The Nurture Team

Dr. Kate Ballem Chase is a registered Speech-Language Pathologist and a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. She is a certified therapist in both JASPER and the Early Start Denver Model. She is also the proud mom of a neurodiverse daughter. After pursuing undergraduate studies at the University of Victoria, Kate studied at the University of Oxford as a Rhodes Scholar, where she completed her doctorate in Experimental Psychology in 2004, with a focus on early language and cognitive development. After returning from Oxford, Kate completed her clinical training as a speech-language pathologist at the University of British Columbia in 2006. Kate worked briefly at the BC Centre for Ability before joining Loyst and Associates Autism Services, where she led the team in the Richmond area from 2007-2013. Kate is also a Clinical Assistant Professor in the School of Audiology and Speech Science at the University of British Columbia. When she isn’t playing with clients and their parents, Kate can be found playing outside with her husband, two children, and their dog!

Patty (Wu) Zimmerman has been a practicing occupational therapist since 1988. She is a certified therapist in both JASPER and the Early Start Denver Model.  She was trained at the University of Puget Sound, where she specialized in paediatrics with additional internships in the United States. She returned to Canada and after working at BC Centre for Ability for 15 years, she launched a private practice, Benchmark OTS , which has provided outstanding occupational therapy service in the Richmond area since 2002. Patty has extensive training in sensory integration, feeding therapy, executive functioning, and many other areas of specialized occupational therapy. Patty retired from her role as Director of OT in 2023, but continues to work with Nurture on the Board of Directors.

Andrea Schneider is a registered Occupational Therapist and a cerified Early Start Denver Model therapist with a background in Neuropsychology. She completed a Masters of Science in Experimental Neuropsychology at the University of Victoria (UVic) in 2012, and a Masters of Occupational Therapy at the University of British Columbia in 2014. Her research at UVic focused on the assessment of executive function, and she directed a research lab focused on improving intervention for school-aged children with Learning Disabilities and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). Andrea is an avid outdoors enthusiast, and when she is not playing at Nurture she can be found volunteering as an adaptive ski instructor, rock climbing, or hiking. 

Shelby Sutker is a registered Speech-Language Pathologist, certified in both JASPER the Early Start Denver Model. She is passionate about helping families by providing them with the tools to grow and learn. Growing up with a brother with autism she experienced first hand what it is to want the best outcome for her family and was inspired to pursue a career in intervention. Shelby has extensive experience working with children and adolescents with autism. Prior to becoming an SLP, she worked as a support worker and behaviour interventionist. She obtained her undergraduate degree in linguistics and psychology at Simon Fraser University before completing her master's in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of British Columbia. When she’s not playing at Nurture, Shelby enjoys learning the cello, riding her bike and solving mysteries in real life escape games.

Felicia Tong is a registered Speech-Language Pathologist and a certified JASPER therapist. She is also a certified provider of the Hanen It Takes Two to Talk® program. She completed her undergraduate degree in Speech Science and Psychology at the University of British Columbia prior to completing her Masters in Speech Language Pathology at the University of Alberta.  Felicia enjoys working with children and is inspired by their bright minds and creativity. She has supported children with complex speech, language, and communication needs in a variety of roles over the years. Felicia believes in a positive, collaborative and play based approach to therapy. She is also fluent in English and Cantonese. When she’s not playing at Nurture, Felicia enjoys rock climbing and trying new foods.

Nikita Dadlani is a registered Speech Language Pathologist. She completed her Masters in Speech Language Pathology & Audiology from Manipal University, India. Nikita is PROMPT trained, and Hanen certified for the It Takes Two to Talk® and More Than Words® programs. She is also certified in assistive technology applications. Through her previous roles, Nikita has worked on research focussed on early identification and intervention for autism, and supported children with complex social and communication needs in schools, hospitals and clinical settings. She strongly believes in the power of play as a medium for intervention and the magic of family centered individualized intervention programs. In addition to English, Nikita also speaks Hindi, Sindhi, Kannada, and Tamil. When she’s not playing at Nurture, Nikita can be found reading a book, exploring some restaurants & cafes with friends and family or traveling. 

Katie O’Connell is a Speech Language Pathologist who graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Speech and Language Therapy in from the National University of Ireland, Galway. She has previous experience working with children with speech, language and social communication difficulties in a primary care centre in Dublin, Ireland. Katie is passionate about early years intervention. She promotes collaboration between clinician, family members and other important adults in the child’s life in order to holistically support each child’s communication development. Prior to joining the Nurture team, Katie travelled around South America, and has previously lived in Australia and New Zealand. She loves to hike and spends her free time exploring Vancouver’s great outdoors.

Wan-Yi Chiu is a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst and an internationally educated Occupational Therapist (awaiting registration in British Columbia). Wan-Yi completed a Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy from Taiwan in 2012. Shortly after she became interested in autism, and began working as a behaviour interventionist, providing in-home and centre-based services in Taiwan. In 2016, Wan-Yi pursued her Master’s degree in Applied Behaviour Analysis at Teachers College, Columbia University, and worked in a preschool and elementary school setting during her practicum. She moved to Greater Vancouver in 2018 and has been supporting the autistic community ever since. Wan-Yi sees the family as a whole unit and provide supports  through a neurodiversity affirming, developmental and trauma-informed lens. She joined the Nurture team to pursue her passion of providing comprehensive, well-rounded supports for families. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking with her partner and their dog, exploring the natural beauty of British Columbia.

Randall is a father of 3, lifelong learner and graduate of the UBC, Master of Occupational Therapy Program. He has worked with kids as an OT, teacher, physical education teacher, program coordinator and coach for more than 30 years. He is on the Registry for Autism Service Providers (RASP) list and recent professional development courses include Jasper Level 1 Part A and B, SOS Feeding, courses from ICDL Floortime (DIR 101 - Introduction, 430 - Motor Planning), Cognitive Orientation to daily Occupational Performance (CO-OP), Reconciliation Education, Anxiety for Kids, and Learning Without Tears to name a few.  Randall also has a Bachelor of Kinesiology, Bachelor of Education, Master of Science in Multidisciplinary Learning and a Post Graduate Certificate in Sensory Integration. Randall was an educator and lived and worked in South Korea, Colombia, Bahamas, China, Thailand, UK and Angola. He works and plays with kiddos across the age span and especially enjoys working with kiddos with neurodevelopmental challenges and collaborating on ways to increase participation and meaningful occupation, to validate and extend a love for play and build a growth mindset. When not wearing his OT hat, Randall enjoys spending time with his family doing anything active and being involved with music.

Melissa Gagnon is a compassionate and dedicated Occupational Therapist with over 20 years of experience. She earned a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology from the University of British Columbia in 2001 and a Master’s in Occupational Therapy from McMaster University in 2004. Melissa’s early career began with supporting children and youth with developmental differences and expanded to include supporting diverse populations, including adults living with brain injuries and seniors in the community. Melissa has gained leadership skills through managing multidisciplinary teams and is passionate about delivering inclusive, individualized therapy for clients of all ages. She loves collaborating with clients and their families to develop creative solutions for reaching occupational performance goals. Melissa has a playful spirit and in her spare time she loves being outdoors with her husband and two daughters, whether it's playing soccer, skiing, or enjoying nature together.