aboutus
ProActive Pediatrics mission is to foster the growth and development of children and adolescents in Newfoundland and Labrador by providing comprehensive care under one roof. In order to provide this care, we want to create an environment where all members of our healthcare team collaborate within the ProActive Pediatrics network. We're looking to innovate creative solutions to the challenges that face our pediatric population.
Meet the Team
Our team consists of medical and allied health professionals who are committed to providing quality care to all.
Pediatrician, Clinical Director and Co-Owner
Dr. Liam Fardy
Dr. Liam Fardy is a Royal College Certified Pediatrician and a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Memorial University. In addition to his work at Proactive Pediatrics, he also works at the Janeway Children’s Hospital. He grew up in St. John’s and completed medical school and specialty training in Pediatrics at Memorial University. As part of this training, he has spent time at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario in Ottawa and Stollery Children ’s Hospital in Edmonton.
While Dr. Fardy enjoys seeing children and adolescents of all ages with a wide scope of concerns, his areas of clinical interest are newborn medicine, asthma, mental health and development. He enjoys using a collaborative approach and working with other professionals to provide care that considers the patient as a whole.
Pediatric Endocrinologist
Dr. Robyn LeDrew
Dr. LeDrew completed medical school and residency in Pediatrics at Memorial University, followed by a fellowship in Endocrinology at
the University of Ottawa in 2018. She
previously practiced in New Brunswick and recently moved home to Newfoundland. Dr. LeDrew also works in Newborn Care at the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre, and is a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Memorial University.
Psychologist
Dr. Krystle Dalley
Dr. Krystle Dalley graduated from the Doctor of Psychology (Psy.D) program at Memorial University in 2013. She completed her pre doctoral residence at Annapolis Valley Health, whereby she worked with both Children and Adolescent, and Adult Mental Health and Addiction Services. Since that time she has worked within the Child and Adolescent Mental Health division at Eastern Health. She has been actively involved in training doctoral level psychology students and psychology residents.
Dr. Dalley offers therapy services for children, adolescents, families, and adults presenting with a wide variety of mental health concerns. She has a special interest in anxiety, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), emotion regulation, parenting, stress and relationship concerns. Dr. Dalley believes a strong therapeutic relationship is the foundation of change. Her Therapeutic orientation is client-centered integrative, with grounding in interpersonal, and cognitive behavioural therapies.
Becky Cahill
Physiotherapist
Becky is a registered physiotherapist with the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Physiotherapists where she also serves as a member on council. She graduated from Memorial University with her Bachelor of Kinesiology and went on to complete her Master of Science in Physiotherapy at Dalhousie University. In addition to her work with ProActive, Becky works at the Janeway Children’s Health and Rehabilitation Centre treating patients with various musculoskeletal conditions. Her treatment focuses on an active approach, with patient and family involvement, to help her patients reach their goals and participate in their desired activities. Becky has a passion for working with children and is excited to expand her practice to work with the ProActive Pediatrics team.
Pediatric Counsellor
Candace Hopkins
Candace is a registered social worker with the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Social Workers. She obtained her Bachelor’s Degree in Social Work from Memorial University and her Master’s Degree in Social Work from the University of British Columbia.
Originally from rural Newfoundland, she has been working in the field of mental health and addictions in St. John's for several years. Her goal is to create a safe, judgment-free space where individuals can work through the challenges they are facing. Her therapeutic work has largely been focused on working with individuals who experience anxiety, depression, addiction, trauma, life transitions, and other issues. Candace uses a trauma-informed, strengths-based approach to therapy that borrows components from evidence-based techniques such as Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Dialectical Behavioural Therapy, and Solution-Focused Brief Therapy.
During her free time, Candace enjoys spending time with her partner, friends, and family, playing piano, or lifting weights at the gym.
Lead Administrator
Tyanna Freake
Tyanna was born and raised in Central Newfoundland. She completed her Medical Office Management program at College of the North Atlantic in 2021, and has been working with ProActive ever since.
Tyanna has been very involved and very interested in the pediatric field over the past few years, and is always there to help our pediatric physicians/providers in any way she can.
If you can’t find Tyanna in the office, she is doing what she loves doing the most, travelling or hanging out with her two dogs, Kali & Kyser.
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Pediatrician
Dr. Megan Burke
Dr. Megan Burke is a Royal College Certified Pediatrician with a focused interest in adolescent medicine.
Dr. Burke completed medical school at Memorial University of Newfoundland, and specialty training in pediatrics at Memorial University and the University of British Columbia. She has clinical experience in working with youth alongside adolescent medicine specialists at BC Children’s Hospital and has worked in outpatient clinics in Vancouver as a pediatrician with a focus in adolescent health. Her clinical areas of interest include adolescent mental health, transitions from pediatric to adult health care, eating disorders, transgender health, adolescents with chronic health conditions, and ADHD. Dr. Burke is committed to improving the health of NL youth through research and community-based projects. Dr. Burke is also a Clinical Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Memorial University of Newfoundland.
Family Physician
Dr. Jessica Fowler
Dr. Fowler completed medical school at Memorial University in 2020. Dr. Fowler currently offers appointment based walk-in clinics at ProActive (Kenmount Road.)
Susan Sparkes
Pediatric Occupational Therapist
Susan Sparkes is an occupational therapist with more than 20 years of experience. Using her authentic therapeutic use of self, Susan strives to build rapport and trust with her clients, knowing that a child needs to feel safe in their environment in order to access higher level brain structures such as those involved with learning and attention.
Susan seeks to embrace the goals of the neurodiversity movement by challenging the status quo that tends to be associated with a deficit model. When a person’s natural neurological differences result in challenges in daily functioning, this approach does not intend to change the individual but rather to understand and educate about their differences and to find ways to change the environment and societal expectations while building individual skills.
*Susan has evenings and Saturday availability only*
Pediatric Counsellor
Gillian Norris
Gillian is a Canadian Certified Counsellor and Licensed Naturotherapist who has focused most of her career towards working with children, youth, and young adults; including youth in residential care, diagnosed with intellectual disabilities, neurodiverse youth and young adults, and newcomers to Canada.
Her approach is client-centered, trauma-informed, and strengths-based, using techniques from CBT, DBT, and solution-focused therapy, with a large focus on mindfulness. For younger clients, these approaches are applied within play therapy. She believes the goal of counselling is to celebrate the young person’s current strengths and successes as well as learn new coping and emotion regulation strategies to help improve their day-to-day lives.
Gillian loves to learn! She is a Certified Clinical Anxiety Treatment Professional and has certificates in Applied Suicide Intervention Skills Training (ASIST), Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Indigenous Canada training, and Psychological First Aid. She’s currently working on certification for both Certified Autism Spectrum Disorder Clinical Specialist (ASDCS) and ADHD Clinical Services Provider (ADHD-CCSP).
Fun fact: Gillian has four pets - a beagle, and three cats (two of whom are foster failures)!
Dietitian
Claire Tanner
Claire Tanner is a Registered Dietitian and is registered with both the Newfoundland and Labrador College of Dietitians and the College of Dietitians of Ontario. She practices a non-diet approach to help her clients improve their physical and mental health through nutrition. Claire has worked in an executive health clinic to help adults address concerns related to nutrition, whether it be regarding their own eating practices or questions related to family meal time. She has taken additional FODMAP and IBS training through Monash University. Claire is passionate about working with her clients to eliminate disordered thoughts, preoccupations and eating practices around food in order to bring joy back into meal time.
Administrator
Gillian Grace
Gillian was born and raised in St. John's, NL. She studied French at Memorial University of Newfoundland and at the University of Windsor, before moving out of province to work in the travel/tourism industry. She has lived in several provinces over the years, including Alberta, British Columbia, Quebec, Ontario and Nova Scotia, before settling back in Newfoundland to start her family. She is the proud mom of two boys, one of whom has Cystic Fibrosis. Since his diagnosis, Gillian and her family have been very heavily involved with Cystic Fibrosis Canada, where she has served with the NL chapter for over 12 years. She is an active volunteer with the Janeway, Mount Pearl Soccer Association, Mount Pearl Minor Hockey Association, and Kin Canada. She started her career in the medical field when she returned to NL, where she has worked in family medicine and allied health and wellness for over 10 years. She loves travelling, camping, beachcombing and exploring every nook & cranny of our beautiful province. If she's not at the hockey rink or at the soccer field, she can usually be found curled up with a book and a cup of Tetley tea. She is very excited to be a part of this amazing team!
PAWdiatrician
Nina
Nina is the Proactive Pediatrics PAWdiatrician. Nina was born in Abbotsford, BC.
She graduated from Top Dog Canine Obedience School in Vancouver, BC (and sometimes forgets everything she learned). Nina specializes in accepting head scratches, eating delicious treats, and providing endless emotional support.
Visit your family doctor to get a rufferral to see Dogtor Nina.
For more information, or to book an appointment email info@proactivepediatrics.ca or call 709-800-9050.