TNOTA Hall Of Fame – Past Award Recipients
Congratulations 2026 Hall of Fame inductees!
Appearing left to right in the photo above:
Barbara Meussner – Lift as You Climb Award
Stephanie Lancaster, TNOTA President
Cindy Blackwell – Lifetime Impact Award
Gwendolyn Foxx – Distinguished OTA Practitioner Award
2026 TNOTA Lift As You Climb Award
The Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association is proud to recognize Barb Meussner as the 2026 recipient of the Lift As You Climb Award. This award recognizes a TNOTA member who actively supports, mentors, and elevates others in a way that supports the mission of TNOTA, while advancing their own career.
With 36 years of experience in occupational therapy, Barb exemplifies servant leadership through her commitment to mentoring, supporting, and elevating others. In her leadership roles with West Tennessee Healthcare, Gerihab, and TNOTA’s Rural West District, she has helped students, new practitioners, and colleagues develop the skills, confidence, and connections needed to grow in their careers.
Barb says, “I lift them, and they lift me.” That spirit captures exactly what this award represents: reaching back while continuing forward, believing in someone until they can believe in themselves, and strengthening our profession by helping others become their very best. With a remarkable ability to see potential in others and help them achieve more than they may have thought possible, she meets people where they are, offering encouragement, guidance, opportunities, and genuine support. Whether mentoring students, welcoming new practitioners into the profession, developing future leaders, or strengthening her TNOTA district, she consistently invests in people and in the future of occupational therapy.
Her influence extends far beyond any single role or setting. Through her compassion, advocacy, enthusiasm, and unwavering commitment to others, Barb has inspired countless individuals to grow, lead, and contribute to the profession.
We are proud to welcome Barb into the TNOTA Hall of Fame!
2026 TNOTA Distinguished OTA Practitioner Award
The Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association is proud to recognize Gwen Foxx as the 2026 recipient of the TNOTA Distinguished OTA Practitioner Award and to welcome her into the TNOTA Hall of Fame.
For nearly 30 years, Gwen has exemplified the many ways an occupational therapy assistant can lead, serve, educate, and make a difference. Her career has spanned K–12 education, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, mental health, home health, higher education, and assistive technology.
Gwen’s impact is reflected in the people and communities she has served. Through her work in assistive technology, she has helped students with disabilities participate more independently and has developed resources, protocols, training, and educational materials that supported students, families, educators, and professionals across 52 schools. Her commitment to client-centered practice and interdisciplinary collaboration has consistently focused on helping people participate more fully in the occupations that matter to them.
As an Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, Associate Professor, Program Director, and educator, Gwen has also made significant contributions to occupational therapy education. She has mentored students, fieldwork educators, and colleagues; supported curriculum and program development; strengthened clinical education partnerships; and helped prepare the next generation of occupational therapy assistants.
Gwen’s service extends to the profession and to TNOTA. She has served in regional leadership and as TNOTA Communications Chair, and she was instrumental in establishing OTA Connect, helping create opportunities for OTAs to connect, engage, and have their voices heard.
Gwen’s career reflects a consistent commitment to improving participation and access, supporting others, and strengthening the profession she serves. Her leadership, expertise, generosity, and dedication have left a lasting impact on clients, students, colleagues, OTAs, and the broader occupational therapy community.
2026 TNOTA Lifetime Impact Award
The TNOTA Lifetime Impact Award recognizes a seasoned OT practitioner whose sustained contributions have had a lasting impact on the profession, community, and/or TNOTA. This year’s award goes to Cindy Blackwell.
For more than a decade, Cindy has demonstrated an extraordinary commitment to TNOTA and to the advancement of occupational therapy in Tennessee. Her service has included leadership as Middle District Chair, TNOTA President from 2019–2023, and, currently, Legislative Chair.
During her tenure as President, Cindy helped strengthen TNOTA’s membership, organizational structure, and strategic direction, contributing to the growth and development of the association we know today. Her leadership has continued beyond her presidency through her work in legislative advocacy, including helping establish TNOTA’s Advocacy Committee and co-leading Hill Day efforts.
Cindy’s impact on occupational therapy extends well beyond her service to TNOTA. A pediatric occupational therapist, she serves as a director and multidisciplinary team lead at Project Play, working alongside OTs, PTs, SLPs, and music therapists. She also founded TNOTA’s Pediatric Community of Practice, which she continues to facilitate, creating opportunities for practitioners to connect, learn, and advance pediatric practice.
Throughout her career, Cindy has served as a mentor, educator, fieldwork educator, author, and advocate. She has consistently invested in the future of the profession by developing leaders, supporting emerging practitioners, strengthening professional connections, and advocating for the role of occupational therapy.
Cindy’s impact is reflected not only in what she has accomplished, but in the people, programs, and professional community she has helped build. Her influence continues to shape TNOTA and occupational therapy in Tennessee.
TNOTA congratulates Cindy as the 2026 TNOTA Lifetime Impact Award and on her induction into the TNOTA Hall of Fame!
2025
The occupational therapy community and TNOTA celebrate the life and contributions of Susan S. McDonald, a dedicated leader, educator, and advocate. Susan is TNOTA’s first Hall of Fame inductee in recognition of her influence on the profession, her commitment to service, and her passion for advancing occupational therapy.
Susan served as the Chair of the TNOTA Legislative Committee, a role that underscored her lifelong dedication to advocating for occupational therapy professionals and their clients. Before retiring in 2023, she was an Associate Professor and the Founding Chair of the Occupational Therapy Department at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC), where she shaped the careers of countless students, occupational therapists, and others and set high standards for academic excellence. Her educational journey included a doctorate from UTC and both a master’s and a bachelor’s degree in Rehabilitation Counseling and Occupational Therapy from the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Throughout her career, Susan held numerous leadership roles in state OT associations, including President, President-Elect, and District Chairperson, and served as both a member and Chairperson of the State Regulatory Board. Known for her commitment to ethics and jurisprudence in the profession, she provided training to hundreds of occupational therapy practitioners and students across the state, ensuring a high standard of professionalism within the field. Additionally, her service extended to several boards focused on supporting children and families, further reflecting her commitment to making a positive impact in her community.
Susan’s contributions to occupational therapy will be remembered for their depth, compassion, and vision. Her work has enriched the field, inspired her peers, and left a legacy that will continue to shape future generations of occupational therapists. We are grateful for her contributions and celebrate her life, her work, and her unwavering dedication to our profession.