Bio

Dr. Jessica McHugh Conlin is an occupational therapist and researcher with more than 25 years of experience supporting individuals in achieving their personal and developmental goals. She holds a BA in Elementary, Early Childhood, and Special Education from the University of Iowa, an MS in Occupational Therapy from the University of South Dakota, and a PhD in Occupational Therapy from Texas Woman’s University.

Dr. Conlin is AOTA Board Certified in Pediatrics and is also a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach. She has advanced training in sensory integration, feeding skills, and pelvic floor dysfunction, and previously owned and directed an outpatient therapy clinic. Her academic experience includes ten years on faculty at the University of South Dakota, where she taught, published, and presented nationally and internationally on pediatric and evidence-based practice topics.

Currently, Dr. Conlin serves as the Director of Research for Healthy 360, Inc., a nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting postnatal mothers and their infants during the first year of life. She is actively involved in professional leadership, having served as Chair of the AOTA Children and Youth Special Interest Section (2021–2024), Treasurer of the Iowa Occupational Therapy Association, and a volunteer for both AOTA and the AOTF in multiple capacities. Her current research interests center on maternal and infant health, community-based interventions, and occupational therapy’s role in prevention and wellness.