Maryanne Bruni is the mother of 3 daughters, the youngest of whom has Down syndrome. She has a degree in occupational therapy from the University of Toronto, and has specialized in pediatrics for over twenty years. She is the author of "Fine Motor Skills in Children with Down Syndrome", published by Woodbine House in 1998. She is currently working with preschoolers at Silver Creek Nursery School for Children with Handicaps. Dr. Virji-Babul, P.T., PhD., is one of the research directors at the Down Syndrome Research Foundation and Assistant Professor (limited term) in the Department of Psychology at the University of Victoria. She is also the principal researcher at the Center for Human Movement Analysis based at the Queen Alexandra Centre for Children’s Health (Victoria, B.C). Her main research interests are in the areas of muscle tone, postural control and anticipatory gait adaptations in individuals with Down syndrome.
Carol Johnson (B.Ed) has over 30 years experience supporting individuals and adults who are experiencing behavioral or learning difficulties. Her business called Chaos Consultation and Training offers advice to agencies, programs and parents on how to create successes within their current situation. She has authored two books and written various articles that have been published in North America and Australia. She is the Information and Resource Manager for the Canadian Down Syndrome Society as well as a member of both the Adult Issues Committee and the Professional Advisory Committee. She is also a founding member of the Calgary chapter of C.H.A.D.D. (Children and Adults with Attention Deficit Disorder).
Dr. Elizabeth Kay-Raining Bird (Ph.D. Madison, Wisconsin) is a professor in the School of Human Communication Disorders at Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia, where she has worked since 1991. Her research and teaching is in the area of child language development and disorders, with a particular focus on children with Down syndrome. Her publications include work in vocabulary acquisition, sign language use, phonological awareness and reading development and the role of auditory memory difficulties in language development in individuals with Down syndrome. Currently, Elizabeth is researching bilingualism as well as studying the efficacy of various reading and language interventions with this population.
Jo Mills has a background as a health professional and administrator. Over the last twenty years, Jo has played a leading role in assisting families start local and national parent groups. As a concerned professional, she helped start the Canadian Down Syndrome Society, and Down Syndrome International - the international Down syndrome organization - both of which she was the founding Chair. In 1995 Jo founded the Down Syndrome Research Foundation & Resource Centre with the help of concerned parents and business professionals in BC.
Flo Paul has been actively involved in advocating for the inclusion of persons with developmental disabilities for the past twenty-five years. It began with her role as a parent of a daughter with a developmental disability, and continued later as a volunteer with the local and provincial Associations for Community Living. Flo is also a Board member with the Gambo and Area Employment Corporation, Chair of the NLACL Employment Committee, and currently employed as the Project Coordinator for the Inclusion and Well Being Initiative.
Sindoor Desai, BDS, mother of Sujeet Desai, is a practicing dentist in New York and has written professional papers on dentistry in Down syndrome.
Trudy Button graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland in 1983 with a Bachelor of Social Work. She worked with Health and Community Services and was very active in the closure of Exon House, an institution for individuals with disabilities. After the closure, she consulted with social workers on the former Exon residents who had moved to families or group homes. In 1990, she returned to school and earned a law degree from Dalhousie University. She is currently a partner with White, Ottenheimer and Baker and continues to have a keen interest in working with individuals with disabilities.
Dr. W. Mahoney received his M.D. from McMaster University in 1976. He then did his core pediatric training in Ottawa and completed a Fellowship in Developmental Pediatrics at John F. Kennedy Institute associated with John Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore Maryland. He returned to Ottawa in 1981 and worked as a Developmental Pediatrician in the Child Development Clinic at the Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario. He returned to Hamilton in 1988 and is an Associate Professor of Pediatrics with the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University. Clinically he works with children with developmental disabilities, pervasive developmental disorders, language, learning and attentional disorders. He is involved in research regarding the integration of children with disabilities in preschool programs, the genetics of autistic spectrum disorders, and the emotional/behaviourial concerns within adolescents with Down syndrome. Dr. Mahoney is a former member of the Advisory Council on Special Education of the Ministry of Education of Ontario, and is Past Chairperson of the Psycho-social committee of the Canadian Pediatric Society. He is the Head of Pediatric Developmental Assessment and Treatment Services at the Chedoke Child and Family Centre, McMaster Children's Hospital.
SELF-ADVOCATE SPEAKERS
Gail St. Croix spent most of her childhood in institutions and foster care. Over the years she has taken advantage of limited learning and employment opportunities and has become an active self-advocate. She has worked with the Canadian Association for Community Living, traveled to places such as Chile and is currently the president of People First, a group that supports people with developmental disabilities and encourages them to have a voice and fight for their rights. Ann Marie Raynes has been employed with the Vera Perlin Society since September 1975. Ann Marie was appointed to her current position of General Manager of the Perlin Pre-Vocational Training Centre in May 1986. Under her direction, the Perlin Players were formed in 1987 and they have become invaluable in promoting a positive image for persons with developmental disabilities. Since that time Ann Marie has worked on numerous committees and held various positions for the betterment of the clients of the Vera Perlin Society. In addition to her current position she has also been a strong community leader with various Parent Teacher Associations and the Gonzaga Army Cadet Corps. As well Ann Marie has helped with the fundraising efforts of the Alzheimer Society, Heart & Stroke Foundation and the Canadian Cancer Society.
BOARD MEMBER LUNCHEON SPEAKER
Sue Baird, having volunteered and worked in the Not-For-Profit Sector for many years, decided to pursue further post-secondary education specializing in Not-For-Profit Management and Training. She has successfully completed a National Certificate in Non-Profit Agency Management, as well as a National Certificate in Fundraising Management. This education was completed through a consortium of colleges and universities across Canada which delivers these programs. She is now the lead instructor at College of the North Atlantic for the Fundraising Management Program and is one of eight Technical Advisors across Canada tasked to review and make recommendations to the Consortium as needed. Her concentration is placed on moral, ethical and financial accountability through initiatives such as Corporate Sponsorship, Marketing in the Not-For-Profit Sector, Board Orientation and Training and Special Event Planning.
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