Sandra Saavedra is a pediatric researcher and Professor at Western University of Health Sciences (Lebanon, Oregon), with more than 28 years of clinical experience in pediatric physical therapy. She earned her MS in Physical Therapy from the University of Southern California and her PhD in Human Physiology (Motor Control) from the University of Oregon, followed by postdoctoral training in the Developmental Neuromotor Control Lab at the University of Michigan. Before returning to Oregon in 2022, she served for a decade as Assistant/Associate Professor at the University of Hartford in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Dr. Saavedra’s work centers on a segmental approach to trunk control, bridging assessment and real‑world function for children and youth. Her research—supported by the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation—has advanced understanding of typical and atypical trunk development and its implications for positioning, participation, fine motor performance, and communication. She has authored 29 peer‑reviewed publications and played a central role in refining and validating the Segmental Assessment of Trunk Control (SATCo). Recognized nationally and internationally for her leadership, she teaches and consults on translating segmental principles into school‑based and clinical practice.