Members of the OT Licensing Board:
Kari Hill, COTA/L, OT Assistant Member, Vice Chair
Heather McCarthy, OTR/L, OT Member
Whitney Hooker, OTR/L, CLT, OT Member, Board Chair
Ellen Stauder, PhD. Public Member
Elise Dorris, B.S. Public Member
About the Board Members:
Kari Hill, COTA/L, OT Assistant Member, Vice Chair. Kari has been practicing as a school therapist for over 20 years. Most recently she has expanded her therapy skills to include working in sub-acute settings (such as skilled nursing homes) and as an adjunct lab instructor for the Linn Benton OTA program. In 2012, she received the Michelle Smith Sullivan “Exemplary Therapist Assistant” of the year award for Oregon school therapy assistants, nominated by her co-workers and presented with the award at TIES. Kari’s experience and broad background will make her an excellent member of the OTLB.
Kari Hill's term is from 7/1/2021-6/30/2025 (2nd term)
Heather McCarthy, OTR/L, OT Member, has served the Occupational Therapy profession for 22 years and spent many years working in geriatric settings such as SNF's and Acute Care. She brings a unique perspective to the board with her experience as a Reimbursement Appeals Specialist working with rules and regulations especially in regards to CMS. Her job has been to defend medically necessary PT, OT and SLP services through all stages of the appeals process. Heather has also worked in several other states prior to making Oregon her home in 2017.
Heather McCarthy’s term is from 2/16/2024 – 6/14/2027 (1st term)
Whitney Hooker, OTR/L, CLT, OT Member, has served the occupational therapy profession since 2012. She spent the first four years of her career in skilled nursing facilities and expanded her expertise in neurocognitive disorders. She held leadership roles in Hood River, and Eugene as Director of Rehab. More recently, she has worked in home health in an expansive five county territory in OR and WA which strengthened her passion for the unique needs of rural healthcare. During this time she became a certified lymphedema therapist. Currently, Whitney is dividing her time between outpatient therapy and acute care/inpatient rehabilitation in The Dalles. Whitney's extensive background e specially in rural settings will be a tremendous asset to the Board.
Whitney Hooker’s term is from 11/15/21 – 11/14/25 (1st term)
Ellen Stauder, PhD., Public Member, received her BM in Music History from the Eastman School of Music, a MA in English from the College of St. Rose and a PhD in the History of Culture from the Univerity of Chicago. Ms. Stauder taught English and Humanities at Reed College for 30 years and also served as Dean of the Faculty. Having served as Dean of the Faculty at Reed College and on major faculty governance committees, including those that concern the hiring and evaluation, she is very experienced in the importance of having good policies and procedures for the sake of the health of the institution and its members, including in the case of OTLB, members of the public. The Board is thrilled to have Ellen on the team.
Ellen Stauder's term is from 4/26/2023 - 3/31/2025 (Unexpired 4 year)
Elise Dorris, B.S. Public Member, is an administrator for an international Cloud solutions and managed services provider and has an extensive background in all areas of business. She is a mother of twin boys with autism and has direct experience and understanding of the challenges families can face. She has a deep and personal interest in assuring a safe and ethical delivery of OT services to all members of the public.
Elise Dorris' term is from 4/21/2024 - 4/20/2028 (1st term)