Meet our——
——amazing team
Jessica Birch
FASD Advocate
Jessica is a national advocate and speaker living with FASD.
Since her late diagnosis, she has turned her attention to awareness building and education around this complex injury, to create a better understanding of the prevalence and consequences of prenatal alcohol exposure in Australia.
Jessica shares her lived experience in an effort to arm individuals, families, carers and health professionals with information to create successful interventions and support; She believes awareness and action is key to slow the rate of prenatal alcohol exposure in our communities.
In just a few short years, Jessica has been involved in a number of projects and has appeared in a variety of news, radio and television interviews; Notably, she successfully campaigned alongside Australia’s peak bodies for clear pregnancy warning labels on all alcohol products within Australia, and was the first individual living with FASD to speak at Australia’s National Brain Injury Conference.
Jessica regularly consults with researchers, health professionals and decision makers, and sits on several expert and community advisory boards, including those for NOFASD, FARE and the FASD HUB.
FARE
The Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education (FARE) works towards an Australia free from alcohol harms. With local communities, values-aligned organisations, health professionals and researchers across the country, FARE strives to improve the health and wellbeing of everyone in Australia.
FARE develop evidence-informed policies that put people’s health first, enable people-powered advocacy to help create change, and deliver health promotion programs designed to reduce the risk of alcohol harm in our communities.
FARE has been working to improve the health and wellbeing of Australians for 20 years.
NACCHO
The National Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (NACCHO) is a living embodiment of the aspirations of Aboriginal communities and their struggle for self-determination.
NACCHO represents over 140 Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services (ACCHSs) across the country on Aboriginal health and well-being issues and is Australia’s peak Aboriginal health body.
NACCHO aims to provide leadership and direction in the development of health policies affecting Aboriginal peoples, and to support ACCHSs in their delivery of comprehensive primary healthcare.
Angelene Bruce
FASD Advocate
Angelene Bruce is the biological mother to a thriving child diagnosed with Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder or FASD. She is also a lived experience expert for NOFASD Australia, FARE Australia and a member of the Victorian FASD Special Interest Group as well as a passionate advocate for FASD awareness and prevention.
Ange has extensive experience and training in all aspects of FASD and is dedicated to helping others understand how alcohol harms an unborn child’s brain and body with a strict no blame no shame policy for biological mothers. Ange has been featured in a range of media. Ange is a mentor / coach to parents and caregivers of children with FASD all over the world.
NOFASD
The National Organisation for Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (NOFASD) Australia is the national peak organisation representing the interests of individuals who have Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and the families who support them.
NOFASD’s vision is the prevention of alcohol exposed pregnancies in Australia and an improved quality of life for those who have FASD. In addition to delivering support to individuals and families NOFASD Australia also provides education and training workshops to parent and carer groups, government and non-government service providers and school communities throughout Australia.
FASD Hub
The FASD Hub brings together the latest evidence-based content about alcohol, pregnancy and FASD in Australia.
The FASD Hub serves a range of stakeholders including health professionals, researchers, educators, people living with FASD and their families, and those planning a pregnancy or breastfeeding.
As well as housing the latest research and publications, The FASD Hub connects FASD-informed health professionals and families through the FASD Hub Service Directory, provides online training to accompany The Australian Guide to the diagnosis of FASD, and connects audiences with other specialist groups.