Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TNOTA)

What Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TNOTA) does

The Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TNOTA) is a private, non-profit professional association founded in 1929 and headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, representing occupational therapy practitioners, assistants, students, educators, consumers, and stakeholders across the state. TNOTA operates with a small staff of approximately five employees under volunteer Executive Board leadership, including President Stephanie Lancaster, EdD, OTR/L, ATP (Associate Professor at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in Memphis). The association's core product is tiered membership (Student $20/year, 1st Year OTA/OT $40-$60/year, Retired $40/year, OTA $60/year, OT $80/year) plus a portfolio of bundled benefits including the annual conference, continuing education programs, mentorship (7th cycle), capstone partnerships, advocacy services, and five active Communities of Practice (Hand Therapy, Mental Health, Pediatrics, Aquatic Therapy, Academia).

TNOTA generates revenue through four primary streams: recurring membership dues ($20-$80 per tier), annual conference registration and sponsorships (250+ attendees at the 2024 record event), continuing education course fees via the Aspire OT platform (e.g., $40 for non-member suicide prevention training), and advertising/sponsorship packages distributed across newsletters, the website, district events, and the annual conference. Distribution is direct-to-consumer through the tnota.org website (Stripe-processed checkout) and event registration, with a single-country/domestic geographic scope limited to Tennessee. Underlying technology is minimal and administrative: a standard WordPress website with Google Maps integration and a third-party CE platform, with no proprietary software, API, or mobile application.

TNOTA's competitive positioning rests on exclusive statewide advocacy representation, executed through Capitol & 5th Public Strategies (a dedicated lobbying firm) and a flagship partnership with the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Documented regulatory outcomes include Tennessee's April 2022 enactment of the OT Licensure Compact (as the 19th state), telehealth codification in the state practice act, addition of dry needling to scope of practice, preservation of an independent OT licensing board, and recognition of OT in pain management and mental health contexts. Customer segments comprise licensed OT practitioners (primary), OT/OTA students (primary), OT/OTA educators (secondary), and consumers of OT services (secondary), segmented horizontally across the OT profession.

Name

Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TNOTA)

Legal name

Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association

Website

https://tnota.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

TNOTA is a non-profit statewide professional association representing occupational therapy practitioners, assistants, students, and educators in Tennessee. It delivers tiered memberships, continuing education, an annual conference, mentorship, and advocacy services through direct dues and event revenue.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Tennessee

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Annual membership fees from OT practitioners, OT assistants, students, and retired professionals at various tier levels ranging from $20-$80 per year
2. Annual Conference: Revenue from conference registration fees and sponsorship opportunities
3. Continuing Education: CE course fees, with many courses free for members and paid options for non-members ($40 for suicide prevention training)
4. Sponsorships & Advertising: Sponsorship packages for annual conference and district events; advertising placements in newsletter and on website

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

TNOTA is a statewide non-profit professional association representing occupational therapy practitioners, students, educators, consumers, and stakeholders in Tennessee. It delivers membership subscriptions, continuing education programs, advocacy representation, an annual conference, mentorship, communities of practice, and capstone partnerships for the OT profession.

Product overview

TNOTA is a professional association offering a single unified membership-based service portfolio for occupational therapy practitioners and students in Tennessee. The core offering includes membership tiers (Occupational Therapist, 1st Year OT, Occupational Therapy Assistant, 1st Year OTA, Retired, Student) providing access to Continuing Education programs, the Annual Conference, Mentorship Program (7th cycle), Capstone Partnership Program, Communities of Practice (Hand Therapy, Mental Health, Pediatrics, Aquatic Therapy, Academia), advocacy services, and the inaugural Hall of Fame Awards program. Member benefits also include research support, suicide prevention training, and access to member-only resources.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• TNOTA Membership - Occupational Therapist Full active membership in TNOTA for professional Occupational Therapists, priced at $80.00 per year, providing access to all member benefits including CE programs, advocacy, mentorship, and the annual conference.
• TNOTA Membership - 1st Year Occupational Therapist Discounted first-year membership for occupational therapists who graduated from an ACOTE accredited OT Program within the previous 12 months, priced at $60.00 per year.
• TNOTA Membership - Occupational Therapy Assistant Full active membership in TNOTA for professional Occupational Therapy Assistants, priced at $60.00 per year.
• TNOTA Membership - 1st Year Occupational Therapy Assistant Discounted first-year membership for occupational therapy assistants who graduated from an ACOTE accredited OTA Program within the previous 12 months, priced at $40.00 per year.
• TNOTA Membership - Retired Professional Discounted membership tier for retired professionals who want to keep up with and support TNOTA, priced at $40.00 per year.
• TNOTA Membership - Student Discounted membership open to students actively enrolled in an accredited OT or OTA Program, priced at $20.00 per year.
• Continuing Education (CE) Programs TNOTA offers numerous virtual, in-person, and asynchronous CE opportunities including Suicide Prevention training and TNOTA Approved CE Course Program, many free for members; some paid courses are available to non-members (e.g., $40 for Suicide Prevention Training, 2 CEU hours).
• TNOTA Annual Conference

Quantifiable outcome

• Highest conference attendance exceeded 250 participants at 2024 Annual Conference
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core, flagship and minor.

• BrightStonecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrightStone is TNOTA's 2025-2026 Philanthropy Partner. BrightStone is a non-profit organization offering comprehensive curriculum to empower adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), including job skills training, functional academics, health education, and community engagement. TNOTA members fundraise on behalf of BrightStone towards acquisition of an accessible van.
• Capitol & 5th Public Strategies (C5)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTNOTA's dedicated lobbying firm representing the organization to state lawmakers and advocating for the OT profession. C5 monitors legislation, tracks regulatory changes, drafts legislation and talking points, provides advocacy training, and maintains relationships with key decision makers in healthcare and human services. Founded by Courtney Atnip, J.A. Bucy, and Dustin Goforth.
• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerIn 2023, TNOTA partnered with APTA to host a joint OT-PT conference in Chattanooga. This milestone event emphasized interprofessional collaboration and was well received by both disciplines, strengthening the partnership and highlighting the value of interdisciplinary practice.
• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerNational OT association providing federal-level advocacy support, state affairs staffing, and policy coordination. TNOTA collaborates with AOTA on federal legislative issues, shares advocacy accomplishments, and participates in AOTA Emerging Leaders program. In 2019, the AOTA President served as TNOTA keynote speaker.
• Tennessee Disability CoalitioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAnnual Hill Day partnership allowing TNOTA members to meet face-to-face with state senators and representatives alongside other disability and healthcare advocates, building a strong coalition benefiting OT consumers across Tennessee.
• University of Tennessee Health Science CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner for capstone student placements. TNOTA offers Doctoral Capstone Experiences where students partner with TNOTA leaders for 14-week placements, producing work used by the association.
• Belmont UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner hosting capstone student (Abby Hill) creating Mental Health OT Provider Directory guide. Student OT program providing research participant recruitment support for TNOTA member research opportunities.
• East Tennessee State UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic institution conducting research on substance use disorder training for occupational therapists in Appalachia. Research study involves CEU course and collaboration with TNOTA members.
• Vanderbilt University Medical CenterminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor healthcare institution where TNOTA member Rosemary Lewis practices in Cardiovascular and Medical ICUs. Serves as representative on TNOTA Advocacy Committee and speaker for advocacy webinars.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA): National professional association for occupational therapy practitioners in the U.S. TNOTA is a state-affiliate peer that partners with AOTA on federal advocacy, shares advocacy accomplishments, and participates in AOTA's Emerging Leaders program — operating the same membership/advocacy model at the state level.
• New York State Occupational Therapy Association (NYSOTA): New York state affiliate of AOTA serving OT practitioners, students, and educators. Sister state OT association operating the same membership, CE, conference, and advocacy model — directly comparable for benchmarking programs and growth.
• Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FLOTA): Florida state OT association serving practitioners, students, and educators. Sister state association with the same membership tiers, legislative advocacy, CE offerings, and annual conference format as TNOTA.
• Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association (POTA): Pennsylvania state affiliate OT association. Operates the same state-level professional association model (membership tiers, CE, conference, advocacy, communities of practice), providing a directly comparable peer for program design and revenue benchmarking.
• Tennessee Physical Therapy Association (TN APTA Chapter): State-level professional association for physical therapists in Tennessee, structurally analogous to TNOTA. TNOTA co-hosted a joint OT-PT conference with APTA in 2023, demonstrating direct operational and membership-model overlap at the same geographic level.
• Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA): Texas state OT association representing practitioners across a large, diverse state. Closest scale peer to TNOTA in terms of membership-model, advocacy, conference, and CE delivery — useful for state-association benchmarking.

Broad incumbents

• American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA): National professional association for speech-language pathologists, audiologists, and related professionals. Closely analogous operating model — membership dues, CE, certification support, advocacy — across an adjacent allied-health profession frequently co-located with OT in schools and clinics.
• American Physical Therapy Association (APTA): National professional association for physical therapists with state chapters. Adjacent allied-health association operating the same membership/advocacy/CE model; TNOTA partnered with APTA for a joint conference, underscoring functional comparability.

Regional players

• Tennessee Medical Association (TMA): Statewide professional association representing physicians in Tennessee. Operates the same Tennessee-based advocacy, CME, and membership-association model as TNOTA and is a relevant regional peer for legislative coalition work and operational benchmarking.
• Tennessee Nurses Association (TNA): Tennessee state professional association for registered nurses. Adjacent healthcare professional association operating in the same geography with similar advocacy, CE, and conference structures — directly relevant for legislative coalition and member-engagement benchmarking.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/tnota1
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@tennesseeoccupationalthera7704
• Facebookfacebook.com/tnotassociation
• Instagraminstagram.com/tnota2
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/tnota

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Tennessee Occupational Therapy Association (TNOTA)