Meet the experts

Erika del Pozo, MOT, OTR/L, holds a BA in Dance and a Master's in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University. Ms. del Pozo has practiced in outpatient pediatrics for five years. She also has experience working with older adults with progressive neurological conditions and created a modified dance curriculum for adults with Parkinson’s Disease in Boca Raton, FL. Ms. del Pozo’s special interests include work well-being and burnout prevention in healthcare. She is the CEO and founder of Joy Energy Time, a business dedicated to helping healthcare professionals and organizations address the ongoing challenges of burnout. Ms. del Pozo’s goals and approach are to understand how burnout manifests in an individual, the social phenomenon of burnout, adaptive and maladaptive coping and cognitive strategies, the complex interplay of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, dysfunctional team energy dynamics, leadership, and how interpersonal team communications impact the healthcare worker and thus the organization. Ms. del Pozo served as an adjunct professor at Nova Southeastern University for three semesters, collaborating with Dr. Lambdin-Pattavina to teach Occupational Analysis and Human Interactions.

Trisha Salome, PT, DPT, is currently a Service Line Director for Penn Highlands Healthcare in Pennsylvania.  Dr. Salome earned her doctorate in physical therapy from Saint Francis University, where she also received her Bachelor of Science in health sciences.  She has spent her entire career working for nonprofits with notable works in pediatrics, home health, hospice, leadership development, clinical documentation, community programs, and operational efficiency. Previously she has represented her profession in elected and appointed positions in the APTA and has presented Hospice education nationally at CSM and with PhysicalTherapy.com.   

In her 30+ years of practice, she has worked in rehabilitation and long-term care as an executive, researcher, and educator.  She has established numerous programs in nursing facilities and authored peer-reviewed publications on topics such as low vision, dementia, quality care, and wellness. She has spoken at numerous conferences, both nationally and internationally. She provides continuing education support to over 30,000 therapists, nurses, and administrators nationwide as National Director of Education for Select Rehabilitation. She is a Certified Alzheimer’s Disease and Dementia Care Trainer, Certified Dementia Care Practitioner, Certified Montessori Dementia Care Practitioner, Certified Fall Prevention Specialist, a Certified Geriatric Care Practitioner, and Trauma Informed Educator.  She serves as the Region 1 Director for the American Occupational Therapy Association Political Action Committee and is an adjunct professor at Gannon University in Erie, PA.