Occupational Therapy Australia is excited to announce that Dave Jereb is the recipient of the prestigious OTA Oration and will deliver his keynote address at OT Exchange in Brisbane this June.

The OTA Oration recognises an exceptional Australian occupational therapist whose innovative and impactful work has made a lasting contribution to the profession. It is awarded by the OTA Board to celebrate leadership, innovation and practice excellence that benefits both occupational therapists and the people they serve.

About Dave Jereb

Dave Jereb brings 24 years of clinical practice and 18 years of leadership experience as co-founder and director of MoveAbout, a paediatric occupational therapy service operating across three NSW locations. He has worked as an occupational therapist in both Australia and the USA and is known for translating innovative ideas into sustainable, meaningful occupational therapy practice.

An author, speaker, mentor and course facilitator, Dave has developed the 3S Framework for Supported Self-Development and the ABC-IDEAS Framework for Supporting Behaviour. He is actively involved in education, advisory roles and advocacy within the occupational therapy profession.

The Oration

Dave’s keynote, titled Meaningful occupation for occupational therapists: Designing impactful, sustainable practice through uncertainty and change, will explore how occupational therapy practice can remain meaningful and sustainable in times of uncertainty and increasing complexity.

Workforce shortages, funding reforms, rising demand and growing expectations are placing significant pressures on clinicians across practice settings. In this environment, innovation is often understood narrowly as new programs, techniques or efficiencies.

This oration will present a broader perspective: one of the most important innovations in contemporary occupational therapy is the intentional design of systems that enable therapists to experience their work as meaningful occupation.

Dave will examine how workforce sustainability, professional development and therapist wellbeing are central clinical concerns. When therapists are unsupported, disconnected from meaning or working within poorly designed systems, the quality and sustainability of occupational therapy practice is compromised. Conversely, when therapists are supported to engage in meaningful work, benefits extend to clients, families, teams and the broader profession.

Dave will introduce the 3S Framework for Supported Self-Development, which reframes burnout prevention and professional growth as a shared responsibility across self, supports and structures. By integrating personal values and self-awareness, relational and environmental supports, and structured clinical reasoning and reflection, therapists can accelerate competence, strengthen authentic confidence and sustain meaningful engagement in their work.

Using real-world examples from clinical practice, workforce development, education, and the considered use of technology including artificial intelligence, Dave will demonstrate how ideas can be translated into everyday systems that support meaningful occupational therapy practice, improving retention, professional identity, and sustainability. He will also consider the relevance of this approach in times of uncertainty, showing how well-designed systems allow occupational therapists to remain agile, values-led, and effective even when external conditions are unstable.

The 45-minute oration promises a fresh, occupation-centred perspective on innovation in occupational therapy, challenging the profession to rethink how practice environments are designed to support meaningful, impactful work.

Join us at OTX Brisbane in June to hear Dave Jereb share his insights and inspire the future of occupational therapy practice.

Find out more and register today.