Our Staff

Keith Landherr, M.A., O.T. Director of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy Inc.
Occupational Therapist
Certified DIR Floortime® Trainer

You can find me at both the Burnaby and Richmond clinics!
Our therapists value teamwork and professional development opportunities to make treatment successful and cost-effective for families.

All of the Occupational Therapists at Little Buddies hold a Masters or Bachelor’s Degree in Occupational Therapy. Our therapists are approved or supervised by the Registry of Autism and Service Providers (RASP) and are fully licensed and registered with the College of Occupational Therapists of British Columbia (COTBC).
Keith is a graduate of New York University's (NYU) Occupational Therapy Program and has over 25 years experience as an Occupational Therapist. Keith has advanced training in Sensory Integration, Multiple Therapeutic Learning Systems, Neuro-Development Treatment, and is a certified DIR Floortime Trainer. He initially trained at Babies and Children's Hospital of New York City. He has presented to child development centres in British Columbia and New York City, and has provided lectures for ICDL's DIR Floortime Training Program, New York City Department of Education, Babies and Children's Hospital of New York, and as an adjunct professor of Occupational Therapy at NYU. Keith has training and experience in treating sensory processing differences in individuals from birth through adulthood in early intervention programs, school-based services and private Occupational Therapy clinics. Keith is the Director and founder of Little Buddies pediatric Therapy Incorporated, where he strives to prove family-centred treatment to children and families while honouring their unique histories and individual differences. Keith is currently a Ph.D. student in the Fielding Graduate School's Infant and Child Development program.

Alysha Paiaro, M.O.T. Assistant Director of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy Inc.

Occupational Therapist
Certified Proficient DIR Floortime® Practitioner & Registered PLAY Project™ Consultant

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Following graduation from the University of British Columbia in 2016 with a Master's in Occupational Therapy, Alysha joined Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy where she is now Assistant Director. Her life-long love of learning has driven her to complete post-graduate education in sensory integration, trauma & attachment, pediatric feeding & swallowing, therapeutic listening, and neuro-developmental treatment. It was at Little Buddies where she developed a passion for integrating the holistic DIR Floortime approach into her practice and has become a Proficient DIR Floortime Provider and Registered PLAY Project Consultant. She is proud to be the Assistant Director of Little Buddies Pediatric Therapy where neurodiversity is celebrated and holistic, relationship-based, person-affirming treatment is provided to children and their families.

Megan MacKay, M.Sc., RSLP, BCBA Speech-Language Pathologist and Behaviour Analyst
Certified in It Takes Two to Talk® and ABC and Beyond®

You can find me at the Richmond clinic! Megan graduated from the University British Columbia (UBC) with a Masters in the Speech Sciences program from the Faculty of Medicine and a specialization in the Special Education program from the Faculty of Education. She has 20 years of experience working as a Speech-Language Pathologist and Behaviour Analyst. Megan has advanced training in Early Start
Denver Model, SOS feeding program, Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC), Advanced Literacy program, SCERTS®, Hanen: It take two to talk and ABC and Beyond. She has extensive experience working with children with autism and other developmental delays. Megan’s approach to therapy is family-centred care with a mix of child lead play-based therapy
and adult-directed ABA. Megan is very active in the SLP community and holds a position on the
Board for Speech and Hearing BC. When she is not working, Megan enjoys spending time with
her family, including her three young boys.

Sasha Wertheim M.A., RSLP, CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist

You can find me at the Burnaby and Richmond clinics! Sasha received her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology from San José State University in San José, California in 2007. Sasha's primary goal is to improve the lives of individuals with complex communication needs and their families. She has worked in both clinical and school settings to support children and young adults with complex communication needs through direct service and consultation models. Sasha specializes in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC) and has experience supporting children with a wide variety of needs, including Autism, Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, and Oral Apraxia. She is a strong proponent of strengths-based, child-led therapy for Autistic individuals and continues to pursue learning in the areas of Gestalt Language Acquisition and Autistic social communication that supports authenticity and acceptance of the needs of Autistic individuals. In her free time, she enjoys exploring the Lower Mainland with her husband and dog, and finding ways to approach life with curiosity and creativity.

Devin Bennett, M.Sc., O.T. Occupational Therapist.
Registered PLAY Project™ Consultant

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Devin is a graduate of the Dalhousie University, Master of Occupational Therapy Program. Devin is a certified Basic DIR Floortime Practitioner and has also completed postgraduate courses and programs including Integrated Listening Systems (iLs) and Embracing and Understanding Individual Differences Workshop with Rosemary White. He is in the process of completing the Play Project Certification Course which is a course designed to support families to help their children reach their full potential through play. Since beginning with Little Buddies Devin has worked with a variety of different diagnoses including autism spectrum disorders, attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, and children with complex behavioural challenges. He is committed to learning each child’s overall profile and providing the necessary care for them to reach their maximal potential.

Hayley Lutes M.Sc., O.T. Occupational Therapist
Registered PLAY Project™ Consultant

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Hayley graduated with a masters degree in occupational therapy from Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia in 2018. Prior to that, she completed a rehabilitation assistant diploma (OT, PT and SLP disciplines) from Capilano University in 2012 and a Bachelor of Science degree in psychology from Acadia University in 2010. Hayley has experience supporting children at home and school through her work as an OT and rehabilitation assistant and believes strongly in relationship building and empowering families through education and advocacy. In order to best support clients and families, Hayley is passionate about ongoing learning and has attended courses and workshops covering topics such as autism, sensory processing, feeding, printing/handwriting, and attachment. In therapy, Hayley is dedicated to creating a safe space for children and youth to explore connection, engagement, and functional skill building through play.

Sarah Semeniuk M.O.T., B.Kin Occupational Therapist
Certified Basic DIR Floortime® Practitioner

You can find me at the Richmond clinic! Sarah graduated with a Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of British Columbia in 2020 after completing her Bachelor's of Kinesiology at the University of Victoria in 2014. Sarah has previous experience working as a Behavioural Interventionist and Team Leader at a group home where she provided 1:1 care to children and young adults with Autism Spectrum Disorder. She is passionate about providing family-centred, holistic care that focuses on the individual and unique attributes of the child. Sarah is committed to creating a fun and safe space for children to play and develop social, emotional, and functional skills so that they can participate in activities that are meaningful to them. Sarah values ongoing learning and has attended workshops focusing on Trauma-Informed Practice and Core Emotion-Focused Family
Therapy and has completed her certification as a Basic DIR Floortime Practitioner.

Kristen Joy-Correll, M.O.T., B.Kin. Occupational Therapist
Working towards Basic DIR Floortime Practicioner Certification

You can find me at the Richmond clinic! Kristen grew up in a small mountain town and quickly became passionate about sharing the outdoor sports she loves with children and youth with diverse abilities. Prior to becoming an occupational therapist, she gained over 5 years of experience supporting children with various developmental disabilities to engage in meaningful activities such as skiing, swimming, canoeing, group socialization, and play. She graduated with a Master in Occupational Therapy from the University of British Columbia in 2020 after completing her Bachelor of Kinesiology there in 2018. Kristen continues to pursue further learning to best support the needs and interests of her clients and their families, including courses relating to printing/handwriting, nervous system regulation, mental health, and embracing individual differences. She values building relationships with clients and families to understand each child's strengths and interests in order to provide a safe and engaging environment to develop skills, learn, and play.

Alexandra Boran, M.Sc., O.T. Occupational Therapist

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Alex graduated with a Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy from the University of Alberta in 2019. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Kinesiology at the University of Toronto in 2017. Alex spent the first two and a half years of her occupational therapy career working in private practice with adults who were experiencing various physical and mental health challenges. Alex’s longtime passion for working with children led her to excitedly transition to working at Little Buddies in January of 2023. To further her practice knowledge in pediatrics, Alex completed the Embracing and Understanding Individual Differences workshop presented by Rosemary White, as well as the SOS Approach to Feeding course. Alex intends to utilise this practice knowledge in combination with her passion for child-led, family-centred care to facilitate the achievement of clients’ occupational therapy goals. Alex highly values each child’s individual needs, and strives to highlight each child’s unique strengths in the development of a safe and engaging environment wherein her clients develop skills, learn, and play! Alex is a certified SOS Trained Therapist, and she intends to become a certified Basic DIR Floortime provider to further her skills in relationship-focused, play-based occupational therapy.

Urian D'Silva, M.Sc., O.T. Occupational Therapist

You can find me at the Burnaby & Richmond clinics! In 2022, Urian received a master's degree in occupational therapy from the University of British Columbia. Before relocating to Canada to enroll in the University of British Columbia, Urian was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, where he spent 8 years working as a one-on-one aide for autistic students in the Los Angeles school district. Urian enjoys a wide range of things, such as sports, the arts, and music. Urian places a lot of effort to make sure that everyone he meets and collaborates with feels heard and seen.

Margot Hall, M.OT Occupational Therapist
Working towards Basic DIR Floortime Practitioner Certification

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Margot graduated with a Masters in Occupational Therapy from the University of Manitoba after completing a Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Western Ontario. Margot has worked in paediatrics for over 5 years in a range of community and school settings, in both rural and urban environments. Prior to becoming an OT, Margot had the opportunity to explore other roles within paediatrics, including a support worker, program facilitator, and education assistant at an elementary school. These opportunities have shaped Margot to become a child and family-centred therapist, by using a lens of function, meaning, and creativity. She works hard to ensure her involvement will support the child in reaching their full potential. Margot also recognizes the importance of connection and collaboration with a child's family and team, who play a pivotal role in fostering meaningful engagement during this stage of life. She is passionate about ongoing professional development and has completed additional coursework in the areas of trauma informed care, fine motor skill development, handwriting, regulation, feeding, cultural safety, and assistive technology.

Deeksha Kumari, M.Sc. OT Occupational Therapist

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Deeksha graduated with a Master of Occupational Therapy from Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India, in 2021. Prior to this, she completed her Bachelor of Occupational Therapy at the same university in 2018, laying a strong foundation for her career in this field. Before moving to Canada, Deeksha gained valuable experience as a community Occupational Therapist, allowing her to work closely with individuals in their own environment, providing personalized support to help them regain independence, and improve quality of life. Additionally, Deeksha worked in a pediatric clinic, where she specialized in addressing the unique needs of children using a family-centred approach. In her free time, Deeksha can be found exploring Vancouver hiking trails, taking care of her plants, drawing, and painting.

Giovanni Godoy, B.Sc. Occupational Therapy Assistant
Certified Proficient DIR Floortime® Practitioner

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Gio is a graduate of the University of Central Florida with a bachelor’s degree in Biology and is a certified Registered Behaviour Technician.
He was born in Honduras and moved to the United States at eleven years old, he is bilingual in both Spanish and English.
Growing up, he was always passionate about science and always found the human body pretty interesting, especially the brain. Gio has been working with autistic children for over four years. He is very passionate about this field and hopes to grow and make an impact in Occupational Therapy. He is a certified Floortime practitioner and has completed his DIR 202: Promoting Higher Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities.

Franchesca Camangian Speech-Language Assistant

You can find me at the Burnaby and Richmond clinics! Chesca is our newest addition to our team as a Speech-Language Assistant. Previously, she graduated with a degree of Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Santo Tomas in Manila, Philippines, in 2019. Before moving to Vancouver, she practiced as a certified speech pathologist for almost three years working in hospitals and pediatric clinics. She worked with neurodiverse individuals across the lifespan, having specialized in early intervention through play and relationship-based therapy, language disorders, and stroke and traumatic brain injury (TBI) rehabilitation. 
She has always been passionate in helping people win their journey towards their best quality of life, step by step. Chesca plans to pursue further studies in the future to be a certified SLP in Canada. When she’s not working, she loves to go for outdoor adventures, read books in cafes, and spending quality time with her family and friends. 

Clare Urquhart Occupational Therapy Assistant

You can find me at the Richmond clinic! Clare is an OT assistant at our Richmond clinic. She has been working with us since 2019, previously working as our office manager. Clare is currently completing her Bachelor of Kinesiology at Capilano University, with plans to complete her Master of Occupational Therapy in the future. In her free time, she enjoys playing video games, creating embroidery artwork, and always finding new things to learn. Clare is a certified SOS Feeding therapist and strives to create meaningful relationships with our clients through laughter and play.

Paul Im Occupational Therapy Assistant

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Paul has been a dedicated Occupational Therapy assistant in both the Burnaby and Richmond clinics since 2015. Paul is originally from Japan and speaks Japanese and Korean fluently. Paul provides OT assistant sessions, co-treats, and maintains the equipment at our Burnaby clinic. He is currently attending school at Vancouver Community College and hopes to become an occupational therapist in the future. Paul loves to play video games in his spare time.

Leah Roberts Occupational Therapy Assistant

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! Leah has recently joined the Little Buddies team as an OTA, after volunteering for the past year. She is currently studying at Simon Fraser University and is finishing up her bachelor’s degree with honours in Health Sciences. Leah has always been passionate about health, and enjoys learning about certain aspects including health promotion, sports injuries, maternal and child health, and mental health. In her free time, Leah likes being active by playing sports such as soccer and tennis, spending time with her dog, family, and friends, gardening, cooking, and baking. She is also a huge soccer fan and watches games regularly. Leah is looking forward to making meaningful connections with the children at Little Buddies, and helping support their needs, and overall well being

John Francisco Office Manager

You can find me at the Burnaby clinic! John is our Office Manager responsible for running our Burnaby and Richmond Clinics as smoothly and efficiently as possible. John is currently working on becoming a scheduling wizard to ensure we support as many children as possible here at Little Buddies. When John isn’t working hard, he enjoys our breathtaking views doing hikes around Vancouver or getting chased by his two dogs.