Lori Reynolds, PhD, OTR/L

Lori Reynolds is Assistant Professor in Department of Occupational Therapy at Northern Arizona University on the Phoenix Biomedical Campus. She has a PhD in Gerontology from the University of Kentucky. Lori has 8 years of practice experience in acute rehab, home health, and skilled rehab. She has been teaching for 12 years, with 6 as Fieldwork Director and Community Practice Program Coordinator at Spalding University in Louisville, Kentucky. Lori was one of the first 3 faculty members hired to help establish the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program at NAU.

Lori has a certification in Health Care Garden Design from the Chicago Botanical Garden. Her research interests are living environments that promote well-being and fullness of living for older adults, nature inclusive environments for senior living, and inter-professional design collaborations. She is the 2017 recipient of the New Investigator Award from the Center for Health Design, and her research for this award examined if exposure to a virtual nature experience could reduce anxiety and agitation among individuals with dementia.

Lori is an advocate for occupational therapists as members of inter-professional design teams, as their knowledge of health conditions, human physiology, and the influence of person-environment fit on function and well-being provides unique insights in the design process. Lori consults with senior living organizations, architects and landscape architects on design of therapeutic garden spaces and wellness programming to promote resident well-being.

Nature is therapeutic for Lori; she loves spending time outdoors, hiking, biking, and camping.