The Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation became a reality on May 17, 1983. The first Board of Governors consisted of three prominent Occupational Therapists: Karen Goldenberg, President; Dr. Thelma Cardwell, Vice President and Dr. Isobel Robinson, Secretary / Treasurer.

The purpose of the Canadian Occupational Therapy Foundation has always been to support research and scholarship in the field of occupational therapy. The Foundation’s focus has been on generating, receiving and maintaining funds and developing mechanisms for granting awards to individuals and organizations for research and scholarships.

From 1983 to 1995, COTF and CAOT shared office space in Toronto. When CAOT relocated to Ottawa in 1995, COTF remained in Toronto. However, a decision was made in 2002 for the Foundation to once again share office space with CAOT in order to foster a synergistic relationship which would benefit the entire occupational therapy community. From 2004 to 2015, COTF shared CAOT’s office space and services in Ottawa. Since 2015, COTF still in Ottawa, has enjoyed its own working environment.

COTF is managed by a volunteer Board of Directors composed of occupational therapists and representatives of related organizations, educational institutions, and industry. These individuals provide fiscal and legal oversight of the Foundation’s resources and ensure the Foundation’s programs are consistent with its mandate.

Cale Wadden: President

Cale has a lifelong passion for working with individuals with disabilities, along with a strong entrepreneurial spirit to better the lives and partners he works with daily. He is a compassionate individual who values the importance of establishing a trusting relationship with his clients.

Cale graduated from Acadia University with a Bachelor of Kinesiology and from Dalhousie University with a Master’s of Science in Occupational Therapy. Since then, he has built an 18+ year career in healthcare and medtech, working with global organizations to introduce innovative medical technologies to the Canadian market. As Country Manager for Yuwell Global in Canada, he leads efforts to provide care providers with practical, reliable, and cost-effective solutions that improve access and patient outcomes.

Cale’s passion for occupational therapy began early, through volunteering and founding a not-for-profit supporting children with disabilities. Those formative experiences, combined with his later work alongside OTs, reinforced his commitment to a people-focused, hands-on approach to healthcare. Today, he is particularly interested in the intersections of medical technology and occupational therapy, including mobility, respiratory care, and rehabilitation.

As President of the COTF Board, Cale is dedicated to advancing research and innovation within the OT profession. He values COTF’s role in funding research, fostering knowledge development, and supporting both emerging and established occupational therapists across Canada. For him, a highlight of serving on the Board has been seeing the passion and dedication of the OT community and how COTF’s work creates meaningful impact.

For Cale, balance comes from investing in relationships, staying active, and making the most of time with family and friends. Outside of work, he enjoys spending time with his young family, especially enjoying life with his one-year-old son, Wells. He’s also an avid sports enthusiast, who loves running, biking, and golf. 

Cale joined the COTF Board of Directors on October 1, 2018.

Sylvia Davidson:  Vice-President

After working overseas as a teacher for several years, Sylvia came to occupational therapy later in her career. A mentor who recognized her passion for healthcare encouraged her to consider OT, believing it could be the right fit.

Sylvia’s clinical interests have centred on working with older adults. Since her final placement with the Regional Geriatric Program in Toronto, Sylvia built a career in acute care, rehabilitation, and community practice. She deepened her expertise with a Master’s in Rehabilitation Science focused on older adults who had experienced hip fractures. Sylvia credits her clients as some of her greatest teachers, constantly challenging her to grow and shaping her into the occupational therapist she is.

As the former recipient of a COTF award herself, Sylvia felt joining the Board was a great way to give back. Today, as Vice-President, she is proud to help advance COTF’s mission of funding research, creating opportunities, and strengthening the OT profession across Canada. For Sylvia, a highlight of her Board work has been meeting award recipients and witnessing firsthand how even small grants can make a transformative impact on an occupational therapist’s journey.

Recently retired, Sylvia is enjoying a journey of exploration to discover what’s next.

Sylvia joined the COTF Board of Directors on October 1, 2019

Mary Evert:  

Mary Evert, an occupational therapist, is a AOTA Past President. She has extensive experience to share with the COTF Board. 

Through Mary’s many years of my work with various professional associations, government and private organizations and foundations, she has enjoyed seeing and being a part of their growth and strategic direction decisions. She has the time and the motivation to work with COTF as a partner with CAOT, hoping that her experiences will be of assistance to COTF.  

Mary joined the COTF Board of Directors on October 1, 2019.

Liz Taylor:  

As an occupational therapist, I have recognized the role that COTF plays as the only granting agency for occupational therapy specific research. Liz, a Past CAOT President, believes that the role of a Board director represents a voice of the profession in a different way.  The voice must be one of finding new and different ways of promoting COTF, and working towards finding ways to ensure sustainability in the future. As a change maker, who has clear opinions, as well as having the ability to make difficult decisions, she looks forward to contributing her extensive experience, by bringing another perspective to help deal with the current challenges and realities in a different way.

Currently, Liz sits on a variety of boards: Chair of House Next Door Society (non-profit transitional housing), Chair of the CIMVHR (Canadian Institute of Military and Veterans Research) and a board member of Pilgrims Hospice. All of these organizations have sustainability plans, all have diverse challenges but through them she has learned core skills that will be of use to COTF and its current challenges. She is also a Clinical Professor Emeritus at the University of Alberta.

She believes that COTF provides opportunity for early researchers to establish their work, students to gain support, and for more mature occupational therapists to develop answers to critical questions. The current environment from both a political and funding perspective has a lot of unknowns so it will take a creative, innovative approach by the board to ensure the future of COTF. She wants be part of that challenge.

Liz joined the COTF Board of Directors on October 1, 2019.

Julie Chiba Branson

Throughout her career working primarily with the pediatric population, Julie has held a wide range of roles, including front-line clinician, private practitioner, business owner, COTO board member, program coordinator, researcher, and lecturer and mentor at the University of Toronto. After completing her Master’s in Leadership in 2015, she transitioned into leadership roles as a clinical operations manager and director within hospital settings. Currently, she works as Project Manager for the Fertility Preservation Program at the Hospital for Sick Children.

Julie’s path to occupational therapy was inspired by her own experience. After being hospitalized following an accident at age 12, she wanted to support others facing similar challenges. Volunteering in the rehabilitation department at a children’s hospital introduced her to occupational therapy and the powerful impact it can have in empowering children and youth.

Julie is passionate about the field of occupational therapy and research and the many facets and opportunities that being in the profession can present. Her areas of research interest involve the pediatric population, particularly engaging the client and caregiver perspective to inform and improve outcomes, in addition to research on fertility preservation, oncofertility, equity, diversity, inclusion and accessibility, and leadership. As a COTF Board Member, she enjoys learning from the varied perspectives of the board and committee members and believes that supporting quality research in Occupational Therapy is key to building credibility and to spotlight the many benefits of the OT perspective. 

Outside of her professional life, Julie enjoys staying active and spending quality time with friends and family. When not indulging in chocolate, she likes to participate in hot yoga, Pilates, tennis, and pickleball. She also loves traveling — whether near or far — and exploring new cultures and cuisines.

Julie joined the COTF Board of Directors on January 1, 2024.

Anne McDonald: Foundation Coordinator

amcdonald@cotfcanada.org | 613-804-3908

Anne has been with COTF for 17 years, and brings a background in administration, primarily with not-for-profits in the health sector.

Before working at COTF, Anne’s experience with occupational therapy was limited, other than her children receiving help in school with their pencil grip. The world of occupational therapy was opened up at her first CAOT conference in 2009 where Nicol Korner-Bitensky was the Muriel Driver speaker. Nicol spoke with such passion about her profession that it made every non-OT in the audience wish they had chosen the OT profession! This experience taught her that occupational therapists are compassionate caring people that are people-focused problem solvers.  

Since that time, Anne has worked closely with the COTF Board of Directors, many of whom are occupational therapists. She has seen how OTs advocate for their clients, generously give their time to sit on volunteer boards, and expend themselves to further their profession, while juggling multiple responsibilities including family, career and volunteer work. She continues to be impressed by occupational therapists’ dedication to their patients and the lengths they will go to help them obtain what they need to enjoy their daily life. Recently, Anne’s family experienced this firsthand as an OT helped with her parents’ transition from home to assisted living, making them comfortable and happy to be able to continue to do certain things on their own.

When not working, Anne enjoys spending time outdoors — walking, gardening, visiting elderly friends, reading and trying to practice “slow living.”  For Anne, a vacation is strapping the canoe to the top of the car, loading the camping gear and heading out to the “back country” where no cell signal can be found!

Anne joined the staff of COTF in November 2008