Faculty & Staff Directory

Faculty/Staff Directory

Betsy McDaniel

Office Hours:	Monday/Tuesday: 9:00-11:00 Thursday: 1:00-3:00 Friday: 9:00-12:00 Virtual: By appointment
Locations: (Campus & Office)	Cochran - Dillard Hall - 102A Phone: betsy.mcdaniel@mga.edu Fax: 478.934.7476
Website:	https://www.mga.edu/health-natural-sciences/rehabilitation-science/index.php
Biography:	Professor McDaniel has been with MGA since 2004 and has served in many capacities including Instructor of OTA, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the OTA Program, and OTA Program Director. She has been the OTA Program Director since 2016 and the Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Fitness since 2018. She received an A.S. in Occupational Therapy Assistant from Middle Georgia College in 2000, a B.S. in Psychology from Middle Georgia State University in 2014, an M.S. in Health and Human Performance from Georgia College and State University in 2016, and is currently pursuing a doctorate degree in Public Administration at Valdosta State University. She has extensive clinical experience including inpatient rehab, acute care, home health, community mental health, and outpatient rehab.
Teaching and Research Interests:	Occupational Therapy Ethical & Jurisprudence in Healthcare Psychosocial Aspects of Health and Human Performance Aging in Place Research Methods Innovative and Emerging Practice Areas
Courses:	OCTA 2224 Innovative Practice for the OTA RHAB 3020 Research Methods in Rehabilitation Science
Education: (All institutions attended and degrees or credentials earned)	Associate of Science in Occupational Therapy Assistant, Middle Georgia College Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Middle Georgia State University Master of Science in Health and Human Performance, Georgia College & State University Doctorate of Public Administration (In Progress), Valdosta State University
CV:	https://mga.academia.edu/BMcDaniel/CurriculumVitae
Professional Experience:	Betsy McDaniel serves as Chair of the Department of Rehabilitation Science and Fitness and Program Director for the Occupational Therapy Assistant (OTA) Program at Middle Georgia State University. With more than seventeen years of teaching experience in occupational therapy education and over two decades of clinical and academic experience in rehabilitation settings, she brings extensive expertise in occupational therapy practice, program development, and health professions education. Her administrative leadership includes overseeing departmental operations, program planning and evaluation, faculty development, accreditation compliance, and strategic growth of rehabilitation science programs. Prior to her current leadership roles, she served as the OTA Program Academic Fieldwork Coordinator, where she managed clinical education placements and strengthened partnerships with fieldwork sites across the region. Professor McDaniel’s professional work focuses on occupational therapy ethics, psychosocial practice, and innovative interventions that promote participation and well-being across the lifespan. She has contributed to scholarship in the field through a published chapter in Occupational Therapy with Elders: Strategies for the COTA and through numerous professional presentations at regional and national conferences, including the American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference. Her recent scholarly work has explored creative occupational therapy interventions such as dance-based programming to support emotional regulation and participation. She is also actively engaged in professional leadership and service, including appointment to the Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy and longstanding involvement with the Georgia Occupational Therapy Association. At Middle Georgia State University, Professor McDaniel has taught a variety of courses within the occupational therapy and rehabilitation science curriculum, including psychosocial practice, adaptive techniques, therapeutic media, OTA seminar, and research methods. She is deeply involved in curriculum design, accreditation initiatives, and student mentorship. In addition to her teaching responsibilities, she leads departmental initiatives related to program development, accreditation, and interprofessional collaboration while supporting research and experiential learning opportunities for students preparing to enter the rehabilitation professions.
Publications and Scholarships: (Last 5 Years)	Kearney, P., McDaniel, B., and Syvaoja, K. Aging Well: Health Promotion and Health Management.
Professional Affiliations:	American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) World Federation of Occupational Therapy (WFOT) Georgia Occupational Therapy Association (GOTA) Georgia State Board of Occupational Therapy
Organizations:	Georgia Occupational Therapy Association Middle Georgia Region Chair

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