Staff

Audrey McFarlane, B.CR; MBA (CED), A.O.E. — Executive Director

Ms. McFarlane is the Executive Director for the Canada Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder Research Network.  She was one of the founders of the Lakeland Centre for FASD in Alberta and led this organization for almost 20 years.  Through this work she was instrumental in the development of FASD diagnostic and support services in rural communities that has been adopted across the country.

In the past 30 years she has been passionate about working with individuals with FASD, their families and service system to develop best practice service models in rural diagnosis; community outreach and prevention. Audrey has presented at the local, regional, national and international level on many issues related to FASD.   As, Executive Director of the Canada FASD Research Network since 2017, she directs and encourages research in areas of FASD that is meaningful to families, individuals with FASD, policy makers, service providers and to promote healthy pregnancies.

In 2023, Audrey was awarded the Alberta Order of Excellence for her work, which is the highest honor the province can bestow on a citizen.

In 2024, she was presented with the Canadian Medical Association Owen Adams Award of Honour – the highest CMA award available to a non-physician for her work in helping individuals and communities impacted by FASD.

She lives in a small rural community in the province of Alberta with her husband.  She has two children who are young adults.  She is also the primary caregiver of her aging parents and sister with Down Syndrome.

FASD continues to challenge and motivate Audrey to find and share solutions for meeting the needs of those engaged in this field.

Social Media contact:
@audrey.mcfarlane on Twitter
LinkedIn:  Audrey McFarlane

Kathy Unsworth, MPH, MBA — Managing Director

Kathy Unsworth works at CanFASD as the Managing Director and is responsible for provincial and federal government relations, working with researchers to translate science into policy as well as managing the National FASD Database, employing her background in public health and community development to use evidence-based research to inform programs and policies to improve the lives of those with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder.

Victoria Bailey, BAS, M.S.Com — Communications Manager

Victoria received her Bachelor of Arts and Science degree from the University of Guelph in 2016 and her Masters of Science Communication degree from Laurentian University in 2019. Her master’s research was conducted in partnership with Public Health Sudbury and Districts and focused on developing effective message frameworks to communicate information about the social determinants of health. Victoria is passionate about health communication and is excited to share the incredible work that CanFASD does with the rest of the world. Victoria will be on sabbatical for 2024.

Celisse Bibr — Research Assistant

Celisse is a part-time research assistant with CanFASD, and part-time PhD student at Laurentian University. Celisse completed her Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Health in 2018, studying the knowledge of FASD in medical students. Her PhD work explores awareness and prevention of FASD in Northern Ontario, involving the creation of a model to define what “effectiveness” means when it comes to FASD prevention campaigns. Celisse previously worked with CanFASD on the CHOoSE housing project and will currently be assisting with the National FASD Database – alongside any other activities she can help with!

Katherine Flannigan, PhD, R. Psych. — Research Associate

Dr. Katherine Flannigan is a Research Associate at the Canada FASD Research Network and a registered psychologist in the provinces of Alberta and British Columbia (out-of-province). Dr. Flannigan received her PhD in School and Clinical Child Psychology from the University of Alberta, and completed a post-doctoral research fellowship in Pediatrics at the University of British Columbia. Her interests centre on the clinical and social implications of neurodevelopmental diversity, with a special focus on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) and factors that help to support strengths and wellbeing. Dr. Flannigan has been working in the FASD field since 2006, as both a researcher and service provider with individuals and families.

Kelly D. Harding, PhD — Director of Research Administration

Dr. Kelly Harding received her PhD in Interdisciplinary Rural and Northern Health from Laurentian University in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Kelly is the Director of Research Administration and a Research Associate with the Canada FASD Research Network. She is also an Adjunct Faculty member in the Department of Psychology at Laurentian University. Kelly has a background in human development, interdisciplinary health, and health service delivery, particularly in rural and Northern communities. She has worked in the field of FASD since 2010 and is involved in diverse research projects in the areas of FASD prevention and women’s health, FASD assessment and diagnosis, family well-being, mental health, and human rights.

Lindsay Wolfson, MPH — Research Assistant

Lindsay is a researcher with the Canada FASD Research Network and Research Manager at the Centre of Excellence for Women’s Health. Lindsay Wolfson holds a Master of Public Health, Social Inequities and Health from Simon Fraser University. She is currently responsible for research and collaboration on projects relating to Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder prevention, and the integration of gender-, trauma-, culture- and equity-informed approaches into policy, research, and practice.