Virginia Stoffel, PhD, OT, FAOTA
- Associate Professor Emerita, Programs in Occupational Therapy Science, Technology & Rehabilitation
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.
Stoffel was 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 was known for her involvement in leadership development training and 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 was 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 extended 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.”