Dani Koulermos

Dani Koulermos | Legislator Robert Trotta's Honoree | Branch of Service: Army

Dani Koulermos enlisted into the United States Army as a Military Police Officer in January of 2012. She spent four years in the US military where she was honorably discharged serving both stateside and overseas. After her service, she returned to Suffolk County where she graduated with a master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling and Clinical Art Therapy from Long Island University with a focus on PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) and MST (Military Sexual Trauma) and earned dual honors. 

Currently, Dani works full time as the Primary Counselor for the Veterans track in Outpatient Chemical Dependency Services at Outreach. In this role, she is fulfilling the requirements to become a Licensed Creative Arts Therapist for New York State. Dani utilizes the non-verbal communication through art making where she encourages clients to process their trauma in a safe space for them to share throughout their recovery from substance abuse. 

Dani facilitates a Military Sexual Trauma webinar series through the Joseph P. Dwyer NY State Coalition that advocates and educates individuals on the specific layers of trauma. This special population of veterans suffers from as well as encourages fellow MST survivors to share their journeys in support of collective healing. 

Dani is also president of the Resource Coalition through the Northport Veterans Affairs Medical Center that establishes relationships between providers, programs, and support to veterans on Long Island. She is actively involved in the Veterans Suicide Coalition, which raises awareness and education on the prevention of Veterans Suicide. 

From 2020-2022, she served as a Professional Peer on the Suffolk County Women’s Advisory Commission, representing female veterans in her community. 

Previously, Dani worked as a Veterans Counselor at VIBS (Victims Information Bureau), where she was a rape crisis and domestic violence counselor assisting veterans in their therapeutic journey and transition into civilian life.