2021 COTAD Excellence in Mentorship Award
COTAD Mentorship Program leaders Dr. Meegan Lambert, OTD, OTR/L, LMT and Helen Valencia, MS, OTR/L were proud to name La’Shandra “Elle” Holmes-Russell, MSOT, OTR/L, LVT, CEIM, CYT as the recipient of the 2021 COTAD Excellence in Mentorship Award.
In addition to her work as a maternal mental health and early intervention practitioner, postnatal yoga instructor, and certified lactation and breastfeeding counselor and educator, Holmes-Russell has had a major impact as a CMP mentor. Through the duration of her mentoring relationship, Holmes-Russell has demonstrated outstanding involvement and had a significant impact on her mentee’s personal and professional development. Specifically, she has been a guest speaker and inspired the establishment of a COTAD chapter at her mentee’s OT program. She has also been a featured speaker at COTAD Chapter events and served as a support and resource for her mentee and her peers. Holmes-Russell also provided a personal touch to her role as a mentor by sending birthday and healthcare week cards.
Her mentee and nominator Miracle Warren, OTS shared these powerful words about the impact of Holmes-Russell's mentorship:
“Elle has been nothing short of amazing. She has inspired me to follow my dreams and provided me with hope whenever I felt hopeless. She let me know how much she cared by sending cards during healthcare week and my birthday, as well as in providing me with advice and tools to utilize throughout my education. She is so full of knowledge and expertise and truly everything I could hope for in a mentor. One of my main worries when I started my academic journey during my first semester of OT school was in not having the support and resources to be successful. Being in a predominantly white state and institution with myself and only one other person of color, I felt very intimidated. I questioned myself daily, but Elle gave me the confidence to push forward and recognize my capabilities and strengths. She was a guest speaker for my professional development committee and truly gave us the push and inspiration we needed to move forward in our academic journey. However, the biggest impact she made on my college and me was inspiring us to start our own COTAD chapter. Thanks to her motivation and advice, I achieved all A’s my first semester of OT school and was able to start a COTAD chapter at my institution. Despite the odds, I pushed through my fears and vowed to create a change. She is the poster child for the idea that anything is possible. Elle has gone out of her way to help and support myself and my peers, and for that reason, she deserves to be recognized and awarded the highest honor.”