Current PhD Students

Svitlana Stremousova MS, MBA ⟩

I am a PhD candidate at the USC Chan Division of Occupational Science and Occupational Therapy under the mentorship of Dr. Mary Lawlor. In my present role, I support research projects examining current understandings of the sensory processing difficulties of autistic individuals across the lifespan and manage uncertainty in the lives of autistic children, families, and clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic.

My research interests relate to dog companionship and community participation of autistic adults. I am specifically interested in applying qualitative research methodologies, both textual and visual, to inform researchers, clinicians, families, and community members about first-person experiences of autistic people. If you have any questions about my research interests, please feel free to contact me at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

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Yu (Tony) Tang ⟩

My research interests focus on children’s development and the support needed for neurodivergent individuals throughout their life cycles. Some of the specific aspects of my inquiries include: What are protective (predictive) factors that can enhance the developmental outcomes of autistic children? What are the factors that can mediate the risk factors of disadvantaged autistic children? What are protective factors that can promote appropriate sexuality and self-identity development for autistic children and youth? What are factors that can foster autonomy and meaningful occupational engagement among autistic children and youth? How to create culturally attuned sensory and occupation-based assessment tools for different age groups?

I am thrilled to be a part of the insp!re lab under the supervision of Dr. Baranek and wish to discover meaningful findings through the lens of occupational science and other interdisciplinary collaborations.

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Valerie Angel Tapia ⟩(she/her/hers)

I am an occupational science researcher whose work focuses on burnout, organizational culture, and well-being among healthcare workers, with particular attention to primary care and safety-net healthcare systems. Grounded in occupational science and committed to health equity and social justice, my research examines how social relationships, institutional structures, and policy contexts shape occupational engagement, sustainability, and health outcomes for providers and patients.

I use mixed and participatory methodologies to understand burnout as a socially embedded, system-level phenomenon. My dissertation, Networks of Care: Understanding Burnout through Healthcare Culture, integrates quantitative and qualitative evidence to identify protective factors, relational dynamics, and leverage points for organizational change within primary care settings. I am especially committed to participatory action research that centers healthcare workers’ lived experiences and translates findings into actionable, community-informed strategies.

In parallel, my scholarship contributes to the design, adaptation, and evaluation of occupational therapy interventions for chronic conditions in primary care. My published work includes studies on the implementation of Lifestyle Redesign® across diverse practice contexts, the clinical and economic outcomes of a Primary Care Lifestyle Redesign clinical trial for adults with diabetes, and occupational engagement during the COVID-19 pandemic. In my role in the Lifestyle Redesign for Chronic Conditions Lab, I conduct practice-based research to continuously evaluate and strengthen intervention fidelity and ensure contextual fit in real-world healthcare settings.

Across my work, I aim to advance equitable and sustainable healthcare systems by strengthening social connection, collective efficacy, and team-based care models that support both healthcare workers and the communities they serve.

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