Joanne Chen, MS, OTR/L

Joanne earned her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy as well as her Bachelor of Science in Health Science with a concentration in Disability Studies from Stony Brook University. During her graduate studies, Joanne worked alongside AdaptAbility, a Brooklyn-based company dedicated to providing custom adaptive bicycles for children and adults with disabilities, to expand outreach and enhance their bike fitting assessment. Upon graduating, Joanne was awarded the Vera Jean Cleark-Brown Leadership Award for spearheading the formation of the Coalition of Occupational Therapy Advocates for Diversity chapter. 

Joanne has diverse clinical experiences treating patients across the lifespan, ranging from developmental delays and psychosocial disorders to patients with orthopedic injuries and chronic conditions. Her experience working as an Occupational Therapist in an outpatient setting has led her to Spear with the intention of honing in on her passion and goal of becoming a Certified Hand Therapist. She is committed to providing inclusive and accessible patient-centered care, and is passionate about empowering patients to regain their independence with their daily lives.  

In addition to being an occupational therapist, Joanne is also passionate about traveling as well as exploring new cafes and restaurants. If she is not staying active by going on hikes and biking with her friends, she is at home taking a nap with her cat or learning a new hobby (currently, it is crocheting!).