Education Committee Chair

Jenny Womack, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Professional Affiliations: Professor and Program Director of Occupational Therapy, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Appalachian State University

Position Statement: I was first introduced to SSO:USA in its infancy when I was hired in 1999 as a faculty member at the University of North Carolina, a lucky turn that provided connections with some of the founders and early leaders of the society.  That exposure led not only to my own pursuit of further education, but also to increasing service to SSO over the subsequent 20+ years, a commitment that continues in my current role at Appalachian State University. I have particularly enjoyed serving on the student scholarship subgroup of the research committee for the past 5 years and am currently actively involved with 2024 conference planning. I look forward to working with others to shape possibilities for an Education Committee, as my 25-year career in higher education has been a continuous journey of discovery, reward, and deepening passion for our core subject within both Occupational Science and occupational therapy. As the director of a developing program in occupational therapy, I strive every day to highlight and articulate our focus on Occupation as the true north of our professional compass, and I believe occupational scientists hold the key to realizing best practices in occupation-centered education. I look forward to engaging with others around these ideas.