Dr. Contreras has been an occupational therapist for 18 years in the El Paso-Juarez region. Dr. Contreras has practiced hand therapy, pediatric services, and academia. Her clinical and academic experiences serving underserved populations and minority groups have sparked her interest in increasing diversity in the Occupational therapy profession to meet the healthcare needs of the current U.S. demographics. Her scholarship explores the uniqueness of bilingual occupational therapy students to create inclusive and culturally sensitive educational settings.