Occupational Therapy Assistant

This website is a hub of information for people interested in learning about the program, OTA students,

Fieldwork Educators, students currently completing fieldwork, and Student OT Association members.

This is NOT the official Home Page for the PMI OTA Program. Click HERE to visit the Occupational Therapy Assistant Home Page. That separate webpage provides official information on the program, Licensure, Accreditation, Tuition, Pass Rates, Admission & more. Otherwise, use the links on the top right to navigate this site.

2025 Newsletter!

OTA Program Mission

The OTA Program’s mission is to develop qualified students to become caring, competent, ethical, team-oriented, client-centered, generalist, entry level Occupational Therapy Practitioners who embody the spirit of authentic occupational therapy in the 21st century.

OTA Faculty (Click to expand & meet our faculty)

Perhaps our biggest strength is our amazing faculty. We have a large faculty that have experience including Outpatient Pediatrics, Critical Care, Acute Medical, Behavioral Health, Hand Therapy, Acute Rehabilitation, Home Health, Skilled Nursing, Ergonomic Consulting, & Hippotherapy.

Jake Major, BA, COTA/L

Jake is originally from Charlotte, North Carolina. He has been living in the Denver area for about five years with his wife Jill and their dog Boone. He specializes in pediatrics. He completed a bachelor's degree in psychology at Appalachian State and his occupational therapy assistant associate’s degree at Cabarrus College of Health Sciences. Through college, he was a camp counselor for a camp for kids with special needs and serious medical conditions which is what led him to occupational therapy. He has since worked in various pediatric settings and educated many fieldwork students. When he's not working, Jake loves skiing and snowshoeing with his wife, Jill, and their dog, Boone. In the summer, they love camping and exploring the great state of Colorado.

Caroline Rose MOT, OTR/L

Caroline's passions for OT are centered in pediatric therapy. She has experience in home-based and school-based pediatric OT and has treated a variety of pediatric patients including those with medical complexities and histories of trauma. She has a passion for parent education/training and collaborating with all members of the care team. Caroline completed her Masters in Occupational Therapy at Colorado State University, where she completed her thesis conducting research on the occupational outcomes of participating in yoga for chronic pain. She has since published her research in the British Journal of Occupational Therapy and has presented her research at the Symposium of Yoga Research and the World Federation of Occupational Therapy Conference.

Chris Sorrells MS, OTR/L

Chris has served as an Instructor, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, & is currently the Program Director (PD) for the Denver program. He also serves as the OTA Senior Program Director providing leadership to Pima's eight OTA programs through the country. His experience includes earning two clinical specializations in Hand Therapy and Ergonomics. Prior to joining Pima, he worked in multiple clinical settings including critical care, acute care, outpatient, ergonomic consulting, business development, canine splinting and casting, and creating a hand therapy continuing education program. He has taught at the American Society of Hand Therapist (ASHT) conference as well as national continuing education seminars for therapists. He authored a chapter for the ASHT Test Prep for the CHT Exam book and articles in several therapy publications. Currently he serves as a preceptor at the DAWN Clinic which is a student-run free clinic dedicated to the community's wellness. He has earned awards as Faculty Member of the Year, Emerging Leader Program, Employee of the Month, Student Satisfaction, and Student Retention. Chris excels at breaking down concepts as well as utilizing multiple teaching methods (auditory, kinesthetic, visual) to enable students to realize they can truly learn anything. He currently teaches classes in Anatomy & Physiology, Kinesiology, Hand Therapy, and Physical Agent Modalities.

Brittiny Stapleton, BS, COTA/L

Brittiny received her Bachelor of Science Degree from University of Wisconsin Stevens Point in Health Promotion & Wellness and her Associate Degree in the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program from Pima here in Denver. Before joining Pima, she practiced primarily in inpatient rehabilitation, some home health care and home evaluations, and treating in independent/assisted living facilities in Colorado. Outside of work, she also coaches a rock-climbing competition team, and has enjoyed rock climbing for 11 years indoors and outdoors, as well as mountain biking, hiking, skiing, and spending time with her husband.

Caroline Stertz MS, OTR/L, AFWC

Caroline brings a wealth of experience and passion to our OTA program. A Denver native, she began her journey in Health and Exercise Science at CSU and continued to excel in Occupational Therapy at Nova Southeastern University. Her career path, spanning from physical rehabilitation to Behavioral Health, demonstrates her commitment to promoting mental well-being among healthcare professionals. Caroline’s dedication to supporting her colleagues and developing resilience programming speaks volumes about her expertise in healthcare career sustainability. Her enthusiasm and expertise will undoubtedly enrich our program. Caroline is married with three fur-babies, 2 dogs and a conure. Outside of work you might find her at a Rockies game, gardening, skiing, or seeing live music.

Kaily Nix Wood OTD, OTR/L, RD/LD

Kaily received a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Science and an Occupational Therapy Doctorate from Arkansas State University, in Jonesboro, AR. Before joining Pima, she practiced primarily in independent and assisted living facilities in Colorado. She brings a wealth of knowledge about nutrition and diet to Pima! Outside of work, she enjoys hiking, skiing, playing tennis, farmer's markets and spending time with her husband and new baby boy.

Purpose-built dedicated OTA Facilities

Our OTA lab includes a bedroom, bathroom, washer/dryer, kitchen, and treatment mat to do hands-on real world training. This is also where we conduct splinting, cooking, patient handling, wheelchair and adaptive device training, crafts, standardized assessments, kinesiology testing, anatomy and pediatric labs, and lots more. The OTA classroom has been newly renovated from the floors and furniture to the lights, sound, and computer systems to create a top-notch learning environment.

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