Julie Kalahar
Julie Kalahar, MSOT, OTR/L, FAOTA, is the Supervisor for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Augustana College and a Master of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of South Dakota. Since graduating she has held various leadership positions within the South Dakota Occupational Therapy Association (SDOTA) organization including President. She has also served as South Dakota Representative to the American Occupational Therapy Association’s (AOTA) Representative Assembly (RA) and has held a national position in the AOTA RA. Her professional leadership and service history includes serving AOTA and the American Occupational Therapy Foundation in many committees. Previously, she was the chair of the OTA Honor Society Establishment Committee for the OT Leaders and Legacies Foundation. She has been awarded the SDOTA OTA/OT Partnership Award twice with OTA co-workers Randy Breske, COTA/L, and Kory Hall, BS, COTA/L. In 2005 she was the recipient of the Dorothy Anne Elsberry Award of Merit, which is the highest honor awarded by SDOTA, for her continued dedication and work on behalf of the field of occupational therapy. In 2014 AOTA named her to the Roster of Fellows for Exemplary Dedication through Service and Leadership. In 2015 The AOTF named her as a founding member of the Leaders and Legacies Society. In 2024, she was appointed by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem to the South Dakota Board of Medical and Osteopathic Examiners.
Julie Kalahar
Occupational Therapy Assistant Dept. Supervisor
