In this special OT Month episode, we are doing something a little different — a reunion episode! Just a couple of weeks ago, the four of us were on stage at SXSW, one of the world’s most influential festivals for tech, film, music, and culture, sharing our experiences, perspectives, and our passion for role-emerging and non-traditional OT practice. And today, we’re bringing the band back together to debrief, reflect, and process what that incredible panel meant to us — and where we go from here. So, I am thrilled to welcome back our three amazing panelists — Francisco Lasta, Dawn Heiderscheidt and Esther Bae— brilliant practitioners, storytellers, and changemakers in the OT design space. If you missed our SXSW panel, don’t worry — we’ll catch you up, dive deeper, and pull back the curtain on what it really felt like to share our message with such a dynamic and diverse audience.
Occupation-Centered Design: Unlocking Inclusive Experiences
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP146632
Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA
Inclusive Spaces & Design
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flastaotr/
IG: @spinyfiredragon
Esther Bae, OTD, OTR/L, CPACC
Make Up, Beauty & Product Design
Website: https://www.modifiedindependent.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthersbae/
IG: @modifiedindependent
Dawn Heiderscheidt, OTR/L, ECHM, CAPS, CHAMP
Aging In Place Specialist
Website: https://www.auroraindependence.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-heiders2024/
IG: @auroraindependence
All content for The Uncommon OT Series is the property of Patricia Motus and is served directly from their servers
with no modification, redirects, or rehosting. The podcast is not affiliated with or endorsed by Podjoint in any way.
In this special OT Month episode, we are doing something a little different — a reunion episode! Just a couple of weeks ago, the four of us were on stage at SXSW, one of the world’s most influential festivals for tech, film, music, and culture, sharing our experiences, perspectives, and our passion for role-emerging and non-traditional OT practice. And today, we’re bringing the band back together to debrief, reflect, and process what that incredible panel meant to us — and where we go from here. So, I am thrilled to welcome back our three amazing panelists — Francisco Lasta, Dawn Heiderscheidt and Esther Bae— brilliant practitioners, storytellers, and changemakers in the OT design space. If you missed our SXSW panel, don’t worry — we’ll catch you up, dive deeper, and pull back the curtain on what it really felt like to share our message with such a dynamic and diverse audience.
Occupation-Centered Design: Unlocking Inclusive Experiences
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP146632
Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA
Inclusive Spaces & Design
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flastaotr/
IG: @spinyfiredragon
Esther Bae, OTD, OTR/L, CPACC
Make Up, Beauty & Product Design
Website: https://www.modifiedindependent.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthersbae/
IG: @modifiedindependent
Dawn Heiderscheidt, OTR/L, ECHM, CAPS, CHAMP
Aging In Place Specialist
Website: https://www.auroraindependence.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-heiders2024/
IG: @auroraindependence
Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA, Esther Bae, OTD, OTR/L, CPACC, Dawn Heiderscheidt, OTR/L, ECHM, CAPS, CHAMP & Patricia Motus, OTR/L, RYT: OT in SXSW
The Uncommon OT Series
1 hour 2 minutes 36 seconds
7 months ago
Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA, Esther Bae, OTD, OTR/L, CPACC, Dawn Heiderscheidt, OTR/L, ECHM, CAPS, CHAMP & Patricia Motus, OTR/L, RYT: OT in SXSW
In this special OT Month episode, we will learn from inspiring industry leaders in the OT Design Space. Listen to our SXSW 2025 panel discussion recording as we dive deep into Occupation-Centered Design. Occupational science provides crucial insights into human capabilities, diverse needs, and environmental impacts required for inclusive design. This presentation explores the transformative power of collaboration between Occupational Therapists (OTs) and designers. By leveraging OTs' expertise in occupational science, systems thinking, and diverse client experience, we can create spaces and products that facilitate our meaningful engagement in activities that contribute to our well-being.
Occupation-Centered Design: Unlocking Inclusive Experiences
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP146632
Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA
Inclusive Spaces & Design
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flastaotr/
IG: @spinyfiredragon
Esther Bae, OTD, OTR/L, CPACC
Make Up, Beauty & Product Design
Website: https://www.modifiedindependent.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthersbae/
IG: @modifiedindependent
Dawn Heiderscheidt, OTR/L, ECHM, CAPS, CHAMP
Aging In Place Specialist
Website: https://www.auroraindependence.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-heiders2024/
IG: @auroraindependence
We will explore how an occupational therapy perspective can reshape design thinking ✨Key topics we’ll discuss:
The connection between Occupation-Centered Design and Accessibility
Why occupational therapy is vital to creating truly inclusive designs
Practical strategies for integrating OT insights into the design process
Get ready for a transformative conversation that’s all about making design more accessible for EVERYONE!
THANK YOU SXSW for the unforgettable experience and for giving The Uncommon OT Series Podcast permission to use the audio recording of our panel discussion.
The Uncommon OT Series
In this special OT Month episode, we are doing something a little different — a reunion episode! Just a couple of weeks ago, the four of us were on stage at SXSW, one of the world’s most influential festivals for tech, film, music, and culture, sharing our experiences, perspectives, and our passion for role-emerging and non-traditional OT practice. And today, we’re bringing the band back together to debrief, reflect, and process what that incredible panel meant to us — and where we go from here. So, I am thrilled to welcome back our three amazing panelists — Francisco Lasta, Dawn Heiderscheidt and Esther Bae— brilliant practitioners, storytellers, and changemakers in the OT design space. If you missed our SXSW panel, don’t worry — we’ll catch you up, dive deeper, and pull back the curtain on what it really felt like to share our message with such a dynamic and diverse audience.
Occupation-Centered Design: Unlocking Inclusive Experiences
https://schedule.sxsw.com/2025/events/PP146632
Francisco Lasta, OTR/L, Assoc. AIA
Inclusive Spaces & Design
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/flastaotr/
IG: @spinyfiredragon
Esther Bae, OTD, OTR/L, CPACC
Make Up, Beauty & Product Design
Website: https://www.modifiedindependent.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/esthersbae/
IG: @modifiedindependent
Dawn Heiderscheidt, OTR/L, ECHM, CAPS, CHAMP
Aging In Place Specialist
Website: https://www.auroraindependence.com/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dawn-heiders2024/
IG: @auroraindependence