About Us

Jodi Jennings, Founder/Clinical Director, OTR/L, SIPC, DIR

Jodi founded TheraFUN around the principles of quality holistic care for children, centered around the family.  In 2010, her dream to open a pediatric sensory gym came to fruition and keeps on growing.  

Jodi is an OU Alumni and has been an OT since 1996. She brings a wealth of clinical experience to help children and families. Jodi is certified in DIRFloortime®, a developmental relationship based model, Sensory Integrative Therapy from the University of Southern California based on the work of A. Jean Ayres, Ph.D and Therapeutic Listening®. She has specialty training in: Astronaut Training (vestibular and core strengthening), Primitive Reflex Training, Handwriting Without Tears®, Loops and Other Groups: A Kinesthetic Writing System, Wilbarger’s Deep Pressure and Proprioceptive Technique, visual motor training, fine motor and praxis development, and the use of Sensory Diets. Jodi has a background in Beckman Oral Motor training and combines this with the DIR/Floortime model and The Get Permission Approach for success in feeding therapy and helping picky eaters. She has studied with the Upledger Institute since 1999 to specialize in complementary health care for infants and children using CranioSacral Therapy and Lymph Drainage Therapy. She has been trained by Dr. Edward Stiles and Micha Sale, PT in Cranial-Sacral and manual therapy techniques for treating the whole body. Her experience creates a platform of knowledge that allows her to evaluate and individualize a program to best meet each child's needs. She acts as a consultant to schools and the community to train teachers, parents, and professionals on sensory processing, craniosacral therapy, and the benefits of occupational therapy.  

Jodi enjoys live music, swimming, nature hikes, and traveling.

Lana Ristau, Co-Owner

Lana joined TheraFUN in 2003 upon the encouragement and persistence of her daughter, Jodi, who owned the company.  She began as the Business Manager part-time and the company quickly realized they needed her full-time.  Her previous experience as the Business Manager for a local physician’s clinic helped her shape the current practices of TheraFUN.  She loves helping families be able to receive needed therapy services and displays incredible patience for dealing with the ever-changing insurance companies.  Lana raised her two daughters in Lawton, Oklahoma and now enjoys being a part of the Norman community.   Lana is an avid horse enthusiast and dog lover.  She enjoys trail riding and rodeos. 

Erin Lawson, Co-Owner/Clinical Manager, MOTR/L, DIR, ASI

Erin graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with her master degree in Occupational Therapy in 2017. During her junior year of high school, she discovered the career of Occupational Therapy and began observing in various settings and instantly knew this was her calling. She applied for a high school early entry spot in the master's degree program during her senior year of high school. After receiving her acceptance letter, she completed the pre-requisite courses at Oklahoma State University (go pokes!) and began the program at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2014 while simultaneously completing her Bachelor's degree in Health Studies. She has a passion for working with children and their families and has been a part of the TheraFUN team since May of 2017. She is certified in Therapeutic Listening, DIRFloortime® through Profectum Academy and Sensory Integration through the University of Southern California.  She constantly seeks continuing education in pediatric occupational therapy. 

Erin was born and raised in Norman, OK. In her free time she enjoys being outside, watching sports, and traveling. Erin and her husband are the proud parents of her fur babes, Boone and Penny.

Joan Berryhill, MS, OTR/L, Occupational Therapy Manager

Joan graduated with her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy in 1985 and has specialized in pediatrics for over 30 years. Joan has received specialized training in areas such as: Advanced Therapeutic Listening with Vital Links, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Dyspraxia, pediatric Neurodevelopmental Treatment, Sensory Processing Disorder, Diana Henry’s Sensory Tool Kit, visual acuity and visual processing deficits, seating and positioning and assistive technology. She has expertise in the following treatment techniques: the Alert Program for Self-Regulation: How Does your Engine Run; the Wilbarger Protocol - Deep Pressure Proprioceptive Treatment, the Visual-Cochlear-Vestibular Triad with the Astronaut Training Protocol; Bonding and Relaxation massage Technique (BART); Debra Beckman’s oral motor techniques and treatment for sensory motor feeding impairments; and NDT. She has also broadened her learning with areas as diverse as the TARA approach to Jin Shin energy techniques and manual therapy treatment. Joan says that her greatest enjoyment is “watching a child’s potential unfold and evolve, and networking as a team player with parents to allow this to happen.”

Joan lives in Norman with her husband and son. In her free time she performs with a medieval/renaissance music group. She enjoys spending time with her family, gardening, hiking, camping, and other outdoor activities.

Claire Gallagher, MOTR/L

Claire graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center with her Masters degree in Occupational Therapy in 2023. Throughout her graduate courses, Claire participated in many opportunities to advance in leadership and knowledge by becoming an EBIP Grant Scholar and a LEND fellow. From these programs, she developed a greater understanding of interdisciplinary collaboration, family-centered care, and enhancing participation for all children throughout their daily activities. During her academic journey, Claire developed a specific interest in sensory integration and emotional regulation. She is passionate about working with children and their families and recognizes the importance of partnership in all aspects of Occupational Therapy.

In her free time Claire enjoys being outside, traveling, going to the movies, and hanging out with her fur babies Margot and Samson.

Erika Miller, OTD, OTR/L

Erika has been an occupational therapy provider since 2018.  Her journey started at Pima Medical Institute where she earned her Associate of Science in Occupational Science/Occupational Therapy Assistant. During her time at Pima, mental health and pediatrics became a growing interest and she quickly realized that she needed to further her studies. Upon completion of her OTA program, she started her OTD program which provided the comprehensive education she was seeking and the opportunity to do clinical research on the impact of complex trauma on daily occupations in children and learn advanced techniques for evaluation and treatment for children who have experienced trauma. She graduated from Northern Arizona University with her Doctorate in Occupational Therapy in 2021. Erika has worked in pediatric home health, school-based, and outpatient settings. She is a certified clinical trauma specialist for individuals and families through the International Trauma Institute, has completed her Trauma and Attachment certification through ATTACh.org, is certified in the Safe and Sound Listening Protocol and FOCUS Listening system through Unyte-ILS, is trained in sensory enhanced yoga, Bal-A-Vis-X, and is a Proficient DIRFloortime® Provider. Erika loves all things sensory and play. She is looking forward to continuing her training in sensory integration, sensory attachment interventions, and craniosacral therapy.

In her free time, Erika enjoys hanging out with her husband and dogs, participating in triathlons, paddleboarding and being in nature, working on classic cars, and drag racing.

Jenna Manning, COTA/L

Jenna graduated from Oklahoma City Community College as a Certified Occupational Therapy Assistant in May of 2024 where she also gained an associate’s degree in psychology. Her interest began in high school where she helped in the special education classroom on a weekly basis with different activities and events. As she progressed through school her interest in pediatrics only grew. Jenna began as a volunteer here at Therafun in April of 2023 and has been around since. Through this experience as well as her classes at OCCC, Jenna has continued to grow her knowledge and interests in sensory processing and integration, primitive reflexes, and social emotional development. She looks forward to continuing to grow her knowledge through continuing education in both sensory integrative techniques and trauma/attachment, and completing her bachelor’s degree in psychology.

In her free time, Jenna enjoys spending time with her family, reading, and traveling. She also enjoys hanging out with her dog and exploring nature.

Sarah Henry, COTA/L

Sarah Henry is a Certified and Licensed Occupational Therapy Assistant with a passion for Pediatric Occupational Therapy. With 2 years of experience in the pediatric branch of OT, she brings a wealth of enthusiasm, dedication, and capability to TheraFUN. Sarah holds an associate degree in Diversified Science Studies and an associate degree of Applied Science in Occupational Therapy from Oklahoma City Community College, where she graduated with honors and specialized distinction from the Chickasaw Nation for excelling in coursework and fieldwork. Sarah underwent the full program and has a solid base of information on providing treatment in focused areas such as pediatrics, home health, and home programs. During her academic journey, Sarah developed a keen interest in sensory integration, primitive reflex integration, social-emotional/self-regulation skill building, and development of gross and fine motor skills for improved participation in daily and social activities. She is particularly enthusiastic about feeding/eating therapy and therapeutic listening programs.

In addition to her professional pursuits, Sarah enjoys various activities in her free time. She finds solace in reading, exercising in a gym or outside, and spending time with friends and family. Sarah also co-owns a second business, Diamond Heist Academy, that is run by her family and is located in OKC. She believes in the importance of maintaining a well-rounded lifestyle, and can often be found golfing, playing cornhole, or exploring new restaurants in the Norman/OKC area.

Tara Stevens, MOTR/L

Tara graduated from the University of Oklahoma Health Science Center with her Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy in April 2020. Tara participated in the early acceptance into the OT program while simultaneously completing her Bachelors in Health Studies through the University of Oklahoma. She discovered her passion for working with children with disabilities through her church and began participating in various volunteer opportunities with OKlahoma without Limits, Oklahoma League of the Blind, volunteering in the special education classrooms at her high school, and Camp Clap Hans at JD McCarty Center. She has a passion for working with children and has been a member of the TheraFUN team since April 2020. Tara has a passion for working together with children and their families so that they can participate and thrive in all areas of development. She enjoys being creative to support families with their individual needs from building relationships, self-care, emotional regulation, feeding, play and sensory integration. She has completed various continuing education courses in sensory integration, reflex integration, and feeding. She is certified in Therapeutic Listening, Listening with the whole body, Quickshifts, Sequential Oral Sensory feeding, and Picky Eaters vs. Problem Feeders vs. Avoidant Restrictive Intake.

Tara was born and raised in Blanchard, OK. In her free time she enjoys playing with her 3 children, being outdoors, traveling, reading and capturing memories through photography.

Taylor Barrick, MOTR/L

Taylor Barrick is from Duncan, OK, and went to Southeastern Oklahoma State University where she obtained an undergraduate degree in Psychology. Taylor followed her passions of wanting to help others and went on to pursue a graduate degree at The University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center.  She has been an Occupational Therapist since 2021. Taylor originally practiced as an acute care therapist specializing in adult trauma and orthopedics patients. Her experience in this demanding environment equipped her with the expertise to effectively address complex rehabilitation needs, allowing the opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of her patients. Taylor’s journey took an even more transformative turn as she decided to shift her focus towards working with children and their families. This decision reflects her unwavering commitment to fostering growth and recovery in the younger population, where she leverages her extensive training to provide compassionate care and innovative therapeutic solutions. Taylor believes in the power of play and connection on therapeutic outcomes. She strives to make a meaningful difference in the lives of children and families, embodying the principles of empathy, resilience, and holistic care that are essential in the field of occupational therapy. Taylor looks forward to continuing her training in sensory integration, feeding therapy, and craniosacral therapy. 

In her free time, Taylor enjoys spending time with family and friends, being outside, shopping, traveling, and most of all being with her weenie dog - Sherman!

Cassi Krieger, MPT, Physical Therapy Manager

Cassi has been a part of the TheraFUN team since 2017 and has over 10 years experience in pediatrics. She has worked with infants and children with varied diagnoses including developmental delay, torticollis, plagiocephaly, down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, toe-walking/gait abnormalities, and orthopedic injuries. Cassi graduated with her Masters degree in Physical Therapy from the University of Oklahoma in 2005 where she specialized in spine and orthopedics. She has furthered her studies with specialized training in idiopathic toe-walking, Neurodevelopmental Treatment (NDT) for infants, Total Motion Release (TMR) for Tots and Teens, and is a Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) Registered Practitioner, Level A. She has also been trained by Dr. Edward Stiles and Micha Sale PT in manual therapy techniques.

Cassi lives in Norman with her husband and 4 children. In her free time she enjoys spending time with her family, photography, reading, and traveling.

Sammi McMillian, PTA

Sammi graduated from Southwestern Christian University in 2014 with her bachelors in Kinesiology. She then went on to graduate from Oklahoma City Community College's PTA program in 2018 as Vice President of her class and has worked in pediatrics ever since. Sammi’s passion is working with children who have complex diagnoses. Some of the varied diagnoses she has worked with include autism, developmental delay, torticollis, and down syndrome. Sammi is also a Dynamic Movement Intervention (DMI) Registered Practitioner, Level A. Someone once told her that a child’s progress isn’t about the "milestones” but about the "inchstones". She loves working with her patients for the opportunity to celebrate those little victories with them.

Outside of work, Sammi enjoys playing soccer and spending time with family and friends. She lives in Moore with her husband, two little girls, and two fur babies.

Jenine Riemer, MA, CCC-SLP, Speech Therapy Manager

Jenine "Nina" Riemer-Lawrence, graduated from the College of Allied Health, OUHSC, with a Masters degree in Communication Sciences Disorders in 2012.  In 2007, Jenine received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish from the University of Oklahoma following completion of courses while abroad on many adventures in Ecuador.  Jenine is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist locally registered through state of Oklahoma with OBESPA and nationally registered with American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. Jenine has spent time working in geriatric rehabilitation as well as juvenile counseling and translation prior to joining the TherFUN team.  She is a natural Floortime player and feels comfortable treating children where they will communicate the best such as sitting under the table instead of at the table or while swinging in one of our gyms.  Jenine is trained to diagnose and treat communication and language disorders related to a variety of childhood disorders ranging from Autism Spectrum Disorder to Apraxia of Speech and including articulation delays, expressive/receptive language delays, and dysphagia.  

Jenine lives in Norman with her husband and daughter and likes to spend her time shopping, face-timing with long distance friends and family, antique or “junk” hunting, and hosting cook outs for friends and family.

Alicia Alvarez, MS, CCC-SLP

Alicia Alvarez, graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma, UCO, with a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2021. In 2019, Alicia received a Bachelor of Science in Speech-Language Pathology from UCO. Alicia is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist locally registered through the state of Oklahoma with OBESPA and nationally registered with American Speech-Language and Hearing Association. She is a natural Floortime player and feels comfortable treating children where they feel the most comfortable. She is currently acquiring additional training in Natural Language Acquisition for Gestalt Language Processors. Alicia is trained to diagnose and treat communication and language disorders related to a variety of childhood disorders ranging from Autism Spectrum Disorder, Apraxia of Speech, articulation delays, expressive/receptive language delays, AAC and stuttering.  

Alicia lives in Norman with her partner and likes to spend her time working out, playing Dungeons and Dragons, and cozy video games.

Ann Mary Burns, MS, CCC-SLP

Ann Mary, an Oklahoma native, graduated with her bachelors degree from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 2020 and received her masters degree from Oklahoma State University in 2022. A licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the State of Oklahoma, and nationally registered with the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, Ann Mary has a passion for habilitating children to communicate effectively and efficiently. She has worked with school age children in rural Oklahoma, Pre-K through 12th grade. She also has experience working with adult and geriatric populations in an inpatient rehabilitation hospital setting. She has experience treating a wide variety of diagnoses including autism spectrum disorder, articulation delay, expressive/receptive language delay, hearing impairment, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Central Auditory Processing Disorder, and many more.  Ann Mary is motivated to continue her education and treatment repertoire to include oral motor feeding therapy.

Ann Mary lives in Norman. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her partner, friends, and family, as well as reading, thrifting, cooking, gardening, and many other outside activities.

Diana Tono, MS, CCC-SLP

Diana, a native of Colombia, graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Masters Degree in Communication and Sciences Disorder in 2018. Diana has a Bachelor’s Degree in Art History from the University of Oklahoma. A licensed Speech-Language Pathologist in the State of Oklahoma, and nationally registered with the American Speech-Language and Hearing Association, Diana has a passion for working with children and this was evident once she began her career. Diana has training in a specialized treatment for children called Talk Tools. In 2022, Diana completed a year long training to become a DIRFloortime® clinician through the Profectum Academy. 

Diana lives in Norman with her family and her two Airedales. She plays tennis and practices Tai Chi and yoga.  During her free time, Diana enjoys reading, watching movies, cooking, and spending time with her family and her Airedales.

Jennifer Hendrix, MS, CCC-SLP

Jennifer graduated with her Masters Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center in 1996. As a former military spouse, she has worked in a wide variety of pediatric settings across the country, including the public school systems in rural North Carolina & Miami, Florida, a non-public school for children with behavior difficulties in San Diego, California, the 0-3 Program in Sitka, Alaska, a private clinic and home health in the area around Daytona Beach, Florida and at a children's rehab hospital in the metro area. Jennifer has worked with infants and children with a wide variety of diagnoses including Autism,  Developmental Delay, hearing impairment, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Central Auditory Processing Disorder and Childhood Apraxia of Speech.  She has specialized training in Therapeutic Listening, Sensory strategies, and the Picture Exchange Communication System.  She also has extensive experience with augmentative/alternative communication.

Jennifer lives in Norman and has two children - Jack, who serves in the U.S. Coast Guard, and Estelle, who attends high school. Jennifer enjoys playing with her dogs, Burt and Pip, reading, listening to local musicians, and socializing with friends.

Karissa Marion-Smith, MS, CCC-SLP

Karissa is a Speech-Language Pathologist with a passion for Pediatrics. Karissa holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from The University of Central Oklahoma, where she graduated with honors in 2019 and 2021, respectively. During her graduate studies, Karissa worked as a graduate assistant at the Oklahoma Pre-school for the Deaf. During her academic journey, Karissa developed a keen interest in the pediatric population and oral-motor feeding development. She is particularly enthusiastic about feeding development and early language intervention. Karissa has focused on continued education with specialized training in sensory and oral motor feeding development, assessment, and treatment including a certification in SOFFI (Supporting Oral Feeding in Fragile Infants).

In addition to her professional pursuits, Karissa enjoys various activities in her free time. She finds solace in reading, spending time with her growing family, and quality time with friends. Some of Karissa’s favorite activities include quick weekend trips, baking, and attending her monthly book club.

Mark Cottle, MS-CF-SLP

Mark graduated from the University of Central Oklahoma with a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology in 2024. In 2013, Mark received a Bachelor of Arts in Film and Media Studies from the University of Oklahoma. Mark is a licensed Speech-Language Pathologist locally registered through the state of Oklahoma with OBESPA and soon to be nationally registered with American Speech-Language and Hearing Association after completing his clinical fellowship. Mark has experience working with diverse clients in multiple settings from pediatrics to adolescents to geriatrics. He has been trained to diagnose and treat communication and language disorders related to a variety of childhood disorders ranging from autism spectrum disorder, apraxia of speech, down’s syndrome, articulation delays, expressive/receptive language delays, and stuttering. 

Mark lives in Oklahoma City and enjoys spending his free time hanging out with friends and family, going to movies, eating out at local restaurants, shopping, being a Disney/Marvel fan, and spending quality time with his English goldendoodle.