Dr. Njelesani is an Associate Professor of Occupational Therapy at NYU.

Dr. Njelesani's scholarship advances the philosophical and methodological foundations of occupational science and occupational therapy through the development of the critical occupational approach—a novel approach she created to guide occupation-based inquiry. Using this approach, her research addresses critical health and societal issues by examining the factors that influence the occupational participation of historically underrepresented populations. Currently, she is exploring issues of equitable inclusion and participation across a range of occupations, including in school settings and caregiving roles.

Her work is funded by federal grants (NEH), foundations (AOTF research award) and international organizations (UNICEF). She was the first occupational therapy scholar to receive the National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. For her contributions to global occupational therapy research, she received AOTA's Roster of Fellows and International Service Awards, as well as AOTF's Mid-Career Research Excellence Award. She serves as the Associate Editor of OTJR: Occupational Science Section.