Management


Dr. Rhonda Nelson

Executive Director

Dr. Rhonda Nelson became the Executive Director of the Starbright Children’s Development Centre (then the COCDA) in November of 2013. Originally from Saskatchewan, Rhonda has an experience base spanning positions as a teacher, consultant, and Assistant Superintendent within the K-12 education system, as a Director of Education of a custody facility for youth, as a consultant and then manager within the Department of Education, as a sessional lecturer for the University of Regina, and as a private consultant for government departments. She holds a B.Ed and a B.A. from the University of Saskatchewan, and a M.Ed and PhD from the University of Regina. Having worked with not-for-profit agencies within her past various roles, as well as within her doctoral research, Rhonda has a deep appreciation for the passion and commitment to making a difference that is so evident within the personnel of Starbright.

Mieke Krus

Operations Manager

Mieke Krus came from the Netherlands to Canada in 2014 and holds two Bachelor of Music in Education degrees, a Bachelor of Middle Management for Non-profit Organizations and a Post Graduate degree in Leadership and Organizational Development. She has over 15 years of management experience in residential healthcare as a Manager in residential homes providing support for adults and children with developmental and physical needs. Being an internationally trained professional makes her flexible and open minded. She contributes her experience and skills to help the Starbright team provide high quality intervention services.

Terri Nakayama

Human Resources Manager

Terri Nakayama has been employed with Starbright Children’s Development Centre since April of 2005. A member of the Human Resources Professionals Association, Terri is the Human Resources Manager for Starbright. Terri has had several different positions while working with Starbright which provides her with an in-depth understanding of the various departments that make up the diverse professional workforce of the agency. As the mom of a son with diverse talents who was a client of Starbright, Terri understands both worlds – that of the family seeking services and that of the professionals providing it.

Counselling Services


Heather Pattison

Clinical Counsellor

Heather is a Registered Clinical Counsellor with the British Columbia Association of Clinical Counsellors in good standing since 2001. Heather has vast experience in children and family counselling, and uses various approaches and interventions to tailor a treatment plan to meet each child’s academic, social, emotional and behavioural goals. In 2018, Heather achieved the designation as a Registered Play Therapist with the British Columbia Play Therapy Association.She is also a volunteer member of the Ethics Committee with BCACC as she has a strong interest in upholding the highest standards of clinical practice in her field, as well as assuring the rights and protections of counselling clients in BC.


Infant Development Program


Betty Teigen

IDP Consultant (Team Leader)

Betty Teigen has a nursing background and has been an Infant Development Consultant since 1980. Betty has accessed professional development in Prematurity, Down Syndrome, Facilitating Speech and Language Development, Family Support, Typical and Atypical Growth and Development, Attachment as well as many other areas. Betty has been a certified Infant Massage Instructor since 2007.

Anke Purnell

IDP Consultant

Anke Purnell has worked at the Children’s Development Center since 2007 as an Infant Development Consultant. Anke has training in Early childhood Education and has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Applied Linguistics. She worked as a preschool teacher for over 13 years and managed a preschool program for 5 years. Anke had the opportunity to work for a preschool in Australia that served the needs of children with hearing loss. Anke enjoys working with children and families and finds the work very rewarding.

Karen Hartley

IDP Consultant

Karen Hartley has worked at the Children’s Development Center since August 2008 and with children and families for the past thirty five years. Her post secondary education is in Psychology, B of A Program, Early Childhood Education, Infant Massage Instructor and American Sign Language. Karen’s work experience includes ten years as a Child Development Program Director, 2 years as a College Instructor for the Early Childhood Development Program and the last 26 years as an Early Intervention/Infant Development Consultant. She spent eighteen of those years specializing in working with deaf/hard of hearing children and adults in Edmonton Alberta, and continues to be part of the Early Hearing Program team at Starbright. Karen’s passion continues to be working with children and families.

Karin Hesketh

IDP Consultant

Karin Hesketh has her Masters degree in Pedagogy from the University of Leiden, the Netherlands. Karin lived and worked in several different countries, including the Netherlands, United States, Luxembourg and Indonesia. She has worked as an Infant Development Consultant at Starbright since July 2009.

Karina Frisque

IDP Consultant

Karina Frisque has been with Starbright Children’s Development Centre since 2007. She has a Master of Education degree from UBC Okanagan and has specialized training focused on supporting children in developing their daily living skills, communication, and social skills. Karina brings to the role of Infant Development Consultant a background as a Behaviour Consultant with significant knowledge of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Karina has a passion for working with young children and their families.


Occupational Therapy


Suzanne Lauzon

Occupational Therapist (Team Leader)

Suzanne Lauzon graduated from the University of Western Ontario and has specialized in the field of pediatrics for most of her career. Prior to joining the team at Starbright in 2001, Suzanne worked in residential care, hospital settings (including Alberta and British Columbia Children’s Hospitals) and schools (as both an educator and an OT) throughout Canada. Suzanne is certified in the SIPT (Sensory Integration and Praxis Test) and is on the RASP list. She also has a diploma in Special Care Counselling and is certified in DIRFloortime intervention.

Diana Kriel

Occupational Therapist

Diana Kriel graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Occupational Therapy from the University Stellenbosch (South Africa) in 1982 and obtained Canadian Occupational Therapy Certification in 1994, American Board certification in May 2002. She has 26 years pediatric experience in evaluating and treating children with a variety of neurological and developmental disabilities such as: down syndrome, cerebral palsy, autism, asperger syndrome, sensory processing disorders, and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. International experience provided flexibility as a therapist, with client centered practice and providing therapy in a variety of settings, (schools, preschools, playground, home, daycare, and sensory integration clinic). She has worked as a member of a transdisciplinary team, consulting to the child and family and providing community education on sensory integration and autism. Diana is certified in Sensory Integration testing, interpretation and treatment. Diana is a certified infant massage instructor. Infant development, promoting parent/infant bonding, and preventive therapy was her primary focus while working with medically fragile infants in the United States.


Physical Therapy


Lanna Brydges

Physical Therapist

Since convocating from the University of Saskatchewan in 1990 with a Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, Lanna Brydges has worked in a variety of settings including all hospital units, home care, and private clinics in Saskatchewan, Alberta and Germany. Pediatric experience includes NICU, hospital and outpatient pediatrics and has now worked at Starbright since 2007. Lanna is an American Hippotherapy Association Level 2 therapist and works in the Early Intervention Program with the HATRC Program.

Stephanie Scott

Physical Therapist

Stephanie Scott graduated with a Master’s of Science Degree in Physical Therapy from Dalhousie University in 2013. After graduating she worked as the sole Physiotherapist for the Prince Rupert Early Intervention Paediatric Therapy program as well as with school age children in private practice. She is excited to be working as part of the team at Starbright.


Speech Language Pathology


Deni Skutshek

Speech-Language Pathologist (Team Leader)

Deni Skutshek is a Speech-Language Pathologist with over 25 years of experience. She has an undergraduate degree from University of Northern Colorado in Deaf Education and a masters in Speech Language Pathology from San Diego State University. Her areas of interest are hearing loss, sign language, cued speech and incorporating music into intervention.

Kathleen O’Connell

Speech-Language Pathologist

Kathleen O’Connell joined the Starbright team in September 2014. She is a registered Speech Language Pathologist with 25 years experience working with preschool-school age children and their families. She has a Masters degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Alberta. Her professional interests include working with Deaf and Hard-of-Hearing children and language/learning challenges.

Nicole Reck

Speech-Language Pathologist

Nicole Reck recently completed a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of British Columbia. She was born and raised in Kelowna. Nicole is a registrant of the College of Speech Hearing Professionals of British Columbia, and a member of Speech-Language and Audiology Canada. Through past professional experiences and practicum work, she has developed a passion for working with the preschool population. Her professional interests include Augmentative and Alternative Communication and working with children with complex communication differences.

Courtney Lawrence

Speech-Language Pathologist

Courtney Lawrence recently joined the team at Starbright in a casual role. She graduated with a Master of Science degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of British Columbia in 2017. Since then she has been working with preschool age children in different capacities, with special interests in supporting Deaf and Hard of Hearing children and children with autism. She is certified in the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk program.

Irene Failes

Visual Language Facilitator

Irene Failes has been employed with Starbright since 1989. Prior to joining Starbright, Irene interpreted in Prince George, B.C. at the College of New Caledonia and Prince George Secondary School. In 1989 she began working for Starbright as a Visual Language Interpreter in our preschool program. Later, through the SCD Department, she supported Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in their community preschools, daycares and after school programs. Since 2008, Irene has also been working with the children in the Early Hearing Intervention Program. Irene continues to support Deaf and Hard of Hearing children in their preschools and/or daycares as well as supporting parents and caregivers in learning Sign Language through her role in the SLP Department. Irene is dedicated to providing a positive learning environment for these children and their caregivers.


Supported Child Development


Shannon Nacey

SCD Consultant

Shannon has been with Starbright since 2015. She has worked as a Behaviour Interventionist, and more recently as a Senior Program Assistant with Supported Child Development. She settled into the Consultant role in 2021. Shannon is originally from North Vancouver where she studied and obtained a Bachelor of Early Childhood Care and Education from Capilano University in 2017. Her experience comes from working in community childcare programs in several capacities such as program planning, family support, and supervisory roles. She has experience working with children from multiple age groups, including infants and toddlers to the school-age population. She is passionate about working with, and advocating for, children and their families to support community connection.

Andra Aslan

SCD Consultant

Andra graduated from the Medical School in Romania and specialized in Family Medicine. She moved to North America in 2006 and passed the American Board Exams, but life kept her in Canada. She chose to use her knowledge and experience working in the community and helping the people in need. She worked with people with special needs as a Clinic Coordinator and as a Research Site Director. The position she most enjoyed was working with children as a Behavior Interventionist at Starbright. In 2018 she worked for Starbright as a SCD Assistant and in September of 2021 she took on the role of a SCD Consultant. Andra feels fortunate to have the advantage of understanding people with disabilities from a medical point of view and she is constantly amazed by their courage and strength in a society that is not always supportive. It gives her tremendous satisfaction to see them succeed - a success that can be achieved by creating the right opportunities from a very young age.

SCD Assistants

Our dedicated Supported Child Development Assistants provide extra staffing support to promote and support inclusive practice within community childcare programs:

Catherine Bentley, Brandon Dodds, Cathy Hansen, Courtney Koepke, Daisy Sunder, Jacqueline Beausoleil, Jennifer Schlosser, Kymm Allen, Linda Seinen, Lynne Ramsay, Raika Jahura, Shannon Parent, Shauna Pawluk, Shawna Swanson, Silvia Rosales, Terri Boles, Valisa Kay, Wynell Powers, Carolina Markoff, Leah Webster and Sandra Olk


Our Volunteer Board Of Directors
2020 - 2021


President Carol Meise – Manager, Cooper Medical Supplies
1st Vice-President Tracey Cochrane, Owner, Points West Audio Visual
2nd Vice-President Cathie Polasek, P/T research coordinator BA ECE
Treasurer Craig Gronsdahl – CA, CFP, The Fraser Financial Group LLP
Secretary TBA

Directors

Jean Lanoue – Manager, Premier Salons
E.R. (Ted) Grimwood – Developer
Paul Farina
Blair Forrest – Lawyer, Pushor Mitchell LLP
Terri Russell, Faculty member, Okanagan College
Madison Attwood, CPA – Accountant, BDO Canada LLP

Post-humous Gratitude and Recognition

Dr. Clifford B. Henderson (Founding agency pediatrician, member of the Board of Directors 1966-2020)

Founding Members

Dr. Clifford B. Henderson – Pediatrician
Dorothy Deakin – Speech and Language Pathologist
Dr. Ron Ellis – Internist
Ruth Cresswell – Parent
Benjamin M. Lambert – Commission Agent, Imperial Oil
Lois Berry – Registered Nurse
Ian B. McCuaig – Teacher


Finance

Lori Hamilton, Finance Controller

Program Support

Rebecca Smith, Administration Coordinator
Diana Becker, Data Management Coordinator
Jessie Farrell, Reception Coordinator