Educators, Speakers and Board Members
Educators
Catherine Pelly, C.C.F.E.
Cathie is a Certified Canadian Family Educator and an authorized Effectiveness Training™ Facilitator including the P.E.T. (Parent Effectiveness Training) Program. She has delivered hundreds of quality family education sessions over the past several years to parents and caregivers in schools, social agencies, corporate workplaces, at conferences, as well as many private organizations such as PACT - Parents and Children Together Association.
As the mother of three adult children, Cathie understands the need for family support. It is her belief that there is nothing more difficult than maneuvering through family dynamics while building strong, supportive relationships which include honest, open communication. She brings her knowledge, support and encouragement as a means of supporting families so that children are raised from a place of awareness and knowledge. An underlying theme in her work i s that it is the parent’s job to keep their child(ren) safe mind, body and spirit until the children are ready to take over the job for themselves.
Cathie’s work embodies the principles that:
- Families of all descriptions are the fundamental core of society.
- Non-violent family life is the basis of a non-violent society.
- Effective relationships are based on mutual respect and effective communication skills.
- Every individual has an inherent right to be treated with care and respect.
Donna Joy, BEd
Donna is a certified teacher, parent educator and mother of two. She has a diverse teaching background and has worked with children from Grade one through Grade twelve. Her specialty is Grades 7-10.
Donna has taught in many culturally, socially and economically diverse environments. She worked with children in Ecuador for two years and created a program for an NGO called Children International, teaching Art and Music to disadvantaged youth in impoverished communities.
She also worked in Mexico for 2 ½ years at a government-run school, teaching E.S.L. to teens. During this experience, she provided support in a rural community, including teen counselling and tutoring and developing a literacy program for women.
Back at home she has taught music and languages to many children and particularly worked with youth who have learning differences and behavioural challenges. She has volunteered and worked for Families Matter for the past two years, providing support and education to parents through the PACT - Parents and Children Together Associationas a Parent Educator, teaching P.E.T.(Parent Effectiveness Training)She also facilitates preschool parenting courses.
Donna believes that we can all make a difference in this world, especially in our own home and our community. Her vast experience with children, and especially teens, gives her powerful and humorous perspective on with living and raising children. Donna can be reached at joy_donna@yahoo.com
Laurie Strother, BScN
Laurie Strother works with parents of teens and emerging adults. She is a mother of 3 young women, and holds a Bachelor of Science in Nursing, and is a Certified Family Coach. Her presentations are designed to assist parents in improving the quality of their relationships with their children at a challenging age, empowering them to create a family that nurtures and supports each individual’s growth. Laurie can be reached at lauries.cal@shaw.ca
Nancy R. Phair, BEd
As a mother/step-mother to five children ranging in age from twelve to twenty-one, Nancy has a thorough understanding of the challenges faced by parents and step-parents today.
Nancy’s passion for helping others learn first developed in her role as a university tutorial assistant. Her drive to excel led her to graduate with her B.Comm. at the top of her class. Later, her chartered accountant’s designation enabled her to continue helping others learn by instructing university level accounting. Her personal experience with the challenges of parenting then led her into parent education.
Nancy is an enthusiastic proponent of compassionate parenting methods that are based on mutual respect between parent and child. Her parent education credentials include training in Positive Discipline and certification in Parent Effectiveness Training (PET). She incorporates the philosophy of NonViolent Communication (Compassionate Communication) in all her classes. Her current emphasis is on the particular challenges faced by parents of teens and pre-teens.
Judy Arnall, BA
See Judy's bio below under "Speakers"
Speakers for Education/Parenting Conferences
Judy Arnall, BA, ACG
Speaker Demo Video - Judy Arnall
As a speaker, Judy Arnall is Canada's leading authority on non-punitive, respectful parenting and family relationships. She provides interactive topics for your company or organization on family leadership and communication. Judy will not read powerpoint bullets! She uses props, exercizes, photos and videos to present and she is a Professional Member of The Canadian Association of Professional Speakers CAPS, and an Advanced Communicator Gold member of Toastmasters.
Judy is author of the Canadian bestseller “Discipline Without Distress: 135 Tools for raising caring, responsible children without time-out, spanking, punishment or bribery.” She has also written, “Plugged-In Parenting: Connecting with the Digital Generation for Health, Safety and Love, and “The Last Word on Parenting Advice book. She has also written many articles on parenting that are published in various newspapers, and magazines such as Calgary's Child Magazine. She is often quoted as an expert on parenting the digital generation, having given advice for television interviews on Global TV, City TV, Shaw TV, CTV and national magazines such as Chatelaine, Today's Parent, Parents, Canadian Living, Natural Parenting, ParentsCanada and Canadian Family Magazine. She is often quoted as an expert in newspapers such as Globe and Mail, Postmedia News, National Post, Metro News, and Huffington Post. She is a regular contributor to Calgary's Child Magazine for the past twelve years and a regular guest on Global TV for the past five years. As well, She is a discipline/behaviour expert at Mothering Magazine Online.
In addition to teaching classes under APCA, Judy also is employed by Alberta Health Services, Perinatal Education,for the past eleven years and Families Matter Society for ten years. She teaches Parent Effectiveness Training at The University of Calgary, Continuing Education and speaks for LifeSpeak Inc. as well as Womens Health Resources and Southern Alberta Child and Youth Health Network and PACT - Parents and Children Together Association. An authorized facilitator of the P.E.T. (Parent Effectiveness Training) series, Judy has helped develop and present the Alberta wide "Terrific Toddlers" four-week course curriculum with Alberta Health Services' Three Cheers for the Early Years Program.Judy has delivered hundreds of quality parent education sessions to thousands of parents in schools, libraries, corporate workplaces, and social agencies.
Having read 356 parenting books to date, volunteered for 13 years on the city wide crisis line, and having raised 3 adult children, 1 teen and 1 preteen, Judy is a realist who understands parenting in the trenches. She can be reached at 403-714-6766 or jarnall@shaw.ca
Visit Judy Arnall's BlogsVisit espeakers profile for a full listing of her keynote, breakout, and session topics SpeakerProfile-Judy Arnall
Cathie Pelly, CCFE
Cathie Pelly, C.C.F.E., Toastmaster Speaker, and Parent Trainer
Cathie is a Certified Canadian Family Educator and an authorized Effectiveness Training™ Facilitator. She has delivered hundreds of quality family education sessions over the past several years to parents and caregivers in schools, social agencies, corporate workplaces, at conferences, as well as many private organizations.
As the mother of three adult children, Cathie understands the need for family support. It is her belief that there is nothing more difficult than maneuvering through family dynamics while building strong, supportive relationships which include honest, open communication. She brings her knowledge, support and encouragement as a means of supporting families so that children are raised from a place of awareness and knowledge. An underlying theme in her work is that it is the parent’s job to keep their child(ren) safe mind, body and spirit until the children are ready to take over the job for themselves.
Cathie’s work embodies the principles that:
- Families of all descriptions are the fundamental core of society.
- Non-violent family life is the basis of a non-violent society.
- Effective relationships are based on mutual respect and effective communication skills.
- Every individual has an inherent right to be treated with care and respect.
Cathie Pelly, C.C.F.E., (403) 225-1350, cpelly@telus.net
Board Members
Val Ritter
Judy Arnall
Laurie Strother
Cindy Bablitz
Deb Grasza
Peter Arnall
Donna Joy
Cathie Pelly
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