WFOT Elects New President

WFOT held its 34th WFOT Council Meeting (online) on 19 January 2021, which included the election of officers:

Samantha Shann (United Kingdom) – President
Tracey Partridge-Tricker (New Zealand) – Vice President Finance
Andrew Freeman (Canada) – Programme Coordinator Practice Development

They form part of the Executive Management Team that also includes:

Margarita Gonzalez (Colombia) – Vice President
Liliana Alvarez (Colombia) – Programme Coordinator Research
Tecla Mlambo (Zimbabwe) - Programme Coordinator Education
Marilyn Pattison (Australia) – Immediate Past President
Ritchard Ledgerd (United Kingdom) – Executive Director (ex-officio)

Congratulations to the successful candidates, we wish you well in promoting the value of our profession across the world. This election also marked the end of Australia’s Marilyn Pattison role as WFOT President.

OTA would like to recognise Marilyn’s significant contributions to our profession. For her service to the South Australian community through her practice. For her vision as State and National President. For representing our country on the world stage as WFOT Delegate. And for her inspired leadership as WFOT President.

OTA is honoured to have awarded Marilyn the Occupational Therapy Australia National Award in 1996 for her outstanding service to the association, and the coveted Sylvia Docker Lectureship in 2006 for her contribution to the profession. In her Sylvia Docker Lecture she out laid a strong vision for our future:

My aim is not to focus too long on ‘what has been’ or ‘what is now’ but to discuss ‘what can be’ — to share a vision of empowerment for occupational therapists.

Marilyn, your leadership will be missed. Yet the positive impact of your legacy will influence and inspire generations of occupational therapists for years to come.

For those eager to learn more from Marilyn’s insights and experiences, she is a Keynote Speaker at the upcoming 29th National Conference and Exhibition 2021, running 23-25 June 2021. Learn more about the conference speakers here.

WFOT Membership

OTA members, do you know that your OTA membership enables you to benefit from WFOT membership?

Join to receive the Bulletin (professional journal) twice yearly, providing the latest news and updates about the international world of OT. The scope of professional practices, from country to country, is extensive and WFOT actively supports relationships between countries, individual practitioners, educators and students, and these relationships continually expand dramatically.

To receive member publications and other information intended for members only, it is necessary for each member to activate their individual account via the WFOT website with their Occupational Therapy Australia membership number as the username and creating a password.