OTA Faculty

Melissa Porras-Monroe, MA, BS OTR/L Program Director, Full time Faculty

Melissa started at Green River College in Winter of 2013 as the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and full time tenured tract faculty position. She has a bachelor’s in occupational therapy, Master’s in Leadership Studies with a specialty in Organizational Leadership. Prior to joining Green River, Melissa worked in long term care and birth-3 setting, finally joining Harborview Medical Center where she worked for 20 years, in a variety of settings and roles. Beginning as a staff therapist on inpatient rehabilitation, Melissa gained a variety of experiences with many diagnoses; she later became the Manager of the Acute Care Therapy Team, OT/PT/TR and SLP team. Her specialty areas include student supervision, Leadership studies, Neurology and Geriatrics. After resigning to venture into part time work, Melissa worked at her alma mater, University of Puget Sound, assisting the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator and Clinical Instructor for the Adult Onsite Clinic. Melissa became the Program Director in 2016, she continues to teach in the classroom and maintain her clinical skills working for Rehab Without Walls and the University of Puget Sound onsite clinic. Her favorite part of teaching is watching students grow and meeting their goals. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with her family and friends.

• M.A. Leadership Studies, Concordia University Chicago
• B.S. Occupational Therapy, University of Puget Sound

Contact Information:

• Location: SC 130
• Teams Phone: 253-931-6902
• Email: mporras-monroe@greenriver.ed

CarrieAnne Allegri, BS, COTA, Academic Fieldwork Coordinator

CarrieAnne joined the Adjunct Faculty in the fall of 2019 and became Associate faculty in 2020. She graduated from Green River College in 2017 with an AAS in Occupational Therapy. Prior to joining the program, she earned a Bachelors of Science in Kinesiology at Cal State University, Monterey Bay. Hired in 2017, she continues to work at Harborview Medical Center on the Acute Care Rehabilitation services gaining experience in a wide variety of diagnosis, neurology, neurosurgery, orthopedics, trauma, medicine and intensive care units. She also works per diem for Rehabilitation Without Walls. When not working as a COTA, she coaches women’s basketball at Tahoma High School and grades 3-7 with Tahoma Basketball Association. In her spare time, she enjoys watching all sports.

• Associates of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy, Green River College
• Bachelors of Science: Kinesiology, Cal Sate University, Monterey Bay

Deborah Jackson, COTA/L

Graduated from GRCC in 1977 and was hired as the 1st COTA in Seattle School District!

Have worked in Seattle and Tacoma School District, MultiCare OT Department-Acute/OP and Hand Clinic. Wanted to experience what working in the community was like and worked 8 yrs at MultiCare Adult Day Health before transitioning to St. Joseph's Hospital-Acute/Inpatient Rehab/OP and Hand Clinic and have had the pleasure of being an Adjunct Faculty member of the GRC OTA Program since May 2011. 

Jennifer Cool, COTA/L, Adjunct Faculty

Jen graduated from Green River in 2013 from the Occupational Therapy Assistant program. She has worked in a variety of clinical settings, including skilled nursing and home health, and currently practices at Circle Creek Therapy working with kids and “kids at heart”. She joined the Green River faculty in 2022 as an adjunct instructor, as she is passionate about learning. 

When she’s not working, Jen is busy with her husband and children. She enjoys movies, music, dancing, and travel. 

Jennifer Perez, COTA, Adjunct Faculty

Jennifer Perez received her OTA certification in 2018.  It was during her observation hours for admittance into the OTA degree program that she fell in love with the world of Assistive Technology.  Throughout her education, she kept her eye on what technology could provide in the daily participation in one’s own life, especially if there were accessibility challenges.  Jennifer returned to her observation site, PROVAIL, for her level II fieldwork and never left.  In her role there, she is a COTA/Assistive Technologist providing distance communication access to people all across Washington State as well as consulting with local schools on assistive technology solutions.  Jennifer lives in north Seattle, has four kids ranging from 6 to 30, and loves switch-adapting toys in her spare time.

Megan Henry, BS OTR/L, CHT, Adjunct Faculty

Megan Henry is an occupational therapist with 16 years of experience working in a rehabilitation setting with a focus on hand therapy. She graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor’s degree in Occupational Therapy in 2003. In 2012, Megan obtained her certification in hand therapy and continues to focus on hand therapy as her main area of expertise. Megan enjoys working with orthopedic and neurologic clients including rehabilitation of upper extremity trauma conditions, tendon lacerations, brachial plexus and nerve injuries and repetitive use traumas. Megan has advanced skills in splint fabrication, wound care and wheelchair seating evaluations.

For the past 10 years Megan has also enjoyed being a part time instructor at Green River College in the therapy assistant program. She really enjoys teaching and mentoring future therapists.

Megan is part of the American Occupational Therapy Association and the American Society of Hand Therapists which keeps her informed on new treatment techniques and evidence based practice.

When not at work, she keeps busy chasing her two young children around and enjoys being outdoors no matter what the weather.

Roberta Kim, MEd, OTR/L, Pediatric, Adjunct Faculty

Roberta’s specialty area is in pediatrics and she has worked in a variety of practice settings including early intervention, school, clinic and community-based settings.  She works with children from birth to 21 years of age who have a wide range of physical, cognitive and/or sensory processing deficits.  Roberta graduated from the University of Puget Sound with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Occupational Therapy. In addition, Roberta has a Master’s Degree in Education and has direct teaching experience implementing assessments and lessons and that are based on state and national educational standards and has also been involved in curriculum planning.  Roberta has provided trainings for educators, therapists, and other health care professionals and has also presented at international and local conferences on multisensory teaching methods.  Her administrative experience includes program development, managing program budgets and grant implementation.  Roberta currently enjoys working with students who are pursuing occupational therapy and education degrees while continually expanding her skills in private pediatric clinic and school settings.

• MAEd. University of Phoenix
• B.S., University of Puget Sound

Contact Information:

• Location: SC 124
• Phone: 253-833-9111, ext. 4556
• Fax: 253-288-3413
• Email: RKim@greenriver.edu

Rose Evans, BS, OTR/L Mental Health Adjunct Faculty

Rose Evans is an AOTA Board Certified Mental Health (MHBC) occupational therapist who practices in a large Veterans Affairs hospital. She's been an Occupational Therapy practitioner since 1982. She trained initially as an occupational therapy assistant  and graduated from  the Green River Occupational Therapy Assistant program and then later continued her education and graduated from the  University of Washington Occupational Therapy program. Over the course of her career she has worked in a variety of settings. For the first 25 years of her career, her patient demographic was largely comprised of patients who were being treated for physical and cognitive diagnoses. She has been at her current position, working with a military veteran population, for the last eleven plus years treating patients with mental (behavioral) health diagnoses. She's had further training in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for insomnia (CBTi) and Sensory Modulation for trauma focused care. In 2016 and 2017 she presented on the Role of the Occupational Therapy Practitioner on Insomnia at the annual WOTA conference. She's been an adjunct instructor of psychosocial dysfunction at Green River College since 2013.

Contact Information:

• Location: SC 124
• Phone: 253-833-9111, ext. 4556
• Fax: 253-288-3413
• Email: revans@greenriver.edu

Tomi Leigh Johnson, MOT, OTR/L, CHT

Tomi Leigh Johnson joined Green River College in 2015 as an adjunct instructor. She is a Master’s level Occupational Therapist and Certified Hand Therapist who specializes in upper extremity orthopedic conditions. Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, Tomi practiced as a massage therapist (LMP), studied human fossil evolution and cultural anthropology providing her a comprehensive approach to teaching. Tomi prides herself on maintaining an engaging teaching environment that focuses on functional anatomy and palpation skills. 

Tomi attended Green River prior to studying at the University of Washington where she received her Bachelor’s and at the University of Puget Sound where she obtained her Master’s of Occupational Therapy. After practicing for five years as an OT in upper extremity orthopedics, she passed a comprehensive exam and became one of 6,332 advanced level practitioners in the world by obtaining her Certification in Hand Therapy. 

As a practicing occupational therapist, she provides a holistic patient centered approach to therapy to improve participation in meaningful wellness related activities designed to reduce overall health risk in the future. Tomi is proficient in post-surgical rehabilitation, complex orthosis fabrication, as well as treatment of neurological and orthopedic conditions. After practicing in orthopedics for two decades as an OT and LMP, Tomi has recently transitioned into the pediatric practice setting.

The most important thing in life to Tomi is her family. She loves traveling to warm destinations and enjoys hiking. She is proud to serve the community where she was raised. 

• MOT, University of Puget Sound
• B.A. Anthropology, University of Washington

Contact Information:

• Location: SC 124
• Phone: 253-887-5757
• Fax: 253-288-3413
• Email: tljohnson@greenriver.edu