CORE Academy

Jessi Vaught, PT, DPT, NCS is the Physical Therapy Advisor at Sheltering Arms Institute. As a member of the clinical science team, she supports the PT department in mentoring and student programs, knowledge translation, clinical practice guideline use, and program development. Prior to that position, she was a full-time clinician in inpatient rehabilitation. She has a passion for those with neurological diagnoses and earned her NCS in 2012. Jessi has been a mentor in the SA-VCU PT Neuro Residency Program and currently serves as a manager in the program. She has presented at multiple national and international conferences. Jessi is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University.

Zachary Crump, PT, DPT, NCS has served as a Physical Therapist at Sheltering Arms for the past 13 years. He graduated from Old Dominion University with his Doctor of Physical Therapy in 2010 and became board certified in neurologic physical therapy in 2015. He currently serves as the Locomotor Specialist at the Sheltering Arms Institute- a novel role that involves transdisciplinary collaboration, extra practice coordination, advanced rehab technology coaching, and research creation. In 2021 he received the APTA Virginia John L. Echternach Research Award for top researcher in the state of Virginia. His research involvement includes extra functional electrical stimulation cycling for persons with stroke, heart rate monitor implementation during inpatient rehabilitation, and cardiovascular intensity for walking recovery for persons with sub-acute stroke and spinal cord injury. He lives in Richmond, Virginia with his wonderful wife and 4 amazing children.

Ali Holmes, M.S. CCC-SLP, CBIS, BCS-S is the SLP Advisor for Sheltering Arms Institute. As a member of the clinical science team, she supports the SLP department in mentoring and student programs, knowledge translation, clinical practice guideline use and program development. Prior to that position, she was Speech Pathology Manager at Encompass Health. She has provided diagnostic and therapeutic services to inpatient, day and outpatient adult populations, as well as managed a team of speech pathologists. In her career, she has developed outpatient voice and swallowing programs, and other specialty programs in stroke rehabilitation, pulmonary rehabilitation, tracheostomy management and Parkinson’s disease. Ali has presented to groups throughout the region and at the statewide and national conferences for Speech Pathology as well as rehab medicine. Ali graduated with BS and MS degrees from James Madison University and earned her board certification in swallowing and swallowing disorders in 2024.