Goal Perception - Live Webinar

Emily Balcetis, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Psychology at New York University. She studies the conscious and nonconscious ways people orient to the world, with a focus on how motivations, emotions, needs, and goals shape how people perceive, interpret, and react to what’s around them. Her work examines motivational biases in visual and social perception and how those biases affect behavior and the way people navigate their social world. Her research draws on social psychology, judgment and decision-making, social cognition, and perception.

Emily earned her PhD in social psychology from Cornell University in 2006. She also holds a BA in psychology and a BFA in music performance from the University of Nebraska at Kearney. Before she joined NYU, she was an Assistant Professor of Psychology at Ohio University from 2006 to 2009.

Sarah Lyon, OTR/L, is the CEO of OT Potential. Sarah earned her BA from St. Olaf College and her master’s degree in occupational therapy from New York University. Her diverse clinical background spans multiple settings, including critical access, acute trauma, and state inpatient psychiatric hospitals. In 2011, she founded OT Potential to fulfill the industry's need for reliable, high-quality occupational therapy resources and continuing education.

As a recognized content creator, Sarah has collaborated with top healthcare brands like VeryWell Health, WebPT, and MedBridge. She blends her clinical expertise with a talent for creating clear, action-oriented content that empowers practitioners to excel. Passionate about elevating the OT profession, she has been featured on numerous industry podcasts. Sarah ultimately returned to her roots, running OT Potential and raising her family in her hometown of Aurora, Nebraska.