Dr. Mary Isaacson
EdD, OTR/L, FAOTA, ATP
Mary Isaacson, Ed.D, O.T.R./L., FAOTA, A.T.P., is an occupational therapist with over 35 years of experience. She is the Program Director of the Occupational Therapy Program and professor in the Department of Rehabilitation Sciences at the University of Oklahoma in Tulsa and Oklahoma City.
Dr. Isaacson’s expertise is in assistive technology and applying technology to enhance people’s lives. She blended her desire to help people with disabilities live independent and fulfilling lives with her passion for animals by becoming a service dog trainer. Dr. Isaacson's first service dog trainee was Samson, a two-year-old Labrador retriever placed with his handler in 2011. Through this experience, she saw the difference a service dog can make in a person’s life. Her experience brought to light the need for increased education and awareness about the benefits of service dogs. This awareness led to the creation of the Professor Paws Project.
Niko
Professor Paws
Niko provides a hands-on, continuing education experience for students to learn about the use of service and therapy dogs in future practice. Furthermore, Niko’s service dog demonstrations educate the community about service dogs and the variety of ways they can assist people. OU-Tulsa is an educational leader in occupational and physical therapy by being the first university to have a full-time canine on “faculty” to assist with the education process.
