Meet Samantha Macino, pictured with her family on a recent trip to Disney! She’s Akron Children’s newest certified nurse practitioner in our Lois and John Orr Family Behavioral Health Center.
Growing up, Samantha Macino, CNP, dreamed of becoming a teacher to help students grow and achieve their dreams. While her life and career ultimately took a different path, she is still living out her passion of educating, advocating and partnering with families to positively impact kids’ lives through medicine.
As our newest certified nurse practitioner in Akron Children’s Lois and John Orr Family Behavioral Health Center, Samantha treats children and teens suffering from mental health disorders with supportive medication management. She hopes to offer patients an environment that is healing and free from judgement, while being a resource for parents on how to implement behavioral health strategies at home.
Best part of her day? It’s no surprise Samantha enjoys most learning new ways to teach her patients the skills to live better quality lives. After all, children are our future and, just like the role of a teacher, she’s working hard to help build a strong future generation, one patient at a time.
Why did you choose to come to Akron Children’s?
I chose to come to Akron Children’s so that I can work with a great team of people with a common goal of helping our youth heal.
Describe your role at Akron Children’s and what you hope to accomplish.
My role at Akron Children’s is treating youth’s mental health with supportive medication management. I hope to accomplish an environment that is healing and free from judgment. I also want to serve as a resource for parents to help them implement behavioral health strategies.
Samantha says her greatest personal accomplishment was completing her undergraduate degree, while raising a big family. She’s pictured her with her crew: her husband, Adam, son, William (10), and daughters, Clara (8) and Madelyn (1).
What is your area of expertise and why did you choose it?
Mental health is my area of expertise. I chose to work with youth with mental health concerns because children are our future and I enjoy it. Children are suffering from increasing mental health challenges and more resources are needed to help them navigate through them.
When did you decide to become a provider and why?
I worked inpatient psych as a registered nurse for a few years and decided that I had more to offer my patients. So, I went back to school to become an advanced practice provider.
What do you like most about being a provider?
What I like most about being a provider is the connection I make with my patients and their families.
What impression do you hope to leave with your patients each day?
I want to leave the impression that each patient as a person matters, and I care about each of them.
What’s the best part of your day?
The best part of my day is learning how to help my patients in new ways so that they can live better quality lives.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Alliance, Ohio. Lucky for me, I was able to spend some time at my grandparents’ farm on the weekends.
In her new role, Samantha enjoys most the connection she makes with her patients and families, and hopes to leave the impression that she cares about each and every one of them.
Who makes up your family, including pets and their names?
My family consists of my husband, Adam, and our children and pets:
- William, 10, who is active in soccer, basketball and football
- Clara, 8, who is active in soccer and gymnastics
- Madelyn, 1, who could win an award for most falls in one day
- Rocco, a Great Dane and is 2 years old, who loves finding small branches to play catch with
- Lots of fish
As a child, what did you want to be when you grew up?
As a child, I wanted to be a teacher to help kids grow and achieve their dreams. I still have a passion to teach, and I have taught as a clinical instructor for the University of Mount Union nursing students.
What is your greatest personal accomplishment?
My greatest personal accomplishment is finishing my undergraduate degree because it took me 7 years and 2 kids to do so.
What’s one thing on your bucket list?
I would love to go backpacking through Europe to learn about the culture and history.
What’s the hardest lesson you had to learn?
The hardest lessen I have learned is that you can only help someone as much as they are willing to help themselves.
