Kimberly Lucchese and Michal Movashov, two BS/MS OT students at LIU Brooklyn interview LIU OT alum Alexandra Godiva, owner of OT Dance Studio. She can be reached at otdancestudio.com or on IG @otdancestudio .

Christopher Marotta is an Occupational Therapist currently working at the Henry Viscardi School in Albertson, NY. He has gained a wealth of experience throughout his career, working in many pediatric and adult settings, including St. Charles Hospital. However, Christopher's passion is assistive technology. He enjoys the challenge of problem solving, making adaptations and creating modifications to enable independent access to support participation in functional performance contexts across the lifespan. He shares this knowledge and experience when he teaches and presents.

Christopher is an adjunct professor for courses on the topic of assistive technology at SUNY Stony Brook and Touro University. He earned his B.S.in Occupational Therapy and Health Sciences from SUNY Stony Brook in 2002 and returned to complete his M.S. in Occupational Therapy from Misericordia University in 2012.

He is currently pursuing his Doctorate in Occupational Therapy with Touro University. Christopher is a co-leader of the NYC chapter of Makers Making Change, an organization that links AT makers with people in need for adaptations and assistive technology devices.

Marlon Sobol is a professional percussionist and board certified music therapist who has performed extensively throughout the world.

Sobol’s musical pedigree runs in the family. His father was a master clarinetist, concert producer, and educator and his mother is a concert pianist, as well as a music teacher for special learners. The younger Sobol has shared the stage with musical legends Richie Havens(Woodstock 1969), David Amram(Manchurian Candidate), and Candido Camero(2008 NEA Jazz Master). Sobol was featured on the Grammy nominated album, "Youth", and has performed at Madison Square Garden and appeared on the Carson Daly Show. He is the percussionist in Afro-Beat Jazz band “Zion 80,” whom the NY Times has hailed as a "truly soulful experience!" Sobol toured Europe performing at the Sarajevo Jazz Festival in Bosnia and at “Porgy and Bess” Jazz Club in Vienna, Austria.

His work as both musician and music therapist have been featured in "DRUM!" Magazine; in "Preserving Your Memory" Magazine; in the Journal News, on Armand Dimele's, "The Positive Mind," and NPR's "Soundcheck" with John Schaefer.

Marlon is currently the Executive Director of Komitoms, Inc. His live and online video programs are being used in assisted living homes and nursing centers throughout the tristate area. He is releasing a 5 song album called Geula Vision under the Moshe Sobol Band.

He can be reached at 516-457-5390 or msobol@komitoms.com

Jessica Peterson, OTR, MSOT and Gayle Schwee, OTR, MOT co-founded Matresecence Occupational Therapy to provide community-based OT services to support clients during the transition to motherhood. They started this practice to fill a gap in maternal and perinatal health and wellness during a time of physical, hormonal, and psychological changes in a mother's life.

Jessica is an occupational therapist, mother of two, and aerial hobbyist. Born and raised in southern California, Jessica moved to Austin, TX after finishing grad school and has over a decade of experience in SNF and acute care. Jessica is currently a post-professional doctoral student at Boston University. Her capstone project came out of the realization that occupations of motherhood were rarely directly addressed by OTs. Jessica is in the process of developing a resource and education website for OT practitioners working with parents with physical disabilities.

Gayle is a born and raised Texan with Filipinx roots. Occupational therapy became her second career when she realized she was inclined to be a care provider. Her most recent clinical experience is in acute care in Austin, Texas, where she met Jessica. With the birth of her first child during the beginning of the pandemic, Gayle's passion has shifted to advocating for and empowering the birthing person through the transition from pregnancy to parent.

Through Matrescence OT, Jessica and Gayle are bringing occupational therapy services to mothers in their community to address barriers during the physical, psychological, and personal transformation of motherhood. They can be reached at www.matrescenceOT.com or hello@matrescenceOT.com. They can be found on social media @matrescence_ot.

Clarice Grote, MS, OTR/L, is an occupational therapist, health policy consultant, and the Founder and CEO of Amplify OT. Amplify OT is a company dedicated to promoting the profession of occupational therapy and its practitioners through education on health policy, quality, and advocacy. She has contributed to several publicans and presentations on Medicare policy, value-based care, federal legislation, and advocacy.

Clarice can be reached at www.amplifyot.com or cgrote@amplifyot.com. She can be found on social media @amplify_ot 

Links for the notes:

    •    The Amplify OT Podcast - can be found on any podcast app

    •    Mastering OT Policy & Medicare - Doors open on October 10th

    •    Amplify OT Newsletter

In this episode Dr. Robin Akselrud discusses her new role as interim program Director at LIU Brooklyn and the challenge of the transition

Monique Chabot, OTD, MS, OTR/L specializes in geriatrics, Living in Place and design. She has worked in a variety of settings over the course of her career. Monique received her Bachelor of Science in Rehabilitation Studies from University of North Texas, Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University and her Doctoral degree in Occupational Therapy from Boston University. Monique is currently pursuing a PhD at Jefferson East Falls. 

When she is not working as a clinician or completing school work, Monqiue enjoys gardening and growing vegetables. She spends a great deal of time completing knitting, sewing and embroidery. Monique also plays the violin and accordion with a string band for the Mummers in Philadelphia. 

Monique can be reached via email at mocchabot@yahoo.com.

All the best,

The CHRG Therapy Team

Meera Raval Deters, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCTS, ACAS is the owner of Super Speech Solutions, a concierge practice that provides in home and online Speech Therapy to Houstonians and Texans. Meera received her Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Our Lady of the Lake University in 2006. She has worked in a variety of settings over the past fourteen years. Meera specializes in accent modification and child language, with an emphasis on autism.

Meera can be reached on her Facebook and Linkedin at Super Speech Solutions LLC, instagram at Super Speech Solutions, or her website: superspeechsolutions.com

All the best,

The CHRG Therapy Team