CSM Professor Elected Chair of National OT Board

OMAHA, Neb. – A College of Saint Mary (CSM) professor was recently elected chairperson of the National Board of Certified Occupational Therapists (NBCOT®), which provides initial and continued credentialing to occupational therapists and occupational therapist assistants.

Mary Smith, EdD, OTR/L, associate professor of occupational therapy at CSM, has served on the NBCOT® board since 2016. She began volunteering with the organization in 2012.

“I started volunteering with NBCOT® because I strongly believe in the mission of the organization and the importance of having a strong certification examination as well as continued recertification for healthcare practitioners,” Smith said. “While the organization credentials and re-credentials occupational therapy practitioners, its mission is to protect the public and ensure the quality of care provided by OTs and OTAs is safe and equitable. It is an honor to serve on the board of directors for NBCOT® and an even larger honor to have been selected by my peers on the board to serve as chairperson.”

Smith has held a CSM faculty position since 2010. She earned her bachelor’s degree in psychology from University of Nebraska-Lincoln, her bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from Creighton University, her master’s degree in occupational therapy from CSM, and her doctorate in educational leadership from CSM.