Whether you’re a student, newer graduate, or are entering the NICU from a different area of practice, we believe you’ll find this two-part interview valuable.
Learn how former NANT Student Member, Sophia Sumner, now a licensed occupational therapist, transformed her early passion for neonatal care into a professional NICU role. Sophia shares her journey in the interview below, offering insight into the decisions, opportunities, and experiences that shaped her early career.
Student-to-Professional Spotlight: Sophia Sumner (in pink below)
Discipline/Credentials: Occupational Therapist, OTD, OTR/L
Workplace: Trios Health, Level 2 NICU
Location: Kennewick, Washington
1. Can you share a bit about your journey from OT student to practicing clinician in the NICU including what helped shape your interest in neonatal occupational therapy?
I have always been drawn to working with babies and children, and when I chose occupational therapy as a profession, my initial goal was to pursue pediatrics. However, when I discovered that occupational therapists play a vital role supporting infants and families in the NICU, it immediately felt like the perfect fit for me. The combination of developmental care, medical complexity, and family-centered practice deeply resonated with my interests and values.
During graduate school, I was fortunate to have a professor who practiced in the NICU and introduced me to the world of neonatal therapy. She encouraged me to attend the Annual NANT Conference to explore this specialty further and determine whether it was a path I wanted to pursue. Attending the conference was a pivotal moment in my professional journey. I learned about emerging research and evidence-based interventions for neonates, connected with clinicians in the field, and felt both inspired and empowered by the neonatal therapy community.
I continued attending the conference throughout all three years of graduate school, which allowed me to build meaningful professional connections. During one conference, I met an occupational therapist who mentored doctoral capstone students, which ultimately led to my capstone placement in a Level III, 65-bed NICU. Over four months, I trained under the guidance of my mentor, gaining hands-on experience and developing foundational clinical skills and competencies that supported my transition into neonatal practice.
These experiences — especially my doctoral capstone — gave me the mentorship, clinical exposure, and confidence needed to step into neonatal practice and ultimately made it possible for me to begin my career as an occupational therapist working in the NICU, which had been my goal from the very beginning.
2. You completed your doctoral capstone while working closely with a mentor in the NICU. How did the guidance, supervision, and learning opportunities within your capstone experience support your development as you transitioned into neonatal practice?
Finding a mentor who was passionate about education and who valued creating safe learning opportunities for students within the NICU environment was pivotal to my professional growth.
My doctoral capstone provided immersive, hands-on learning that bridged the gap between academic knowledge and clinical reasoning. Through mentorship, observation, and gradually increasing independence, I developed confidence in assessment, developmental interventions, and family education. My capstone project focused on developing a manuscript highlighting the shared experiences of both the student and mentor within the NICU setting.
During this time, I also participated in developmental care initiatives which helped me understand how occupational therapists can contribute not only at the bedside but also through program development and systems-level change.
The consistent mentorship and ongoing feedback throughout this experience were essential in supporting my transition from student to clinician and helped me enter neonatal practice with greater confidence and clinical insight.
3. What motivated you to enroll in NANT’s Ignite – Core Training and Mentoring Program during this early stage of your career? Can you share what concepts, skills, or perspectives from Ignite have been most impacted your learning and clinical practice?
I recognize that I have a great deal to learn, especially within such a specialized practice area. I knew it was important to seek structured learning and mentorship to support both my clinical growth and program development efforts.
I was drawn to NANT’s Ignite Program because it provides a strong foundational framework for neonatal therapy while also offering ongoing mentorship. The combination of education and guided support has been incredibly valuable.
One of the most impactful aspects of Ignite has been the monthly mentorship and guidance calls. Having a space to ask questions, reflect on clinical experiences, and receive feedback has helped me build confidence and approach program development thoughtfully. The mentorship has also provided insight into how to introduce new ideas and implement developmental care initiatives in a collaborative and non-intimidating way, which has been especially meaningful as I work to support growth within my NICU.
Stay tuned for Part II in an upcoming Newsletter! Thank you, Sophia!