2025 ILOTA Awards

Please review the information below for a complete list of the 15 awards. Two awards noted below with an asterisk (*) are open to non-members of ILOTA. All other nominees must be ILOTA members at the time of their nomination and receipt of their award, if selected. Previous award recipients are listed at this link. 

The 2025 awards nomination window is now open! All nominations must be submitted online by the deadline of August 31, 2025. A comprehensive PDF summary chart (2025 ILOTA Awards Table) that lists the description/purpose, eligibility, and criteria for each award is available here. Before submitting a nomination, carefully review the award’s purpose, eligibility, and criteria. Your nomination statement should describe how the nominee meets the award criteria. Use the link below to access the nomination form and upload the nomination statement as well as the nominee’s resumé or curriculum vita. Make sure that the nominee’s resumé is current and that it has entries that address the criteria for the award for which they are being nominated.

Questions? Contact us at [email protected]. On behalf of the ILOTA Awards Committee, thank you for participating in the awards process!

Nomination Form

This award recognizes an occupational therapist who has made significant contributions which advance occupational therapy in Illinois and positively impact the ILOTA.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy assistant who has made significant contributions which advance occupational therapy in Illinois and positively impact the ILOTA.

This award recognizes exemplary collaborative intraprofessional partnerships between OTAs/OTs that advance the occupational therapy profession in Illinois; and promotes the collaborative team model of OTA and OT practitioners.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy student who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in service, academics, and/or fieldwork performance, and exceptional ability to promote occupational therapy through their activities.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy assistant student who has demonstrated leadership and excellence in service, academics, and/or fieldwork performance, and exceptional ability to promote occupational therapy through their activities.

This award recognizes an OT practitioner’s exemplary contributions in their role as a fieldwork educator.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy practitioner in the first five years of their career who has demonstrated significant contributions to the profession.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy practitioner (clinician, supervisor, educator, or researcher) who has demonstrated outstanding mentorship of one or more students, colleagues, or employees in a sustained partnership in practice, academic, or research contexts, wherein mutual respect, guidance, and knowledge are shared.

This award recognizes an occupational therapy practitioner or a group of practitioners whose efforts expand and/or improve the provision of occupational therapy services in Illinois.

This award recognizes an individual or group of occupational therapy practitioners or students who have promoted occupational therapy practice, payment for occupational therapy, or disability rights in the political arena.

This award recognizes members of the ILOTA or non-members who are not occupational therapy practitioners or students, who have made outstanding contributions toward increasing the public’s awareness or understanding of the value of occupational therapy; and who have expanded awareness of the profession to potential future occupational therapy practitioners.

This award recognizes an individual, group or organization that demonstrates support and advocacy for the advancement of occupational therapy in the State of Illinois.

This award recognizes individuals on the ILOTA Board who have made outstanding contributions toward facilitating board business and advancing the practice of occupational therapy in the State of Illinois.

Honors members of the ILOTA who have shaped the course of occupational therapy in the state by making a comprehensive and sustained contribution to the growth and development of occupational therapy in Illinois.

Recognizes long-term members of ILOTA who have performed distinguished service in the field of occupational therapy and with the ILOTA board; this award is granted by the ILOTA Executive Board and the recipient is granted an honorary lifetime membership in ILOTA.

Nomination Form