Kendyl Finley, MS, OTR/L

Kendyl Finley's story is one of the more unusual paths to hand therapy, and also one of the more compelling ones.

A native of North Carolina, Kendyl graduated from NC State University in 2015 with a degree in food science and a minor in biology. Rather than heading straight to graduate school, she took an opportunity to teach English in South Korea for several years. That experience gave her a deep appreciation for collaboration, communication across difference, and the value of helping people navigate unfamiliar systems. When she returned to the States, she pursued her Master of Occupational Therapy at East Carolina University, graduating in 2023.

As a student, Kendyl was a leader of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity and contributed to research presented at the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). Her fieldwork brought her to MOS under Steph Clement Pogonowski's supervision. The experience was decisive. She officially joined the team in 2024.

What patients notice immediately is that Kendyl treats every session as a conversation, not a protocol:

"My hand therapist, Kendyl Finley, was outstanding. She was very caring, kind, professional, encouraging and knowledgeable. I could not have asked for a better hand therapist. I would highly recommend her to anyone I know that needs to see a hand therapist."

"Kendyl has been amazing. She listens to my concerns and answers my questions with regard to my care, which is quite refreshing. She often adjusts my therapy based on my feedback, addressing issues head on."

"Kendyl was absolutely fabulous. She was professional, friendly, a great communicator. She encouraged questions and concerns at every step."

She is drawn to the intricacy of upper extremity anatomy: how dysfunction in these small, complex structures ripples through daily life, and how targeted, individualized therapy can restore things patients thought they'd lost. The results speak for themselves. Patients routinely describe achieving full recovery after surgery under her care.