Connections is Occupational Therapy Australia’s member magazine, sharing stories, insights, and profiles from across the OT community.
Occupational Therapy Australia is the peak professional body representing over 30,000 occupational therapists. As a fast-growing allied health field, the profession includes over 34,100 registered practitioners (as of March 2025), with a primarily young, female workforce (around 90% female) predominantly working in private and public sectors.
This was a Member Spotlight feature with Theratrak founder and paediatric Occupational Therapist Laura Simmons in the Connections Spring 2025 edition.
In the interview, Laura shares more about:
What inspired Laura to become an OT, and how OT shaped her career direction
How she stays inspired and continues to grow through learning from other innovative OTs
Leading a team with purpose, and the leadership qualities she values most
Why collaboration matters when building meaningful tech in healthcare
Advice for new graduate OTs navigating a changing, innovation-driven profession
Goals / outcomes / results / conclusion why people should care
This feature shares Laura’s journey from paediatric OT to founder, and highlights a message that matters for the profession right now: OT is evolving, and the most impactful work often comes from staying curious, learning from peers, and building solutions with real-world purpose.
It’s also a strong reminder that Theratrak is grounded in OT values - collaboration, adaptability, and supporting participants outside of direct therapy.
Excerpt from interview:
How do you stay inspired and continue to grow your career as an OT?
“Stay curious! Connecting and learning from other OTs that are doing amazing things. I am always interested in meeting and learning from other innovative OTs around the world. I love discovering the positive social purpose behind their innovations. Theratrak plays a crucial role in this, supporting me to engage with a world outside of traditional OT. I believe this constantly challenges me to learn and adapt to the ever-evolving world of healthcare.”
