Damaris Vela Castro is a Doctor of Occupational Therapy who joined the College of Design in 2024 as a post-doctorate fellow to research the complex nature of employment for people with disabilities. She is a dedicated occupational therapist with over 18 years of experience, passionate about helping individuals reach their fullest potential. She earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from the University of Southern California, where she completed a pedagogy residency supporting first- and second-year entry-level occupational therapy students. Before that, she worked as an acute care occupational therapist at The Queen’s Medical Center in Honolulu, Hawai’i during the COVID-19 pandemic specializing in implementing early mobility and delirium protocols in the Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU).