Shawna Rafferty Townsend

Shawna Rafferty Townsend serves as a Lecturer and Clinical Instructor in the Department of Occupational Therapy within the College of Health, Human Services and Nursing at California State University Dominguez Hills, maintaining concurrent clinical practice at Miller Children's Hospital in Long Beach, CA.

Education:

• BS in Occupational Therapy, California State University Dominguez Hills
• Graduate Certificate in Low Vision Rehabilitation, University of Alabama at Birmingham
• Advanced Practice Approved in Swallowing Assessment (SWC)
• Completing Master's degree in Occupational Therapy

Her clinical expertise spans pediatric populations with autism, dyspraxia, and developmental delays, with specialized focus on NICU interventions and pediatric swallowing disorders. Townsend demonstrates extensive experience in sensory integration techniques and acute care settings for stroke, brain injury, and spinal cord injury patients, having served as lead OT at UCLA Medical Center. Her work consistently emphasizes interdisciplinary collaboration, notably through pilot programs for liver transplant patients and low vision rehabilitation initiatives.

Professional Engagement:

• Presented on acute care interventions at OTAC 2009 Annual Conference
• Featured speaker on low vision rehabilitation at CSUDH Spring Symposium 2009
• Authored AOTA 2008 poster on discharge planning for non-insured brain-injured populations

Townsend maintains active clinical practice in NICU settings while contributing to occupational therapy education, integrating real-world experience into teaching through evidence-based approaches in pediatric and acute care specialties.