Bio

Duana Russell-Thomas, OTD, OTR/L is an Assistant Professor at the Washington University Program in Occupational Therapy and the Director of the Community Experiential Learning Center.  She also serves as the coordinator of the Regional Arthritis Center, a non-profit committed to the dissemination of chronic disease self-management education in Missouri.

Duana has practiced for over 20 years in the field of occupational therapy and has special interest in chronic disease management, health disparity, community and population health, and trauma/toxic stress. She is the immediate past-President of the National Black Occupational Therapy Caucus. Duana earned her BS in Psychology from Washington University and both the Master’s and post-professional Doctorate from the Program in Occupational Therapy at the Washington University School of Medicine. She also completed an additional Master’s of Arts in Professional Studies from Eden Theological Seminary.