Dorothy Reid—Co-Chair

Dorothy Reid is the owner of Reid Wellness Consulting, providing consultation and training to individuals and organizations on maintaining wellness. Dorothy worked with the Correctional System primarily in the area of mental health service development and delivery. She has extensive professional experience in working with individuals with FASD and other mental health concerns and developed interventions for offenders with cognitive deficits. After obtaining a diagnosis of FASD for their two sons, Dorothy and her husband have been involved in the development of support groups for parent and caregivers of children with disabilities.

Tammy Roberts—Co-Chair

Tammy Roberts has been a committed professional parent since 1991, providing emergency and long term care to approximately 250 NWT foster children and youth with mild to extreme learning and behavioral disabilities. She continues to provide long-term care to individuals that have been prenatally exposed to drugs and alcohol as a foster and adoptive parent. Tammy has 9 children and 7 grandchildren and she is extremely proud of them all. For many years Tammy served as the Yellowknife Foster Family Association President, and cultivated her parenting skills through training, which has enabled her to deliver FASD workshops locally, territorially and nationally. Tammy has been a support to many children and parents across the north, and because of this was recognized with the Golden Jubilee Medal in 2002 for her contribution to the community and was a finalist for the Lynn Factor Stand Up for Kids Award in 2019. She has been the Executive Director of the Foster Family Coalition of the Northwest Territories since 2009 and in this position facilitates PRIDE Training and provides support to foster and adoptive parents and child protection workers across the territory. She is also the on the Executive of Canadian Foster Family Association and her local Royal Canadian Legion.

Pamela Belanger

Originally from Kahkewistahaw First Nation -Broadview, Saskatchewan, but I lived in Regina most of my life. I’ve worked in the human services field since 1995 and convocated from the University of Regina Social Work faculty in 2003. I have been employed with Eagle Heart Centre (EHC) since 2012, and I gradually transitioned into the Team Leader position. I currently supervise the Adult Mentoring Program (AMP) team who provide support services to adult with cognitive disabilities, such as FASD and the Housing Supports team.

I actively participate in different committees that include: Cognitive Disability Steering Committee, Cognitive Disability Strategy Intake committee, Regina FASD Network, and Provincial FASD Coordinating Committee. I also participated in the Canadian Mentoring Project in 2019-20 and delivered FASD presentations to Aboriginal Head Start programs throughout the provinces.

I have also had other opportunities to deliver presentations to highlight the unique services provided by the Eagle Heart Centre – Adult Mentoring Program. My highlight of presentations was at the Calgary FASD Conference held in October 2017.

I am very compassionate about my work and my involvement has been rewarding. I will continue to embrace the journey and emphasize the importance of FASD awareness through education, advocacy, and supports within the community.

Melissa Dobson

Melissa is a parent of three children, all adopted at birth, all prenatally exposed to alcohol and all amazing.  She holds a PhD in biochemistry where she discovered genes involved in Vitamin B12 metabolism. From scientific bench work, she went on to expand her horizons as she realized she needed to shift her career so she could support her children while also pursing her career.  For over a decade, she has ben an instructor at a polytechnic institute in a Bachelors of Technology Management program. Combining her passions of teaching, learning and supporting families like hers, she is embarking on a life that blends these three roles. She has various student projects that help support children with disabilities, including those with FASD;  she keeps learning and thinking and trying ways to redesign systems for supports; and she is involved in numerous organizations and committees to support children with neurodevelopmental delays. All these are efforts to try and shift the needle for children like hers to flourish.

Joyce Fast

Joyce Fast lives in a small town in southern Manitoba with her 6 children and husband. She loves working in a personal care home for seniors as a Health Care Aide and been there since 2003.

Joyce’s compassion for the vulnerable led her and her husband to start fostering in 2010. Through this experience she started to learn about trauma, attachment and FASD. When one of her daughters was diagnosed with FASD in 2017, Joyce went in search of learning as much as she could to aide her own daughters development. This naturally led her to becoming a family supporter and FASD advocate in her community. In 2020 Joyce and Randy added 3 more kids to their home and work tirelessly to support and help their children.

Recently Joyce took her knowledge and skills and started working as an EA in her local school to support her kids and support the school. This has pushed Joyce to use and develop her knowledge and skills even more.

Seeing the struggles individuals with FASD face, and the misunderstanding of the diagnosis that many people have, has fueled Joyce to reach out and support and teach about the diagnosis. She has become a caring advocate for many families. This also led her to try helping on a larger scale and joined the FAC family. Joyce is excited to work alongside like-minded people and to help grow awareness and supports for people with FASD and those who support them.

FASD is hard and very misunderstood. Joyce is hoping to change the world’s views about FASD and bring hope to individuals living with FASD and help to teach people to be tolerant and understanding of those who are different and those who are living with FASD.

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Alicia Munn

I am from Fredericton New Brunswick; married my high school sweetheart. I have two children ages 20 and 9. My son has a diagnosis of FASD. My daughter has a Diagnosis of ADHD. My children are my passion. They are kind, compassionate, talented individuals. They both have beautiful gifts to offer the world.

Working in a vocational setting set the presidency for my work experience with vulnerable populations. This gave me the opportunity to work with adults with intellectual disabilities and special needs. Respite care was presented to me by a family and I have the privilege of offering respite to several families during my life. I am also a Licence Practical nurse with extensive experience in various sectors of health care including but not limited to med surge, psychiatry and emergency room. Advocacy is important to me it speared my passion to create the Fredericton FASD support group which provides inclusion, support, advocacy and awareness to individuals with FASD and their supports. As a support group we have been able to host and successfully have 2nd annual FASD Camp. We have been in operation since 2019 and offer supports to over a 100 families. I am also on the committee for the NB Parent Advisory committee.

During my different careers I have received training in Gentle Persuasive approach in dementia care, non-violent crisis training, FASD training. I have also attended many conferences and webinars about FASD, Trauma.

Noah from the chest up, smiling at the camera in a big winter coat and hat, standing outside in the snow with the sun shining on him.

Noah Noah

Noah is the parent and sibling of people he loves who may have and do have diagnosed FASD. Noah identifies as someone who may have FASD and is passionate about creating FASD informed and aware systems and services, including access to culturally safe assessment and diagnosis for Nunavummiut. Noah has worked in corrections and as a helper for over fifteen years and continues to contribute to the community, especially through open, dignity-promoting conversations about FASD and other neurodiversities.

Marsha Wilson

Marsha is the parent of an internationally adopted adult son with FASD. She has a master’s degree in leadership and special education and did her thesis on the design and implementation of support groups for families living with FASD. She has been a college instructor in special education and disability studies for 30 years, teaches a course on supporting families and has co-authored curriculum on support groups for FASD. Marsha works in private practice supporting families with children with FASD and volunteers on the board of a local child development centre. She is also dedicated to supporting her youngest brother who lives with disabilities.

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Danette Wright

I am a mom of 3 children, my oldest having FASD. I graduated from the University of New Brunswick with my certificate in FASD Studies. I have lived in Grande Cache, Alberta, my entire life and loved being the FASD Support Worker, and being on the Family Advisory Committee will be another way for me to help the FASD Community.