Alumni

80th Anniversary - Welcome and Keynote

Department of Occupational Therapy's 80th Anniversary Keynote Speakers

• Dr. Lela Llorens

  • Dr. Lela Llorens, Emeritus Professor, earned the Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Western Michigan University; a Master of Arts degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan; a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Walden University; and a Certificate in Gerontology from San Jose State University.

    Dr. Llorens’ professional career has covered over fifty years. Her positions have included experience as a clinician, researcher, writer, editor, consultant, teacher, and administrator. In addition to the Professor Emerita assignation by San Jose State, Dr. Llorens is a Core Faculty Emerita of the Stanford Geriatric Education Center. Academic positions held by Dr. Llorens include Professor, Chair and Graduate Coordinator in the Departments of Occupational Therapy at San Jose State and the University of Florida and Adjunct Faculty of the University of Southern California. For three years prior to retirement from San Jose State, Dr. Llorens served as Associate Academic Vice President for Faculty Affairs. Dr. Llorens’ clinical practice experience includes Consultant on the Comprehensive Child Care Project in San Francisco, Head of Occupational Therapy at the Lafayette Clinic in Detroit which included teaching at Wayne State University, staff therapist at Northville State and Wayne County General Hospitals in Michigan. She holds a seat on the Editorial Board of the Occupational Therapy in Mental Health Journal.

    Dr. Llorens has contributed extensively to the published literature in Occupational Therapy; also in Allied Health and Gerontology. Her work spans the life cycle. The most enduring work emanated from her Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture, “Facilitating Growth and Development: The Promise of Occupational Therapy”. This work has been expanded and published in a book by Dr. Lynne La Corte entitled, New and ExpandedNeuropsychosocial Concepts Complementary to Llorens’ Developmental Theory. Dr. Llorens’ work on occupational adaptation significantly influenced the development of the Occupational Therapy doctoral degree program at Texas Woman’s University. The Blagg-Huey Library at Texas Woman’s University is also the Archival Depository for her professional papers and personal artifacts.

    Dr. Llorens’ service to the profession includes numerous professional presentations and consultations as faculty, workshop presenter, visiting/distinguished lecturer, visiting scientist, keynote speaker, discussant, moderator, and/or facilitator. She served as Project Director and/or Evaluator on several Rehabilitation, Health and Human Services, and Administration on Aging grants. In addition, she served on 8 doctoral and 125 master’s degree committees for students in occupational therapy and allied health fields. In retirement, Dr. Llorens has continued to mentor younger colleagues.

    Dr. Llorens has received numerous honors. Occupational Therapy awards include: the Award of Merit, the Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lectureship, and the Roster of Fellows of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA); the Certificate of Appreciation, the A. Jean Ayres Award, the AOTF Meritorious Service Award from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation and the AOTF Lela Llorens Fellowship Endowment; The California Foundation of Occupational Therapy Lectureship and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Occupational Therapy Association of California; the Wilma West Lectureship from the University of Southern California, Department of Occupational Therapy; the Fanny B. Vanderkooi Lectureship from Texas Woman’s University; the Sadie Philcox Lectureship, University of Queensland, Department of Occupational Therapy, Brisbane, Australia; and the AOTA and AOTF President’s Commendation in honor of Wilma L. West.

    The University Of Texas Medical Branch Occupational Therapy Class of 1976 was dedicated as the Lela A. Llorens Class in honor of “Outstanding Contributions to the Profession”. Dr. Llorens was inducted into Pi Theta Epsilon, the Occupational Therapy Honor Fraternity, as an honorary member at Wayne State University and honored by students at the University of Southern California with their chapter insignia, as well. She was inducted into Eta Rho Pi Health Professions Honor Society at the University of Florida and into Golden Key National and Phi Kappa Phi Honor Fraternities at San Jose State Universisty. The Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA) and the California Occupational Therapy Associations have awarded Honorary Lifetime Memberships to Dr. Llorens. The FOTA also created a Research Fund in her name. Community Awards include: Tribute to Women In Industry by the YWCA and San Jose Mercury News, San Jose; Woman of Distinction, Soroptomist International, Inc, Santa Clara Chapter, San Jose; Certificate of Merit, Michigan State Senate; Appreciation Award, Black Occupational Therapy Caucus, Detroit, Michigan; and Headliner Award, Women of Wayne Alumni, Wayne State University, Detroit, Michigan; “Westsiders Icon”, Detroit, Michigan, and election to the Wall of Distinction by the Office of Minority Student Services at Western Michigan University.

    Upon graduation from WMU, Dr. Llorens (Lela Williams) received the Marion R. Spear Award in Occupational Therapy. As an alumna, Dr. Llorens was honored by Western Michigan University with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987 and the Western Michigan University Foundation has created the Lela Williams Llorens Scholarship which will be awarded through the Department of Occupational Therapy.

    Dr. Lela Llorens received the California Foundation of Occupational Therapy (CFOT) 2016 Honored Lecturer award.  She was the Honored Lecturer in 1985 and spoke on the 35th anniversary of the CFOT.

• Dr. Penny Kyler

  • Panelpha “Penny” Kyler’s career expands well beyond the banks of her undergraduate degree in occupational therapy to also encompass moral theology (ethics) public health and the study of genetics and its application to occupational therapy, health, and public health. Presently, she resides in San Jose, Calif. She is retired from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) in San Francisco, where she assisted states receiving grants for implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in maternal infant and early childhood evidence-based home visiting services. Previously, as director of the Blood Disorders program she oversaw grants and contracts that focused on hemophilia and other blood disorders. She also oversaw translational genetics education grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements for providing access to genetic education, resources and services for underserved and under-represented communities, and for health and public health professionals.

    Prior to her career in HRSA, Dr. Kyler was the first ethics program officer for the American Occupational Therapy Association. As a clinician she provided direct patient services at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, MD. She was recruited by Ruth Brunyate Wiemer to work in the State of Maryland system. Working with Gail Fidler to improve services in the mental health facilities she ultimately rose to be the Chief of Rehabilitation Services for the Maryland
    Department of Health and Mental Hygiene providing administration and Management oversight to the 13 Maryland Mental Hospitals. While in Maryland she was active in the Maryland Occupational Therapy Association, (MOTA) serving as President, Alternate Representative and Trustee, and serving the state on the Licensure Board. She is currently active in the OT Leaders and Legacy Society serving on the history committee. As an AOTA member, Dr Kyler was
    student president of American Student Committee Occupational Therapy Association (ASCOTA), Practice Representative for the Commission on Standards and Ethics and Director for the Executive Board of AOTA.

Hands of Change

Hands of Change is the Alumni Association of San Jose State University Department of Occupational Therapy. Its mission is to provide a bridge between its members and the department, promote a sense of unity, and provide opportunities for networking and mentoring while acting as a resource to enhance knowledge and growth.

Purposes of the Alumni Association

• Provide guidance and support to the members
• Serve as a resource to its members
• Networking
• Provide mentoring to students of SJSU's Department of Occupational Therapy
• Visit and keep track of friends and faculty
• Promote ongoing communication with the SJSU's Department of Occupational Therapy
• Support the department
• Support curriculum revision
• Support research
• Provide recognition of significant events and people

Goals of the Alumni Association

• To maintain an updated database
• To establish membership dues and donations
• To hold Alumni Reception events at the annual OTAC Conference
• To develop an alumni contact list
• To raise funds for scholarships to students
• To raise funds for Department upgrading
• To receive funds/support from vendors

If you believe that San Jose State University and the Occupational Therapy Department contributed to, or were instrumental in your professional development and ultimate financial success, please help us now with a generous financial contribution. There is no more important time to give than now and there is no more important investment you could be making in your profession than to give back to the school and program of which you can be proud. Consider making a gift to the department in honor today.

Give online now to the OT Department

Have more questions? Contact the Alumni Association at 408-924-3070.

2024 Alumni Donation Letter Request [pdf]

Recognition of the Amazing Donors to the SJSU Occupational Therapy Department

The faculty, staff and students of the Department of Occupational Therapy at San Jose State University wish to thank and recognize all of our esteemed alumni and donor friends who have contributed over the past year! We are grateful for your support and commitment. Your donations directly enrich and impact our department’s innovative programs of excellence in education, research and practice in occupational therapy and has been instrumental in continuing the academic excellence that is the San Jose State University Occupational Therapy Department.

List of endowed scholarships [pdf] 
Testimonials of Student Scholarship Recipients [pdf]

Our Endowed “Diamond” Donors:

These donors have made a large endowed donation to support the OT department on an ongoing basis – this provides continuous support!

• Mary Booth created the Mary Booth Scholarships [pdf]
• Dr. Donald and Mrs. Donna Friedrich created the Wynn Schultz-Krohn Scholarships [pdf]
• Bonita Kraft created the Bonita Kraft Scholarship [pdf]
• Susan Robertson created the Occupational Therapy Professional Development Fund and in the process of funding the Susan Robertson Endowed Chair position.

2022/23 Donors

We would also like to recognize each designated donor level from alums and supporters this year (2022/23).

Diamond Donors with a donation of over $500

Dr. Donald and Mrs. Donna Friedrich
Bonita Kraft
Mr. Steven Leung and Ms. Grace Wong-Leung
Lela A. Llorens, PhD
Mr. Reaugh And Ms. Lovitt
Heidi Pendleton, PhD
Grace M. Sanchez

Gold Donors with a donation of $300 to $499

Ruth Anne Humphry

Silver Donors with a donation of $200 to $299

Lisbeth Geertsen
Mr. Dwight and Mrs. June Lubich
Ms. Marie A. Pelletier-Hartwig
Jean (Nakashima) Sakoda

Bronze Donors with a donation of $150 to $199

Lesley Paige

Past Donors

• 2021/22 [pdf]
• 2020/21 [pdf]
• 2019/20 [pdf]
• 2018/19 [pdf]

• Alumna Dr. Susan Robertson received the 2020 OTAC Award of Appreciation for long standing support to the profession! This is a great honor to see our very generous alum receive this award!
• Alumnus Dr. Shawn Phipps (SJSU Post-professional MSOT program) was chosen as the Honored Lecturer at the CFOT Awards Luncheon and Symposium's 38th anniversary in October 2019.
• Alumna Dr. Gigi Smith (SJSU Post-professional MSOT program) was chosen as the Honored Lecturer at the CFOT Awards Luncheon and Symposium's 37th anniversary in October 2018.
• Alumna Beth Ching (BS in OT, 1985) is an Assistant Professor in the OTD program at Samuel Merritt and has received the Interprofessional Collaboration Award at the 2017 AOTA Annual Conference. Her award will acknowledge her skills: Making Space for Everyone at the Table.
• Congratulations to Lecturer Alison George, graduate of SJSU with a masters of science degree from the OT Dept., who received the Provost Award for recognition of supporting the OT Department in working on the Departmental Writing Standards.    
• A graduate from the SJSU Distance MSOT program, alumna Apple Sepulveda, received a Robert Wood Johnson Foundation Grant to work with health professionals in the Philippines. Dr. Pamela Richardson worked with this student on her graduate project and would be able to provide additional information about this grant.

Remembering and Honoring Lorraine Williams Pedretti
Class of 1964

On November 12, 2024, the Occupational Therapy profession has lost one of its legendary pillars, Lorraine Williams Pedretti, a 1964 graduate of then San José State College. Emeritus Professor Pedretti was a beloved SJSU OT Department faculty member from 1968-1994 and was the San Jose State University OT Distinguished Alumna of the Year for 2004. We were fortunate to have such a stellar OT in our department history.

Lorraine pioneered publication of quality educational resources aimed at developing cutting-edge practice skills for occupational therapy with persons who have physical disabilities. She demonstrated influential leadership through the creation of one of the first (now 9th edition) and most highly regarded national/international textbooks devoted to occupational therapy for persons with physical disabilities – Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction. Lorraine was also among the first to develop and publish cutting-edge educational resources including study-guides and multi-media self-paced learning modules thus improving the lives of those with physical disabilities through skilled OT.  

She was nominated by Dr. Heidi Pendleton [pdf] for consideration to be one of the 100 most Influential people in Occupational Therapy's 100-year history and was selected and honored at the centennial Celebration at the AOTA Conference in Philadelphia 2017.

Remembering and Honoring Dr. Alice Kibele, SJSU 
Class of 1965 (BS), 1986 (MS) 

We also lost a dear former faculty and 1997 Distinguished Alumna this year (2024), Dr. Alice Kibele, who made tremendous contributions to the profession and community with her expertise in pediatric occupational therapy. She authored many articles and given numerous professional presentations in her lifetime.

Remembering and Honoring Lois Marie Barber, OTR, FAOTA, SJSU
Class of 1952 by Dr. Heidi M. Pendleton

In late November 2022, the profession of Occupational Therapy lost a wonderful leader. Lois Marie Barber, a 1952 graduate of then San Jose State College was the San Jose State University OT Distinguished Alumna of the Year [pdf] for 2000. We were fortunate to have such a stellar OT in our department history. Master OT practitioner, kind and patient teacher and mentor to hundreds, inventor, entrepreneur, craftswoman, environmentalist, advocate for justice, philanthropist, dog lover and rescuer, whale and dolphin watcher from her beautiful home overlooking the Pacific in Shell Beach - Lois was an exemplar of living a life full of meaningful occupation. Lois died after a brief illness surrounded by her many lifelong friends and loving neighbors. I only wish that you all could have known her!

It was an honor to nominate Lois for consideration for the 100 Most Influential Occupational Therapy Leaders [pdf] of the last 100 Years. Though she eschewed drawing attention to herself she eventually relented and even expressed “it was kind of nice to be recognized”! Lois was unanimously selected and was honored at the Centennial Celebration at the AOTA Conference in Philadelphia 2017.

(Broad Street Pump Award from Physicians for Social Responsibility - one of Lois's award for her environmental and peace activism featured in OT Week article [pdf] from December 17, 1992 and prs.org)

Remembering Susan J. Harris

Susan J. Harris, an esteemed colleague and SJSU Alum, passed away on January 20, 2020.

For those who have not heard of Sue Harris, she was one of the first OTs to start an OT company and it grew into an amazing company. She was a big advocate for OTs having a voice in the political arena and always supported the OTACPAC. She was also named the 2008 SJSU OT Dept. Distinguished Alumni and was one of our Diamond Level Donors. And in 2018 at the OTAC Conference, Susan Harris was the honoree for the Lifetime Achievement Award. Here's Susan J. Harris Obituary.

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