Program Chair
donnafrazier@sunyorange.edu 

Donna Frazier is the OTA Department Chairperson. She is a 1993 graduate of the SUNY Orange Occupational Therapy Assistant Program and joined the program as an Instructor in September 2004. Donna received her BS in Occupational Therapy from Dominican College in 1998 and her MA in Social and Public Policy and an advanced certificate in Health Care Management from SUNY Empire in 2018.

She teaches the Principles of OT in Geriatrics & Gerontology, Principles of Occupational Therapy in Physical Disabilities, Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy II and Documentation in OT courses.

Donna has held the position of Corporate Rehabilitation Director for Sapphire/Elant Inc. Her responsibilities included oversight, supervision and scheduling for the delivery of all rehabilitation services including physical, occupational and speech therapy services for four skilled nursing facilities, and a growing community based program. Donna is a car-fit certified trainer, and serves as a Trustee on the Board of the New York State Occupational Therapy Association. Donna also serves on the Advisory Board of Orange County Office of the Aging and she is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist.

Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

tarahmiller@sunyorange.edu 

Tarah Miller is the program’s Academic Fieldwork Coordinator. She is a graduate of the SUNY Orange OTA program in 2016, receiving her AAS in Occupational Therapy Assistant. Prior to that, she received a B.A. in Psychology from SUNY New Paltz in 2005. Most recently, she received her MPS in Social Justice Educational Studies from SUNY New Paltz in 2021. 

Tarah is responsible for the organization and implementation of the fieldwork components of the program. This includes the selection and evaluation of field sites to ensure diverse learning experiences for our students. Tarah teaches Fundamentals of Occupational Therapy I and Occupational Performance I courses. She also serves as Committee Chair of the OTA Affairs committee with the New York State Occupational Therapy Association. Her specializations are in adolescent and adult mental health and developmental disabilities.

Instructor
richardwatt@sunyorange.edu

Rich joined the OTA Department as an Adjunct Instructor in 2015. He received a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy with Distinction in 1998. He also obtained an Associate of Sciences Degree in Physical Therapist Assistant form the Community College of the Air Force in 1994. Rich obtained his certification as an Assistive Technology Practitioner from the Rehabilitation Engineering and Assistive Technology Society of North America.

Rich has an extensive background in occupational therapy and assistive technologies. He serves as the Coordinator of both Occupational Therapy and Assistive Technology Services at the Northeast Center for Rehabilitation and Brain Injury in Lake Katrine, NY

Instructor 
kimberly.jordan1@sunyorange.edu

Kimberly began teaching as an adjunct instructor in the OTA department in the Fall semester of 2022 and will be teaching OT in Pediatrics/Developmental Disabilities. Kimberly received her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Quinnipiac University in 1998. Her specialization is in pediatrics and she has worked in early intervention, preschool, and with school-aged children as an evaluator, interventionist, and supervisor of Occupational Therapy Assistants. She is currently the supervising OTR at Sunny Days Consulting Services in Middletown, NY Kimberly also has certifications in the Sensory Integration and Praxis Test (SIPT) and in Infant Massage.

Instructor
thomaslynch1@sunyorange.edu  

Thom began teaching as an adjunct instructor in the OTA department in the Fall semester of 2023 and currently teaches Principles of Mental Health in OT. Thom graduated from SUNY Orange's OTA program in 2008 and received his Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Mercy College in 2018.

Thom's specialization lies in the intersection where Psychology and Occupational Therapy meet. Thom has worked extensively with geriatric populations, adults with disabilities, veterans and has supervised Occupational Therapy Assistants throughout the years.

Thom currently works as a COTA at Taconic in Beacon and does environmental modifications for Montgomery Nursing Home. In his spare time Thom is the director of Ability Gardens: a small non profit organization centered on gardening and wellbeing.

Instructor
davidlewis1@sunyorange.edu

Dr. Lewis began teaching as an adjunct instructor in the OTA department in the Fall of 2022 and will be teaching the OT in Geriatrics and OTA Skills Lab. In 2020, he earned his Doctorate in Occupational Therapy for the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences at their San Diego, California campus. He currently practices at Montefiore St. Luke’s Cornwall Hospital and Middletown Park Manor Rehabilitation and Healthcare. Dr. Lewis also has dual Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Criminal Justice, and a minor in Communications from the State University of New York Oneonta.

Dr. Lewis’s occupational therapy specializations are in the hospital and sub-acute rehabilitation settings. He is also the creator of Access Outdoors Occupational Therapy, an online resource and consulting service focusing on accessibility, adaptability, and networking in outdoor recreation and education. Prior to beginning his OTD program, Dr. Lewis worked in nonpublic school settings for students with disabilities at The Sierra Academy of San Diego and The Center for Spectrum Services.