Danielle Amero, OTD, OTR/L, CHT

Danielle Amero, OTD, OTR/L, CHT, has spent most of her career practicing hospital-based adult care, including specialized care in a geriatric psychiatry unit. She earned her Certified Hand Therapist credential in 2000. Her doctoral thesis, titled Improving the care partner experience: an occupational therapy intervention, was designed for carers of individuals experiencing dementia. Before entering academia full-time in 2022, she was the manager of a large occupational therapy department, where she was responsible for budgeting, program development, and daily operations in addition to seeing clients. As an educator, Dr. Amero enjoys mentorship and seeing therapists reach their professional goals.

In addition to practice and education, Dr. Amero is passionate about advocacy and legislation affecting the occupational therapy profession, particularly client care and reimbursement. She was the president of the New Hampshire Occupational Therapy Association from 2021-2025 and is actively involved with the Affiliated State Association Presidents group of the American Occupational Therapy Association as the Steering Committee Secretary. In 2022-2023 she led a group of occupational therapists through the legislative process to change a New Hampshire law governing occupational therapy practice. Together, they secured legislative sponsors and testified at committee hearings. In 2024, she secured funds to start an OT program at two local Community Behavioral Health Centers, leading the way for OT in emerging practice areas. She continues her advocacy work, pursuing reimbursement mechanisms for sustainable OT program in community mental health. In 2026, she was awarded an American Occupational Therapy Foundation Implementation Science grant. This two-year, $100,000 grant will fund an OT position at a third Community Behavioral Health Center and identify implementation strategies to effectively facilitate OT programs in this setting.