Presenter: Kara La Grande, MS, OTR/L
Presenter Bio: Kara La Grande is an Occupational Therapist with 16 years of experience across nearly every care setting, including acute care, home health, Part B outpatient, skilled nursing, and inpatient rehabilitation. She has also served in leadership roles as a rehabilitation manager in both a Continuing Care Retirement Community (CCRC) and an Assisted Living Facility (ALF), as well as a Community Lead for a Senior Living Division for a Home Health Company.

Kara is deeply passionate about working with older adults and believes strongly in proactive, preventative care to promote safety, independence, and quality of life. Her broad clinical background and leadership experience allow her to approach care holistically, blending clinical expertise with compassionate, person-centered practice.

Outside of work, Kara is a proud wife and mother of four, sharing her home with a lively mix of dogs, cats, fish, and even a turtle. She enjoys spending time outdoors with her family and is currently a purple belt in Taekwondo, embracing both physical challenge and personal growth.

Co-Presenters: 

Session Title: From Triage to Transition: Development and Implementation of a Collaborative Geriatric Falls Pathway in the Emergency Department

Session Title: The Occupation of Doing Nothing: Exploring Mindfulness Practice in OT Intervention

Presenter:  Sarah Hauser, MA OTR/L
Presenter Bio: Sarah Hauser is a licensed and registered Occupational Therapist and the owner of Bloom2Function – Mobile Occupational Therapy Services. Her passion for animal-assisted therapy began during her undergraduate OT studies and was inspired by a lifelong love of dogs, having grown up in Switzerland surrounded by them. She later worked alongside her own therapy dog, further deepening her understanding of the therapeutic power of the human–animal bond. Sarah moved to the United States to earn her Master’s degree from the University of Southern California, graduating in 2011. She has worked in diverse settings from pediatrics to geriatrics, with a special passion for providing services in clients’ homes, where natural environments promote independence, comfort, and meaningful engagement in daily life.
Co-Presenter: 

• Aleisha Largent, Certified Canine Behaviorist & Professional Trainer, CPDT-KA (will not be present at conference)

Co-Presenter Bio: Aleisha Largent is the founder and head trainer of Covenant Keeper’s K9 Training Facility and Loyal Guardians Service Dogs, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit serving veterans, children, and civilians across the Western Slope of Colorado. She began training dogs through 4-H for competition in 2001 and transitioned into professional training, later specializing in service dog development in 2019. Her expertise includes service dog training, behavior rehabilitation, public access preparation, and ethical handler education. Aleisha has successfully trained and placed fully trained service dogs and has guided numerous owner/trainers through graduation. She is the only certified canine behaviorist on the Western Slope who consults on legal and court-related canine behavior cases. Aleisha is passionate about educating professionals on working dog distinctions to ensure safe, ethical, and legally compliant integration into therapeutic settings.

Session Title: Working Dogs in Occupational Therapy: Clinical Application, Ethics, and Legal Distinction

Presenter: Krista Covell-Pierson, OTR/L, BCB-PMD

Presenter Bio: Krista Covell-Pierson, OTR/L, BCB-PMD, is the founder and owner of Covell Care & Rehabilitation, a Colorado-based mobile outpatient practice providing occupational, physical, and speech therapy, fitness, and pelvic health services in homes and communities. She has been an occupational therapist since 2001 and specializes in pelvic health, home safety, chronic disease management, falls, caregiver education, and functional wellness. Krista is a national speaker, course creator, and mentor who is passionate about helping clinicians think creatively about care beyond traditional settings. She has published continuing education content, speaks at conferences and professional events, and is dedicated to advancing community-based, person-centered occupational therapy.
Co-Presenter: Sarah Putt, MA, OTR/L
Session Title: From Basecamp to Breakthrough: An OT Entrepreneur Field Lab

Since relocating to Colorado in 2018, Megan serves as a school-based OT, lead motor staff member, outpatient pediatric clinician, and OT/PT Specialist for the Colorado Department of Education. She is a Certified Autism Spectrum Disorders Clinical Specialist, Certified Trauma Professional, Trauma-Informed Educator, and Certified Inclusivity Assessor. Megan has led Sensory Inclusion Nights, serves on OTA and OTD advisory boards, and will complete her OTD in April 2026.
Session Title:  Sensory Inclusion Nights

Presenter: Holly Ross, OTR/L, WSI/T, LTP, ATRIC
Presenter Bio: Holly Ross is an occupational therapist who graduated from Eastern Michigan University in August 2018 with combined Bachelor of Science and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees. In February 2020, Holly opened her own practice, which unexpectedly grew into her brand, CANOE. With nearly 16 years of experience in aquatics, she has helped innovate the field by expanding its focus beyond orthopedics to include drowning prevention, strengthening family bonds, and achieve occupational flow. Licensed for occupational therapy in Michigan and Colorado, Holly is also nationally certified as a Water Safety Instructor and licensed training provider through the American Red Cross. She has grown her practice to include one outpatient clinic and four community pool partnerships with five direct-care OTP staff. Holly has presented poolside for OTAC the past two years and this year spotlights the administrative side—showing practitioners how to get jazzy about billing in emerging practice.
Session Title: Out of the Box Billing: Getting Jazzy with Colorado Medicaid Outpatient Billing for Emerging Practice

Session Title: Reclaiming OT’s Roots: Advancing Mental Health Practice, Policy, and QMHP Recognition in Colorado
Presenter: Bianca M. Daugherty, OTD, OTR/L
Presenter Bio: Dr. Bianca Daugherty is an Assistant Professor of Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University with experience in community-based mental health and program leadership, particularly for individuals experiencing homelessness. She is passionate about challenging sanism and advancing critical perspectives of mental health through teaching, scholarship, and innovative practice.
Co-Presenters:

• Dr. Janell Pisegna, Ph.D, OTR/L, CSRS
• Leila Kennedy-Carter, OTDS 

Co-Presenter Bio's: 

• Dr. Janell Pisegna is an occupational therapist, researcher, and Assistant Professor at Colorado State University with over 10 years of experience. Her work promotes evidence-based mental health practices in OT, particularly for clients with neurological conditions, and includes publications, presentations, and funded research. 
• Leila Kennedy-Carter is a doctoral OT student at Colorado State University, completing her capstone on advocacy for OT’s role in addressing mental health, particularly in neurorehabilitative settings.
  

Session Title: Reclaiming OT’s Roots: Advancing Mental Health Practice, Policy, and QMHP Recognition in Colorado

Presenter: Sarah Kaster, MS, OTR/L

Presenter Bio: Sarah Kaster MSOTR/L, CBIS: Sarah Kaster graduated with her Bachelor's degree in Psychology and Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy in 2004 from Misericordia University in Pennsylvania. She has been an Occupational Therapist for 21 years and is a clinician who works at Capron Neuro and Trauma Rehabilitation Center at St. Francis Hospital in CO Springs specializing in brain injury. Sarah has been certified in Neurodevelopment Treatment, ADL-focused Occupation-based Neurobehavioral Evaluation, and has been a Certified Brain Injury Specialist since 2017. She was recently published in the Nursing&Science Research Journal in 2025 for a pilot randomized controlled study she and her team conducted on Nutrition and Stroke prevention in Inpatient rehab.
Co-Presenter: 

Session Title: What Should I Eat? A Study on Nutrition & Stroke in the IRF Setting

Presenter: Becky Kinnison, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR, LSVT-BIG
Presenter Bio: Becky Kinnison, OTD, OTR/L, BCPR is an occupational therapist and faculty member with clinical and academic expertise in neurological rehabilitation, rural health, and interprofessional education. She previously practiced in inpatient rehabilitation, where she served as a Spinal Cord Injury Lead Therapist and worked extensively with individuals recovering from stroke, traumatic brain injury, and spinal cord injury. Her work focuses on translating evidence-based neurorehabilitation into meaningful, occupation-centered interventions that reflect clients’ real environments and roles. Dr. Kinnison’s scholarship emphasizes rural practice, community reintegration, and preparing future clinicians for collaborative care in underserved settings. She frequently collaborates with interprofessional partners to design innovative approaches that integrate functional movement, participation, and the lived experiences of rural clients.
Co-Presenters:

Co-Presenters Bio:

Session Title: Neuro Rehab in the Wild: Interdisciplinary Mobility and Recovery Outdoors

Session Title: National Sports Center for the Disabled (NSCD) in Winter Park
Presenter: Mark Stump, Recreational Program Director for NSCD
Presenter Bio: Mark’s passion for adaptive outdoor recreation was ignited by the NSCD when he was hired as an instructor in 2018. In his time with the company he has held oversight of the safety and risk management team, provided instruction for each and every recreational program, and overseen the maintenance and purchasing of all equipment. Mark strives to lead his team with a focus on empathy, vulnerability, and courage.

Presenter: Keri Maywhort, PT, DPT, OCS
Presenter Bio: Dr. Keri Maywhort is a physical therapist and seasoned manual therapist in Parker, Colorado, who has integrated dry needling into clinical practice since 1998. She has taught introductory and advanced dry needling courses to graduate and post‑professional learners nationally and internationally for over 15 years. Dr. Maywhort serves as adjunct faculty at the University of Colorado and Regis University, integrating dry needling into entry‑level DPT, OMPT fellowship, and orthopedic residency curricula. As co‑founder of Dry Needling Academy, she leads post‑professional continuing education courses, mentors new instructors, and engages in curriculum development. A board‑certified Orthopaedic Clinical Specialist, she is an active member of APTA and AAOMPT and has participated in nationwide dry needling advocacy, including service on the Federation of State Boards of Physical Therapy Dry Needling Task Force.
Co-Presenter: 

• Mia Ramsey, PT, DPT

Co-Presenter Bio: Mia earned her DPT from Northern Arizona University in 2002. She has spent most of her career enjoying a great variety of patients, primarily in an outpatient orthopedic setting. She has a specialization in treatment of prenatal and postpartum patient populations, a certification in orthopedic management of the pelvic girdle and an advanced certification in dry needling. Mia also has an extensive background in integrating pain science into her practice. She began dry needling in 2011 which was pivotal in her career. Shortly thereafter, in 2013, she began teaching dry needling. In 2024, she and Keri Maywhort started Dry Needling Academy. Over the last 13 years Mia has been directly involved in the development of foundational dry needling courses and has taught dry needling to thousands of clinicians. In addition to owning and teaching with Dry Needling Academy, Mia owns an independent direct pay clinical practice and is also an affiliate faculty member of Regis University’s DPT program.

Session Title: Practicing at the Top of Scope – Contemporary Dry Needling

Presenter: Jessica Cortez, M.A., CCC-SLP, CBIS
Presenter Bio: Jessica Cortez is a Speech-Language Pathologist and Certified Brain Injury Specialist with 17 years of experience serving adults and adolescents across diverse medical settings. She earned her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from The George Washington University and her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Mount Union.

She currently resides in Northern Colorado and is the owner of The Loom Connection, where she specializes in the treatment of acquired brain injuries within justice-involved populations.
Session Title: TBI in the Justice System: Helping This Population Reach Heights They Never Thought Possible

Molly Hahn-Floyd

Presenters: 

Session Title: Advocacy Matters: Tri-Alliance Presentation

Presenter: Caroline Stertz, MS, OTR/L
Presenter Bio: Caroline Stertz is the Director of Clinical Education for the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Pima Medical Institute in Denver, where she leads fieldwork education, faculty development, and trauma informed teaching initiatives. With a professional background in mental health and extensive experience supporting individuals in behavioral health settings, she brings a strong foundation in suicide prevention, crisis informed practice, and peer support for healthcare professionals. Caroline has presented on trauma informed pedagogy at the PMI Education Summit, contributed to the Colorado AFWC Consortium OTAC and AOTA presentations, and advocates for expanding OT’s role in behavioral health at state and national levels. Her work centers on preparing emerging practitioners to navigate complex clinical environments with competence, compassion, and ethical clarity.
Session Title: Planting Seeds of Hope: Suicide Prevention in Everyday Practice

Presenter: Amy Allen, OTD, OTR/L, CLT
Presenter Bio: Amy earned her OTD from the MGH University of Health Professions in 2019. Her capstone project focused on blending ecological sustainability and accessibility, and she continues to research OT's role in climate change and nature-based therapy. Amy began her practice in mental health, transitioned to acute care then took on travel positions at various settings across the US. She landed back in acute at CU Anschutz, specializing in oncology, behavioral health and lymphedema management. Prior to becoming an OT, Amy worked in nonprofit development as a copywriter and account manager.

Session Title: Value of Nature-Based OT Practice & Policy

Presenter: Melissa Weiser-Rose, MS, OTR/L

Presenter Bio: Melissa worked as a mental health occupational therapist at Denver Health for almost 33 years, Providing evaluations, group and individual interventions and was an active member of the multidisciplinary team working towards discharge planning and community reintegration. Worked as an adjunct faculty instructor at National American University teaching mental health. In conjunction with other colleagues clinical focused articles were submitted and accepted for publication. Following retirement in spring 2022 the opportunity to cover courses at PIMA became available for a brief period.
Co-Presenter: 

• Hailey West MHA OTR/L LNHA

Co-Presenter Bio: Hailey West, MHA, OTR/L, LNHA, has been an Occupational Therapist for 23 years, dedicating the last 19 years to working with adults with intellectual disabilities. Driven by a passion for this population, she earned a Master’s in Healthcare Administration and licensure as a Nursing Home Administrator to support progressive leadership and organizational improvement. Hailey is dedicated to enhancing the occupational performance of individuals in their most meaningful activities. Outside of her professional work, she lives in Denver with her husband, four children, and five pets.

Session Title: Practice Based Evidence: Disseminating Clinical Information Through OT Practice

Session Title: From Loss to Living: Using ACT to Support Identity Reconstruction in Chronic Pain and Illness
Presenter: Katy Owens, OTR/L, TPS
Presenter Bio: Katy Owens, MOT, OTR/L TPS, is an occupational therapist, U.S. Coast Guard veteran, and founder of Empowered Path Occupational Therapy in Northern Colorado. She specializes in working with adults living with chronic pain and chronic illness, using a biopsychosocial, occupation-based approach that integrates pain neuroscience, mental health strategies, and functional rehabilitation. Katy is known for translating complex concepts into practical, real-world applications that help individuals reconnect with meaningful life roles and activities. She is a sought-after speaker who has presented at state, national, and international conferences, sharing expertise on chronic pain, identity, and participation. Her work focuses on helping both clients and clinicians move beyond symptom management toward sustainable, values-driven engagement in everyday life.
Session Title: From Loss to Living: Using ACT to Support Identity Reconstruction in Chronic Pain and Illness

Presenter: Kara Alcorn-Borodach, OTD, OTR/L
Presenter Bio: Kara Alcorn-Borodach, OTD, OTR/L, is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy program at Colorado State University, where her teaching focuses on adult and older-adult practice and mentoring doctoral capstone students. She earned her master’s in occupational therapy from Colorado State University and her Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (PP-OTD) from Boston University.

Her clinical background spans low vision rehabilitation, skilled nursing facilities, inpatient rehabilitation, and home health settings. Her scholarly focus centers on the role of occupational therapy at the end of life. She developed Occupational Therapy in Palliative and Hospice Care: A Certificate Program, contributing to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of occupational therapy into interdisciplinary palliative and hospice care teams.

Session Title:  Beyond Bereavement: Understanding Grief in Occupational Therapy Practice

Presenter: Amber Galdamez, MS, OTR/L, RKC
Presenter Bio: Amber Galdamez is a New York-based occupational therapist specializing in geriatrics and kettlebell training with a unique integration of strength training and functional movement into her clinical practice. As a former All-American hurdler in Track & Field, Amber brings a performance-based perspective and preventative approach to rehabilitation, emphasizing strength, resilience, and long-term function. As an OT of over 5 years, she has used her platforms to helping occupational therapists and other disciplines to expand their knowledge and skills into the fitness space and redefine OT’s role in promoting lifelong strength, independence, and participation. Amber is passionate about bridging the gap between rehabilitation and real-world performance, empowering both clients and clinicians to view strength as a critical component of occupational performance.
Co-Presenter:

Wendel Galdamez is a certified personal trainer, strength and conditioning coach, RKC kettlebell instructor, and pre/postnatal fitness specialist with 11 years of experience helping people build strength, confidence, and resilience through movement. After transitioning from a career at Citibank, where he oversaw Biometrics and Fingerprint Analysis for Midtown Manhattan, Wendel pursued his passion for fitness and dedicated his career to coaching others through strength training, kettlebells, corrective exercise, and performance-based programming.

Over the last decade, Wendel has worked with thousands of clients ranging from athletes and busy professionals to prenatal and postpartum women looking to safely improve strength, movement quality, and overall health. In addition to coaching in person, he also trains clients remotely, creating individualized programs that support performance, longevity, and sustainable lifestyle changes.

Wendel currently coaches at The Liv Method in New York City and co-leads The Integrated Kettlebell Method alongside his wife, occupational therapist Amber Edwards.
Session Title: Bridging Strength & Occupation: Integrating Kettlebell Training into Occupational Therapy Practice

Presenter: Natalie R Rolle, MOT OTR/L
Presenter Bio: Natalie Rolle, MOT, OTR/L, developed, oversees, and is the Director of the Sleep Services program within The Center for Community Partnerships at Colorado State University. Natalie is a member of the Society of Behavioral Sleep Medicine and has advanced training in CBTI. Natalie is also trained in other behavioral sleep medicine techniques. She has been providing direct sleep services for the past 11+ years utilizing both CBTI and behavioral strategies to support clients with chronic insomnia, restless leg syndrome, and circadian rhythm disorders. In addition, she trains and provides consultation to other therapists in CBTI/sleep work nationwide. Natalie co-developed an online basic training for CBTI that is offered through the non-credit online platform at CSU offering 18 CEU's and works for UPENN providing clinical services for sleep grants and is online faculty for their basic and advanced 3-day CBTI courses.
Session Title: Foundational Sleep Practice Knowledge for Occupational Therapy

Presenter: The Colorado Occupational Therapy Fieldwork and Capstone Consortium
Bio: The Colorado Occupational Therapy Fieldwork and Capstone Consortium (COTFCC) is a partnership between OT and OTA academic programs to promote excellence and innovation in fieldwork education to best serve students and the community at large.

Mission Statement: The Colorado Occupational Therapy Fieldwork and Capstone Consortium (COTFCC) bridges OT and OTA academic programs in Colorado and Nebraska to promote excellence and innovation in fieldwork and capstone education to best serve students and communities in our regions.

• Rebecca Kinnison
• Alison Herman
• Julie Silver - Seidle
• Jennifer Vette
• Suzanne E. Holm 
• Ashley Fecht
• Lorie Barker 
• A. Goodwin
• Caroline Stertz

Session Title: From Awkward to Awesome: Collaborative Communication in OT/OTA Fieldwork

Presenter: Lena Dubensky Masri, MBA, MS, CCC-SLP, PATH Intl CTRI
Presenter Bio:  Lena Dubensky Masri, MBA, MS-CSD, CCC-SLP is a licensed speech-language therapist, a PATH Intl. Certified Therapeutic Riding Instructor, and a PATH Intl. Equine Specialist in Mental Health and Learning. With 20 years of experience in the equine service industry, Masri is passionate about helping patients and families live a more full life by integrating hippotherapy into her program.

She currently works for Care Options for Kids in home health and for her own private practice where she incorporates hippotherapy in a number of sessions.

Presenter: Terri Cassidy, OTD, OTR/L, CDRS
Presenter Bio: Terri Cassidy, OTD, OTR/L, CDRS is an occupational therapist and the founder of Fitness to Drive, which provides occupational therapy services for driver safety. Clinically she has focused on neurological rehabilitation, vision rehabilitation, and driver rehabilitation for clients of all ages. She is currently co-authoring a chapter about driving for a Low Vision OT Textbook.
Session Title: Behind the Wheel with Low Vision

Presenter: Taylor Kozell, OTD, OTR/L, CNS-AP, PAq
Presenter Bio: Taylor Kozell, OTD, OTR/L, CBIS, CNS, PAq is a neurologic occupational therapist with a passion for aquatic therapy. She is an Assistant Professor of Practice and the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the UTC OTD program. Taylor holds her Aquaticist Certification through Aquatic Therapy University, where she also teaches, and contributes to the Certified Neuro Specialist course. She serves as Chair of TNOTA’s Student Involvement Committee and founded its Aquatic Therapy Community of Practice.

Session Title: Why Water Works: Applying Aquatic Therapy in Occupational Therapy Practice

Keynote Sponsor Session

Presenter: Amanda Saylor, OTR/L, CNS, CBIS
Presenter Bio: Amanda Saylor is an occupational therapist with over a decade of experience specializing in outpatient neurorehabilitation. She currently serves as Manager of Clinical Education at Mobia Medical, where she develops and leads therapist education to support the clinical implementation of Vivistim Paired VNS Therapy. Amanda was among the first clinicians to treat Vivistim patients in practice. In January 2026, she and her team at AdventHealth published early outcomes and implementation insights from their first 35 patients, contributing to the growing body of real-world evidence in stroke rehabilitation.
Co-Presenter: 

Session Title: Vivistim Therapy for Chronic Stroke Recovery

Session Title: Conference Sponsor Presentation 
Presenter: 

Presenter: Jill Groskreutz, MBA, OTD, OTR/L, CLT

Presenter Bio: Jill Groskreutz is an Occupational Therapist serving as the NBCOT Ambassador for the state of Colorado. She has been volunteering in the role as state of Colorado Ambassador for five years.
Session Title: NBCOT® National Certification Exam: Information You Need to Know