Laura Deary

Laura Deary serves as Lecturer and Occupational Therapy Analyst in the Department of Occupational Therapy at California State University, Dominguez Hills, within the College of Health, Human Services & Nursing. She joined CSUDH in 2019 while maintaining per diem clinical work in inpatient rehabilitation, bringing over two decades of occupational therapy experience to her academic role.

Her educational credentials include:

• Associate's Degree in Occupational Therapy Assistant from Mount St. Mary’s College, Los Angeles, CA
• Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing with Minor in Spanish from California State University, Northridge

Deary's professional focus centers on OT/OTA collaboration as a critical component of effective rehabilitation services. Her expertise spans ethical considerations in occupational therapy practice, supervisory relationships between OTs and OTAs, and clinical applications in adult inpatient rehabilitation settings. She actively promotes understanding of the OT/OTA working relationship through curriculum development, guest lectures, and international outreach, particularly her work establishing occupational therapy services in Ukraine.

Her distinguished contributions have been recognized with:

• 2019 OTAC Award for OT/OTA Partnership (awarded jointly with Dawn Hironaka)
• 2024 AOTA Roster of Honor for OTA contributions to the occupational therapy profession

In her administrative capacity, Deary supports the MSOT/OTD programs through admissions coordination, fieldwork management, scholarship oversight, and program development. She enhances student learning through guest lectures in Ethics and Administration courses, where she presents real-world scenarios on ethical dilemmas and supervisory responsibilities. Her unique background as both a clinician and business graduate enables her to bridge educational theory with practical healthcare administration, preparing students for effective interprofessional collaboration in diverse clinical settings.