Canyon Kids employs registered and licensed occupational therapists. Our clinicians demonstrate a solid understanding of child development and a dedication to working with children. Parents are provided with support and education of their child’s therapeutic needs as well as assisted with incorporating therapy strategies at the home.
Our Director
Christine Sproat MA, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of Canyon Kids Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services, a developmental and sensory motor clinic located in Bethesda, MD. She has served children with autism and developmental delays, their families, and their communities for over 20 years, developing innovative and highly effective programs in home and school. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh and her research interests in family participation in therapy and sensory methods led to a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from New York University. Christine’s current research interests are sensory neuroplasticity and improving a variety of movement and unstructured play in school settings.
Christine Sproat MA, OTR/L is a pediatric occupational therapist and founder of Canyon Kids Pediatric Occupational Therapy Services, a developmental and sensory motor clinic located in Bethesda, MD. She has served children with autism and developmental delays, their families, and their communities for over 20 years, developing innovative and highly effective programs in home and school. She received her Bachelor of Science degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Pittsburgh and her research interests in family participation in therapy and sensory methods led to a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy from New York University. Christine’s current research interests are sensory neuroplasticity and improving a variety of movement and unstructured play in school settings.
Our Therapists
Kaitlin has received her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from SUNY Stony Brook University. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, Kaitlin obtained experience in working in a variety of schools as a substitute float including United Cerebral Palsy in Commack, NY and Alternatives for Children preschool in Setauket, NY. She has clinical and work experience in outpatient neurological facilities as well as pediatric sensory gyms, providing treatment to individuals ranging from 3 to 92 years of age. Kaitlin is passionate about providing children with personalized evidence based treatment plans in a fun, creative way to meet each child’s goals.
Kaitlin enjoys exploring the outdoors within the DMV area running and hiking. She also enjoys spending quality time with family and friends.
Sarah is a proud Maryland native, and holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, and a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Trinity Washington University in DC. Occupational therapy has been Sarah’s passion since learning about the profession in her undergraduate studies. Attending school locally allowed Sarah to maintain a prolonged relationship with families which she babysit from her high school through graduate school years, providing the opportunity to work with children across their early developmental years, ranging from 4 months to 12 years old. For the past 10 years Sarah has had clinical experience with children in a variety of settings, including outpatient pediatric, outpatient rehab, telehealth, screenings at pre-schools, the Children’s Developmental Clinic at the University of Maryland, and volunteered with summer intensive OT camps for children ages 3-5.
Sarah is driven to help children of all ages to develop the skills, independence, and confidence to increase participation in desired and necessary areas of life. She maintains a collaborative approach with families, schools, and therapists to promote carry-over of skills and strategies learned in OT to best support each child.
For fun, Sarah enjoys running, playing soccer, playing basketball, dancing, reading, doing puzzles, playing board games, and spending time with friends and family.
Candace Young holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Towson University. She has been working with Canyon Kids for over seven years, initially as the administrative assistant. Currently, she works in both pediatrics as well in the hospital setting as an occupational therapist. She has extensive experience with children on the autism spectrum as well as with attention deficit disorders, initially as a behavioral therapist working in Applied Behavioral Analysis.
For the past fifteen years, Candace has had the opportunity to work with children and their families in a variety of different settings, including outpatient pediatrics, inpatient acute care, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, teaching dance at a local studio, and in behavioral therapy. Her passion is providing opportunities for each individual to enhance their strengths and develop areas of need.
Candace is originally from Montgomery County, MD. She loves working with people, dancing, music, and being outdoors.
Victoria Chapman, more commonly known as Tori, has been working with Canyon Kids since February 2019. She received both her Bachelor of Health Science Studies and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. After receiving clinical experience in pediatrics in the outpatient and school settings, as well as personal experience growing up with a brother on the autism spectrum, she has found a niche in facilitating children of all ages to grow through fun, evidence-based, and client-centered treatments. Tori also enjoys working closely with families and schools to promote carry-over and success across all areas of occupations for her clients. She has experience with commonly used programs such as Handwriting Without Tears, Zones of Regulation, Superflex and Social Thinking, and Astronaut Training. Tori also focuses on keeping up with the latest in pediatric therapy through training and participation in educational courses such as DIRFloortime, the SOS Approach to Feeding, Food Chaining, and Sensory Processing.
In her free time, Tori enjoys traveling, hiking, spending time with family and friends, and walking the trails all over the DMV.
Francine Sagona has been a member of the Canyon Kids team since 2019. As an occupational therapist, she has worked with both adults and children in home care and private settings. Francine is passionate about helping children of all ages and enjoys creating a fun and exciting environment for them to grow, create meaningful experiences, and meet their goals.
She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Health Science and minor in disability studies from the University of Delaware. She also holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University.
Dedicated to continually learning and keeping up to date with the newest research, she has completed numerous pediatric courses including complex feeding issues, the use of therapeutic yoga in OT, strategies to overcome anxiety/ADHD, and executive functioning challenges. She also holds a certification in animal-assisted therapy.
Shannon Elie is a pediatric occupational therapist with over two decades of experience. She has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including hospitals, clinics, schools, and home care. She specializes in working with infants, toddlers, and school-aged children up to 8 years of age. Shannon has extensive experience treating children with diagnoses ranging from autism spectrum disorder, neuromotor dysfunction, genetic abnormalities, fine motor challenges, sensory processing problems, developmental delays, and feeding difficulties. She is certified in the use of The Listening Program and the Astronaut Program. Shannon has had training in sensory integration theory and treatment, neurodevelopmental treatment approaches to infants, Handwriting without Tears, and oral motor/feeding therapy. In addition to evaluations, consultations, and weekly treatments, Shannon has developed a fine motor group for typical 4-year-old children with fine motor needs in a preschool setting to assist with kindergarten readiness. She has also led social/sensory groups for 5/6-year-olds. Shannon will observe children facing challenges in home and school settings to provide sensory diets and collaborate with caregivers and teachers to ensure carryover of newly-learned skills. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband and 4 boys.
Kaitlin has received her undergraduate degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland and her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from SUNY Stony Brook University. Throughout her undergraduate and graduate studies, Kaitlin obtained experience in working in a variety of schools as a substitute float including United Cerebral Palsy in Commack, NY and Alternatives for Children preschool in Setauket, NY. She has clinical and work experience in outpatient neurological facilities as well as pediatric sensory gyms, providing treatment to individuals ranging from 3 to 92 years of age. Kaitlin is passionate about providing children with personalized evidence based treatment plans in a fun, creative way to meet each child’s goals.
Kaitlin enjoys exploring the outdoors within the DMV area running and hiking. She also enjoys spending quality time with family and friends.
Bio coming soon!
Bio coming soon!
Sarah is a proud Maryland native, and holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Kinesiology from the University of Maryland, and a Masters in Occupational Therapy from Trinity Washington University in DC. Occupational therapy has been Sarah’s passion since learning about the profession in her undergraduate studies. Attending school locally allowed Sarah to maintain a prolonged relationship with families which she babysit from her high school through graduate school years, providing the opportunity to work with children across their early developmental years, ranging from 4 months to 12 years old. For the past 10 years Sarah has had clinical experience with children in a variety of settings, including outpatient pediatric, outpatient rehab, telehealth, screenings at pre-schools, the Children’s Developmental Clinic at the University of Maryland, and volunteered with summer intensive OT camps for children ages 3-5.
Sarah is driven to help children of all ages to develop the skills, independence, and confidence to increase participation in desired and necessary areas of life. She maintains a collaborative approach with families, schools, and therapists to promote carry-over of skills and strategies learned in OT to best support each child.
For fun, Sarah enjoys running, playing soccer, playing basketball, dancing, reading, doing puzzles, playing board games, and spending time with friends and family.
Candace Young holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Towson University. She has been working with Canyon Kids for over seven years, initially as the administrative assistant. Currently, she works in both pediatrics as well in the hospital setting as an occupational therapist. She has extensive experience with children on the autism spectrum as well as with attention deficit disorders, initially as a behavioral therapist working in Applied Behavioral Analysis.
For the past fifteen years, Candace has had the opportunity to work with children and their families in a variety of different settings, including outpatient pediatrics, inpatient acute care, inpatient psychiatric hospitals, teaching dance at a local studio, and in behavioral therapy. Her passion is providing opportunities for each individual to enhance their strengths and develop areas of need.
Candace is originally from Montgomery County, MD. She loves working with people, dancing, music, and being outdoors.
Victoria Chapman, more commonly known as Tori, has been working with Canyon Kids since February 2019. She received both her Bachelor of Health Science Studies and Master of Occupational Therapy degrees from Quinnipiac University in Hamden, CT. After receiving clinical experience in pediatrics in the outpatient and school settings, as well as personal experience growing up with a brother on the autism spectrum, she has found a niche in facilitating children of all ages to grow through fun, evidence-based, and client-centered treatments. Tori also enjoys working closely with families and schools to promote carry-over and success across all areas of occupations for her clients. She has experience with commonly used programs such as Handwriting Without Tears, Zones of Regulation, Superflex and Social Thinking, and Astronaut Training. Tori also focuses on keeping up with the latest in pediatric therapy through training and participation in educational courses such as DIRFloortime, the SOS Approach to Feeding, Food Chaining, and Sensory Processing.
In her free time, Tori enjoys traveling, hiking, spending time with family and friends, and walking the trails all over the DMV.
Francine Sagona has been a member of the Canyon Kids team since 2019. As an occupational therapist, she has worked with both adults and children in home care and private settings. Francine is passionate about helping children of all ages and enjoys creating a fun and exciting environment for them to grow, create meaningful experiences, and meet their goals.
She graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Health Science and minor in disability studies from the University of Delaware. She also holds a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy from Thomas Jefferson University.
Dedicated to continually learning and keeping up to date with the newest research, she has completed numerous pediatric courses including complex feeding issues, the use of therapeutic yoga in OT, strategies to overcome anxiety/ADHD, and executive functioning challenges. She also holds a certification in animal-assisted therapy.
Shannon Elie is a pediatric occupational therapist with over two decades of experience. She has worked in a variety of pediatric settings including hospitals, clinics, schools, and home care. She specializes in working with infants, toddlers, and school-aged children up to 8 years of age. Shannon has extensive experience treating children with diagnoses ranging from autism spectrum disorder, neuromotor dysfunction, genetic abnormalities, fine motor challenges, sensory processing problems, developmental delays, and feeding difficulties. She is certified in the use of The Listening Program and the Astronaut Program. Shannon has had training in sensory integration theory and treatment, neurodevelopmental treatment approaches to infants, Handwriting without Tears, and oral motor/feeding therapy. In addition to evaluations, consultations, and weekly treatments, Shannon has developed a fine motor group for typical 4-year-old children with fine motor needs in a preschool setting to assist with kindergarten readiness. She has also led social/sensory groups for 5/6-year-olds. Shannon will observe children facing challenges in home and school settings to provide sensory diets and collaborate with caregivers and teachers to ensure carryover of newly-learned skills. She lives in the Washington, D.C. area with her husband and 4 boys.
Our Office Manager
Alayna is a native to the Bethesda area and grew up just a few miles down the road from Canyon Kids. She graduated from Towson University in 2018 with an undergraduate degree in Community Health and upon graduation worked at Adventist HealthCare as their inpatient rehab aide. In 2020 she moved to Oahu, Hawaii where she fell in love with volunteering and rescuing animals. Now back in the DC area, Alayna serves as the Office Manager for Canyon Kids.
In her free time, Alayna loves serving in the community, spending time outdoors, and snuggling with her sweet fur-babies Jack and Lily.
Alayna is a native to the Bethesda area and grew up just a few miles down the road from Canyon Kids. She graduated from Towson University in 2018 with an undergraduate degree in Community Health and upon graduation worked at Adventist HealthCare as their inpatient rehab aide. In 2020 she moved to Oahu, Hawaii where she fell in love with volunteering and rescuing animals. Now back in the DC area, Alayna serves as the Office Manager for Canyon Kids.
In her free time, Alayna loves serving in the community, spending time outdoors, and snuggling with her sweet fur-babies Jack and Lily.
Our Therapy Dog
Bonnie is a a 2-year-old standard poodle and therapy dog for her favorite occupational therapist, Francine. Follow her adventures on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bonnie_the_therapy_dog!
Bonnie is a a 2-year-old standard poodle and therapy dog for her favorite occupational therapist, Francine. Follow her adventures on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/bonnie_the_therapy_dog!
