Clinical Lead for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Paul obtained his doctorate in Education, Child, and Adolescent Psychology at Queen’s University, Belfast in 2012. After qualifying, he worked for four years in the largest local Education Authority in the UK as a psychologist, before moving to KAUST, to work as the School Psychologist at The KAUST School. His interests including research in learning and mental health needs, and he has advanced training in administering developmental, psycho-educational, and autism assessments. Paul is a trained PACT (Autism) and Orton-Gillingham (Reading) therapist. He lives at KAUST with his wife and three children.
Service Development Lead for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Helen has over 12 years of experience working in the Health, Education and Social Care sector in the UK. Helen has expertise in commissioning services for both adults and children with Learning Disabilities and her skills range from
conducting needs analysis, designing, and implementing service models to best support people’s needs, procuring support services, service reviews, engagement with all relevant stakeholders but mainly clients and their families. Helen is passionate
about helping people feel supported to achieve the outcomes they would like to and is excited to part of this development that is much needed to support young people and their families within the KAUST community.
Project Specialist for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Nouf will be responsible for planning and executing projects, operations, and social media efforts for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC). She will serve as a guide to help the KAUST community and families have an overview of the programs and services offered at the Family and Child Support Center. Nouf has 8 years of experience working with clients, ensuring confidentiality and positive overall client-experience. She is passionate about building strong customer relationships.
Learning Development Specialist for Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Before joining FCSC, Sana was an Assistant Professor in the department of Psychological Sciences at Qatar University. She taught a number of courses such as, Inclusion in General Classrooms, Infants, Toddlers & Young Children with Disabilities, Planning for Transition Services, Child Development and Learning. In addition, Sana has trained and supervised pre-service special education teachers during their CPT in both special education and inclusion schools. Her research focused on using technology to increase a constructive collaboration between teachers and parents of children with special needs in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. She is familiar with using Curriculum Based-Measurement (CBM) that helps monitoring and improving the academic performance of children with learning difficulties. She holds a PhD in Instructional Management & Leadership from Robert Morris University, USA (2014); and a Master’s in Special Education, Learning Disabilities from Western Michigan University, USA (2010); and a Bachelor (Summa Cum Laude) in Special Education, Hearing Impairment from King Saud University (2007).
Senior Speech and Language Pathologist for Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Dr. Zainab Aldawood is a senior Speech and Language Pathologist with extensive educational and clinical experience. Her PhD study focused on bilingual children’s social use of language and how it manifests in children with Autism. She has gained various experiences from working in academia and different clinical settings such as schools for children with additional needs, university clinic and leading hospitals. Dr. Aldawood has worked with bilingual and/or monolingual-speaking children with specific speech and/or language disorder (e.g., stuttering, or delayed language development), neurogenic speech disorders (e.g., apraxia), organic speech disorders (e.g., cleft lip & palate), hearing impairments, speech and language disorders associated with congenital conditions (e.g., Down syndrome, or cerebral palsy), and social communication difficulties secondary to autism spectrum disorder. She holds a PhD in Speech Science from The University of Auckland, New Zealand; a Master’s in Speech Difficulties from The University of Sheffield, UK; and a Bachelor's in Speech & Hearing Rehabilitation from King Saud University.
Occupational Therapist for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Bruna holds a degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Brasília, considered one of the top universities in Brazil. She is a specialist in Family Health and Gerontology, with 8 years of experience working as an Occupational Therapist. Over the past 5 years, she has dedicated herself to providing specialized care in Family Health. In the field of pediatric Occupational Therapy, she brings a focused perspective aimed at maximizing the potential of each child to improve their performance in daily activities. Bruna is passionate about child development and is committed to enhancing the quality of life for children and their families within the KAUST community
Clinical Psychologist for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Huda Althahir is a dedicated professional with a Master of Science in Mental Health; and Psychological Therapies from Queen Mary University of London. With a background rooted in clinical psychology, she brings three years of invaluable experience from both local and private authorities in the UK and five years in Saudi Arabia. Huda has successfully served as a clinical psychologist and mental health support worker, catering to diverse age groups. Her commitment to mental health and well-being is evident through her academic achievements and hands-on experience, making her a compassionate and skilled contributor to the field.
Customer Service Officer for the Family and Child Support Center (FCSC)
Reham will be the first point of contact between visitors and the FCSC. Reham will be responsible for welcoming visitors, scheduling appointments, and answering any inquiries. Reham will be responsible for processing customer accounts and filing documents. Reham has over 5 years of experience working in patient relations and customer service.