Bio

A childhood family trauma introduced Alyson to the power of occupational therapy. A subsequent lifetime of study and practice convinced her that consumer advocacy was every bit as essential as her technical practice of occupational therapy.  Now, Alyson and her husband own a private outpatient pediatric practice in a rural county in Pennsylvania and co-founded a non-profit organization that uses occupation to address community, societal and population needs.  She currently serves as the Director of Clinical Services and continues to practice as an occupational therapist at Capable Kids and lead clinical consultant for Capable Families.  Alyson's areas of expertise include pediatrics and holistic, occupation-centric approaches to substance misuse and trauma.  Additionally she consults in various capacities, including clinical as well as systems, bringing expert program development knowledge, change at the micro, meso, and macro levels, sustainability, and business resilience/staff wellness.    Alyson also is committed to promotion of occupational therapy through grassroots advocacy initiatives and development of community collaborations to support community wellness.  She has partnered with many organizations in her hometown to implement innovative, interdisciplinary programs through community grant funding and state funds.  She is AOTA Board Certified in Pediatrics.  Additionally, Alyson is an associate professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Pittsburgh where she also obtained her juris doctorate in law with a post-graduate certificate in health law.  Her interests include using occupational therapy as a powerful driving-force for larger health care change, advancing occupational therapy’s national and global relevance and occupational therapy’s role as a leader in policy development and implementation.  Alyson is humbled and honored to serve as the President of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), and is eager to hear the voices of all members of the occupational therapy community.