President
Carla Adkins, MSOT, OTR, is an occupational therapist with 20 years of experience across school-based practice, pediatrics, rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health, and telehealth. She currently practices as a school-based occupational therapist in Moses Lake, Washington, focusing on supporting student access, participation, independence, and meaningful engagement in the educational environment.
Originally from Texas, Carla earned her Bachelor of Science in Child Development from Texas Woman’s University and her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Washington University in St. Louis. Her career has included practice in several states and across diverse settings and communities. She is currently pursuing a post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree at the University of Montana.
Carla’s professional interests include school-based occupational therapy, adolescent and transition-age practice, collaborative service-delivery models, dysgraphia and written communication, assistive technology, and expanding access to occupational therapy resources in rural and underserved communities. She also serves as a fieldwork educator and is passionate about mentoring occupational therapy students and practitioners.
As President of the Washington Occupational Therapy Association, Carla is committed to advocating for and advancing the occupational therapy profession. Together, the WOTA Board works to increase practitioner engagement, support professional development, and strengthen connections among occupational therapy practitioners across the state.
Carla lives in rural Eastern Washington with her husband and their four wild and crazy dogs. Outside of occupational therapy, she enjoys traveling, hiking, crocheting, exploring the Pacific Northwest, soaking in hot springs, and finding any reasonable excuse for a good cup of coffee.
Past President
Emily Nugen graduated from Eastern Washington University in 2016, and since has been working in Industrial Rehabilitation Field and currently works Olympic Sport and Spine. She fell in love with the WOTA Community the first time she became involved as a student in 2014. Since then Emily has moved from a volunteer to a member of the Conference Committee and helps manage Social Media, Volunteers, and more. Emily enjoys all the networking opportunities WOTA has offered her over the years! In her free time Emily enjoys cooking, crafting, spending time with her husband, Son, and some graphic design.
Vice President
Brian Woodbury is originally from Mesa, Arizona. His journey into occupational therapy led him to the University of Mary in Bismarck, North Dakota, where he completed his OT training and developed a passion for working with families of children with special needs. Brian now resides in Vancouver, Washington, and practices in outpatient pediatrics at Columbia Pediatric Therapy. In his clinical work, he incorporates a range of therapeutic tools, including Therapeutic Listening, Korro AI, and visual-vestibular integration to support children’s development through engaging and individualized interventions. Outside of his professional life, Brian enjoys exploring National Parks and the scenic landscapes of the Pacific Northwest with his wife and their two daughters. He also enjoys reading, swimming, playing the piano, and singing.
Secretary
Scott Bowen is a COTA/L currently working in the pain management and brain injury rehab programs at Rehabilitation Institute of Washington in Seattle. He also currently serves as an executive board member of HeadStrong, a local organization supporting survivors of brain injury and their families. Prior to joining RIW he worked in industrial rehab and work hardening. He loves helping people realize their full potential and return to the activities that are meaningful to them. Scott graduated in 2020 receiving his Degree from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Lake Washington Institute of Technology and is pursuing a Certified Brain Injury Specialist (CBIS) certificate.
Treasurer
Nichole is an Occupational Therapist currently working in an outpatient clinic focusing on reflex integration and holistic therapy in Spokane. She previously worked in an outpatient pediatric setting in Idaho. Nichole graduated from Eastern Washington University with her Masters in 2016. In her spare time she enjoys reading, being outside, and spending time with friends and family.
OTA Representative
Roberta Lyons
Continuing Education Chair
Emily Hood
Continuing Education Chair Elect
Megan Kibby graduated with an OTD from Creighton University in 2019. She worked as an outpatient & inpatient occupational therapist at McLane Children’s Hospital in Texas before moving to Seattle in 2022 to work inpatient acute care at Seattle Children’s Hospital. She joined the WOTA Executive Board in December 2025. In her free time Megan enjoys going for walks, exploring the PNW, trying new coffee shops, reading and crocheting.
Legislative Chair
David Cacanindin was elected Chair-Elect of the Legislative Committee in 2023 and Chair in 2025. He was previously Chair of the Government Affairs Committee for the Utah OT Assn from 2019-2022. David earned his bachelors in jazz piano and political science at CSU Northridge, and his OTD at Pacific University in Oregon in 2018. He has worked mostly in critical care, acute care, and IRF settings focusing on burns, neurological, cardiac, pulmonary, and post-surgical patients, including 1 year with pediatric patients. He has also worked in SNF, industrial ergonomics/LnI, and outpatient/home health blended settings. In 2025, after years of mixed therapies treating a brain injury from a cycling accident in 2017, David started Brain Tree Therapies, which treats executive function, neurological conditions, and neurodivergent conditions via telehealth. He is also a semi-pro ice hockey referee, climbs 30-ish mountains per year, volunteers with climate advocacy groups, cares for his centenarian grandmother, and still gets around town on his bicycle.
Past Legislative Chair
Trish Tools
Membership Chair
Josie Davenport
Budget and Audit Chair
Dominic Randolfi graduated from MGH Institute of Health Professions in 2017. His clinical skills revolve around adults and the acute care setting. He no longer sees patients daily and instead manages multiple occupational medicine clinics.
Washington AOTA Representative
Student Representatives
Lindsey Schwendiman, OTS
Eastern Washington University
Lindsey Schwendiman is a second-year student in Eastern Washington University’s Master of
Occupational Therapy program and lives in the Spokane area. She currently serves as the WOTA Representative for EWU’s Student Occupational Therapy Association (SOTA).
Lindsey’s interest in occupational therapy is deeply personal. Her oldest son received occupational therapy, and she saw firsthand the impact OT could have as he achieved milestones their family had once been told he might never reach. She credits occupational therapy with not only supporting her son, but also making a meaningful difference for their entire family. That experience inspired her to pursue the profession herself.
Lindsey is especially interested in pediatrics and hand therapy. Looking ahead, she hopes to become an experienced pediatric occupational therapist and eventually pursue a doctoral degree.
Outside of school, Lindsey loves crafting, reading, and spending time with her husband and their four children. As a family, they enjoy camping, playing board games, and finding plenty of reasons to laugh together.
Chloe Boyle, OTS
Spokane Falls Community College
Chloe Boyle is a second-year Occupational Therapy Assistant student at Spokane Falls Community College in Spokane, Washington. She serves as a student representative with the Washington Occupational Therapy Association, helping bring the OTA student perspective to WOTA and strengthening connections between students and Washington’s occupational therapy community.
As Chloe continues her OTA education and prepares to enter the profession, she looks forward to becoming more involved with WOTA, connecting with occupational therapy practitioners and students across the state, and learning more about the many ways OT practitioners serve individuals and communities throughout Washington.
Jeni Gates, OTS
Green River College
Jeni Gates is a second-year Occupational Therapy Assistant student at Green River College. Originally from Utah, she moved to Washington in 2002 and quickly came to consider the Pacific Northwest home. She especially loves the Puget Sound, Mount Rainier, and the natural beauty of Washington.
Jeni’s path to occupational therapy began about 15 years ago when her son received OT services for autism and dysgraphia. His occupational therapist made a lasting impact not only on her son, but on their entire family. That experience introduced Jeni to the power of occupational therapy and planted the seed for what would eventually become her own career path.
After her son completed OT, Jeni became involved with Scouts as a Den Leader and found herself increasingly supporting Scouts with disabilities and special needs. She discovered how much she enjoyed adapting activities, removing barriers, and finding creative ways to make participation more accessible and inclusive. Her involvement eventually led her to develop curriculum and training for youth and adult leaders in her local Scouting council on supporting Scouts with special needs and disabilities. Through that experience, Jeni realized that inclusion, advocacy, and helping others participate fully were more than interests—they were her passion.
When she began exploring a career in occupational therapy, an OT introduced her to the OTA profession. The opportunity to work directly with clients, be hands-on, and enter the profession through an accessible educational pathway made becoming an OTA an easy choice.
Jeni is especially interested in working with children and adolescents and hopes to practice in either a pediatric setting or a program supporting adolescents as they transition into adulthood. Looking ahead, she sees herself continuing to advocate for inclusion and the occupational therapy profession, and she hopes to eventually teach, train, or present to others.
Outside of OT, Jeni enjoys spending time with her husband and their three children. She is also preparing for some ambitious outdoor adventures, with goals of summiting Mount St. Helens in 2028 and Mount Rainier in 2030. For Jeni, the challenge is part of the appeal—and she looks forward to someday standing at the top and being able to say, “I actually did that.”
Hailey Starr, OTS
University of Washington
Haily Starr is a Master of Occupational Therapy student at the University of Washington in Seattle and serves as a student representative with the Washington Occupational Therapy Association.
Through her role with WOTA, Haily represents the University of Washington’s occupational therapy student community while building connections with students and practitioners from across the state. As she continues her graduate education and prepares to enter the profession, she looks forward to becoming more involved in Washington’s occupational therapy community and contributing the student perspective to WOTA.
UPS –
PNWU –
Lake Washington –
Bates –
Whitworth OTD –