About Dr. Joseph Pellerito, Jr.
Dr. Joseph Pellerito, Jr. has been widely recognized for his commitment to excellence working as an administrator, researcher, professor, consultant, entrepreneur, and master clinician in the private, academic, and public sectors. He believes that dedicated leadership can result in transformational ways of thinking and doing.
Dr. Pellerito earned a PhD in Medical Sociology at Wayne State University; a Master of Science in Technology in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation at The Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland; and a Baccalaureate of Science (B.S.) in Occupational Therapy at Western Michigan University Lee Honors College.
He has held leadership positions including Associate Professor, Chair, and Program Director at Western Michigan University; Associate Professor, Chair, and Program Director at Wayne State University; Founder, CEO, and Chief Consultant at Pellerito + Associates, LLC, Abilities Group LLC, and HEROES NATION lc; Vice President of Research and Consumer Technology at iCan!; and Administrator, Director, and Senior Therapist at Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan in The
Detroit Medical Center.
He is the co-founder and Managing Editor of The Open Journal of Occupational Therapy (OJOT). Dr. Pellerito serves as Editor for Landon Elsemere Press. He has co-edited and co-authored Issues in Social Justice (2009) with Landon Elsemere Press; authored Driving Retirement (2009), with VDM Publishing House, Ltd. in Munich, Germany; and Driver Rehabilitation and Community Mobility: Principles and Practice (2006) with Elsevier in St. Louis. He is slated to author and edit Critical Issues in Health and Social Science (2015) with Landon Elsemere Press.
Dr.Pellerito is an advocate for people with disabilities. His development and community engagement has energized prospective and current donors resulting in signficant cash, planned, and in-kind gifts; improved recognition and national rankings; and broad inter-professional and organizational scholarship and impact throughout North America and globally. He has secured funding for research projects that have advanced knowledge and informed evidence-based practice in the health sciences.
Specific to research, he has a successful record of grant funding for postsecondary institutions generating over 7.0 million dollars, including but not limited to:
* 2011 - 2012 Fred Sammons & Dr. Barbara A. Rider
Western Michigan University, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, College of Health and Human Services
Total Gift: ~$1.75 million (Cash) and $250,000 (cash), respectively
* 2010 - 2012 Western Michigan University Alumni Donors, Western Michigan University, Dept. of Occupational Therapy, College of Health and Human Services
Total Gift: ~$100,000
* 2000 - 2009 Wayne State University Donors and Alumni, Eugene Applebaum College of Health and Human Services
Total Gifts: ~$1.1 million (Planned, cash, and in-kind gifts)
* 2009 Advanced Products and Services (APS)
Wayne State University, Driving Simulation Research Center, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Total Award: ~$200,000 (In-kind)
* The Arline Ethel Traubman Memorial Endowed Scholarship in Occupational Therapy, Wayne State University, Occupational Therapy Program, Eugene
Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Total Award: ~$150,000
* 2007 - 2009 The Martha E. Schnebly Endowment
Dr. Martha E. Schnebly, Wayne State University, Occupational Therapy Program, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences
Total Gift: ~$200,000
*2007 The Kay Schlomer Endowment
Mrs. Kay Schlomer, Wayne State University, Occupational and Physical Therapy Programs, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Total Award: ~$575,000
*2005 - 2006 The Barbara H. Jewett Endowment
Ms. Barbara H. Jewett, Wayne State University, Occupational Therapy Program, Eugene Applebaum College of Pharmacy & Health Sciences
Total Award: ~$200,000
* 1998 RIM’s Independence Square
The Barber Foundation, Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan, the Detroit Medical Center; Occupational, Physical, Recreational, and Speech Pathology Programs
Total Award: ~$300,000
* 1990 - 1999 Invacare Corporation, Sunrise Medical, Inc., Jay Seating, et al., Rehabilitation Institute of Michigan; Occupational, Physical, and Recreational Therapy Programs
Total Gifts: ~$1.9 million (In-kind wheeled mobility, seating, and other assistive technology products for patients with disabilities)
