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Portrait of Virginia Stoffel

Virginia Stoffel, PhD, OT, FAOTA

  • Associate Professor Emerita, Programs in Occupational Therapy Science, Technology & Rehabilitation

Education

Ph D Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service Cardinal Stritch University 2007
MS Guidance and Counseling University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1983
BA Occupational Therapy College of St. Catherine 1977

Speaker Topics

  • Capturing Lived Experience through Photovoice
  • Behavioral Health and Occupational Therapy
  • Recovery and Well-Being

Interests & Expertise

Virginia Stoffel’s research focuses on the lived experience of disability and recovery for persons with mental illness and substance use disorders; parenting a child with autism; transitioning from military to civilian life as a university student; and engagement in psychosocial clubhouses.

Use of motivational interviewing and coping strategies to promote change in substance use and other behavioral changes reflects ongoing work with colleagues from the Center for Applied Behavioral Health Research at University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.

Currently, Stoffel is involved in a five-year study funded by the Healthier Wisconsin Partnership Program (2013-2017) titled “DryHootch iPeer: A Social & Technology Support Program for Veteran Mental Health” with Carol Haertlein Sells from UWM and colleagues from the Medical College of Wisconsin, DryHootch, Milwaukee VA Medical Center, Marquette University and Mental Health America of Wisconsin.

In addition, Stoffel is known for her involvement in leadership development training and has facilitated leadership training programs for the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) Emerging Leadership Development Program and their Middle Manager Leadership Institute since the programs were launched in 2009 and 2010.

Stoffel is the president of AOTA (2013-2016), the national professional association for occupational therapy in the U.S. representing more than 140,000 practitioners, students and researchers. Her service also extends to the American Occupational Therapy Foundation; Mental Health America of Wisconsin; the Scientific Advisory Panel for the Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation; and the editorial board of Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Journal of Psychosocial Practice and Research.

Selected Publications

Dobson, C. G., Selingo, L. "., & Stoffel, C. C. (2022, June). Using Photovoice to Understand the Meaning of Social Participation as it Impacts Student Veterans’ Transitions. Occupational Therapy in Mental Health.
Brintnell, E., Gunarathne, P., Hitch, D., Ledgerd, R., Acevado, L. P., Pettican, A., Shafaroodi, N., & Stoffel, V. C. (2019, September). Position Statement: Occupational Therapy and Mental Health. September 2019, 2.
Brown, C., Stoffel, V. C., & Munoz, J. P. (2019, January (1st Quarter/Winter)). Occupational Therapy in Mental Health: A Vision for Participation, 2nd Edition. 2nd ed, 937. Philadelphia, PA: F.A. Davis Company.
Stoffel, V. C. (2016, September). Coming Home to Family: Now Is the Time! (Presidential Address). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 70(6), 7006120010p1.
Ruffalo, L., Hooyer, K., Whittle, J., Stoffel, V. C., & Flower, M. (2016). Quick Reaction Force (QRF) Instructor Manual: QRF Peer Mentor Training Program..
Stoffel, V. C., Lee, S., Schwartz, J. K., & Grossberg, G. T. (2015, December). Mental health and common psychiatric disorders associated with aging. Barney, K. F., & Perkinson, M. A. (Eds.). Occupational Therapy with Aging Adults, Chapter 16, 266-288.
Stoffel, V. C. (2015). Engagement, exploration, empowerment (Presidential Address). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 69(2).
Stoffel, V. C., & Tomar, N. (2014). Additional uses of evaluation data. Hinojosa, J., & Kramer, P. (Eds.). , 281-305. Bethesda, MD/AOTA Press: Evaluation: Obtaining and Interpreting Data 4 th Edition.
Stoffel, V. C. (2014). Attitude, authenticity and action: Building Capacity (Presidential Address). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 628-635.
Scaffa, M. E., Riels, L. A., Moyers, P. A., & Stoffel, V. C. (2014). Community-based approaches for substance use disorders. Scaffa, M., & Reitz, S. M. (Eds.). 2nd ed, 292-308.
Tomar, N., & Stoffel, V. C. (2014). Examining the lived experience and factors influencing education of two student veterans using photovoice methodology. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, 430-438.
Brown, C. E., & Stoffel, V. C. (2014). Person factors: Psychological. Christiansen, C. H., Baum, C. M., & Bass-Haugen, J. (Eds.). , 215-229. Bethesda, MD/AOTA Press: Occupational Therapy: Performance, Participation and Well-being.
Stoffel, V. C. (2013). From heartfelt leadership to compassionate care (Inaugural Presidential Address). American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 633-640.
Stoffel, V. C. (2013). Health Policy Perspectives -- Opportunities for Occupational Therapy Behavioral Health: A Call to Action. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67(2), 140-145.
Haertlein Sells, C. A., Stoffel, V. C., & Plach, H. (2011). Substance-related disorders. Brown, C. E., & Stoffel, V. C. (Eds.). , 192-210.

Honors & Awards

AOTA Award of Merit (2020, March 28) American Occupational Therapy Association.
AOTA Service Commendation for Alternate Delegate, World Federation of Occupational Therapists (WFOT), 2016-2020 (2020, March 28) .
AOTA Service Commendation, Internationally Based Practitioners' Representative, Representative Assembly, 2016-2020 (2020, March 28) .
AOTA Service Commendation, Mentor, Emerging Leaders Development Program, 2018-2019 (2020, March 28) .
AOTA Service Commendation, Representative, National Quality Partners Serious Mental Illness TEP, 2019 (2020, March 28) .
Service Commendation as an AOTA Advisor for Quality Program (2019, April 6) American Occupational Therapy Association.
Certificate of Participation (2018, May 20) World Federation of Occupational Therapists.
AOTA Service Commendation for Faculty, Emerging Leadership Development Program (2018, April 21) American Occupational Therapy Association.
AOTA Service Commendation for Faculty, Leadership Development for Managers (2018, April 21) American Occupational Therapy Association.
AOTA Service Commendation for Mentor, Emerging Leadership Development Program (2018, April 21) American Occupational Therapy Association.
100 Influential Persons in Occupational Therapy (2017) American Occupational Therapy Association Centennial History.
Service Commendation for Mentor, Emerging Leaders Program (2017) American Occupational Therapy Association.
Award of Excellence (2017, October 6) Wisconsin Occupational Therapy Association.
Distinguished Alumni Award for Professional Achievement (2017, June) Cardinal Stritch University.
Ambassador Award (2017, May) College of Health Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.