A Short Biography--Melanie T. Ellexson

MELANIE T. ELLEXSON DHSc, MBA, OTR/L, FAOTA

Dr. Ellexson is an Associate Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Governors State University. She worked with Marianjoy Rehabilitation Center in developing and integrating rehabilitation programs for that health care system and was the Executive Director of the STEPS Industrial Rehabilitation Clinics for Schwab Rehabilitation Hospital in Chicago for many years. Throughout her career as an occupational therapist, Melanie has managed rehabilitation services in private industry, consulted to business and industry, and directed hospital based occupational therapy programs.

Melanie received her doctorate in Heath Science – Occupational Therapy from the University of Indianapolis, her MBA from Keller Graduate School of Management and her bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Illinois. She is the author of numerous articles and chapters on work rehabilitation, injury prevention and ADA compliance and has lectured on these topics both nationally and internationally.

Melanie served as the Treasurer of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the Ethics Chair for the Illinois Occupational Therapy Association. She is the American Occupational Therapy Association representative to the ANSI Committee for the Control of Cumulative Trauma Disorders and is on the Illinois Department of Labor Task Force for Implementation of OSHA Ergonomic Guidelines in Nursing Homes. Melanie also serves the profession as a CARF surveyor. In 2002 she was named the Lillian Hoyle Parent lecturer at the University of Texas Medical Branch and she received the Outstanding Alumni Award from the College of Associated Health Professionals at the University of Illinois at Chicago. She has been involved with the Ukraine project for the last 4 years. Melanie supervises and mentors students and has presented to industry and the medical community on orthopedics and ergonomics while learning about the Ukranian people and their health care system.