Rate My Professor Leah Botkin

Leah Botkin, Ph.D., OTR/L, is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Occupational Therapy at Texas Christian University’s Harris College of Nursing & Health Sciences. She is a founding faculty member of the Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) program, having joined TCU in August 2025. Botkin earned her Ph.D. in Health and Rehabilitation Science and Bachelor of Health Science (BHS) from the University of Missouri, as well as her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy (MSOT) from Washington University in St. Louis. Prior to her academic appointment at TCU, she held clinical positions at Boone Health in Missouri, encompassing inpatient acute care, inpatient rehabilitation, outpatient care, and skilled nursing facilities. During this time, Botkin established a neurorehabilitation clinic and implemented an interdisciplinary approach to Parkinson’s care using the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment BIG (LSVT BIG) intervention. She continues weekly clinical practice as an occupational therapist at a hospital in the Dallas-Fort Worth area to remain current with field developments.

Botkin’s research focuses on implementation science, evidence-based practice, and health services research, particularly the development, evaluation, and implementation of evidence-based interventions in occupational therapy and rehabilitation for Parkinson’s disease and other neurological conditions. Key publications include “Practitioner perspectives on the implementation of the Lee Silverman Voice Treatment-BIG® Program” (2024), “Exploring the Link Between Oral Health and Self-Care Difficulty Among Older Adults” (2024), “LSVT BIG® and long-term retention of functional gains in individuals with Parkinson’s disease” (2020), and “Use of Occupation-Based Measures in LSVT BIG Research: A Case Study” (2019), published in journals such as OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research. She is affiliated with TCU’s Center for Neurodegenerative Disease and serves as an editorial fellow for OTJR. In teaching OTD students, Botkin emphasizes bridging classroom learning with real-world practice to cultivate client-centered professionals through interdisciplinary collaboration, community engagement, and outreach in the DFW region.