Cynthia Abbott-Gaffney

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Biography:

Cynthia Abbott-Gaffney, OTD, MA, OTR/L is an assistant professor of instruction in the occupational therapy program in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at Temple University. She completed her master of arts degree in occupational therapy at New York University. She completed her post-professional doctorate degree in occupational therapy at Boston University. Dr. Abbott-Gaffney’s interests and research focus on the use of telehealth for the delivery of occupational therapy services in underserved areas, the use of telehealth to offset OT practitioner shortages globally, and use of assistive technology and telehealth to improve efficiency, efficacy and collaboration in the delivery of OT services. Dr. Abbott-Gaffney has been an occupational therapy practitioner for 23 years, serving in the roles of clinician, clinical case manager, program developer, clinical administrator, and independent contractor and consultant. Her primary practice areas have included traumatic and acquired brain injury rehabilitation and pediatric community, home and school-based intervention. She has served as a Certified Brain Injury Specialist Trainer, holding this certification from the Brain Injury Association of America’s Academy of Certified Brain Injury Specialists. She has presented at numerous professional conferences on resuming occupations post-acquired brain injury and pediatric school-based intervention. Dr. Abbott-Gaffney holds a post-professional certificate in Assistive Technology and currently serves on the editorial review board of the Open Journal of Occupational Therapy.

Education

• OTD, Boston University
• MA, Occupational Therapy, New York University
• BS, Recreational Therapy, Montclair State University