Board Members
Dave Bérube M.Ed Board President
Legal Rights Advocate II
Disability Law Center of Alaska
Dave Bérube has joined the Alaska Center for FASD board at the end of July 2022 and became the President of the board.
Dave Bérube returned to the Disability Law Center of Alaska, also known as the Protection and Advocacy agency (AK P&A), in November 2020. He had previously worked there from 1996-2015 as Legal Rights Advocate II and has resumed his work on the Client Assistance Program (CAP) and the Protection & Advocacy for Beneficiaries of Social Security (PABSS) program as the lead advocate. He has been a member of the State Vocational Rehabilitation Committee (SVRC) since 2011 and was chair for 3 years.
Dave also provides education and training state-wide about working while on Social Security Disability benefits, including providing information on the Social Security work incentives, return to work, available civil rights protections under the law regarding employment, and other work-related issues.
For 5 years before coming back to the AK P&A, he worked for Alaska Behavioral Health as the Housing & Employment Director from July 2015 to November 2020. He oversaw the growth and expansion of the RISE vocational program and the Employment Network. Mr. Bérube has worked in the employment arena since he was a job coach in Fairbanks back in 1986 and has a M.Ed. in Guidance & Counseling. He is an active member of the National Employment Network Association (NENA).
Michael I. Jeffery, J.D.
Retired Superior Court Judge
After living in India almost five years, Michael Jeffery moved to Barrow (now, Utqiagvik) Alaska in January 1977 to start the Alaska Legal Services Corporation office. After nearly six years with ALSC, he was appointed the North Slope’s first Superior Court Judge. After a 32-year judicial career, he reached the constitutional age limit of 70 and had to retire in December 2014. He became energized in 1996 about the disconnect between FASD and the justice system and started to adapt to reduce the unintentional injustice. His continuing efforts were recognized in state-wide media outlets and awards, including from the Alaska Federation of Natives. He assisted in the successful effort to have FASD recognized in Alaska as a possible “mitigating factor” in sentencing for serious crimes. As an active member of statewide FASD committees, he helped produce Alaska’s FASD 5-Year Plan. He has trained groups in “FASD 101” and has given FASD/justice system presentations in Vancouver, BC; Alaska; several other states, and a 2019 Rotary-sponsored training team journey to Western Australia. He joined the board of the Alaska Center for FASD to assist in public education and community service for persons and families affected by FASD. Previously recognized as a member of the national NOFAS Hall of Fame, he is now the board’s liaison to NOFAS’s Affiliate Network. He is a long-time drummer in an Eskimo dance group. He is an active member of the Rotary Club of Barrow and in his faith community. He is married to Esther and they are blessed with three grown children. He graduated from Stanford University and the Yale Law School.
Elizabeth Joseph
Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation
Parent Advocate
Elizabeth Joseph lives in Kongiganak which is located near the mouth of the Kuskokwim River (southwest of Bethel). She works for Yukon Kuskokwim Health Corporation in their local Clinic as an Office Assistant. She is married to an amazing man who is her #1 support system - Joseph (Joe) Joseph. They are raising 6 children - 4 boys and 2 girls with ages ranging from 11 months to 15 years. Three of the children were exposed to alcohol prenatally. Their oldest son, Jordan, came into their life as a foster child and when he became available for adoption, they did not have the heart to give him up to another family. He has introduced them to the challenges of parenting a child with an FASD, is their inspiration, and they are trying to create a foundation for his future success. It has been a rough road for the past 14 years living in rural Alaska with few services for children with disabilities. Elizabeth became involved with this new non-profit because she would like to see more services offered to these children and find ways to help rural parents/caregivers find their centering point.
Erika Mary Johnson Board Secretary
Care Coordinator
Erika was born and raised in Alaska and now lives on beautiful Kodiak island. Since March 2006, she has been building a career in the disability services field, working as a direct care provider, a case manager for both home and community-based waiver (HCBW) and grant recipients and, since April 2016 as a care coordinator. She has experience working with a variety of individuals, from those experiencing autism and FASD to children with complex medical conditions to individuals with co-occurring mental health and developmental delays to seniors experiencing dementia and Parkinson's. From February 2016 thru April 2018, Erika also used her skills as an intern at the Providence Kodiak Island Counseling Center, where she provided therapy services to individuals who experience substance use disorders. Erika has served on the Board of the Alaska Center for FASD since July 2018 and is pleased to be part of this dynamic group.
Catherine Mannix Board Treasurer
Special Education Teacher/Collaborator, Anchorage School District
Catherine Mannix is a special education teacher who has worked in the Anchorage School District for the past 17 years, at the preschool and middle school levels. She has practiced in the field of education in various capacities, and at all grade levels, since graduating in 1980 with a B.S. in Education from Western Illinois University. Catherine has worked with students coping with the effects of FAS and FASD since her earliest days in the classroom in Montana. She has been a consistent activist pursuing grants and training for staff and families regarding FASD. Catherine participated for many years on the Anchorage School District FAS committee and co-produced an online FASD resource for district teachers. She has worked on various boards and brings this experience to pursue her greatest passion: recognizing and appropriately addressing the educational needs of students with FASD, while raising community understanding, acceptance, and support for students and their families. “Until all teachers and society at large have a deep understanding and respect for the prevalence of brain-based differences of students, the school system will continue to wound FASD affected individuals and their families. Students must be recognized for the strengths they possess and accommodated for their weaknesses. Success must be measured beyond the limits of current standardized testing.”
Lauren Risby Intake Coordinator
Lauren was born and raised on the land of the Dena'ina and can’t imagine a more beautiful place to call home. She attended the University of Idaho and University of Alaska Anchorage earning her degree in Psychology (minor in nutrition). Lauren is currently working on her Master of Social Work (MSW) to be able to better advocate on a policy level and is on track to graduate in spring of 2021. She did her MSW practicum placement with the Alaska Center for FASD in spring of 2020 and was so passionate about their mission and creating FASD informed communities of care that she decided to join the board. Lauren has been working at Denali Family Services since 2006 providing individualized community-based services to youth and families under a trauma informed model of care and is also a facilitator for Parenting with Love and Logic. Lauren draws her energy and passion from the individuals, families, and communities she works with and is a firm believer that people are experts of their own experience. She continues to be humbled by the resiliency and strength exhibited by those she serves and considers it to be an honor to be part of their journey. In her down time Lauren enjoys spending time with her family and dogs, watching movies, reading, gardening, and you will most likely always find Lauren with knitting needles in her hands.
Dena’inaq ełnen’aq’ gheshtnu ch’q’u yeshdu. (Dena’ina)
I live and work on the land of the Dena'ina. (English)
Gina Schumaker
Self Advocate
Gina is an adult with FASD who received a diagnosis 3 years ago. She went to a presentation about FASD with a friend who invited her to go to ‘prove’ that she did not have an FASD. What they learned there was an ‘ah ha’ moment for Gina and sent her in search of a diagnosis for answers. Very few of the current FASD teams are seeing adults (most have pediatric providers participating so it is out of their scope of practice) but she found support from Vicki Tinker, the Coordinator at Frontier Community Services in Kenai/Soldotna. After a false start with a bad neuropsychology experience in Anchorage, she was able to sit down with someone who could describe her brain-based strengths and challenges and provide her with a diagnosis. She is married, has two children, is parenting successfully and runs two businesses. But life has not been without its’ challenges as her story includes leaving a tumultuous home at age 16, substance use as a teen, multiple (some abusive) marriages, being taken advantage of during financial transactions with her business, and years of depression and blaming herself for her limitations. With the new information after diagnosis, she is better able to understand and forgive herself for things she cannot do. This allows her to move through the world with less self-criticism and more acceptance of her life and abilities. She needs her home/life to be very organized and structured, understands there will be good brain/bad brain days, and wants to support others who have FASDs.