- Tamara Kittelson, MS, OTR/L, ATP/SMS
Executive and Project Director
tamara@posture24-7.org
Tamara is an occupational therapist in practice for more than 45 years. As a specialist in pediatrics/early intervention her focus shifted when Eleanore, her third daughter, was born with cerebral palsy and profound deafness. Eventually she specialized in wheelchairs, positioning and mobility equipment for children, youth and adults with complex needs. Tamara is a RESNA certified Assistive Technology Professional/Seating and Mobility Specialist. While working with children during their growing years, she observed deterioration in the body shape of many despite good seating and positioning. She intuitively provided a supported sleeping posture for her own daughter at night but did not expand that to clients until she read a paper published in England in 2000 about 24 hour postural care. She continued to use what she knew as a therapist to provide 24 hour postural care for her clients, but over time desired further training. In January 2012 Tamara studied with John and Liz Goldsmith and Sarah Clayton at Postural Care Skills, CIC in England. She implemented what she learned with clients at home, completing qualifications in Measurement of Body Symmetry, Advanced Postural Care and a Postural Care Tutor/Manager course through the Open College Network West Midlands. Since then she has studied and learned more about the fascinating history of posture care management (PCM) as it began in England in the 1970s including the work of Noreen Hare and Pauline Pope. Tamara’s desire to raise awareness about 24-7 PCM in the United States led to starting Postural Care USA in 2013 — renamed Posture 24/7 in 2015. She administered and implemented the Montana Postural Care Project, funded by the Montana Developmental Disability Council (2016-2019). Tamara presents at national and international conferences on topics related to wheelchair seating, positioning and mobility equipment and 24-7 posture care management. She is the founding chair of the RESNA 24-7 PCM special interest group. In addition to working with Posture 24/7, she also directs Eleanore’s Project. In her spare time she loves to grow, preserve and cook with food from her garden and is an avid yoga practitioner.