KBHN Board Holiday Card 2021

Thinking of you this Holiday Season Nous pensons à vous durant cette saison des Fêtes

Happy Holidays from Kids Brain Health Network We are approaching the end of another year. We might still be apart physically, but we have come together in many ways to keep the excellent programming of the Kids Brain Health Network ongoing.

The KBHN Board of Directors is no exception, to which we owe deep gratitude. As we reflect on the past year, the KBHN board has achieved many notable successes: 1. Continuing strong leadership of the Board, KBHN welcomed Geoff Pradella, as the new Chair. We are indebted to past Chair David Kuik for his significant contributions steering KBHN through the successful Cycle III renewal. We also want to extend our sincere gratitude to Julia Hanigsberg and James Dearing who stepped off the Board this year for all their efforts and guidance to support the work of KBHN. 2. With a focus on sustainability planning for the future of KBHN, the valuable work of the Sustainability Committee included the development of a sustainability plan, a unique Value Proposition and Cases for Support towards sustainability efforts.

3. The revitalizing of the partnership between KBHN and Brain Canada to fund the Strategic Implementation Fund and the Early Career Awards, enhancing leveraged funds and furthering KBHN’s research portfolio.

4. The launch, adjudication and awarding of the Strategic Implementation Fund and the Early Career and Mentoring Award competition. A joint communication strategy with Brain Canada to announce these separate awards is forthcoming in the New Year.

5. The 2021 Annual Conference “Realizing Change through Partnerships and Research Innovation” saw a diverse and excellent program of speakers and trainees. Honouring the Fraser Mustard Lecture Award recipient Dr. Paige Church for her personal courage and outstanding research and community contributions. She continues to advocate for her patients as well as colleagues with the goal to make medicine a more accessible system.

6. Forging new collaborations in areas of importance to the neurodevelopmental community such as supporting work of the National Consortium on Aggression toward Family/Caregivers in Childhood and Adolescence, and joint Health Canada grant submission with the Medical Management of Self Injurious Behavior (SIBS) group.

7. KBHN’s Deputy Scientific Officer, Dr. Jennifer Zwicker, was honoured as a recipient of Caldwell Canada’s Top 40 Under 40 for her impressive work advocating for youth with mental and physical disabilities.

8. Our partnerships to support highly qualified personnel firstly, with Mitacs Canada for internships with community front line organizations and secondly to further policy development towards the National Autism Strategy with CASDA providing enhanced training opportunities for the next generation of health researchers and practitioners.

9. Dr. Lonnie Zwaigenbaum, a KBHN researcher, was appointed Chair of Oversight Panel for the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences. This panel ensures that Autism assessment is based on comprehensive review of current and emerging evidence by analyzing trends, best practices, and existing policies both nationally and worldwide.

10. Surmounting the challenges posed by COVID 19 with our implementation projects pivoting to virtual training and interventions for continued scale and spread.

As the holiday season approaches, we would like to take the opportunity to thank you as a KBHN Board Director for your dedication, commitment, and unwavering support over the past year. You have helped to propel KBHN forward into Cycle III and to continue initiatives that will make a positive difference in the lives of children with neurodevelopmental disabilities and their families.

We truly could not have arrived here without you.

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday,

Nicky Lewis, MSc Chief Executive Officer

James Reynolds, PhD Chief Scientific Officer

Our Vision: All children living with neurodevelopmental disabilities enjoy quality of life, inclusion in all aspects of society, and reach their full potential.

Notre vision : Tous les enfants avec des troubles neurodéveloppementaux doivent jouir d’une bonne qualité de vie, participer à tous les aspects de la vie en société, et réaliser leur plein potentiel.

Nicky Lewis

Doug Swanson

Hajer Chalghoumi

Sharon Weerpass

Ariana Cahn

Kim van der Hoek

Jennifer Zwicker

Alice Sze

James Reynolds