Hi! I’m Dr. Alexandra Carter. I am a Registered Psychologist who specializes in assessment and consultation for neurodivergent children and teens, and I am the director at Akira Child Development Group. For over 10 years I have been providing comprehensive assessments of toddlers, children, and teens and have worked in various settings (e.g., public school system, community mental health, hospital). In my private practice I assess children for learning disorders, ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, developmental delays, or mental health concerns like anxiety. I believe that early assessment and intervention is critical to ensuring the best outcomes for my clients. I embrace opportunities to consult with educators and other professionals such as speech pathologists, occupational therapists, and paediatricians before, during and after an assessment to ensure a child’s academic and social-emotional success. I no longer see children for therapy/counselling. If you’d like to learn more about assessments, please  visit services.

I have a doctorate in School Psychology from the University of British Columbia and a masters degree from the University of Toronto in Cognitive Neuropsychology. I have been classified as a Qualified Specialist (QS) in autism assessment through the BC Autism Assessment Network (BCAAN). I previously worked as a consultant for the provincial government, providing support in designing programs for children with autism.

Hi, I’m Darcie-Anne. I have recently completed my doctoral residency and I will be graduating from the PhD program at UBC  in the School and Applied Child Psychology Program. I have diverse experience to collaborate with families and professionals, fostering wellbeing and proactively managing challenges.

I specialize in conducting comprehensive assessments and providing support and intervention to children, adolescents, and families. I provide assessments for learning disorders, intellectual developmental disorders, mental health issues,  ADHD, and autism spectrum disorder. Each assessment is tailored to address my clients’ unique needs, offering practical strategies and understanding.

When providing interventions, I use a personalized approach, blending evidence-based practices with clients’ individual goals, strengths, and developmental needs. I primarily employ a cognitive-behavioral approach, while incorporating other modalities including mindfulness, parenting support, and social skill development. I hold certifications as a PEERS trainer and PATH facilitator.

Hi! I’m Sarah Stacey, client case manager at Akira Child Development Group. I’m a Registered Holistic Nutritionist(R.H.N) and after years of working with clients to help them reach their health goals, I made the transition into health management. I really enjoy working with Dr. Alexandra and her team, assisting families in getting the support needed for their child.

Hi! I’m Jacqueline Pelayo, I work in the BC school system conducting psycho-educational assessments and private I complete autism assessments under Dr. Alexandra’s supervision. I am also a Licensed Specialist in School Psychology in Texas, and across the United States under the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). My graduate degree is a master’s and specialist in School Psychology, I’m currently working on my doctorate in Clinical Psychology. While working at schools in Texas, I specialized in working with students with Autism, ADHD, emotional disturbance, and developing individualized education plans. I worked for Houston Independent School District and Dallas Independent School District, mainly identifying children with autism and emotional concerns. Working in the school system has allowed me to communicate with teachers to develop adequate plans for children to succeed academically, emotionally, and behaviourally. I was trained to implement behaviour and academic interventions, monitor progress, promote positive behaviour support and mental health, create safe and positive school climates, identity at-risk students, provide crisis prevention, reinforce positive peer relationships and social problem solving, and provide individual and group counselling. I’m currently completing my doctoral trainee experience with Akira. I love working with children, and I’m particularly drawn to working with children on the autism spectrum.

Hi! I’m Aisha Ghani, a School and Applied Child Psychology (SACP) PhD student at UBC. I have experience in private, community, and school-based settings completing assessments and interventions. Specifically, I have supported children and adolescents with learning differences (e.g., Specific Learning Disorder, Intellectual Developmental Disorder), neurodevelopmental differences (e.g., Autism, ADHD), behavioural difficulties, and mental health and wellbeing challenges (e.g., Anxiety, OCD, low mood). These experiences have allowed me to frequently collaborate with parents, caregivers, teachers, school teams, and specialists in supporting the needs of youth. I completed both my Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in SACP at UBC. I have returned to obtain a doctoral degree so I can further specialize my assessment and therapy skills. At Akira, I complete psycho-educational and ADHD evaluations under Dr. Alexandra Carter’s supervision.

Hi! I’m Aja Battie, a Registered Speech-Language Pathologist in Vancouver, BC. I use a positive approach to speech-language pathology that focuses on building communication skills through a child’s strengths and interests, empowering families, and making learning fun, motivating, and rewarding. I’m currently working in a variety of settings such as schools and client homes providing speech and language therapy, and with the Akira Child Development Group conducting speech and language assessments.

I completed my Master’s Degree in Communication Sciences and Disorders at Western University. Since then I have worked in both public and private settings with children and teens aged 1-18 with a wide range of communication challenges. I have special clinical interests in early intervention and working with children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. I am certified in the Hanen “It Takes Two to Talk” program for children with language delays, the Hanen “More Than Words” program for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder or social pragmatic disorders, and Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) for people with Parkinson’s Disease.

Outside of work I enjoy spending time with family and friends, and outdoor activities like cycling, running, snowboarding, and playing soccer.

Hi! I’m Bethany Ee, a school and applied child psychology PhD student at UBC. I have experience conducting assessments and interventions for children and adolescents with developmental, learning, attention, behavioural, and mental health challenges. I am completing a year long practicum in 2021-2022 with Dr. Alexandra to provide comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, with a focus on psychoeducational and autism assessments. I am currently completing my doctoral residency at Child and Youth Mental Health. I take on a strengths-based approach in my work with families and have worked with students, families, and school teams across a variety of settings, including schools and private- and university-based clinics. I completed my Master of Science in School and Applied Child Psychology at the University of Calgary and my undergraduate degree with a major in Psychology and minor in Family Studies at UBC.  I currently complete psycho-educational, ADHD, and autism evaluations for children under her supervision.

Hello! I’m Erika Thauberger, a  School and Applied Child Psychology Ph.D. student at UBC. In 2015, I completed my Bachelor’s of Science, with a specialization in Psychology and a minor in Biology from the University of Toronto. I received my Master’s of Arts in School Psychology from UBC in 2018, and worked for a public school district before returning to school for my Ph.D. in 2020. Working in schools, I gained valuable knowledge of the Public School System and other community services in British Columbia. I have experience working with school teams, parents, and children and youth with learning disabilities, ADHD, and Autism. I am gaining specialized training in the field of Autism Assessment under Dr. Alexandra’s supervision. I completed a full-year practicum 2021-2022 and currently complete psycho-educational, ADHD, and autism evaluations for children under her supervision.

Hi! I work in the school system completion psycho-educational assessments and I am a Behaviour Consultant. I am fluent in Mandarin and Cantonese. I have a Masters of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo and a Bachelor of Arts in Honours Psychology from the University of British Columbia. My passion is in child development and I have always enjoyed working with children, especially supporting children with needs. That’s why I entered the field of Behaviour Consulting more than 20 years ago. I have worked with families who have preschoolers, children and youths with a variety of special needs and am on the Registry of Autism Service Providers (RASP) list providing behaviour intervention and support to families. At the same time, I am employed by a local school district to complete assessments. In schools (Kindergarten to  Grade 12), I specialize in psychoeducational assessments, behaviour assessments, providing consults to teachers and school teams to address children’s learning, behaviour, and mental health needs. I have been working with Dr. Alexandra and at Akira in private practice since 2021. With her supervision, I plan to expand my assessment skill sets to work with more neurologically diverse populations.