Leading with purpose: A Conversation with AOTA President, Dr. Anvarizadeh

Advocacy is a pillar of occupational therapy. Each day, we advocate for our clients, communities, peers, future clinicians, and the profession. Currently leading the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) as Board President is Dr. Arameh Anvarizadeh, OTD, OTR/L, FAOTA. Making history as not only the youngest, but also the first Iranian and Black woman to be elected as AOTA Vice President, she once again made history when she was elected as AOTA President-Elect in 2024. Fresh off a last minute red eye flight to AOTA headquarters in early July, I gained insight into her current roles, motivators, accomplishments, and her stance on the importance of AOTA. Read about our conversation on what it means to be an advocate, changemaker, culture-shifter, and innovative leader.

Dr. Anvarizadeh holds many titles, including AOTA President, a co-founder of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity (COTAD), and full-time faculty member at the University of Southern California. She also includes momentum maker and change maker as some of her many titles. She reports she always knew she wanted to be involved in and contribute to the profession. Her involvement at the state and national level is vast, and she shares that her journey started with a tap on the shoulder when she was asked to be the co-editor of the Occupational Therapy Association of California (OTAC) newsletter. That one yes led to her serving as the communications chair for OTAC, serving on the Advocacy and Government Affairs Committee, followed by joining the Representative Assembly (RA) for AOTA and serving as the California representative for two terms. She describes herself as being dedicated to filling gaps and taking opportunities to be a changemaker. Her mission is clear: “Every time I feel there's a sense of opportunity to inspire others to also gate open versus gate keep, I'm going to do it. If I see that there is a space where there's a barrier and I could find a way to increase access, I'm going to do it.”

From a student to being a leader in her state association and AOTA, Dr. Anvarizadeh goes on to describe what led to her decision to run for AOTA president. “I saw that there were some gaps, some barriers. I saw there were opportunities for reimagining our profession and its direction, as well as reimagine how we approach occupation, occupational therapy, and occupational science; how we can unite one another in this space, how we can stick a fork in who we are and our unique and distinct value. So I saw the opportunity and I said, “you know what? Go for it.” And I did so with my whole heart and I still am in the game with my whole heart. Because what are you doing in the profession if you're not doing at least something, you know? And so this is really not about me. It's about the opportunities to build a better future and a better profession than what I entered.” She describes OT as a doing profession and calls for students and practitioners alike to “walk the talk”, acknowledging that doing so requires sacrifice, strategy, organizing, momentum building, advocacy, and coalition building. She encourages us to ask the question “Am I contributing to the forward progress of my profession?”

I asked Dr. Anvarizadeh how her views and definition of advocacy have evolved throughout the course of her career and volunteerism. She describes advocacy as an umbrella term that can and is used to discuss reimbursement, educating others on the profession, and more. Her views haven’t shifted, she says, rather she has become more knowledgeable on how to be strategic and reimagine the way in which we engage in advocacy. Advocacy to Dr. Anvarizadeh includes talking about the profession, education, policies, and legislation. “It leads to increasing our visibility about the profession, who comes to and is able to have access to the profession.” As president, she has started reimagining occupational therapy education, including what is included or excluded in curriculum. Another committee started under her presidency is the Innovative Entrepreneur Ad Hoc Committee, a committee in which they advocate for the entrepreneurs and the innovative practitioners in our profession, including providing support for those pursuing OT in nontraditional settings or aiming to continue their capstone projects following graduation. Dr. Anvarizadeh states it’s time for the profession to reimagine how we advocate beyond writing letters to Congress. She calls us now to action through organizing, strategic planning, and coalition building.

We discussed Hill Day and the importance of legislative action and advocacy at the national level. Acknowledging the importance of those meetings on Capitol Hill, Dr. Anvarizadeh reminds me, and all AOTA members and non-members, that Hill Day is only one day out of the year. There are 364 other days out of the year that we are called to advocate for the profession and clients, and membership to AOTA facilitates such work. Membership dues support AOTA’s ability to advance practices, education, and research that are critical to the vitality and evolution of the profession.

With countless roles and titles both professionally and personally, I asked Dr. Anvarizadeh what keeps her momentum and passion for AOTA volunteerism alive. She describes the behind-the-scenes that people don’t see, including the red eye flights, rearranging of schedules, and having to sacrifice time with her own family to attend to AOTA business. She reminds me that this work is volunteering on top of her role as a professor and personal life, and acknowledges that this work can lead to burnout. Her ability to sustain the momentum comes from understanding her core values and utilizing those values throughout her presidency. “How do you build community? How do you maintain connection with each other? How do you coalition build and have a shared pathway? And, how do you do it with courage? These are the four C's.” Leading, processing, and experiencing through the four C’s keeps Dr. Anvarizadeh centered and energized in her leadership.

She goes on to describe her leadership and additional inspirations. “You have to have some vision. You have to have some strategy. You have to have some influence. And if you have a vision, a strategy in getting there, and influence where people can follow, and you're able to communicate it well and clearly, then you are making a difference. Then you are filling in the gaps. Then you are inspiring the next generation to be better than you. Then you can sit down and say, ‘wow, I left a legacy of goodness, of good trouble, of walking, the talk of capacity building, of creating a sense of belonging that didn't have representation at these tables ever before’. I just went outside and saw the pictures of all the AOTA presidents on the wall. Not one person looked like me or you. That's a big deal in itself. Looking at what we can do to better our profession in the future is inspiring, energizing, and momentum building. That's what I'm built for, you know, and so I'm just hoping to get a whole bunch of other people who are, who have the same passion and energy to, to continue after I'm done in 2028 with this presidency.”

One year into her presidential term, I asked Dr. Anvarizadeh what her most rewarding experience has been thus far. Unsurprisingly, she had a lot of moments and initiatives to choose from. She highlights her dedication to culture-shifting the governing board’s transparency, accountability, and accessibility to AOTA members. She expresses pride in bringing groups together that have historically worked in silos to promote community and coalition building. This includes reimagining education and bringing ACOTE, NBCOT, AOTF, and AOTA together. “We are changing the culture to actually get things done and to move us forward together. I'm really proud of that.”

Her advice to students? “Every student should consider themselves a leader in whatever space that they occupy. Get involved at your local level, state, national, and eventually global level.” She encourages students to get involved in their Student Occupational Therapy Associations, COTAD, and programs to initiate change. Involvement, she says, is necessary at all levels, and she promotes dual membership between our state and national associations. Dr. Anvarizadeh emphasizes the importance of continuing your AOTA membership throughout your schooling and career. “The more members we have, the more we can actually advocate at Capitol Hill for the things that we need. That’s hands down a non-negotiable. Membership is the first thing that anybody could do to advocate for the profession.” As students, she highlights the need for networking and community building, stating that doing so often leads to growth and opportunities.

Dr. Anvarizadeh shares her final message to students and new practitioners with a tangible passion and determination. “Understand what your impact is with your intentions. Impact is the legacy you create, the hearts you inspire, and the way you make people feel. Say yes. Take an opportunity and run with it. Challenge yourself; that’s how you build confidence, learn, grow, and take up space. Throw away the idea of imposter syndrome. It creates self doubt in your minds and your hearts and your head. Everyone, you belong. Find the space that you want to fill. Understand the gap that you want to address. Create access and decrease those barriers and you'll make change.”

Venisa Rodriguez, OTD, OTR/L is a recent graduate from Johnson & Wales University’s OTD program. She serves as the AOTA Assembly of Student Delegates Steering Committee Advocacy Representative (2025-27). Currently working in outpatient pediatrics, she additionally has interests in forensic mental health settings, community-based programming, and political advocacy.