Michelle Westengaard, OTR/L, BCP

Michelle Westengaard, OTR/L, BCP

Director of Occupational Therapy Department
402-559-6580 | Email

Munroe-Meyer Institute, UNMC
Occupational Therapy
985450 Nebraska Medical Center
Omaha, NE 68198-5450

VIEW MMI OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY SERVICES

Professional Summary

Michelle “Chelli” Westengaard is the Director of the the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of Nebraska Medical Center’s Munroe-Meyer Institute (MMI). Chelli joined MMI in January of 2022 bringing 21 years of experience working in a pediatric setting. She specializes in feeding and swallowing, binocular and cortical visual impairments, sensory processing and autism spectrum disorders. Chelli has had the opportunity to gain experience in multiple settings to include: outpatient, inpatient, NICU, multidisciplinary clinics and the school system. Chelli has had the fortune of working across the continuum with physical and neurodevelopmental challenges as both an occupational therapist and developmental care specialist. She has served in the role of director, mentor and leader of occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech and language pathology teams. She has been an invited guest lecturer and presenter at conferences, webinars, schools and parent groups both locally and nationally.

Specialty Certifications

• AOTA Board Certification in Pediatrics
• National Board Certification in Occupational Therapy
• Cortical Visual Impairment Endorsement
• Sequential Oral Sensory (S.O.S.) feeding
• NANN Developmental Care Designation
• Neonatal Touch and Massage Certification
• Child Passenger Safety Technician
• Visual Rehabilitation Certification

Education

• BS, College of Saint Mary - Magna Cum Laude, Omaha, NE 2000
• BS, University of NE at Kearney-Kearney, NE 1998

Teaching

• Clinical Instructor
• Guest Lecture at College of Saint Mary’s

Special Interests & Projects

• Feeding and Swallowing
• Developmental Care
• Binocular and Cortical Visual Impairment

Selected Publications (within the last 5 years)

• Poster Presentation: Neuroprotective Care in a Level IV NICU With the Critically Ill and Surgical Neonate State of  the  Art  Nursing Conference  Omaha,  NE and Advanced  Practice Nurses’ Conference, Academy  of Neonatal  Nurses

Professional Affiliations

• American Occupational Therapy Association
• Nebraska Occupational Therapy Association
• Pediatric Cortical Visual Impairment Society
• Neonatal Association of NICU Therapists