Leading with purpose: Inside the Assembly of Student Delegates Steering Committee (ASDSC)
Advocacy is at the heart of occupational therapy. It fuels our commitment to clients, strengthens our profession, and empowers students to shape the future of practice. As the 2025–2027 Advocacy Representative for the Assembly of Student Delegates Steering Committee (ASDSC), I have the privilege of witnessing that passion in action.
In this article, I wanted to highlight occupational therapy practitioners and student leaders, exploring the “why” behind their work — their inspirations, their motivations, and the ways they bring advocacy to life. As part of this article, I’m introducing fellow representatives from AOTA’s ASDSC. Together, we share who we are, the roles we serve, and how we stay actively engaged in advancing advocacy efforts at the student level. Whether you are newly exploring leadership opportunities or are already passionate about advocacy, we hope our stories offer insight, encouragement, and a reminder that student voices matter — now more than ever.
Get to know the team and our roles in ASDSC
My role as the ASDSC Advocacy Representative is to educate my OT and OTA peers about opportunities for OT advocacy and to amplify AOTA’s advocacy initiatives. Rachel Shanks, who is the ASDSC OT Vice Chairperson, supports and assists the ASDSC President and other team members to accomplish ASDSC's goal of engaging with students and enabling them to be active participants in their future careers. Natally Holusa currently serves as the Student Representative to the Volunteer Leadership Development Committee (VLDC). A large portion of her work is under the mentorship of the VLDC, which has focused on preparing election applications (“behind the scenes”) and screening potential candidates via our online voting system. Last but not least, Katie Lynn Davis serves on the ASDSC as the OTA Vice Chairperson. In this role, she represents the interests of OTA students and assists the Chairperson and other delegates as needed.
What inspired us to become involved with AOTA and ASDSC
What inspired me to become involved with AOTA and ASDSC is being able to advocate. Advocacy is my middle name; it is one of my greatest passions, both in OT and my personal life. When I saw the opportunity to join ASDSC and have a student role in AOTA, I took it and never looked back! Getting involved with ASDSC was a perfect opportunity to start pursuing my professional goals of holding positions at the community, state, and national levels. Rachel is the kind of person who wants to have her hands in everything! Going back to school at 28 years old gave her a unique perspective, where she wants to experience and take advantage of every opportunity. She wants to help be a voice for fellow students and learn more about AOTA. Natally joined for similar reasons. A few of her professors passionately spoke about their AOTA leadership and inspired her to get involved. For Katie, it was a bit different. She was interested in serving on the ASDSC to bridge the gap between students and practitioners nationwide and to gain a broader perspective on how AOTA supports the OT profession. A main source of her inspiration is her time spent serving as her SOTA’s State Association Liaison during OTA school, as well as her Academic Advisor, who served on the South Carolina Occupational Therapy Association Board and advocates for mentorship programs.
What it means to serve as a voice for OT and OTA students around the country
It may sound dramatic, but it means everything to me to be able to serve as a voice for OT and OTA students around the country! I aim to make a positive impact on the profession by inspiring just one person at a time and/or contributing to federal legislative action. As students, we are the future of the profession, and one day we will be the foundation for current practice . I want to look back at my time as a clinician and on the ASDSC, knowing that I gave it my all, leaving the field of OT a little better than when I discovered it.
Rachel feels like it's a weighty responsibility to act as a voice for thousands. It means laying down her own preferences and opinions to truly listen to what those around her are saying. Although it has been challenging to unlock a new level of understanding of others' perspectives, this experience has taught her how to communicate those perspectives while maintaining her own beliefs.
Natally thought this was such a heavy question. She knows her one voice will never be able to represent all OT and OTA students nationally, but she will never stop trying. With the current political climate, it is as important as ever to keep pressing on important issues and amplifying the voices of students nationwide.
For Katie, it seemed extremely daunting at first, but realizing that the other team members and delegates are so passionate about their contributions has really eased her nerves. Having students serve on the ASDSC or in Special Interest Sections (SIS) provides an opportunity to contribute new and innovative perspectives and gain mentorship through vetted experiences, professional insight, and guidance.
Why we chose to advocate for the profession, for students, and/or for clients
I come from a family of advocates and activists, and I believe it’s in my DNA to advocate for occupational and social justice! I feel a responsibility to advocate for a profession that has already given me so many opportunities, especially when others may not have this privilege. It is our duty as future practitioners to advocate for our profession, clients, and students, and to empower the next generation to do the same.
Rachel felt that Jesus had called her to do this! She stated that, “...the Bible tells us to serve and love the least of these and to love our neighbors. Speaking up for what is right and good is always on the agenda.” Natally’s “why” is straightforward: to create change, advocacy is needed. Advocacy is a part of an occupational therapist’s role and a meaningful occupation for many! Her passion lies in her decision to enter a field where she will be advocating for clients, students, and the profession for decades to come.
Katie chose to advocate because if she doesn’t, then she doesn’t know who will. “ I want to promote the longevity of the profession by contributing in whichever ways I can, such as learning more, staying curious, and continuously working to become a better practitioner, for myself and my clients.” By striving to be better, she feels that she can influence others around her in the classroom and the workplace, starting the continuous ripple.
What we wish other students knew about ASD, AOTA, and/or advocacy
You are passionate, knowledgeable, and capable of pursuing positions within your program, community, ASDSC, state organizations, and AOTA! There is no “one size fits all” for how to be an advocate, so don’t be afraid to make your own advocacy path. Seek opportunities, support, and community to get you and the profession to where you want it to be!
Rachel said, “We are eager to hear from you! We want your experience with AOTA to be a great one, and we want you to engage with all of our many available resources.” She also believes that advocacy is not reserved for the hyper-political, the most eloquent, or those in official positions. We can all be advocating in some way, on some level.
Natally expressed that it can feel intimidating to join a specific role or find your place within advocacy. “I had this expectation of myself to ‘know all the answers,’ but that’s not the point. You grow alongside your board and colleagues, motivate one another to continue learning, and never stop being curious. It’s okay to step outside of your comfort zone and jump into something new!” She shared a few words of encouragement as well: “You never know what you’ll learn and how your perspective will change for the better. Keep showing up! We’re better and stronger together. Collaborate with your colleagues, professors, and mentors because we couldn’t do this without one another.”
Katie hopes that other students know that they can contribute to ASDSC, ask questions, request topics, etc. “I encourage students to join in on SIS presentations and meetings. I want students to realize AOTA’s incredible advocacy efforts in representing OT practice to the government to protect our profession, and to take advantage of the resources AOTA provides, such as peer-reviewed articles and special interest message boards.” She hopes that students realize that advocacy isn’t about making a change all by yourself, but helping others be curious, fresh, and informed. “Be kind to yourself :)!”
Venisa Rodriguez is a recent OTD graduate at Johnson & Wales University and serves as the ASDSC Advocacy Representative (2025–2027). Once registered and licensed, Venisa will begin working in an outpatient pediatric setting. Her professional interests include forensic psychiatry, community-based programming, and political advocacy. In her free time, she enjoys traveling and going to concerts.
Rachel Shanks, OTD, OTR/L, is a former preschool teacher and recent graduate of Tennessee State University’s MOT program. She is passionate about early intervention, the role of nature as a therapeutic modality, and OT’s role in pediatric primary care. She lives in Nashville, TN, where she always has a book open, the oven going, and an unfinished craft project at hand.
Natally Holusa is a third-year OTD student at Boston University and serves as the Student Representative to the Volunteer Leadership Development Committee (2025–2027). Her professional interests include mental health, community-based care, and examining the impact of food and housing insecurity on access to meaningful participation. In her free time, she enjoys caring for plants, spending time with animals, and trying new recipes!
Katie Lynn Davis, BS, COTA/L, is a graduate of Trident Technical College’s OTA program and currently serves as the ASDSC OTA Vice Chairperson (2024–2026). Katie works as a COTA/L in inpatient rehabilitation within a Continuing Care Retirement Community. She values interdisciplinary collaboration and fostering mentor–mentee relationships among students and practitioners. Outside of work, Katie enjoys spending time with her family, going to the beach, paddleboarding, and pottery.