Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Board Chair & Co-Founder
kathy.hotelling@ncfasdinformed.org
On move in day of Kathy’s freshman year at college, the older students greeted the newbies with “If you are not part of the solution, you are part of the problem.” Looking back on her life, she realizes that this saying has been a guiding force throughout her life. Originally her plans were to be a social worker, but she realized she could not “save the world,” and that becoming a therapist would an effective way for her to help people. She went on to become a counseling psychologist, primarily working with university students, those with eating disorders, and supervising and teaching graduate students. After having made the decision to stay at home with her then 14-year-old daughter who had a tumultuous move to North Carolina, Kathy founded the Triangle Area Support Group for Parents of those with a diagnosed or suspected FASD in 2008. She realized how isolating life could be when no one seemed to understand much about FASD, to say nothing about what living with someone with an FASD demanded. She then started her journey of intense studying about FASD by attending the international conferences in Vancouver and reading and then provided training workshops about FASD for mental health professionals, social workers, and parents, as well as serving as a consultant to families and others. In 2018, she co-founded the non-profit to propel North Carolinians to become truly FASD Informed.
SECRETARY
Kathleen Flaherty
kathleen.flaherty@ncfasdinformed.orgKathleen is a mom to 3 children, each through adoption. She has spent the last twelve years learning about FASD after the adoption of her third child. Kathleen feels that an FASD informed community is what is required for our children to flourish. She was fortunate enough to meet local FASD informed parents and this connection became an invaluable source of support while navigating the challenges of raising a child with an invisible disability. It is her son’s resiliency and spirit that motivates and inspires her each day. As she continues to champion for him, she aims to help others as they support and advocate for their loved one with an FASD. Kathleen, her husband and their children live in central North Carolina. In addition to being an NCFASD Informed Inc. Board member, she has enjoyed a career in project management/coordination.
TREASURER
Terry Henson
terry.henson@ncfasdinformed.org
Terry is the biological mom of 2 and the adoptive mom of 1. Prior to the adoption of her son, Terry was a registered nurse for 25 years specializing in critical and coronary care. Upon adopting their son from Russia, Terry and her husband decided that she would stay home and care for him. Knowing the possibility of fetal alcohol exposure in children, they worked with an international adoption specialist to evaluate their son’s medical record. The specialist felt like he would thrive given proper nutrition and support from his parents. They have tried to be proactive parents, acquiring multiple evaluations and therapies through the years. They are happy to report that despite the challenges, their son will be graduating from high school this year and plans on attending college in the fall. They credit the support and interventions he has received and his determination to be independent for his success.
Terry joined the board because of help and information she received from others also on this board. She is passionate about helping inform practitioners, educators, families, and lawmakers about FASD. She desires change, so that getting the proper diagnosis and services isn’t so difficult for families navigating the challenges of FASD. Knowing that in the United States, the prevalence of FASD is 1 in 20, that change is now more important than ever.
SPECIAL PROJECTS
Becky Brantley
becky.brantley@ncfasdinformed.org
Becky is a mom to 5 children, some by birth and others by adoption. She and her wife became fully immersed in the FASD life by accident when their youngest child was placed with them in 2009. The family quickly realized that there was more going on than developmental delay and the quest for answers began. After he was diagnosed with FAS two years later, at age six, Becky began training and advocating in earnest.
Becky spent many years as an educator in community-based early intervention settings, special education classrooms, and the family homeschool prior to landing in her current role serving adults as a psychiatric registered nurse. She believes that it is her responsibility and great privilege to walk alongside folks during some of their hardest times and remains convinced that supporting one another can help us all to thrive.
PROGRAMMING
Alison Parker
alison.parker@ncfasdinformed.org
Alison is a developmental psychologist and Research Scientist and is dedicated to improving the health and well-being of children and adolescents and their families. As part of her work as a Research Scientist, Alison has become knowledgeable in the available resources and interventions for youth with FASD and their families. She led the development and evaluation of an online mindfulness-based program for adolescents with FASD, which included feedback from adolescents with FASD as part of the development of the program. Alison has been a practitioner of mindfulness for the past 14 years and strongly believes in the benefits of mindfulness practice for children, adolescents, and adults. Alison was fortunate to be a member of the FASD Collaborative of North Carolina during its tenure and met many parent advocates and professionals all committed to raising awareness about FASD and supporting individuals with FASD and their families. She joined the intervention subcommittee as part of the Collaborative in order to assist with identifying resources and interventions for children and adolescents with FASD. As part of NCFASD Informed, Alison hopes to continue advocating for access to more services and resources for individuals with FASD as well as to increase awareness and understanding of FASD by educating others through webinars and trainings across the state.
MEDIA
Susan Barner
susan.barner@ncfasdinformed.org
Susan is the adoptive mom of two children. Her son, the youngest of her two children, has low vision and FASD. Susan’s FASD journey started with her determination to find help and support for her son. Seeing first-hand the lack of resources, professional knowledge and support for FASD, Susan became an ardent advocate for her son and the FASD Community, at large. She dreams of a world where all people, including those with invisible disabilities, are accepted and admired for their strengths and contributions. Through her participation on the NCFASD Informed Board of Directors, Susan desires to help build a community that will drive a movement of change for all who are living with FASD. Prior to becoming a mom, Susan received her MBA from Drexel University and worked in Marketing and Communications. In her spare time, Susan is a clean beauty consultant with Beautycounter and enjoys playing tennis, practicing yoga and traveling.