vblanchard
Faculty Bio
Vanessa joined Samuel Merritt University in August 2007 coming from Queen Margaret University (QMU), Edinburgh, UK, as a lecturer for the Occupational Therapy MSc and BSc(Hons) programmes. She is currently a PhD student at QMU, researching assessment and characteristics of apraxia post stroke using a longitudinal cohort design. Her Master of Arts is in Education- specialising in life long learning- from the Open University in the UK. She graduated from Dorset House School of Occupational Therapy, Oxford Brookes University, with the UK DipCOT qualification in 1992. Vanessa returned to Oxford Brookes to pursue her academic career in 2000 as a senior lecturer in OT, undertaking PG certification in higher education. Vanessa is fully calibrated ( certified) to use the latest version of the Assessment of Motor and Process Skills (AMPS) for both research and practice.
Vanessa’s clinical background is in adult/older adult physical disability and brain injury. She designed and led special projects in neuro-rehabilitation at the Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre in Oxford, UK. Other academic interests include fieldwork education, outcome measures in stroke, life long learning, creative arts, extreme environments, the ICF (2001) and interdisciplinary teamwork. Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys being with her family in the bay area, Latin and Arabic dancing and travel.
Vanessa’s clinical background is in adult/older adult physical disability and brain injury. She designed and led special projects in neuro-rehabilitation at the Rivermead Rehabilitation Centre in Oxford, UK. Other academic interests include fieldwork education, outcome measures in stroke, life long learning, creative arts, extreme environments, the ICF (2001) and interdisciplinary teamwork. Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys being with her family in the bay area, Latin and Arabic dancing and travel.
Program
Master of Occupational Therapy (MOT)
Courses Taught at Samuel Merritt University
OT611 - Foundations of Occupational Therapy;
OT616 - Therapeutic Media;
OT634 - Professional Development;
OT619 - Occupation throughout the life span;
OT636 - Adult clinic advanced practice.
OT616 - Therapeutic Media;
OT634 - Professional Development;
OT619 - Occupation throughout the life span;
OT636 - Adult clinic advanced practice.
Research Interests
Life Long Learning, reflective practices, Stroke/Brain Injury, adult onset apraxia and clinical assessment /outcome measures.
Publications and Presentations
World Federation of Occupational Therapy Congress, Stockholm 2002 and Sydney 2006 ; UK annual conferences of the College of Occupational Therapists 2002 + ; Journal - ‘Stroke’ (2006) for an RCT of occupational therapy in care homes in the UK.
Professional and Community Service and Professional Memberships
Other professional activities and memberships - OTAC, HPC (UK), NBCOT; previous public relations officer for regional British OT association; National association of Neurological OT (UK) ; The Kawa Model culturally relevant Occupational Therapy - UK and Ireland tour organiser for Dr M Iwama , Feb 2007; AMPS international training course site coordinator, May 2008. Stanford, CA. AMPS regional support and development group (member) Lothian, UK.
