Frequently Asked Questions

Where can I find specific information about each award?

Select the title of each award to find a detailed description, and other information, including a list of past recipients.

Do I need to be a member of AOTA to nominate someone for an award?

Yes. All nominators must be current members in good standing of AOTA.

Does the person nominated need to be a member of AOTA?

  • Yes. All individuals being nominated for an award, including practitioners and students, must be current members in good standing of the Association at the time of the nomination and presentation of the award. For example, a nominee must be a current AOTA member in good standing in 2026 and in 2027 during the award’s presentation.
  • Nominated individuals for the Health Advocate Award or the Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Occupational Therapy are not required to be occupational therapy practitioners, students, or members of AOTA.

May I nominate myself?

No. Self-nominations are not permitted.

What if I want to surprise the person I am nominating?

There is a field on the nomination form to indicate that the nomination is confidential. AOTA will inform confidential nominators of winners before the public announcement on the website.

Can I use one nomination form for several members?

Group nominations are only permissible for the following awards:

  • Terry Brittell OTA/OT Partnership Award
  • Outstanding Student Advocate Award
  • Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Occupational Therapy
  • Interprofessional Collaboration Award

For all other awards, each nominee needs an individual nomination form for the committee to capture the full scope of each member’s specific experiences and contributions.

Am I allowed to submit more than one nomination for the same nominee to multiple award categories?

No. If you are nominating the same individual for more than one award, you must submit a separate narrative and statement to reflect the award [no more than 7-words] for each. Each submission should be tailored to the specific award criteria.

Can more than one member submit separate nominations, for the same individual, for the same award?

No. Multiple nominators should work together to submit a single nomination.

The instructions for a collaborative process for a single-nomination submission are below.

  • One primary nominator may log into the online submission site using their AOTA username and password.
  • The primary nominator can add additional nominators who can view and edit the nomination.
    • The nomination form will show a “Manage Collaborators” button at the top of the page.
    • Additional nominators may be added by clicking, “Add Collaborator” and entering first name, last name, and email address.
    • Only one user can edit a nomination at the same time to avoid accidentally overwriting information.
  • The primary nominator must submit and finalize the nomination.
  • Once an additional nominator is added, the nomination can be transferred to a new primary nominator and/or access can be removed.
  • The option to transfer or remove access is available when you log into the nomination form and view the list of “My Nominations” on the left side of the page under your name.
  • Names of additional nominators may be included on the nomination form.

What information is needed to complete a nomination?

AOTA awards recognize members of the Association who have excelled in professional contributions throughout their careers. It is difficult to thoroughly document professional contributions over time without input from the nominee. We suggest that nominators gather records that detail accomplishments and activities, such as a CV or résumé. Each nomination form is specific to the award selected, therefore the information described below may not be relevant to every award.

Nomination form

The nomination form is divided into sections, with instructions regarding what should be included. It is critically important for nominators to closely follow the instructions provided. Nominations should demonstrate evidence of the significant contributions made to the profession which may include, but not be limited to:

  • Publications (e.g., books, chapters, articles, newsletters) and funded grants
  • Oral presentations (e.g., workshops, in-services)
  • Online, digital, and social media contributions that extend beyond basic networking (e.g., websites, podcasts, applications)
  • Volunteer leadership participation in OT and non-OT related organizations (e.g., AOTA, state or local OT associations, state mental health board, Parkinson’s Association, local disability services board)

Important notes

Routine tasks or involvement that are required or expected as part of the nominee’s job (e.g., a faculty selection committee at the university or a quality improvement committee at the hospital) should not be included.

How do I print and save a copy of my nomination before or after I submit it?

When you log into the Online Submission Site, click on “My Nominations” on the left side of the page under your name to get a list of completed and in progress nominations. Options to edit, print, and delete a copy will appear next to the title and status of each nomination.

Why is a narrative required? My nominee is well known in the occupational therapy professional community.

The committee reviews each nomination using evidence submitted to ensure objectivity and a bias-free process. The written narrative describes the unique impact of each nominee’s contributions to the profession and reflects the “7-word impact statement” that provides a rationale for why the nominee is deserving of the award.

For example, a nomination for “Outstanding Contributions to Students and Fieldwork” is expected to describe how the nominee’s efforts advanced occupational therapy education and fieldwork in a unique manner, above and beyond what others may do routinely. Evidence included and articulated in the narrative should be thorough enough to demonstrate the nominee’s significant contributions to the profession of occupational therapy.

Can the “7-Word Statement” be more than seven words?

No. This should be a statement, not a list of attributes, and must directly reflect the content of the narrative statement and capture the significant impact of the individual(s) contributions. The Awards & Recognition Committee (ARC) reserves the right to modify statements as appropriate.

How many awards are given for each category?

All awards, other than FAOTA and ROH are limited to one award winner.

The Distinguished Educator Award and the Distinguished Fieldwork Educator Award are limited to one OT educator/fieldwork educator and one OTA educator/fieldwork educator for each award. There is one OT Award of Merit and one OTA Award of Merit winner.

Do you need to have a doctoral degree or be an educator to be nominated for the Roster of Fellows (FAOTA) or Roster of Honor (ROH)?

No. Educators, clinicians, administrators, and researchers are all eligible for nomination, and a doctoral degree is not required. Any AOTA member can nominate an occupational therapist for the Roster of Fellows or an occupational therapy assistant for the Roster of Honor.

Successful nominees must demonstrate significant contributions across multiple areas including:

  • Knowledge
  • Expertise
  • Leadership
  • Service
  • Advocacy
  • Guidance
  • Mentorship

Do you need to have a doctoral degree or be an educator to be nominated for the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award?

No. Any AOTA member can nominate an occupational therapist or occupational therapy assistant for the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship Award who has made substantial and lasting scholarly contributions to the profession. Educators, clinicians, administrators, and researchers are all eligible for the award nomination, and a doctoral degree is not required. The nominee shall have demonstrated dissemination of work through publication, presentation, teaching, and mentorship.

My nominee was not selected for an award. What should I do if I want to nominate them again? Is there an appeals process?

Each year, multiple award nominations are received, and the committee works diligently to select the most qualified nominees. The awards review process is based on specific criteria and is dependent upon what the nominee has accomplished and the quality of the information the nominator submits in writing. The review process allows for a wide variety of practice accomplishments and contributions for consideration. Due to the nature and spirit of the award process, appeals are not allowed.

When will award winners be announced, and when should they expect to receive their awards?

AOTA will formally notify individual nominees and respective nominators of their nomination status in November. Award winners are announced on AOTA’s website.

AOTA reserves the right to determine the specific event and location in which each award is presented during AOTA INSPIRE.

Can I submit a nomination after 12 pm, ET on the day of the deadline?

No. All nomination forms must be submitted by 11:59 am ET on the day of the deadline during business hours. We recommend that you submit nominations as early as possible within the nominating window.

Who do I contact if I have a question about the nomination process?

Please contact governance@aota.org with any questions.

 

Rev. 07/23/2026

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