Ms. Otero is the Deputy Project Director of the National Center on Substance Abuse and Child Welfare. In this role she develops and provides training and technical assistance to States and local jurisdictions to enhance the understanding of substance use disorders in the child welfare system, where she encourages the development of effective and appropriate practice and policy.

Ms. Otero has concentrated her presentations and trainings on increasing collaborative efforts between child welfare, substance abuse, and the judicial systems. Her research work continues to focus on issues that intersect with substance abuse and includes collaboration on the Women with Co-Occurring Disorders and Violence Study at the University of Southern California, Social Science Research Institute; policy research and analysis relating to the 2003 Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act amendments regarding substance exposed births, and cognitive and personality predispositions associated with depression in children living in low-income communities at Yale University. Ms. Otero's practice and research has led her to author and publish several publications continuing the discussion around substance use disorders, treatment, child welfare, and outcomes.

Ms. Otero received her B.A. in psychology from Yale University and both her M.S.W. and M.P.A. degrees from the University of Southern California.