Lindsey Larsen

Where is your hometown? and where do you live now?
My hometown is Columbus, Nebraska, and I now live in Sycamore, Illinois.

Where did you attend college and what degree(s) have you earned?
I earned my doctorate in occupational therapy from Creighton University.

In which department(s) do you teach?
School of Interdisciplinary Health Professions

What do you like about working at NIU?
As a military spouse, it can be challenging moving to new places and feeling alone. NIU welcomed my family with open arms and helped us feel like part of the community from day one.

What advice would you give to students currently attending NIU?
Stay curious and always keep looking for opportunities to learn and grow!

What do you enjoy most about mentoring students?
I love supporting students as they discover their strengths, explore career options and grow into confident, capable professionals.

What do you hope students take away from their college experience?
I hope students leave with strong critical-thinking skills, a commitment to lifelong learning and the confidence to make a positive impact in their career field.

What is your favorite memory of NIU?
I’ve definitely enjoyed hanging out with Mission on the stadium sidelines and working with my daughter at the Huskie Food Pantry. But my favorite NIU memories are actually the moments when students grasp a new concept and recognize something within themselves they didn’t fully understand or appreciate before.

What’s one thing about NIU that’s surprised you?
I’ve been continually impressed by how supportive and engaged the NIU faculty are across disciplines. Even as an occupational therapist in a school without a dedicated occupational therapy (OT) program, I’ve been warmly welcomed to guest lecture, share OT perspectives and contribute to interdisciplinary learning experiences.

What fulfills you personally and professionally?
What fulfills me both personally and professionally is empowering others to make a meaningful difference. Having an autistic and disabled daughter has amplified my passion for teaching future rehabilitation professionals and building a more inclusive world.

Which of NIU’s core values align with your own?
Equity and inclusion definitely align with my own values! I truly believe that valuing diverse perspectives and making sure everyone feels respected and heard makes NIU a better place to learn and grow.

Who has influenced your professional path?
My path was first shaped by the occupational therapists I observed in high school. Since then, amazing instructors, supportive colleagues and most of all, my daughter, have continued to influence me. Experiencing the world through a parent’s lens has deepened my understanding of disability and its broad impact in ways I never could have imagined. Her presence in my life motivates me every day to advocate for disability education, rights and truly inclusive practices.

What did you want to be when you were growing up? Are you currently doing it? If not, what changed your path?
I always knew I wanted to be both an occupational therapist and an educator, and today I’m fortunate to be both. My path, though, wasn’t what I originally expected. Years spent as a full-time caregiver and homeschool teacher for my children, along with moving around the country 13 times as a military spouse, made the journey challenging. But the resilience and adaptability I learned along the way have certainly helped shape the occupational therapist and instructor I am today. I also learned that I could do more than I ever imagined. Authoring an award-winning children’s book, Meeting Exceptional Friends, that educates about disability and inclusion, as well as being appointed the director of a disability advocacy nonprofit, has allowed me to combine creativity with advocacy initiatives on a global stage.

Are you a member of or hold a position within a professional or community organization? If so, what organization? What is the purpose of that organization and how does being part of this organization benefit you in your role at NIU?
I am the executive director of Disability Book Week. What started as individuals coming together to read and share disability-inclusive literature for one week a year has grown into a global movement. Watching this organization grow in volunteer power and create one of the largest curated lists of disability-inclusive books and resources has been incredibly remarkable and rewarding. This role has been tremendously helpful in teaching Disability and Society. My students can tell you that I pull out a few books during each lecture that relate to our objectives. I also hope that sharing with my students the process of building an organization centered around your beliefs, values and hopes for positive change is certainly attainable.

What do you do to relax or recharge?
I enjoy going on walks with my daughters and reading.