Contact Information
Biography
Dr. Kasey Stepansky has been an occupational therapist for 10 years, with content expertise in adult neurological inpatient, outpatient, and home health practice settings. Dr. Stepansky attended Duquesne University and graduated with a master’s degree in occupational therapy in 2013. In August 2018, she completed a clinical science doctorate in occupational therapy with a concentration in neurorehabilitation at the University of Pittsburgh in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She has published peer-reviewed publications and has presented at state, national, and international conferences on topics related to quality of life of students and older adults, program development in inpatient rehabilitation, caregiver training, and fieldwork education. Dr. Stepansky is certified as an ACBIS Brain Injury Specialist. She also maintains certification in Neurodevelopmental Treatment for Adults with hemiparesis. She is the current Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association District II Executive Director. She continues to practice clinically on a per-diem basis as a research clinical evaluator for the UPMC Stroke Institute and the Pittsburgh VA in Pittsburgh, PA.
Education
- BS, Health Sciences, Duquesne University, 2012
- MS, Occupational Therapy, Duquesne University, 2013
- CScD, Occupational Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, 2018
Research Interests
My current projects include qualitative and quantitative investigation of quality of life within an intergenerational living community and a college campus-based sensory garden. Future research endeavors include continued development of inpatient programming for caregivers of clients with brain injury.
Profile Information
* Indicates courses that are co-taught Research Focus – Current Projects – My current projects include qualitative and quantitative investigation of quality
of life within an intergenerational living community and a college campus-based sensory
garden. Collaborative research endeavors are related to caregivers of clients with
brain injury, and supporting health system development for this population. Peer-Reviewed Articles: Delbert, T., Stepansky, K., Bucey, J., & Goodman-Schiller, D. (2024). Growing sustainable therapeutic third
spaces: A therapeutic sensory garden’s impact on university student self-reported
quality of life and affect. International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education, Advance online publication, https://doi.org/10.1108/IJSHE-05-2024-0313. Venturino, N., Stepansky, K., Rodak, C., & Cramer, S. (2023). Amplitude training in occupational therapy for the
treatment of Parkinson’s disease: A feasibility study. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 30(10), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2022.0126 Stepansky, K., Criss, M., Dick, A., Jurado, A. M., & Dinardo, M. (2023). Older adult quality of
life within an assisted living facility amid COVID-19. SSRG International Journal of Nursing and Health Science, 9(1), 17-24. https://doi.org/10.14445/24547484/IJNHS-V9I1P103 Stepansky, K., Delbert, T., & Bucey, J. (2022). Active student engagement within a university’s
therapeutic sensory garden green space: Case studies of utilization on student quality
of life. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening, 67 (127452), 1-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127452 Stepansky, K., Sethi, A., Toto, P., & Bleakley, S. (2020). Caring for our caregivers: A feasibility
study of caregiver preparedness within inpatient brain injury rehabilitation. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 27(10), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.12968/ijtr.2019.0106 Delbert, T., Stepansky, K., & Lekas, T. (2020). The S.E.L.F. approach: Systems and experiential learning framework
for fieldwork and capstone education development. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 8(3), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.1710 Book Chapter: Stepansky, K., Delbert, T., & Bucey, J. (2023). Therapeutic impact of engagement in green spaces.
In A. Kuden (Ed.), Urban horticulture: Sustainable gardening in cities. IntechOpen. https://doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.1001148 International Bucey, J., Stepansky, K., Delbert, T., & Goodman-Schiller, D. “Unearthing” occupational therapy’s distinct
value: Addressing mental health through a therapeutic sensory garden. Oral presentation
presented at the Occupational Therapy Europe Congress, Krakow, Poland, October 2024 Delbert, T., Bucey, J. C., & Stepansky, K. Sustainable communities: Impact of active
and passive engagement in green spaces for occupational balance. Oral presentation
presented at Occupational Science of Europe conference, Odense, Denmark, August 2023 Bucey, J., Delbert, T., & Stepansky, K. The impact of a sensory garden on university students living and doing. Dialogue session accepted for virtual Occupational Science of Europe Conference, virtual,
November 2021 National Stepansky, K. & Criss, M. Be my neighbor: Intergenerational living for health science students
at a personal care home. Poster presented at virtual Interprofessional Education Collaborative
Poster Fair, virtual, November 2023. Bucey, J. C., Delbert, T., & Stepansky, K. Using participatory means to address occupational justice issues in a local therapeutic
pre-school. Oral presentation presented at SSO: USA Annual Conference, St. Louis,
MO, October 2023 Delbert, T. & Stepansky, K. Building sustainable experiential sites: Student and site perspective on completion
of fieldwork and doctoral capstone at the same site. Poster session presented at American
Occupational Therapy Association’s Education Summit, virtual, December 2022 Bucey, J., Todd, J., Delbert, T., & Stepansky, K. The study of occupation through wicked action learning teams: Strengthening occupational
science translation for action. Forum session presented at the SSO: USA Annual Conference,
San Diego, CA, October 2022 Delbert, T., Bucey, J. C., & Stepansky, K. Cultivating wellbeing and connectedness: A university-based therapeutic sensory garden
study. Poster session presented at the SSO: USA Annual Conference, San Diego, CA,
October 2022 Stepansky, K., Criss, M., & Dick, A. Combatting ageism in graduate health science students: Community
collaborative innovation with a multigenerational housing option. Poster session presented
at American Occupational Therapy Association’s Education Summit, St. Louis, MO. October
2021 Bucey, J., Delbert, T., & Stepansky, K. Cultivating community collaborations & mentoring student leadership: A case study
of a therapeutic sensory garden. Poster session accepted for American Occupational
Therapy Conference, Boston, MA, March 2020 Stepansky, K., Rodak, C., Sethi, A., Toto, P., & Bleakley, S. Caring for Our Caregivers: Caregiver
preparedness training within inpatient brain injury rehabilitation. Short course
presented at the American Occupational Therapy Conference, New Orleans, LA, April
2019 State Davis, H. & Stepansky, K. The art of calm: Trauma-informed staff training. Oral presentation presented at POTA
Annual Conference, Erie, PA, September 2024 Bien, I., Buttino, E., Stepansky, K., & Donoso Brown, E. Let’s mOTivate: Caregiver’s involvement in home exercise programs.
Oral presentation presented at POTA Annual Conference, Erie, PA, September 2024 Clark, H., Donoso Brown, E., & Stepansky, K. Use of AI: Therapists’ knowledge and perspectives. Poster presented at POTA Annual
Conference, Erie, PA, September 2024 Kovalsky, K. & Stepansky, K. Hounds for heroes: A quality improvement development report. Oral presentation presented at POTA Annual Conference, Erie, PA, September 2024 Criss, M. & Stepansky, K. Intergenerational relationships between health science students and personal care
home residents: Preliminary results. Poster author (Criss presents) at American Physical
Therapy Association Pennsylvania conference, Lancaster, PA, October 2023 Delbert, T., Goodman, D., Romaniw, A., & Stepansky, K. Clinical reasoning and reflection: Integrating evidence across student and clinician
skill levels via an asynchronous journal club. Poster presented at Pennsylvania Occupational
Therapy Association, Pittsburgh, PA, September 2023 Bucey, J., Delbert, T., & Stepansky, K. Cultivating community collaborations & mentoring student leadership: A case study
of a therapeutic sensory garden. Poster session presented at the Pennsylvania Occupational
Therapy Conference, PA, virtual, October 2020 Stepansky, K. Caregiver AID: Assess, integrate, and deliver. Poster session presented at the Pennsylvania
Occupational Therapy Conference, King of Prussia, PA, October 2019 Berringer, A., Ellis, M., Hilliard, C., Jones, M., O’Brien, S., & Stepansky, K. Stepping outside: Sensory gardens and dementia. Poster session presented at the Pennsylvania
Occupational Therapy Conference, King of Prussia, PA, October 2019 Local/Invited Stepansky, K. Yoga intervention for acquired brain injury resilience: Interactive yoga and meditation
workshop. Invited workshop presented at Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association,
Pittsburgh, PA, September 2023 Brown, N. & Stepansky, K. Current concepts in the management of Parkinson’s disease. Workshop session presented
at Concordia Lutheran Ministries Annual Continuing Education Event for Rehabilitation
Professionals, Butler, PA, April 2023 Stepansky, K., Rodak, C., & Bleakley, S. Evidence-based approaches in action: Caregiver training
within inpatient brain injury rehabilitation. Invited presenter at Council on Brain
Injury Annual Conference, Pittsburgh, PA, April 2019