MOTA 2026 Annual Conference
Save the Date: September 26, 2026
We’re excited to announce that the MOTA Conference is returning in person this year! Join us on Saturday, September 26, 2026, at McDaniel College.
The Power of Occupation: Empowering Lives Through Purposeful Doing
The 2026 MOTA conference celebrates the heart of occupational therapy: the powerful, life-shaping impact of what people do every day. The Power of Occupation: Empowering Lives Through Purposeful Doing invites practitioners, educators, students, and thought leaders to explore how meaningful engagement in occupations drives health, identity, and well-being—not only for the clients we serve, but also for ourselves as professionals and human beings.
We are currently seeking conference volunteers, both to help with preparation and on the day of the event. If you are interested in volunteering, please email conference.mota@gmail.com and specify your interest.
Finally, we are excited to announce that our keynote speakers have been confirmed! Please see below for more details.
We look forward to an exciting conference and hope to see you there!
Please follow us on social media – facebook: Maryland Occupational Therapy Association. Instagram: mdOTassociation.
Key Note Speakers
Presenters
Rhiannon Crispe and Dr. Michelle Luken are international speakers, occupational therapists and creators of The Burn In Model©, a contemporary framework reshaping how alignment and wellbeing are understood across modern work and life.
Together, they bring over 30 years of experience spanning clinical practice, leadership, academia, research and systems-level work.
Rhiannon Crispe is an occupational therapist known for her work supporting occupational therapy practitioners at the intersection of occupation, identity and purpose. Rhiannon invites occupational therapists to reconnect with the heart of their profession, reclaim their professional identity and design ways of working that honour meaning, values and sustainability. Her work is grounded in lived experience and shaped by the many ways an OT career can evolve across seasons of life.
Michelle Luken is a U.S. Army Veteran, occupational therapist and recognized leader in performance and systems change. With extensive experience across healthcare, academia, and the Department of Defence, her work blends occupational science, psychology and leadership to support people and organizations to thrive under pressure. She is widely known for translating evidence into practical, human-centred action.
Together, Rhiannon and Michelle are united by a shared mission: to help people and organisations protect what matters, reconnect with purpose, and Burn In, Not Out.
The Burn In Model©
The Burn In Model© is an occupational therapy–informed conceptual model that uses a simple fire metaphor to explore alignment and wellbeing.
At the heart of The Burn In Model© is the flame, symbolizing a person’s sense of alignment as life unfolds. Surrounding the flame is an ecosystem made up of elements such as sticks, rocks and wind and rain. These elements interact with the flame, shaping how it is expressed, sustained and protected. The Burn In Model© recognizes that no flame exists in isolation, just as no person lives in isolation. Our lives are formed through constant interaction with our relationships, roles, environments and seasons of change.
Grounded in occupational science and lived experience, The Burn In Model© offers a shared language for understanding how alignment is influenced within the wider context of life. It supports people to reconnect with what matters to them, live in alignment with their values and make intentional choices that reflect who they are and how they want to live.
The Burn In Model© invites a return to authenticity, purpose and the courage to live in ways that honour one’s inner fire. To Burn In, Not Out.
Call for Papers
Call for papers for MOTA 2026 will open in March.
Exhibitors, Vendors, Sponsors, and Advertisers
Opportunities will open in January!
Get Involved – Volunteer with Us!
We’re looking for enthusiastic volunteers to help make the 2026 conference a success. If you’re interested in learning more or serving on a committee, please email conference.mota@gmail.com.
We currently need help with the following committees:
- Local Conference Planning
- Vendor Coordination
- Keynote Speaker Outreach
- Marketing & Registration
- Proposal Review
- Volunteer Coordination
Help us shape an unforgettable event!