Emeritus/Emerita Faculty

• Gordon Burton, Ph.D., OTR/L, Emeritus Professor,

  • Professor Burton, Ph.D., OTR/L, Emeritus Professor, retired from the Occupational TherapyDepartment as Chair in July, 2004. He earned his B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University, and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Syracuse University all in New York State. Dr. Burton worked manyyears in a variety of clinical settings with patients ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics. Some of the chapters the has written are in Pedretti's, Occupational Therapy Practice Skills for PhysicalDisabilities, and Early's, Physical Dysfunction Practice Skills for the Occupational Therapy Assistant. He is currently a section editor and contributor for the 6th edition of Umphred's textbook on Neurological Rehabilitation, and is also updating a chapter in a textbook for Physical Therapy assistants. Dr. Burton has published and presented papers related to physical disabilities locally, nationally and internationally. Dr. Burton is enjoying retirement, his children and grandchildren, travel, and a calmer lifestyle.

• Elizabeth Cara, PhD, OTR/L, MFCC

  • Emeritus Professor Liz Cara, PhD, OTR/L, MFCC, received her Certificate of Proficiency in occupational therapy from the University of Pennsylvania. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in History from Santa Clara University, a Master of Arts degree in Clinical Psychology from John F. Kennedy University and a PhD in Clinical Psychology from the Fielding Graduate University. Dr. Cara's clinical experience is primarily in mental health, infant mental health, and geriatric physical and mental health. She is the co-editor and co-author of a popular text, Psychosocial Occupational Therapy: A Clinical Practice, currently in its 3rd edition. She has published papers on clinical fieldwork, infant mental health, and Dian Fossey, the occupational therapist and primatologist, and also one of SJSU and occupational therapy’s most famous graduates. Dr. Cara was selected for San Jose State University's Teacher-Scholar program for 2006-2007, served for six years as President of the SJSU California Faculty Association for over 700 faculty members and represented CASA in the academic senate, 2012-2014. Her scholarly interests include psychobiography, clinical supervision, infant and family mental health, group dynamics, interpersonal communication, and psychosocial disorders, and causes and prevention of genocide. She has presented numerous papers and workshops nationally and internationally Dr. Cara is a native of San Francisco and fervent follower of the San Francisco Giants and 49'ers.

• Carolyn Glogoski, Ph.D, OTR/L

  • Emeritus Professor Carolyn Glogoski was an Associate Professor and earned a B.S. in occupational therapy at Eastern Michigan University and an M.S. degree in occupational therapy at San Jose State University. She obtained a combined M.S./ Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology from the Wright Institute in Berkeley. She has 30+ years of clinical experience in geriatrics, community mental health and case management, serving the seriously mentally ill, the homeless population and at risk adolescents and transition age young adults. She maintains an ongoing clinical practice one day a week. 

    Dr. Glogoski's research interests included community living competencies and mental health issues with older adults, person's with PTSD (post-traumatic stress disorder), homeless individuals and at risk youth. She is interested in how occupation can promote" aging in place", wellness, life style redesign and least restrictive living contexts. Very recent research interests involve exploring the effectiveness of animal assisted therapy and utilization of living skill evaluations to promote quality of life and independence.

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    Publications

    Master's Thesis
    Glogoski, C., 1987.  Self-report of occupational performance in community living skills of individuals with schizophrenia.  Master's thesis, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA. 

    Doctoral Dissertation
    Glogoski-Williams, C. (November, 1996).  Attachment styles and depression in a divorced population.  Published in Dissertation Abstracts International. The Wright Institute, Ph.D. Program in Clinical Psychology, Berkeley, CA.

    1.     Schultz-Krohn W., Foti, D.  & Glogoski, C (2018). Degenerative Diseases of The Central Nervous System. In Pendleton, H. McH. & Schultz-Krohn, W., (Eds.), Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction.  (8th ed.) Saint Louis: Elsevier.

    2.    Schultz-Krohn W., Foti, D.  & Glogoski, C (2011). Degenerative Diseases of The Central Nervous System. In Pendleton, H. McH. & Schultz-Krohn, W., (Eds.), Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction.  (7th ed.) Saint Louis: Mosby/Elsevier.

    3.   Glogoski, C. & Chan, M., (2006). The Special Needs and Issues of the Older Adult.. In Pendleton, H. McH. & Schultz-Krohn, W., (Eds.), Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction.  (6th ed.) Saint Louis: Mosby/Elsevier.

    4.   Glogoski, C., Milligan, N. & Wheatley, C. (2006). Evaluation & Treatment of Cognitive Dysfunction. In Pendleton, H. McH. & Schultz-Krohn, W., (Eds.), Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction.  (6th ed.)Saint Louis: Mosby/Elsevier.

    5.   Schultz-Krohn W., Foti, D.  & Glogoski, C (2006). Degenerative Diseases of The Central Nervous System. In Pendleton, H. McH. & Schultz-Krohn, W., (Eds.), Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction (6th ed.). Saint Louis: Mosby/Elsevier.

    6.  Glogoski, C. & Foti, D. (2001). Managing the Older Adult with Multiple Medical Problems. In L.W. Pedretti & M.B. Early (Eds.). Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction (5th edition). St. Louis: Mosby.

    6.   Schultz-Krohn, W., Foti, D. & Glogoski, C.,  (2001). Degenerative Diseases of the CNS.In L.W. Pedretti & M.B. Early (Eds.). Occupational Therapy: Practice skills for physical dysfunction (5th edition). St. Louis: Mosby.

    7.  Glogoski, C., 2000,  Recognition of depression in the older adult. Occupational Therapy and Mental Health Journal. NY: Hayworth Press.

    8.  Llorens, L. A., Umphred, D. B., Burton, G. U., & Glogoski-Williams, C., 1993, Ethnogeriatrics: Implications for occupational therapy and physical therapy. Physical and Occupational Therapy in Geriatrics. NY:  Hayworth Press 

    9.  Glogoski, C., Foti, D. & Covault, M., 1997.  Dementia. In E. Cara and A. McCrae (Eds.). Psychosocial Occupational Therapy. Delmar Press. 

    10. McCormack, G., Llorens, & Glogoski-Williams, C., 1991.  The Culturally Diverse Elderly. In J. M. Kiernat (Ed.), Occupational Therapy for Older Adults:  A Clinical Manual. Rockville, MD: Aspen Systems Corporation.

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    Presentations

    October, 2015  Barriers to older adults use of Public Transportation, Spring 2015 Student Research Poster session; OTAC Conference

    October, 2015  Co- Factors Affecting Master’s of Occupational Therapy Students’ attitudes towards person’s with mental illness. OTAC Conference

    September, 2013  What we don’t see: Sensory & information processing challenges in adults. SJSU OT Dept. 70th Anniversary, San Jose, CA

    June, 2013  Enjoying & engaging with challenging older adults. POTAC Conference, San Francisco General Hospital, San Francisco, CA

    October, 2009  “He is so hard to work with” Hidden Disability—Information Processing Impairments, OTAC Conference, Sacramento, CA

    October, 2008  Attachment Issues in Children & Adolescents: Thinking outside the box. OTAC Conference, Pasadena, CA

    September, 2001  Suicide: Recognition and Management. Student Occupational Therapy Conference, San Jose, CA

    February, 2001  Depression and Dementia: Implications for Occupational Therapists Psychiatric Occupational Therapy Action Coalition San Jose, CA

    June, 1999  Practical Tools And Designs For Creating New Daily Living Realities For the Aged And Adults With Disabilities. Child Welfare Training Institute, Santa Clara County Social Services Agency “Visions”, San Jose, CA.

    April, 1998  Depression and The Older Adult : Evaluation and Treatment Presented to the Monterey Bay Chapter of OTAC Aromas, CA.

    October, 1997  The Older Adult and Depression: Useful Approaches For All Practice Settings.  Presented at the 21st Annual Occupational Therapy Conference, Palm Springs, CA.

    June, 1997  Practical Tools And Designs For Creating New Daily Living Realities For Adults And Elders With Disabilities. Child Welfare Training Institute, Santa Clara County Social Services Agency “Visions”, San Jose, CA.

    April, 1997   Suicide Risk In The Non-Mental Health Client. Presented at the American Occupational Therapy 1997 Annual Conference and Exposition, Orlando, Florida.

    November, 1996  Suicide Risk In Special Populations: Decreasing Your Anxiety By Increasing Your Knowledge.  Presented at the 20th Annual Occupational Therapy Conference, Monterey, CA. 

• Amy Killingsworth, MA, OTR/L

  • Emeritus Professor Amy Killingsworth is from New York City. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy at New York University. She came to California shortly after completing her studies. Her area of clinical expertise is physical dysfunction. She has worked at Rancho Los Amigos Rehabilitation Center in Los Angeles, and a variety of long term care and skilled nursing facilities. She also has served as a consultant with several insurance companies on workman's compensation issues. Professor Killingsworth holds a Master' of Arts degree in Education with special emphasis on interpersonal relationships from San Francisco State University. Her research Interests include diversity in education, kinesiology, work hardening, job analysis, and ergonomics. She was honored by the Occupational Therapy Association of California with the Lifetime Achievement Award in 2009.

• Lela A. Williams 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.

• Lorraine Williams Pedretti

  • Lorraine Williams Pedretti, Emeritus Professor, graduated from New York University with a B.S. in O.T. and from San Jose State College with an M.S. in O.T. She taught in the O.T. Program at San Jose State University from 1968 to 1994. Lorraine enjoyed several professional roles in her career in occupational therapy. She practiced on the east coast for 8 years. She earned her master's degree at San Jose State College and became interested in teaching. After more clinical work on the east coast, she returned to San Jose State to assume a teaching position. Prof. Pedretti spent 26 years as a teacher and mentor to students. During that time she authored and edited five editions of an occupational therapy textbook, and produced several instructional videotapes that changed the way clinical skills were taught. After her retirement Lorraine became involved in teaching English as a Second Language and taught in the San Jose area for several years. She credits her professional colleagues at SJSU for her success as a teacher. She says: "I have had a rich and rewarding career as a therapist, teacher, writer and editor." Emeritus Professor Pedretti was awarded Department of Occupational Therapy Alumni of the Year in 2004 and her highly esteemed textbook "Pedretti's Occupational Therapy: Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction" is in its 9th Edition - continuing the tradition under the editorship of two San Jose State University OT faculty.

• Heidi McHugh Pendleton, Ph.D, OTR/L, FAOTA

  • Emeritus Professor Heidi Pendleton received a B.A. degree in English/Humanities from the University of California, Berkeley and earned her certificate in occupational therapy at San Jose State University. She completed a Master's degree in occupational therapy, and a PhD degree in Occupational Science from the University of Southern California. Her clinical experience is in physical dysfunction; eight years at Rancho Los Amigos Medical Center (most recently as a clinical instructor) and seven years as co-director of Project Threshold (a community-based program on environmental accessibility).

    Her research interests include independent living skills, friendship and its relation to occupation, women with disability who are aging, leisure skills with persons who have spinal cord injury, needlework and women's hobbies as occupations, and wrist-driven flexor hinge hand splints. In addition to teaching at San Jose State University (SJSU), she has been employed at Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford. She has served as the alternate delegate from Northern California to the Representative Assembly of the American Occupational Therapy Association. Dr. Pendleton was honored to be named as a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association and is a 2000-01 SJSU Teacher Scholar. For the past 12 years she has been a member of the Board of Directors of the California Foundation for Occupational Therapy serving as Co-Chair of the Research Advisory Board. Dr. Pendleton received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 2011 Annual Conference of the Occupational Therapy Association of California in Sacramento. She is the co-editor of the 6th, 7th, and 8th Edition of Pedretti’s Occupational Therapy: Practice Skills for Physical Dysfunction textbook.

    Dr. Pendleton completed her 4 year term as the Chair of the Occupational Therapy Department and returned to full time teaching Fall 2012. She is currently serving her 3rd two year term as Chair of the University Accommodations Review Board at San Jose State University.

• Pamela Richardson, Ph.D, OTR/L, FAOTA

  • Pamela Richardson earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington; a Master of Science degree in Rehabilitation Medicine and a Ph.D in Early Childhood Special Education/ Rehabilitation Medicine from the University of Washington, Seattle, Washington. She has had many years of experience, primarily in pediatrics, in a variety of settings, including private practice, early intervention, Head Start, public schools and as a consultant to several rural school districts in the Alaskan bush. Her research and clinical interests include social participation of children with disabilities, play-based and peer-mediated interventions, family-centered therapy services, occupational justice issues for youth, transition services for youth with autism, international occupational therapy practice, and online teaching. Dr. Richardson was on the National Board of Certification in Occupational Therapy and is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association. She was the OT Department's Post Professional Program Coordinator (until 2012) as well as the coordinator for the departmental study abroad program. Dr. Richardson was named the 2011 Honored Lecturer for the California Foundation for Occupational Therapy.

    Dr. Richardson was the Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy [Fall 2012 - Spring 2014]. She then assumed the Acting Associate Dean position (2014) for the College of Applied Sciences and Arts (CASA) and became the Associate Dean as of Spring 2016 until 2019. She was also the Interim Dean of the College of Health and Human Sciences (2019-20).

    Dr. Richarson was appointed as the SJSU WASC Accreditation Review Committee Chair and led campus preparations for the institutional self-study report submitted in Fall 2021. 

• Kathleen Barker Schwartz, Ed.D., O.T.R/L., F.A.O.T.A.

  • Emeritus Professor Kay Schwartz came to San Jose from Massachusetts where she was on the faculty of Tufts University for seven years. Dr. Schwartz has a Bachelor of Arts degree in English Literature from the University of Massachusetts, a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from Boston University Sargent College, and an Ed.D. from Harvard University. She has served as Chairperson of this department and as Chair of the Academic Senate of this University. Her occupational therapy experience includes physical rehabilitation, prevocational evaluation, clinical education and management. Research interests include the history of occupational therapy, clinical reasoning, education, and women in leadership. She is active in professional activities and has published numerous articles and has given many presentations related to the history of occupational therapy. She was named to the roster of Fellows of the American Occupational Therapy Association and was the 2009 Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecturer at the American Occupational Therapy Conference in Houston. She was named 2008 Honored Lecturer for the California Foundation for Occupational Therapy and delivered her presentation in Ontario, CA. Emeritus Professor Schwartz is the Keynote Speaker for the 2011 Occupational Therapy Association of California Conference - October 14th in Sacramento, California. She retired from San Jose State University in June 2011.

• Karen Diasio Serrett, Ph.D, OTR, FAOTA

  • Emeritus Professor Karen Diasio Serrett retired in 1999. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York City, her Master of Arts in Educational Psychology at Teachers College, Columbia University, and her doctorate in Organizational Psychology from Fielding Graduate University.

    Dr. Serrett initially practiced in psychiatric occupational therapy at Hillside Hospital in New York City, and after obtaining her Master’s degree, helped design the new Bachelor of Science degree at State University of New York, Downstate Medical Center. She next moved to a conjoint appointment at New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Occupational Therapy, where she taught psychiatric occupational therapy at the graduate level, while concurrently educating practicum and fieldwork students at NYS Psychiatric Institute. At Psychiatric Institute, she mentored a large staff and students from various universities in occupational therapy, art therapy, recreational therapy, rehabilitation counseling, and psychology as Director of Training in Rehabilitation.

    She moved to California to become Graduate Coordinator at San Jose State University, where she redesigned the graduate course offerings and was instrumental in launching the coordinated Certificate/Masters degree program.  She was founding editor of the scholarly journal Occupational Therapy in Mental Health, and edited a book, Historical and Philosophical Roots of Occupational Therapy. She has presented peer-reviewed papers and workshops at local, regional, national, and international levels, at conferences in occupational therapy, group psychotherapy, psychology, wellness in the workplace, systems science, and organizational development. She was awarded several research grants on a variety of topics, including two in management and leadership in occupational therapy, and one in the study of rites of passage, ritual, and ceremony as healing practices in three different groups: occupational therapists, other professionals, and shamans. She received a grant to offer “Bringing Leadership to your Roles” workshop for faculty and staff at SJSU. In organizational consulting, she has worked as a consultant with Fortune 500 companies, nonprofit organizations, hospitals, and communities. Her doctoral dissertation, Improving Quality of Thinking in Organizations, was published privately and received an international readership, and was presented in Monterrey, Mexico at an Organizational Development Congress.

    She was selected as a Charter Member of Distinguished Alumni at Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, and awarded the Certificate of Merit from New York State Occupational Therapy Association. She was also selected a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association for “application of systems theory to occupational therapy education, management, and practice.” She received an award from the American Occupational Therapy Association for contributions to occupational therapy education.

    After retirement, she moved to Groveland, CA where she helped reestablish a community/senior center, served on 3 boards of directors, and obtained a $50,000 grant to launch the senior center after helping obtain space from the county. She also wrote a Community Visioning Document for the town as part of a community-wide improvement effort initially sponsored by Yosemite National Park. She served on a committee to improve healthcare services for Groveland and was instrumental in successfully preserving the local rehabilitation center owned by the County and scheduled for closure, through a community effort to find private ownership for the center. In 2009 she moved to Ashland, Oregon, where she enjoys hobbies including attending plays, concerts, OLLI classes, painting, being a whippet lover, singing in the Peace Choir, and enjoying time with her family.

• Marti Southam, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA

  • Emeritus Professor Marti Southam retired from the Occupational Therapy Department and Chair position in August, 2008. She earned a B.S. in Occupational Therapy at the University of Florida, a M.A. in Education (Instructional Technology) at San Jose State University, and a Ph.D. in Human Science at Saybrook Graduate School, San Francisco. Dr. Southam served as the Northern California Representative to the American Occupational Therapy Association and has given years of service to the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC). She is a Fellow of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Dr. Southam was selected as the 2006 Honored Lecturer for the California Foundation for Occupational Therapy (CFOT). She has many years of experience in a variety of clinical settings with patients ranging from pediatrics to geriatrics. Dr. Southam has published and presented papers related to humor, pain management and leisure occupations locally, nationally and internationally. Dr. Southam is enjoying retirement, her grandchildren, continued volunteer work and a calmer lifestyle.

In Memoriam

Lorraine Williams Pedretti

(In Memoriam, November 12, 2024)

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] [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.

Guy McCormack, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
(In Memoriam, July 22, 2024)

Dr. Guy McCormack, a compassionate mentor and visionary leader in occupational therapy, profoundly shaped the profession with his innovative contributions and his gentle guiding spirit, passed away peacefully on July 22, 2024, in San Francisco. Guy is survived by his wife Norma McCormack, married 38 years and two sons and spouse (Guyon McCormack of Los Angeles, CA; Devin and spouse Claire McCormack of San Francisco, CA). Also survived by brother Alan McCormack of San Diego CA and sisters Eileen Luongo of Port St Lucie, Florida, and Anna Kip of Poughkeepsie, NY. Continue reading here [pdf]....

Anne MacRae

(In Memoriam, May 23, 2021)

Dr. Macrae, PhD, OTR/L, BCMH, FAOTA, was a member of the SJSU faculty for over 30 years. She was the director of the post-professional master’s program and supervisor of the psychosocial occupational therapy clinic for more than 20 years. Anne was a gifted and well-respected instructor and a mentor to many who went on to work in the area of mental health. In 1997, she received the prestigious Fulbright Scholarship and as a Fulbright Fellow she taught and provided curriculum consultation at the University of Malta. Anne developed a deep love for Malta and would return there many times over the years to work with the occupational therapists at the University and through the Malta Mental Health Service.  

Dr. Macrae has many publications to her credit and co-edited 4 editions of the internationally recognized textbook, Psychosocial Occupational Therapy: An Evolving Practice. She was in the process of completing the 5th edition at the time of her passing.

Dr. Macrae received many recognitions and honors during her long career as an occupational therapist and scholar. Most recently she received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Occupational Therapy Association of California for her service and dedication to the profession.

Dr. MacRae received her PhD in Human Science at Saybrook Graduate School, her Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from San Jose State University, and Bachelor of Arts degree in Education from Antioch College. Her primary clinical experience was in the area of mental health and she held the advanced practice board certification in mental health from AOTA. Dr. MacRae was also the recipient of multiple Fulbright Fellowships and had an extensive background in cross-cultural and international consultation. She was a full professor in the Occupational Therapy program at SJSU and a consultant/practitioner for a Northern California behavioral health service. Past positions included coordinator of the SJSU post-professional (distance) program and international advisor.

Her past research, scholarly and practice interests included cultural diversity, occupational justice, phenomenology, all aspects of education, recovery and wellness models, environmental and contextual issues in intervention, collaborative models of treatment, community practice, and functional deficits of psychiatric symptoms.

Dr. Anne Macrae passed away peacefully on May 23, 2021. She was in her home, surrounded by her family who held her close with their love. Anne will be deeply missed by the many people whose lives she has touched.