South College Knoxville directors receive AOTA Fellows honors
May 28, 2026

Amazon Best Sellers
#Commissions earned

Dr. Ben Herz and Dr. Cathleen C. Johnson accept AOTA awards

KNOXVILLE - Two South College directors have earned the distinction as Fellows of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA), which recognizes occupational therapists who have made significant contributions to the profession over an extended period time.

Dr. Ben Herz, OTD, MBA, OTR/L, program director of the South College Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, and Dr. Cathleen C. Johnson, OTD, OTRL, FMIOTA, FNAP, director of admissions for the OTD program, received these honors at the AOTA INSPIRE 2026 Annual Conference & Expo, which took place April 23-25 in Anaheim, California.

“Earning Fellow status as an occupational therapist is a tremendous accomplishment,” South College Chancellor Stephen South said. “On behalf of the entire South College community, I applaud this achievement by Dr. Herz and Dr. Johnson. We are proud to have them represent South College on this national stage and serve our students and community every day.”

Fellows are selected based on how they have shaped the occupational therapy field in multiple facets, including practice, education, research and advocacy.

Herz, who has served as program director at South College since January 2026, has extensive experience overseeing occupational therapy programs in higher education, including founding director at Mary Baldwin University in Staunton, Virginia and Presbyterian College in Clinton, South Carolina. Herz earned an OTD at Creighton University in 2004 and served as AOTA treasurer from 2011-14.

Johnson joined South College in 2025 and has served in both professional and higher education fields for occupational therapy, including corporate rehabilitation director for ProMedica in Toledo, Ohio for more than 20 years, admissions coordinator for Southern California University of Health Sciences, and faculty and professor positions at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo. Johnson earned an OTD at Bay Path University in Longmeadow, Massachusetts and has been president of the Michigan Occupational Therapy Association for more than 15 years.

“I extend my congratulations to Dr. Herz and Dr. Johnson for earning such prestigious recognition,” South College Knoxville President Neil Heatherly said. “This well-deserved honor demonstrates their dedication to our mission of providing a high-quality education with pathways to professional success for occupational therapists.”

South College in Knoxville welcomed its first class for the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program in October 2025 after earning candidacy status from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education (ACOTE). Candidacy status also allows the Knoxville campus to proceed to the pre-accreditation review step of the full accreditation process, which will be completed in 2027.

Doctoral students undergo instruction for patient screening and evaluation of best practices; evidence-based care for patients across the lifespan; research methods, design and analysis; professional leadership and advocacy; and community-based practice and health promotion.

For additional information about the doctoral program, visit south.edu or call admissions at 865-214-6020.

South College offers academic programs at multiple levels, including professional certificates and associate, bachelor’s, master’s, educational specialist and doctoral degree programs via campuses in Knoxville and Nashville, Tennessee; Asheville, North Carolina; Atlanta and Marietta, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Dallas, Texas; and Orlando, Florida, as well as Online and CBE.

To learn more about South College, visit south.edu.