About the Founder and Owner
Hi, I'm Dr. Ali Temple. I am so glad you are here!
Dr. Ali Temple received her doctorate in occupational therapy from Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences in 2018. Ali has experience providing skilled, therapeutic services in outpatient pediatric clinics, public and private day-school settings, and in-home. Ali has worked with students and children aged 6 months to 21 years old with diagnoses to include Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), Sensory Processing Disorder, Developmental Delay, Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, behavioral difficulties (Oppositional Defiance Disorder, Anxiety, etc.), and feeding difficulties. Ali enjoys building rapport with families all while providing fun, therapeutic activities to meet individualized goals! Some of Ali's favorite areas within occupational therapy's scope of practice include: reflex integration, sensory processing, and social and emotional awareness and development.
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Ali founded First Priority Occupational Therapy, LLC in April of 2021 to provide virtual and in-home pediatric therapy services in and around the greater Richmond, Virginia area, and has now expanded to providing services in over 50 private school programs in the Richmond area. When not working, Ali enjoys spending time outside and traveling with her husband, Nathan, son, Beckham, daughter, Kennady, and chocolate lab mix, Dany.
First Priority Team
Get to know our team; we're looking forward to getting to know YOU.
Joanna
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Joanna Chaplin graduated with her doctorate in occupational therapy from Pacific University (Oregon) in August, 2022. Joanna loves being an OT because, "OT allows me to blend my love of working with children with how much I value their individuality and unique strengths." Joanna loves being able to support children and families to realize their full potential and pursue their goals more confidently. Joanna's interests include emotional regulation, sensory processing, family-centered practice, and animal assisted therapy. When not working with children, Joanna enjoys spending time with friends and family, hiking with her dog Belcher, and walking shelter dogs at RACC. Joanna considers herself "half OT and half animal rescue enthusiast". Joanna dreams of combining these two passions!
Ruthie
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Ruthie Rowane graduated from Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences in 2019 with her doctorate. Since then Ruthie has worked in pediatrics and geriatric settings, specifically in the schools and in home therapy. Ruthie has worked with children aged 2+ in both the school setting and outpatient therapy with a wide variety of diagnoses including, but not limited to, ASD, ADHD, Down Syndrome, Developmental Delay, Sensory Processing, and Down Syndrome. Ruthie is passionate about pelvic floor health support and is now offering PF services! Ruthie is passionate about working with children, their families, and teachers to reach their goals.
Ilyse
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Ilyse Canfield has been an Occupational Therapist for 22 years. Throughout her career she has worked with clients of all ages, but the preschool years have always been her favorite. Ilyse is Level 1 certified with Handwriting Without Tears and she has a passion for helping children with writing and pre-writing skills. Ilyse has been invited to lecture at many area preschools and preschool educator conferences on fine motor skill development, pre-writing and handwriting. When she is not working, Ilyse enjoys spending time with her husband, son, daughter and English Lab Georgia.
Chelsea
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Chelsea Saxman received her doctorate in occupational therapy from Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences in 2021. She has worked in a variety of pediatric settings, including pediatric outpatient clinics, the public schools, and early intervention with children aged 6 months to 18 years old. Some of Chelsea’s OT passions include working to develop strong regulation skills, fine motor development, executive functioning skills, and feeding. Chelsea enjoys quality time with her husband and dog, reading, cooking, and spending time with family and friends exploring Richmond VA!
Sophia
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Sophia graduated from the University of St. Augustine for Health Sciences in the spring of 2023 with her doctorate. Sophia has experience working with kids ages 2-19 in a variety of settings, walking alongside and supporting children under the neurodiversity umbrella with autism, ADHD, Down’s syndrome, and diagnoses impacting motor coordination. Sophia is committed to providing strengths-based, neuroaffirming care, with a passion for building kids’ confidence and functional independence. She enjoys educating parents and caregivers to holistically support skill acquisition and learning. She loves to work on emotional regulation, fine motor development, executive functioning, and sensory processing as it supports regulation. Outside of being an occupational therapist, Sophia loves building Legos with her husband, playing pickleball with their friends, getting crafty, and enjoying Friday nights in, with a Costco pizza!
Kendall
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Kendall Hudgens earned her doctorate in occupational therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University in May 2021. She has a background working in both outpatient pediatrics and adult rehabilitation, providing a well-rounded perspective on supporting individuals across the lifespan. Kendall is passionate about working with children to foster development in a way that is fun and meaningful through child-led play. She is dedicated to empowering children and families to overcome challenges while building confidence and independence. Her professional interests include supporting students with Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, the Floortime approach, and emotional regulation.
Outside of work, Kendall enjoys growing houseplants, spending time outdoors, lifting weights and listening to live music. She also loves spending time with her friends, family, and her cat, Theo.
Tamara
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Tamara Neiderer is a 2025 graduate of Shenandoah University who, after more than 20 years of practice as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant, has transitioned into the role of Occupational Therapist. She has provided compassionate, client-centered care across diverse clinical settings, serving individuals from birth through geriatrics. Her background includes specialized training as a Feeding Therapist and Certified Lymphedema Therapist, with extensive experience in the PICU and acute care settings, burn rehabilitation, mental health, and early intervention. Throughout her career, she has collaborated closely with interdisciplinary teams to address complex needs using evidence-based, functional approaches.
Now practicing as an Occupational Therapist, Tamara brings a deep clinical foundation and seasoned perspective to her evolving role. She is developing a focused interest in pediatric pelvic floor therapy, integrating holistic and developmentally informed strategies to promote functional independence and quality of life. She remains committed to advancing the field of OT through empathy, innovation, & lifelong learning.
When not working, Tamara enjoys spending time with her family, reading, working out, and attending her children’s activities and events.
Taylor
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Taylor Neiser graduated with her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from James Madison University in 2020. She has worked in outpatient pediatrics and schools working with children aged 3-16. Taylor has a passion for working with children on their fine motor and visual motor skills! As well as working with neurodiverse children including Autism, ADHD, PDA to name a few! She continues to learn and practice with interventions informed by neurodiverse affirming practices, Emotional Regulation, DIR Floortime! In her free time, Taylor enjoys spending time with her partner and their furbaby Lila, kickboxing, watching movies and anything artsy and getting creative!
Kelsi
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Kelsi Olsen graduated from St. Catherine University (Henrietta Schmoll School of Health) during the Spring of 2020. She has worked with both children and adults aged 3-26 with diagnoses including cerebral palsy, seizure disorders, Autism Spectrum Disorder, sensory processing disorders, Down Syndrome, feeding difficulties & developmental delays. While learning + understanding different, unique routines of each family and individual child, Kelsi emphasizes play, creativity & the unique abilities of each child. When not working, Kelsi enjoys spending time with family & chasing her two boys around, cooking, yoga & ballet.
Abby
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Abby Green graduated from Methodist University with her doctorate in occupational therapy in 2022. She has worked with children ages 2-18 in school and clinic settings. Abby is passionate about aiding children in self-regulation skills, social and emotional skills, and mental health so that they can navigate their world in a safe and confident way. She is also passionate about advocating for the use of trauma-informed care and mental health within the field of occupational therapy. When she is not working, Abby enjoys hiking, kickboxing, and traveling.
Heather
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Heather Guthrie, OTD, OTR/L, earned her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2024. She has extensive experience supporting children from infancy through adolescence and is deeply committed to neurodiversity-affirming care, emotional regulation, and feeding development. Heather prioritizes collaborative partnerships with families and interdisciplinary teams to help each child thrive and achieve meaningful goals. Outside of her clinical work, Heather enjoys experimenting with new recipes, reading, and spending quality time with her loved ones.
Kaylin
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Kaylin VonCanon graduated with her master's in occupational therapy in 2025 following her practice as an occupational therapy assistant since 2017. She has since worked in the greater Richmond area in both geriatric and pediatric settings. Kaylin currently works with students from early childhood to high school ages with various diagnoses including Autism Spectrum Disorder, ADHD, sensory processing disorders, behavioral difficulties, and developmental delays.
Kaylin is passionate about having fun with students while helping overcome barriers to realize their full potential!
Alex
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Alex Connolly was born in Vienna Austria and began developing an interest for human behavior and people of different nationalities and cultures at an early age. To follow this passion, Alex earned a B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Tech in 2009 and a Doctorate of Occupational Therapy in 2022. Before the program, Alex began working as an In-home behavioral clinician with St. Joseph’s Villa; working with families impacted by Autism Spectrum Disorder, Depression, Anxiety, ADHD and other Developmental Delays. Alex also works with geriatric patients, treating a wide range of conditions from Neurocognitive Disorders, Orthopedic Injuries, and Mental Health Diagnoses, and feels that all of these varied experiences continue to make him a well rounded therapist that will allow him to address the challenges that you and your family may be facing today. Alex thoroughly enjoys working with a diverse range of clients across the lifespan and strives to place a strong emphasis on client-centered and ecological systems practice to help patients’ realize their full potential and increase occupational engagement! When he is not working, Alex loves spending time with his family and fur babies, exploring nature and his creative side, playing sports like soccer, and learning!
Abby
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Abby Agi graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University’s Occupational Therapy program with her doctorate in 2024. Since then, she has worked in both outpatient and inpatient pediatric settings, supporting children with a wide range of diagnoses prior to joining First Priority. She has special interests in executive functioning, sensory processing, emotional regulation, accessible play, and incorporating the outdoor environment as a treatment modality! Outside of her work as an occupational therapist, Abby enjoys playing soccer, running marathons, crafting (her Cricut gets lots of use!), and trying out new restaurants around Richmond!
Colleen
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Colleen Snead graduated from James Madison University with her master’s in occupational
therapy in 2019. She has been working in pediatrics since graduating and has experience in
early intervention, outpatient, in-home, and mental health settings. Colleen is most passionate
about helping families feel empowered to support their child’s development through
collaborative, play-based therapy. Her specialties include early childhood development,
pediatric feeding, and sensory processing. In her free time, Colleen loves spending time at the
gym and outdoors with her husband and children.
Rachel
Occupational Therapy- Richmond, VA
Rachel DeBose graduated from Murphy Deming College of Health Sciences with her doctorate in occupational therapy in 2018. She has worked with individuals ranging from infants to retired individuals with a passion for feeding difficulties, sensory processing disorders, and working with families to meet their individualized goals. When she is not working, she enjoys spending time with her husband and son, trying new restaurants and traveling.
Bekkah
Physical Therapy- Richmond, VA
Dr. Bekkah Corkey graduated from VCU with her doctor of Physical Therapy in 2015. She has worked with children aged 2 months to 18 years old with cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down syndrome, developmental delay, hypotonia, torticollis, toe walking, coordination difficulties, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder.
She moved from the mountains of Virginia to the Richmond area and now calls this “home.” She loves spending time with her husband and three kids, baking, and crafting, and hopes she can help your family meet your goals!​
Rita
Occupational Therapy- Yorktown, VA
Rita earned her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from Virginia Commonwealth University in 2015. She has worked in outpatient pediatrics and adult inpatient rehab, treating individuals with autism, feeding disorders, cerebral palsy, developmental delays, and more. She enjoys helping children build skills that support greater independence at home and school.
Rita enjoys spending time with her husband and kids, especially at the beach or while traveling. She also volunteers as PTA president at her children’s school, staying actively involved in the community she serves.
Rachel
Physical Therapy- Richmond, VA
As a Richmond native, Rachel Terrell loves serving the families in her hometown. After earning her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from VCU in 2022, she dedicated her career to pediatrics. Rachel is incredibly passionate about helping children and young adults meet their unique goals and reach their full potential.She brings specialized experience in treating complex medical conditions, developmental delays, orthopedic injuries, and neurological diagnoses (including cerebral palsy and spina bifida). Rachel is also highly skilled in fitting durable medical equipment, orthotics, and utilizing functional electrical stimulation to support her patients' independence. Rachel loves exploring Richmond’s beautiful trails, sipping local coffee, and styling her home.
Allie
Physical Therapy- Richmond, VA
Dr. Allie Kenney graduated from VCU with her doctor of Physical Therapy in 2015. She has worked with kiddos of all ages (6 weeks to 21 years old) with a wide variety of diagnoses including torticollis, developmental delay, hypotonia, cerebral palsy, spina bifida, Down Syndrome, spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), rare genetic mutations or deletions, coordination difficulties, toe walking, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). She has been trained in Total Motion Release (TMR) Tots and Teens Levels 1 & 2.
In her free time, Allie loves spending time with her husband and three kids, going on adventures, and making memories together. She would love to come alongside you and your family to help your child meet their goals as well.
Michele
Head of the Billing Department
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