Acute Care Occupational Therapy Fellowship
Alex St. Clair, OTD, OTR/L – Alex grew up in northern Illinois. She attended Coe College in Iowa for her undergraduate degree where she earned a dual major in both Neuroscience and Psychology, as well as a minor in Health and Society Studies. During her time in undergrad, Alex was also a member of the women’s soccer team. Upon graduation from Coe, she then began graduate school to earn her Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Ohio State University. Alex was able to experience a wide range of settings during her clinical rotations in the OTD program, such as Acute Care at Mayo Clinic, Inpatient Behavioral Health at Johns Hopkins, and Outpatient Neuro-rehabilitation at Martha Morehouse. She also had the opportunity to help research, develop, and implement a sleep education program for the athletes at Ohio State for her doctoral capstone project. She is planning on utilizing the vast knowledge gained from these various experiences to deepen the breadth of care that she can provide as the Acute Care OT Fellow. The crucial and vulnerable state that many patients experience during their time in the hospital can be daunting and even impact healing. Alex finds her passions fall in valuing meeting an individual where they are at and promoting wellness and compassion, especially during such a vulnerable time. In her free time, Alex enjoys trying new coffee shops with friends, spending time outdoors, and getting to discover new and fun activities around Columbus with her husband.
Neurologic Occupational Therapy Fellowship
Melissa Alias, OTD, OTR/L – Melissa was born in Colorado and moved to Ohio in 2014. She received her Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology and Health in 2022 from Miami University. Following her undergraduate degree, Melissa attended The Ohio State University and earned her Clinical Doctorate in Occupational Therapy where she developed a special interest in neurorehabilitation. Her passion for working with individuals with neurological diagnoses was confirmed during her fieldwork rotation at Premier Health’s Outpatient Neuro Rehabilitation Program in Dayton, OH. During her doctoral capstone project, Melissa worked to expand cultural humility, cultural competence, and health literacy at a free clinic for the Spanish-speaking community in Columbus, OH. Melissa believes in meeting each patient where they are and providing personalized support to help them rebuild confidence and improve their quality of life. As a Neurologic OT Fellow, Melissa is committed to lifelong learning and is excited to continue growing as a clinician and advocate in the field of neurorehabilitation. Outside of the clinic, Melissa enjoys working out, traveling, attending food tours with her husband, and experimenting with homemade ice cream recipes.
Morgan Krantz, OTD, OTR/L – Morgan is from Solon, Ohio, a suburb outside of Cleveland. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in 2022 from The Ohio State University. Next, she continued her education at the University of Pittsburgh where she earned her Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree in 2025. Morgan’s clinical experience in graduate school includes inpatient rehabilitation in the stroke unit at UPMC Mercy in Pittsburgh, PA and acute care at the Cleveland Clinic. Through these experiences, she found that her passion was working with those with neurological diagnoses at various stages of the continuum of care. Morgan then went on to complete her capstone project at Cancer Bridges, a nonprofit organization that provides free resources to those affected by cancer. Her role was to lead weekly sessions to educate caregivers of those with cancer on how to provide optimal care from an occupational therapy perspective. To combine her interest in neurological deficits with the cancer population, Morgan created a clinical practice guideline on the benefits of exercise for preventing chemotherapy induced peripheral neuropathy. Morgan is very excited to return back to Columbus as she is truly a buckeye at heart. She is thankful for this opportunity to be a neurologic OT fellow so she can continue to learn best practice for neurorehabilitation and explore academia. Outside of the clinic, Morgan enjoys spending time with family and friends, attending CrossFit classes, running, reading, and eating sweet treats.
Hand and Upper Extremity Occupational Therapy Fellowship
Elizabeth Yang, OTD, OTR/L – Elizabeth is an occupational therapist who grew up in Southeast Michigan. After being inspired by a few brilliant hand therapists to become a clinician herself, she earned her Occupational Therapy Doctorate from Indiana Wesleyan University in April 2025. While appreciating the broad scope of the profession, Elizabeth’s clinical interest remains within the realm of hand therapy – to treat, educate, and support patients with upper extremity injuries and conditions with the purpose of enhancing their ability to participate in their everyday life. During her capstone project, she also discovered a budding interest in education, as it was rewarding to see first year occupational therapy students grow in their knowledge, skills, and confidence. A lifelong learner herself, she understands the need for a supportive learning environment, which has been her experience so far during the Hand and Upper Extremity Fellowship at OSU. Outside of the clinic, Elizabeth is excited to explore the food and events around Columbus, and finally have the time to complete all of the Un-Finished Objects (UFOs) in her crochet project pile.