UOTA 2026 Elections Ballot

Voting ends Monday, 5/4/2026.

Each member may only vote once. Scroll down to see bios of each nominee.

Nominees

President Elect:

Lynn Farley, OTD, OTR/L

I am an occupational therapist and educator currently serving as Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and full-time faculty in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Baccalaureate program at Utah Valley University. I bring a strong background in mental health and occupational therapy education, with a passion for preparing future practitioners to deliver meaningful, client-centered care, and I genuinely love the work I get to do each day!

I have served UOTA in various volunteer roles since 2015, including the past two terms as Vice President. During that time, I’ve had the opportunity to help grow our annual conference and expand continuing education offerings to better support practitioners across Utah. I’ve also been honored to contribute to efforts that created and passed legislation strengthening occupational therapy practice statewide.

These experiences have deepened my commitment to our profession and shaped my vision for the future of UOTA.

As President-Elect, my focus will be to continue strengthening UOTA’s role in serving our members, promoting the wonderful things about OT in our state, and advocating for policies that support and advance occupational therapy across Utah.

I’m passionate about building connections, bringing people together, and supporting practitioners in every stage and setting of their careers.

I would truly appreciate your support and your vote. It is an honor to serve this community.

Vice President:

Robyn M. Thompson, PhD, OTR/L

Robyn Thompson is an occupational therapist, educator, and program leader with over 25 years of experience advancing occupational therapy practice, education, and advocacy. She currently serves as Program Director and Assistant Professor for the developing Occupational Therapy Assistant program at Weber State University, where she focuses on innovative, community-engaged education and preparing future practitioners.

Her career spans pediatric, school-based, and adult and pediatric-based medical settings, along with extensive experience in higher education, program development, and workforce initiatives across Utah. A long-time member of the Utah Occupational Therapy Association, Robyn has served on the Government Affairs Committee and as Chair of the Pediatric Special Interest Section, has presented at several UOTA conferences, and received the UOTA Excellence in Practice Award.

Robyn is passionate about advocacy, collaboration, and strengthening the OT community. She has served on the Utah Department of Professional Licensing board and is seeking the role of Vice President to support practitioners across the state, contribute to strategic initiatives, and help advance the future of occupational therapy in Utah.

Dayraliz Lopez-Alicea, OTD, MOTR/L

Dayraliz Lopez-Alicea, OTD, MOTR/L is a Lead School-Based Occupational Therapist with extensive experience serving students ages 3–21 across school, early intervention, and pediatric settings. Her clinical background also includes acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, and telehealth, with this breadth of experience shaped in part by multiple military relocations that provided opportunities to practice in diverse settings and communities. Dayraliz is passionate about mentorship, leadership, and advancing occupational therapy practice. She has served as a fieldwork educator, clinical mentor, and guest lecturer, and values creating opportunities that support professional growth, collaboration, and the development of clinical reasoning skills. She is an active member of AOTA and UOTA and has been involved in advocacy efforts that support the visibility and advancement of the profession.

Her vision for this role is to promote a more inclusive and culturally responsive occupational therapy community in Utah while strengthening member engagement and collaboration across practice settings. She is particularly passionate about supporting the growth of emerging professionals, including OTA and doctoral-level students, and creating pathways for mentorship, leadership, and professional involvement. As she continues to pursue a transition into academia, she is committed to contributing to the development of future practitioners and advancing the profession through education, advocacy, and connection across the OT community.

Treasurer:

Jocelyn (Jocee) Burr MOT, OTR/L

Jocelyn (Jocee) Burr MOT, OTR/L is a practicing occupational therapist working with youth ages 6-18 at the Utah State Hospital. As an OT, my practice interests lie in social development, sensory regulation, and age-appropriate life skill expansion. I have completed trainings to provide specific interventions for Tics / Tourette's Disorders (CBIT) and sensory-focused, trauma-informed care. I am also interested in promoting occupational justice, facilitating parent/caregiver education to maximize outcomes, and providing opportunities for "meaningful doing" in a restrictive setting where participation in everyday activities is limited. I believe my passion for occupational therapy as a profession and love of a well organized spreadsheet makes me a perfect fit for UOTA treasurer!

 Jean Carlson, COTA/L

Born In Indianapolis, Indiana. Married to Fred for over 32 years. We have 4 children with a grandchild on the way. Moved to Utah in 2006, thanks to the Air Force, and we have made North Ogden, Utah our home ever since then. Obtained my associates degree in OTA at Northwest Technical College in East Grand Forks, Minnesota in 1998. Have worked in skilled nursing, acute rehab, and schools. I currently work for Weber School District.

My goal is to help UOTA be financially transparent, stable, and efficient for our members.

Member at Large:

Natalie Miner, MS, OTR/L, CPAM

Natalie Miner, MS, OTR/L, CPAM is an acute care occupational therapist with advanced training in critical care rehabilitation. She completed a specialized fellowship at Johns Hopkins Hospital, where she gained experience across a Level 1 trauma center managing complex medical, surgical, neurological, and critical care populations. Her clinical work emphasizes early mobility, neurorehabilitation, and functional cognitive interventions, alongside interdisciplinary collaboration to improve patient outcomes. She has also contributed to clinical research and quality improvement initiatives focused on advancing mobility practices in acute care settings. She is passionate about advocating for occupational therapy and expanding its role in complex medical environments, with a particular interest in elevating rehabilitation and emerging practice areas. She is motivated to strengthen communication, increase visibility of practice areas, and promote meaningful engagement and collaboration among occupational therapy professionals across Utah.

Meena Iyer, PhD, OTR/L

I am a practitioner, researcher, and educator of Occupational Therapy. Currently, I am a practitioner doing pro bono service in St. George. I specialize in working with older adults to keep them aging in place and participating in their communities.

I have been a research fellow, working on mechanisms of neuroplasticity, at the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health. I have also successfully applied for grants related to the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning. More recently, I was the Founding Director of the Occupational Therapy Doctoral Program at Utah Tech University. Currently, in addition to my practice with older adults, I am the Utah Representative to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) Representative Assembly, I am on AOTA’s Roster of Approved Program Reviewers, and I am an (remote) adjunct faculty at University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston.

As I wrap up my three-year term as Utah’s representative to AOTA’s Representative Assembly, I have been reflecting on ways to stay connected and continue to serve our state and the profession. I realize that during the last 3 years, I didn’t have an opportunity to implement all the ideas I had to engage with Utah OT practitioners to bridge gaps between practitioners and leadership, promote advocacy, professional growth and membership recruitment and retention. So, I am interested in running for the Member-at-Large position to continue my efforts.  I enjoy working with UOTA board members, and members, and would look forward to the opportunity to continue to do so in this new role. I would make it a priority to connect with members and make sure we are doing all we can to enhance the benefits of being an UOTA member.