Margarita Gamezo
Lancaster,California
Summary
Doctor of Occupational Therapy (OTD) with 13 years of experience delivering client-centered, evidence-based care across pediatric, behavioral health, neurological, orthopedic, and community settings. Managed caseloads of up to 35 clients per week and designed and led occupation-based programs, including an eight-week wellness curriculum serving approximately 20 women experiencing housing instability. Skilled in trauma-informed assessment, group facilitation, caregiver education, and outcomes tracking to improve activities of daily living independence, emotional regulation, and community participation. NBCOT exam-eligible with California OT license pending.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
Doctoral Capstone Student
Downtown Women's Center
11.2025 - 04.2026
- Designed, implemented, and evaluated an 8-week occupation-based wellness program serving approximately 20 women experiencing housing instability and psychosocial barriers to occupational participation.
- Developed and facilitated a comprehensive group curriculum integrating movement, creative expression, mindfulness, and health management interventions to promote routine development, emotional regulation, social participation, and overall well-being.
- Applied trauma-informed and recovery-oriented approaches to foster psychological safety, increase engagement, and support participation in meaningful occupations.
- Established program infrastructure, outcome-tracking measures, and participant resources; utilized participation data and stakeholder feedback to inform program refinement, sustainability, and future occupational therapy service development.
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student
Downtown Women's Center
05.2025 - 07.2025
- Co-facilitated 2 weekly wellness and movement groups with an average attendance of 6 participants per session
- Implemented occupation-based and trauma-informed interventions promoting emotional well-being, health management, and engagement in meaningful routines
- Developed educational resources addressing stress management, self-care, and healthy habit formation
- Collaborated with interdisciplinary providers to support client-centered goals related to community participation and daily functioning
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student
Williams Speech Therapy Services
01.2025 - 04.2025
- Managed a caseload of up to 25 pediatric and adult clients weekly across outpatient and telehealth settings.
- Provided interventions for developmental, sensory-processing, feeding, neurological, and upper-extremity orthopedic conditions, with extensive experience in hand therapy and post-surgical rehabilitation.
- Implemented evidence-based, occupation-centered interventions targeting fine motor skills, self-regulation, ADL participation, strength, range of motion, dexterity, pain management, and functional independence.
- Conducted assessments, documented progress, and collaborated with caregivers to develop individualized home programs and support carryover of therapeutic goals.
Lead Substitute Behavior Interventionist
Cortica
09.2022 - 09.2023
- Maintained continuity of care for pediatric clients by providing direct intervention services across home and school environments
- Implemented individualized treatment plans addressing communication, self-regulation, adaptive functioning, and participation in daily routines
- Collected behavioral data, monitored progress toward treatment goals, and communicated updates to clinical team members and caregivers
- Supported consistency of treatment delivery while providing coverage across multiple client cases and service locations
Lead Developmental Interventionist
Verdugo Hills Autism Project
08.2017 - 09.2022
- Delivered developmental interventions for 1–10 clients daily across home, school, and community settings
- Facilitated individual and small-group interventions targeting communication, social participation, adaptive functioning, and daily living skills
- Collaborated with families, educators, and multidisciplinary providers to promote skill generalization across natural environments
Education
Doctor of Occupational Therapy -
West Coast University
03-2026
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
CSU Northridge
12-2013
Skills
- Occupation-based intervention
- ADL retraining
- Therapeutic exercise
- Group facilitation
- Behavioral strategies
- Trauma-informed care
- Mental health intervention
- Health promotion
- Program development
- Outcomes tracking
- Patient and caregiver education
- Interdisciplinary collaboration
- Clinical documentation
- Cultural responsiveness
- Fast learner
- Positive attitude
- Attention to detail
Certification
- NBCOT — Exam Eligible (2026)
- California OT License — Pending
- CPR/BLS Certified
Languages
English
Native or Bilingual
Russian
Native or Bilingual
American Sign Language
Professional Working
Timeline
Doctoral Capstone Student
Downtown Women's Center
11.2025 - 04.2026
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student
Downtown Women's Center
05.2025 - 07.2025
Occupational Therapy Fieldwork Student
Williams Speech Therapy Services
01.2025 - 04.2025
Lead Substitute Behavior Interventionist
Cortica
09.2022 - 09.2023
Lead Developmental Interventionist
Verdugo Hills Autism Project
08.2017 - 09.2022
Bachelor of Arts - Psychology
CSU Northridge
Doctor of Occupational Therapy -
West Coast University