The Boston University Occupational Therapy faculty has selected Brooke Howard, MS, OTR/L, Transition Coordinator at Ivy Street School as the recipient of the BU Sargent College 2017 OT Alumni Award. 

This honor recognizes Howard's contributions to the field and development of the innovative  Skills for Life Program.

Each year the Department of Occupational Therapy at Boston University recognizes a graduate of one of their programs who has made important contributions to our students, to the development of knowledge in the field, to the profession, or to clinical practice. 

In a letter announcing the award, Wendy J. Coster, OT, PhD, FAOTA, Professor and Chair, Department of Occupational Therapy at Boston University, said: 

"The faculty want to honor you in recognition of your significant contributions to occupational therapy practice through your work at the Ivy Street School and your work with our students across many years. We especially want to recognize your development of the Skills for Life program for transition age youth at Ivy Street. You are a wonderful example of what being an "Agent of Change" means. Your work in this area of practice is a model for and a challenge to our students to think about how they may apply their skills and expertise in a broader arena affecting people's health and well-being."

Howard was selected unanimously as this year's recipient.

The award will be formally presented at the AOTA Annual Conference during the Boston University reception, Saturday April 1, 7:30-9:30 p.m. at the Philadelphia Marriott Downtown Hotel. 

Please join us in congratulating Brooke! 

Who we are: Skills for Life brings Occupational Therapists to your home and community to target functional life skills critical to developing independence. Our aim is to help our clients "learn what matters, where it matters," a mission built on the premise of setting and achieving goals in a familiar setting and context.

Who we service: Transition-aged youth (16-26 years old) with high functioning ASD, TBI and or those who struggle with executive functioning.

What's next: More pricing options

  New Faces, New OT's

 
Jane has both her Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Occupational Therapy from The University of New Hampshire. She joined the Ivy Street School's Related Services Team in 2012 after working on the TBI unit at an acute rehabilitation hospital in the Boston area. Once joining Ivy, her work largely focused on supporting functional skill acquisition, embracing independence and managing executive functioning deficits in the Transition classroom. In 2014, Jane also became the Vocational Manager within the Transition Department focusing on job-readiness training and career development. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher and uses this background to support self-management and wellness with her clients and students.

 

 

Clinical Director - Brooke Howard, MS, OTR/L

Brooke has a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Sargent College at Boston University and an undergraduate degree in neuroscience from Oberlin College. Prior to her work at Ivy Street, Brooke worked as an Occupational Therapist in early intervention, inpatient, outpatient and school-based settings since she was licensed in 2005. Brooke also worked as an adjunct faculty in the Occupational Therapy Department at Sargent College from 2010-2014 and continues to collaborate with the faculty in the Occupational Therapy department at BU. Brooke has been at Ivy Street since 2009 and was a founding member of the transition classroom. Most recently Brooke has been the Director of the Related Services department at Ivy Street and the Ivy Street Transition Coordinator. Brooke's focus and expertise in supporting students and families through the process of transitioning into young adulthood provides a framework for changing systems to integrate best practice in supporting and sustaining successful transitions to young adulthood.

 

Occupational Therapist - Holly McGovern, MS, OTR/L

Holly has a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Tufts University with an additional certificate in school-based services and an undergraduate degree in Communications from Stonehill College. Her background is as a school-based therapist with students with varied physical and cognitive abilities ranging from age 3 to 22. Holly enjoys working with students and young adults to promote functional life skills, activities of daily living, and developing prevocational skills.   

 

Occupational Therapist - Dana Solomon, MS, OTR/L

Dana moved to Boston to attend Tufts University's Boston School of Occupational Therapy in 2012. Since then, she has worked in schools, hospitals, geriatrics and most recently, early intervention. Dana is a dedicated volunteer with adaptive sports and uses her background as an OT to facilitate opportunities and accessibility for individuals wishing partake in the outdoors and in their community. In her spare time, she enjoys yoga, cooking, biking, being outside, and her alma mater team, the Gators.

 

Occupational Therapist - Ariel Schwartz, MS, OTR/L

Ariel Schwartz has a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from Boston University and undergraduate degrees in Biochemistry and Disability Studies from Wesleyan University. Ariel has a range of experiences supporting young people with disabilities in the community and has also worked in inpatient mental health settings. Ariel is currently a PhD student in Rehabilitation Science at Boston University, where she conducts research to support young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities be more involved in directing their healthcare. In her free time, Ariel enjoys running, hiking, and baking. 

 

 

Client Support Specialist - Shawna Boesch, BS, Neuroscience

Shawna received her Bachelor's Degree in neuroscience from Simmons College in Boston, MA. She joined the Ivy Street School team in 2012 where she has served as the Vocational Coordinator as well as an integral member of the Transition Team. Since joining Skills for Life as our Client Support Specialist, she brings her experience and knowledge of job-readiness training, job development and community-based transition supports and services to the Skills for Life community.