Darlene Piraino, OTD, OTR/L, CHT
Clinical Assistant Professor
Occupational Therapy Program
Stony Brook University
Phone: 631-444-1179
E-mail: Darlene.Piraino@stonybrook.edu
Darlene Piraino is a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Occupational Therapy Doctorate (OTD) program at Stony Brook University. She brings over 25 years of clinical experience across a variety of healthcare settings, including outpatient hand therapy, skilled nursing facilities, and post-acute rehabilitation. Her clinical expertise includes adult and geriatric rehabilitation, upper extremity conditions, dementia care, and functional recovery across the continuum of care.
Dr. Piraino completed her post-professional Doctor of Occupational Therapy degree at Quinnipiac University, where her doctoral work explored the lived experiences of informal caregivers providing care to adults of the opposite gender at end-of-life. She earned her Bachelor of Science in Business Management from St. John’s University and her Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Stony Brook University.
Prior to joining academia full-time, Dr. Piraino held leadership roles in clinical practice, supervising and mentoring occupational and physical therapy practitioners, developing clinical programming, and supporting staff development. She has also served as an adjunct professor for over a decade, contributing to the education and mentorship of future occupational therapists.
Her teaching focuses on foundations of occupational therapy, task and activity analysis, gerontology, clinical reasoning, and systems within healthcare. She is deeply committed to experiential learning and frequently integrates community-based and interprofessional experiences into her courses, including partnerships with local organizations and older adult populations. Dr. Piraino is actively involved in research related to caregiving, aging, and improving outcomes for older adults, with a particular interest in caregiver experiences and fall prevention.
She has presented her work at national and regional conferences, including the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) and New England American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), and remains dedicated to advancing occupational therapy practice through education, research, and community engagement.
