National FASD is delighted to welcome 3 new trustees to its board. These esteemed new members come from a variety of backgrounds and bring fresh expertise to an already esteemed line-up.
We’re very excited to head into 2023 with our new additions, and to tap into their skill sets to help guide us in our continued growth, and our ever-expanding efforts to increase education and support around FASD in the UK.
So, without further ado, let’s meet our new trustees:
Prof. Barry Carpenter OBE, CBE, D.Litt.
Prof. Barry Carpenter is the UK’s first Professor in Mental Health in Education, and an Honorary Professor at universities in the UK, Ireland, Germany, and Australia.
In 2009, he was appointed by the Secretary of State for Education as Director of the Children with Complex Learning Difficulties & Disabilities Research Project. Barry has also overseen the development of a national project creating online ‘Training materials for teachers of children with severe, profound and complex learning disabilities’.
He has authored over 200 articles and texts on a range of learning disability/special needs topics and has co-authored 2 books on children with FASD. Barry lectures internationally and is the co-founder of the National Forum for Neuroscience in Special Education.
Barry has 3 children – one a School Principal, one a Senior Occupational Therapist, and a daughter with Down’s Syndrome, who is an Actress and published author.
Barry had this to say about his appointment as trustee:
“Having spent many years as a teacher, School Leader, and Professor, teaching and researching the learning pathways of children and young people with FASD, I welcome the opportunity to bring that experience to the work of the National FASD Board .
I believe that now is the time (to echo the words of the recent National FASD report ‘The Time is Now‘) for significant development in teaching and learning for children with FASD. The NICE Quality Standard on FASD needs a parallel response in the field of Education.
As a Trustee, I welcome the opportunity to contribute to that debate, and to grow the organisation’s influence in that sphere, to the benefit of children with FASD and their families.”
Gerard Daniel
Gerard Daniel is a business leader with 20 years of experience in Financial Services. He currently serves as a Senior Vice President at Citigroup. Before joining Citigroup, Gerard was a Chief of Staff at JP Morgan Chase in New York where he focused on business and investment strategy, corporate governance, and product development.
Before this, Gerard worked in Corporate Finance at Ernst and Young where he worked as a consultant to the EY Foundation, and other UK and North American based charities and foundations.
Gerard is a passionate diversity, equity and inclusion advocate, and has been an energetic leader in driving change in the businesses he has worked with.
Gerard expressed his excitement to see where National FASD goes next:
“As I have gotten to know the organisation, it has been inspirational to hear from the people behind National FASD and learn about all that is done by the team to support people with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder, their families and communities.
I am honoured to be able to contribute in my role as a trustee, and I look forward to helping drive National FASD forward as it capitalises on the many strengths it possesses.”
Dr. Patricia Jackson OBE, FRCPCH
Dr. Jackson is a Paediatrician, and Honorary Fellow at the University of Edinburgh Department of Child Life and Health.
She was born in Northern Ireland, and has lived mainly in Scotland since graduating from Edinburgh University Medical School.
She specialised in neuro-developmental paediatrics. Her previous role in NHS Lothian was the development and organisation of Learning Disability Services for children and young people. She established, and was the Clinical Lead for, the CEN NMCN (National Care Network in Scotland for Children with Exceptional Health Care Needs) She co-chaired the SIGN (Scottish Intercollegiate Guideline Network) 156 Group that, in 2019, published the first UK Clinical Guideline for Children and young people exposed prenatally to alcohol.
In her teaching and research roles she has a continuing interest in improving services for children and young people with additional support needs especially those with FASD, and this links well with her interest in sleep issues in children and young people.
She is involved in awareness raising about FASD as a lifelong condition through teaching, the development of e-Learning programs for Scottish Government, and online courses for paediatricians through the RCPCH, and educational events for GPs and other health colleagues.
As well as promoting awareness and knowledge with health colleagues she links with peers in other statutory and third sector services to seek to improve provisions and resources for those with FASD and their families. Through her voluntary commitment to the Children’s Tribunal System in Scotland she sees the way that better awareness and understanding of FASD can improve the life outcomes of those children and young people who are care-experienced, or have become involved in the judicial system.
Patricia was delighted to accept her position as trustee:
“Having had the opportunity to work on a number of developments with staff and supporters of National FASD over the past few years, I have been impressed with their skills, determination, and success in increasing awareness of FASD as a lifelong condition and ensuring that the voices of those affected with FASD guide their approach to the development of services and tools that make a real difference to their lives.
It was, therefore, a real pleasure to be offered the opportunity to continue to work closely with the organisation as a Trustee and participate in discussions about the strategic direction of travel at a time when we have the possibility of making a real impact.”
We’d also like to thank:
- Michael Attwell, for his time as a valued trustee. In recognition of the crucial support that Michael has provided National FASD, he has been made Honorary Vice-President. Michael’s guidance as a trustee has been invaluable in the last few years, and he has helped National FASD through some of the biggest challenges it has faced, including a leadership change.
- Kevin Price, for his time as Acting Chair of the Board, and his impressive efforts in leading the trustees in their role with National FASD.
- Nikki Pasek MBE, for her acceptance of the role of Acting Chair of the Board, while a permanent chair is determined. We look forward to the drive and expertise she will bring to the position. Nikki said:
“I’m very pleased to accept the role of Acting Chair of the Board, and equally excited to be taking the helm at such a dynamic time for National FASD, as we navigate unprecedented growth and progress in the FASD field in the UK.
I’d also like to thank Kevin for his focussed leadership of the trustees, and his role in guiding the organisation in its growth thus far, and Michael Attwell, for his much valued input as a member of this board. Michael has been offering his support and insight since the inception of our organisation, and has helped it meet a huge range of challenges, including a time of leadership transition. We’re delighted to be able to honour him with the lifetime title of Honorary Vice President.
I can’t wait to see what the future holds for National FASD!”
You can see more of the wider National FASD team on our ‘Who we are’ page using the button below.
