Occupational Therapy

Dr. Roxanna Bendixen is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy. She has a master's degree in occupational therapy and received her Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science at the University of Florida. Her clinical experience is in the area of pediatrics, where she focused on OT assessment and intervention services for infants, adolescents and young adults. Her current research focuses on school-based interventions for childhood obesity, and sensory processing disorders in children with autism. She teaches in the area of pediatric and adult assessment and intervention.

Dr. Classen is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, and the Department of Behavioral Science and Community Health. Her research pertains to driver safety issues. She had developed a CDC-funded public health model to reduce crash related injuries and fatalities among older drivers (2007); studied the effects of intersection design on the driving performance of older and younger drivers (2007); co-developed “Smart Features for Mature Drivers” (2007); and examined the clinical predictors of failing a standardized road course (2008). She has recently (May 2008) been funded by the National Institute on Aging to develop a Safe Driving Behaviors Measure for older drivers in North America. She also studies the effects of neurological disorders on driving performance as a member of the American Academy of Neurologists (since 2006), co-PI of a VA funded project on driving performance issues among military personnel with Traumatic Brain Injury (2007-2008), and a research collaborator with UF’s Movement Disorders Center. She is Co-Director of the NODRTC (effective June 1, 2008), chair of the Transportation Research Interest Group of the Gerontological Society of America, and co-editor of the Transportation Research Board’s quarterly newsletter. She instructs and mentors honors, graduate, and doctoral students in the Health Sciences, Occupational Therapy and Rehabilitation Science Doctoral Programs. She has guest edited a special issue of a geriatric journal, authored two book chapters, numerous peer reviewed articles, and presentations on driver safety issues.

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.

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 is also the clinical director of Hand Therapy Specialists, Inc., in St. Augustine, where she practices part time. Her clinical experience compliments the coursework taught in the areas of adult physical disabilities, including orthotics, assessment skills, and modalities in the Master’s OT program. She is a teaching assistant in the Bachelor of Health Science Program for musculoskeletal anatomy, neuroanatomy and kinesiology. She has been a Certified Hand Therapist for 16 years, having practiced in two University teaching hospitals, and previously founded and owned Hand Rehab Center of Gainesville.

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.

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.

Dr. Dennis McCarthy is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy and the Co-Director for the National Older Driver Research and Training Center. He earned a B.S. in Occupational Therapy from Florida International University, a M.Ed. from Florida Atlantic University, and a Ph.D. in Rehabilitation Science from the University of Florida. His clinical focus was on rehabilitation of those with SCI and TBI, wheeled mobility, and assistive technologies. Research projects and interests include assessment and remediation of driving skills in the elderly, elder pedestrian safety, and the transition from driver to passenger including the use of alternatives to the car to keep elders active in their communities. Teaching responsibilities include coursework in aging and practice issues and mentoring undergraduate and graduate students.

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.

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.

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.

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’ 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.

Dr. Velozo is Associate Professor and Associate Chair of the Department of Occupational Therapy. His research focus is on the development of outcome measures, using Rasch measurement theory. Dr. Velozo has served as the Principal Investigator on a NIDRR field-initiated grant to develop a computerized adaptive measurement system for the Activity Dimension of the International Classification of Functioning Disability and Health. He also serves as co-director of the Outcomes Measurement Focus of the Rehabilitation Outcomes Research Center located at the North Florida/South Georgia Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Gainesville, Florida. In 2000, Dr. Velozo received the highest research recognition in the profession, being selection to the American Occupational Therapy Academy of Research.

Sandra L Winkler, Ph.D, 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.

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 Ph.D. 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.