Alta R. Fried Named Occupational Therapy Alumna of the Year

Alta Fried, MSOT ‘14, graduated with her master’s degree in Occupational Therapy. She not only went on to complete her fellowship training at the Philadelphia Hand and Shoulder Center, but she has also dedicated more than 4,000 hours in hand therapy to become a Certified Hand Therapist. She has published articles in Advance Magazine and American Society of Hand Therapists (ASHT) Times, which is reputable in the community of occupational therapists. She is dedicated to not only the field of occupational therapy, but also the University’s Occupational Therapy (OT) program specifically, serving on the OT Advisory Board, the Alumni Association Board, as well as supervising students during their fieldwork placements.

“Since 2017, Alta has been an adjunct lab assistant where her knowledge and experience has been an invaluable resource for our students,” wrote Sharon Marcy, OT 16, MS, OTR/L, in the nomination of Fried for the Occupational Therapy Alumna of the Year award. “Alta has achieved clinical competence beyond her years of practice and has attained a certification in hand therapy,” she said. Marcy, instructor in the University’s OT program, also pointed out Fried’s leadership within her field. “Alta has developed an OT clinic within a physical therapy practice, which has become so successful that she requires a second site and additional clinicians to carry forth her level of excellence in clinical treatment,” she said. 

This award is presented to an alumnus of the Department of Occupational Therapy at Salus who has distinguished himself/herself through extraordinary service and contributions to the OT field, bringing honor and prestige to the University. The University’s Alumni Association is proud to name Alta Fried the OT Alumna of the Year.