Years in Teaching: 37

Years as Practicing OT: 42

Specialty Practice Area: Occupational Science, Sensory Processing/Integration, Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities, Prevocational Programs

Research Focus: Occupational Science (occupational balance, disruption/recovery, Sensory Processing/Integration, Developmental/Intellectual Disabilities, Test Instrumentation

Biography:

As Professor and Founding Chair, Dr. Carrasco oversees the department’s administrative, marketing, educational, research, and fiscal operation. He started teaching for Nova Southeastern University as an Adjunct Professor in 1997. As Program Consultant in 2010, he designed and later proposed the Tampa entry-level Doctor of Occupational Therapy program. In 2011 he received the appointment of Professor and Founding Chair. Prior to this appointment, he was Chair of the postprofessional graduate and entry-level OT and OT assistant programs at the Medical College of Georgia, now Georgia Regents University. He taught certification courses for Sensory Integration International and Summit Professional Education in all US states and Asia. His combined occupational therapy experience spans over 40 years of practice in pediatric, academic, research, mental health and wellness settings. Concurrently, he is iemoto (Headmaster) of Banmi Shofu Ryu of Ikebana and travels around the world teaching the flower art backed by more than 45 years of Ikebana practice, teaching and administration.

To be contemporaneous in aligning vision, curriculum design, and contemporary needs of the profession with a blended model of delivery, all departmental operations include a global component. Dr. Carrasco’s has worked as senior account executive for the Asia-Pacific Region of the Chicago based Grant Advertising International. He served as occupational therapist and special educator for the US Department of Defense Dependents Schools (DoDDS) Pacific in coordinating the first international Very Special Arts Festival. He completed a United Nations fellowship in the Far East, a Surgeon General’s appointment with the DoDDS Europe, a royal invitation to serve on the first international Pediatric Rehabilitation conference in Saudi Arabia.

His scholarly activities include invited and refereed presentations and publications. His research focus includes sensory processing disorders, occupational science, mental health, education in the areas of theory, instrumentation and lived experiences by human beings in the process of becoming. He serves on local, state, national and international organizations in various capacities from member to president, including Florida OT Association (FOTA), American OT Association (AOTA), World Federation of OTs (WFOT), OT Association of the Philippines (OTAP) and Ikebana International (II).

The breadth of Dr. Carrasco’s professional experience is essential in maintaining a visionary and objective stance as an active co-participating leader in navigating the clinical, curricular, scholarly, business, leadership and mentorship demands of higher education and lifelong learning.