DMU O.T.D. Chair Receives “Champion” Award

Diana Feldhacker, Ph.D., O.T.D., OTR/L, BCPR, chair, program director and assistant professor in Des Moines University's Doctor of Occupational Therapy program, has received the 2024 Award for Excellence in the Advancement of Occupational Therapy from the American Occupational Therapy Association. During the award presentation, held in conjunction with the AOTA's annual conference, she was recognized as a "champion for OT innovation, education and scholarship."

The award recognizes "extraordinary contributions" to the profession's advancement, including through outstanding leadership, innovative or emerging practice or political support.

Feldhacker joined DMU in 2021 as the founding director and chair of the university's new occupational therapy program, which welcomed its first cohort in 2024. It has achieved candidacy status from the Accreditation Council for Occupational Therapy Education of the American Occupational Therapy Association.

"Dr. Feldhacker is an exceptional practitioner, educator, scholar and leader who demonstrates compassion and empathy, and strives for excellence and advancement in our profession," stated her DMU O.T.D. colleagues in their nomination of her for the award. "She goes above and beyond to make sure all faculty and staff's needs are met to ensure everyone is successful. She consistently demonstrates the DMU image through her high-quality work ethic, teamwork and passion for developing the occupational therapy program. Her leadership has set the O.T.D. department up for continued success."

Feldhacker earned her Bachelor of Science degree in health science and Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree from Creighton University and her Doctor of Philosophy in health science from the University of South Dakota. She holds board certification in physical rehabilitation from the American Occupational Therapy Association and has certifications in Lee Silverman Voice Training BIG, CarFit and the SOS Approach to Feeding.

A member of several professional organizations, including the AOTA, World Federation of Occupational Therapists, Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity and the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association, Feldhacker has focused her recent research on the role of occupational therapy in disease self-management for individuals with Type 2 diabetes as well as systematic reviews of effectiveness of occupational therapy services. She regularly engages in scholarship related to teaching and learning within occupational therapy education.