Stephanie earned her Master of Occupational Therapy from St. Ambrose University in 2002 and has worked as an occupational therapist for 23 years, specializing in mental health and substance use treatment. She now teaches this content in the Doctor of Occupational Therapy program at St. Ambrose University.

In 2023, she completed her Doctorate of Health Science from the University of Indianapolis, where her dissertation explored college students' perceptions of interoceptive awareness in relation to stress and coping. In 2017, Stephanie completed a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) through Shine Yoga Studio in Moline, IL. She often integrates yoga into her OT sessions to help prepare the body and mind for meaningful activities. She also teaches yoga classes at GiGi’s Playhouse of the Quad Cities, a community space for individuals with Down Syndrome—a role she absolutely loves.

Most recently, Stephanie completed a 95-hour YTT for toddlers, children, and teens with Challenge to Change (C2C) in 2025. In 2025, Stephanie also earned a Trauma-Informed Care microcredential, with a focus on creating safe and supportive TIC environments.

Stephanie has been married to her husband Paul for 22 years, and they have two wonderful children—Zee (17) and Luke (15).