Local Partnership Provides Fieldwork Education, Capstone Mentorship, and Alumni Employment
When Kari McKown, OTR, Co-owner and Clinical Director at Elite Therapy Center, talks with Baylor University’s Doctor of Occupational Therapy (DPT) students and alumni about the difference one occupational therapist can make, she offers a simple challenge: “Let that be you.” That message captures why McKown and Elite Therapy Center have become meaningful partners for Baylor’s program.
What began in 2006 as a small hippotherapy practice in a horse barn has grown into a pediatric therapy organization with six locations throughout Central Texas. Through the partnership—including fieldwork education, doctoral capstone mentorship, and alumni employment—the clinic has helped instill how occupational therapy can extend beyond direct intervention to strengthen families, schools, ministries, and communities. Baylor OTD alumni and students connected with the clinic include:
Doctoral Capstone
- Bailey Smith, OTD, Social Engagement Among Children with Intellectual Disabilities
- Chloe Baer Appleby, OTD, OTR, Improving Inclusion at a Private Preparatory Academy: An Evidence-Based Plan for Sustainable Growth
- Elexis Mensch, OTD, From Notes to Necessity: Elevating OT Documentation to Improve Outcomes
- Allison Chambers, Class of 2026
- Caitlin Blank, Class of 2026
Level II Fieldwork
- Charity Giaccone, OTD
- Ashley Westover, OTD, OTR
- Adriana Williams, OTD
- Emilee Morgan, OTD, OTR
- Alexis Ritvalski, Class of 2026
These individuals represent the kind of sustained partnership that strengthens doctoral occupational therapy education, as learners have engaged in inclusive education, motor development, pediatric practice, and faith-informed community service. Their work reflects the broad reach of occupational therapy.
For McKown, these opportunities are closely connected to her understanding of occupational therapy as a calling. That perspective has shaped learning and professional experiences, modeling how clinical expertise can be used not only to provide treatment, but also to create programs, support families, strengthen schools, and build communities where individuals with disabilities are not only served, but celebrated.
For Baylor Occupational Therapy, the story of Elite Therapy Center is a reminder that strong community partners matter. Fieldwork Educators, capstone mentors, employers, and local advocates help shape the professional journeys of students and graduates. McKown’s message to future occupational therapists is simple but powerful: one person can recognize a need, open a door, support a family, welcome someone into community, or create a program that changes lives. Let that be you!
ABOUT ROBBINS COLLEGE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SCIENCES AT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY
Established in 2014, Robbins College of Health and Human Sciences seeks to enhance health, quality of life, and human flourishing for all individuals and communities through education, research, and innovation. It includes seven academic departments—Communication Sciences and Disorders; Health, Human Performance, and Recreation; Human Sciences and Design; Occupational Therapy; Physical Therapy; Physician Assistant Studies; and Public Health. Robbins College offers 13 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees, and six doctoral degrees, as well as nine graduate programs in partnership with the U.S. Army. Graduate programs in Robbins College are offered in a variety of modalities, including on campus, online, and hybrid.