Dr. Burke is known for co-authoring the Model of Human Occupation, a contemporary occupational therapy perspective that has driven education, research, and practice for more than 35 years.
She was the dean of Jefferson College of Health Professions at Thomas Jefferson University from 2006 to 2015. She joined the university in 1988 as an assistant professor and subsequently professor, chair, and director of Graduate Programs. She also collaborated in establishing Jefferson Elder Care, an OT service for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease, in 2006. As dean, she oversaw seven academic departments, including developing the Couple and Family Therapy and Physician Assistant programs.
In addition to her work at Jefferson, Dr. Burke has served on national boards such as the American Occupational Therapy Association; has served as panel chair and scientific reviewer for the U.S. Department of Defense; and has a record of over 15 years of continuous funding from the U.S. Department of Education for training OTs to deliver care to preschool and school-age children.