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 doctorate thesis was titled Improving the care partner experience: an occupational therapy intervention and 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. 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.

At Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), Dr. Amero teaches Mental Health, Managing the Practice of Occupational Therapy, Environments and Technology, and a capstone business class. She has also taught courses on adult development, upper extremity care, upper extremity evaluation, and occupational therapy services management.