In 2019, the federal government announced its commitment to developing a National Autism Strategy. In response, the Kids Brain Health Training Program, partnered with the Canadian Autism Spectrum Disorder Alliance (CASDA), offered graduate students, postdocs, and research associates the opportunity to support the creation of this Strategy in five key areas: access/affordability, information, employment, housing, and research. We received many impressive applications for this practicum, but only five applicants stood out as exceptional.
We are pleased to announce the winners of the KBHN-CASDA Policy Development Practicum Award Results:
2022-2023 Policy Fellows
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I have always reflected on the components of providing person-centered care to Autistic individuals across their lifespan. Through the Policy Fellowship with Kids Brain Health Network and Autism Alliance of Canada, I get to explore Autism policies around the world and learn about topics like reproductive and sexual health, Autism-friendly healthcare environments, approaches to seniors’ care and more. Through meaningful collaborations with our team of experts, including those with lived experience, I love this opportunity to build my understanding of providing comprehensive care.”
~ Dr. Preeti Kar |
Previous Policy Fellows
Jessica Baraskewich
Jessica Baraskewich is a PhD Candidate in School and Applied Child Psychology at the University of Calgary where her research focuses on mental health in autistic youth. Under the supervision of Dr. Carly McMorris, her dissertation project is examining body image and eating concerns in teens with and without autism.
Wasan Nagib
After several years of professional practice as an architect and a community planner, I began my graduate career at McMaster University with an interest in creating enabling environments for individuals with disabilities and developing evidence-based policies to improve their inclusion in employment, housing, and the broader community.
Dr. Jacalyn Guy
Jacalyn Guy earned her BSc, MSc, and PhD (Neuroscience) all at McGill University and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Oxford. She investigated sensory-related abilities that underpin cognition and behaviour in autism and fragile-x syndrome.
Hadas Dahary
Hadas is a doctoral candidate of the School/Applied Child Psychology program at McGill University. She has a keen interest in supporting the autism community in her capacities as a researcher- and clinician-intraining.
John Sheehan
John is currently a Ph.D. candidate in Clinical Neuropsychology at the University of Victoria, where he specializes in early assessment/diagnosis of diverse neurodevelopmental concerns (e.g., ASD, FASD, very preterm birth), as well as the development and evaluation of accessible and affordable clinical interventions (e.g., the KBHN-funded Dino Island Training Program for Attention and Executive Functioning, led by Dr. Sarah Macoun).
Jessi Lewis
Jessi Lewis, M.Sc., is a doctoral student in the University of Victoria’s Clinical Neuropsychology program and received her B.Sc. in Biopsychology, Cognition, and Neuroscience from the University of Michigan. Jessi's research interests include development and use of accessible, evidence-informed supports for youth with neurodevelopmental disabilities (NDDs) as a way to improve health-related quality of life, equity, and inclusion.
Vanessa Fong
Vanessa Fong is a doctoral student supervised by Dr. Grace Iarocci in the Developmental Psychology program at Simon Fraser University. Her thesis adopts a community engaged approach to understanding quality of life and service navigation in culturally diverse families raising autistic children.
Daljit Gill-Badesha
Daljit Gill-Badesha, EdD (Cand) is a seasoned advocate and experienced leader in the non-profit and government sectors, providing leadership for municipal and provincial initiatives.
Dr. Stephen Gentles
Dr. Stephen has a background in health information and clinical epidemiology, and his program of research is aimed at helping parents of children with development disabilities by developing knowledge and tools to support the important roles they play in navigating and implementing care and intervention.
Brittany Finlay
Her research focuses on analyzing disability policy in Canada to evaluate the extent to which policy is meeting the needs of individuals with disabilities. Her work focuses on comparing and contrasting the design and delivery of disability programs across the country, and determining the barriers and facilitators to accessing disability programs in Canada.
Vanessa Tomas
Vanessa Tomas, M.Sc., is a SSHRC-funded Ph.D. candidate in the Rehabilitation Sciences Institute and Collaborative Program in Neuroscience.
Contact Us
If you have any questions about the KBHN National Training Program, or if you want to learn more about the KBHN-Autism Alliance of Canada Policy Development Practicum Award and other opportunities for trainees, please contact training@kidsbrainhealth.ca.
