InteRACT is staffed by an experienced team of health professionals including: speech-language pathologists, communicative disorders assistants, recreation therapists, physiotherapists, and a social worker. Capable and energetic graduate students in Speech-Language Pathology assist clinicians in planning and tailoring individualized treatment materials. They are each paired with a participant and provide support and resources for both participants and partners. The students are an integral part of the InteRACT team. Speech-language pathologists are certified by the Canadian Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists. Communicative Disorders Assistants are registered with the Communication Disorders Assistants Association of Canada (CDAAC). Speech Therapy staff members are dedicated to providing superior intensive speech and language intervention to individuals with aphasia and strive for greater public awareness and understanding of aphasia. Each clinician who is part of the InteRACT team has more than five years clinical experience working with adults who have communication challenges. Our Recreation Therapists are certified as Therapeutic Recreation Specialists by the National Council on Therapeutic Recreation Certification. The following individuals make up the core team of therapists with other Speech-language pathologists, physiotherapists and other health care providers joining InteRACT for locum terms. Core Team: Linda Carey Wozniak, M.A., CCC-SLP, S-LP(C) Program Director Linda Carey has a Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the State University of New York at Buffalo. Since 1981, she has worked in both acute care and rehabilitation facilities in rural and urban settings throughout Nova Scotia. For 15 years she was the Clinical Coordinator of Speech Language Pathology at the Dalhousie School of Human Communication Disorders. Since 1987, Linda has run a Communication Strategies Group for individuals who have aphasia resulting from stroke, traumatic brain injury and other neurological conditions. She has co-authored a workbook for group aphasia therapy (Topic Talk) and has presented on her experiences with aphasia groups at several national conferences. She has instructed graduate students in the area of motor speech disorders and aphasia. She is actively involved in research involving a variety of topics related to communication disorders in adults. She has been involved in the InteRACT program since its inception and has been the Director since its launch in 2002. Ellina Kostopoulos, BSc., CDA Program Coordinator Since receiving her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Dalhousie University and a diploma with honors in Communication Disorders Assistant from Georgian College in Ontario in 1998, Ellina has dedicated her professional time to working with adults. She has worked in both acute care and rehabilitation settings in Halifax, providing speech, language, and swallowing treatment to stroke survivors and individuals with neurological impairments. Areas of interest and focus have been supported communication, Augmentative and Alternative Communication as well as functional communication rehabilitation. Along with completing the Pat Arato Aphasia Centre workshop on 'Supported Conversation for Adults With Aphasia', Ellina has attended numerous conferences and workshops and is dedicated to improving communication skills and quality of life for her patients. She has been the InteRACT program coordinator since the program launched in 2002. Rhonda Booth, B.Rec., CTRS Recreation Therapist Rhonda graduated from Dalhousie University in 1987 and obtained CTRS designation in 1997. She worked in a long-term care setting for four years and for over 10 years in the rehab setting. Her primary focus is working with individuals who have experienced Acquired Brain Injury and she has a particular interest in working with individuals who experience communication challenges post Stroke. She has presented at many different conferences and workshops; locally, provincially, nationally and internationally. She is a founding member of the Canadian Therapeutic Recreation Association and has been active in provincial organizations as well. She has also been involved in various research projects over the years. Heather Baker, BSc. Rec., CTRS Recreation Therapist Heather graduated from Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Therapeutic Recreation. In 2005, Heather became a Recreation Therapist with Capital Health on the Transitional Care Unit. She has experience working with children, adults and seniors in the hospital setting, community-based programs and physical rehabilitation. Heather is currently on the Board of Directors of TRAAC (Therapeutic Recreation Association of Atlantic Canada). She has worked in the health care field for over 9 years. Prior to becoming a Recreation Therapist she worked in the nursing field. Jillian Maud Stow, BScPT Physiotherapist Jillian graduated from the School of Physiotherapy at Dalhousie University with a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy. She has had clinical experience in a variety of settings including the Nova Scotia Rehabilitation Centre, working with people who have had strokes and/or traumatic brain injuries. Jillian owns PhysioCare at Home, a private physiotherapy clinic, in Halifax. She has been working with the InteRACT program since 2004. Locum Staff: Tedd Masiongale, M.A., CCC-SLP, S-LP(C) Speech-Language Pathologist Tedd is a graduate of Berea College (B.A.) and the University of South Dakota (M.A.), where he obtained his speech language pathology degree. His clinical experience includes practice in acute care, rehabilitation, outpatient, skilled nursing and home health. He assisted in the development of a new language test (Language Module of the Neuro Assessment Battery - NAB), has taught at the collegiate level and presented a lecture at ASHA's annual convention (San Fransisco, 1999). He has co-led a community support group for individuals with head injury and has graduate student supervision experience. Tom Sather, M.S., CCC-SLP Speech-Language Pathologist Tom lives in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, and has worked at Luther-Midelfort Hospital, part of the Mayo Health System for the past eight years. Tom works in the neuro-intensive care unit, inpatient, rehabilitation and outpatient systems. Primary work interests are in aphasia and traumatic brain injury. Tom has been working with the Chippewa Valley Aphasia Group since 1998 when the primary group was developed. He started a second group in a rural community in 2001. He is an original staff member for the Chippewa Valley Aphasia Camp. Tom and his colleagues have presented at state and national levels. He is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire. Carla Knott, M.Sc., S-LP(C) Speech-Language Pathologist Carla grew up in Brandon, Manitoba and graduated from the University of Alberta in 1987 with a Bachelor of Speech Pathology. She worked at the hospital in Bathurst, New Brunswick for 3 years before returning to complete her Masters degree in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Western Ontario. Over the past 10 years, she has worked on stroke rehab wards, in specialty teams devoted to rehabilitation for patients with stroke and other neurological conditions, and in the community with people with acquired brain injury. Currently Carla is working in New Zealand where she started a company called "Talkabout Communication Ltd", which provides speech-language therapy to people with communication and swallowing difficulties. Her work is community based and focuses on functional outcomes related to returning to work or leisure activity. Charlene Fraser, M.A., S-LP(C) Speech-Language Pathologist Charlene Fraser finds aphasia therapy to be the most stimulating and rewarding part of being a Speech-Language Pathologist. She received her Master's degree in Speech-Language Pathology from the University of Minnesota, Duluth in 1987 and since that time has worked primarily with the adult population in acute care, rehabilitation, and long-term care settings in Guelph, Ontario. She developed a feeding safety program called, Dining: PROCEED With Care and has presented the information at numerous conferences and inservices. For the past few years Charlene has been working in Waterford Ireland in an adult hospital setting. Alise Innes, M.Sc., S-LP(C) Speech-Language Pathologist Alise Innes obtained her Master of Science Degree in Speech-Language Pathology from Dalhousie University in 1996. She has worked with both adults and children in a variety of clinical settings in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Maine. She has dedicated much of her professional time to working with adults who have had a stroke, traumatic brain injury, or other neurological conditions in both the acute care and rehabilitation settings. Morag McKercher, MSc., S-LP(C) Speech-Language Pathologist Morag is a graduate of a Master of Speech-Language Pathology program at the University of Alberta, Edmonton (1994). Her first position was at the Alberta School for the Deaf in Edmonton. She then spent four years working out of Yellowknife, Northwest Territories, where she enjoyed doing fly-out clinics to various Dene and Inuit communities as well as working with Yellowknife clients. Morag then spent three years in Camrose where she enjoyed working with all ages. She attended the Supported Conversation for Adults with Aphasia training at the Aphasia Institute in Toronto in 2002, and was very pleased to be a Speech-Language Pathologist for InteRACT's debut in 2002. She is currently working with the Acquired Brain Injury Outreach Program based out of Saskatoon City Hospital. Danielle Taylor, CTRS Recreation Therapist Danielle graduated from the University College of Cape Breton in 1995 with a Bachelor of Arts Community Studies. She completed her Bachelor of Recreation degree and obtained her Certified Therapeutic Recreation Specialist (CTRS) designation in 1999. After completing her internship at Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, she worked at Arbor Acres, a skilled nursing facility in Winston-Salem for a one year term. Danielle then returned to Wake Forest University Baptist Medical Center providing Recreation Therapy services on the inpatient rehabilitation unit and provided individual and group Aquatic Therapy programs. When she returned to Canada she worked at Northwoodcare Inc. on the Special Care Unit and at the QEII on the Transitional Care Unit. Presently, she works at Camp Hill Veterans' Memorial Building as a Recreation Therapist on the general medical floors. Danielle is actively involved with the Therapeutic Recreation Association of Atlantic Canada. Coleen Lawlor, B.Rec., CTRS Recreation Therapist Coleen graduated with a Bachelor in Recreation in 1991 from Dalhousie University. She then obtained certification as a Therapeutic Recreation Specialist after joining the QEII Health Sciences Centre in 1998. Coleen has been working with the Transitional Care Team since it opened in 1998. Her work on this unit has been extensive in creating and building the Recreation Therapy Service to meet the needs of those individuals who are in transition from hospital to a long term care facility. Coleen previously worked as the sole Recreation Therapist on a newly opened inpatient Mental Health Unit, outpatient service and a Day Hospital. Coleen has also worked in Long Term Care Facilities as a Recreation and Volunteer Co-ordinator at both Oakwood Terrace in Dartmouth, and Helen Henderson Care Facility in Kingston, Ontario. Coleen is currently the Metro Chair of 'Nova Scotia Recreation Professionals in Health', and has been active in 'Activity Professionals of Ontario and Therapeutic Recreation Managers Association in Ontario. InteRACT consults with faculty at The School of Human Communication Disorders as well as other faculty members within Dalhousie University, including the Department of Psychology & Psychiatry, School of Health & Human Performance.