Executive Board Members (Elected Officers)
President: Stephanie Lancaster, EdD, OTR/L, ATP, CDP
Vice President: Valery Hanks, OTR/L, C/NDT, CPAM
Secretary: Brandy McCarter, COTA/L, CDCS, CFPS
Treasurer: Christine Watt, OTR/L
Board Members (appointed)
Districts: TNOTA is divided into the 6 geographical districts, each with a locally-based leadership team as identified below
West District (Memphis area)
- Co-Chairs: Anne Zachry (azachry@uthsc.edu) and Mary Dreyer Smith
Rural West District (Jackson area)
- Chair: Barbara Meussner (barbara.meussner@wth.org)
- Vice Chair: Kaylie Garner
- Secretary: Deana Kendall
- Treasurer: Sandy Dicks
Middle District (Nashville area)
- Chair: Gigi Jordan (gigijordan@gmail.com)
- Vice Chair: David D. Eades
- Secretary: Alyssa Campbell
Southeast District (Chattanooga)
- Co-chairs: Martin Davis (martindavis225@yahoo.com) and Bhumika Patel (bhumikapatel120@gmail.com)
- Vice Chair: Anna Fung
East District (Knoxville area)
- Chair: Robert Mullaney (rmullaney@south.edu)
- Vice Chair: Richard Leger
- Secretary: Julia Johnson
Northeast District (Johnson City area)
- Chair: Kimberly Jessee (KimberlyJessee.OT@gmail.com)
- Vice Chair: Jennifer Crowder
- Secretary: Kim Masker
Committee Chairs
Advocacy: Rosemary Lewis and Cindy DeRuiter Blackwell (advocacy@tnota.org)
Conference: Valery Hanks (conferencecommittee@tnota.org)
Continuing Education: Audrey Owens (continuinged@tnota.org)
Diversity & Inclusion: Stedmon Hopkins (diversity@tnota.org)
Mental Health: Katy Schmidt
Mentorship: David D. Eades and Alison Stewart (mentorship@tnota.org)
OTA Connect: Ashley Robertson (otaconnect@tnota.org)
Student Involvement: Taylor Kozell (students@tnota.org)
Other Leadership Team Members:
Philanthropy Coordinator: Cindy Hickman
TNOTF Liaison: Amanda Newbern
American Occupational Therapy Association AOTA Representative Assembly (RA) State Representative: Amanda Newbern
TNOTA Lobbyist: Courtney Atnip, Capitol & 5th Public Strategies
Open Volunteer Positions
TNOTA is a volunteer run organization! We value our volunteers and appreciate cultivating their talents in various roles within TNOTA. If you are interested in getting more involved with our organization by serving in a volunteer or leadership role, email the TNOTA president at president@tnota.org.
Open volunteer positions are listed below.
Advocacy Committee Members
This committee’s priorities are to facilitate and support state-level professional advocacy, including professional visibility, advancement, and promotion and to collaborate with TNOTA’s lobbyist and legislative representative to monitor legislation impacting OT practice on a state and federal level. Interested persons should email advocacy@tnota.org for more information.
Diversity & Inclusion Committee Members
This committee was established to facilitate the promotion of education about issues related to diversity, equity, and inclusion as well as justice in and around the profession of occupational therapy. The priorities include improving the quality of occupational therapy services in Tennessee through advocacy and education with respect to DEI-related priorities as needed to promote access to social determinants of health, access to affordable healthcare, health disparities, and social justice. For more information or to express interest in serving in this capacity, email president@tnota.org.