Trainers

Tara Paterson

Tara has been building bridges with moms and families for many years. Her passion first revealed itself with JustforMom.com, a web site business with advice, ideas, and resources designed to “touch each Mom’s life, one Mom at a time.” She went on to create Moms In Print, a resource to assist, educate, and guide mom writers to realize their dream of being a published author; and in July 2004, Ms. Paterson launched her 501 (c)3 non- profit concept - the Just For Mom foundation. The Foundation has been involved with projects that involve a grassroots effort to support the Reading Rainbow; the creation of the prestigious Mom’s Choice Awards®; and is the recipient of a portion of the proceeds from the Chicken Soup series - Chicken Soup for the Mother and Sons Soul. Her most recent dedication is to become a certified parent coach and author. She writes a parenting column for a web magazine- Children of the New Earth and has been brought on as a parenting expert for www.ParentalWisdom.com. Her greatest accomplishment however, is being a mother to three beautiful children- a son (10), a son (6), and a daughter (18 mths).

Tara was nominated as the 2002 Entrepreneur of the Year by the Loudoun County Chamber of Commerce, and was awarded Entrepreneur of the Year in 2003 by a Northern Virginia networking group. She has also been seen on CNN, the Today Show, the Early Show, 48 Hours and has been featured in the Washington Post, Newsweek, the Purcellville Gazette, the Loudoun Magazine and quoted in the USA Today and Parenting Magazine.

Minette Riordan

Minette Riordan, Ph.D., CCP is the owner of Scissortail Publishing, LLC. For the past 6 years she has successfully produced several publications that specifically target parents in general and moms specifically. During that time, she has become an expert in all facets of creating and building a small business. Marketing is her favorite piece of the business plan. Her expertise is in using demographics to build your business, the power of networking and how to market to moms. In 2005, Minette received her certification as a Certified Coach for Parents through ACPI.  More....

As an ACPI Certified Coach for Parents (ACPI CCP)™, Joan is enjoying the second chapter of her life working with parents who are struggling to raise their children in today's ever changing and chaotic world. Joan also provides orientation and training to new foster/adoptive parents and is a Certified Adoption Investigator for the State of South Carolina.

Caron B. Goode, ED.D., NCC, DAPA

Education, psychology, spiritual mentoring, mind-body wellness, business management and professional writing comprise the wealth of experience Caron brings to her mentoring, courses, and books. The common thread of each discipline has been on the energy of the mind and body and how to access it, focus it, and use it for life success. A mother of one daughter, Caron knows firsthand the importance of parenting skills and that nurturing children with joy, common sense and a mind/body connectedness enriches and benefits both parent and child.  Read more...

Contact Dr. Caron Goode. 
 

Claire Marie Beery

The development of parenting skills is a process that begins in our own childhoods and matures throughout our adult life. Our history, from preconception to the present moment, weaves a web of influence that includes personal strengths as well as challenges. This perspective is the at the heart of Claire’s work with children and their families as well as with students of child development and adults preparing to work with families.

To work with Claire is to engage in a deep inquiry into those influences so that knowledge about child development and parenting can be informed by an increasing self-awareness.

Change occurs when we connect compassionately and knowledgeably with each other. It is a shared process; not so much about an “expert” providing guidance as it is a dialogue for mutual growth in which we uncover our priorities and strengths, expand our understanding of ourselves and our children, learn new approaches to parenting, and develop a strong parent/child connection.

Claire brings over 30 years of experience to her work supporting families as well as students of child development. She is Program Coordinator and Parent Educator for Parents Place, a program of the Jewish Family and Children’s Services of Sonoma County. She teaches in the Child Development Department of Santa Rosa Junior College, the Child/Infant Mental Health Certificate Program at Sonoma State University, and the Childbirth Education Program at Kaiser Permanente Hospital. She also has a private practice providing counseling for families and trainings for professionals.

Claire’s own education has many sources. At the core is her life as the mother of three daughters, her greatest teachers. She has an MA in Human Development with specialized certifications and trainings in Childbirth Education, Breastfeeding Education, Doula services, Perinatal Trauma, Post Partum Mood & Anxiety Disorders, and Attachment Disorders.

Claire lives in Sebastopol, California with her youngest daughter, a high school senior. You can reach Claire at clairemb@sonic.net.

Karen Gardner

Before becoming a parent coach, Karen Gardner enjoyed a number of child centered occupations. She has been a member of a specialized Head Start team, studied special and early childhood education, and developed a creative writing program for at risk children. It was when she became a journalist specializing in family issues, however, that her interest in parenting theory and single parent issues took center stage.

As a writer, Karen was exposed to massive amounts of parenting information from countless childrearing experts. She found the experience to be mind boggling, but in the end she discovered one simple truth—Parents are the experts when it comes to their own children. This belief is the premise on which her coaching practice is based. Karen acknowledges the many parenting theories, but sincerely believes there is no universal approach to childrearing. She feels every parent, child, and family has a unique perspective.

This, in turn, makes their difficulties and triumphs as individual as they are. Karen carries this belief into her coaching practice, and uses it to empower parents in their role as experts. In addition to her professional qualifications, Karen is a single parent. Her daughter, Irene, is a high school senior looking forward to studying architecture in the fall. Karen credits Irene for teaching her about life, love, and believing in herself as a parent. Karen can be reached at kygardner@verizon.net.

Ken Keis, MBA, CPC

President & CEO of Consulting Resource Group International, Inc. an organization quickly becoming known as the number one global resource center for personal and professional development. Over one million people in 14 countries and 7 languages have utilized CRG assessments and processes to enrich their lives. He holds an MBA in International Management, and is author of several measurement assessments. His deep knowledge of business operations and corporate culture includes senior project management responsibilities and coordination for national and international program launches.  Co-author of a twice-monthly business management column, Business Dollars and Sense, Ken has published over 80 articles and designed or co-designed more than 30 business management, leadership, or sales programs and processes. One is currently in use in over 40 countries.

You can email him at info@crgleader.com or visit www.CRGleader.com.

Pam Leo

Pam Leo is an independent scholar in human development. She is a parent educator and mentor, a certified childbirth educator, labor support professional, care provider trainer and consultant and former family child care provider. Pam is the mother of two daughters and the grandmother of three, and has worked with children, parents and care provider professionals for over twenty-five years. Her articles have been published locally in the Parent & Family paper and internationally in The Empathic Parenting Journal.

Pam promotes "connection parenting" in her workshops and lectures for parents, teachers and child care professionals throughout Maine and New England. In addition to teaching her "Meeting the Needs of Children" series, she has also been a trainer for facilitators at The Center for Grieving Children and a parent educator for the Maine Correctional Center for fourteen years. Pam is a founding member of the Alliance for Transforming the Lives of Children and has served on their board of directors for the last six years.

You can reach Pam by email at Pamjoleo@aol.com.

Lisa Simmons

Lisa Simmons is a national trainer, author, and advocate with over twenty years experience in the fields of developmental disabilities, family advocacy and community resource building. She is currently helping to implement the Sooner SUCCESS grant through the University of Oklahoma Child Study Center and is the founder of the Ideal Lives Online Advocacy & Inclusion Center at http://www.ideallives.com