Occupational Therapy

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rbendixe@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6022

Roxanna Bendixen has a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science and serves as a Research Assistant Professor in the College of Public Health and Health Professions.  Her doctoral work focused on qualitative and quantitative assessment of healthcare services for individuals with chronic illnesses following an OT intervention.  Dr. Bendixen has more than 10 years of clinical experience specializing in assessment and treatment of children with chronic illnesses and disabilities.  Her research focuses on participation and quality of life in children with Duchenne muscular dystrophy and in-home training for parents of children with autism.  She teaches OT theory, therapeutic skills, and adult and pediatric assessment and intervention.

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sclassen@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6062

Sherrilene Classen, Ph.D., MPH, OTR/L is Director of the University of Florida's Institute for Mobility, Activity and Participation (I-MAP) and Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Adjunct Professor in the Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and Affiliate Assistant Professor in the Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida. She received her B.A. in Occupational Therapy from the University of the Orange Free State, Republic of South Africa; MPH (concentration Epidemiology) from the University of Florida; a PhD in Occupational Therapy from Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL; and completed a Post-Doctoral Fellowship at the University of Florida. Being federally funded since 2002, Dr. Classen is combining public health and rehabilitation science to research driver safety and community mobility. As such she has guest edited two special journal issues; (co)authored 35 peer reviewed manuscripts; delivered numerous presentations at (inter)national conferences; is an invited member of the American Academy of Neurologists; is primary convener of the Gerontological Society of America's Formal Transportation and Aging Interest Group; and editorial board member of the Canadian Journal of Occupational Therapy. She mentors undergraduate, graduate, and post graduate students/fellows in Occupational Therapy, Psychology, Rehabilitation Science and Public Health.

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jfoss@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

Dr. Foss is the Program Director of Professional Programs in the Occupational Therapy Program. In this capacity she is responsible for all the administrative duties in the Masters in Occupational Therapy (MOT) program, as well as the competitive admissions process, academic retention and advising, and graduation certification. Dr. Foss instructs graduate and undergraduate classes in life span human development, and pediatric assessment and intervention. Dr. Foss has served as an investigator, author, and editor of a self-study program in Training of Occupational and Physical Therapist in Early Intervention Services (TOPSEI). Dr. Foss' research and education interests are in professional education and training, and pediatric assessment and intervention.

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wejean@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6057

Wendy Holt, OTR/L, CHT, has held an adjunct faculty lecturer position in the OT Department since 2004. Her clinical specialty is hand and upper extremity rehabilitation. She works full time at the Gainesville VA hospital, treating out patient hand clients serving the North Florida, South Georgia region. Her clinical experience compliments the coursework taught in the areas of adult physical disabilities, including orthotics, assessment skills, and modalities in the Graduate OT program. She is a teaching assistant in the Bachelor of Health Science Program for musculoskeletal anatomy, and kinesiology. She has been a Certified Hand Therapist since 1991, having practiced in two University teaching hospitals, and previously founded and owned a private hand therapy practice, Hand Rehab Center of Gainesville.

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jljohnson@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6126

Dr. Jessica Johnson is a research assistant professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy.  She received her M.A. in Occupational Therapy from The College of St. Scholastica in Duluth, MN and her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Florida.  Her clinical experience is with older adults in skilled nursing and sub-acute rehabilitation.  Teaching responsibilities include Issues in OT Practice I and II, as well as advising students in the Master of Occupational Therapy Program.  Her research is aimed at promoting independence through the use of technology and the objective measurement of activity.  She completed a retrospective study on the use of a motion-sensor based behavioral/activity monitoring system to detect falls or potential emergencies by community based elders.  Currently, she is conducting a prospective study on the use of an activity monitoring system with older adults in assisted and independent living.

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ckreider@phhp.ufl.edu

Consuelo Kreider is an adjunct faculty member with primary clinical interest in the areas of pediatrics, learning and literacy, and auditory and sensory processing. She joined the University of Florida in 2005, and continues with part-time clinical practice in adult developmental disability and autism spectrum disorder. She has founded and co-owned The Sensory Learning Center, an out-patient pediatric practice and consultative service that provided OT, ST & PT as well as Special Education tutoring to school-age children throughout north central Florida. Her eighteen years of clinical experience compliments the coursework taught in the MOT program in the areas of adult and pediatric assessment and intervention. She works as a lecturer and teaching assistant and is a student in the Rehabilitation Science Doctorate program.

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wmann@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

William Mann, OTR, Ph.D. is Distinguished Professor and Chair of Occupational Therapy and Director of the Ph.D. Program in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Florida. Dr. Mann also directs the National Older Drivers Research and Training Center, and has served as the Principal Investigator for the Rehabilitation Engineering Research Center (RERC) on Aging since 1991, funded by the National Institute on Disability and Rehabilitation Research. Previously, he was a professor at the University at Buffalo for 25 years. His current work focuses on home monitoring and communications technologies (tele-health, tele-homecare), and older driver assessment and rehabilitation. Dr. Mann has authored more than 125 articles and book chapters on aging and independence in the past 15 years, authored four books, and served as founder and co-editor of the journal Technology and Disability from 1990 to 2000. He has served as the Conference Chair for the 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2008 International Conference on Aging, Disability and Independence. Dr. Mann serves on the boards of the American Society on Aging and the Florida Council on Aging. His work extends internationally to projects in Brazil and he is an honorary professor at the University of Sydney. Dr. Mann has over 35 years of experience in rehabilitation and community-based programs. His work over the past 20 years has focused on approaches to promoting independence with technology, including driving and smart technology for persons with disabilities. His projects span research, service and training, and he mentors 6 pre-doctoral students and 1 post doctoral fellow.

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rjmoyer@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6724

Ms. Moyer's role as Academic Fieldwork Coordinator is to facilitate Level I and Level II fieldwork placements for the Masters in Occupational Therapy students. She collaborates with students to identify the optimal fieldwork experience to support their educational goals. She maintains regular contact with each of the fieldwork sites to find the best fit for each student, so that they will grow as professionals through their practical hands-on experiences. She is responsible for maintaining all affiliation agreements with each of the sites that collaborate with the University of Florida clinical education program.

Ms. Moyer had worked as an Occupational Therapy clinician for 12 years with her specialty area being psychosocial OT. She then left the field to start her own photography studio and did this successfully for 23 years. Upon returning to the field in 2003, she has chosen to work part time as the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator at UF while maintaining her private consulting business. Currently, Ms. Moyer also works as a clinician in various Skilled Nursing Facilities with her primary area of expertise being geriatrics.

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Mr. Press is an adjunct instructor associated with the Assistive Technology and Occupational Performance course in the distance learning advanced master's program.  Mr. Press received his certification as an assistive technology practitioner through the Rehabilitation Engineering Society of North America in 2003 and currently serves as the Coordinator of Assistive Technology for a school district in Phoenix, Arizona.  He presents nationally on the effective use of assistive technology to improve function in children from infants to teenagers.

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epugh@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

As the Director of the Distance Learning Programs, Ms. Pugh is responsible for daily operations, curriculum development, administrative duties, and student recruitment and advising in the both the advanced master's degree and the continuing education online programs. Ms. Pugh also manages the clinical contracts for the department, overseeing provision of direct occupational services to diverse client populations in both rural and urban locations. Drawing upon her extensive experience in health care service delivery and management, Ms. Pugh teaches graduate courses in leadership, administration and management, and issues and trends in health care.

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lrichard@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

Dr. Richards is an Associate Professor in the Occupational Therapy Department and a Research Health Scientist at the Brain Rehabilitation Research Center at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Health System. She earned her Ph.D. from Syracuse University in Experimental Psychology. Her specialty area is neurorehabilitation. She teaches in the physical disabilities sections of the Health Science and entry-level occupational therapy programs. Her research, conducted through the Malcalm Randall VA Medical Center's Brain Rehabilitation Research and the Brooks Center for Rehabilitation Studies, involves increasing understanding of motor function of the arm and hand in individuals with neurological injury or disease and translating motor rehabilitation interventions from basic science to humans with these conditions.

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oshechtm@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

Dr. Shechtman is an Associate Professor at the Department of Occupational Therapy. Her research is in the areas of assessments including grip strength measurement, assessment of maximal effort and sincerity of effort, and musculoskeletal disorders. She received the American Hand Therapy Foundation's Burkhalter Memorial Research Award in 2001 and the American Society of Hand Therapist's Evelyn Mackin Research Grant in 2006. Dr. Shechtman's research also encompasses older drivers. She is a member of the National Older Driver Research and Training Center (NODRTC) Assessment Group and a project leader for the Older Driver Infrastructure Simulator Research Project, funded by the U.S. Department of Transportation's (DOT) Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Dr. Shechtman currently teaches anatomy, neuroscience, and pathophysiology in the Bachelor of Health Science Program, as well as a doctoral seminar on musculoskeletal disorders of the upper extremity. Dr. Shechtman received the University of Florida Teacher of the Year Award in 1997-98, the University of Florida Health Science Center's Superior Accomplishment Award in 1999-2000. More recently, Dr. Shechtman received the 2005 Golden Apple Award for Excellence in Occupational Therapy Education, the 2005-2006 College of Public Health and Health Professions Teacher of the Year Award, and the 2005-2006 Most Outstanding Faculty Member.

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hmstag@ufl.edu

Ms. Stagliano is an adjunct instructor, and teaches Applied Human Development II to undergraduate students in the Health Science Program and to graduate students in the MOT program. She currently works for the Department of Veterans Affairs as the Program Manager for Psychosocial Disabilities.  During her career she has worked with adults and children at Shands Hospital at the University of Florida and Shands Rehabilitation Hospital.  She has also worked with medically complex children at an outpatient facility in Gainesville, Florida.

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cvelozo@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

Dr. Velozo is Professor and Associate Chair of Occupational Therapy at the University of Florida and a Research Health Scientist at the Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center (RORC) located at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Affairs Medical Center. His research focus is on the development of outcome measures, using Rasch measurement theory. Dr. Velozo's research team has developed a computerized adaptive measurement system for the Activity Dimension of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health and has been funded by NIH and GlaxoSmithKline Pharmaceuticals to develop similar measures of functional cognition for individuals with traumatic brain injury and stroke, respectively. In 2000, Dr. Velozo was inducted into the American Occupational Therapy Foundation Academy of Research.

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Dr. Walker is a Professor Emeritus in the department. Dr. Walker retired after serving as chair of the OT department from 1984 to 2000. She was the founder and original director of the Distance Learning Masters program. At this time she teaches the OTH 6763 - Evidence Based Pratice and OTH 6008 - Neuroscience of Human Occupation courses in the MHS program. Dr. Walker's research interests include topics related to neurodevelopment and sensory functions in children.

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shubbard@phhp.ufl.edu
(352) 273-6135

Sandra L Winkler, PhD, OTR/L, ATP is an Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Program and a Health Research Scientist at the Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Healthcare System in Gainesville, Florida. Dr. Winkler received her PhD from the University of Pittsburgh in Rehabilitation Science and Technology. Her research in assistive technology builds upon her 30 years of experience in rehabilitation and community-based programs. Dr. Winkler teaches in the Occupational Therapy entry-level and advanced master's degree programs.

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mwoodbur@phhp.ufl.edu

Dr. Woodbury is an Associate Investigator at the Brain Rehabilitation Research Center, a Veterans Administration Rehabilitation Research and Development center of excellence. In addition, she is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. She received a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Elizabethtown College, a M.A. in Intercultural Studies from Columbia International University, and a PhD in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Florida. She has extensive clinical experience in rehabilitation of pediatric and adult clients with acquired neurological injury/disease. Her research interests center around measurement of upper extremity motor behavior, including: examining, and perhaps improving, the measurement properties of existing clinical assessments; developing valid and reliable biomechanical and kinesiological tools that objectively quantify upper extremity motor behavior, and; integrating clinical and biomechanical/kinesiological analyses with Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation. She teaches kinesiology in the undergraduate health science program, and neurorehabilitation in the graduate occupational therapy program.