Blog

Meet Amy O'Donnell, one of our team members making an impact through our physical health services. With a bachelor's degree in biology from Washington & Jefferson College, a doctorate of physical therapy (PT) from the University of Pittsburgh, and nearly a decade of experience working at The Children's Institute, Amy brings clinical expertise - and a lot of fun! - to every PT session.

Whether you’re looking for physical health services that can best support your child and family or are interested in starting a new career where you can make an impact, we want to hear from you. Learn more about our physical health services or view our career opportunities today.

Amy O'Donnell, PT, DPT
Clinical Specialist and Physical Therapist

When you think of The Children’s Institute, what comes to your mind?
"Fun and creativity. The level of creativity in the sessions is what I feel sets us apart from other organizations."

How does being a part of The Children's Institute's mission make you feel?
"It makes me feel important since we are at the front lines and are the face of the organization for many families."

What inspires you?
"The patients and my coworkers. We all push each other to work hard and put our all into every session."

What is your most memorable, positive on-the-job experience?
"There are many to choose from over my time here at The Children's Institute. If I had to select one, I would say looking at the expressions on the children and families' faces when the child achieves something they have been working very hard for or when they learn something that they were told was never going to happen for them."

'Fun' is one of our core values. What does your team do to make every day more fun?
"In our office, we do a birthday prank when you hit a milestone birthday. For my birthday, they wrapped every single item on my desk in wrapping paper. For the patients we work with, fun is the name of the game. If you don't bring fun into the sessions, the child is not going to participate to the best of their ability."

What is your favorite part of your job?
"Working with our amazing families."

Why would you encourage parents to look into The Children's Institute for their child?
"At The Children's Institute, we do an excellent job looking at the research and leaning on our clinical experience to make the best decisions possible for each child. If we don't know the answer, we find it. We look at each child as a whole and help the family set individualized goals that will make the biggest impact for both the child and their family."