I grew up in Rochester, NY and have a spent a majority of my career traveling around and working in various areas of New York. I am grateful to live in Ithaca, where I can chase waterfalls as frequently as I would like. I obtained a combined bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Human Occupation and Occupational Therapy from D’Youville University (formerly D'Youville College) in 2018, where I fiercely advocated for diversity, equity, and inclusion within and outside of the profession of occupational therapy.
I am passionate about amplifying the voices of LGBTQIA+ individuals, educating others on the diverse needs of members of the LGBTQIA+ community online as The Rainbow OT, serving on the executive board of the Network for LGBTQIA+ Concerns in Occupational Therapy, and facilitating action regarding change for improving equity, inclusion, and the quality of life for those within the LGBTQIA+ community. I have previously co-authored chapters in AOTA Press’s Trauma, Occupation, and Participation and Sexuality and Intimacy texts, as well as co-authoring the Sex and Intimacy Educator Resource. I joined the Ithaca College Occupational Therapy Department as a full-time faculty in 2022 am looking forward to continuing this work.
I began their clinical career in travel therapy, working in multiple settings and multiple states. I have experience in home health, skilled nursing, outpatient, inpatient hospital, community health, hand therapy and acute care settings. My expertise is primarily with adult and elderly populations, though my gender affirming care work serves those across the lifespan. I have experience in LGBTQIA+ specific care and gender affirming care including post-surgical recovery, gender affirming activities of daily living (ADLS) such as (but not limited to) binding, tucking, padding, toileting, and sexuality and intimacy occupations. I have achieved advanced certifications in Parkinson's rehabilitation through LSVT Global (ONBIG1801-4886) and in sexuality and intimacy OT (Certified Sexuality OT) through the Institute of Sex and OT. I currently serve as a graduate faculty member for the Institute of Sex and currently teaches an advanced course on gender affirming sexuality and intimacy. I am a trauma informed practitioner and has received Individual Trauma Therapy training through the Arizona Trauma Institute.