Biography
Riqiea Kitchens PhD, OTR, BCPR, CSRS is a licensed occupational therapist and Assistant Professor with a commitment to education, mentoring, and service. Dr. Kitchens received her B.S. in Biology from Jackson State University, her M.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Kitchens is a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist and has Board C...
Biography
Riqiea Kitchens PhD, OTR, BCPR, CSRS is a licensed occupational therapist and Assistant Professor with a commitment to education, mentoring, and service. Dr. Kitchens received her B.S. in Biology from Jackson State University, her M.S. in Occupational Therapy from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, and her Ph.D. in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. Dr. Kitchens is a Certified Stroke Rehabilitation Specialist and has Board Certification in Physical Rehabilitation through the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Dr. Kitchens's clinical experience in adult rehabilitation led her to develop a stroke self-management management program for medically underserved populations. This health promotion program provides stroke survivors with education and tools to decrease their risk for recurrent stroke. She shares her clinical expertise as an appointed member of the AOTA Commission on Practice. She was recently appointed to the Delta Research Education Foundation Researchers Workgroup to increase the engagement of African American Researchers in the NIH All of Us Research Program. Since entering academia Dr. Kitchens has expanded her research interests to include exploring barriers and supports in OT education, particularly for Black students who represent 5% of the overall student population. She’s an advocate for initiatives that increase awareness and access to OT education and has facilitated a shift to a holistic admissions process in her program to increase the diversity of the student body. Dr. Kitchens’ efforts led to scholarship which has been published in peer-reviewed journals, presented at national conferences, and sought after by the AOTA Academic Education special interest groups. Dr. Kitchens has been recognized by her students and colleagues for her efforts. She was honored as the Texas OT Association 2015 Clinical Educator of the Year, 2015 Harris Health OT of the Year, and was recognized by the UTMB Academy of Master Teachers as the March 2023 Educator of the Month. In April 2023 Riqiea Kitchens became the President of the National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus, a nearly 50-year-old organization that serves as a network of support and advocacy for the interests of Black practitioners, students, and the communities they serve.
To join: https://nbotc.wildapricot.org/Join-us
To donate: https://nbotc.wildapricot.org/Donate
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