.
Rachel Proffitt Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Kathlyn Reed Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). Read Reed's 1986 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Tools of practice: Heritage or baggage? Read Reed's profile in the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy.
Nancy Richman Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Susan Robertson Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy)
Judi Rogers Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Anne Hiller Scott Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). View Anne's membership bio here.
Bobbie Cummings Smith Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). See the Battle Creek Shopper News article about Bobbie Cummings Smith, the B.C. woman who made Black history in her field (2021).
Franklin Stein Recording and Interview Transcript (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz). View Frank's membership bio here. See a commemerative editorial on The Legacy of Franklin Stein (2016).
Regena Stevens-Ratchford Recording (Interviewed by Janet DeLany)
Pam Toto Recording (Interview by Beverly Horowitz)
Catherine Trombly Recording (Interviewed by Rita Fleming-Castaldy). Read Trombly's 1997 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Occupation: Purposefulness and meaningfulness as therapeutic mechanisms.
Shirley Wells Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Col Arthur Yeager Recording (Interviewed by Beverly Horowitz)
Texas Occupational Therapy Association Diversity Equity and Inclusion Adhoc Committee
TOTA’s Diversity Equity and Inclusion Adhoc Committee recognized TOTA members’ contributions to our profession and TOTA. They were asked to share how their heritage impacts their service as an occupational therapy practitioner and their service to OT consumers.
Dorit Aaron, OTR, MA, CHT, FAOTA
Interviewed May 25, 2022 by Judith Joseph, OT, MH
Purpose: Jewish American Heritage Month 2022Richard Cheng, JD, OT, CHC
Interviewed May 18, 2022 by Jason Stark, OT, MH
Purpose: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month 2022Gwen Cherry, OT
Interviewed February 13, 2022 by Judith Joseph, OTR, MA
Purpose: Black History Month 2022Lauro Munoz, OTR, FAOTA
Interviewed September 24, 2021 by Judith Joseph, OTR, MA
Purpose: National Hispanic Heritage Month
The University of Scranton OTArchive Interviews
The following interviews of occupational therapy leaders were completed by University of Scranton graduate students and recorded for the AOTA Centennial History Project called the OTArchive. The AOTA has provided the OT L&LS access to these interviews. Each interviewed leader was a recognized expert in the specified area. Thus, the interviews include specific content-focused questions along with general ones. All but four were completed as a component of a graduate capstone historical research project that critically examined a self-selected topic from the profession’s inception to the present. For more information about this historical research project, see Fleming-Castaldy, R. P. (2018). Developing occupational therapy students’ information and historical literacy competencies: An inter-professional collaborative project. Journal of the Medical Library Association, 106, 340-351. doi: 10/5195/jmla.2018.332
Jeanette Bair-Tribby Recording (Interviewed by Niki Ioannou and Cassidy Hollander) on the topic of AOTA
Tina Barth Recording (Interviewed by Victoria Giamella) on the topic of OT mental health practice with people who are homeless
Brent Braveman Recording (Interviewed by Sarah Morrill) on the topic of social justice and disability rights
Estelle Breines Recording (Interviewed by Kasey Fitzgerald) on the topic of occupation-based practice
Mary Ellen Buning Recording (Interviewed by Amy Trent) on the topic of functional mobility enabling participation
Janice Burke Recording (Interviewed by Kelly Simon) on the topic of occupation-based practice. Read Burke's 2010 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: What's going on here? Deconstructing the interactive encounter.
Marion Conneen Recording (Interviewed by Megan McCallister) on the topic of moral treatment
Betty Cornelius Recording
Betty Cox Recording (Interviewed by Meghan Erwin) on the topic of COTAs
Col. Bonnie DeMars Recording (Interviewed by Christina Gavalas) on the topic of the AMSC
Mary Evert Recording (Interviewed by Megan Zimmerman) on the topic of the WFOT
Lisa Ann Fagan Recording (Interviewed by Genevieve Francis) on the topic of adaptive equipment
Denise Finch Recording (Interviewed by Samantha Kintzly) on the topic of vocational rehabilitation
Sue Fine Recording (Interviewed by Liviana Sacco) on the topic of moral treatment. Read Fine's 1991 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Resilience and human adaptability: Who rises above adversity?
Paul Fontana Recording (Interviewed by Chelsea Blair) on the topic of vocational rehabilitation
Frank Gainer Recording (Interviewed by Rachel Cisto) on the topic of amputations
Tony Gentry Recording (Interviewed by Elizabeth Masci) on the topic of adaptive equipment
Glen Gillen Recording (Interviewed by Katie Leithauser) on the topic of theory-based practice. Read Gillen's 2013 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: A fork in the road: An occupational hazard.
Nedra Gillette Recording (Interviewed by Christina Gavalas)
Naomi Greenberg Recording (Interviewed by Brianne Hooper) on the topic of COTA history
Mariann Gross Recording (Interviewed by Emily Zuckerman) on the topic of dementia
Jim Hinojosa Recording (Interviewed by Beth Schoen) on the topic of assessments. Read Hinojosa's 2007 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Becoming innovators in an era of hyperchange. Read Hinojosa's 2017 article, How Society’s Philosophy Has Shaped Occupational Therapy Practice for the Past 100 Years.
Margo Holm Recording (Interviewed by Danielle Jakubik) on the topic of OT with persons with dementia and neurocognitive disorders. Read Holm's 2000 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Our mandate for the new millennium: Evidence-based practice.
Robin Jones Recording (Interviewed by Elizabeth Zimmerman) on the topic of COTAs and assistive technology
Paula Kramer Recording (Interviewed by Niki Ioannoi) on the topic of the AOTA
Kathryn Loukas Recording (Interviewed by Alex Bernardin) on the topic of feminism
Danielle MacCourtney Recording (Interviewed by Andrew Candela and Genevieve Francis) on the topic of adaptive equipment
Lisa Mahaffey Recording (Interviewed by Kaitlyn Rau) on the topic of behavior managment and the social model of disability
Kristen Maisano Recording (Interviewed by Charlotte Banzhof) on the topic of OT's role with Veterans and PTSD
Kathleen Matuska Recording (Interviewed by Christina Gavalas) on the topic of life balance and quality of life
Lucy Miller Recording (Interviewed by Ellen Huvane) on the topic of sensory integration therapy
Karen Moore Recording (Interviewed by Emily Subers) on the topic of sensory processing
Marlene Morgan Recording (Interviewed by Natalie Movsesian) on the topic of adaptive equipment
Dawn Nilsen Recording (Interviewed by Stephanie Voith) on the topic of theory-based practice
Laurie Olson Recording (Interviewed by Bridget Pawlowski) on the topic of sensory processing
Anita Perr Recording (Interviewed by Morgan Malishchak) on the topic of adaptive equipment
Antje Price Recording (Interviewed by Abbey Kennedy) on the topic of feminism within the profession
Cordie Puttkammer Recording and Interview Transcript (Interviewed by Christina Gavalas) on the topic of U.S. legislation and its impact on OT practice
Mary Vining Radomski Recording (Interviewed by Meredith Miller) on the topic of amputations
Emily Raphael-Greenfield Recording (Interviewed by Katherine Fields) on the topic of mental health homelessness and stigma
Carol Reinson Recording (Interviewed by Alyssa Degurski) on the topic of pediatrics
Fred Sammons Recording (Interviewed by Alyssa Cheng) on the topic of adaptive equipment
Roseann Schaaf Recording (Interviewed by Colleen Kelly) on the topic of sensory integration therapy
Sarah Schoen Recording (Interviewed by Ellen Huvane) on the topic of sensory integration therapy
Frank Stein Recording (Interviewed by Jamie Torre) on the topic of the World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) and social justice
Roy Swift Recording (Interviewed by Emily Pearce) on the topic of Army Medical Specialists
Teresa Tisdell Recording (Interviewed by Jessica DeCraene) on the topic of functional mobility enabling participation
Catherine Trombly-Latham Recording (Interviewed by Beth Schoen and Stephanie Skurski) on the topic of occupational therapy assessments. Read Trombly's 1997 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Occupation: Purposefulness and meaningfulness as therapeutic mechanisms.
Karen Vance Recording (Interviewed by Melinie Gonzales) on the topic of home-based care
Mary Warren Recording (Interviewed by Marjorie Toron) on the topic of low vision
Elsa Zavoda Recording (Interviewed by Christina Gavalas) on the topic of low vision
Tuskegee University
Marie Moore Lyles, MS, OTR: OTArchive Oral History. Ms. Marie Moore Lyles is the founding program director of the occupational therapy program at Tuskegee University. This interview was completed Dr. Gwendolyn Gray for the AOTA Centennial History Project called the OTArchive. The AOTA has provided access to this interview for educational purposes.
This site includes 80 interviews of occupational therapy leaders who have made significant contributions to the field on a state, regional, national and/or international level. It includes interview videos, posters, and abstracts.
OT L&LS Group Recollections
'We Remember:' Recollections on Leaders' Enduring Legacies
The primary goal of the We Remember: Recollections on Leaders’ Enduring Legacies project is to commemorate and honor the accomplishments of occupational therapy’s deceased leaders who substantially influenced the course of the profession and advanced occupational therapy’s practice, education, and/or scholarship. The following interviews were conducted in a group recollection format by members of the OT L&LS, other recognized leaders in the profession, and/or individuals with personal knowledge of the leader whose legacy is being remembered and preserved.
NOTE: To ensure ability to play complete audio and video files, please download the recorded interview files to play with your computer's default audio player as opposed to playing the file through Google Drive.
Robert K. Bing Recording (Group recollection completed on 1/27/21 by Charles Christiansen, Penny Kyler, Suzanne Peloquin, and Gary Wade, with Ellen Kolodner present). Read Bing's 1981 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Occupational therapy revisited: A paraphrastic journey.
Gail Fidler Recording (Group recollection completed on 3/29/2021 by Dagny Fidler, Eric Fidler, Rita Fleming-Castaldy, Janice Hengel, Penny Kyler, and Suzanne Peloquin). Read Fidler's 1966 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Learning as a growth process: A conceptual framework for professional education.
Jim Hinojosa Recording (Group recollection completed on 6/3/21 by Gary Bedell, Marie Louise Blount, Rita Fleming-Castaldy, and Paula Kramer). Read Hinojosa's 2007 Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Becoming innovators in an era of hyperchange. Read Hinojosa's 2017 article, How Society’s Philosophy Has Shaped Occupational Therapy Practice for the Past 100 Years.
'Remember When:' Recollections of Seminal Events in OT's History
The primary goal of the Remember When: Recollections on Seminal Events in OT's History project is to collect and preserve the memories of OT practitioners who personally experienced the impact of significant historical moments on the profession, those we serve, and society at large. The following interviews were conducted in a group recollection format by members of the OT L&LS, other recognized leaders in the profession, and/or individuals with personal knowledge of the historical moments being remembered and preserved.
NOTE: To ensure ability to play complete audio and video files, please download the recorded interview files to play with your computer's default audio player as opposed to playing the file through Google Drive.
Group Recollection of OT during the AIDS Pandemic (Group recollection completed on 10/27/21 by Brent Bravemen, Rita Fleming-Castaldy, Frank Gainer, and Michael Pizzi).
Group Recollection on the AOTA Representative Assembly (Group recollection completed on 4/19/22 by Francie Baxter, Esther Bell, Regina Campbell, Mary Evert, Rita Fleming-Castaldy, Robin Jones, Ellen Kolodner, and Kitty Reed).
Group Recollection on the Founding, Evolution, and Impact of the Mental Health Task Force of the NYSOTA (Group recollection completed on 5/3/22 by Mary Donohue, Joan Feder, Rita Fleming-Castaldy, Anne Scott, Diane Tewfik, Sherri Wadler, and Suzanne White).
Additional Resources
'My OT Journey'
'My OT Journey' is a student-run podcast that was created by Dr Robin Akselrud, OTD, OTR/L to foster connections and unity between OT and OTA students and OT/OTA practitioners. It seeks to develop students’ leadership skills and promote the profession by having OT/OTA students interview aspiring practitioners, professionals that can serve as resources for students as they prepare for their future practice, and recognized leaders in the field. Leader interviews include:
Victor Michael Camacho Recording
Glen Gillen Recording
Karen Jacobs Recording
Kristine Pilkington Recording
Fred Sammons Recording
Teepa Snow Recording
Susan Stallings-Sahler Recording
Melissa Tilton Recording
Bill Wong Recording
Salute to the OT Pioneers Series
The Salute to the OT Pioneers series is a continuing education resource developed and delivered by OccupationalTherapy.com that includes interviews with over a dozen leaders in the field which have been conducted by OT L&LS member Franklin Stein, OTR/L, PhD, FAOTA. OccupationalTherapy.com has provided the OT L&LS free access to the transcripts of the "20Q with Franklin Stein" interview articles. Leaders interviewed include Caroline Baum, Michael Iwama, Charlotte Royeen, Fred Sammons, and OT L&LS members Kristine Haertl, Karen Jacobs, Barbara Kornblau, and Kathlyn (Kitty) Reed.
Note: To earn CEUs for these articles, OT L&LS members can join OccupationalTherapy.com. OT L&LS members can use the promo code OTLLS21 to receive a bonus membership month and have 13 months of unlimited CEU access for $99.
The University of St. Augustine's Tea with a Scholar with Lela Llorens
Lela Llorens oral history and transcript. Read 1969 Llorens' Eleanor Clarke Slagle lecture: Facilitating growth and development: The promise of occupational therapy.
The University of Brighton, UK
The University of Brighton Occupational Therapy Department’s All About Occupation Seminar Series was established by Dr. Rebecca (Bex) Twinley with support from Luci Carnall-Moore. Now coordinated by University of Brighton occupational therapy students and staff, these free seminars are presented by recognized leaders in the field and focus on topics that explore, promote, and support people as occupational beings. A list of completed and planned seminars is available at Recordings, Transcripts, & Occupied Podcast.
Seminars related to the history of occupational therapy and its leaders include:
Karen Whalley Hammell: COVID-19 pandemic & ensuing occupational disruption: Exposing the lie “we’re all in this together”
Paula Kramer: Occupational disruption in the pandemic: A window into the better understanding of our clients
Allison Sullivan: “How did I get here? One occupational therapist’s search for meaning”
Moses N. Ikiugu: Understanding meaningful occupation and its healing qualities
Back to the History Preservation Project page