Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association

Home
United States
Jackson, MS
Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association

The Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association is a professional organization for Occupational Therapists and Occupational Therapy Assistants

Current Goals :

1. Continue to improve the MSOTA website to maximize utilization of the site to increase membership and advertising revenue.

2. Increase membership in MSOTA by exploring organizational, corporate and multi-year memberships.

3. Continue work on collaboration with neighboring states.

4. Develop ways to better educate members on changes with reimbursement.

04/08/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Shannadoah Sandifer, OTAS! 🎉

Shanbadoah will graduate with the Class of 2027 from Holmes Community College’s OTA Program. After graduation he desires to practice in an outpatient clinic or rehabilitation center. 🏥🏋🏾‍♀️

Shanbadoah is one of two students who won a ✨FREE✨ NBCOT Study Pack during this year’s conference!

What are your goals for the first 5 years after graduation?

“In my first 5 years of OT, I hope to gain experience in various OT settings and provide exceptional care to others while bringing an enthusiastic spirit to the profession.” ✨❤️

What is your favorite thing about OT?

“My favorite thing about the profession is being able to provide creative care to individuals from all walks of life and aid in helping them find positive solutions to engage in their everyday meaningful activities.” 🫂🪥🚘⛹️‍♀️🛁

What is your vision for occupational therapy in the Mississippi over the next 50 years?

“In the next 50 years, I hope to see occupational therapy thriving even more within the community and there being a higher diversity of OT/OTA practitioners advocating for each other along with their patients.” 🫱🏼‍🫲🏾💙

04/07/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Kaitlyn Quick, OTS! 🎉

Kaitlyn will graduate from UMMC with her OTD this May. She is particularly interested in working with neuro patients and the geriatric population following graduation! 👩‍🎓🧠👵🏼

What are your goals for the first 5 years after graduation?

“In the next 5 years, I hope to begin working towards obtaining my CSRS (Certified Stroke Rehab Specialist) or my BSC (Board Certification in Gerontology), depending on where I get settled! I would also like to begin mentoring future occupational therapy practitioners and maybe pick up a leadership role!” 🧠👩‍🏫

What is your favorite thing about OT?

“My favorite thing about occupational therapy is building genuine connections with patients and problem solving through helping them participate in activities that are truly meaningful to their daily lives.” 💙🫶🏼

What is your vision for occupational therapy in the Mississippi over the next 50 years?

“Over the next 50 years, I look forward to seeing how this profession adapts to meet the needs of patients through continuous technological advancements, while keeping our roots in providing patient- centered, hands-on care!” 👩🏽‍💻✨🫱🏼‍🫲🏽

✨MSOTA would like to thank Kaitlyn for her sweat equity given to support board members during conference planning and ex*****on! ✨

04/06/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Sadie Stamps, OTS! 🎉

Sadie plans to graduate in 2028 from UMMC’s OTD Program with an interest to pursue practicing in pediatrics. 👩🏽‍🎓🪀

Her goal for the first 5 years after graduation is to work in an outpatient pediatric clinic locally. 📍🍼

Sadie is one of two students who won a ✨FREE✨ NBCOT Study Pack during this year’s conference!

What is your favorite thing about OT?

“My favorite thing about OT is being able to advocate about what OT is and apply my knowledge in clinical settings and interacting with patients on a personal level.” 🫂

What is your vision for occupational therapy in the Mississippi over the next 50 years?

“My vision for OT in the next 50 years is for us to become well known amongst other professions and to expand access, utilize innovative technology, and focus on helping all people participate in meaningful activities while addressing health disparities.” 💙🫱🏼‍🫲🏾

04/05/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Cathy Roboski, OTR/L (License #33!) 🎉

Cathy graduated from Northeast Louisiana University (now University of Louisiana Monroe) in 1988. She has been practicing for 37 years working in inpatient pediatric rehab, inpatient adult rehab, outpatient rehab, school systems. Cathy is the owner of Key Rehab, celebrating their 27th anniversary this year, where they serve all ages and employ 18 therapists including part time and contract. 🏥 💪

What do you love about OT?

“My favorite thing about OT is being able to be creative and helping people with what is important to them. I love being a generalist. I love the combination of pediatrics, adults and being a lymphedema therapist. I still treat full time.” 🧓🏼👧🏽🦵

What is your vision for occupational therapy in the Mississippi over the next 50 years?

“I hope OT continues to grow and flourish in Mississippi. I hope more and more people become aware of what an important role we play in our client’s lives. At the end of each day, I love knowing I did something to help someone else.” 🫶🫂

04/04/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Dr. Danielle Whittington, Ed.D, OTR/L, CLVT 🎉

Danielle graduated from UMMC in 2010. She has practiced in acute rehab/NICU for 5 years, SNF for 5 years, and has dedicated 13 years to teaching in the public school system for 13 years to both elementary and secondary students. 📝

Danielle is has a specialty certification in low vision and recently received her doctorate in educational leadership. 👓🔍👩🏼‍🎓

What do you love about OT?

“I love that being an OT allows me to do so many versatile things and the practice framework gives me the proof and knowledge to back it up. Occupational therapy practitioners can just SEE things differently.” 🧠💙

What is your vision for occupational therapy in the Mississippi over the next 50 years?

“I think OTs are still battling some of the same misunderstandings we historically have. I would love for the schools to recognize what an OT practitioner can bring to the table because they rock!” 💡🤘

04/03/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Avery Douglass OTD, OTR/L 🎉

Avery graduated in May 2025 from UMMC’s OTD Program and transitioned straight into the Child Health and Development Promotion Fellowship through the Center for Advancement of Youth and Children’s of Mississippi. The CHDP fellowship emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to early childhood development (Birth to 6). Avery hopes to continue serving in pediatrics after the fellowship concludes in July! 🪀👶🏻👧🏽

What are your goals for the next five years?

“My main goal is to consistently be open to learning and growing as a new therapist. I am really striving to take advantage of any and all opportunities so that I can offer my patients and their families my very best!” ❤️🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒

What do you love about occupational therapy?

“I LOVE building a relationship with my patients and their families, as well as adapting and tailoring interventions for what works best for each child and their family!” 💡🫶

What is your vision for occupational therapy in Mississippi over the next 50 years?

My vision for occupational therapy in Mississippi over the next 50 years is a profession that continues to expand its impact in healthcare through strong advocacy, meaningful community engagement, and a well-defined, widely recognized role in improving health and quality of life. 🤝❤️

04/03/2026

🗣️ATTENTION MSOTA MEMBERS🗣️

There are 50th Anniversary t-shirts available for purchase in limited quantities. 👕

T-shirts are $25 each when picked up locally at the UMMC SHRP building and $30 each when shipped. 📦

Please contact Moira Mills at mmills3@umc.edu for orders.

Check comment section for available sizes! 📏✅

04/02/2026

Still riding the energy from 2026 Annual MSOTA Conference weekend !✨

We had record breaking attendance of 170 during the inaugural Friday night event “Capstones and Cocktails” and 459 attendees on Saturday! 👏🎉

What an incredible time connecting, learning, and celebrating with such a passionate community of occupational therapy practitioners and students. From meaningful conversations to powerful reminders of why we do this work, this conference truly filled our cup. 🤝

So proud to be part of a profession that continues to grow, advocate, and show up for the people and communities we serve every day. The future of OT in Mississippi is bright—and conference weekend was proof of that.💙

Already looking forward to the next one!

04/02/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Sarah Whinery, OTD, OTR/L 🎉

Sarah Whinery, OTD, OTR/L, is a member of the MSOTA Board of Directors and serves as the Co-Chair for the Meridian District. She also enjoys serving on the public relations committee. 📍👩🏼‍💼📸

She graduated from UMMC in 2023 and is currently practicing in the acute care and outpatient settings in the Meridian area. 🏥💪

Sarah works with patients with a wide variety of diagnoses from orthopedic to neurological conditions. She has a special interest in low vision rehabilitation and enjoys utilizing her advanced training in this area to serve her patients. 🩼🧠👁️

What is your vision for occupational therapy in Mississippi over the next 50 years?

Over the next 50 years, I hope we eliminate the phrase “Occupational therapy? But I already have a job!” 🧐On a serious note, my vision for the field of Occupational Therapy in Mississippi is for continued growth towards greater access to services (especially in rural communities), sustainability with less burnout, utilization of our full scope of practice, and advocacy for our true value. I hope to see OT thrive while staying rooted in our core mission: compassionate, holistic, patient-centered care that empowers people to live meaningful lives with as much independence as possible. The future is as bright as we perceive it to be, and I can see a bright future for our profession. ❤️🤝💡

04/01/2026

Happy Occupational Therapy Month! 🎉

This month is a celebration of the profession’s deep commitment to client-centered care—meeting people where they are, honoring their goals, values, and lived experiences, and supporting meaningful participation in daily life.❤️

Equally important is professional advocacy—continuing to elevate the voice of occupational therapy in healthcare systems, policy, and communities, and ensuring the profession is understood, valued, and fully utilized for its unique contributions.💡

Here’s to OTs making an impact through compassion, evidence-based practice, and strong advocacy every day! 🎉

Grateful for the work, the people, and the purpose behind it all 💛

04/01/2026

MSOTA Member Spotlight: Michelle Haynes, M.Ed., COTA/L 🎉

Michelle Haynes, M.Ed., COTA/L graduated from PRCC OTA program in 2012 and has been practicing for 14 years. She has worked primarily in SNF, ALF, and outpatient therapy. She transitioned to academia in 2018 and served as the fieldwork coordinator at PRCC for 6 years and has recently transitioned to the Program Director in January of 2025. 🩼👵🏼👩‍🏫

What is your favorite thing about being an OT?

“My favorite thing will always be what I consider “the fun part of the job” which would be treating clients! In the realm of education, it is “teaching the students”. I do love to help others, develop good relationships and witness the growth and progress made by individuals that inspire hope and enrich lives.” 🤝❤️

What is your vision for occupational therapy in Mississippi over the next 50 years?

As an educator and program director for an OTA program, I would like to see OT continue to evolve with the changing scope of healthcare, while still maintaining its cherished focus on holistic, client-centered care. In this world of ever-changing, rapidly-evolving technology, my hope is that the therapeutic relationship between us and our clients remains at the forefront of our practice as the backbone of therapy. Proof of humanity should be valued and our personal, meaningful interactions never overshadowed or replaced by AI or robotics which can further degrade the nature of healthcare into impersonal “sterility”. I am hoping that OT finds its unique voice as a primary advocate for human-centered treatment and care amidst this inevitable shift towards a technocratic healthcare system. Perhaps OT can be the discipline that takes people back to the healing nature of their hands at work. This would be a “coming full circle” movement that I think humanity will appreciate and long for during those times. ❤️✨

Address

P. O. Box 4916/Jackson, MS 39296
Jackson, MS
39296

Website

http://mississippiota.org/

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Practice

Send a message to Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association:

Shortcuts

Want your practice to be the top-listed Clinic in Jackson?

Mississippi Occupational Therapy Association

04/08/2026

04/07/2026

04/06/2026

04/05/2026

04/04/2026

04/03/2026

04/03/2026

04/02/2026

04/02/2026

04/01/2026

04/01/2026

Address

Website

Alerts

Contact The Practice

Shortcuts

Share

Category