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female, she/her/hers, white, first-generation. Occupations: music, baking, walking, singing, crafting, laughing with family and friends. Occupational roles: wife, mother, dual citizen, rugby mom, and Munster/Ireland fan
Dr. MaryBeth Gallagher is an occupational therapist and occupational scientist with over 25 years’ experience of teaching and practice in a range of settings. She comes to OTD from UNC Hospitals where she was a clinical specialist in mental health and a mentor on the AOTA Fellowship in Mental Health. Dr. Gallagher’s current research focuses on evidence-based practice through practice-based enquiry with a community of practice scholars. Before returning to the US from Ireland where she lived for 20 years, Dr. Gallagher had been a lecturer at the University of Limerick in Ireland for 13 years. There she established the practice education program for the first graduate-entry Master’s in Occupational Therapy in Ireland. She held the post of Practice Education (Fieldwork) Coordinator for 4 years before focusing on research and teaching. She completed her in PhD in Occupational Therapy in 2017. Dr. Gallagher’s research explored the occupational choices of disadvantaged young people from an occupational justice perspective. She continues to have an interest in occupational rights and justice approaches to participation in occupations that impact health and wellbeing.