Educators, Speakers and Board Members

Catherine Pelly, C.C.F.E.

Cathie is a Certified Canadian Family Life Educator, and an authorized Effectiveness Training™ Facilitator including the P.E.T. (Parent Effectiveness Training) Program. She is also certified to teach Terrific Toddlers and Positive Discipline: What it is and how to do it. 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.

Candace Middleton

Candace is an experienced Health care worker, Child care worker, Family photographer, Mother, and Educator. Having spent a great deal of her time intimately involved with families over the last 10 years, in both the hospital setting and from her photography studio, it has taught her the great importance of having strong family connections. She believes that parenting can be done from the heart; and that we can share in our children's unique way of looking at the world, with a smile. Candace believes in the importance of meditation and not taking life too seriously; although life brings daily challenges, we can remember to breathe and have a little fun along the way. Candace is the mother of a beautiful daughter and is thrilled to be an educator for PACT and a certified facilitator for the Terrific Toddler workshops. Candace can be reached at candacemiddleton@hotmail.com

Caroline Ellis, BSW

As a mother of three children between the ages of 6 and 17, Caroline understands the pressures children of all ages (as well as their parents) face in this fast paced world in which we live. She holds a degree in Social Work, and a Diploma in Criminology, and has been volunteering with Calgary Youth Justice Committees for the past 15 years. In the past, she worked as a gymnastics coach and at an adoption agency, and is currently an active member in the Scouts program, as Beaver Section Head. Caroline strongly believes that it takes a village to raise a child. She enjoys working with children of all ages, but also realizes that healthy children are a product of healthy parenting. She has now begun working as a Parent Educator with PACT (Parents and Children Together) and as a facilitator for the Terrific Toddler workshops, and is a trained facilitator for Positive Discipline: What it is and how to do it. Caroline can be reached at alberta-girl@shaw.ca

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, DTM, CCFE

See Judy's bio below under "Speakers"

Judy can be reached at jarnall@shaw.ca

Judy Arnall, BA, DTM, CCFE

Chestermere, 100 people, full day, "Active Listening" demo

District 42 Leadership Conference, 100 people, breakout, "Parenting Styles"

Family Affair Conference, 70 people, "Leadership in the World Begins in the Home"

Judy Arnall, 100 people, breakout, "Parenting the Digital Generation"

As a professional 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 engage the audience. She is a Professional Member of The Canadian Association of Professional Speakers CAPS, and a Distinguished (DTM) member of Toastmasters as well as a Certified Canadian Family Life Educator (C.C.F.E.) The information Judy presents is based on level A and B research which is high quality evidence.

Judy is author of the international bestseller (four offset print runs) “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. Judy has been a regular article contributor for the past 16 years to Calgary's Child Magazine and a regular guest on Global TV, City TV, Shaw TV, CTV and is regularly quoted in national magazines such as Chatelaine, Today's Parent, Parents, Canadian Living, Natural Parenting, ParentsCanada and Canadian Family Magazine, and newspapers such as Globe and Mail, Postmedia News, National Post, Metro News, and Huffington Post. As well, She is a discipline/behaviour expert at Mothering Magazine Online.

In addition to teaching classes under APCA, Judy was employed by Alberta Health Services, Perinatal Education, for 13 years and Families Matter Society for ten years. During that time, she co-developed the Alberta wide "Terrific Toddlers" four-week course curriculum with Alberta Health Services. She currently teaches Parent Effectiveness Training at The University of Calgary, Continuing Education, and speaks for LifeSpeak, Womens Health Resources, SACYHN, Chinook Learning and PACT - Parents and Children Together Association. Judy is certified to teach P.E.T. (Parent Effectiveness Training), and Terrific Toddlers as well as the Positive Discipline 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. Your audiences will connect with her idealism and also share her realism of family life. She can be reached at

Professional Parenting Canada
12018 Lake Erie Road S.E.
Calgary, Alberta, T2J 2L8

Email Judy jarnall@shaw.ca (403) 714-6766
Visit Judy Arnall's Blogs

Visit espeakers profile for a full listing of her keynote, breakout, and session topics SpeakerProfile-Judy Arnall

Cathie Pelly, CCFE

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

Val Ritter

Judy Arnall

Laurie Strother

Cindy Bablitz

Deb Grasza

Peter Arnall

Donna Joy

Cathie Pelly

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