Program Alumni

Graduates of our Executive Certificate in Home Modification Program, Catia Garell and Damian Sempio, founders of Thrive for Life, LLC, with a home modification client

 

The USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology boasts a network of over 2,000 Executive Certificate in Home Modification graduates throughout the nation and around the globe.

We invite you to connect with some of our talented and diverse Program Alumni. Enjoy browsing through the Alumni Directory!

Please click an entry below to learn more about our program alumni!

List All

Ron Bibbs

Graduation Year: 2015
Title: ADA/Home Access Coordinator Company Name: The Whole Person Company Address: 3220 Norton Ave , Kansas City , MO 64128 Phone: 8163375822 Providing service delivery systems and identifying deficiencies and limitations in homes that may be attributable to the age of the structure, deferred maintenance, and the changing medical and physical needs of the occupant.

Kathryn Biesanz

Title: Lead Occupational Therapist Company Name: United Indian Health Services Company Address: 1814 Harrison Ave , Eureka , CA 95501 Phone: 314-410-8750 As the occupational therapist at United Indian Health Services in rural Humboldt County CA, an important aspect of what I bring to our PT/OT team is expertise in making our clients' homes functional and meaningful in the context of their life. I work with many aging and low vision clients whose highest priority is staying in their family home, and I love being able to support that goal.

David Blauwkamp

Graduation Year: 2018
Title: Owner/President Company Name: All Access Home Design, LLC Company Address: 20080 Old Rock House Rd. , Bend , Oregon 97702 Phone: (541) 799-0700 I am a Physical Therapist as well, and we specialize in custom modifications for clients with a wide range of impairments and needs. We also work with the local medical and rehab centers to facilitate a safe and timely discharge home. We are also credentialed installers for Savaria overhead patient lifts, and ramps/environmental mods for the VA.

Linda Bohmbach

Graduation Year: 2014
Title: Vice President/Co-Founder Company Name: Home Healthsmith LLC Company Address: 207 High Point Ave. , Portsmouth , RI 2871 Phone: (401) 293-0415 Home Healthsmith believes that a safe, functional home delivers freedom, mobility and confidence. We offer many solutions to help accommodate a person?s needs such as elevators, stairlifts, wheelchair ramps, home modifications, installation of grab bars and other accessibility equipment. These solutions allow the home owner to maintain their level of comfort without compromising their health or safety.

Brent Bowman

Graduation Year: 2020
Title: Development & Outreach Manager Company Name: Rebuilding Together Fox Valley Company Address: E9560 Ashbury Lane , Fremont , WI 54940 Phone: 419-733-4780 As an organization, we make home modifications and repairs to help low-income homeowners remain safe and healthy in their respective homes. We also assist older adults with fall prevention modifications allowing them to age in place.

Nicole Boyington

Graduation Year: 2018
Title: AFWC/ Assistant Professor Company Name: Mount Mary University Company Address: W. 189 N. 5011 Crestview Ter. , Menomonee Falls , WI 53051 Phone: (262) 226-6065 Home health therapist

Sandra Branan

Title: Program Manager Company Name: Rebuilding Together Charles County Company Address: 713 Wistful Way , Summerville , SC 29483 Phone: 3017515137 My work with RT has given me exposure to many various home issues that need repair and many different types/level of modification a client wants or needs.

J. Blake Brookshire

Graduation Year: 2013
Title: PT, DPT Company Name: Roger C. Peace Rehabiliation Hospital Company Address: 7 Quail Hill Dr. , Greenville , SC 29607 Phone: (910) 620-7020 Consult hourly for families, contractors, clients, who are interested in effective, efficient, but attractive home modifications or new builds.

Stephanie Brown

Title: Owner/Operator Company Name: HomeBound Wellness Company Address: 10307 SE Park Mt Ln , Clackamas , OR 97015 Phone: 503-927-8767 HomeBound Wellness supports aging in place. Our goal is to keep each client safe at home longer, using our personalized preventative services. We provide education, referrals, and direct service. I have been running this business since 2020 and have 22 years of experience in occupational therapy.

Shawn Brown

Title: Director of Home Safety Company Name: Baltimore Company Address: 8055 Saint Annes Court , Alexandria , Virginia 22309 Phone: 4435540806 I have over a decade of experience in human services and home safety programs, specializing in ensuring senior citizens' safety and well-being. My work focuses on assessing clients' needs, recommending safety modifications, and collaborating with community partners to enhance independent living. Through program oversight and advocacy, I strive to improve the quality of life for seniors in my community.

Natasha Bryn

Graduation Year: 2014
Title: Home Modification Specialist Company Name: Modified independence-Be safe at home, LLC Company Address: 1810 80th St. , Eau Claire , WI 54703-6914 Phone: (715) 579-7784 Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant since 2008, Executive Certification in home modifications, & Modified Independence-Be Safe at home, LLC business owner. I have been providing home modification recommendations for the last 10 years. Assisting others to age in place is my passion!

Brandi L Buchanan

Title: Clinical Director of CarePLaCe & Associate Professor Company Name: AT Still University, Mesa, AZ Company Address: 91 E Spur Ave , Gilbert , AZ 85296 Phone: 2139492111 CarePLaCe is a program to support caregivers/care partners caring for an older adult with chronic illness and/or a form of dementia. In the program, there is a home safety evaluation to provide information, assessment and recommendations for home modification. CarePLaCe services are at no cost to the client.

Brandi L Buchanan

Graduation Year: 2025
Title: Clinical Director of CarePLaCe & Associate Professor Company Name: AT Still University, Mesa, AZ Company Address: 91 E Spur Ave , Gilbert , AZ 85296 Phone: 2139492111 CarePLaCe is a program to support caregivers/care partners caring for an older adult with chronic illness and/or a form of dementia. In the program, there is a home safety evaluation to provide information, assessment and recommendations for home modification. CarePLaCe services are at no cost to the client.

Jillian Bucolo

Title: Owner, OT Company Name: Community and Home Independence Partners Company Address: 106 Akron Avenue , HADDON TOWNSHIP , NJ 08108 Phone: 856-522-4221 At CHIP, we work to ensure aging adults and those with neurological conditions are supported with the most appropriate environmental adaptations and modifications to support their physical and cognitive needs. We provide home consultations, evaluations, and follow-up supports to maximize safety and independence. All services are delivered in the home and most are covered by insurance.

John Burfield

Graduation Year: 2016
Title: Digital Marketing Company Name: Lifeway Mobility Company Address: 995 Morningside Dr. , Lake Forest , IL 60045 Phone: (847) 772-8041 I work on digital, print, content and email marketing campaigns for Lifeway Mobility. I have worked in the home modification industry since 2011. I currently serve as Digital Marketing Manager for Lifeway Mobility, an accessibility solutions provider with locations in CT, MA, and MN.

Stephanie Burguiere

Graduation Year: 2017
Title: COTA/L Company Name: Orlando Health Company Address: 3538 Bocage Dr. , Orlando , FL 32812 Phone: (407) 340-7266 Collaborate with OT to provide recommendations to a patient's home environment to ensure safety upon discharge.

Paula Bush

Graduation Year: 2018
Title: Associate Director Company Name: North West Housing Partnership Company Address: 1701 E. Woodfield Rd, Ste. #203 , Schaumburg , IL 60173 Phone: (847) 969-0561 Experience administering programs that provide financial assistance for home modifications to seniors and disabled. These residential improvements provide safety, comfort, and accessibility allowing people to continue living at home preventing the unnecessary placement in nursing homes.

Lindsey Butkus

Title: Owner, Occupational Therapist Company Name: Move Fullest, LLC Company Address: 12 Chestnut St , Cresskill , NJ 07626 Phone: 269-274-6956 I've partnered with Jukebox Health to deliver in-person home safety checkups in Northern New Jersey. As an Occupational Therapist, I bring the medical insight to each assessment and make customized recommendations. Certified to provide consultation for home builders on person and environment assessment for home modifications. New Jersey and Ohio.

Emily Byl

Graduation Year: 2019
Title: Occupational Therapist Company Name: Self-Employed Company Address: 1728 Logan Street , Anchorage , AK 99508 Phone: (616)915-0218 I am currently building a business to increase access to home safety assessment and modification resources in Alaska and hopefully, the rest of the country! I'm also very passionate about working with older adults and helping those with dementia live their fullest life.

Ally Cagaanan

Graduation Year: 2017
Title: Occupational Therapist Company Name: Independent Living Specialist Company Address: 2632 Anza St. , San Francisco , CA 94121 Phone: (415) 319-3969 I am currently working as a home health Occupational Therapist and I am doing a consultation about Home modification for the geriatric population so they can age in place.

Laurie Callahan

Graduation Year: 2020
Title: COTA/L, Director Company Name: Home Team Accessibility LLC Company Address: 42 Fieldstone Lane , North Attleboro , MA 02760 Phone: 508-316-1188 We are a "one stop shop" with a team of experienced home safety experts available and focused on adapting your unique home environment to fit your changing needs. From the initial FREE home safety assessment through completion of the buildout, we offer custom solutions for living comfortably and confidently at home.

Melanie Carlson

Graduation Year: 2013
Title: President Company Name: Staying Home Company Address: 3422 Augustine Elm Ct. , Jacksonville , FL 32223 Phone: (904) 885-7323 Physical therapist and General Contractor team up to provide assessments, safety recommendations and home modifications to improve home safety.

Laura Caron-Parker

Graduation Year: 2018
Title: Clinical Director, Vitality to You Company Name: Vitality to You at Genesis Rehab Services Company Address: 152 Weston Rd. , Weston , CT 06883 Phone: (203) 247-0616 I consult to the Vitality to You business line of Genesis Rehab Services that delivers mobile outpatient services in the home and community space. In my consulting role I have the opportunity to influence clinical practice by advancing clinicians knowledge on focused areas of treatment. Home modification is one area that we are working on to advance our clinicians knowledge so they can apply it to the home environments and patients they encounter. We are continuing to expand our resource list throughout the USA to support our therapists with basic home modifications.

Cameron Carter

Title: CEO and Co-founder Company Name: Rose Company Address: 22237 East Lake Avenue , Centennial , CO 80015 Phone: 15622772107 Rose connects home modification companies (“service providers”) to households in need of home modifications at any point in their healthcare journey. We curate a vetted network of service providers and enable them to connect with local patient populations, while facilitating multiple forms of payment on their behalf, including to health insurance reimbursement

Joanna Casala

Graduation Year: 2018
Title: OT Company Name: Allied Company Address: 1131 University Blvd. W. , Silver Spring , MD 20902 Phone: (202) 403-7816 I am currently working as an Occupational Therapist in a Skilled Nursing facility. As an OT, I am involved in identifying hazards and barriers in home environment and train patients and caregivers to improve safety and independence in self-care.