Education
AS in Occupational Therapy Assistant, Springfield Technical Community College
BS in Occupational Science, American International College
MS in Occupational Therapy, Bay Path University
Post-Professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy, American International College
Background
Dr. Kendra Phillips joined the faculty at Western New England University in 2022 as an adjunct professor with a full-time appointment in 2025. Prior to her role in academia, Dr. Phillips worked in pediatrics as a school-based occupational therapist beginning in 2016. Dr. Phillips earned her post-professional doctorate in 2019, with research focused on the effectiveness of sensory-based strategies in promoting self-regulation in children. Her experience also includes working with youth and adolescents in a group home setting and a therapeutic private school. While her clinical practice focused mainly on youth and adolescence, she also has experience working in skilled nursing facilities as a COTA and an OTR. She is an active member of the Massachusetts Occupational Therapy Association (MAOT) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA).
Dr. Phillips' primary areas of clinical interest include community-based practice, occupational therapy practice within pediatric settings, trauma-informed care, and sensory-based interventions. Dr. Phillips currently oversees the Pediatric B.E.A.R. Paw Center, where students gain hands-on clinical experience working with children from the local community.
She will teach Population Health & Interprofessional Practice and co-instruct courses focused on pediatrics and OT assessment.
