Blake Bennett, OTD, OTR/L, has been part of the ACCESS Academy team since 2022 and is currently the Upper/Intermediate classroom occupational therapist. Blake loves helping her students gain as much independence as possible through functional tasks and meets them where they are to provide them with the support they need to succeed. Growing up in the therapy world, having two brothers with disabilities and a mother who is a physical therapist (and also on the ACCESS Team), has grown Blake into the therapist she is today.
Before joining ACCESS, Blake worked as a medical teaching assistant in the Upper Two classroom at ACCESS Academy and then attended graduate school for occupational therapy at the University of Central Arkansas. She underwent two specialized internships before graduating with her doctorate from UCA in August 2022. One of these internships was at Arkansas Children's Hospital, emphasizing the NICU and rehab units; the second was a specialized hand therapy rotation at OrthoArkansas. Her goal is to become specialized in the SOS protocol soon to open more availability for feeding therapy services at ACCESS Academy.
Blake's favorite part of working for ACCESS is the family culture and seeing smiles on her students' faces daily! She brightens their days with high-fives, hugs, jokes, and nicknames. When she is not serving the ACCESS mission, Blake can spend time with friends, family, and her Maltese, Lincoln! She also enjoys reading, painting, being active, and eating great food.