The 2011 CASLPA awards go to.....
Click
on links below for bios and photos
Lifetime Achievement
Award - Leslie Wellman
Eve
Kassirer Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement
- Catriona M. Steele
Mentorship
Award -
Carla Scholten
Supportive
Personnel Award of Excellence - Lynn Roy
Editor's
Award - Janis Carscadden, Pamela Corsiatto,
Lita Ericson, Robin Illchuk, Carrie Esopenko, Erin Fenton, Gregory
D. Wells, Scott Oddie
Isabel
Richard Student Paper Award
- Karine Dupuis, University of British Columbia,
S-LP
Award
of Excellence for Interprofessional Collaboration -
Early Langauge and Literacy Program Partnership Team: School
District No. 23, Kelowna, BC
Promotions
Award - Jason Schmiedge and Cassandra Grabowski
Consumer
Advocacy Award - Mike Hughes (posthumous)
Certification
Exam Award - Mary MacDonald (Audiology)
& Lyndsay Martin (Speech-Language Pathology)
Student
Excellence Awards - Dalhousie University:
Sarah Dhooge (S-LP), Dalhousie University: Kaitlyn Watters (Aud),
McGill University: Emilie Leroux (S-LP), University of British
Columbia: Kelly-Ann Casey (Aud), University of British Columbia:
Megan Staniforth (S-LP), University of Western Ontario: Jacob
Sulkers (Aud), University of Western Ontario: Andréa
Martin (S-LP), University of Alberta: April King (S-LP), University
of Toronto: Jessica Pearl Davenport (S-LP), Université
d'Ottawa: Ann Heafey (S-LP), Université Laval: Catherine
Thomassin (S-LP)
Check out
previous Award Winners and Acceptance Speeches
Lifetime
Achievement Award
Awarded to a member of CASLPA (may be
awarded posthumously) who has a long history of distinguished
and dedicated service to both CASLPA and the professions of
speech-language pathology or audiology in any area; administration,
education, volunteer work or clinical services. Nominees must
have a minimum of 25 years of CASLPA membership.
Leslie Wellman
Leslie
completed her B.Sc. in speech-language pathology at the University
of Alberta, returning years later as a “mature” student
to complete her master’s degree. She began her career at
the University of Alberta Hospital, working predominately with
preschoolers with hearing impairment. A few years later, she
joined the Department of Communication Disorders at the Glenrose
Rehabilitation Hospital to expand her clinical skills with stroke
and brain injured adult populations. During her 30 years at
Glenrose, Leslie worked in many pediatric and adult programs
specifically to advance her knowledge and skills in voice, augmentative
communication language learning disorders, motor speech disorders,
and dysphagia. Her manager, Elaine Heaton, labeled Leslie “our
department’s specialized generalist”. Further to her
clinical work, Leslie participated in research projects with
Megan Hodge and was the project lead for implementation of the
Toronto Bedside Swallowing Screening Test in the Edmonton region.
During the last five years, Leslie has taken on the role of
professional practice leader for speech-language pathology at
the University of Alberta and Royal Alexandra Hospitals in Edmonton.
During her career, Leslie, and her husband of 38 years, Doug,
raised three children and are embracing their new “careers”
as nana and grandpa.
Eve
Kassirer Award for Outstanding Professional Achievement
Awarded to a CASLPA member who has made a significant contribution
in the areas of education, clinical services, administration,
or public awareness and has fostered the development and advancement
of the professions of speech-language pathology or audiology
nationally or internationally.
Catriona M. Steele
Dr.
Catriona M. Steele is the director of the Swallowing Rehabilitation
Research Laboratory at the Toronto Rehabilitation Institute.
She teaches in the graduate department of speech-language pathology
at the University of Toronto. Prior to completing her PhD, she
worked as a medical speech-language pathologist for 10 years.
Catriona is known for her commitment to pursuing theoretically-driven
research that will underpin clinical interventions with sound
empirical evidence. She has received particular recognition
for her work on tongue function in swallowing. Catriona holds
research funding from the National Institutes of Health in the
United States, a Canadian Institutes of Health Research New
Investigator Award and has more than 50 peer-reviewed publications.
Dr. Steele is in demand as a teacher around the world, and has
given workshops and invited lectures across North America, Europe,
Japan, China, Korea, New Zealand and Australia. Dr. Steele served
as president of the Canadian Association of Speech-Language
Pathologists and Audiologists from 1998 to 2000. She is a past
board member of the Dysphagia Research Society, is a board-recognized
specialist in swallowing and is the immediate past coordinator
of ASHA’s Special Interest Division 13 (Swallowing and
Swallowing Disorders). Last November, Catriona was inducted
as an ASHA Fellow.
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Mentorship
Award
Awarded to a CASLPA member who has significantly influenced or
contributed to the clinical training and/or professional development
of a student(s) or colleague(s) in the field of speech-language
pathology or audiology, either as a clinical supervisor or a mentor.
Carla Scholten
Carla
Scholten was raised in Saint John, New Brunswick and attended
Dalhousie University for her undergraduate degree. In 1983,
she obtained her M. Sc. from Dalhousie University, School of
Human Communication Disorders in Speech-Language Pathology and
became a member of CASLPA. Carla worked at Saint John Regional
Hospital from 1983 to 1985. Since then, Carla has been employed
with Nova Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres (NSHSC), first in
Kentville and currently in Windsor. As a sole charge clinician
at Hants Community Hospital, S-LP services are provided for
children (birth to school entry) and adults. The NSHSC affiliation
with Dalhousie University provides opportunity for clinical
placements. Since 1988, Carla has supervised practicums for
22 individual S-LP students, 20 S-LP students using a peer coaching
model, and two supportive personnel. She has mentored eight
students interested in pursuing a career in speech-language
pathology by providing volunteer opportunities and summer grant
placements. Since July 2005, Carla has been adjunct professor
(clinical) with the university. In the workplace, she has served
on union negotiation teams and as a steward. For many years,
Carla facilitated an inter-agency screening program for young
children. Carla lives in Ste. Croix, Nova Scotia with her husband,
Timothy Crowell.
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Supportive
Personnel Award of Excellence
Awarded to a CASLPA supportive personnel member who has demonstrated
excellence in their field. Considerations include distinction
in assisting speech-language pathologists and/or audiologists
with implementation of treatment plans, materials etc., demonstration
of outstanding team participation and excellence in the provision
of patient/client care.
Lynn Roy
Lynn
Roy graduated from the Technique en garderie program at new
Brunswick Community College (NBCC), Campbellton, in 1989. She
has worked at the Chaleur Regional Hospital in Bathurst, New
Brunswick since 1989, first in pediatrics with the Child Life
Program and then in the medical imaging department. She joined
the speech-language pathology department as a rehabilitation
assistant in 2005 and has been a supportive personnel member
of CASLPA since 2007. While she enjoys all aspects of her work,
she especially loves interacting with children diagnosed with
autism spectrum disorders and participating in feeding team
treatment sessions. In addition to her supportive and clinical
work, she attends continuing education sessions on a wide range
of topics, regularly supervises students enrolled in the Techniques
en réadaptation program at NBCC and provides screening
test demonstrations to nursing students. She is also an enthusiastic
volunteer within the hospital and amateur sport communities,
and holds a special place in her heart for her work with the
Children’s Wish Foundation and Relay for Life.
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The
Editor's Award
Recognizes the best paper published in the Canadian Journal
of Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology within the calendar
year (January 1 - December 31, 2010). CASLPA membership is not
a requirement.
A Pilot Study to Evaluate a New Early Screening
Instrument for Speech Language Delays (Volume 34, No. 2, Summer/été
2010. pp. 87-95)
Janis Carscadden, Pamela
Corsiatto, Lita Ericson, Robin Illchuk, Carrie Esopenko, Erin
Fenton, Gregory D. Wells, Scott Oddie
(Photographed left to right)
The early identification of speech and language
delays is a crucial first step in the effective prevention of
developmental and socioemotional problems. Children’s early
cognitive and language development has bearing on later development
and readiness for learning and social competence. The Speech
and Language Pathology Early Screening Instrument (SLPESI) was
developed to identify possible speech and language delays in
18 to 21-month-old children. The purpose of the present study
was to pilot the SLPESI and assess its ability to identify speech
and language delays in children of this age group.
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Isabel
Richard Student Paper Award
Awarded to one CASLPA student member for the best paper written
on a specific topic related to the professions. Papers are judged
on both style and content.
Karine Dupuis, University
of British Columbia, S-LP - Topic - Application of new or emerging
technology in speech-language pathology and/or audiology –
Help or hindrance?
Karine
Dupuis graduated from the University of Calgary in 2008 with
an honours B.A. in linguistics, and is currently completing
her M.Sc. thesis in speech-language pathology at the University
of British Columbia (UBC). Her thesis research, supported by
the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada
and UBC, investigates the influence of lip reading on speech
discrimination and language comprehension in individuals with
aphasia. Native to Montreal, Karine grew up speaking French
and through her experiences with different languages, became
passionate about first and second language acquisition as well
as bilingualism. During her undergraduate studies, she obtained
funding to conduct research on second language phonology, and
also worked as a language assistant in an elementary school
through the Odyssey program – a Canadian government-funded
initiative that promotes students’ knowledge of language
and culture. This experience sparked a strong interest in language
learning in minority settings and learning disabilities in school-age
children. Through her clinical placements in acute care and
rehabilitation during graduate school, she also developed a
keen interest in nutrition and dysphagia, as well as counselling.
Karine will begin her professional career in the spring of 2011
and hopes for the opportunity to take part in clinical research
in the future.
Read her essay
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Award
of Excellence for Interprofessional Collaboration
To recognize interprofessional collaboration
and acknowledge the role that speech-language pathologists and
audiologists play on interprofessional teams. The award is presented
to an interprofessional team that has contributed/impacted/strengthened
patient/client outcomes and/or the fields of speech-language
pathology or audiology through their collaboration and teamwork.
Teams must consist of at least one CASLPA member speech-language
pathologist or audiologist and at least two other health, education
or other appropriate professionals.
Early Langauge and Literacy Program
Partnership Team: School District No. 23, Kelowna, BC
Clara
Sulz, Patricia Smith and Donna Kozak have worked closely as
an early learning team in School District No. 23 in Kelowna,
British Columbia for the past 12 years. They bring diversity
of experience to their team, but share a common passion for
all children at risk. Clara, an educator for the past 35 years,
spent 20 years in the Canadian Arctic, as both a teacher and
principal, where her passion for meeting the needs of diverse
learners was ignited. As a principal, and now director of instruction
in Kelowna, she continues to lead by example and is instrumental
in supporting and guiding early language and literacy initiatives.
Pat is a practicing S-LP and CASLPA member since 1972, who has
worked for School District No. 23 for the past 20 years. She
has worked in hospital settings, health units and has been a
lecturer at the University of Saskatchewan and the University
of British Columbia, Okanagan. Pat’s enthusiasm to share
her expertise has offered her team the necessary link between
language and literacy. For the past 27 years, Donna has been
a primary teacher, a teacher for students with literacy learning
disabilities and an adjunct professor for both preservice and
inservice teachers. Fusing the speech-language pathology field
with literacy instruction has enabled Donna to help deepen the
understandings of literacy learning among her education colleagues.
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Promotions
Award
This award honours deserving individuals for outstanding contributions
in promoting awareness and understanding of human communication
and its disorders in Canada.
Jason
Schmiedge and Cassandra Grabowsk
Jason
and Cassandra graduated from Minot State University in North
Dakota. Since 2006, they have managed the Expert Hearing Solutions
hearing clinic in Saskatoon. In 2008, they were the recipient
of a Better Business Bureau Award for Saskatchewan, in recognition
of business ethics in the category of professional service.
Last year, they were a finalist for a Saskatchewan Healthcare
Excellence Award, the first time a hearing clinic was recognized
for healthcare service in Saskatchewan. Over the years, Cassandra
and Jason have mentored six audiology graduate students. For
two and half years, they have conducted a monthly radio show,
called Talk to the Experts, to create awareness in all areas
of hearing. They have handed out earplugs at monster truck rallies,
dispensed free earplugs to concert goers and given numerous
public presentations on the need for hearing protection. Jason
has also conducted hearing screenings with the British Columbia
Special Olympics Summer Games. Located in Saskatoon’s busy
Lawson Heights Mall, their practice lends itself to many walk-in
questions that have created a much better awareness about hearing
healthcare. Jason and Cassandra dispense a wide variety of hearing
aids and assistive listening devices to address all aspects
of life. With Cassandra specializing in pediatrics and Jason
in tinnitus, the scope of practice is very diverse with Expert
Hearing Solutions.
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Consumer
Advocacy Award
Awarded to an individual (or group) that is not a speech-language
pathologist or audiologist, but has made an outstanding impact
on the profession(s) by actively and significantly advocating
on behalf of individuals with communication disorders.
Mike
Hughes (posthumous)
Mike
was the executive director and founder of Speak Easy Canada
Inc., Canada’s first charitable organization for people
who stutter. A stutterer himself, he worked to help others who
shared his impediment. After finding relief from severe stuttering
for the first time in his life, Mike became the Canadian distributor
for the Edinburgh Masker, a stuttering suppressing device. People
consulted Speak Easy, based in Saint John, New Brunswick, to
try the device and for advice on managing speech-related problems.
As his reputation and the demands on his time grew, he received
the support of his wife and children to resign from the local
power company and start running Speak Easy full-time from home.
The Speak Easy mission is to provide information and support
to adult stutterers, parents of stuttering children, professionals
in the field, and the general public. Serving as executive director
for 22 years, Mike disseminated information by phone, pamphlets,
a mail-operated resource library and publishing a monthly newsletter,
Speaking Out, with interesting articles and advice for parents
and adults. He also encouraged and supported many local support
groups for people who stutter across Canada. Mike successfully
fundraised for donations, sponsorships and funding grants from
various federal and provincial government agencies, corporations,
and foundations to fund the organization and its work. At its
pinnacle, the organization reached thousands of people and boasted
more than 1,100 dues-paying members from across the country.
In December 2006, Mike published the 275th and final issue of
Speaking Out.
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Certification
Exam Award
Awarded to the CASLPA member in each profession who attains
the highest score on the certification exam during the 2010
year.
Lyndsay Martin, Speech-Language
Pathology
Lyndsay
grew up in Richmond, British Columbia. She pursued a degree
in genetics at the University of British Columbia before working
several years delivering science-based educational programs
in the Vancouver area. Speech-language pathology was a good
match between her scientific background and interest in working
with school-age children, and Lyndsay completed her M.Cl.Sc.
at the University of Western Ontario in 2010. While studying
in London, she had the opportunity to complete clinical practica
in several provinces, as well as being strongly involved in
her university and community. Lyndsay is currently working for
a school board and early years program in the B.C. Southern
Interior.
Mary MacDonald, Audiology
Mary
is currently completing a M.Sc. in audiology at the University
of British Columbia. After graduating with an honours bachelor
of medical sciences degree from the University of Western Ontario
in 2007, Mary spent a year working as a communication assistant
with the Augmentative Communication Community Partnerships of
Canada. This experience, in conjunction with a passion for human
anatomy and physiology, led her to pursue graduate studies in
audiology. She is currently working on a Canadian Institutes
of Health Research funded research project examining the association
between hearing loss and depression in older adults. This research
project affords her many valuable interdisciplinary opportunities,
most notably the chance to speak with several groups of geriatric
physicians, nurses and allied health professionals about hearing
loss and management strategies in the elderly. She was also
recently a guest speaker at a Canadian Hard of Hearing Association
meeting, where she discussed the consequences of untreated hearing
loss in older adults. After graduation, Mary plans to return
to Ontario, her home province, to pursue a career in pediatric
audiology – a challenging but exciting change of pace from
her current work with an older adult population.
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Student
Excellence Awards
Awarded to a CASLPA student member in their graduating
year of study, in each of the speech-language pathology and
audiology training programs in Canada. Nominees are judged to
be the best all-round future professional, shall have shown
significant enthusiasm for their profession and have instilled
in others a desire to contribute to the development and growth
of speech-language pathology or audiology.
Sarah Dhooge, Dalhousie
University, S-LP
Sarah
is completing her final year of studies in the human communication
disorders master of science program at Dalhousie University.
Sarah has been dedicated to obtaining teaching, research, and
clinical skills in preparation for her entrance into the field
of speech-language pathology. Sarah graduated with undergraduate
degrees from the University of Toronto (2003) and Dalhousie
(2007). In the years between completion of her undergraduate
degrees, Sarah taught children with developmental disorders
in Toronto and Halifax. She is now a teaching assistant in the
psychology department at Dalhousie. Sarah has developed research
skills at the Language and Literacy Lab at Dalhousie, the Child
Language Lab at the School of Human Communication Disorders
(SHCD), and the IWK’s Autism Research Center. Under the
supervision of Dr. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird, she is completing
a thesis on language and theory of mind development in children
with autism spectrum disorders. Sarah has gained valuable clinical
and professional skills via experienced clinicians at a variety
of placements, including the IWK Children’s Hospital, Nova
Scotia Hearing and Speech Centers, Halifax Regional School Board,
and at SHCD. In 2008, Sarah was accepted into the three-year
Autism Research Training Program funded by the Canadian Institutes
of Health Research, and in 2010 Sarah was given a Nova Scotia
Health Research Foundation Student Research Award.
Kaitlyn
Watters, Dalhousie University, Aud.
A
native of Westville, Nova Scotia, Kaitlyn is currently completing
the final year of her M.Sc. in audiology at Dalhousie University.
A graduate of St. Francis Xavier University, she completed her
B.Sc. degree with honours in biology before beginning her studies
at Dalhousie. As part of her audiology degree, Kaitlyn completed
a research project exploring the effect of personality on acceptable
noise level with supervisors Dr. Rachel Caissie and Dr. Steve
Aiken. In addition, clinical practicums exposed her to a variety
of settings and patient populations at clinics including Nova
Scotia Hearing and Speech Centres sites in Halifax and New Glasgow,
the I.W.K. Health Centre and a private practice audiology clinic.
She has served as a CASLPA and CAA student representative for
her program and also worked as a teaching assistant for first-year
audiology and speech-language pathology students. Kaitlyn will
graduate with her Dalhousie classmates in May and is excited
to begin her career as an audiologist in the near future.
Emilie Leroux,
McGill University, S-LP
Emilie Leroux holds a bachelor of arts
with specialization in psychology and linguistics from the University
of Ottawa. During her studies, Emilie worked as an ABA (Applied
Behavioural Analysis) therapist with autistic children. She
also held a research assistantship in the University of Ottawa
cognitive psychology laboratory and participated in a research
project on reading skills acquisition in francophone children.
Emilie is currently finishing her first year of studies in the
master’s of applied science in speech-language pathology
program at the School of Human Communication at McGill University.
She assessed autistic children in a research project on language
learning at the PoP laboratory. She also took part in assessing
children with a phonological disorder as part of a project called
“Essai clinique randomisé sur les interventions
phonologiques”. For the 2011 CASLPA Conference, Emilie
has written a paper on error patterns in the speech of francophone
children with a phonological disorder. She is also second author
on another paper on the phonological inventory in this same
population. After she graduates, Emilie hopes to work in pediatric
rehabilitation and hopes to continue contributing to research
in speech-language pathology.
Kelly-Ann
Casey, University of British Columbia, Aud.
Kelly-Ann graduated from the University
of Calgary in 2009 with a bachelor of commerce degree and a
B.A. in linguistics, receiving silver medals in both programs
for academic achievement. Throughout her undergraduate program,
she enjoyed interacting with a variety of populations through
volunteer and work experiences at charitable organizations,
a traumatic brain injury centre, and an assistive living facility.
Kelly-Ann also provided support to children and families living
with disabilities. In her final year of undergraduate studies,
she was a phonetics research assistant in the department of
linguistics. She received a Frederick Banting and Charles Best
Canada Graduate Scholarships Master’s Award just prior
to entering the M.Sc. program in audiology at the University
of British Columbia. Under the supervision of Dr. Susan Small,
her thesis investigates behavioural and physiological bone-conduction
in infants. Upon completion of her program, she is looking forward
to providing clinical audiology services to a wide age-range
of people and their families.
Megan Staniforth,
University of British Columbia, S-LP
Megan first developed her passion for
language with her own second language learning experience on
a year-long exchange to Japan. She was inspired to obtain her
B.A. with distinction in applied linguistics from the University
of Victoria and worked as a program assistant for the department.
Megan decided to pursue a career in speech-language pathology
after her volunteer experience working to enhance literacy skills
in elementary school-aged children from low socioeconomic backgrounds.
Megan has a special interest in the learning difficulties of
culturally and linguistically diverse children, and the challenges
these create in the assessment and treatment of certain populations.
This is reflected in Megan’s current involvement in a research
project on language development in First Nations children. Megan
has enjoyed expanding her clinical experiences with the University
of British Columbia (UBC) through internships with the Campbell
River and Victoria School Districts, Coquitlam SHARE Family
Services, and the ALS Centre at GF Strong Rehabilitation Centre
in Vancouver. Megan looks forward to working in an educational
setting where she can be a resource for students, parents, and
teachers. Megan is excited to begin practicing after she completes
her master’s of science degree in speech-language pathology
at UBC this summer.
Jacob Sulkers,
University of Western Ontario, Aud.
Jacob is completing the final year of
his M.Cl.Sc. program in audiology at the University of Western
Ontario. In addition to his clinical graduate training, Jacob
has been part of a team of researchers at the National Centre
for Audiology, examining the effects of frequency compression
processing in hearing aids in children with hearing loss. Jacob’s
personal research examines the effects of frequency compression
on children’s speech production. He presented a peer-reviewed
poster on this topic at the fifth international Sound Foundation
Through Early Amplification conference in Chicago in 2010. Jacob
received an Ontario Graduate Scholarship the previous two years;
recently received the Cam Miller Harmonize for Speech Award
as the audiology student with the highest average; and was awarded
the Elks and Royal Purple Fund Scholarship through CASLPA. He
will be moving to Winnipeg, Manitoba, in May to start a career
at the Central Speech and Hearing Clinic, an independent, not-for-profit
charity dedicated to assisting children and adults who are deaf
or hard-of-hearing.
Andréa
Martin, University of Western Ontario, S-LP
Andréa
is currently completing her M.Cl.Sc. degree in speech-language
pathology at the University of Western Ontario (UWO). She is
very interested in service delivery issues in rural and underserviced
areas. Andréa recently returned from a trip to two remote
First Nations communities, where she provided speech and language
services to school-aged children. Following a passion for multilingual
and multicultural practice, she recently completed an evidence-based
review comparing phonological awareness abilities of monolingual
and bilingual children. Upon recognizing a lack of francophone
resources in Southern Ontario, Andréa created and delivered
francophone family fun groups through the London Public Library.
During her time at UWO, Andréa has been actively involved
at the school, working as a teaching assistant, organizing orientation
events, serving on student council, acting as student representative
for the alumni planning committee, and organizing fundraisers
in support of Operation Smile – a volunteer group of medical
professionals who provide reconstructive surgery for children
born with facial deformities such as cleft lip and cleft palate.
Andréa is excited to begin her career as a speech-language
pathologist and hopes to focus on pediatric and school-age communication.
April King, University
of Alberta, S-LP
April
completed her bachelor of education at the University of Alberta
in 2004. After a few years of travelling and working as an in-home
aide with children with autism, she accepted a position as an
early education teacher at the Corbett Hall Early Education
Program. This enriching experience taught her how to work as
part of an interdisciplinary team and interested her even more
in the field of speech-language pathology. April went on to
complete a M.Sc. in speech-language pathology at the University
of Alberta. As an S-LP student, she was part of a joint research
project that looked at the effects of LSVT on the speech intelligibility
of children with Down syndrome or cerebral palsy. April currently
holds a position at the Tevie Miller Heritage School in two
of their early childhood services classrooms. These classrooms
provide services for preschool children with moderate to severe
communication difficulties as well as a number of other concomitant
needs. She enjoys working in the early intervention setting
as she has the opportunity to work closely with families as
well as the opportunity to see a lot of growth in the children.
Jessica Pearl Davenport,
University of Toronto, S-LP
Jessica
completed her B.Sc. at the University of Toronto, specializing
in psychology with minors in physiology and linguistics, and
continued into the M.H.Sc. program in speech-language pathology.
She remains an active member of her university community, organizing
and participating in various intramural sports teams, committees,
volunteer endeavours, and riding with the varsity mountain biking
team for three consecutive seasons. Jessica began working at
the Oral Dynamics Lab in the university’s department of
speech-language pathology during her undergraduate studies,
and continues work there as a research assistant on an infant
speech development project. Jessica has poured her heart into
the M.H.Sc. program, taking on extra learning opportunities,
participating in interprofessional education, and critically
evaluating research literature and its application to clinical
practice. Jessica has enjoyed fantastic clinical experiences
at the Speech and Stuttering Institute of Toronto, St. Michael’s
Hospital ENT/Voice Clinic, Scarborough General Hospital Ear
and Audiology Institute, and Toronto Western Hospital General
Internal Medicine units. Based on her outstanding academic and
clinical work, she also received the Elks and Royal Purple Fund
for Children Scholarship through CASLPA, and is excited to be
in Montreal for the 2011 conference.
Ann Heafey, University of Ottawa, S-LP
Ann Heafey received a bachelor’s
degree in physiotherapy from McGill University in 2004. After
working for five years with adults in acute care at the Centre
hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal,
she found that it was time for a career change. Following a
volunteer experience helping children with academic difficulties
and multiple hours of clinical observation with children and
adults with various communication disorders, she decided to
jump in with both feet and start her master’s in speech-language
pathology at the University of Ottawa. Her work ethic and sustained
dedication throughout her studies have earned her several awards,
including a mention on the Dean’s Honour List, a scholarship
from the Elks and Royal Purple Fund for Children, and the Barbershoppers
Association scholarship for academic excellence. She is thrilled
to be starting a new career that will allow her to continue
working in rehabilitation, but this time in a new field of interest:
communication disorders.
Catherine Thomassin, Université
Laval, S-LP
Catherine Thomassin is completing a graduate
degree in speech therapy at Université Laval. Her research
focused on the effect of a scripted book-sharing intervention
on the understanding of four-to-six year old dysphasic children.
In 2011, Catherine won the Conrad Ouellon Award for her involvement
and dedication to the master’s program. She also holds
an MA degree in international studies from Université
Laval and has accumulated nearly two years of field experience
in developing countries, including Honduras and Ghana where
she worked with an NGO on the issue of HIV/AIDS. Her strong
interest for international development and co-operation, as
well as her curiosity for world cultures, will unquestionably
be valuable assets in her speech therapy career.
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