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The Asante Centre Team

DR. KWADWO OHENE ASANTE, PAEDIATRICS, MSM, B.Sc., MB.ChB., FRCPC, DABP

Dr. Asante is the Medical Director of The Asante Centre for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. He is recognized as an expert in the area of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and was one of the first paediatricians to study and publish on fetal alcohol syndrome in Canada. Dr. Asante has recently been awarded the Meritorious Service Medal of Canada in recognition of more than thirty years of dedicated service for individuals, families, and communities impacted by FASD.

Dr. Asante's credentials include:

• B.Sc. - University of British Columbia (1958)
• MB.ChB - University of Glasgow (1964)
• Involved in extensive Paediatric practice in Northern British Columbia and the Yukon as Consultant
• Paediatrician to four hospitals (1970-1990).
• Medical Director of Kitimat Child Development Centre (1973-1990).
• Clinical Assistant Professor, Paediatrics UBC (1983-1995).
• Clinical Asst. Professor Emeritus, Paediatrics. University of British Columbia 1995 - current)
• Paediatrician, The Asante Centre for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (2000-present).
• Consultant Paediatrician, Maple Ridge, B.C. (1990-present).
• Medical Director, Child Development Centre, Maple Ridge, B.C. (1991-1996)
• Consultant at the Fetal Alcohol Clinic, Sunny Hill Health Centre for Children, Vancouver (1992-1995).
• Chair of the BC FAS Resource Society (1996-1997).
• Appointed to the B.C. Children's Commission (1997-2002).
• Received the honour of "Friend of the University and of Northern B.C." from the University of Northern British Columbia May 1994.
• Elected a "Senior Member" of the Canadian Medical Association in 2000 for contributions to medicine in Canada.
• Honorary Degree of Doctor of Laws, University of Northern BC May 28, 2004
• Meritorious Service Medal of Canada
• Black Business Profesionals 2007 Harry Jarome Award for Health Sciences
  

JULIANNE CONRY, Ph.D., R. Psych

Dr. Conry is a Registered Pyschologist and provides the psychological assessments for FAS diagnosis as part of the multidisciplinary team at The Asante Centre for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome in Maple Ridge, B.C. In collaboration with Pacific Legal Education Association, a project is currently underway to provide assessments, services, and alternatives to custody for youth with FASD in trouble with the law.

Julianne Conry received her Ph.D. from the University of Wisconsin, and is retired from the University of British Columbia after 33 years in the Department of Educational and Counselling Psychology and Special Education. Dr. Conry has been active in research and the clinical assessment of children, youth and adults with FASD for over 20 years and has appeared as expert witness on FAS in the Provincial and Supreme Courts of British Columbia and the Yukon. Following completion of a research study on youth in the criminal justice system, she published a book with Dr. Diane Fast entitled, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the Criminal Justice System. She was a member and co-chair of Health Canada's first National Advisory Committee on FASD and its subcommittee on Screening, Diagnosis, and Surveillance. Along with members of that committee, she is co-author of "Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder: Canadian Guideline of Diagnosis" (CMAJ, March 2005). She has developed several training and education manuals, including "Working with students with Fetal Alcohol Syndrome/Effects: A Resource Guide for Teachers: published by the Ministry of Education, and has collaborated on training programs for the RCMP and "Community Action Guide" (B.C. Ministry for Children and Families, Province of B.C.)

KAREN BENTLEY, M.Sc., R. Psych. Assoc.

Karen Bentley received her M.Sc. at the University of Calgary in 1994, after leading one of the first studies on bullying in Canada as part of her thesis. She worked as a School Psychologist in the Maple Ridge School District for four years before transferring to the Langley School District in 1998, where she continues to work. She provides Psycho-Educational assessments as part of the Asante Centre diagnostic team.

AUDREY SALAHUB

Audrey is the Executive Director at The Asante Centre for Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. She is the parent of two young adults, one of whom has Fetal Alcohol Syndrome. Audrey has been a driving force behind broad community efforts to address the issue of FASD throughout BC. Audrey's vision and her outstanding efforts to mobilize individuals, families, and organizations were fundamental to the development of The Asante Centre. She was the project coordinator for the development of the book "Fetal Alcohol Syndrome and the Criminal Justice System", written by Dr. Julianne Conry and Dr. Diane Fast. Audrey has over ten years of experience as a family advocate, educator, and administrator. She has been a member of the FAS Provincial Consultation Group and a resource parent for the Society for Special Needs Adoptive Parents (SNAP). Audrey is currently a director of the BC FAS Resource Society and an active member of the Maple Ridge Child, Youth and Family Network, the Ridge Meadows Early Child Development Committee, the 2005 UBC Continuing Education FASD Conference Planning Committee, and a member of the Fraser Health Child Health Collaborative Feasibility Group.

CAROL WOODWORTH, M.Sc., S-LP (C)

As a Speech and Language Pathologist, Carol has over twenty years experience in speech and language disorders including several years as part of a diagnostic and rehab team at the Variety Development Centre in Surrey. She has provided speech and language services to the Maple Ridge School District since 1984. Carol provides practicum supervision for the University of British Columbia of Audiology and Speech Sciences and has provided courses and in-service for School District personnel in the areas of communication strategies, autism, and augmentative communication. Carol provides workshops on language disorders for The Asante Centre Education Program.

Kristal was a 2003 graduate from the U.B.C. Speech-Language Pathology program and worked in Lillooet, B.C. before moving to Maple Ridge.  She has been a member of the Asante Centre multidisciplinary diagnostic team since 2005.  She has developed an expertise in the assessment of individuals with FASD and also works on the Autism assessment team at the centre.  In addition to assessment and diagnosis, Kristal also provides individual therapy to individuals with speech and language deficits and delays as well as professional development for other individuals working with children and youth with FASD.

JAMIE HACK, M.Sc., S-LP

Jamie is a 2009 graduate of the University of British Columbia Speech-Language Pathology program. Jamie has previously worked with children aged 6-12 in the Mental Health Unit at BC Children’s Hospital, and his research experience includes Oji-Cree language acquisition and speech impairment in ESL children. He has been a member of the Asante Centre Diagnostic team since 2009. He is developing expertise in the assessment of individuals with FASD, as well as working on the autism assessment team at the Centre.  In addition to assessment and diagnosis, Jamie also provides individual therapy to individuals with speech and language deficits and delays.

Dr. Jake Locke is a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist and an Assistant Clinical Professor with the Department of Psychiatry – University of British Columbia. He is presently the Medical Director of the Child Psychiatry Inpatient Unit at B.C. Children's Hospital and works at the Outpatient Clinic – Substance Clinic and Urgent Assessment Clinic. Dr. Locke also contracts with the Fraser Health Assessment Network to assess children with complex behaviours.  Dr. Locke took his training at the University of British Columbia and internship at the University of Ottawa. 

Allison Pooley works with the FASD Youth Justice Program as the Family and Community Support Coordinator for the Asante Centre.  In this role she assists individuals, family members and service providers in understanding the diagnostic process as well as the implications for providing integrated post-assessment supports and services.  Allison has been involved in FASD prevention and intervention efforts for over five years both in northern BC and the Lower Mainland. She has benefitted from her interactions with families living with FASD, including children, youth and adults, and brings her knowledge and understanding to the position.