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ATRA SoCal : 2026 Session Description
October 17–19, 2026
The Embassy Suites, Brea, California
2026 ATRA Annual Conference – Session Descriptions
October 17–19, 2026 | Brea, CA
The following is the Session Descriptions for the 2026 ATRA Annual Conference in Brea, CA. All sessions, times, and presenter information have been confirmed, though final adjustments may occur due to unforeseen circumstances onsite.
For a visual Calendar view, please visit: Schedule at a Glance
For information on our On Demand Conference offerings, please visit: ATRA SoCal On Demand
Continuing Education (CEUs):
NCTRC pre-approval is pending fr all sessions for CEUs.
Once the program is pre-approved; For questions related to specialty certification areas, please refer to the PDF version of the program for designation icons and CEU-eligible sessions.
Code of Conduct:
All attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and guests are expected to uphold the ATRA Conference Code of Conduct.
To review the Code, view it here.
Note on Non-ATRA Activities:
Please note that any events or activities not listed in the official ATRA SoCal program are independently organized and not affiliated or sponsored by ATRA. ATRA is not responsible for independently coordinated events, meetups or activities not articulated in this program. Individuals interested in non-ATRA sponsored activities should contact their respective organizations directly for details.
Bring, Evaluate, Improve: Applying Evidence-Based Quality and Accessibility Standards in RT Education
Session Description
This interactive workshop invites RT educators of all kinds to take a fresh look at the materials they are already using in their teaching and align them in real time with evidence-based quality and accessibility standards. The session introduces a structured framework with an emphasis on applying quality appraisal criteria to evaluate what is taught and why it matters. Through a scaffolded approach, attendees will gain practical strategies to improve instructional quality, promote accessibility, and strengthen knowledge translation in RT education, with the potential for these refined resources to be contributed to a shared resource library for RT educators.
Learning Outcomes
1) Identify 2 strengths and one gap in instructional materials using established quality and accessibility standards. 2) Apply structured evaluation criteria to assess one component of an RT educational resource. 3) Improve one RT educational resource based on evaluation findings and peer feedback.
Practice Area: Select ALL that Apply
Higher Education
Target Audience
Educators/Researchers
Mid-Career Professionals
Seasoned Professionals
Primary Presenter
![[photo]](https://secure.gravatar.com/avatar/fd476e1d0ee97c9667e7bf3645725d25.png?d=https://proposalspace.com/images/no_photo.png&r=PG&s=50 "Alicia Delia Pola, Arizona State University (ASU)")
Alicia Delia Pola, Arizona State University (ASU)
Biographical Information
Dr. Alicia Pola is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Community Resources and Development at Arizona State University. A Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) for ten years and an educator in higher education for eight, she brings a strong commitment to advancing recreation therapy through teaching, scholarship, and community engagement. Dr. Pola is passionate about creating learning spaces where students explore the value and impact of recreation therapy services while critically engaging with issues of equity and social justice. Her teaching emphasizes the importance of inclusive practices that center leisure, play, recreation, and health as vital components of well-being. Her professional pursuits focus on amplifying voices within the field, fostering dialogue, and promoting equitable models of service delivery. By bridging theory and practice, Dr. Pola aims to prepare future practitioners to meet diverse community needs and contribute to a more just and accessible approach to health and recreation.
Co-Presenter/Panelists
![[photo]](https://8ca84662c5b8f0cff50d-4baaaf97d63fd7b01243e1b1c57f0cc1.ssl.cf1.rackcdn.com/3548/profile_e69800fbbe01c078d7c1bc8b7fee1b37.png "Gena Bell Vargas, Temple University")
Gena Bell Vargas, Temple University
Credentials
Ph.D., CTRS
Biographical Information
Gena Bell Vargas, PhD, CTRS, is the MSRT Program Director and an Associate Professor of Instruction in the RT program at Temple University. Her clinical background includes an urban acute psychiatric inpatient setting working with people experiencing symptoms of depression, bipolar disorder, and schizophrenia, as well an inpatient physical rehabilitation with persons that have experienced strokes, TBIs, SCIs, and amputations. Recently, Gena has been getting back into the world of adventure programming, and continuing her learning in aromatherapy, while also pursuing the scholarship of teaching and learning.