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Strategic priorities
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Dedicated Leadership: The CAOT works on behalf of members to deliver chapter-specific initiatives that affect your practice and create networking opportunities that build a sense of community. The Regional Director with the support of the CAOT-BC Advisory Committee helps to prioritize chapter activities based on a broad spectrum of occupational therapy input.
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Sara Bishop brings over three decades of experience to her role as the new Regional Director of CAOT-BC. Her work history spans public, private, urban, rural, virtual, and international settings, clinical instructor at UW and presenter at multiple conferences. Prior to her new position, she supported First Nations students with the First Nations Education Steering Committee (FNESC). She has worked in various areas such as home and community care, acute care in hospitals, long-term care, paediatrics, sensory integration, mental health, aquatics and more. Sara founded and led the Northwest Aquatic Therapy Association (NWATA) in Seattle. Currently, she serves as a Home and Community Supported Living OT (HSCL) with VCH and runs a small paediatric private practice. Her clinical experiences, her undergraduate OT degree at the UBC, and a masters of rehabilitation in leadership and paediatrics from the UW, Seattle, equip her with expertise for promoting occupational therapy province-wide. |
Contact: caotbc@caot.ca
CAOT-BC Advisory Committee Chair
Shelly Dornian, OT
Shelly completed a Master of Occupational Therapy degree from the University of British Columbia in 2014. Since graduation, she has worked in private and public healthcare in the Fraser Valley and Vancouver regions. She has special interest in persistent pain, mental health, concussion, as well as return to work.
Through occupational therapy, Shelly is passionate about helping people to engage in meaningful activities that restore and enhance quality of life. She is a strong advocate for the profession of occupational therapy and the incredible contributions that occupational therapists make in people's lives. Shelly is an enthusiastic member of CAOT-BC, serving on the Advisory Committee and Private Practice Business Network subgroups.
Advisory Committee
The CAOT-BC Advisory Committee promotes information sharing and coordinated planning on provincial issues related to occupational therapy to further the development of the profession.
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| Kathy Elissat Vancouver Representative |
Katerina Dikeakos Mental Health & Chronic Pain Representative |
Haalah Mazhar Fraser Valley Representative |
Elisha Williams |
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| Emma Miller Interior Representative |
Mary Glasgow Brown Paediatrics Representative |
Sandy Daughen Vancouver Island Representative |
Donna Drynan CAOT Board Director, BC |
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| Trevor Inso University of Alberta |
Ginny Lefeaux UBC MOTI |
Bethany Friedrich |
Do you want to reach the CAOT-BC Advisory Committee? Send an email to CAOT-BC .
CAOT-BC is your provincial representative. Together we strengthen occupational therapy, building excellence for the profession and better health and well being for British Columbians.
Membership with CAOT and CAOT-BC is combined. Choosing to belong to CAOT in BC gives you exclusive provincial benefits through CAOT-BC, in addition to all that CAOT has to offer.
CAOT-BC provides:
Provincial advocacy . CAOT-BC influences policy change regarding occupational therapy through regular meetings with BC government decision-makers. Advocacy initiatives to third party funders and key stakeholders champion the value of the profession. Innovative community-based outreach raises the profile of occupational therapy to media, government and the public.
Dedicated leadership . CAOT-BC staff work on behalf of members to deliver chapter-specific initiatives that affect your practice. The CAOT-BC Advisory Committee promotes information sharing and coordinated planning on provincial issues.
BC-only member communications . CAOT-BC members stay engaged and informed through receipt of OTalk BC monthly e-newsletter, Facebook and Twitter. The CAOT-BC website identifies relevant events, listings and learning opportunities for you to take advantage of.
Communities of Practice . Practice networks provide opportunities for valuable networking and resource sharing through local educational events, workshops and publications that build knowledge and promote practice excellence. With 12 to choose from, there is one to fit your practice needs.
Awards & Grants . Outstanding individuals and groups in BC are recognized through the CAOT dedicated awards program. CAOT-BC also supports members to present occupational therapy research through the annual Research and Education Grant and to participate in continuing education through the Dianna Mah-Jones Memorial Grant for Innovation.
Discounts on selected Pain BC occupational therapy workshops. We've partnered with Pain BC to offer CAOT-BC members special rates on their workshops for occupational therapists.
Practice Resources. CAOT-BC develops and shares tools and resources to support the practice needs of BC occupational therapists, such as Briefing Notes, Private Practice Fee Survey Results and Suggested Fee Guidelines, evidence for occupational therapy, and more.
Access to Electronic Health Library of BC (e-HLbc) . CAOT-BC members receive complimentary access to this evidence-based suite of online health library resources designed to support excellence in the academic and health care community of British Columbia. This includes 12 million bibliographic citations and abstracts for 6,148 journals.
CAOT-BC Outstanding Occupational Therapist of the Year Award
Skye Barbic
As a role model for many of us, Skye has worked tirelessly to champion the patient experience and has successfully led a culture shift towards a health service where success is measured and driven according to what is important to patients, rather than basing success on clinical measurements alone.
In light of her dedication to this cause, and the wide application of her research – not to mention the direct impact that her work with Foundry is having on the lives of young people in BC – Dr. Skye Barbic is most deserving of the CAOT-BC Outstanding Occupational Therapist Award for 2024.
View past recipients Submit a nomination
Citation Award - British Columbia
2019 - CanAssist at the University of Victoria
CanAssist helps people with physical, cognitive and mental health barriers by developing innovative technologies and programs where there are gaps in existing services. CanAssist has collaborated with CAOT and CAOT-BC to develop and launch Ability 411, a web-based service that provides practical information about assistive technologies and equipment to BC seniors, their family members and their health providers. As a result of this collaboration, all information is reviewed by an occupational therapist, affording BC seniors access to OT recommended solutions for independence.
View past recipients
Grants
Research and Education Grant
CAOT-BC offers a Research and Education Grant, which supports CAOT-BC members to present occupational therapy research and/or education at either the CAOT national conference or other related conferences.
2019
Alex Thompson
View past grant recipients Apply for grant Applications accepted between February 15 and May 31
Dianna Mah-Jones Memorial Grant for Innovation
The Dianna Mah-Jones Memorial Grant for Innovation supports the BC occupational therapy community in best practice and innovation in direct client care. This grant was established in memory of Dianna Mah-Jones, who was a creative and tireless advocate and activist for innovation and excellence in client care.
2020
Helen Turner
Kylee Abrahamson
Kendra Nimmo
View past grant recipients Apply for grant Applications accepted between February 15 and May 31.
Opportunities with CAOT-BC
CAOT-BC has several advertising opportunities including electronic publications, education event sponsorship and more.
- CAOT-BC publishes an electronic newsletter every month which is circulated by email to 1700+ occupational therapists in BC.
- CAOT-BC website and social media (Facebook and Twitter) which is viewed by members, non-members and the general public.
For more information or to obtain an advertising rate,contact us
In the spring/summer of 2011, the BC Society of Occupational Therapy (BCSOT) closed its doors, leading to much discussion between the provincial association representatives and CAOT. Consultation with the provincial occupational therapy community made it clear that a continued provincial representation for occupational therapy was required.
In the fall of 2011, the CAOT board members approved the plan for an integrated national and provincial model, and so CAOT-BC was born as the first provincial chapter of CAOT.
CAOT-BC has continued to grow, and now supports over 1700 members. British Columbia is now the province with the second highest number of CAOT members.