Professional Experience

Dr. Kendra Sheard, OTD, OTR/L is an occupational therapist with over 20 years of experience in providing rehabilitative services to clients with neurological disorders. She has provided services to clients with neurological disorders including brain injury, stroke, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson's disease, Guillian-Barre Syndrome, and Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis. She has spoken at both state and national occupational therapy conferences on neurological rehabilitation services. In addition to her clinical role, Dr. Sheard has served as both adjunct faculty and guest lecturer for the Mary Baldwin University Health Sciences program at Murphy Deming School of Health Sciences in both the occupational and physical therapy graduate programs. Since graduating with her doctorate degree, her continuing education has focused on lifestyle management strategies for chronic pain/headaches and other chronic conditions commonly seen in persons receiving occupational therapy services.

Dr. Sheard graduated Magna Cum Laude and Phi Theta Kappa from Pennsylvania College of Technology with an Associate of Applied Science degree as an occupational therapy assistant. She then graduated Magna Cum Laude from Penn State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in occupational therapy. After approximately 18 years of practice, Dr. Sheard returned to school and earned her Post-Professional Doctorate occupational therapy degree from Chatham University.

She is known for her research-based interventions and treatment plan development, complex patient care management, and background working with patients with neurologic impairments.

Dr. Sheard joins Virginia Neuro-Optometry with a practice focused on helping clients to rehabilitate from visual and cognitive impairments in the setting of post concussive symptoms or other neurological conditions. Her goal is to facilitate her clients’ return to full and meaningful lives. Dr. Sheard’s clinical passion is empowering clients to take ownership of their symptom management, rehabilitation, and overall health and wellness. All occupational therapy and vision therapy services are provided in the context of enabling clients to fully engage in the daily activities that are most meaningful to them and to facilitate health and wellness routines that promote health and prevent chronic illness.