Cindy Ivy, M.ED, OTD, CHT

Cynthia (Cindy) Ivy, M.Ed., OTD, CHT is a Clinical Professor in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OT) Program at Northern Arizona University (NAU). Cindy began working as adjunct faculty at NAU, Phoenix Biomedical Campus in 2014 and joined the faculty in August of 2015 as Associate Clinical Professor and Residency coordinator. Her recent leadership roles include serving on the faculty senate for NAU, the board of directors for the American Society of Hand Therapists and the board of directors for the American Association for Hand Surgery. Dr. Ivy carries a bachelor’s degree in occupational therapy from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a Master’s of Education in Counseling Psychology from Northern Arizona University. Her post professional clinical doctorate in occupational therapy, Hand therapy emphasis is from Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions. She served in a number of leadership and clinical roles at Mayo Clinic (Minnesota and Arizona) for thirty years before transitioning to full time teaching. She was the first therapist in the Mayo Clinic system to become a certified hand therapist at the CHT inauguration in 1991. Her scholarship interests include hand therapy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s Disease and anatomy education. She has authored over 17 peer reviewed publications including a randomized controlled trial on dynamic stability exercises for first carpometacarpal joint osteoarthritis in the Journal of Hand Therapy. She has authored chapters in Pedretti’s textbook, Occupational Therapy, on sensibility testing, in Cooper’s Fundamentals of Hand Therapy on Arthritis and Springer’s Primary Care Occupational Therapy on pelvic floor rehabilitation and tendinosis.  She recently recorded a podcast on hand therapy for motor neuron disease. She is currently involved in community based participatory research with the four corners region on the Diné/Navajo reservation. She is passionate about teaching & learning from elders, peers, clinicians, and students. Her personal interests include art, pottery, nature and spending time with family and friends.