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In Memoriam: Jane Douglas Case-Smith (September 5, 1953 – July 30, 2014)

~ Albert Pike (1899, p. 11) “You really have to be caring. If you’re caring, it means that you’re interested in people and you’re sensitive to their needs.” ~ Jane Case-Smith (personal communication, June 2009)

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n his essay The Servant as Leader, Robert Greenleaf (1970) described a style of leadership based on a foundation of “my success comes from your success” and coined the term servant leader. These leaders embody the qualities of listening, empathy, healing, awareness, persuasion, conceptualization, foresight, stewardship, commitment to the growth of people, and building community (Spears, 2004). In his case study, Dillon (2001) noted four tenants of servant leadership in occupational therapy: (a) Enabling Others, (b) Focusing on the Greater Good, (c) Collaborative Visioning, and (d) Leadership Through Caring and Service. There can be no doubt that Greenleaf and Dillon were describing individuals like Jane Case-Smith. In fact, in 2013, Jane received the Sister Genevieve Scholar award from St. Catherine University, an award given in honor of the servant leader described by Dillon. Throughout her entire career, Jane consistently embodied the essence of a servant leader as a practitioner and scholar, educator and mentor, colleague and confidant.

Practitioner and Scholar In reflecting on her career, Jane once noted, “I

always thought that part of my responsibility as an occupational therapist was to learn more and to improve what I was doing with patients” (personal communication, June 2009). After obtaining her master’s degree in occupational therapy from Western Michigan University in 1979 and establishing her clinical career, Jane completed additional graduate coursework and earned her doctorate in education (EdD) from the University of Georgia in 1985. From there, she launched her academic career as faculty on a maternal and child health grant at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) in 1986. She later became the director of the Pediatric Rehabilitation Lab after moving to The Ohio State University (OSU) in 1990. Throughout her career, Jane advocated for conducting research with consequence and noted that occupational therapy research should be focused on topics of highest value to society (Case-Smith & Powell, 2008). She was a respected and trusted scholar whose work defined occupation-centered and evidence-based occupational therapy practice for children and youth. Across her career, she received over $5 million in grants, emphasizing research synthesis and intervention development to ensure practitioners had the best available evidence on which to base their interventions. She evaluated and recommended evidence-based strategies for autism intervention programs (Case-Smith, Weaver, & Fristad, 2014) and provided direction for early intervention practices for children with disabilities (Case-Smith, 2013; Case-Smith, Frolek Clark, & Schlabach, 2013;

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Photo courtesy of The Ohio State University.

“What we have done for ourselves dies with us; what we have done for others and the world remains and is immortal.”

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Case-Smith & Holland, 2009). She investigated novel methods of co-teaching handwriting skills between occupational therapists and teachers (Case-Smith, Holland, Lane, & White, 2012; Case-Smith, Holland, & White, 2014), as well as the use of yoga and mindbody interventions to improve classroom learning (Case-Smith, Shupe Sines, & Klatt, 2010; Klatt, Harpster, Browne, White, & Case-Smith, 2013). Most recently, Jane was involved with two National Institutes of Health grants to evaluate the efficacy of pediatric constraint-induced movement therapy and other neurorehabilitation therapies for infants and children with hemiplegia. Jane was most well known as the editor of Occupational Therapy for Children and Adolescents (Case-Smith & O’Brien, 2015), the premier pediatric occupational therapy reference for students and practitioners around the world. Her work provided comprehensive descriptions of practice, advocated for evidence-based interventions, and conveyed the need for therapists to respect the child and family. In the introductory chapter of the upcoming seventh edition, she wrote, “Practitioners of occupational therapy are strong advocates for inclusion of all persons with disabilities. They embrace the vision that children and youth with disabilities fully participate in the community and take on roles to facilitate full participation” (Case-Smith & O’Brien, 2015, p. 4). She was confident that occupational therapy practitioners could merge the science and the art of therapy to provide the best services for children and their families, noting, “At the same time that occupational therapists systematically analyze the child’s occupational performance and social participation, they acknowledge that the child’s spirit and family’s support highly influence the outcome” (Case-Smith & O’Brien, 2015, p.1).

Educator and Mentor Greenleaf (2002) noted that servant leaders ensure other people’s highest priority needs are being served and that, as a result of engagement with a servant leader, individuals grow as persons and become healthier, wiser, freer, more autonomous, and more likely themselves to become servants. Jane shined as a servant leader in her roles as an educator and mentor. Known as an innovator, Jane was always interested in exploring new technologies and methods of instruction that would benefit her students and professional colleagues. While at VCU, she was the first faculty member to consistently use

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the only computer in the department, encouraged the purchase of Apple® IIe computers for student use and developed the first assistive technology laboratory. More recently, Jane developed and evaluated a novel experiential, interdisciplinary training model for early intervention providers (Interdisciplinary Model Program for Parent and Child Therapeutic Services [IMPACTS]; Case-Smith et al., 2007). Students in this program used a lived experience as a means for integrating evidence from the literature, didactic training, and other materials to decide how to best provide interdisciplinary care. As Professor and Chair of the Occupational Therapy Division at OSU, Jane prioritized the needs of her fellow faculty members, her students, and the advancement of the profession. Under her leadership, OSU’s program transitioned from a bachelor’s degree to a master’s degree and became one of the top-performing programs in the country. She also served on a school-wide committee to develop the PhD in health and rehabilitation sciences. She believed that providing graduate-level training and the advancement of entry-level professional requirements would enhance the quality, quantity, and integration of evidence in practice. She was passionate that professional occupational therapy education should move to a single point of entry, that is, entrylevel doctorate in occupational therapy (Case-Smith, Page, Darragh, Rybski, & Cleary, 2014) and, despite failing health, worked diligently to begin this transition at OSU. Jane was dedicated to ensuring the success of students, junior faculty, colleagues, and friends through formal and informal mentoring. She had an uncanny way of recognizing potential in individuals and situations well before it was apparent to others. An occupational therapist that had Jane as a professor provided a rather salient anecdote. This therapist admitted she was not the best student and was somewhat disconnected from her learning; however, she still possesses the hard copy of a final paper from one of Jane’s classes, on which Jane had written, “I think some day you might be a researcher.” She remembered that the sentiment from Jane gave her the exact boost she needed, at the exact time she needed it, when other faculty did not recognize her potential. Fifteen years later, this therapist had earned her doctorate and is now a successful academic. During her 24-year tenure at OSU, Jane served on more than 220 graduate thesis or dissertation committees. This large number of committees was a direct result of Jane’s willingness to step outside Copyright © American Occupational Therapy Foundation

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the box and advise students who had a focus well beyond her expertise. Because of this, Jane would appear as an author on publications that had little in common with her primary research, such as the use of imaging techniques to evaluate musculoskeletal disorders in adults (Roll, Evans, Li, Sommerich, & Case-Smith, 2013) and radiation science curriculum (Kowalczyk, Hackworth, & Case-Smith, 2012). In 2012, Jane received the prestigious President and Provost’s Award for Distinguished Faculty Service from OSU. Her nominators noted that Jane’s caring and passionate dedication to her students has created a new generation of thinking, feeling, future leaders and stewards of the profession and indicated that she was a great source of pride for the profession.

Colleague and Confidant Jane continually recognized the need for continued professional development, the importance of involvement in professional organizations, and the advancement of occupational therapy practice. At the outset of her career, she was an influential leader in developing interdisciplinary practice at VCU while actively participating in the State Early Intervention Council, the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association, and the Richmond Pediatric Special Interest group. Her exceptional ability to connect with legislators and her persistence resulted in the establishment of licensure for occupational therapy practitioners in the state of Virginia. For her efforts, Jane received the Award of Merit from the Virginia Occupational Therapy Association. At the national level, Jane was very interested in “being at the table” to assure continued clinical competency for practicing clinicians. She chaired the emerging Committee of Special Interest Sections of the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and was a member of the Pediatric Specialty Certification Examination Development Committee (i.e., Board Certification in Pediatrics). In the late 1990s, Jane was involved in establishing the Commission on Continued Competency and Professional Development. She later served as the Chair for the Professional Development Tools Committee, which assisted in developing the portfolio reflection requirement for board certifications. In 2009, Jane chaired the AOTA Ad Hoc Task Force on Outcomes Databases to ensure occupational therapy would be recognized like other rehabilitation practitioners who were already developing such databases.

In addition to her service to professional organizations, Jane provided peer review and consultative services to advance practice and evidence for the profession. Jane served on the editorial boards of Physical and Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, the American Journal of Occupational Therapy, and OTJR: Occupation, Participation and Health, and was editor of OTJR from 2008-2011. She served for more than 7 years as a member of the Motor, Function, Speech, Rehabilitation study section of the National Institutes of Health, and she completed scientific grant review for the American Occupational Therapy Foundation (AOTF) and Autism Speaks. Because of her humble, peaceful nature, Jane could be easily perceived as unassuming; however, with familiarity, Jane was known to be competitive, visionary and strategic. Her jovial competitive nature often arose with program directors and faculty from other universities who were matched with OSU in sports competitions or who were each looking to hire faculty from a very limited pool of qualified applicants. In light of the friendly competition, Jane wanted all programs to succeed and strongly believed in graduating professional occupational therapists who could navigate the complexities of clinical practice and benefit the consumers they served. Jane would schedule visits for herself and directors from other institutions to see facilities and discuss strategies for advancing practice, education, and research. She encouraged program directors to focus on the future success of the profession, including positioning within the university structure, leveraging resources to advance faculty scholarship, and strategies to enhance curriculum. She was known to strike up these conversations in a light social manner—or during her daily Diet Coke® break—in lieu of formal or more impersonal meetings.

Humble Servant President Harry S. Truman is attributed with saying, “It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit” (Harry S. Truman Quotes, n.d.). There was nothing that she did for which Jane cared whether or not she received credit. She was known to dismiss personal accolades and redirect praise to others. Despite avoiding praise, Jane contributed significantly to the occupational therapy body of knowledge. Her extensive record of scholarship includes eight textbooks, more than 100 peer-reviewed journal articles, and both national and international invited talks. She received numer-

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ous distinguished lectureships including the Kennedy Kreiger Linda Schuberth Honorary Lectureship, the Ohio Occupational Therapy Association Virginia Scardina Lectureship, and the Fanny B. Vanderkooi Endowed Lectureship. In addition to the awards mentioned in previous sections, Jane received many of the highest honors possible from the AOTA and the AOTF, including a Certificate of Appreciation, the A. Jean Ayres Award, and the Cordelia Myer’s Writer’s Award, as well as being elected to the AOTA Roster of Fellows and the AOTF Academy of Research. Jane Case-Smith was an expert practitioner, scholar, educator, mentor, and leader who consistently demonstrated the desire to serve her profession in deep and meaningful ways. An insightful and critical thinker, Jane enjoyed being an occupational therapist and was dedicated to advancing the profession. She was kind and compassionate and enjoyed collaborating with others. She was proud of her contributions, while being humble and unassuming. She remained poised and graceful in stressful situations, always showing the ability to keep things in perspective. Above all, Jane enjoyed life and telling stories about her professional colleagues, students, family, and friends. The great novelist and philosopher, Leo Tolstoy, is quoted, “Life is a place of service. Joy can be real only if people look upon their life as a service and have a definite object in life outside themselves and personal happiness” (Zubko, 2003, p. 424). Jane lived a life of service to others and to the profession, and there is no doubt that this brought joy not only to herself but to everyone she touched. She had a profound influence on those she met, and her legacy will live on for years to come. Acknowledgements The authors thank Kathleen Matuska, PhD, Editor, for inviting this contribution. The authors are grateful to Dennis Cleary, OTD, for providing historical information, as well as Jayne Shepherd, MS, and Samia Rafeedie, OTD, for sharing additional information and personal encounters. References Case-Smith, J. (2013). Systematic review of interventions to promote social-emotional development in young children with or at risk for disability. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 395-404. doi:10.5014/ajot.2013.004713 Case-Smith, J., Frolek Clark, G.J., & Schlabach, T.L. (2013). Systematic review of interventions used in occupational therapy to promote motor performance for children ages birth-5 years. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 413-424.

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doi:10.5014/ajot.2013.005959 Case-Smith, J., & Holland, T. (2009). Making decisions about service delivery in early childhood programs. Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, 40, 416-423. doi:10.1044/01611461(2009/08-0023) Case-Smith, J., Holland, T., Lane, A., & White, S. (2012). Effect of a coteaching handwriting program for first graders: Onegroup pretest-posttest design. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 66, 396-405. doi:10.5014/ajot.2012.004333 Case-Smith, J., Holland, T., & White, S. (2014). Effectiveness of a co-taught handwriting program for first grade students. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 34, 30-43. doi:10. 3109/01942638.2013.783898 Case-Smith, J., & O’Brien, J.C. (Eds.). (2015). Occupational therapy for children and adolescents (7th ed.). St. Louis: Elsevier. Case-Smith, J., Page, S.J., Darragh, A., Rybski, M., & Cleary, D. (2014). The professional occupational therapy doctoral degree: Why do it? American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 68, e55-e60. doi:10.5014/ajot.2014.008805 Case-Smith, J., & Powell, C.A. (2008). Concepts in clinical scholarship. Research literature in occupational therapy, 2001-2005. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 62, 480-486. Case-Smith, J., Sainato, D., McQuaid, J., Deubler, D., Gottesman, M., & Taber, M. (2007). IMPACTS project: Preparing therapists to provide best practice early intervention services. Physical & Occupational Therapy in Pediatrics, 27, 73-90. Case-Smith, J., Shupe Sines, J., & Klatt, M. (2010). Perceptions of children who participated in a school-based yoga program. Journal of Occupational Therapy, Schools, & Early Intervention, 3, 226-238. Case-Smith, J., Weaver, L.L., & Fristad, M.A. (2014). A systematic review of sensory processing interventions for children with autism spectrum disorders. Autism. Advance online publication. doi:10.1177/1362361313517762 Dillon, T.H. (2001). Authenticity in occupational therapy leadership: A case study of a servant leader. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 55, 441-448. Greenleaf, R.K. (1970). The servant as leader. Indianapolis, IN: Greenleaf Center. Greenleaf, R.K. (2002). Servant leadership: A journey into the nature of legitimate power and greatness. Mahwah, NJ: Paulist Press. Harry S. Truman quotes. (n.d.). In goodreads.com. Retrieved from https://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/203941. Harry_S_Truman Klatt, M., Harpster, K., Browne, E., White, S., & Case-Smith, J. (2013). Feasibility and preliminary outcomes for Move-IntoLearning: An arts-based mindfulness classroom intervention. The Journal of Positive Psychology, 8, 233-241. Kowalczyk, N., Hackworth, R., & Case-Smith, J. (2012). Perceptions of the use of critical thinking teaching methods. Radiologic Technology, 83, 226-236. Pike, A. (1899). Ex corde locutiones: Words from the heart spoken of his dead brethren. Washington, DC: Supreme Council of the 33d Degree of the Ancient and Accepted Scottish Rite of Freemasonry.

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Roll, S.C., Evans, K.D., Li, X., Sommerich, C.M., & Case-Smith, J. (2013). Importance of tissue morphology relative to patient reports of symptoms and functional limitations resulting from median nerve pathology. American Journal of Occupational Therapy, 67, 64-72. doi:10.5014/ajot.2013.005785 Spears, L.C. (2004). Practicing servant-leadership. Leader to Leader, 2004(34), 7-11. Zubko, A. (2003). Treasury of spiritual wisdom: A collection of 10,000 powerful quotations for transforming your life. New Delhi, India: Motilal Banarsidass.

Jane Clifford O’Brien, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA University of New England Portland, Maine Thomas F. Fisher, PhD, OTR, CCM, FAOTA Indiana University-Purdue University at Indianapolis Indianapolis, Indiana The authors have no financial or proprietary interest in the materials presented herein.

Shawn C. Roll, PhD, OTR/L, CWCE, RMSK University of Southern California Los Angeles, California Amy R. Darragh, PhD, OTR/L, FAOTA The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio

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doi:10.3928/15394492-20141006-03

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In memoriam: Jane Douglas Case-Smith (September 5, 1953 -July 30, 2014).

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