Sarah L. Smith

Sarah L. Smith is an Associate Professor at the University of New Hampshire in the Department of Occupational Therapy and serves as Program Director of the New Hampshire-Maine Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities Program (NH-ME LEND) under the Institute on Disability.

• Education:
  • D.Sc., Rehabilitation Science, University of Oklahoma
  • B.S., Occupational Therapy, Colorado State University

Dr. Smith's research focuses on family health, autism, pediatric rehabilitation, and telehealth interventions. Her work examines how everyday family activities promote health and cohesion, with a particular emphasis on developing and evaluating telehealth-based parent coaching programs like the Healthy Families Flourish Program.

Her recent publications highlight interdisciplinary themes in pediatric occupational therapy, chronic illness adaptation, and digital health interventions, with a strong focus on family-centered care and telehealth applications. These studies span topics from genetic condition referrals to sensory processing challenges in educational settings.

• 2021 College of Health and Human Services Excellence in Teaching Award
• 2022 Distinguished OUHSC Doctor of Science Alumni Award

As Principal Investigator of a $2.6 million workforce training grant, she leads initiatives to improve care systems for children with neurodevelopmental disabilities. Her courses include Independent Study, Research Methods, and Pediatric Occupational Therapy Practice.