Let me introduce myself, or RE-introduce myself as a candidate for AOTA Vice President

​My name is Brent Braveman and I am running to be the next Vice-President of AOTA. If you don’t know me allow me to introduce myself and if you do, let me start the process of reintroducing myself and reminding you about my skills, experiences and commitment.

I am an Occupational therapist with 35 years of experience and for 35 years I have been a proud member of AOTA and the State OT Association wherever I have lived. I am running to be your next AOTA president because I have a deep passion and lasting commitment to the profession of occupational therapy.

I have volunteered for our profession since 1988 when I served as Vice-President of the District of Columbia OT Association and then went on to serve as President because I believe that our professional organizations are our most powerful tools to promote occupational therapy. 

In my paid professional life, I am the Director of the Department of Rehabilitation Services at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston Texas and am responsible for leadership of all occupational therapy and physical therapy services. I work with a staff of over 120 OT and PT practitioners. Everyday I help staff face the challenges of seeking to provide excellent care while facing the pressures of productivity, demanding caseloads and the pressures of working in a hospital during the COVID-19 pandemic. I have a clinical background in work rehabilitation, acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, community mental health and addiction services and cancer rehabilitation. I have also worked as an occupational therapy educator and researcher. 

I have broad experience and a deep understanding of how AOTA works. I have consistently been engaged and active in AOTA. I served multiple roles in our Special Interest Sections including as Chairperson of the Administrative and Management SIS and as the Special Interest Sections Steering Committee. I have served on the Board of Directors twice, once as Speaker of the Representative Assembly (AOTA’s policy making body) and as AOTA Secretary.
Whether I have been in a formally elected office or not, I have consistently been present, visible, active and engaged. I ask others for their opinions and I seek to truly understand the thinking of others; whether they are a member of AOTA or not, whether they live here in the US or around the globe and most importantly whether they agree with me, or not!

If I am elected as the next Vice-President of AOTA I promise to remain accessible, to be visible, to seek your input and to listen. I promise to do my very best to be a servant leader who puts the needs of AOTA members first and to fight for you and occupational therapy.
I hope that over the next few weeks you’ll take the opportunity to learn more about me, my vision for the future of AOTA and the profession of occupational therapy and I hope that I can convince you that I am the right person for the job!

Over the coming weeks, I'll share more about myself, my skills and experiences and my vision for the future of AOTA and the profession of occupational therapy.