Standing Committee Members
Standing Committee Members are elected or appointed through AOTA.
Linda R. Struckmeyer, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA
Linda R. Struckmeyer, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA, is a clinical associate professor in the Occupational Therapy Department, College of Public Health and Health Professions, University of Florida. Dr. Struckmeyer has over 40 years of clinical occupational therapy practice working with individuals across the life span in a wide variety of settings. As an educator, Dr. Struckmeyer coordinated the doctoral capstone experience and projects and developed and taught Occupation Based Practice: Participation and Health courses in both adults and children and youth. Dr. Struckmeyer’s research focus is on aging in place, home assessment for dementia, cognitive flexibility, and smart home technology. I am honored to have been elected to serve as the chair of the PASIS.
Pooja A. Patel, DrOT, OTR/L, BCG, CDP
Pooja A. Patel, DrOT, OTR/L, BCG, CDP, is the founder/owner of Aging Together, an educational consultancy and media platform, dedicated to educating the community on various topics related to aging, elder care, and our health and care systems at large. Products include the Aging Together podcast, blog, LinkedIn newsletter, resource center, and a care planning consultancy. She also recently launched The OT Algorithm to educate rehab practitioners on safe, ethical, and appropriate use of generative AI tools in academia, practice, and administrative work. Outside of these ventures, she has a decade of experience spanning acute care, inpatient rehab, home and community health services, academia, leadership, and mentorship roles. She recently published her first book, You Don’t Know When the Bridge is Coming: A Roadmap for Family Caregivers. Learn more at aging-together.com or poojapatelot.com. This is her second term on the PASIS Steering Committee.
Leanne Quackenbush, MSOT, OTR/L
Leanne Quackenbush, MSOT, OTR/L, is an Occupational Therapy practitioner in the Acute Care setting in Olympia, Washington. She began her career as a contracted travel OT, with positions across the US in various settings including skilled nursing, acute care and home health. She has contributed her time as a former board member on the LGBTQIA+ Network in Occupational Therapy. She is currently also developing her own private practice to serve individuals in her community with chronic conditions to help improve their quality of life as they age. She is looking forward to learning from others on the PASIS board as well as helping to make evidence-based information more accessible for both practitioners and recipients of OT services. Contact: info@cultivatingqualityot.com
Chia-Wei Fan, PhD, MS, OTR/L
Chia-Wei Fan, PhD, MS, OTR/L, is a Professor in the Master of Occupational Therapy Program at AdventHealth University. With a passion for promoting health, independence, and meaningful engagement for people aging across the lifespan, she has led research on physical resilience, caregiver needs in dementia care, and lifestyle interventions to support healthy living in underserved communities and cardiac rehabilitation populations. Her background spans mental health, community, and school-based occupational therapy, and her scholarship integrates measurement science with practical strategies to enhance quality of life and participation during later-life transitions. Dr. Fan is excited to contribute her expertise to the Productive Aging Special Interest Section and to collaborate with colleagues in advancing evidence-based practice that supports meaningful living at every stage of aging.
Kyle O’Brien, PhD, DHSc, MSOT, MSW, OTR/L, LCSW
Kyle O’Brien, PhD, DHSc, MSOT, MSW, OTR/L, LCSW, is a tenured Professor of Occupational Therapy and Health Science at Southern Connecticut State University, where he serves as the Founding Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the graduate Occupational Therapy program. With dual licensure as both an Occupational Therapist and Clinical Social Worker, Dr. O’Brien brings extensive experience in practice, teaching, and research across diverse healthcare settings. His interprofessional background and interest in applied positive psychology uniquely positions him to contribute to the Productive Aging Special Interest Section, where he looks forward to sharing insights related to applied research and practical clinical skills to enhance occupational engagement and quality of life for all who are aging across the lifespan.
Jennifer Lape, OTD, MOT, OTR/L
Jennifer Lape, OTD, MOT, OTR/L, is an Associate Professor and Program Director of the Entry-Level and Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy programs at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. With over 26 years of clinical experience, her primary practice has been in skilled nursing, and she also serves as a legal consultant and expert witness in cases related to occupational therapy services for geriatric clients. Her scholarly and teaching expertise focuses on productive aging, dementia care, evidence-based practice, and caregiver support. She is the author of Research and Evidence-Based Practice for the Health Professional, 4th Edition, and has mentored hundreds of doctoral students in developing and implementing evidence-based capstone projects, many addressing the needs of older adults and their caregivers. Dr. Lape is excited to contribute to the Productive Aging Special Interest Section and to collaborate with colleagues in advancing practice and scholarship in this area.
Graham Teaford, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV
Graham Teaford, OTD, OTR/L, SCLV, is an Assistant Professor at San Jose State University. His research interests include fall prevention for older adults, community aging, home modification, low vision rehabilitation, ethics, and community based occupational therapy programs. He has 27 years of experience in clinical practice working with older adults in a variety of settings including skilled nursing facilities (SNF), acute care, outpatient, and community-based practice settings. He has experience in home modifications and low vision rehabilitation. He has worked for the past two decades as an occupational therapist in a Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE) serving a diverse group of older adults eligible for skilled nursing facility placement but who have chosen to remain in the community. He currently teaches at the San Jose State older adult community clinic. He is excited to be a part of the Productive Aging Special Interest Section and prompt the role of OT in supporting older adults to fully participate in valued occupations.
Susan Misciagno, OTD, OTR/L, BCG
Susan Misciagno, OTD, OTR/L, BCG, is Assistant Professor of Clinical Research at Campbell University in the Department of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Sciences in Buies Creek, NC. Previously, she served for over three years as Capstone Coordinator and Occupational Therapy Professor at Methodist University in Fayetteville, NC, where she helped develop North Carolina’s first Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program and supported it through the accreditation process.
Susan is currently a PhD candidate at Concordia University, specializing in gerontology. Her dissertation investigates the relationship between social participation and multimorbidity among older Hispanic adults. As a licensed occupational therapist, she brings over 15 years of experience, including work in skilled nursing facilities and with the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly (PACE). Her clinical and academic interests center on productive aging and chronic conditions.
Her research includes secondary analyses on diabetes, fibromyalgia, and traumatic brain injury, and she has contributed to scholarly work, including a book chapter on learning theories. Susan values her involvement with the Productive Aging Special Interest Section and hopes to foster scholarship work among practitioners addressing knowledge gaps and promoting evidence-based interventions that support successful aging. This is her second term on the PASIS.
Pei-Fen Chang, PhD, OTR
Pei-Fen Chang, PhD, OTR is Professor and Associate Director in School of Occupational Therapy, Texas Woman’s University Houston Center. With a master’s degree in Gerontology from the University of Southern California and more than 34 years of clinical experience working with older adults, she has been working, teaching, and conducting scholarly projects focusing on older adults. Her main research interests are for older adults transitioning from community to long-term care facilities and using communication technologies to decrease loneliness and social isolation. She is excited to contribute to the Productive Aging Special Interest Section and to engage OT community members in promoting practice and scholarly work in this area.
Denise Crowley, OTD, OTR/L, BCG
Denise Crowley, OTD, OTR/L, BCG, is a Specialist Professor for Physical Rehabilitation at Monmouth University located in West Long Branch, NJ. Denise has been an occupational therapy practitioner in multiple clinical settings for 32 years, focusing on adult and older adult rehabilitation. She entered academia four years ago to educate the next generation of occupational therapy practitioners, sharing her passion for the older adult population. Over the years, she has obtained certifications in dementia care training, functional movement assessments, posture remediation specialist, LSVT BIG, and as a certified Aging in Place Specialist. She is excited to work with the PASIS committee to share and expand her knowledge of current evidence-based geriatric practice.
Student Interns (2026-2027)
Adrian DeGrange, BS, OTS
Adrian DeGrange is pursuing a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy at Creighton University in the Denver, Colorado Pathway. She earned her Bachelor of Health Studies with an Emphasis in Public Health from Boise State University in 2025. Before beginning occupational therapy school, she worked as a Certified Nursing Assistant, where she gained experience in memory care, in-home care, and long-term care, as well as working in understaffed locations across the Boise, Idaho valley. Through this experience, she had the opportunity to work with individuals with various forms of dementia, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and multiple sclerosis (MS). She is committed to promoting independence, dignity, and quality of life for older adults. She has a strong interest in expanding her knowledge of productive aging, cognitive health, and quality of life and is excited for the opportunity to contribute to the Productive Aging Special Interest Section!
Caleigh McDougall, BA, OTS
Caleigh McDougall, OTS, is an occupational therapy student at Quinnipiac University in North Haven, Connecticut. She earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, where her experiences working with hospice patients fostered a passion for advocating for older adults and promoting high quality of care for vulnerable and underrepresented populations. Caleigh currently works as a community engagement partner at LiveWell, a nationally recognized dementia care organization dedicated to reducing the stigma surrounding cognitive decline and supporting individuals living with dementia. Her experiences have fostered a strong interest in productive aging, dementia care, and helping individuals maintain independence and dignity as they transition to later stages in life. Caleigh is excited to contribute to the PASIS committee while learning from occupational therapy practitioners who share the same passions for healthy aging as herself.
Previous Student Interns
Amber Brown, BS, OTS (2025-2026)
Amber Brown, OTS, is a doctoral student in Occupational Therapy at Johnson & Wales University in Providence, RI. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Anthropology from Virginia Commonwealth University, where her studies sparked a deep appreciation for holistic and culturally informed approaches to health. Amber brings a diverse background in healthcare, having worked as an EMT, contributed to clinical research, supported COVID-19 mitigation efforts in public health, and collaborated on vaccine initiatives in the global health nonprofit sector. Her broad experiences have fueled her passion for working with the aging population, and she is committed to promoting health, independence, and meaningful engagement throughout the aging process. Amber is excited to support the Productive Aging Special Interest Section and to continue learning from and contributing to this dynamic community.
Morgan Golceker, MPH, OTAS (2025-2026)
Morgan Golceker, MPH, OTAS, is currently pursuing her Occupational Therapy Assistant degree at Pima Medical Institute in Las Vegas, NV. She earned her Master of Public Health (MPH) from the University of Arizona in 2020, with a concentration in Health Education and Health Promotion. Before entering the field of occupational therapy, Morgan spent several years working in clinical research, focusing on clinical trials involving individuals with neurological conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and various forms of dementia. She is passionate about serving the older adult population and is excited to contribute to the Productive Aging Special Interest Section, where she hopes to combine her background in public health with her commitment to promoting brain health and well-being in aging communities.