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Nicole Marie Montañez Alicea is a Ph.D. student in the Department of Kinesiology and a member of the Lab for the Study of Occupation. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, she earned a Bachelor of Arts in Adapted and Elementary Physical Education from the University of Puerto Rico-Bayamón Campus. Driven by a commitment to enhancing the quality of life of individuals with disabilities and their families, Nicole has also trained as a dance instructor and equine therapy assistant.

During her master’s training, Nicole explored the experiences of Latina mothers of individuals with developmental disabilities, examining their beliefs and preferences regarding dance as a form of physical activity and self-care. This work highlighted the importance of culturally meaningful and family-centered approaches to promoting health and well-being among caregivers.

Building on this foundation, her current doctoral research focuses on supporting the health and wellness of families of individuals with disabilities. Her work seeks to identify factors that influence caregiver well-being and to develop strategies that promote participation in meaningful, health-promoting activities within the context of everyday family life.

Publications & Presentations

Mixed Methods International Research Association Global Conference (MMIRA 2026), “Is Sustainability Possible? Wellness Interventions for Latino Caregivers in the United States”, presenter.

American Occupational Therapy Association INSPIRE Annual Conference & Expo (AOTA 2026), presenter.

Co-author:”I’ve always tried to introduce it”: how Latina mothers support physical activity for their autistic children DOI: 10.1080/09638288.2025.2584959.

Poster presentation 2026: Understanding Latina caregivers’ beliefs & experiences of dance as a meaningful cultural occupation to inform a wellness intervention.

Research

Submitted paper: “Latina Mothers’ Navigating Challenges in Fostering Physical Activity for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders”.

PHEAPA Lab projects: Activate bailando data collection, FitFamilies Program 2021 organizing and “cleaning” qualitative data.

Systematic and Scoping Reviews of physical health, mental health, and physical activity interventions for Caregivers of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Training and certification on BOT-2 Test motor proficiency.

Teaching

Teaching assistant: KINES 370 (Spring 2026).

Teaching assistant: KINES 566 (Fall 2025).

Instructional material helped to create: (spring 2026) developed and implemented the curriculum for Fill the GAP-E program, an adapted physical education program for children with disabilities directed by Dr. Norris (Kinesiology faculty).

Service

Offered adapted physical and recreational activities for Parents and children action: A Community Organization that serves Latino families of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Manuscript review: As a co-author reviewed the following manuscript: “Feasibility and Acceptability of a Community-based Dance Class for Latino Older Adults”.