About Leslie Bennett

Leslie received her undergraduate degree from Russell Sage College and her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from The Sage Colleges. She earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Creighton University in 2018 and holds a Master’s Certificate in Health Care Ethics.

She has developed a focused line of research in ethics, with several publications supporting ethical practice and professional development in occupational therapy.

Leslie has a clinical background in physical rehabilitation with specialization in low vision and holds certifications in LSVT BIG and kinesiotaping. Her current focus is in mental health, community health, and wellness.

As Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, she leads fieldwork education and the development of emerging practice placements. She teaches in OTH 622 Fieldwork Seminar & Professional Identity Exploration and OTH 609 Evaluation & Intervention: Mental Health Occupational Performance/Lab, emphasizing professional identity, psychosocial practice, and ethical reasoning.

Recent Courses Taught

OTH 609 Evaluation & Intervention: Mental Health Occupational Performance/Lab

OTH 622 Fieldwork Seminar & Professional Identity Exploration

Selected Publications

American Occupational Therapy Association. (2020). The American Occupational Therapy Association Advisory Opinion for the Ethics Commission: An ethical response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ethical-Response-to-COVID-19.pdf.

Bennett, L. E., Jewell, V. D., Scheirton, L., McCarthy, M., & Muir, B. C. (2019). Productivity Standards and the Impact on Quality of Care: A National Survey of Inpatient Rehabilitation Professionals. The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy, 7(4), 1-11. https://doi.org/10.15453/2168-6408.1598

Phillips Estes, J., & Bennett, L. (2019). Chapter 58: Ethics in fieldwork. In K. Jacobs & Guy L. McCormack (Eds)., The Occupational Therapy Manager (6th ed.), pp. 547-553. Bethesda, MD: AOTA Press.

Scholarly Presentations

  • Assisted Death: Ethically Responding to Patient Requests for Assistance in Dying. The University of Missouri: Annual Health Ethics Conference (October 2017)
  • Session 1: Choices about the End of Life: Video Perspective
  • Session 2: Understanding those who would request death-Panel Discussion (Role: Moderator)
  • North Carolina Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference (November 2017)
  • Short course: Crosswalk between Occupational therapy & Mental Health
  • American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference (April 2018)
  • Short Course: Ethical Management of Rising Productivity Standards in Clinical Practice
  • European Conference in Philosophy in Medicine and Health Care (Oslo, Norway; August 2019)
  • Workshop: The response of the WMC, AMA, and other professional medical associations to the medicalization of assisted suicide and euthanasia.
  • North Caroline Occupational Therapy Association (October 2020)
  • Short course: Ethical Horizons

Educational Background

Creighton University School of Pharmacy and Health Professions
OTD, Doctor of Occupational Therapy
Creighton University
M.S., Healthcare Ethics
Russell Sage College
B.S., M.S., Occupational Therapy