Kimberly Breeden, a graduate of Belmont’s MSOT Bridge program, is currently serving as one of the founding partners of Aspire OT. Her company’s mission is to “empower passionate occupational therapy practitioners through affordable continuing education courses,” which are hosted by other occupational therapy practitioners.

In addition to her successful business, Breeden has also developed her professional education experience by taking on the roles of co-author, contributing author, mentor, guest lecturer and instructor for continuing education workshops across the nation.

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Each year, Dr. Natalie Michaels, professor in the Occupational Therapy Department, performs a concert for a charity benefiting the Nashville Dolphins, and encourages her students to sing on stage with her. But this year, because of COVID, her students couldn’t be there for the event in person. However, the group was able to utilize Zoom to allow the show to go on.

The event raised money for the Nashville Dolphins, a dedicated group of people who teach water safety and swimming to children and young adults with Down Syndrome and other conditions. Michaels, along with fellow musicians, Jim Martin and Peter Gallinari, played everything from Willy Nelson and Styx to Whitney Houston, as well as some original music, all in the name of this wonderful organization.

First-year OTD student Kendall Jackson and new OTD graduate Roya Rezadoost both sang solos for this Zoom event, and were both a hit. Michaels’s husband, Rick , also sang a song for this extraordinary charity, and Michaels said, “He’s my rock! I couldn’t do this without him and my awesome students!”