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. 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 early intensive intervention 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!

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. 

Emily Lee is a registered Occupational Therapist and a certified Early Start Denver Model therapist. She completed her undergraduate degree in Occupational Therapy at the University of Toronto in 2002. Upon graduation Emily dove into working with children, the source of her inspiration for becoming an OT.  After moving to the west coast she worked at St. Paul's Hospital for half a year and then joined the Early Intervention Therapy program at the BC Centre for Ability. Emily worked with children with a broad range of strengths and needs, including many children with autism. During her final year at the BC Centre for Ability she directed the occupational therapy department, supervising the provision of OT services across 5 programs. Switching gears in 2016, Emily completed her Masters of Rehabilitation Sciences through the University of British Columbia in 2017. Through her studies she has extensively explored research literature regarding early identification of and intervention for Developmental Coordination Disorder. During her family time, Emily can be found playing in the woods or at the pool with her husband and two kids.

Lauren Steele is an Occupational Therapist at Nurture. She completed her undergraduate degree in Biology at Queen’s University before completing her Masters of Occupational Therapy Practice at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. She brings experience working with children and their families through opportunities volunteering at Sunnyhill in recreation therapy, on clinical placements, including her time at Nurture, and working as a support worker.  Lauren is passionate about working with a collaborative and strengths-based approach. She is excited by Nurture’s play-based services and enjoys bringing her warm and engaging attitude to sessions. When not at Nurture, you will find her exploring the outdoors with her dog.

Robyn is a registered Occupational Therapist. She completed her Masters of Science in Occupational Therapy at McMaster University and an Honours Bachelors of Science in Psychology and Biology at Queen’s University. Robyn approaches therapy by building on children’s strengths and she believes positive and collaborative relationships are foundational to practice. Before becoming an OT, Robyn worked in early childhood education and in school-aged care. Robyn’s love of play has been shaped by her years working as a camp counsellor and a ski instructor. When Robyn is not at Nurture, she can be found mountain biking, skiing and windsurfing!  

Gavina Sian is a registered Speech-Language Pathologist. She attended the University of British Columbia, where she completed both her BA in Speech Sciences with a minor in Psychology and her M.Sc. in Speech-Language Pathology. Gavina has had the opportunity to volunteer with both children and adults in many capacities. However, her work with children with developmental differences solidified her passion for pediatric Speech-Language Pathology. Her clinical externships with preschool and school-aged children allowed her to gain valuable knowledge regarding the implementation of high quality, evidence-based therapy. Gavina is passionate about supporting children and their families through individualized therapy and strives to continuously develop her skills by being a lifelong learner. When Gavina is not at Nurture, she can be found playing with her puppy, going to hockey games, or reading a book.