University of the Sciences in Philadelphia

Carlos E. Moreno, MS OTR/L

Occupational Roles

Father, Husband, Student of Life, Reader, Family Member, Religious Participant, Music Aficionado, Golfer, Occupational Therapist, Leader, Educator

Occupational History

Carlos is delighted to be the father of three lively and powerful daughters who keep him busy and on his toes. While joyfully parenting them in partnership with his wife, Amy, he loves playing with them, listening to their stories and dramatic productions, as well as including some Spanish immersion so they can stay connected to their roots. Carlos is proud of his Peruvian heritage and feels at home on USP’s richly diverse and friendly campus. He also enjoys hiking in the woods, exploring the cultural offerings Philadelphia has to offer, golfing, and his great passion…reading.

Carlos is new to USP and is enjoying his transition from clinical practice to academia. Before coming to the university, Carlos was the OT Team Leader on the Stroke/Neuro Service at MossRehab Hospital. Carlos has great interest in organizational dynamics and leadership which has led him to become involved at various levels wherever his work has taken him.

Education

Carlos has an undergraduate degree from Lincoln University with a Major in Biology and a minor in Chemistry. He has an Advanced Clinical Masters Degree from Temple University. His graduate work focused on sensory modulation disorders with school aged children by examining a specific treatment approach for sensory defensiveness. Carlos hopes to continue his studies at USP working towards a doctorate in Organizational Dynamics and Leadership.

Clinical Practice

Carlos started his time in the healthcare field as an aide at St Agnes Hospital in Philadelphia. He became a burn tech with a focus on all pre and post operative wound care. This included all wounds not only burns. He then went on to work on the newly opened in-patient rehab floor. Afterwards, Carlos went to Thomas Jefferson University Hospital and worked as an OT aide on the acute floor and in rehab. There, after reading several Eleanor Clarke Slagle lectures from A Professional Legacy, Carlos was deeply moved by occupational therapy’s core beliefs and saw a match between his personal philosophical outlook on life and the profession. He knew he had found his calling and entered Temple’s OT program.

As an OT, Carlos started at Moss Rehab in the general rehab & neurological program and eventually worked in the Drucker Brain Injury Center. He then changed directions and worked with Becky Austill serving a number of schools and special education centers in Chester County. He then worked in early intervention in Montgomery County.

While maintaining a number of private clients, Carlos left full time clinical work and applied his OT way of thinking to the business world. He went to work for a small IT consulting firm. He learned about IT and business using his knowledge of how to research and obtain learning support. After an initial period of learning, Carlos developed the firm’s marketing tools and took the group through a visioning process which resulted in entirely changing the direction of the business. They emerged as a company committed to serving non-profit organizations. In this way, the staff in the IT firm felt they were contributing to the betterment of their community.

Carlos returned to OT by taking a leadership role in Moss Rehab’s OT department. After several years of sharing his skills in order to continue building a strong OT group and quality program service delivery, Carlos chose to join USP and share with new generations of therapists and leaders that OTs are.

Recent Scholarship

Cameron, K., Kern, S., & Moreno, C. (2007). Integrating Evidence Based Practice Into Current Occupational Therapy Practice. Pre-conference Institute. American Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference.

Moreno, C. & Bunch-Harrison, S. (2005). Psychosocial Issues in the Physical Disability Setting: Occupational Therapy’s Role. Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association Monthly Educational Meeting.

Gershkoff, A., Shah, S., & Moreno, C. (2003). An Innovative OT Treatment for Alien Hand Syndrome Poster Presentation. Pennsylvania Occupational Therapy Association Annual Conference.

Granted the Lindback Foundation Minority Junior Faculty Award on May 5th, 2008