Assistant Clinical Professor, Occupational Therapy

What classes are you teaching this semester? 

I am teaching OC THR 4140 (OTA Practice for School Aged Children & Adolescents, OC THR 3020 (OTA Theory & Practice) and OC THR 5120 (Principles of Assessment). I am also supervising OTD students in their pediatric practicum experience in OC THR 5450. 

What do you love about teaching? What are you most looking forward to this semester? 

The best part about teaching is seeing those lightbulb moments when students make connections between real-life experiences and class content. I love seeing the growth and connections students make! 

Tell us a little about yourself! What is your background? 

I’m an MU grad working on becoming a triple Tiger (I am enrolled in the MU post-professional OT program now). I’ve been an occupational therapist for 10 years, working in Columbia. 

When you are not teaching, what are you up to?  

I am trying to survive my household, made of my husband, 4-year-old, 3-year-old, dog and two cats. Apparently, all those creatures want to eat — at a minimum — three times a day! 

What brought you to Mizzou? To your field?  

I knew I wanted to be an OT in high school. Occupational therapy is an awesome mix of everything I loved: science, health, teaching, helping and people! Mizzou had the only public OT program at that time, and I needed an affordable, high-quality school. 

What is a fact about you that your students might not expect?  

I’ve been a licensed foster parent for seven years.