Jennifer Gunn, OTD, MS, OTR

Assistant Professor

Jennifer Gunn, OTD, MS, OTR is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of the Incarnate Word. Dr. Gunn brings more than a decade of clinical experience across a variety of practice settings, including pediatric and adult outpatient rehabilitation, acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, skilled nursing, home health, and low vision services. She has pursued advanced training in trauma-informed care, pediatric feeding, and low vision rehabilitation. Her teaching and scholarship are grounded in a commitment to evidence-based, relationship-centered occupational therapy practice. Her research interests include trauma-informed care in children and youth, attachment and nervous system regulation, and the therapeutic triad of occupational therapist, pediatric client, and parent or caregiver, with a focus on how these relationships influence engagement, participation, and therapeutic outcomes. Dr. Gunn is dedicated to fostering student growth, clinical excellence, and professional development while advancing occupational therapy education and practice.

Education

• Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD), Baylor University, 2023.
• Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MS), Florida Gulf Coast University, 2013.
• Bachelor of Arts in English Literature (BA), University of Florida, 2009.

Academic Experience

Dr. Gunn serves as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of the Incarnate Word. Prior to joining UIW, she was an Assistant Professor of Instruction in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Texas Medical Branch, where she contributed to occupational therapy education through classroom, laboratory, and mentorship experiences.

In addition to her full-time academic appointments, Dr. Gunn has served as adjunct faculty for Baylor University’s School of Occupational Therapy, facilitating laboratory instruction across multiple courses, including Foundations in Occupational Therapy, Adults and Older Adults, Neuroscience in Occupational Therapy, Children and Youth, and Mental Health. Her teaching philosophy emphasizes active learning, clinical reasoning, professional identity formation, and the integration of evidence-based practice into occupational therapy education.

Dr. Gunn has extensive experience mentoring emerging practitioners through doctoral capstone projects and supervising Level I and Level II Fieldwork students across diverse practice settings. She is committed to supporting students as they develop clinical competence, professional judgment, and reflective practice skills.

Her professional contributions also include presenting at the Florida Occupational Therapy Association (FOTA) Annual Conference, where she has shared knowledge and promoted evidence-informed occupational therapy practice. Through her combined roles as educator, clinician, mentor, and scholar, Dr. Gunn continues to advance the preparation of future occupational therapy practitioners.