About Me

Dr. Njelesani's research centers on the critical examination of occupation, contributing uniquely to the fields of occupational therapy and occupational science by expanding their philosophical and research foundations. A key aspect of her research is the prioritization of the perspectives of children and persons with disabilities from historically underrepresented groups, who have often been overlooked in research, programming, and policy discussions.

Internationally renowned for her development of the critical occupational approach, Dr. Njelesani offers a novel perspective for conducting occupation-based research and practice. The critical occupational approach examines the assumptions and ideologies underlying human activity, how knowledge is produced when engaging in occupations, who controls knowledge production, how an occupation is chosen, and the social, cultural, and political contexts of occupations. By employing the critical occupational approach, she explores issues of equitable inclusion and participation in various occupations, such as school participation, social relationships, and the experiences of young caregivers for parents with disabilities. This innovative approach has not only reshaped the scholarly study of occupations but also led to the development of new practice tools, including the Occupational Repertoire Development Measure-Parent and the adapted YCare intervention. The widespread adoption and versatility of the critical occupational approach underscore its importance as both a foundational and methodological tool in occupational therapy and occupational science research, education, and practice.

To her research, Dr. Njelesani brings a breadth of both clinical and consulting expertise, having worked as a clinician for over 15 years and through her role providing disability and rehabilitation technical advice to Governments, UN agencies (e.g., UNICEF, UNDP, WHO), international organizations (e.g., Humanity Inclusion, CBM), and research centers globally. She has carried out her work in North America, South East Asia, Europe, the Caribbean, West Africa, East Africa, and Southern Africa, collaborating with researchers from each of these regions.

Dr. Njelesani received her Ph.D. in rehabilitation sciences and global health from the University of Toronto, Canada. She was awarded a National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship, the first occupational therapy scholar to ever receive this prestigious award, and she was the first researcher at NYU to receive an AOTF research award. She currently serves as the Associate Editor of OTJR: Occupational Therapy Journal of Research's Occupational Science Section.