Brianna Howard, OTD, OTR/L, NTMTC

Brianna Howard graduated from Northern Arizona University in 2021 with her doctorate in occupational therapy. During graduate school, she completed her doctoral capstone in the neonatal intensive care unit, where she learned to provide developmentally supportive care to preterm and/or medically complex infants. Following graduation, she gained valuable hospital-based experience working at Barrow Neurological Institute and Phoenix Children's Hospital. In these settings, she specialized in adult inpatient neurological rehabilitation and pediatric acute care. Brianna has also worked in home and school settings with children with autism, with over 10 collective years of experience in this field.

In 2023, Brianna and her family relocated to Bend, Oregon after falling in love with the area during a vacation. Since moving to Bend, she has worked in pediatric outpatient clinic and school-based settings. Brianna is passionate about empowering children and their families to reach their goals, and thrive in their daily activities. She holds certifications in Neonatal Touch & Massage (NTMTC), the Beckman Oral Motor Protocol, and Kinesiotaping Level 1. She has also taken SOFFI (supporting oral feeding in fragile infants) courses to enhance her expertise in infant feeding therapy. Through her certifications and hands-on experience, she has developed a skillset working with infants and children with feeding challenges to promote functional and positive mealtime experiences.

When not working, Brianna enjoys spending time with her husband, baby girl, and mini Australian shepherd, enjoying the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.