Governor Greg Abbott has appointed Erin Smith, O.T.D., and Lynn Wilde, and reappointed Eddie Jessie to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners. Their terms will run until February 1, 2031. The board is responsible for licensing and regulating occupational therapy services in Texas.
Erin Smith, O.T.D., from Dallas, works as an occupational therapist and hand therapist at OrthoTexas. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Hand Therapy Academy. Smith has previously been involved with the Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA) and the American Society of Hand Therapists. She volunteers with Lake Highlands Church and Feed Lake Highlands. Her educational background includes a Master of Occupational Therapy from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University.
Lynn Wilde, based in Houston, serves as a certified occupational therapy assistant at the Harris County Department of Education. She sits on the Lone Star College Advisory Committee for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program and was formerly part of TOTA. Wilde earned her Associate of Applied Sciences in Occupational Therapy Assistant from Lone Star College – Tomball.
Eddie Jessie, also from Houston, works as an aftercare housing coordinator at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD Services. He previously co-chaired the Houston Mayor’s Commission on Disabilities and serves on advisory boards for both the Texas A&M University Center on Disability and Development and Volunteers of America. Jessie holds a Bachelor of Science in social work and criminal justice as well as a Master of Arts in sociology and counseling from Prairie View A&M University.
The Office of Texas Governor Greg Abbott operates statewide out of its main offices in Austin at the State Insurance Building https://gov.texas.gov/. Since his election in 2014 https://gov.texas.gov/, Governor Abbott has focused on job creation, economic opportunities, education enhancement, individual liberties protection, parental empowerment in schooling, and southern border security https://gov.texas.gov/. Under his leadership, Texas has seen significant job growth and record employment levels https://gov.texas.gov/. In 2024, TIME recognized him among its 100 Most Influential People https://gov.texas.gov/.
