Jody Bortone EdD, OTR/L
Chair and Director, Graduate Program in Occupational Therapy

Initially certified as an occupational therapist in 1974, Dr. Bortone has 32 years of clinical practice, collegiate level education, supervision, and management experience.  She is licensed to practice in NY.  Dr. Bortone has extensive clinical practice expertise in the areas of mental health and pediatrics and has worked with individuals, groups and families to improve their functioning in the areas of work, school, play and self care activities of daily living.  In addition to her seven years as Chair and Director of the Graduate Occupational Therapy Program at Sacred Heart  University, Dr. Bortone has been a full-time faculty member at New York University in the undergraduate, graduate and post professional Master’s Degree Occupational Therapy programs.  She has also served as an adjunct instructor in the graduate occupational therapy programs at New York University and Columbia University, and in occupational therapy assistant programs at LaGuardia Community College and Mercy College.

Dr. Bortone obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy from Columbia University in 1974 and her post professional Master’s Degree in Occupational Therapy from New York University in 1984.  She has recently completed her doctorate at Fordham University in Educational Leadership, Administration and Policy Program. The title of her dissertation research is Critical Thinking and Evidence-Based Practice in Problem-Based Learning Tutorial Groups:  A Critical Case Study.  She is active in profession the professional associations and in June 2004, Dr. Bortone completed her ten year tenure as an appointed member to the New York State Occupational Therapy Advisory Board to the Office of Regents in the Division of Professional Licensing.

Dr. Bortone’s research interests include the effectiveness of sensory integration interventions on the occupations of play and school and how Problem Based Learning instructional practices facilitate students’ critical thinking and use of evidence-based practices.