Poster Session #1

Lydia McClure, S/OT, is a third-year Doctor of Occupational Therapy student at Xavier University. Her research interests focus on foster care populations and the role of occupational therapy in promoting occupational performance to address their unique needs. Her passion for this area developed through exposure to family members working in mental health and a growing appreciation for the potential integration of occupational therapy within mental health settings and foster care services. Motivated by conversations with mental health professionals and a deeper understanding of the challenges faced by adolescents in foster care, Lydia conducted a scoping review examining current occupational therapy interventions that support occupational performance among foster care populations. She is committed to expanding her knowledge and experience in this growing area of practice through continued research, community engagement, and interdisciplinary collaboration.

LaTanya Kent, PP-OTD, MOT, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with 20 years of experience advancing health equity and community participation. Her clinical background spans acute care, acute rehabilitation, home health, and outpatient settings, with expertise in trauma, neurological disorders, and adult and geriatric physical rehabilitation. Her professional and research interests center on community-based occupational therapy, particularly delivering OT interventions in homeless shelters and other community settings to address barriers to health, wellness, independence, and meaningful participation. She is committed to interdisciplinary approaches that promote functional outcomes, dignity, and greater access to care for individuals experiencing homelessness and other marginalized communities.

Grace McClelland, S/OT is a third-year occupational therapy doctoral student at Xavier University. Her research looks at intergenerational program designs to prepare the student population. The interest in this topic and research developed through a desire to work with both pediatric and geriatric populations. After speaking with an undergraduate advisor, the idea of intergenerational programming became a topic of interest. Grace conducted a scoping review related to preparing students for intergenerational programs in the spring semester of 2026 and connected parts of the student preparation to the different domains of occupations to see how OT could potentially play a role. She is currently preparing a manuscript of an updated version of this review for publication and is excited to see where this passion leads to expand the design and implementation of intergenerational programming while also bringing in the occupational therapy discipline.

Amy Chiero, S/OT, is a third-year occupational therapy doctoral student at Xavier University. Amy’s research explores pediatric sensory-based occupational therapy feeding interventions. Amy’s interest in sensory-based OT started when she worked as a pediatric rehab tech at an outpatient clinic. This passion grew as she became a caregiver for a toddler with sensory-based feeding challenges. Amy conducted a scoping review related to current sensory-based occupational therapy interventions used to promote feeding in early childhood. Amy is excited to pursue a doctoral capstone and eventually a career in pediatric feeding therapy.

Madelyn Gordon, S/OT, is a third-year occupational therapy doctoral student at Xavier University. Her research interests focus on the role of occupational therapy in pediatric community-based programs and the impact of activity adaptation on child development, particularly for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Her passion for this area developed through several years of experience working with children from walking age through 11 years old in a variety of extracurricular settings, as well as through experiences with similar populations during her Level I fieldwork placements. Madelyn conducted a scoping review examining current interventions and activity adaptations for children with ASD in community-based programs that align with the scope of occupational therapy practice. She is excited to continue expanding her knowledge and clinical experience in pediatric and community-based occupational therapy.

Dr. Liz Kocher is an accomplished occupational therapist with over 14 years of clinical and academic experience. She holds a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from The Ohio State University (2011) and a post-professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate from Boston University (2022). She currently serves as a Clinical Assistant Professor and Academic Fieldwork Coordinator in the Occupational Therapy Department at Cleveland State University, bringing extensive expertise across a range of practice settings.

Grounded in pediatric care, Dr. Kocher has specialized in both outpatient and school-based occupational therapy, working with students from preschool through secondary education. Her clinical background also spans skilled nursing facilities, acute care, and neurorehabilitation.

She maintains active leadership roles within the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), having served for three years as Research Coordinator for the Sensory Integration and Processing Special Interest Section. She currently serves as a committee member of the AOTA Developmental Disabilities Special Interest Section. Her professional engagement further includes membership in the AOTA Transitions Community of Practice, service as an AOTPAC Ambassador, and involvement with the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association.

Dr. Kocher is a founding member of the Ohio Social Prescribing Collaborative, and the Academic Partnership Lead and a member of the Social Prescribing USA Health Champions group. She mentors OTD capstone students in exploring nature-based social prescribing for older adults, green space referral pathways, and the development of local social prescribing networks.

Her research and clinical interests include: social prescribing for health and wellness, nature accessibility for individuals with disabilities, the role of service learning in OT education, sustainable community-based interventions for marginalized populations, employment transition programs for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities, and adaptive sports and physical activity engagement.