Featuring Guest Speakers:

Susan Badeau, Early Child Development
Recognizing and Supporting Children with Trauma
Susan Badeau has a degree in Early Child Development and Elementary Education from
Smith College. She has worked in child-serving fields as a professional for thirty three years
working in adoption, foster care, juvenile justice, children's mental health and education in both
public and private agencies. She has developed curricula on many topics used to prepare
professional child welfare staff, adoptive and foster parents, judges, attorneys and youth.
As the lifetime mom of 22 children by birth and adoption, with experience caring for dozens
more children in foster care and juvenile justice, and a 30+ year professional background,
Sue offers the perfect marriage of lived experience with professional expertise.

Mary Catherine Williams, Behavioural Consultant to Caregivers
Building Resilience in Foster Care: A Caregiver's Toolkit
Mary Catherine Williams has over thirty years of experience working with children, families, and
communities to promote well-being, safety and success. Her career spans working in child care
centres in the Downtown Eastside, instructing ECE programs, operating child care facilities, owning
a small business, supporting families and foster caregivers of children and youth with a variety of
developmental disabilities and challenges, and providing training to families and community
professionals. She has worked with FPSSS as a Safe Babies Coordinator and trainer since 2006.
During the past 20 years she has collaborated in community development initiatives in
Campbell River with a focus on mental health and addictions prevention and supports,
reconciliation and resilience. Volunteering has been a cornerstone for Mary Catherine throughout
her life and Mary Catherine is currently the Executive Director of Volunteer Campbell River
which also supports the Comox Valley Volunteer Connector.