Four months ago, 35-year-old Katy Alexander tirelessly searched Facebook Marketplace for the perfect vehicle: an old bus.
This would soon become her pride and joy, and from October 31, her full time job. As an occupational therapist in the Marion County public school district for the past 10 years, Alexander sensed there was a space of need in her community. She knew there were children with disabilities in the area without access to sensory services, especially home schooled students in more rural areas. This inspired her to start The Sensory Bus.
Alexander studied at Keiser University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to become an occupational therapy assistant and about five years later, went on to acquire her masters in occupational therapy at the University of St. Augustine in 2019. The Sensory Bus is north central Florida’s only mobile occupational therapy and sensory service led by a registered occupational therapist and certified autism specialist…