Amber Alverson, an occupational therapy doctoral student (class of 2012), was chosen as a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities 2011 Long Term Trainee recipient and will be awarded a $10,000 scholarship. Each Long Term Trainee must serve a minimum of 300 hours in activities to promote advocacy, leadership, and development of culturally competent care.

Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities focuses on preparing health professionals to assume leadership roles and develop interdisciplinary team skills, advanced clinical skills and research skills, in order to meet the complex needs of children with neuro-developmental related disabilities. The program is federally funded by the Department of Health and Human Services through the Maternal and Child Health Bureau LEND Grant. It is administered through Vanderbilt University’s Kennedy Center which collaborates with Belmont University (faculty advisor Lorry Liotta-Kleinfeld), Meharry Medical College, Tennessee State University, Tennessee Council on Developmental Disabilities, Tennessee Disabilities Coalition and the University of Tennessee, Nashville campus.