ConnOTA Annual Awards
2015 Recipients
Award of Merit
Lenore Frost, Ph.D, OTR/L, CHT, FAOTA
Fieldwork Educator of the Year
Karen Majeski, OTR/L
Award of Service
Sharon McCloskey, MBA, OTR/L, DipCOT
Joyce Rioux, Ed.D, OTR/L, SCSS
Emerging Leader Award
Morgan Villano, MPS/MSPS, OTR/L
President’s Award
Judith Sheehan, OTR/L CFo
Scholarship Award
Dawn Lesinski, OTAS
Michael Dezmin, MOTS
Award of Merit: Lenore Frost
Lenore Frost, PhD, OTR/L, CHT, FAOTA is currently a clinical associate professor and curriculum coordinator at Sacred Heart
University in Fairfield. Lenore became a Certified Hand Therapist in 1991. She opened her practice, Hand Therapy Associates, in
1986 and also owned Orchard Hand Therapy Center from 1991-2009. Lenore received her PhD in 2009. Lenore also worked with
Quinnipiac University as an adjunct professor with the University of North London in London, England. Lenore has been involved in
various organizations in a myriad of capacities. She has served on the ConnOTA Executive Board as Treasurer, as well as on the
conference and reimbursement committees. Currently, Lenore serves on the National Noard Certification Simulation Question
Development Committee, and was a member of a project team to conceptualize the new generation of certification renewal tools for
NBCOT. Lenore has also worked closely with the American Occupational Therapy Association within the Physical Disabilities
Special Interest Section. Lenore has been published in the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, OT Practice, and the
Physical Disabilities Special Interest Section Quarterlies. Lenore has research interests in upper quadrant disorders,
interprofessional service learning, and safe patient handling and movement techniques. Lenore is a highly sought after presenter
and speaker on both the local and national levels. At the 2014 AOTA National Conference, Lenore was presented with a fellowship
for Excellence in Education Through Practice and Service. She is known by her colleagues to have a high level of energy,
enthusiasm, and willingness to share knowledge. Her peers refer to her as warm, open, and honest. Lenore has made innumerable
contributions to our profession through her impeccable patient care, commitment to advocating for the profession, and passionate
education of the next generation of occupational therapy professionals. ConnOTA is honored to have a practitioner like Lenore Frost
in our state and feel she is very deserving of the Award of Merit.
Award of Service: Sharon McCloskey & Joyce Rioux
Sharon McCloskey, MBA, OTR/L, DipCOT is currently serving as a professor at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield. She has been a
very active member of various occupational therapy associations, including ConnOTA, AOTA, WFOT and AOTI. Sharon served as
the Chair of the Special Interest Sections from 2009-2011 and Member for Government Affairs from 2011-2014. Currently, Sharon
serves as the Chair of the Revisions Project, which is a state-wide collaborative initiative in conjunction with the Connecticut
Physical Therapy Association, and aims to revise the guidelines of occupational and physical therapies in educational settings. She
has also served as an Invited Member of the Performance Evaluation Advisory Council (PEAC) for Student and Education support
Services (SESS) from 2011 to present. Here, Sharon is a contributing member to the CT SEED Initiative, SES’s White Papers, and
the Common Core Teaching Rubric for Effective Service Delivery. Sharon volunteers as a Research Mentor in her work with the
graduate students at Sacred Heart, is designing an online ethics module for healthcare professionals as part of her Awarded
Presidential Seminar and is part of the CHP Global Programs Strategic Planning Committee. She is a current consultant to group
home settings, advocacy and support of families and teachers of children with special needs in Ireland (tele-health) and is a
consultant to the International Adoption Association of Ireland. Sharon is known by her colleagues as a warm, engaging, and
knowledgeable professional who has a wonderful ability to bring occupational therapy alive for her students. Her constant
enthusiasm for and dedication to the profession make Sharon a very deserving candidate for the Award of Service, and ConnOTA is
proud to have such an esteemed individual in our state.
Joyce Rioux, Ed.D, OTR/L, SCSS is currently working as the Assistant Director of Therapies for the Capitol Region Education
Council (CREC) and has recently joined Manchester Community College’s OTA program a member of the advisory council. She has
over thirty years of experience practicing in pediatrics and school based practice, and is eager to share her knowledge with others in
our state. Through her work with the CREC, she has shared her forward thinking leadership and mentoring skills to promote
therapists to engage in best practices in occupational therapy. Joyce has served as the Chair for Panel 1 and 2 for the Specialty
Certification in School Systems, and currently resides on the AOTA’s Board for Advanced and Specialty Certification. She frequently
participates in research, and regularly shares evidence based practice interventions with her peers through her involvement in a
regional focus group for school based OT practitioners. Joyce also very frequently presents at the local, state, and national level on
topics such as pediatrics, school based occupational therapy, documentation, and professional development. Joyce is regarded by
her peers as a tremendous clinician, whose enthusiasm and and regard for the profession is contagious. ConnOTA is proud to
present Joyce Rioux with the Award of Service for the advocacy skills, leadership, and passion that she brings to the profession.
Fieldwork Educator of the Year Award: Karen Majeski
Karen Majeski has served as a Level I and II fieldwork supervisor through Quinnipiac University for several years. She currently
works in the Cheshire Public School District. In addition to her frequent supervision, this summer Karen organized and supervised
an innovative fieldwork program in emerging practice areas for two Quinnipiac students. Over the years her students have had
many positive comments about their fieldwork experiences with Karen. Some of this praise includes comments such as "Karen
modeled positive relationships with students and other staff for a positive environment", "Karen is easy to work with. Provides
excellent feedback", she is "Knowledgeable, organized, energetic and enthusiastic about treatments" and Karen is "understanding,
easy to talk to, knowledgeable, [and uses] creative interventions". Karen has a wonderful manner with fieldwork students. She is
very approachable and caring but holds the students to a high standard of practice. This balance is reflective of her own
commitment to providing the very best occupational therapy to those she serves. ConnOTA is proud to have educators such as
Karen and is proud to present Ms. Majeski with the Fieldwork Educator of the Year Award.
Emerging Leader Award: Morgan Villano
Morgan graduated from Quinnipiac University in 1998 with a B.S. and from Suffolk University in 2009 with her MPA/MSPS. Morgan
currently works as the Rehabilitation Supervisor for Backus Home Health Care in Norwich. She currently serves as the Member for
Government Affairs for the ConnOTA Executive Board. Her knowledge in both the occupational therapy and political arenas make
her an invaluable asset to our state as we continue to maneuver legislation in order to keep our profession in the forefront. Morgan
is currently working on a variety of legislative projects, including responding to the proposed scope of practice changes by the
Athletic Trainer Association of CT and the Applied Behavior Analysis Association of CT, monitoring and responding to legislative
trends on the federal level regarding Telehealth medicine, and remain active in discussions regarding educational changes
nationally for the entry-level Doctorate requirements. Our state is truly lucky to have such a dedicated and knowledgeable clinician
in Morgan and ConnOTA is honored to present her with this award.
Scholarship Award: Dawn Lesinski & Michael Dezmin
Dawn Lesinski is currently an OTA student at Manchester Community College. Last year, she volunteered to testify in support of
House Bill 5249 before the Insurance and Real Estate Committee. At the hearing on March 6th 2014, she spoke about the
difference Occupational Therapy made for her son and family. Dawn was willing to share the struggles she and her family faced
when her son was young, and how their search for help led them to Occupational Therapy. By sharing her personal story, she was
able to bring a face to the plight of families who might be unable to afford OT services if copayments were not limited. Dawn brought
tears to the eyes of those present as she spoke of the difference occupational therapy made in her son's life. Dawn’s respect and
passion for the profession of occupational therapy, and her willingness to advocate for it, were apparent in her testimony and are
certain to continue as she completes her education and begins her new career. The future of Occupational Therapy is certainly
bright with individuals such as Dawn entering our field. ConnOTA is truly honored to have individuals like Dawn in our state and are
proud to present her with the ConnOTA Scholarship Award.
Michael Dezmin is currently an MOT student at Sacred Heart University. As a CONNOTA member and board member of Sacred
Heart University’s Occupational Therapy Student Association, he has been proactive in making positive changes. He was able to
organize a large group of students, professors and alumni to attend the 2014 AOTA conference. He has been elected to the AOTA
Assembly of Student Delegates and attended the annual conclave in Baltimore. Michael currently teaches swim lessons to children
with special needs through Angelfish Therapy and is working closely with Dr. Heather Miller Kuhanek on an Autism Speaks funded
study on play for children with Autism. We are looking forward to seeing Michael continue to excel and ConnOTA is honored to
present Michael Dezmin with the Scholarship Award.