Barbara A. Rider Colloquium
Speakers
Gary Kielhofner, DrPH, OTR/L, FAOTA
Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Personal Biography
Doctor Gary Kielhofner has degrees in psychology, occupational therapy and public health. He is professor of occupational therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC). His research is closely tied to clinical practice. Gary Kielhofner is author and publisher of 17 books and over 100 professional articles.
Renee Taylor, Ph.D.
Psychologist and Professor of Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago
Personal Biography
Psychologist, Doctor Renee Taylor has 17 years of experience as a psychotherapist and researcher. She is a professor within the department of occupational therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago where she teaches and does research. She is author of numerous articles and 5 books in the fields of psychology, health, and occupational therapy.
Margy Hunter, MA, MS, LLP, OTR
Margy Hunter currently works as a painter, community artist, and an oc
cupational therapist. She has a Masters in Science (Occupational Therapy) from Western Michigan University, a masters in Counseling Psychology from Western Michigan University and a Bachelor of Arts from University of Michigan. She spent the last 13 years as an art teacher in the Kalamazoo Public Schools working with at-risk teens in community based projects and as O.T. and Psychologist. This year she has been a full time faculty member at Western Michigan University's O.T. Dept. while having a web site built for her work in therapy, art and creativity from an Kalamazoo Arts Council Grant.
Lela A. Williams Llorens, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA 
Dr. Lela Llorens is a recognized leader in the field of occupational therapy. She is an alumna of Western Michigan University where she earned the Bachelor of Science degree. She went on to earn a Master of Arts degree in Vocational Rehabilitation from Wayne State University in Detroit, a Doctor of Philosophy degree from Walden University, and a Certificate in Gerontology from San Jose State University.
Dr. Llorens’ career has covered more than fifty years and has included experience as a clinician, administrator, researcher, writer, editor, consultant and teacher. She is an Emeritus Professor of San Jose State , Emeritus Core Faculty of the Stanford Geriatric Education Center, and more recently, Adjunct Faculty of the University of Southern California. She was formerly Chair and Graduate Coordinator in the Departments of Occupational Therapy at San Jose State and the University of Florida. For three years before retirement from San Jose State, Dr. Llorens served as Associate Academic Vice President for Faculty Affairs. Dr. Llorens’ 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.
Dr. Llorens has contributed extensively to the published literature in Occupational Therapy and also in Gerontology. Her work spans the life cycle. The most lasting has emanated from her Eleanor Clarke Slagle Lecture, “Facilitating Growth and Development: The Promise of Occupational Therapy”. This work has been expanded and published recently in a book by Dr. Lynne La Corte entitled, “New and Expanded Neuropsychosocial Concepts Complementary to Llorens’ Developmental Theory. Dr. Llorens’ work on occupational adaptation has significantly influenced the Occupational Therapy doctoral degree program at Texas Woman’s University.
Dr. Llorens has received numerous honors. Among these are: 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, and the AOTF Meritorious Service Award from the American Occupational Therapy Foundation; 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, and the AOTA and AOTF President’s Commendation in honor of Wilma L. West. As a student, Dr. Llorens was awarded the Marion R. Spear Award in Occupational Therapy upon graduation from Western Michigan University. As an alumna, Dr. Llorens was honored by Western Michigan University with the Distinguished Alumni Award in 1987 and the Western Michigan University Foundation is currently in the process of creating the Lela Williams Llorens Scholarship to be awarded through the Department of Occupational Therapy at Western.