About Dr. Maude Champagne
In her childhood, Maude was the curious kind, always on the go and wanting to experience life fully. While she now has a PhD, school was not her thing growing up: she was a social butterfly and enjoyed learning through experience. Maude grew up in a small town in Quebec in a loving family that included a sibling with severe disabilities whom Maude adored. She was in fact named after a kind social worker who helped her parents during challenging times. Her upbringing instilled in her a passion to improve the quality of life of families touched by disabilities and trauma. She herself became a mother through birth and adoption and has faced the challenges
and joys of raising children with multiple developmental, emotional and medical
concerns.
Maude's diverse passions propelled her into various roles, including neuroscientist, psychotherapist, social worker, trainer, and program developer. Her infectious enthusiasm has established her as a leading bilingual expert in areas such as Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD), attachment, complex trauma, and childhood aggression. Collaborating closely with the Kids Brain Health Network (KBHN) and Queen’s University, Maude has made significant contributions to her fields.
Dedicated to making a difference, Maude played a pivotal role in launching three groundbreaking programs focused on supporting families dealing with FASD and adoption-related challenges. Additionally, she serves as a clinician in the Adopt4Life AFCCA Family Supports Program, furthering her commitment to strengthening families.
As a researcher, Maude's impactful work centers on childhood disability, particularly FASD. Her findings have been published in multiple peer-reviewed journals, and she has shared her insights at numerous conferences, solidifying her reputation as a respected authority in her field.
Scientific research can take several years to have an impact on the lives of families. As a clinician-researcher, Maude has led and succeeded in fast-tracking several ground-breaking social projects responding to the needs identified within the families involved in her research projects. ( KBHN article). In 2022, she won a national MITACS award for Outstanding Innovation in recognition of these accomplishments.
Maude also co-instructed the Family Engagement in Research Course in collaboration with McMaster University, KBHN and CanChild , a program aligned with her values of fostering equitable collaboration between researchers, caregivers and clinicians. Another career highlight was co-creation of a tool to promote Equity, Diversity and Inclusion in the field (EDI).
While Maude’s work is grounded in science, she values compassion, diversity and making others feel safe. She sees mental health and well-being as grounded in safety and reciprocal connections with those around us.
Her mission is to provide resources to
families of children with multiple complexities that will improve their quality of life and
overall well-being.
"Being able to feel safe with other people is probably the single most important aspect of mental health: safe connections are fundamental to meaningful and satisfaying lives."
Bessel A. van de Kolk
