Paul Fontana

Paul Fontana’s Brief Summary Highlighting Professional Leadership Activities

I served as Vice President of the Georgia OTA and the Indiana OTA, President of the Louisiana OTA, RA from LA to AOTA, Chair of the AOTPAC, served as a Director on the AOTA Board of Directors, Served as Secretary to the Executive Board of AOTA and chair AOTA Louisiana conference. I provided the keynote address to 35 Occupational Therapy state conferences. I received the leadership awards from the LA OT Assoc, OK OTA and the TX OTA.

Advanced Practice Skills

• Accepted in both state and federal courts as an expert in Industrial Occupational Therapy, Biomechanics and Material Lifting / Handling, Fit for Duty Programs including Development of Physical Job Descriptions and post hire assessments that comply with employment aspects of both EEOC and ADA requirements, Functional Capacity Evaluations and Symptom Magnification, Ergonomics

•  Accepted as and testified as an Expert in State or Federal courts 33 times

Guest Lecturer at the Following OT Programs

• LSU Medical Center, School of Occupational Therapy, New Orleans, LA

•  LSU Medical Center, School of Occupational Therapy, Shreveport, LA

•  Delgado Community College, OTA Program, New Orleans, LA

•  University of Louisiana, Monroe, OT Program

•  University of Southern California, Chan Division Occupational Therapy Program, Las Angeles, CA

•  University of Oklahoma OT program, Norman Oklahoma

Professional Awards

• Louisiana OT Association President’s Award of Merit

•  Fellow, AOTA

•  Lindy Boggs Award, AOTA

•  Oklahoma OT Assoc Sanderson Leadership Award

•  Texas OT Assoc Art Dilly Leadership Award

•  LSU School of Allied Health Sciences, New Orleans campus, Most Outstanding Alumni during the first 50 years of the Health Science Program in Occupational Therapy, October 2022

• Recognized by AOTA as one of the top 100 most influential Occupational Therapist in the first 100 years of the Occupational Therapy Profession, April 2017

Non-Peer Reviewed Papers / Articles Published

• “An Introduction to the Legal System and the Occupational Therapist as an Expert Witness: One Therapist’s Perspective”
  Article developed in collaboration with AOTA’s Work & Industry Special Interest Special Interest Section, Published by AOTA in AOTA Practice Magazine as a CEU Article, April 2020

• Chapter on“Industrial Occupational Therapy that covers Physical Job Descriptions, Post Hire Assessments, Work Conditioning and Work Hardening, and Functional Capacity Evaluations” (1st Edition Textbook), “Adult Physical Conditions: Intervention Strategies for Occupational Therapy Assistants”
  Published by FA Davis and due out in February 2018

• “Resolving Psychosocial Issues Affecting Return-to-Work Cases Through Work Hardening"
  Published in SIS Quarterly Practice Connections, A Supplement to OT Practice, (Vol 2, Issue 3, Page 25), August 2017

• “A New Prospective on Industrial Rehabilitation”
  Published in Advance for Physical Therapy and Rehab Medicine, (Vol 27, Issue 3, Page 13), March, 2016

• Chapter in Worker’s Compensation Update Manual: Managing Work Injury and Liability Claims - Bring Cases to Closure
  Lorman Educational Services, February 2013

• “OT and Politics, Strange Bedfellows”
  OT Practice Magazine, September 25, 2006

• “Five Most Common Injuries in Workers Compensation in Louisiana” January 2004

  • B-200 Isoinertial Back Evaluation and Rehabilitation

  • Basic Office Ergonomic Principles

  • Work Conditioning and Work Hardening: The Bridge to Return to Work

  • Functional Capacity Evaluations

  • Symptom Magnification

• “Ergonomics Opportunities”
  AOTA OT Practice Magazine, December 2002

• “OT on an Oil Rig”
  AOTA OT Practice Magazine, March, 2001

• “Expanding the Envelope: Entering the Industrial Arena”
  AOTA OT Practice Magazine, December, 1999

• “Preventing Industrial Injuries and Return to Work Programs: A Road Map to Success”
  AOTA Work Program Special Interest Section Quarterly Journal, September, 1999

• "Programs Reduce Cost to Employers"
  The American Oil & Gas Reporter, December 1997

• "Prevention of Injury, Evaluation and Return To Work Issues"
  Chapter in Louisiana Workers' Compensation: ADA and Return To Work Issues
  Professional Education Systems, Euclaire, WI, 1995

• "Incorporating a Back School into Your Work-Hardening Program"
  Work Journal, Volume 1, Number 4, Summer 1991

• "Accountability: A Real Problem in Therapy Today with Major Consequences for Us All"
  Work Journal, Volume 1, Number 1, Fall 1990

• "Private Practice Offers Professional Growth and Financial Returns"
  American Occupational Therapy Association Newspaper, November 1984

Presentation at National and State Conferences

• Presented the keynote address at 35 state OT Assoc conferences

• Texas Occupational Therapy Conference, Austin, TX: 7 hour symposium on Industrial OT, 2019

• International Association of Rehabilitation Professionals, 2015 and 2017

• Waterborne Transport Safety Group, a part of the National Safety Council Safety Conference, Indianapolis, Indiana. 8 hour presentation - September 27, 2017

• Technical Association For The Worldwide Pulp, Paper, and Converting Industry (TAPPI) PEERS Conference 2015, Atlanta, GA, October, 2015

• Western Region Pulp, Paper, and Fiber Safety Conference, Portland, OR, December 2, 2014

• National Ergonomic Expo and Conference, Las Vegas, NV, 2013

• November 8, 2013 : Mountain Central OT Conference, Houston, TX

• October 23, 2013 : University of St Augustine Health Science, San Marcos, CA

• Office Max National Supply Chain Meeting, Chicago, Il, 2013

• AOTA Best Occupational Therapy Practices for Wounded Warriors: 2012, San Antonio, TX

• Louisiana State Risk Management State Conference - Biloxi, Mississippi, 2011

• Boise Cascade National Safety Congress, Boise, Idaho, 2009

• United States Army’s Warrior Transition Units, San Antonio, TX, 2008

• International Association of Drilling Contractors: Houston, TX, Presented at AOTA National Conferences 2008, 2016, 2017

• AOTA Boardroom to Classroom

• AOTA Student Conclaves: 2009 and 2011

Appointment to Regulatory Boards

• Occupational Therapy Advisory Board to the Louisiana State Board of Medical Examiners: Chair 

• National Advisory Committee on Ergonomics for OSHA, Appointed by the US Secretary of Labor

• Louisiana State Board of Vocational Counselors Licensing Board, Appointed by Louisiana Governor Edwards

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