Dr. Mansfield Mela (MBBS, FWACP, MSc Psych, FRCPC), Professor, Department of Psychiatry, University of Saskatchewan, is an academic forensic psychiatrist and a Founder of the forensic subspecialty in Canada. He is also the current director of the Centre for Forensic Behavioural Science and Justice Studies at the University of Saskatchewan.

As an expert, he testifies on various aspects of the interface of law and psychiatry. These include criminal and civil matters. He is an associate faculty member of the College of Law at the University of Saskatchewan and teaches medical and law undergraduate and post graduate students. He is the co-Lead of the patient-oriented research hub in forensic mental health in Saskatchewan. He is a member of the Saskatchewan Review Board and the Saskatchewan Physician Health program. He is the vice Chair of the Forensic Research Network and was a pioneer member and lead of the interdisciplinary research team of academic professionals in forensic mental health research in the University of Saskatchewan. His research focuses on psycho-legal implications of cognitive deficits with specific interests and expertise in the area of fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD). He is a lead researcher with Canada FASD research network (CanFASD).

His other research interests include the role of spirituality, religiosity and forgiveness in moderating criminogenic factors. He brings a clinical and patient-oriented perspective to his research questions and seeks to generate research and implement knowledge to achieve evidence-based practice amongst forensic mental health and FASD populations. Reducing victimization and improving patient outcomes especially among the vulnerable, form the foundation of his clinical and scholarly activities.

Dr. Katharine Dunbar Winsor is a sociologist and criminologist who researches the intersections of health and criminalization, and community. Her research explores the relationship between social determinants of health, criminalization, substance use, FASD and community responses in Atlantic Canada.

Since 2015, Katharine has worked for fasdNL, a pan-provincial non-profit organization in Newfoundland and Labrador focused on fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD) training, advocacy, awareness, and research. As executive director of fasdNL, Katharine currently lead a three-year Atlantic-wide FASD project funded by the Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) focused on building broad awareness, resources, training capacity and collaborative action in Atlantic Canada.

Dr. Kaitlyn McLachlan is an Associate Professor in the CPA-accredited Clinical Psychology program at the University of Guelph in Ontario, Canada, and a member in good standing of both the College of Psychologists of Ontario and British Columbia (out of province status). Dr. McLachlan completed graduate training in Clinical Psychology (MA, PhD) with a forensic specialization at Simon Fraser University, and subsequent postdoctoral training as a Fellow with the Kids Brain Health Network with concurrent appointments in the Department of Pediatrics at the University of Alberta, and the Child and Family Research Institute, Developmental Neurosciences and Child Health, at the University of British Columbia.

The overall focus of Dr. McLachlan’s research seeks to improve outcomes for vulnerable individuals, including those with neurodevelopmental disabilities and fetal alcohol spectrum disorder (FASD), as well as a specific focus on justice-involved individuals, across the lifespan. Dr. McLachlan is the current Research Lead for Justice with the Canada FASD Research Network, and her scholarly activities focus developing and translating evidence to inform effective policy responses in the criminal justice system and more broadly.