Canada Northwest FASD partnership 2010 Symposium Presenter Bios

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Information about the Presenters

Sterling K. Clarren
Sterling K. Clarren, MD, FAAP is the CEO and Scientific Director of the Canada Northwest FASD Research Network. He is a Clinical Professor in the Departments of Pediatrics at the University Of British Columbia and the University of Washington.

Kate Mechan
Kate is currently working as Senior Outreach Worker with the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society of the Yukon (FASSY). She also co-directs the Northern City Supportive Housing Coalition (NCSHC), a non-profit organisation aimed at providing safe & supportive housing for Whitehorse’s most marginalised community members. Holding a Masters degree in Social Work, Kate’s passion has motivated her to work on the frontlines within the street-involved community for 10 years.

Sandy Schmidt
Sandy Schmidt was born and raised in Whitehorse. She completed her Social Work degree in Alberta and worked in northern Alberta until 2002 when she returned to work for Yukon Alcohol and Drug Services. She is currently the Acting Manager of Alcohol and Drug Services, Health and Social Services and has worked with Alcohol and Drug Services Prevention Unit to provide substance abuse education, awareness and prevention.

Audrey McFarlane (AB)
Audrey McFarlane is the Executive Director for Lakeland Centre for FASD.  The Lakeland Centre for FASD in northeast Alberta offers a variety of supports and services including diagnosis, family support and mentorship programs.  Audrey is also the Chair of the Canada Northwest FASD Research Network Board of Directors.

Wenda Bradley (YT)
Wenda graduated in 1978 from a nursing program Ontario and came to the North in 1981.  In the Yukon, she worked in various settings for Community Nursing. During this time she continued her studies and received a BScNursing and BA in Sociology. She also secured a placement and job with a downtown Toronto agency called Street Health which triggered her interest in individuals for whom the existing Health Care system was not working well.  The call of the North brought Wenda back to the Yukon with a new understanding of the struggles individuals may have in accessing or following care.  She continued to work for Community Nursing at the Pelly Crossing Health Centre until 2006 when she moved on to working with FASSY - at first part time and now on a full-time basis.  Wenda is presently doing direct client support as well as providing some education and consultation on FASD.

Suzie Kuerschner
Suzie Kuershchner is a Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Consultant, and a Child Development Specialist, child and family program developer with intensive training and experience. Ms. Kuerschner’s work includes program development, assessment, intervention, parent training, and the design of learning environments for over thirty five years. For the past nine years as an F.A.S.D. Consultant and Program Specialist, Ms. Kuerschner has delivered trainings and technical assistance to the tribes and nations within the Northwest Portland Area Indian Health Board (N.P.A.I.H.B.) catchment area. She has also worked in Pelly Crossing with Selkirk First Nation and FASSY.

Brooke McKenzie
Brooke is a physiotherapist who has worked as part of the Children’s FASD Diagnostic and Support team. She also has experience working with infants and preschoolers with special needs including FASD.

Joanie Pelletier
Joanie Pelletier is an occupational therapist at the Child Development Centre in Whitehorse since 2008.  She graduated from University Laval Occupational Therapy School in 2005 and since then has been working with a variety of populations in Quebec and Yukon but mostly specialized in pediatric work. She reports that she is a sensory seeker in the sense that she need lots of stimulation to stay alert and she actively gets what she needs.

Rachel Moser
Rachel is a speech and language pathologist at the Child Development Centre and has worked as part of the Children’s FASD Diagnostic and Support team.

Leona Corniere
Leona is a registered psychologist at the Child Development Centre and is a part of the Children’s FASD Diagnostic and Support team.

Dr. Barbara Grueger
Dr. Grueger is a paediatrician and part of the Children’s FASD Diagnostic and Support team.  She balances her time between Whitehorse and Calgary.

Brenda Bennett
Brenda Bennett is the founding Executive Director of FASD Life’s Journey Inc. FASDLJI is a Manitoba community based not for profit agency focusing on the broad spectrum of needs of adolescent and adult Manitobans affected by Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Brenda has worked in the disability sector for over twenty years in a number of senior capacities including Disabilities and Management Consultant, Community and Program Developer, Clinical Case Manager, Program Manager and Executive Director. She has co-developed a direct service model and a range of neurodevelopmental strengths cased, gender specific programs for adolescents and adults impacted by FASD. She works with individuals with a wide spectrum of needs and has considerable expertise in developing and providing intensive individualized supports to FASD affected individuals with complex needs. She is a sought after National and International FASD speaker, educator, and consultant. Brenda is a loving mother, foster parent, grandmother and passionate advocate.

Marjorie Logue (YT)
Marjorie Logue B. Ed, B.A. Psychology, has been working in the field of education for 20 years.  She began as an Educational Assistant in 1990 in Dawson City and since then has completed an Education degree and is currently working on a Master’s degree in Applied Child Psychology.  She has gathered a lot of experience working as a classroom teacher in both elementary and high school, a resource room teacher, a Learning Assistant Teacher, a tutor for adults and youth and as a Consultant for Yukon’s Department of Education focused on promotion of resiliency in transitions.

Rosanne Bloom-Pereira, SLP
Rosanne Bloom-Pereira has been practicing in the field of speech-language pathology since 1987.  She is a certified member of the Canadian Association of Speech Language Pathology and Audiology. Rosanne has lived in Yukon since 1992 and has spent most of her time working with preschoolers and their families at Child Development Centre.

Wendy Kitchen, SLP
Wendy Kitchen is a Speech Language Pathologist who has worked to support school age children in communities throughout Yukon since 1995. She also has a Early Childhood Education diploma an ran a toy lending library for special needs children and their families while in Ontario. Wendy is a member of the Children and Youth FASD Diagnostic Team in Yukon.

Bev Towe
Bev Towe is a mentor with the Mothers to be Mentorship Program at Lakeland Centre for FASD in northeast Alberta. Bev brings a wealth of knowledge about how to engage hard to serve families and guide them to a more productive life after 3 years of mentorship.

Marilyn van Bibber
Marilyn belongs to the wolf clan of the Northern Tutchone people. Marilyn works throughout the Yukon and BC and now lives in Qualicum Beach, B.C.  Her education is in nursing, midwifery, and political science.  She has spent over thirty years working for First Nations and Aboriginal organizations, always with the goal of improving Aboriginal health. Marilyn is a founding member of the Aboriginal Nurses of Canada, Yukon Nurses Society, the BC FAS Resource Society, and the Medical Services Foundation Ethics Review Committee (Vancouver Foundation).  Currently she is an advisor with the Arctic Health Research Network-Yukon on ethics and Indigenous health research.  Marilyn is a board member of the Canada Northwest FASD Research Network. Marilyn has a long standing commitment to Aboriginal community health issues and the promotion of healthy families.  She believes that the key to self-determination in Aboriginal communities is in the healthy development of the next generation.

John Wright
John has been Principal of Elijah Smith School since 1996 and has worked as a teacher and administrator in mainly rural schools in Northern British Columbia and the Yukon for forty years.

Ted Hupe (principal) and Betty Byblow (counsellor), have been involved in the “Wrap around model” at Holy Family Elementary, YT.

Kathi Hughes
Kathi Hughes is Team Leader for the B.C. Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD), has many years of teaching experience in mainstream secondary and elementary, Learning Assistance, Alternate Education, and Special Education, teaching in challenging settings.

Judy Ratcliffe
Judy currently teaches at Takhini Elementary School.  She has been teaching since 1974; spending most with primary grades, resource room, and Learning Assistance.

Rick Goodfellow
Rick is the Executive Director of a non-profit agency, Challenge Community Vocational Alternatives, which provides employment supports and training to people with disabilities in the Yukon.  He also manages Career Industries, a manufacturing business that trains and employs people with disabilities.  Rick currently serves on the Yukon Human Rights Commission and is Chair of the Persons with Disabilities Advisory Committee to the City of Whitehorse.  He is also Co-chair of the Yukon Literacy Action Committee.  Rick has played an active role in national disability organizations, most notably with the Canadian Association of Independent Living Centres where Rick served on the Board as member at large, President and presently as Past President.  Rick also serves on the national Board of the Active Living Alliance of Persons with Disabilities.

Myles Himmelreich
Myles Himmelreich is a Motivational Speaker, Mentor, and Group Facilitator assisting youth and adults in dealing with day-to-day issues characteristic of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder. Also living with FASD, Myles has been able to use his own experiences to educate others about not only the challenges but also the strength that comes with facing and effectively dealing with issues often experienced by persons diagnosed with FASD. Mr. Himmelreich is a much sought after speaker having presented as Keynote Speaker at numerous conferences, is a published author, has well represented the FASD community within the media and serves on the Calgary Fetal Alcohol Network. His most recent accomplishment is the movie, “The Myle’s Himmelreich Story”, available on DVD (Produced and funded by the Saskatchewan Prevention Network.) Myles’ lifestyle includes sports, drawing, and supportive friendships, which help him to be a leading example both personally and professionally.

Terry Molnar
Terry Molnar is President of Options for Independence, a non-profit society that offers supportive housing to adults with FASD.

Melissa Croskey
Melissa Croskey graduated in 2000 from the University of Ottawa with a B.Sc. in Occupational Therapy and has been practicing as an Occupational Therapist for 10 years. She has worked at Children's Treatment Centres, working primarily with preschool children with autism. Melissa currently works in the Yukon for Department of Education.  She states that her sensory profile is varied, in that she is sensitive to and avoids many things such as textures of fabrics and foods, however she is also a seeker and needs to keep her hands and her mouth busy by fidgeting, drawing, and chewing gum!

Andy Nieman
Andy Nieman was recently appointed as the Yukon’s first Child and Youth Advocate. Andy was born and raised in Whitehorse. Growing up, Andy attended Christ the King Elementary School, Lower Post Indian Residential School, Skagway Public School, Whitehorse Elementary and F.H. Collins Secondary School. After being out of school for 22 years, he returned to further his education and graduated from the University of Regina with a Bachelor of Social Work degree in June of 2000. As a social worker, Andy worked as a Healing Therapist at Kwanlin Dun’s Community Wellness Program, and an Outreach worker at Child Abuse Treatment Services (Yukon Government). He then opened up a private counselling practice, Beautiful Journey Counseling Services. As a private practitioner, Andy specialized in treating trauma-based abuse with a major focus on healing the family and community impacts of the residential school syndrome.

Lynda Dechief
Lynda Dechief (pronounced DeShef) completed her Masters in Health Care & Epidemiology in 2003 on the health-care experiences of women impacted by violence and substance use.  She was hired that same year to develop a program in Surrey, BC for pregnant women facing these issues: the Maxxine Wright Community Health Centre, which opened in 2005. She now lives in Nelson, BC, and continues to be engaged in these issues in various ways, including helping to facilitate the development of a similar project in Victoria last year, called HerWay Home.

Fia Jampolsky
Fia is presently working for Cabott and Cabott Barristers primarily in the area of residential schools. She worked at Legal Aid for 10 years representing clients in family, criminal and child protection law, dealing with many clients with FASD.  Fia is also currently working on a research project looking at the intersection between FASD victims and offenders in the criminal justice system. For six years Fia was a board member of the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society of Yukon (FASSY).

Thomas Ullyett
Tom is the ADM of Legal Services at the Yukon Department of Justice, a position he's held since 2002. Recently, he was the acting ADM of Social Services in the Department of Health & Social Services, which included responsibility for both child protection services and addictions programming. From 1986 to 1997 he was counsel for the Director of Family & Children's Services. He has a B.A (Hon.) from Carleton University and a LL.B from the University of Ottawa.

Pamela Adamson
Pamela has worked in the field of Youth Justice for the last 22 years.  She currently coordinates the extrajudicial sanctions program at the Youth Probation office in Whitehorse. Her job also entails chairing the Whitehorse Youth Justice Panel.

David J. Christie
David was called to the British Columbia Bar in February 2000.  He was a Defence Lawyer with B.C. Legal Aid for 2 years.  He has been employed at Yukon Legal Services Society in Whitehorse, as a Defence lawyer since October 2002 practicing  primarily in the areas of family law, child protection, and criminal law.

John W. Phelps
John obtained a Bachelor of Laws Degree in 1997 and worked in private practice until January of 2003 when he joined the Department of Justice Canada as a prosecutor.  He is presently employed with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada as the Chief Federal Prosecutor, Yukon Region.  He was a member of the Executive of the Yukon Branch of the CBA from 2001 through 2005, sitting on the National Board in 2004-2005.  John is the current Chair of the Yukon Capability and Consent Board.  He has also sat on both the Law Society CLE Committee (2004 to 2009) and the Rules Committee (since 2004) and since 2006 as an elected member of the Executive of the Law Society. In his position with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada he has been involved with the Community Wellness Court throughout the development process and now as the lead prosecutor for the Court. 

Stacey Wakabayashi
Stacey is a Teacher Consultant with the Provincial Outreach Program for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (POPFASD) in B.C.  He has many years of teaching experience in mainstream secondary and elementary, Learning Assistance, Alternate Education, and Special Education -- teaching in challenging settings.

Brooke M. Alsbury
Brooke Alsbury holds a Bachelor’s degree in Therapeutic Recreation and a Master of Arts in Child and Youth Care. She is currently working towards a Ph.D with a focus on working with children, youth and families in Northern Canadian contexts. Brooke is originally from Vancouver Island, and has lived and worked in Nova Scotia, Nunavut and the Cayman Islands. She has lived in Whitehorse, Yukon since 2004.   Brooke has worked with children, youth, families and communities on issues of alcohol and drug abuse, marginalization, homelessness and poverty.  She has worked in wilderness programs, residential treatment, outreach, office and school based settings. She is an instructor for post-secondary programs in areas of child, youth and family development, substance abuse, and processes of change. Throughout her career she has worked directly with individuals, families and communities impacted by FASD. Through varying roles Brooke has worked towards eliminating stigma and has assisted in changing perceptions about FASD within communities. She operates from a strength based model, believing in the resilience and abilities of every individual and community. It is this lens that she brings to her position as the Executive Director of the Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Society of the Yukon (FASSY).

Ynklude Troupe (Whitehorse)
Ynklude is a group of about 30 artists and performers, with and without disabilities, who work together in a collective setting to develop new and unique works of art. Using a collective model Ynklude troupe's work portrays, intimately and thoughtfully one of society's most disadvantaged and invisible groups, women with disabilities. The work has been in the form of performing arts, visual arts and writings. Currently, they are rehearsing for a performance at a conference in Whistler B.C.

Jenny Jackson
Jenny Jackson is a parent of children with FASD and has shared her experiences by writing a book of poetry “Silent No More – A Poetic Voice Breaks The Silence of FASD”. Jenny was well received by our Alaskan neighbours when she shared her stories and poetry at the FASD Southeast Alaska Regional Conference in February 2010.