Governor Abbott Appoints Three To Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners

TEXAS, February 11 - February 11, 2026 | Austin, Texas | Appointment

Governor Greg Abbott appointed Erin Smith, O.T.D., and Lynn Wilde and reappointed Eddie Jessie to the Texas Board of Occupational Therapy Examiners for terms set to expire on February 1, 2031. The Board licenses and regulates occupational therapy services in the state of Texas.

Erin Smith, O.T.D. of Dallas is an occupational therapist and hand therapist with OrthoTexas. She is a member of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Hand Therapy Academy and a former member of the Texas Occupational Therapy Association (TOTA) and the American Society of Hand Therapists. Additionally, she is a volunteer with Lake Highlands Church and Feed Lake Highlands. Smith received 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 of Houston is a certified occupational therapy assistant with the Harris County Department of Education. She is a board member of the Lone Star College (LSC) Advisory Committee for the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program and a former member of TOTA. Wilde received an Associate of Applied Sciences in Occupational Therapy Assistant at LSC - Tomball.

Eddie Jessie of Houston is an aftercare housing coordinator at The Harris Center for Mental Health and IDD Services. He is the former co-chair of the Houston Mayor's Commission on Disabilities, an advisory board member for the Texas A&M University Center on Disability and Development, and a committee Board member for Volunteers of America. Jessie received a Bachelor of Science in social work and criminal justice and a Master of Arts in sociology and counseling from Prairie View A&M University.