2017 International Seating Symposium

Kenneth J. Ottenbacher, PhD, OTR

Kenneth J. Ottenbacher holds the Russell Shearn Moody Distinguished Chair in Neurological Rehabilitation at the University of Texas Medical Branch (UTMB). He is Professor and Director of the Division of Rehabilitation Sciences in the School of Health Professions. He is also Director of the Center for Recovery, Physical Activity and Nutrition, and Associate Director for the Sealy Center on Aging. Dr. Ottenbacher received his PhD from the University of Missouri- Columbia and is a licensed occupational therapist.

Dr. Ottenbacher began his academic career in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and worked through the ranks from assistant professor to professor. He went to the State University of New York at Buffalo in 1990 serving as Associate Dean for Research and Academic Affairs in the School of Health Related Professions, Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, and Associate Director of the Center for Functional Assessment Research in the Uniform Data System for Medical Rehabilitation. In 1995, he joined UTMB as Vice Dean and Professor in the School of Allied Health Sciences (now School of Health Professions).

Dr. Ottenbacher’s current research involves using large datasets to study rehabilitation outcomes with a focus on functional assessment, disability and frailty in older adults. He has published more than 300 articles in refereed journals. Dr. Ottenbacher has received continuous federal funding as principal investigator to support research and training since 1984. He has been the recipient of numerous awards for his research and service including fellow status in the American Occupational Therapy Association, the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine, and the Gerontological Society of America (Health Sciences Division).

Soren Kaplan, Ph.D.

Soren Kaplan is the bestselling and award winning author of Leapfrogging and The Invisible Advantage, an Affiliated Professor at the Center for Effective Organizations at USC’s Marshall School of Business, a writer for FastCompany, a globally recognized keynote speaker, and the Founder of InnovationPoint.

As a leading expert in disruptive innovation, innovation culture, and business model innovation, he works with Disney, NBCUniversal, Kimberly-Clark, Colgate-Palmolive, Hershey, Red Bull, Medtronic, Roche, Philips, Cisco, Visa, Ascension Health, Kaiser Permanente, CSAA Insurance Group, American Nurses Association, and numerous other organizations. Soren previously led the internal strategy and innovation group at Hewlett-Packard (HP) during the roaring 1990’s in Silicon Valley and was a co-founder of iCohere, one of the first web collaboration platforms for online learning and social networking.

He has lectured at the Harvard Business School, Copenhagen Business School, Melbourne Business School, and with other MBA and executive education programs globally. His Wall Street Journal bestseller, Leapfrogging, was recognized as “Best General Business Book” by the International Book Awards and “Best Leadership Book” by the Axiom Book Awards. He has been quoted, published, and interviewed by FastCompany, Forbes, CNBC, National Public Radio, the American Management Association, USA Today, Strategy & Leadership, and The International Handbook on Innovation, among many others.

He holds Master’s and Ph.D. degrees in Organizational Psychology and resides in the San Francisco Bay Area with his wife, two daughters, and hypo-allergenic cat.