It’s Figure-outable: How One Occupational Therapist Changes Lives Every Day
Kellye Tolley, an OTR from South Carolina, is a clinician, a mentor, and an advocate who champions the needs of children and families locally and globally.
Kellye Tolley, MS, OTR/L
Co-Owner, Intensive Coordinator, & Missions Director, Holy City Pediatric Therapy
Cofounder, Resilient Arrow Project
Location: South Carolina
Certified in 2011
Building a Model of Inclusive Care
In 2021, Kellye Tolley and her husband, physical therapist Dusty Tolley, PT DPT, opened Holy City Pediatric Therapy (HCPT) in Charleston, SC. The local clinic quickly grew into a vibrant and inclusive practice that meets the unique needs of each child. Kellye and her team designed an intensive therapy model that blends clinical rigor with play-based, relationship-centered care. Every multidisciplinary program is individualized, bringing together occupational therapy, physical therapy, and speech therapy to meet each family’s goals. To ensure all children have access to high-quality therapy regardless of socioeconomic status, HCPT accepts all major insurance plans, including South Carolina Medicaid, reducing the financial burden that intensive-level therapy may place on families. Four years after HCPT opened, the clinic now serves nearly 15,000 children each year.
Meeting Families Where They Are
Kellye’s approach is holistic, and her dedication to treating the whole child allows her to make a lasting impact on her clients. She is known for her joyful, hands-on approach, often joining children in obstacle courses, dressing up in costumes, or turning therapy into games.
Parents have noticed the difference:
“Kellye’s impact on our daughter, Olivia, has been nothing short of transformative. … From the very first day of our initial intensive session, I knew Kellye was special. She didn’t just observe Olivia from a distance; she immediately got down on her hands and knees and crawled into a tunnel, demonstrating the activity and motivating Olivia to follow. That simple act of meeting Olivia at her level, of engaging with her so directly, spoke volumes about Kellye’s dedication and her profound understanding of how to connect and build trust with children.”
Deidre
Parent
“When I found myself at a crossroads on how to best help my daughter, Kellye was my guiding light. … We spent a week in an intensive with Kellye and her team where I gained so much knowledge and watched my daughter accomplish more in a week than she had in a year. … We left Kellye’s clinic with our buckets filled, milestones reached, and a plan in place. Her clinic was an instrumental catalyst in helping a little girl who had gross and motor/speech delays along with sensory processing difficulties/decreased reflex integration who can now be seen running around playing any sport she chooses, excelling in school, and bossing her parents around daily.”
Parent
Expanding Access Through Innovation
Believing that every child deserves access to life-changing therapy, Kellye and her husband cofounded the nonprofit organization Resilient Arrow Project. The organization provides financial assistance for children to participate in therapy intensives, educates and sends practitioners around the world to provide therapy services, and helps procure specialized and adaptive equipment for children in need. In 2024, Resilient Arrow Project organized their first event, with all funds going toward a scholarship for children to receive therapy intensives across the U.S.
Through the Resilient Arrow Project, Kellye traveled to Kenya twice with a team of occupational therapists, physical therapists, and speech language practitioners. The team provided direct care, trained caregivers, and worked with local therapists to build sustainable therapy resources for children with disabilities.
“[Kellye] worked closely with the local community, treating every individual with dignity and respect, while offering learning opportunities that made each person feel valued. She created an environment where no suggestion or question felt too small, fostering an atmosphere of open dialogue and mutual growth.”
Valerie Hengemuhle, MS, OTR/L
Kellye's colleague at Holy City Pediatric Therapy
A Philosophy of Service
Kellye’s mantra, “It’s figure-outable,” has become a hallmark of her leadership, capturing her creativity, calm determination, and ability to problem-solve complex situations. She treats each child with dignity, always asking, “What matters to you?” This philosophy grounds her work in empathy and inclusion, ensuring families feel seen, supported, and empowered.
Through her clinic, nonprofit, mentorship, and international service, Kellye has touched thousands of lives. She embodies the best of occupational therapy, meeting families where they are, breaking barriers to care, and empowering children to thrive. The NBCOT Impact Award recognizes her not only for her professional excellence but also for the compassion and joy she brings to every child, family, and community she serves.
“[Kellye] truly shines when working with her young clients. … Each session is filled with joy and creativity, as she connects with the children in such a genuine and playful way. Beyond her exceptional clinical skills, she blesses everyone around her with her servant heart, always putting others first and offering kindness and care at every turn.”
Deanna Ottinger, ppOTD, CAPS, LSVT-BIG
Award nominator
NBCOT received permission to publish the images in this spotlight.