Christie Cyktor

Christie Cyktor is a student at the University of Pittsburgh in her third year of the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program.  Christie earned a bachelor’s degree from Saint Vincent College in Biochemistry and a master’s degree from West Virginia University in Forensic and Investigative Sciences.  Christie identifies as a disabled woman who was born with Arthrogryposis Multiplex Congenita and is a full-time wheelchair user.  She has spent her life advocating for herself, leading to her desire to advocate for others, especially within the disabled community.   

Some of Christie's notable accomplishments to date include serving as a 2022 Salk Health Activist Fellow, which educates future healthcare workers on leadership development and advocacy; current President of the School of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences Affinity Groups, whose mission is to create a safe space for students of historically marginalized identities; and scholar in the Pennsylvania Area Health Education Center program which focuses on educating future healthcare workers on working with rural and marginalized communities.  Christie also volunteers her time to be a research team member of the DIVERSE Collective, a project focused on identifying issues with access to healthcare experienced by children with disabilities who have multimarginalized identities. Upon completing the Occupational Therapy Doctorate program, Christie intends to pursue a career as a pediatric occupational therapist.