Danielle Pelletier is Founder, and CEO of VIVA, a New Brunswick company dedicated to making a difference to preschool children who present with social, communication and behavioural disorders and their families. Currently employing nearly 300 staff, the organization is anchored in the latest science and training, while focusing on each child’s overall well-being, engagement and joy.
Beginning her career as a Speech-Language Pathologist, and later acquiring her Board-Certified Behaviour Analyst graduate degree, has allowed Danielle the clinical background to be established as a leader in the field. In 2015, Danielle became a member of the Wallace McCain Institute, successfully completing the Entrepreneurial Leaders Program (ELP). This program has provided benefits for both personal and workplace development, allowing her to gain experience in all the core aspects of running a business while scaling up the organization. Danielle is proud of having built a business that focuses on strong human values while being data driven and outcome based.
Growing up in in a small town with strong Acadian roots has taught Danielle that although New Brunswick may be a small province, each of its’ regions has their own culture and values. She understands that attracting and retaining top talent for our region will be key to our future success.
Danielle’s calm and compassionate demeanour makes her a strong caring leader. She currently lives in Fredericton with her much-loved pup, Wallace, and is proud grandmother to Adelyn.
Beth Fairbairn is the Chief Operating Officer (COO) with our team. A detail-oriented critical thinker and natural problem solver, Beth is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the organization and brings a key skillset in operations strategy and policy, strategic planning, and fostering strong cultural alignment with the goals of our organization. Beth’s philosophy in managing the needs of our staff stems from a position of compassion. Beth makes it her business to care deeply about every member of our teams and defines compassion as empathy + action, so it’s “I understand and feel for you”… but also “how can help”. Many years of national and international experience in the field of educational training and assessment have provided Beth with a passion for working with young children with special needs. Beth holds an Arts degree (English -’93), a Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA -’97), and a Masters in Project Management (2009), as well as nearly 20 years of experience in organizational leadership.
Cindy is a skilled clinician, administrator, and supporter of people with over 25 years in the field. She began her career as an Occupational Therapist, graduating from the Dalhousie University School of Occupational Therapy in 1996. During her nearly 14 years at HorizonNB, she gained experience and a passion for working with preschool aged children with neuro-developmental challenges. Cindy joined the VIVA team in 2009 and first worked as a Clinical Supervisor before making a shift to the field of Human Resources. In 2015, she completed the Wallace McCain Institute’s Second in Command Program. Cindy has been a key member of the senior leadership team, supporting the tremendous growth of the organization over the past six years. She is currently the VP of Administration and in this role, she works to ensure the wellness of our VIVA team, while overseeing all administrative processes, and still finding the time to share her expertise as an Occupational Therapist.
Janet is a dually certified Speech-Language Pathologist and Board Certified Behaviour Analyst. She has 30 years of experience working to better the lives of children and their families. She joined the VIVA team at the very beginning, in 2006. Janet has been a key person in the development of the organization’s clinical practices over the years. She currently serves as VP of Clinical Services. In this role, Janet leads several key provincial initiatives and supports teams around the province to meet significant therapeutic outcomes for their learners. In 2022, she become certified by FTF Behavioral Consulting as a Level 4 lead implementor of the Practical Functional Assessment and Skills Based Treatment (PFA & SBT). Janet is known for her consulting skills, her problem solving and ability to make highly individualized recommendations. She is most passionate about helping children learn.
Nancy Boutcher moved to New Brunswick after completing her Bachelor of Science, Occupational Therapy in 2002 at Dalhousie University. She thought she would work for a year before returning to Newfoundland. Fast forward over 20 years and she’s never moved from New Brunswick! After a year working in private practice in Moncton, Nancy moved to Saint John and began working with WorkSafeNB where she spent the next 18 years. Nancy took advantage of every opportunity, taking on progressive leadership roles in rehabilitation, claims management, health and safety analysis and prevention, and most recently in change management. She returned to school in 2010 to complete her Master’s in Occupational Therapy through Dalhousie. Nancy is a certified Prosci Change Practitioner, a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt practitioner, and is trained in Group Facilitation and Crucial Conversations.
A critical thinker, planner, and effective communicator, Nancy can unite and focus people toward achieving a common goal.
Originally from Moncton, Isabelle joined VIVA Therapeutic Services (VIVA) in August 2020. Isabelle completed her Masters of Arts in School Psychology at Mount Saint Vincent University in 2002, and became a licensed psychologist in 2005. While working in the school system, she quickly developed a love of working with autistic children. She pursued her studies in the field of Applied Behaviour Analysis at the University of North Texas, and was then certified as a Board Certified Behaviour Analyst in 2011. Prior to joining the VIVA team, she worked as a School Psychologist, Autism Mentor, as well as in various leadership roles including Director of the Autism Learning Partnership branch at the Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. In 2022, she received her certificate 4 in Practical Functional Assessment and Skills Based Treatment from FTF Behavioral Consulting. As Regional Director of VIVA for the Greater Moncton area, she provides support and leadership to clinical teams to help preschool-aged autistic children flourish, and to empower families with knowledge and skills to maximize their child’s learning in everyday life. She is proud to be part of a team that is committed to evidence-based practices, and creating joyful learning environments that help children develop critical skills while ensuring that they feel safe, understood, and empowered in the process.
Tanya Johnson is VIVA’s Regional Director for the Saint John region which includes Charlotte County and Sussex, as well as our regions in the north which include: Beresford, Miramichi, Caraquet, Campbellton and Edmundston. She brings over 20 years of experience in various leadership roles and has obtained her Executive Leadership and High-performance Leadership Certificates from Cornell University.
Tanya brings strong people management skills, is a passionate, effective change leader who is known for employee-development, strong communication skills, and empowering and motivating her team.
Tanya has led teams across Atlantic Canada, Quebec, Saskatchewan, and Alberta. As a director with a large geographical area taking the time to travel throughout the region was always important to her. Visiting locations to hear about day-to-day operations, challenges, and best practices to better support the regions, she set realistic goals and developed depth on her teams. She has a proven track record for exceeding expectations and mentoring people to the next level of their career.
Tanya is passionate about giving back to the community and looking for ways to help those in need; she is an authentic leader who embraces change and leads by example.
Ashley Culliton started her journey with VIVA in 2013 as a Behaviour Interventionist, after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts from St. Thomas University. It was her intention to work in this role for a year before pursuing a Bachelor of Education, which quickly pivoted to pursuing a career as a Speech-Language Pathologist. After graduating with her Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at Dalhousie University in 2017, Ashley felt a strong pull to return to VIVA to fulfill a passion to work with preschool aged children with communication challenges. Over the years, Ashley has served as an active volunteer and committee member with many organizations including Frontier College, Aphasia Nova Scotia and the Association of Speech-Language Pathologists and Audiologists (NBASLPA).
Ashley has wonderful depth of knowledge having worked in various roles within VIVA since 2017. Ashley is a strong team leader who is passionate about client-centered care and interprofessional collaboration. She is motivated by joy and loves to see children learning while collaborating with families, community partners and clinical teams to create functional goals that increase quality of life. We are delighted to have Ashley in our Interim Regional Director role for the ASDW region until June 2024.
