Julie Carson joined IWU fulltime January 2018 to serve as the Occupational Therapy Assistant Program Director. Julie received her bachelor’s degree in OT from the University of Illinois, Chicago and Master’s degree in Gerontology from the University of Illinois, Springfield.

Julie has over 30 years of practice in a variety of treatment areas including acute care hospitals, rehabilitation and geriatric care, outpatient rehabilitation, on-site industrial services, work injury prevention, adolescent treatment, American with Disabilities Act consulting, and administration.  Julie has over 15 years teaching experience as adjunct and in full time teaching in 6 different colleges/universities in Milwaukee, Chicago, and Indiana, the most recent 7 years as an OTA Program Director. 

Julie has a special interest and has presented at local/national professional conferences on education and intraprofessional collaboration between occupational therapy and occupational therapy assistant students. She has worked with several community agencies to develop fieldwork experiences and is interested in expanding the role of occupational therapy in community based emerging practice settings.

While Julie was growing up, her parents were caregivers for her grandparents and an uncle. Julie and her husband have cared for both their mothers in their home. Julie has a special interest in older adult ministries, productive aging, and caregiving in the home. Julie has special interests/training/speaking in communicating with personality, color, and first impressions management. Julie and her husband have 3 adult daughters. Julie engages in faith-based fitness classes and enjoys gardening, turning old furniture and décor into new uses, and caring for her dog and grand-dogs.