Tamara Mills, Ph.D., OTR/L, ATP

Dr. Tamara Mills is an occupational therapist, educator, researcher and entrepreneur. She completed her bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy at Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University, and she received both her post-professional Master of Science degree and her Doctor of Philosophy degree from the University of Pittsburgh. Dr. Mills also has a graduate-level certificate in Assistive and Rehabilitation Technology from the University of Pittsburgh. Presently, Dr. Mills is an associate professor in the School of Occupational Therapy and the site coordinator for the entry-level master’s weekend program and the entry-level doctorate program at the Norcross campus.

Dr. Mills has years of clinical experience in many settings, including acute care, home health, inpatient rehabilitation and private practice. She also continues her private practice working with individuals with disabilities in home-based settings to provide wheelchair-seating mobility interventions, and home safety and accessibility evaluations. Her research has focused on rehabilitation technology (i.e., virtual reality) and orthopedic interventions to improve upper extremity function in individuals after stroke. Dr. Mills has written several publications and has delivered many presentations across both professional and consumer forums. She is committed to giving back to her community and profession through a variety of volunteer committee appointments. Dr. Mills aspires to use her skills and clinical experience as a bridge between rehabilitation practice, academia, and research to benefit consumers and contribute to the advancement of the field of occupational therapy and rehabilitation. She enjoys being involved in school and community activities with her family and three children, and loves participating in outdoor recreational activities and events.

Published work

Mills, T. [Textbook in preparation]. Evidence-based practice. In H. Smith-Gabai & S. Holm (Eds.), Occupational therapy in acute care (2nd ed.). AOTA Press.

Mills, T. (2017). Evidence-based practice. In H. Smith-Gabai & S. Holm (Eds.), Occupational therapy in acute care (2nd ed.). AOTA Press.

Mills, T. L., Holm, M. B., & Schmeler, M. (2007). Test-retest reliability and cross validation of the Functioning Everyday with a Wheelchair (FEW) instrument. Assistive Technology, 19(2), 61-77.

Mills, T. L., & Holm, M. B. (2004). Development and interrater reliability of a performance-based observation tool to measure functional outcomes of wheelchair users in the home and community [Abstract]. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, 85(8):E2.

Mills, T., Holm, M. B., Trefler, E., Schmeler, M., Fitzgerald, S., & Boninger, M. (2002). Development and consumer validation of the Functional Evaluation in a Wheelchair (FEW) instrument. Disability and Rehabilitation, 24, 38-46.