•
Portland

Recent Occupational Therapy and Maine LEND graduate presents at state conference

ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ representatives at OT conference
Allison Casciotti, Emily Thomas, Kris Winston, Kathryn Willer, and Kathryn Loukas represented ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ at the Maine Occupational Therapy Association Fall Conference

The Maine Occupational Therapy Association Fall Conference included an impressive group from ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ.

Kathryn Willer, M.S.O.T. ’22, a recent graduate of the Maine Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities (LEND) program, presented on her Maine LEND project while engaging practitioners from all over the state in an important round table discussion about the role of occupational therapy in developing and supporting occupations for young adults with disabilities.

β€œCreating post-secondary education and extracurricular occupations for young adults with disabilities” included presentations by Willer and Kathryn Loukas, OTD, M.S., OTR/L, FAOTA, training director of Maine LEND and clinical professor of occupational therapy.

The presentation was well attended and positively received by occupational therapy practitioners from throughout Maine.

Occupational therapy is key to supporting young adults with disabilities in activities of daily living, such as time management, money management, and community mobility. It also assists them with work, education, and leisure occupations.

Willer’s elective project in the Maine LEND program was mentored by Audrey Bartholomew, Ph.D., associate professor and special education faculty with LEND. It explores options to include young people with disabilities on the ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ campus, starting with extracurricular activities and work options and moving toward full participation in the University community.

The work continues to be spearheaded by the Maine LEND program, which supports inclusive programs, family centered practice, self-advocacy, and the rights of people with disabilities.

Kris Winston, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA, director of ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ’s Occupational Therapy program, attended the presentation along with the two current Maine LEND trainees, Allison Casciotti (M.S.O.T., ’23) and Emily Thomas (M.S.O.T., ’23).

"It was wonderful to see Katie, a recent ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ M.S.O.T. alum, presenting the work that she has done with ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ LEND, sharing her experience and the results of her LEND trainee project with the Maine OT community,” stated Winston. β€œHer work, completed with the guidance of her mentor Kathryn Loukas, LEND, and OT faculty was well received by session participants"

The conference was held on Oct. 22 in Freeport.

Kathryn Willer
LEND trainees with Kate Loukas

About the ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ

The ΒιΆΉΒγΑΔ is Maine’s largest independent university, with two beautiful coastal campuses in Maine, a one-of-a-kind study abroad campus in Tangier, Morocco, and an array of . In an uncommonly welcoming and supportive community, we offer hands-on learning, empowering students to make a positive impact in a world full of challenges. The state’s top provider of health professionals, we are home to Maine’s only medical college, Maine’s only dental college, a variety of other interprofessionally aligned health care degree programs, as well as nationally recognized programs for marine science degrees, natural and social sciences degrees, arts and humanities degrees, and business degrees.