VOTA is Virginia's leading organization for occupational therapy practitioners and students. VOTA is committed to advocating for and further developing the profession of occupational therapy in our state.

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VOTA's Mentoring Circle

We are pleased to announce a new VOTA membership benefit and opportunity to learn from one another! VOTA is launching a new mentoring initiative to fulfill an important need in our Virginia occupational therapy community. This group mentoring model will address a frequent barrier in traditional mentorship programs (more mentees than mentors). We are calling this initiative a Mentoring Circle to reflect two purposes: Building connections among OT practitioners/students and facilitating lifelong learning. These meetings are CE eligible and members who attend all of the quarterly meetings will receive an electronic certificate of recognition at the end of the year. The mentoring circle consists of two tracks. You can read about each below.

Track 1:

VOTA invites all members to attend a mentoring circle using a group model, where anyone with expertise and knowledge of the topic can help others. The one-hour online meetings will focus on cross-cutting topics, and therefore they will not be duplicating Communities of Practice topics. Based upon feedback from members who attended the April 27, 2026 meeting, the topics for the remainder of the year are Communication and Career Planning/Advancement.


Join us!

This new program is open and free to all VOTA members. We will utilize a group mentoring model, with a brief presentation of the topic by 1-2 speakers, followed by Q & A for members to ask their questions. The following topics were prioritized by the members present at the April 27, 2026 mentoring circle planning meeting.


Save the Dates:


Monday, Sept. 14, 2026, 7-8 pm ET

Topic: Communication (with colleagues, supervisors, etc.)

Register 


Monday, Nov. 9, 2026, 8-9 pm ET

Topic: Career Advancement and Planning


Register 


Questions: Susan Lin, VOTA Mentoring Circle Coordinator, SusanLinOT@gmail.com


Track 2:

Students and new practitioners are invited to attend a focused 6-month program designed for students and practitioners with less than 2 years of experience. The series will be led by Erin Clemens, Past-President of VOTA, and successful private practice entrepreneur.

Meetings have set topics designed to support transition into the OTP workforce (see below).


Starting on May 12, 2026; 2nd Tuesdays from 7-8 pm ET. Details:

  • May 12: How to send resumes, where to look for jobs, how to interview to find the right workplace fit, what questions to ask, etc.
  • June 9: Strategies to be a stellar employee; what not to do
  • July 14: Time Management and Prioritization skills
  • August 11: How to create work-life integration and avoid "burnout"
  • September 8: Effective communication skills with colleagues and supervisors/managers
  • October 13: Finances, budgeting, and asking for a raise


Register once for the series. Missed the initial sessions? No problem! You can still register for the remaining sessions here:


VOTA Mentoring Circle Meeting


We hope to see you online!



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