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2010 Conference Speakers' Biographies

About Our Speakers

Susan Knox, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA

Susan Knox is an occupational therapist and occupational scientist with over 40 years of pediatric experience. She grew up in Albuquerque and here is where her heart is. Her brother, Peter, who has autism, still lives here in his family’s home, now his group home. Sue received her BFA from the University of New Mexico, her MA in occupational therapy and her PhD in occupational science from the University of Southern California. She is a director emeritus at Therapy in Action in Tarzana, CA. Sue studied under and was a research assistant to Dr. A. Jean Ayres in the standardization of the Sensory Integration and Praxis Tests and she teaches all parts of the SIPT certification course. She is the author of the Knox Preschool Play Scale and her doctoral research was on play styles of preschool children.

Sue has lectured extensively throughout the United States and abroad on sensory integration, autism, play, and other areas of pediatric occupational therapy. She has published many chapters in occupational therapy texts. She has received all the major awards from the Occupational Therapy Association of California, numerous other awards, and is a fellow in the American Occupational Therapy Association.

L. Diane Parham, Ph.D., OTR/L, FAOTA

Diane Parham, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA is Professor and Director of the Occupational Therapy Program at the University of New Mexico. She spent 22 years on the faculty at the University of Southern California prior to moving to New Mexico. She is known for her research and scholarship in the fields of sensory integration, play, and occupational science. Among her publications are a textbook, Play in Occupational Therapy for Children, now in its second edition, and nationally standardized parent/teacher questionnaires for preschool and school-aged children, the Sensory Processing Measure. Dr. Parham is a founding member of the Sensory Integration Research Collaborative (SIRC), a national work group dedicated to multi-site research designed to systematically develop knowledge in sensory integration and its applications to intervention for children with disabilities.

Lisa Brower, MOTR/L.  Lisa Brower is a 2003 graduate of the UNM OT program. Currently, she is Lead OT at HEALTHSOUTH Rehabilitation Hospital of New Mexico working in the inpatient setting with a variety of neurological disorders.

Kristy I. Clark, OTR/L. Kristy Clark Kristy Clark has been an OT for 16 years after graduating from Colorado State University. Her career has focused on Acute Rehabilitation  and Adaptive Driving. She lectures across the country on Spinal Cord Injury Evaluation and Treatment as well as Driving from Kindergarten Through Your 90's to local colleges and for the Dogwood Institute.

Anne M. Crosser, MOTR/L. Anne Crosser is a staff occupational therapist at Presbyterian Healthplex in Albuquerque, NM. She has been working at the Healthplex outpatient upper extremity clinic for four years.  She has been a practicing therapist for 15 years.  She received her Masters degree from Columbia University in 1995 and she has recently received a certification in the upper extremity from Drexel University.

Kenyon Fausett. Kenyon Fausett has a degree in business and communication from Southern Utah University. He is currently employed by Medtronic Neuro-and is responsible for the development and management of the Deep Brain Stimulation Program for the entire state of New Mexico and El Paso. He works with a variety of neurosurgeons, neurologists and community advocates to education the medical and lay community about the benefits of the DBS program. Kenyon is frequently present in the operating room during the implant process and provides training and educational opportunities to the patients, physicians, and therapists.

Karen Garvin, OTR, CHT, CKTP. Karen is an occupational therapist with her certification in hand therapy.  She graduated from Western Michigan University in 1983 and is the owner of Albuquerque Hand Clinic where she has practiced for over 20 years.  She specializes in upper extremity rehabilitation as well as providing ergonomic consultation services in the community. She was designated as certified kinesiotaping practioner in 2009.

Lisa Gillespie, OTR/L. Lisa Gillespie has earned the Executive Certificate in Home Modifications, is NDT trained, and has 25 years experience in OT.  She has performed home modifications for the Waiver program for 2 years throughout New Mexico.

Cynthia Koenig, MS, OTR/L. Cynthia Koenig works in Las Vegas & Santa Fe, and owns her own Health & Wellness business. She acknowledges her love of learning & adventure to her family.

Carol Salisbury, BUS, CKTT. Carol has been the Seminar Coordinator with the Kinesio Taping Association (KTA) for the last five years and the emcee at two US Kinesio Taping Symposiums.  In addition to some atypical jobs – i.e. truck driver and lumber sales person - for someone with a college degree focused on education and English, Carol has a training background through Victoria’s Secret Call Center and through OASIS, an organization for adults 55 and older.  In 2006 Carol was certified by KTA as a CKTT which allows her to do Kinesio Taping Presentations.

Heidi Sanders, MA, OTR/L. Heidi Sanders is the Recruitment Coordinator and Lecturer II with the University of New Mexico Occupational Therapy Graduate Program.  She holds a B.S. in Occupational Therapy and a M.A. in Early Childhood Special Education.

Stephanie Singleton, OT/L. Stephanie is an OT with over 20 years of experience in the field of occupational therapy.  She is currently the Rehabilitation Coordinator for a locally owned home care company. Stephanie is the immediate past president of NMOTA and is the current Secretary/Treasurer of the Affiliated State Association Presidents.

Al Terrazas, ATP. Al Terrazas has worked for over 20 years in the area of durable medical and wheelchair fittings/seating.  His expertise in seating and wheelchairs crosses the lifespan but he has a speciality in pediatrics. Al is currently employed by HME Specialists.

Melodye Thomas, OTD, OTR/L. Melodye Thomas has been an occupational therapist for 15 years.  She has worked in the public schools in Clovis, New Mexico for 12 years.  For her capstone project to culminate her doctoral degree, Melodye addressed a community need to provide OT services to adults with developmental disabilities by applying research-based coaching consultation.  She graduated with her occupational therapy doctorate in August 2010.

Melanie M. Tidman, MA, OTR/L. Melanie Tidman is an author and lecturer and has practiced OT in Albuquerque for 31 years in Pediatrics, adult acute care, inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation and Intensive Care.  She directed Tidman Therapy Services outpatient Hippotherapy practice for 22 years and frequently appears as a guest lecturer to UNM’s OT school. Melanie is currently working on her PHD and this Summer will begin her research in the ICU’s at UNM Hospital developing and testing the effectiveness of a family education curriculum for TBI and Stroke patients and their families.