Katie received her undergraduate degree from Miami University in Oxford, Ohio in 2000 and her Masters of Occupational Therapy (MOT) from Shenandoah University in May, 2016.  At that time, Katie established her business, Blue Ridge Occupational Therapy, and has been an independent contractor to Albemarle Therapy Center for 10 years.  Katie has been a certified Early Intervention provider since 2016 and has enjoyed working with families in their homes through Early Intervention as well as in the outpatient clinical setting. 

As an OT working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), she frequently hears families ask how they can connect emotionally and socially with their child.  While attempting to answer that question, she came across the PLAY Project (PLAY) model and began taking continuing education classes offered by PLAY.  After experiencing the changes between parents/caregivers and their child with ASD as a result of incorporating the PLAY methods into treatments, she pursued certification to become a PLAY Project Consultant (PPC).  During her 18-month long training and supervision period, Katie implemented PLAY techniques with families receiving Early Intervention services and obtained her PLAY Project Certification. Since incorporating PLAY Project methods into her practice with families of children with autism, she has seen families transform their relationship with their child.  Because of these exceptional outcomes, Katie is now excited to provide PLAY Project intervention for families of children over the age of three years old who have a suspected or confirmed diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder.  Katie welcomes the opportunity to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team during treatment and has extensive experience working directly with Speech Language Pathologists, Physical Therapists, ABA therapists and Developmental Specialists. 

Additional areas of interest and experience include supporting children with complex feeding disorders, Sensory Processing Disorder, and ADHD as well as those with genetic conditions and developmental delays.  In addition to PLAY Project Certification, Katie has received training on the CAN-EAT (Comfort, Acceptance, Nutrition) approach used by the University of North Carolina pediatric feeding team and has received mentoring from feeding professionals at the Children’s Hospital of Richmond.  She also has advanced training in neurological approaches to self-regulation. Katie and her husband have lived in Charlottesville since 2003 and loves getting outside to enjoy the beauty of Central Virginia.  Together they find great joy in parenting their two sons.