Kathlyn L. Reed, Ph.D., OTR, FAOTA, MLIS, casts a long shadow over the profession of occupational therapy and the Department of Occupational Therapy Education at the University of Kansas Medical Center.

Since earning her bachelor's degree in occupational therapy from KU in 1964, Reed has spent the past 50 years touching the lives of countless students through her classroom teaching, clinical supervision and mentoring of graduate students at master’s and doctoral levels. An icon at Texas Woman’s University, Reed has held several academic ranks during her tenure, the most recent being associate professor emerita in its School of Occupational Therapy.

After graduating from KU, Reed went on to earn a master’s degree in occupational therapy from Western Michigan University, a doctorate in special education from the University of Washington, and a master’s degree in library and information studies from the University of Oklahoma.

Both of Reed’s parents graduated from the University of Kansas in the early 1930s. Her mother worked as an executive secretary and bookkeeper, and her father was a research chemist and later a businessman and store owner. Reed was born in Detroit, Michigan, and the family moved frequently for her father’s career.

An accomplished author and historian, Reed's most visible work is perhaps the Quick Reference to Occupational Therapy, considered to be a front-line resource for occupational therapists. Her thirst for knowledge about current trends in the profession along with a deep appreciation for the foundations of occupational therapy has earned her acclaim as one of the profession’s renowned scholars.