Faculty

Dr. Eron Bozec

Dr. Eron Bozec, OTD, OTR/L, CSRS

Assistant Professor

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Dr. Bozec has been an occupational therapist for more than 19 years. She earned her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Rockford University in 1998. Her Masters in Occupational Therapy from Midwestern University in 2001 and her Post-Professional Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University in 2019. She has an advanced practice certificate in neuroscience from Thomas Jefferson University and has been a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist since 2013. Dr. Bozec has worked with adult clients across the rehabilitation spectrum of care from acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, outpatient, and day rehabilitation programs. She is an adjunct professor and teaches courses in rehabilitation.

Dr. Bozec's scholarly interests include upper extremity motor recovery through task-specific training, implementation of assessments into clinical practice, knowledge translation and implementation science integrating research into clinical practice. She has presented nationally on neurological interventions for evidence-based practice and manual development in knowledge translation.




Dr. Amrendra Kumar

Amrendra Kumar, PhD, MSOT, OTR/L

Assistant Professor, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

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Prof. Kumar earned his Ph.D. in Health Science with a concentration in Neurologic Rehabilitation from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions (RMUoHP), Provo, UT. As an evidence-based practitioner, he has extensive clinical experience of more than 25 years working with adults in outpatient, rehab centers, and home health. He also worked with children with Cerebral palsy for a few years in India. He has held many management positions as a rehab director and has previously been an entrepreneur.

Prof. Kumar has developed a hand outcome measure, The Chicago-Quick Hand Function Test (C-QHFT), to assess hand function and impairment. C-QHFT incorporates pincer grasp, shift, finger-to-palm translation, stabilization, palm-to-finger translation, fine motor coordination, voluntary release, dexterity, and psychomotor in its test performance. It measures hand function comprehensively yet quickly. Stroke, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, geriatric rehab, quantitative research, and validation of outcome measures encompassing psychometric properties of assessment tools are the areas of his interest and expertise. He co-authors "Clinical Summary of Functional Disorders," published in PTNow (APTA) in Jan. 2022.






Dr. Audre Omdahl Chaput

Dr. Audre Omdahl Chaput, OTD, OTR/L, C/SI

Program Director and Professor

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Dr. Audre Omdahl Chaput has been an occupational therapist for 40 years. She graduated from the University of North Dakota with a bachelor’s degree in OT and returned to work on a master's degree while teaching as a full-time faculty member. She received her doctoral degree in OT with an education elective track from the Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. She has assisted in teaching/facilitating for several years at the University of St. Catherine’s in St. Paul, Minnesota and has piloted her Case Based Learning course at the University of Minnesota.  Her latest position was Assistant Professor at St. Augustine University in St. Augustine, Florida.

She has been an owner of a pediatric rehab agency in Minneapolis for 23 years. She is founder/pioneer of NovaCare for Kids.  In addition, she has worked at a home health agency as a skilled practitioner.

Dr. Chaput is SIPT certified with additional training as an observer for the SIPT and is SI treatment certified. She has served on the Avoidable Re-hospitalization Committee. She has served on committees with MOTA and initiated the development for the first policy/procedure manual for Occupational Therapy Private Practice for the DHS in MN. Dr. Chaput has sponsored a Special Children’s summer camp for 16 years, and has developed other community children’s programs. She has been a guest speaker for multiple National and International organizations.

Publications include a self-help book and has written a course and manuscript for Case-Based Learning to Enhance Clinical Reasoning Skills.  She received the SERTOMA SILVER award for writing “Infant Stimulation Program” that is utilized by the international education department.




 



Adjunct Faculty

Dr. Janet Alonso

Dr. Janet Alonso, OTD, OTR/L

Adjunct Assistant Professor

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Dr. Alonso received her undergraduate occupational therapy degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago with a strong Model of Human Occupation influence under Dr. Gary Kielhofner. She earned her post-professional OTD from Rocky Mountain University with an emphasis on education. She brings over 30 years of experience to the classroom in areas of acute care, home health, clinical pediatric, and school-based practice. She currently holds a leadership position in a local school district and brings this knowledge to Lewis as an adjunct professor. She currently teaches the Leadership and Advocacy course for the Masters of Science Occupational Therapy program.

Dr. Alonso’s scholarly interests include evidence to support working with children and adults on the autism spectrum, supporting the sensory needs of clients in a natural setting, and creating leaders to ensure a strong future for the occupational therapy profession.




Dr. Melissa Brottman

Dr. Melissa Brottman, OTD, OTR/L

Adjunct Assistant Professor

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Dr. Brottman is an adjunct professor in the Master of Science Occupational Therapy Program at 鶹Ƶȫ. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Speech and Hearing Communication Deficits with a Leadership minor from University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana in 2014. She received her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Washington University School of Medicine in Saint Louis. While at Washington University in Saint Louis, Dr. Brottman was involved with the medical school program and co-authored a systematic review titled, “Toward Cultural Competency in Health Care: A Scoping Review of the Diversity and Inclusion Education Literature.” Her clinical experience thus far has been with adult and older adult populations in inpatient rehabilitation and acute care hospital-based settings in the Chicago downtown area. She has spent the majority of her career treating patients with spinal cord injuries, traumatic brain injuries and more. During the initial outbreak of COVID-19, Dr. Brottman worked on one of the first inpatient rehabilitation units for COVID patients in Chicago and developed a continuing education course for professionals to use to guide them through evaluations and treatments.

Dr. Brottman’s areas of interest include spinal cord, ICU care in the hospitals, multi-level trauma, and spasticity management. She is excited to be working at 鶹Ƶȫ to prepare and get to know the brilliant minds of the future Occupational Therapists here at 鶹Ƶȫ.






John M. Dudzik

John M. Dudzik, DHS, OTR/L

Adjunct Assistant Professor

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John Dudzik is a graduate of University of Wisconsin – Madison, BA in History (1977), University of Puget Sound, BS in OT (1981), University of Indianapolis, MHS in OT (2015) and DHSc in OT (2021). He has been an occupational therapist for nearly 40 years, with extensive experience in patient care, with a focus in rehabilitation of individuals with changes in their neurologic status including stroke and brain injury.

Mr. Dudzik served as OT supervisor for brain injury, pediatric, and subacute programs at the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago (now Shirley Ryan Ability Lab) from 1991 to 1997, and as Clinical Lead for OT at Alexian Rehabilitation Hospital in Elk Grove Village, IL from 2003-2019. He has completed numerous educational presentations to healthcare providers including OTs, PTs, SP, and nurses. Mr. Dudzik is also the current chairperson of the Illinois OT Association Leadership Development Program (LDP).




Dr. Corrie Lukkes

Dr. Corrie Lukkes, OTD, OTR/L

Adjunct Assistant Professor

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Dr. Lukkes received her Doctor of Occupational Therapy from Creighton University in Omaha, NE in 2011. She has specialized in working with children with sensory processing and modulation disorders, autism, genetic disorders, and generalized developmental delay.

Dr. Lukkes is focused on early childhood development, including working with infants and their families. She also has experience working with children in a group setting. She has worked in a variety of settings, including early intervention, outpatient pediatrics, aquatic therapy, and most recently in academia as an adjunct professor of occupational therapy at 鶹Ƶȫ. Dr. Lukkes has also spent time mentoring occupational therapy students and new graduates coming into the field to help educate the next generation of amazing pediatric occupational therapists.

Dr. Lukkes is a certified instructor of infant massage, as well as a trained clinician in the use of the SOS approach to feeding and Therapeutic Listening. She also has experience working with adults with developmental delay.




Teresa Morreale

Teresa Morreale, MS, OTR/L

Adjunct Faculty

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Teresa Morreale earned a Bachelor of Arts in Communications at Clarke University in 2004 and a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at the University of Illinois at Chicago in 2012. She has over ten years of clinical experience providing occupational therapy in outpatient, acute care, and inpatient rehabilitation settings for a wide range of diagnoses. Her background also includes several years of professional experience prior to her career in occupational therapy, where she worked at a public health nonprofit organization and at a career and technical education company. She enjoys bringing clinical experience to the classroom and applying academic experiences to inform and improve her clinical practice.




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