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Faculty

Faculty180 – Vita and Individual Profile Data Sheet

Karen M Keptner, PhD, OTR/L

Fall 1980 - Fall 2120

Professor I

Occupational Therapy Program - CA

KarenKeptner@scuhs.edu

Current Position

Position: Capstone Coordinator, Doctor of Occupational Therapy - CA
Position: OTD CA Core Faculty

Biography

Karen Keptner PhD, OTR/L is the Doctoral Capstone Coordinator for the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.  She researches the role of occupational therapy in post-secondary spaces and her clinical work focuses on students who are at-risk for dropping out of post-secondary studies, including aged-out foster youth, addressing ‘exposure gaps’ they experience as they transition from adolescents to adults.  In her free time, she likes to travel, read books, and spend time with her family.  

Degrees

2014

Ph.D., Epidemiology and Biostatistics: Concentration in Health Care Organizations, Outcomes, and Policy, Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland , Ohio

2004

M.S., Health Sciences, Cleveland State University, Cleveland , Ohio

1999

B.Sc., Occupational therapy, Cleveland State University, Cleveland , Ohio

Professional Licensures (Healthcare)

Occupational Therapy, Ohio, United States, Active, 1999, June 2025

Scholarly Contributions and Creative Productions

Chapter

Completed/Published

Eichler, J. R.; Keptner, K. M. Transitions Across the Lifespan; Springer Nature Switzerland Cham, 2023; pp 69–78.

Conference Proceedings

Completed/Published

Keptner, K. M. Unmet Needs of Foster Youth in Higher Education Settings; 2023.
Keptner, K. M. Stress on Campus: OTs Distinct Value; Kansas City, Missouri, 2023.
Keptner, K. M.; Lambdin-Pattavina, C. Conversations That Matter: Using Evidence to Advocate for OTs Role in mental Health; 2023.
Keptner, K. M.; Pratt, J. Forging Relationships to Move Forward: Supporting Foster Youth in Post-Secondary settings; 2023.
Keptner, K. M. Individual Experience and Preferences in Reducing Anxiety: A Qualitative Exploration of four Different Techniques That Includes Sensory Modulation; 2022.

Journal Article

Completed/Published

Heath, M. L.; Keptner, K. M. Impact of Belonging and Discrimination on Psychological Well-Being among Transitioning Adults: Study Using Panel Survey for Income Dynamics Transition Supplement. Current Psychology 2023, 1–12.
Eichler, J. R.; Keptner, K. M. Defining Occupational Therapy Practice for Students in Higher Education: A Census from Practitioners. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2023, 03080226231168008.
Keptner, K. M.; Ekelman, B.; Milliken, B. Occupational Disruption amid COVID-19 Movement Restrictions: A Qualitative Case Study Exploration. Journal of Occupational Science 2023, 1–13.
Keptner, K. M.; Heather, M. The Impact of Resistance on telemedicine Use for the People with Disabilities. Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 2023.
Milliken, B. E.; Keptner, K. M.; Boehnlein, J. E.; Corcoran, H. E.; Knappenberger, A. M.; Krupa, C. L. A Comparison of Perspectives of Inmates vs. Staff in Determining Critical Content for Occupational Therapy Transitional Programming with Female Inmates. Women & Criminal Justice 2022, 1–25.
Keptner, K. M.; Fitzgibbon, C.; O’Sullivan, J. Effectiveness of Anxiety Reduction Interventions on Test Anxiety: A Comparison of Four Techniques Incorporating Sensory Modulation. British Journal of Occupational Therapy 2021, 84, 289–297.
Keptner, K.; McCarthy, K. Mapping Occupational Therapy Practice with Postsecondary Students: A Scoping Review. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy 2020, 8, 1.
Keptner, K. M.; McCarthy, K. Disruption of Academic Occupations during COVID-19: Impact on Mental Health and the Role of Occupational Therapy in Tertiary Education. World Federation of Occupational Therapists Bulletin 2020, 76, 78–81.
Keptner, K. M. Relationship between Occupational Performance Measures and Adjustment in a Sample of University Students. Journal of Occupational Science 2019, 26, 6–17.
Keptner, K. M.; Rogers, R. Competence and Satisfaction in Occupational Performance among a Sample of University Students: An Exploratory Study. OTJR: occupation, Participation and Health 2019, 39, 204–212.
Keptner, K. M.; Klein, S. M. Collaborative Learning in a Faculty-Led Occupational Therapy Level I Fieldwork: A Case Study. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education 2019, 3, 8.
Keptner, K. M.; Smyth, K.; Koroukian, S.; Schluchter, M.; Furlan, A. Utilization of Rehabilitation Services in Stroke: A Study Utilizing the Health and Retirement Study With Linked Medicare Claims Data. Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation 2019, 100, 2244–2250.
Keptner, K. M. Long-Term Follow-up of an Occupation-Based Group Addressing Occupational Performance and Satisfaction in University Freshmen. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health 2017, 33, 308–325.
Keptner, K. M. Using Student Actors as Standardized Patients for Interprofessional Education. American Occupational Therapy Association: Education Special Interest Section Quarterly 2017.
Keptner, K. M.; Harris, A. L.; Mellyn, J. C.; Neff, N. R.; Rassie, N.; Thompson, K. M. Occupational Therapy Services to Promote Occupational Performance, Performance Satisfaction, and Quality of Life in University Freshmen: A Pilot Study. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health 2016, 32, 185–202.

In Press

Keptner, K. M.; Lambdin-Pattavina, C.; Jalaba, T.; Nawotniak, S.; Cozzolino, M. Preparing and Responding to the Current Mental Health “Tsunami”: Embracing Mary Reilly’s Call to Action. American Journal of Occupational Therapy 2024.

Accepted

Tilstra, M. L.; Berg-Carramusa, C.; Peets, T. J.; Keptner, K. M. Cultural competence with Humility Using Interprofessional Multicultural Learning Activities: Student perceptions

. Journal of Occupational Therapy Education 2023.

Presentation

Completed/Published

Keptner, K. M. Occupational Therapy’s Role on Campus. Ohio College Health Association Annual Conference, 2023.
Keptner, K. M.; Clifford, G. Collaborative Models of Care Utilizing Occupational Therapy on Campus. Association for Higher Education and Disability, 2022.
Keptner, K. M. Occupational Therapy to Address Issues in Community Access, Equity, and Transitions for Children with Physical Disabilities and Neurodiverse Populations. AOTA Momentum Summit II, 2022.
Keptner, K. M. The Role of Faculty in Student Success Summit. John Gardner Institute - Ohio Inspiring Practices, 2022.

Accepted

Keptner, K. M.; Milliken, B.; Morgan-Brown, M.; Atala, M. Using an Occupational Justice Lens to Prevent Occupational Marginalization and Promote occupational Engagement in a Reintegration Center That Houses Female Inmates. Society for the Study of Occupation Annual Conference, 2021.

Grants

Completed

Needs assessment on campus to address occupational therapy staff needs, Funded by Ohio College Health Association (May 1, 2022 - June 1, 2023) ($3,000.00), Completed, Spring 2023, PI Karen Keptner (80%)

Programming development to support graduate students in law, physical therapy, and occupational therapy returning to campus and activities amid the COVID-19 pandemic, Funded by Cleveland State University Student Affairs (January 1, 2021 - June 15, 2021) ($5,733.00), Completed, Spring 2021, PI Karen Keptner (80%)

Honors and Awards

Fall 2022 - Fall 2022

Model Practice Award, 2022, Ohio Occupational Therapy Association

Spring 2023 - Spring 2023

University Distinguished Faculty Award for Teaching, 2023, Cleveland State University

Service Commendation Award, 2023, American Occupational Therapy Association

Hear from the Students Who’ve Been in Your Shoes

I chose SCU when looking for a PA program because of their Integrative Medicine approach. I am from Michigan, and not many programs focus on this Integrative, Holistic approach when it comes to patient care in the Midwest, and I felt that was very important for me to learn as a future provider. My transition to semi-virtual learning has been very smooth and quite enjoyable. [su_accordion][su_spoiler title="Read More..." open="No"]My favorite part about attending SCU is how tight-knit and diverse the community is. Coming from a large undergrad university and moving so far, it was very important for me to have a PA program that made me feel valued and invested in my success. At SCU, they do a great job of making you feel that.[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion]

Brianna Hadley

MSPA Class of 2022

One of the great things about SCU is we do have a campus layout, so all your classes aren't in a single room. We have our cadaver lab. We have different specialty rooms for physical assessment classes vs. acupuncture classes. All our acupuncture-specific classes have all the herbs in the room. You can pull out the herbs and look at them, whether in class or in between classes to get that extra studying in.[su_accordion][su_spoiler title="Read More..." open="No"]My favorite part of SCU is the collaboration from our beginning terms. We were working alongside chiropractor students, PA students, and ayurvedic students. It's a unique community where we get to learn about these different fields and sit in classrooms with them and work with them in the clinic. It allows you to get an understanding of all the different fields and how they can work together, and what is unique about your field. I think that is a wonderful aspect that I didn't think was going to be as prominent as it is here; even now, in my upper term classes and I am not in class with chiropractic students, I can still reach out to them about a certain aspect I may not understand or if I am working on a case. I want another perspective I know I have them to reach out to, so that has been a great networking community to have resources for.[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion]

 

Dr. Jamie Kuljis

Graduate, Doctor of Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine

"There are a lot of things that I love about the program at SCU. The first one is that the faculty come from a long line of Ayurvedic knowledge deeply rooted in ancient classical text. They studied Ayurveda, but they also lived it. When you learn from people who embody this wisdom, it's much easier to grasp this knowledge. The second thing I love is the camaraderie within the cohort. The combination of the training, supportive faculty, and the support of my peers and classmates has given me the confidence I need to start my own practice."

Portia Harris

Student, Ayurveda Program

Some of my favorite courses at SCU have to be the chiropractic procedure classes; those are the classes you get to hone in on your chiro skills, your palpation skills and ultimately work on the adjustments that make you a chiropractor. Those are the classes I feel enhance my knowledge the most and are some of the reasons I chose to become a chiropractor here are SCU.[su_accordion][su_spoiler title="Read More..." open="No"]On top of chiropractic procedures classes, my favorite is the cadaver lab experience. The cadaver classes opened up my perception of what the human body is made up of. It allowed me to get an in-person perspective of how the body works and looks on the inside. I am genuinely thankful for those experiences because they opened and broadened my horizons to the human body and anatomy in general.[/su_spoiler][/su_accordion]

 

Jordan Vega

Student, Doctor of Chiropractic

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