Changes in occupational therapy program leadership

Following the retirement of Dr. Peggy Martin, new leaders will oversee the University of Minnesota’s Occupational Therapy (OT) Program. 

Diane Anderson, PhD, MPH, OTR/L, associate professor, will serve as the interim program director for occupational therapy. Anderson earned her bachelor’s in Occupational Therapy, master’s in Public Health, and doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction, all from the U of M. She worked at the U of M 1992-2007 as an assistant professor. She then moved to The College of St. Scholastica where she served for six years as the program director for the occupational therapy master’s program. She then moved to St. Catherine University to design, develop, and lead the new, innovative, and hybrid Occupational Therapy Assistant Program. She retired from leading that national program in 2019, but returned to work at the U of M in 2020, to serve as an associate professor.

Terianne Jones, PhD, OTR/L, associate professor and capstone director, will serve as the head of the Department of Occupational Therapy. Jones earned her bachelor’s degree from the U of M, her master’s degree in occupational therapy and organizational leadership from St. Catherine University, and her PhD in occupational therapy with an emphasis in leadership from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  Jones joined the U of M in 2008 and has been very involved in IPE initiatives and in the development of the department's experiential learning program. She is the current president of the Minnesota Occupational Therapy Association and has served the program’s capstone director since 2019.

Both individuals were working at the U of M when the addition of the Rochester campus and the push to hybrid programming were implemented. “They bring valuable experience and expertise in leadership, and multiple-campus and hybrid program development that will be tremendously valuable to our college’s future direction,” said Dean Lynda Welage. 

Both the OT and medical laboratory sciences programs were integrated into the College of Pharmacy in 2022. Martin was instrumental in leading the OT program and collaborating with MLS and pharmacy colleagues to find synergies in the work

These leadership changes became effective July 2, 2024.