Why families choose us

  • They want coordinated care across disciplines so their child’s progress is efficient and meaningful.

  • They value therapists who teach everyday strategies they can use at home and school.

  • They appreciate a practice that stays with their child through milestones, transitions, and changing needs.

  • They see measurable progress because our plans are specific, functional, and regularly updated.

Rise and Thrive Pediatric Therapy offers more than appointments—we offer partnership, practical tools, and a proven path to help children grow, learn, and participate more fully in life. Our dedicated team of professionals is committed to helping individuals reach their full potential and improve their quality of life.

Who We Are

At Rise and Thrive Pediatric Therapy, our approach is built around one belief: every child deserves therapy that meets them where they are and lifts them toward their fullest potential. We’ve combined compassionate care with evidence-based practice across Occupational Therapy, Physical Therapy, and Speech Therapy to deliver outcomes that matter to families.

What makes us unique

  • Lifespan continuity: We serve clients from birth through adulthood, providing seamless transitions across developmental stages and changing needs. Families trust us for consistent care over time, not fragmented appointments.

  • Interdisciplinary collaboration: Our OTs, PTs, and SLPs work together on integrated treatment plans. That means coordinated goals, shared progress tracking, and therapies that reinforce each other—so a speech goal supports feeding progress, and motor gains unlock new communication opportunities.

  • Child- and family-centered care: Therapy is built around each child’s interests, routines, and family priorities. We teach practical strategies parents and caregivers can use at home, school, and in the community so gains are functional, lasting, and natural.

  • Evidence-based, creative techniques: Clinical excellence guides everything we do. We pair the latest research-backed methods with play-based, motivating activities so kids engage willingly and therapists can measure real progress.

  • Functional, goal-driven outcomes: Every plan starts with meaningful, measurable goals—whether it’s independent feeding, safer mobility, stronger fine motor skills for school, or clearer expressive language. We track outcomes and adapt quickly to what’s working.

  • Accessible, personalized services: We offer flexible scheduling and therapy formats tailored to each family—clinic-based, home-based, school collaboration, and teletherapy options—so care fits your life, not the other way around.

  • Skilled, compassionate clinicians: Our therapists are experienced, licensed professionals who prioritize respect, responsiveness, and relationship-building. Families frequently tell us that our clinicians listen first—and make therapy feel hopeful and practical.

Meet Our Team

Kari Glasgow, OTR/L, ASDCS

Owner/Occupational Therapist

Kari is the founder of Rise and Thrive Pediatric Therapy with more than 30 years of experience helping children and families. She specializes in working with children with autism, sensory processing challenges, developmental delays, and feeding difficulties.

Kari uses a whole-child approach that integrates sensory integration, movement, feeding, and therapeutic yoga to support each child’s unique needs. She works closely with families to provide practical strategies that help children succeed at home, school, and in daily life.

Her experience includes hospitals, early intervention programs, and pediatric therapy clinics, allowing her to create therapy plans that support real-life success.

Claire Graziano, MS, OTR/L

Occupational Therapist

Claire is a Pediatric Occupational Therapist with experience treating children with behavioral and emotional disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental delays, autism spectrum disorder, ADHD, traumatic injuries, and a wide range of neurological conditions. She specializes in providing therapy services addressing sensory processing, emotional regulation, fine and gross motor skills and coordination, social skills development, and attention. 

Claire earned her Master’s in Occupational Therapy from Columbia University in 2016, and her Bachelor’s in Medical Anthropology from Vanderbilt University in 2012. She has since worked in a variety of settings including schools, residential treatment facilities, and hospitals. Claire served as a Clinical Expert OT at MedStar National Rehabilitation Hospital and Washington DC’s National Center for Children’s Rehabilitation at Children’s National Medical Center. In these roles she earned three professional occupational therapy certifications, served as a course instructor for multiple OT master’s students, and was selected as a professional OT Neurological Residency Mentor.

Claire has enhanced her skill set through a wide range of continuing education courses, including Astronaut Training: A Sound Activated Vestibular-Visual Protocol, and became certified in Early Intervention. She is also a registered yoga instructor and enjoys integrating mindfulness concepts into her OT practice. 

In her free time, Claire enjoys running, practicing yoga, cooking, and spending time with family and friends. She lives with her husband, Nick, two children, Walker and Lucy, and dog, Arnold, in Richmond.

Occupational Therapy Assistant

Alicia Willis, COTA/L

Information coming….

Physical Therapist

Melanie Parker, DPT APT/SAS

With over 20 years of diverse clinical experience as a physical therapist, Melanie specializes in seating and mobility for clients of all ages. Driven by her professional expertise and her personal journey as a parent to a son with autism, she founded The Whole Family Foundation. This nonprofit is dedicated to educating, empowering, and connecting families navigating disability to ensure the entire family unit thrives. Beyond her clinical and consultative work, Melanie enjoys traveling, community involvement, cooking, spending time with her family and dogs, and the occasional, well-earned nap.

Rebecca Mannion, DPT

Physical Therapist

Information Coming Soon….

Allison Kowal, M.S., CCC-SLP

Speech-Language Pathologist

Allison was born and raised in Richmond, VA. She has been a speech-language pathologist since 2017. She received her undergraduate degree from James Madison University and Master’s degree from Old Dominion University. She holds the ASHA certificate of clinical competence (CCC) and is certified as an early intervention professional in Virginia. She has experience providing services to children and their families in the school setting, outpatient setting, early intervention setting, and telehealth. Allison provides child-led, play-based therapy that is evidence-based, and individualized. She works closely with families to provide ongoing support and guidance throughout their child’s communication journey. Allison’s areas of interest include speech sound disorders, early language development, and fluency/stuttering. When not working, Allison spends time with her family, reading, or going on walks with her son. 

Speech-Language Pathologist

Kerilyn Isley, M.S., CCC-SLP

Keri grew up in Northern Virginia and received her bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Communication Disorders from Old Dominion University. She received her Master’s degree in Speech Language Pathology from Old Dominion University and moved to the Richmond area, where she has been practicing ever since. Keri has worked in public schools, private schools,private practice, and early intervention for over 20 years and has extensive practice is the areas of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, Auditory and Language Processing, Articulation and Phonology, Apraxia, and Social/Pragmatic Language.​ She is an ASHA member with a strong passion for helping children reach their full potential. ​ ​She is proficient in addressing a wide range of communication disorders and tailoring strategies to individual needs. ​ Keri enjoys working with families and supporting them throughout the therapy process, empowering parents to feel more confident in their abilities when working with their child. When she isn’t working with her speech kiddos, Keri enjoys spending time with her daughter and husband on the golf course or on the water. She also has 2 dogs and 2 cats that keep her on her toes.

Billing Manager

Emily Cliber

Information Coming Soon…….