Kantessa Stewart, OTR/L, CHT
Kantessa Stewart has been an Occupational Therapist since 1999 and a Certified Hand Therapist since 2007. She graduated from The Ohio State University earning her Bachelor of Science in Allied Health Professions in 1999 and attended Drexel University, obtaining a Certificate in the Advanced Practice of Hand and Upper Quarter Rehabilitation in 2007.
Kantessa has worked diligently to expand the knowledge of Hand Therapy in Ohio. She has developed sound programs with skilled therapists, provided continuous learning opportunities for staff and started the Dayton Hand Therapy Group, scheduling bimonthly continuing education. Kantessa has lectured on various topics of the upper extremity at both state and national conferences including ASHT, OOTA and ASSH, Virtual Platforms and has taught Orthosis Fabrication at Rhodes State College. Currently she is employed within the Hand Center of Southwestern Ohio/Orthopedic Associates as the Team Lead in Hand Therapy, carrying a full patient caseload. She collaborates with the surgeons on protocol development, assists in Journal Club planning, organizes staffing in therapy clinics and serves as a clinical specialist within the Hand Therapy Department.
Her interest in CMMS began after taking a Virtual CMMS Course taught by Robyn Midgley. Kantessa continued to further develop her understanding of the CMMS technique by mentoring from Judy Colditz to problem-solve difficult cases. She assists in leading the bimonthly CMMS Discussion Group sponsored by BraceLab and worked with a team of hand therapists to develop the one and two day Hands-on Casting Motion to Mobilize Stiffness Travelling course for ASHT released in December 2024. Kantessa is passionate about sharing the CMMS technique with other therapists because of the change it has made in her own practice and the successful outcomes she has obtained with her patients.