Title: 1) Occupational Therapist; 2) IRB Prisoner Representative
Company: 2) Oregon State Hospital; 2) Oregon Health Authority
Location: Salem, Oregon, United States
Alaina L. Randerson, OTD, Occupational Therapist at Oregon State Hospital and IRB Prisoner Representative at Oregon Health Authority, has been recognized by Marquis Who’s Who Top Healthcare Professionals for dedication, achievements and leadership in Occupational Therapy.
Dr. Randerson has established herself as a leading expert in traumatic brain injuries and neurological conditions, drawing on over 15 years of professional experience. In her current capacity as an occupational therapist at Oregon State Hospital since 2025, she manages 10 groups dedicated to life skills development, equipping patients with the tools necessary for successful community reintegration. Her responsibilities also include facilitating sensory and cognitive assessments and interventions, ensuring comprehensive care for individuals with complex needs. Dr. Randerson’s expertise is further recognized through her concurrent role as an institutional review board prisoner representative with the Oregon Health Authority, where she has been advocating for ethical standards in research involving justice-involved populations since 2025.
Before her current appointments, Dr. Randerson served as an occupational therapy anatomy and neuroanatomy tutor at the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences from 2021 to 2024. In 2024, she also contributed as an occupational therapy student researcher to the Life After Incarceration: Transition and Reentry project. Dr. Randerson’s groundbreaking doctoral research during this period stands as her most notable achievement, marking the first qualitative study to illuminate the lived experiences of justice-involved individuals who have sustained traumatic brain injuries.
Dr. Randerson’s clinical training included fieldwork at The Eden of Las Colinas Wellness & Rehabilitation Center in 2023 and the Alaska Psychiatric Institute in 2024, where she gained hands-on experience addressing diverse patient needs within psychiatric and rehabilitative environments.
From 2019 to 2023, Dr. Randerson excelled as a clinical trials coordinator at Providence Health & Services. Her leadership abilities were previously demonstrated at Northwest Functional Neurology, where she advanced from rehabilitative coordinator from 2014 to 2016 to director of operations and rehabilitation until 2019. Earlier positions included front office physical therapy aide at Belmar Physical Therapy from 2013 to 2014, chiropractic assistant at Advanced Chiropractic in 2012, and caregiver at Morningstar Assisted Living Facility in 2012.
Dr. Randerson’s academic credentials are extensive. She earned a Bachelor of Science in health and exercise science from Colorado State University in 2011. Subsequently, she obtained a Master of Science in human nutrition and functional medicine from the University of Western States in 2018 and a Doctor of Occupational Therapy from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in 2024.
In addition to her formal education, Dr. Randerson’s success has been reinforced by numerous designations, including institutional review board member certification from CITI Program, Mandt crisis and de-escalation training from The Mandt System, improving cultural competency for behavioral health professionals certification from CineMed, and credentials as a certified brain injury specialist from both the Brain Injury Association of America and the Brain Injury Alliance of America. Moreover, Dr. Randerson holds basic life support for health care providers certification from the American Heart Association, beyond suffering certification from Joni and Friends, and National Board of Occupational Therapy certification.
Dr. Randerson is an active member of several industry organizations, including the National Board of Occupational Therapy and the Brain Injury Alliance of America. These affiliations reflect her commitment to advancing standards within her field. Dr. Randerson’s dedication extends beyond her professional roles into civic engagement, including her current role as a supporter of reentry initiatives as a volunteer with Life After Incarceration: Transition and Reentry.
Dr. Randerson’s entry into the profession was inspired by early experiences as a rehabilitation coordinator at a functional neurology clinic treating patients with traumatic brain injuries. Observing the intersection between brain injury and justice involvement led her to pursue advanced research on this topic, particularly after witnessing how systemic issues highlighted by events such as the George Floyd protests underscored gaps within policing and criminal justice systems regarding traumatic brain injuries.
Looking ahead, Dr. Randerson aims to expand advocacy efforts for justice-involved individuals living with traumatic brain injuries by influencing reforms across the criminal justice continuum. She also intends to remain at Oregon State Hospital while building a neurorehabilitation clinic within its framework or developing a program focused on treating justice-impacted patients elsewhere. Notably, Dr. Randerson is scheduled to present her research at the World Federation of Occupational Therapists Congress in Thailand in 2026, a testament to her ongoing contributions to global discourse on neurological rehabilitation and justice reform.
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