College of Science and Health > Faculty & Staff > Faculty A-Z > katherine-barrett

Kate Barrett

  • She/Her/Hers

  • kate.barrett@depaul.edu
  • Program Director, Associate Professor

  • ​​OTD, MPH, OTR/L

  • Occupational Therapy

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​Dr. Barrett joined DePaul University in the Fall of 2019 as the founding director of the Masters of Occupational Therapy program. Prior to joining DePaul, Dr. Barrett was a faculty member and program director of the post-professional doctorate program at St. Catherine University, and prior to that she was on faculty at Creighton University. She considers herself a general practitioner specializing in occupation based therapy across age groups and populations. She recently earned her Master’s degree in Global Health to enhance her international occupational therapy work.


Her primary areas of interest include global health, immigrants & refugees, and integrating skills for cultural fluency into health care education. She serves on the Haiti Rehabilitation Foundation academic committee and has taught courses in the first occupational therapy baccalaureate program in Haiti at the Episcopal University of Haiti.  Over the past 25 years, she has partnered with organizations in Peru, Ecuador, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic to develop learning experiences for occupational therapy students and to build relationships that support the growth of the profession globally.

Some of her favorite occupations include walking with her partner and dog, mountain biking, biking along Lake Michigan, curling, traveling, skiing, cooking, and spending time with family in northern MN.  Perhaps of most interest, her OT career started in Chicago - her first job as an OT was at Rush and her second was in the Chicago Public Schools. She is thrilled to be back in Chicago and at DePaul.

Education

  • BS in Occupational Therapy, Creighton University
  • OTD, Creighton University
  • MPH, St. Catherine University

Professional Memberships

  • ILOTA
  • AOTA
  • WFOT

Selected Publications

  • Barrett, K., Rabaey, P., Biggs, J., Plumer, D., Opokua, S., Yates, N., & Hearst, M. (2021). Development of an interprofessional community health course in Zambia. Journal of Interprofessional Care.
  • Barrett, K., Coppola, S., Alvarez, L. (2020). International occupational therapy: strategies for working and learning abroad. Bethesda, MD: American Occupational Therapy Press.
  • Navarette, G., Barrett, K., & Maldonado, J. (2020). Implementacion de un huerto organico: practica basada en la terapia ocupacional sostenible para personas con decapcidades neurologicas en Quito, Ecuador. Revista de Investigación Académica y Educación - Latindex 2.0 4(1).
  • Ingolia, P., & Barrett, K. (2019). Mothers of children with complex trauma: Occupations viewed through Photovoice. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health. 35(6): 1-22.
  • Barrett, K. (2018). Experiences of disability: Stories from Ecuador. In: B.A.B. Schell, G. Gillen, & M.E. Scaffa (Eds.), Willard and Spackman Occupational Therapy. (13th ed).  Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams &Wilkins
  • Matuska, K. & Barrett, K. (2018) Patterns of occupation.  In: B.A.B. Schell, G. Gillen, & M.E. Scaffa (Eds.), Willard and Spackman Occupational Therapy. (13th ed).  Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.
  • Haertl, K. & Barrett, K. (2014).  Service delivery and family systems. In K. Haertl (Ed.), Occupational Therapy for Adults with Disabilities. Bethesda, MD: AOTA Press.
  • Matuska, K. & Barrett, K. (2013).  Occupations of adulthood.  In: C.H Christiansen, C. Baum, & J. Bass (Eds.), Occupational Therapy: Enabling Performance, Participation and Well-being (4th ed).  Thorofare, NJ: Slack Incorporated.
  • Padilla, R., Barrett, K., & Walker, L.  (2003). Culture and the occupational therapy practitioner.  OT Practice 8(7) 33-39.
  • Barrett, K. (2001). Facilitating culturally integrated behaviors among allied health students.  Journal of Allied Health, 31(2) 93-98.
  • Barrett, K. (2000).  The time is now for innovative fieldwork sites and practice.  Education Special Interest Section, 10(2) 1-2. 

Selected Presentations

  • Barrett, K., Coppola, S. & Alvarez, L. (2019). Global Practice, Teaching, and Learning: Exploring and Embracing the Inherent Tensions.  AOTA. New Orleans.
  • Sinclair, K.; Barrett, K., Kuo, F., Peterko, Y. (2018). Occupational focus on human displacement: working with displaced persons and refugees. World Federation of Occupational Therapy. Cape Town, South Africa.
  • Navarette, G. & Barrett, K. (2018). Implementing a Greenhouse: Sustainable occupation based practice for neurologically impaired clients in Quito, Ecuador. World Federation of Occupational Therapy. Cape Town, South Africa.  
  • O’Flynn, J., Barrett, K., Flick, J., Booth, J., Coker-Bolt, P. (2018). Developing an occupational therapy baccalaureate program to meet the needs of Haiti. World Federation of Occupational Therapy. Cape Town, South Africa.  
  • Coker-Bolt, P, O’Flynn, J., Barrett, K., Flick, J. & Honorat, D. (2017).  The development of an OT educational program in Haiti: the impact of global partnerships.  AOTA, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Barrett, K. & O’Flynn, J. (2015).  Developing an academic occupational therapy program to meet the needs of Haiti.  Caribbean Association of Occupational Therapy.  Trinidad & Tobago.
  • Barrett, K., Cohn, E., Berger, S., & Glibertson, B.  (2015). Building capacity for occupation and occupational therapy through the development of international partnerships.  American Association of Occupational Therapy. Nashville, TN.
  • Barrett, K., Lexen, A., & Sohre, J. (2014). Understanding the experience of fracking through a model of occupational justice. Society for the Study of Occupation.  Minneapolis, MN.
  • Barrett, K., & Gupta, J. (2014). The impact of socio-cultural context on student learning: A comparison study. World Congress of OT, 2014. Yokohama, Japan.
  • Barrett, K., Kostopoulos, E., Meyer, S. (2013).  Teaching and Learning Occupational Science through an International Immersion Experience: A Phenomenological Study. Society for the Study of Occupation: USA.  Lexington, Kentucky.
  • Gilbertson, B., & Barrett, K. (October, 2012).  Creating global partnerships in occupational therapy. Minnesota Occupational Therapy Program, Minneapolis, MN.  
  • Barrett, K. (March, 2011).  Facilitating participatory learning in cross-cultural settings.  Midwest Dean’s Conference, St. Louis, MO.  
  • Barrett, K. (May, 2010). Critical pedagogy in occupational therapy education:  Transformative learning experiences in cross-cultural settings.  World Federation of Occupational Therapy, Santiago, Chile.  
  • Kittleson-Aldred, T., Vargas, J., & Barrett, K. (2010).   Partnering for participation, justice, and education: Yancana Huasy, Eleanore’s Project, and St. Catherine University. World Federation of Occupational Therapy, Santiago, Chile.
  • Barrett, K. & Gilbertson, B.  (January, 2010).  Integrating problem based learning into the occupational therapy curriculum.  Teacher Learning Network.  St. Kate’s, St. Paul, MN.

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