Meet the Faculty 

kari_inda.jpg

"I am a proud graduate of Mount Mary and take pride in continuing the legacy of educating occupational therapy students to be exceptional hands on practitioners or who are compassionate and creative in their care of others. I bring my wealth of experience in adult physical disabilities rehabilitation to the courses I teach, including Neuroscience, Neurorehabilitation, Orthopedics, Physical Medicine, and Kinesiology."

Kari C. Inda, Ph.D., OTR/L, CEAS

Professor and Chairperson, Occupational Therapy Department

indak@mtmary.edu, (414) 930-3238

Education:

  • Nova Southeastern University, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Occupational Therapy
  • Mount Mary College, Master of Science (M.S.), Occupational Therapy
  • Mount Mary College, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Occupational Therapy
  • Milwaukee Area Technical College, Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.), Occupational Therapy

Presentations (recent):

  • Inda, K. C. Constructing exam items to enhance academic and certification exam performance. 2 hour seminar, April 2022.
  • Carey, P., Fleming-Castaldy, R. P., Inda, K. C., and Provident, I. Effective Preparation for the NBCOT®'s OTR® & COTA® Exams. 90 minute panel presentation webinar, May 2020.
  • Inda, K. C. The Art and Science of Item Writing. Two day workshop. Tampa, FL, March 2020.

Awards & Honors:

  • Teaching Excellence Award, Mount Mary University, 2018-2019
  • Heritage Award, Mount Mary University, February 2014
  • Milwaukee Area Technical College, Local 212 Alumni Excellence Award, April 2012
  • Nova Southeastern University, Golden Apple Award, 2007
  • Teaching Excellence Award, Mount Mary College, 2004-2005

Publications (recent):

  • Siegelman, R. & Inda, K. C. (2022). Introduction. In O'Sullivan, Siegelman, Schaffer, & Sutlive, National physical therapy examination review & study guide (24th ed.)  TherapyEd, Ltd. 
  • Fleming-Castaldy, R. P. (2021). National OT certification exam review & study guide. (9th ed.). Evanston, IL: TherapyEd. Contributor to multiple chapters of book.
  • Fleming-Castaldy, R. P. & Inda, K. C. (2021). Section II: Principles of successful test-taking and exam preparation. In R.P. Fleming-Castaldy Occupational therapy course manual (Edition 6.0). Evanston, IL: TherapyEd. 

Professional Memberships:

  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
  • Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association
  • World Federation of Occupational Therapists

 


meghan_anderson.jpg

Meghan Anderson

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and Assistant Professor
andersom@mtmary.edu, (414) 930-3659

Education:

  • M.S. Occupational Therapy – UW-Milwaukee, 2005
  • Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) – Mount Mary University, 2021

Presentations:

  • “Leadership in Fieldwork Education through Emotional Intelligence” Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association webinar, May 2022
  • “JFK Coma Recovery Scale – Revised”, Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin – Annual Conference, May 2011 

Professional Memberships:

  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association

stephanie_beisbier.jpg"You're braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” 
―Winnie the Pooh

 

Stephanie Beisbier, OTD, OTR/L

beisbies@mtmary.edu, (414) 930-3118

Education:

  • 2014: Doctor of Occupational Therapy - Thomas Jefferson University School of Health Professions, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2012: Advanced Practice Certificate in Teaching in the Digital Age - Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, PA
  • 2001: Master of Science in Occupational Therapy - Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI
  • 1990: Bachelor of Science, Occupational Therapy Mount Mary College, Milwaukee, WI Cum Laude

Recent Presentations:

  • 2022 Collaborative Fieldwork Model Preparation: Presented at: Mount Mary University
  • 2021 Using the Practice Guidelines and Choosing Wisely Recommendations for Your Everyday Practice with Children and Youth. Presentation 2021 Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Conference. Virtual format             
  • Recorded a podcast for AOTA as a featured guest for their series on evidence-based practice
  • Healthcare Professional Panelist for Iowa State University’s Pre-Health Conference

Recent Publications:

  • Hunley, J., Beisbier, S., Clough, C. (in press) The Effect of Alternative Seating on School Function and Task Behavior in a Second-Grade Classroom. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy.
  • Beisbier, S., & Cahill, S. (2021). Occupational Therapy Interventions for Children and Youth Ages 5 to 21 Years. American Journal of Occupational Therapy75(4), 7504390010p1-7504390010p6.
  • Cahill, S. M., & Beisbier, S. (2020). Occupational therapy practice guidelines for children and youth ages 5–21 years. American Journal of Occupational Therapy74(4), 7404397010p1-7404397010p48. 

 


nicole_boyington.jpg

"I feel that it is important to advocate for the occupational therapy profession. Advocating for OT protects our clients, students, practitioners, and our profession. It also keeps our practice current and evidence based so we can bring meaningful occupations to our clients and communities."

Nicole Boyington

Assistant Professor and Fieldwork Coordinator
boyingtn@mtmary.edu,
 (414) 930-3386

Advanced Training:

  • Certified Lymphedema Therapist, April 2008
  • Executive Certificate in Home modification (ECHM), October 2018
  • Certified Aging in Place Specialist (CAPS), December 2020
  • Pelvic Muscle Dysfunction Biofeedback Certification (BCB-PMD), October 2020
  • Size Matters Handwriting Certification, July 2021

Professional Memberships:

  • National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy
  • American Occupational Therapy Association Member
  • Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association Member
  • Affiliated State Association Presidents Member
  • President, Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association, January 2020-December 2022

 

 2022-rita_burlingame_toppen.jpg

Rita Burlingame-Toppen, OTD, OTR/L, CYT

Assistant Professor
burlingr@mtmary.edu, 
(414) 930-3451

Education:

  • B.A. Psychology – UW-Madison, 2008
  • M.S. Occupational Therapy - Mount Mary University, 2014
  • Post Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) – Mount Mary University, 2018

Expertise:

  • Certified Yoga Teacher (CYT)
  • Myofascial Release (MFR)
  • Holistic health, complementary and alternative therapies

 


 

cindy_clough.jpg

“One can choose to go back toward safety or forward toward growth. Growth must be chosen again and again; fear must be overcome again and again.”
― Abraham Maslow 

Cynthia Clough, Ph.D., OT/L

Assistant Professor
cloughc@mtmary.edu, (414) 930-3589

I have been an occupational therapist since 1987 and have enjoyed many areas of occupational therapy practice. My scholarly focus has been primarily on school-based practice and the promotion of inclusive education. As such, I embrace the social model of disability and believe that a paradigm shift from traditional deficit and medical orientations of disability to a more nuanced understanding of disability as socially constructed and socially mediated will fundamentally change how our profession engages with the disability community. I also have had academic and practical focus on racial equity in educational settings and society at large. My background and experiences with anti-racism and racial equity work drives how I see myself in society and in the profession of occupational therapy and furthers my unwavering commitment to promoting equity, inclusion, and acceptance for the broad diversity of humanity.

Education:

  • 2017: Ph.D., Social Foundations of Education - University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee
  • 2008: M.S., Administrative Leadership - University of Wisconsin -Milwaukee
  • 1987: B.S., Occupational Therapy - East Carolina University

Presentations:

  • Inclusive education strategies and the role of OT in supporting and promoting inclusive education.
  • Racial equity training and workshops.
  • Conference presentations addressing racism as a public health crisis.
  • Ongoing presenter and instructor for Haitian occupational and physical therapy students attending Faculté Des Sciences Se Réhabilitation De Léogane (FSRL).
  • School-based mental health services through tiered interventions and the Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA).

Awards & Honors:

  • 2015 Service-learning instructor of the year.
  • 2014 Academic staff professional development award
  • 2012 WOTA certificate of appreciation

Publications:

Professional Affiliations:

  • American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
  • Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association (WOTA)

 julie_hunley.jpg

Julie H. Hunley, Ph.D, O.T., C.L.T.  

Associate Professor, Occupational Therapy Department

hunleyj@mtmary.edu, (414)930-3236

Education:

  • Ph.D. Kinesiology-University of Wisconsin-Madison - Therapeutic Science, 2013.
  • M.S. Occupational Therapy - Rush University, Chicago, Illinois, 1997.
  • B.B.A.: Management Information Systems. University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 1988.

Presentations:

  • Hunley, J., Stapelman, K. Empathy as an Essential Skill for Occupational Therapy Practice, Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference, 10/2022
  • Driga, A., Hunley, J., Dolgy, N. Canadian Occupational Therapy Conference, Stressing function: Conceptualizing, developing and piloting the Functional Stress Screen (FSS), 5/2022.
  • Hoey, S., Hunley, J., Olson., J. American Occupational Therapy Association Education Summit. Experiential Learning in OT Education: Community-Volunteer Patients in the Classroom,10/2021.

Publications:

Professional Memberships:
  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Lymphology Association of North America, Board of Director, Chairperson of Research and Publications

 


 2022_jennifer_kinkade_002_web.jpg
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and become more, you are a leader.” 
― John Quincy Adams

Jennifer L. Kinkade, PP-OTD, OTR/L

Assistant Professor, Occupational Therapy Department

kinkadej@mtmary.edu, (414) 930-3230

Education:

  • Mount Mary University, Post-Professional Doctorate (OTD), Occupational Therapy
  • Mount Mary University, Post-Professional Master of Science (M.S.), Occupational Therapy
  • Boston University, Bachelor of Science (B.S.), Occupational Therapy

Professional Memberships:

  • American Occupational Therapy Association
  • Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association

 

 


 heather_martin.jpg

 

Heather Martin, OTD, OTR/L

Assistant Professor
martinh@mtmary.edu, 
(414) 930-3328

Education:

  • B.A. - French, Marquette University, 1997
  • B.S. - Occupational Therapy, Mount Mary College, 2005
  • M.S. - Occupational Therapy, Mount Mary College, 2006
  • OTD - Post-Professional Occupational Therapy Doctorate, Mount Mary University, 2021

Heather has been teaching at Mount Mary since 2006 and brings her clinical experience in outpatient pediatric practice into the classroom, sharing both her knowledge and passion for working with children and families to her students. This passion has led Heather to explore interventions focused on supporting parents of children with special needs and the creation of a community-based mindfulness program for this population as part of her doctoral work. She continues to explore ways to deliver services to families and to share her knowledge in this area with other healthcare professionals.

Heather teaches courses in various occupational therapy theories and foundational concepts, as well as pediatrics, kinesiology, and medical terminology. In the classroom, she enjoys working closely with students to ensure their success and strives to continually advance her teaching strategies to reflect the needs of her classroom and the profession of occupational therapy.

Professional Affiliations:

  • National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
  • American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA)
  • Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association (WOTA)

Certifications:

  • Registered Occupational Therapist, National Board for Certification in Occupational Therapy (NBCOT)
  • Licensed Occupational Therapist, State of Wisconsin

Community Service:

  • Volunteer in Milwaukee Public School classrooms