Speech Educator Pioneer

WDMWDM November 2015
Anna Deeter, M.A..
Speech Education, Nonprofit
Chief Executive Officer/Founder/President/Speech Teacher
- Speech Academie Etalon International By R.A. Snezhko, Inc.
Public Speaker
Author

Corrine Russell Donley, EdD
Special Education, Early Childhood
Assistant Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
“ABA is governed by
the scientific approach
and the volume of
research produced
and published yearly
concerning the behavior
of all organisms,
especially children’s
education, has been
monumental,” Corrine
explained. “Spreading
this methodology and
encouraging the study
of ABA is my lifetime
goal.”

features
WDM
4 Anna Deeter, M.A.
Speech Education, Nonprofit
Chief Executive Officer/Founder/
President/Speech Teacher
- Speech Academie Etalon
International By R.A. Snezhko, Inc.
Public Speaker
Author
N. Palm Beach, FL
18 Karen Hunter
Sewing, Crafts
Proprietress, A Stitch in Time Sewing
Lounge and School
Orofino, ID
31 Sandra “Sandy” L.
(Hill) Marshall
Oil & Gas (Energy)
Officer and Corporate Secretary to
the Board of Directors
- Tanager Energy, Inc.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
41 Denise A. Johnson
Manufacturing, Metal Fabrication
Conveyor Material Handling
President, Chief Executive Officer,
Owner, RiteWay Manufacturing, Inc.
Lester Prairie, MN
47 Kena Marie Troupe
ER Nursing
RN/MSN - Staff RN for Sacred Heart Hospital
on the Emerald Coast
Miramar Beach, FL

Anna Deeter, M.A.Speech Education, Nonprofit
Chief Executive Officer/Founder/President/Speech Teacher
- Speech Academie Etalon International By R.A. Snezhko, Inc.
Public Speaker
Author
N. Palm Beach, FL

5 Women of Distinction
As Founder of Speech Academie Etalon International
By R.A. Snezhko, Anna Deeter has been devoted
to enabling people to change their own lives for the
better through her new and innovative approach to speech
education. Aside from her role as founder, she is also the
CEO, President, and lead Speech Teacher for her company.
Her more than 30 years of experience in the field of speech-
language therapy have allowedAnna to help discover and adopt
an extremely efficient way of guiding people in overcoming their
speech imperfections, specifically so-called “speech fluency
disorders” (stuttering, stammering, cluttering), to the English
language. Unlike most representatives of the conventional
industry who tackle a person’s speech mistakes with various
types of medical treatments, or tiring and unnecessary
exercises which falsely promise their patients that they will
eventually suffer less from their incorrect speech actions at
some point in the unknown future;Anna explains that it is simply
impossible to cure a lack of any skill, including speaking. She
has found that the only efficient way to solving someone’s lack
of correct speaking skills is through proper speech education in
the Etalon psycho-physical training, which provides immediate
100% elimination of all speech mistakes in the present moment.
Based on both well-known and newly discovered natural laws
of physics and physiology, Anna and her mentor, Russian
scientist Academic Roman Alekseevich Snezhko, have
revealed the “mystery” of stuttering as a result of the lack of
correct speech skills. Through their work, they’ve explained
every speech action as a physical process of movement
and motion control of matter, relating the characteristics of
speech muscles to those of a physical object. Some of the
characteristics, for example, are mass (tongue), strength
(tongue, voice), weight balance and equilibrium of force
application, course of action, inertia of motion, points of
force application, etc. The Etalon scientists have discovered
and put together a natural set of rules and standards that
every normal speaker on the planet follows intuitively.
Anna teaches her students to first observe and precisely copy
her speaking actions as a model, and then begin repeating these
same actions in the same correct way as many times as they
need in order to begin acting with ease every time they speak.
With this method, Etalon students become aware that one
correct speech action always eliminates all possible speaking
mistakes automatically. This Etalon method has proven to
be 100% effective for people of all ages and nationalities.
“For those who are interested in becoming speech
educators, it’s important to learn the natural algorithm
of correct speaking actions, so you can then
teach it to people with any speech imperfections.”
Through her passionate research and hard work, Anna
has become a pioneer in the brand new industry of speech
education. Based on this fact, Anna plays a huge role in running
Speech Academie Etalon International By R.A. Snezhko.
Some of Anna’s main responsibilities as the head of
her company, which is a nonprofit, include maintaining
communication with her students through social media,
managing the financial and legal structure of her company,
and applying for grants that will benefit educational business
projects. She is also the nonprofit’s bookkeeper, head of
marketing, grant writer, and lead organizer and conductor
of online conferences with her associates and students.
As a speech teacher and instructor for her business, Anna
teaches three-day intensive classes to students around the
world via Skype. In order to help her students and others
further educate themselves, she writes daily posts on
the subjects of speech and stuttering, provides progress-
monitoring consultations to graduates of her program, and
creates a number of videos revolving around the success
of the Etalon method, as it’s the first and only definitive
solution for the elimination of any speech imperfections.
“Teaching is my love, passion, and my life mission.
It gives me great pleasure, satisfaction, and pride
to see the results of my enlightening work.”
Her greatest professional inspiration is the man who played
the biggest part in inspiring her program, Academic R.A.
Snezkho. Based on his scientific findings, and his unification
of natural science and religious beliefs into a new style
of life called “StyleEtalonReal”, Anna was motivated to
turn her biggest passion into a new industry. Through
StyleEtalonReal, Snezhko encourages those seeking
enlightenment to change their way of thinking from imaginative
to realistic in order to achieve the highest quality of life.
“Never believe anything until you’ve experienced it
yourself. Learn and live, not the other way around!”
Coming from a family of PhD professors and educators in
Russia, Anna was inspired by her mother to pursue a career
in speech therapy and special education immediately following
her graduation from high school in 1976. She attended
Sverdlovsk State Pedagogical Institute in Yekaterinburg,
Russia, where she ended up receiving her Master’s
Degree in Special Education and Speech Therapy in 1981.

In 1998, after over 17 years of professional experience as a
speech-language therapist servicing public school students with
speech difficulties in Russia, Anna moved to the United States,
where she was pushed to attend a number of university courses
to further strengthen her knowledge of the English language
and advance as a speech-language professional. Through
these courses, she eventually received the proper certification
to begin teaching at schools throughout California in 2003.
After a largely successful two-year stint during her last
conventional employment in a small California school district,
Anna was laid off from her position in 2010, which led to her
making a life-changing decision. While Anna’s experience with
the speech education system in the United States had caused
her much frustration and disappointment, it ultimately led to the
creation of her own method of speech education. Despite facing
some misunderstanding and opposition from fellow speech
professionals and stutterers alike, Anna has persevered by
proving the efficiency of her program through the number of
students who have gone on, and continue to go on, correcting
their speech imperfections with her method of education.
“I’m just a messenger on this planet. I do my
best to introduce the new Etalon science to
the world in order to make it a better place
for all of us to live and prosper together.”
Over the years, she has also published three books on the
subject of speech education, including “Stuttering Solved!
Definitive Scientific Solution for Speech Perfection Based on
Natural Laws Discovered and Explained by Roman Snezhko”
and her most recent work, “Speech is a Skill: 100% Reliable
Scientific Solution For the Perfection of Speech and Elimination
of Stuttering Based On Natural Laws Discovered and Explained
by R.A. Snezhko”, which comes in the form of a textbook. At
the moment, Anna is also in the process of writing a manual-
textbook titled “Theory and Practice of Speech Conduct” for
students with speech challenges to learn from independently,
or for speech instructors to teach students how to speak
correctly from scratch. All of her works explain the importance
of the Etalon method and place emphasis on the fact that all
speech imperfections in a physically intact human (including
stuttering) are simply due to a lack of correct speaking skills
and not a type of medical disorder as previously believed.
Along with her writings and three-day courses, Anna also has
YouTube and Vimeo channels with over 100 videos, which
she fully produces on her own, that have been viewed by over
230,000 people. While she spends most of her time answering
questions of stutterers and speech professionals, who may
be interested in learning the Etalon method for the benefits of
themselves or their students, through social media, she also
enjoys morning jogs on the beach and swimming in the ocean.
“I would love to be remembered
as a pioneer of a new profession,
SPEECH EDUCATOR “

Q&A
Q: Why do you feel that your business is relevant in today’s
world?
A: According to official statistics, 1% (70 million people) of
today’s world population suffers from so-called speech fluency
disorders (stuttering, stammering, cluttering)! It is a devastating
condition that causes the development of numerous
psychological and neurological diseases. It’s a very well
known fact that today’s conventional medical science doesn’t
have a clear, 100% reliable solution for solving this problem.
Speech Academie Etalon By R.A. Snezhko offers this solution.
Q: Why do you call yourself a speech educator/teacher instead
of a speech therapist?
A:Speechisaskill,notamedicalconditionthatrequiresa“cure”.
Nooneisbornspeaking.EachofushadtoLEARNtospeakwhen
we were young. Those who experience any difficulty in learning
to speak would simply need the guidance of a speech teacher,
not a medical professional (pathologist, doctor, therapist).
Q: Why do you oppose the use of words like “cure”, “heal” and
“treatment” in relation to stuttering?
A: Every word is a program for a certain action. These word-
programs are for dealing with patients with various medical
conditions of their physical body - to “cure”, “heal” or “treat”
illnesses, diseases, or injuries. Stuttering is a simple lack of
correct speech skills which can and should be only taught
to a student who simply needs to learn to speak correctly.
Q: Why do you believe that any breathing exercise is harmful
for people who stutter?
A: Breathing is an automatic function of our physical body; it
doesn’t require any conscious attention or special training.
Speech is a skill that needs to be learned and performed
consciously. Every human can only consciously perform one
action at a time. The moment a person attempts to perform
such a non-correct speech action as beginning to breathe
consciously, while expecting his/her tongue to produce speech
automatically,he/sheinevitablymakesamistakeintheirspeech.
The tongue doesn’t have an independent brain to move by
itself. On its own, it can only lay flat in the mouth motionlessly!
Q: Can any type of relaxation exercise, such as yoga, hypnosis,
light, speech or manual therapy eliminate stuttering?
A: No. Ordinary people never relax before they express
their emotions. Expressing emotions in words is a speech
skill that anyone can learn and practice in various situations.
Q: What effect does the Etalon program have on a person’s
family life, relationships, career, and health?
A: Right after graduation, many of our students experience
the excitement of their first ever meaningful and lengthy
conversations with their loved ones. They make new friends,
obtain new steady relationships, get engaged/married, and
become great parents. They easily go through interviews
and obtain jobs of their dreams. They tend to begin making
better choices, even health-wise. In general, Etalon
graduates enable themselves to become more rational,
satisfied, healthy and productive members of our society!
Q: Why do people develop stuttering problems?
A: Having a “stuttering disorder” is a myth. In reality, it’s
simply a lack of correct speaking skills. A person (of any
age) who stutters has stopped developing his/her speech
at some point of his/her life (most often in childhood) and
never learned to speak correctly because of numerous
possible reasons, including: as a child, he/she could have
been raised among inadequate speakers (family, friends,
classmates, etc.) and copied their inadequate speech patterns
or (in some cultures) were not allowed/encouraged to speak
much. Speech skills can also be lost in older age as a result
of an injury, brain trauma, or a prolonged lack of speaking.
Any time when a person’s memory becomes erased, they
forget how to move their tongue in order to produce words.
Q:What is it that you do with your students during the 3-day
class? How is it different from any conventional speech therapy/
pathology treatment?
A: I teach my students the same algorithm of correct speech
actions that every normally speaking person on the planet
follows in order to speak adequately in any language. Most
conventional speech professionals teach a stutterer to learn to
do something artificial or non-related to correct speech - a crutch
for temporary managing of their speech mistakes - to practice
something irrational (from the perspective of a normal speaker)
and totally irrelevant to the naturally correct speech mechanism
(e.g. breathing, relaxation, fluency shaping), and then drop it
and begin to somehow speak correctly in the unknown future.
In the Etalon classroom, every student learns to perform only
natural Etalon (correct) SpeechActions, makes instant changes
in their own speech behavior, and begins producing a 100%
correct speech almost instantly - right after they have learned
and started to perform the Etalon Speech Actions correctly.
Q: What is the most significant thing you do to enable a student
to change himself and go forward as a new person?
A: The Bible states: “In the beginning was the Word, and the
Word was with God, and the Word was God”. The skill of oral
self-expression (speech) is a foundation of everything we do in
our lives. If we cannot say a word clearly, then we cannot clearly
perform the action that this word labels. As the Etalon speech
teacher,Iguideeverystudentinhisorherindependentdiscovery
and learning of the natural algorithm of correctly producing every
word. Once they have learned to say the correct spoken word,
they enable themselves to make rational choices of action, not
only in their speech, but in all other life actions. They enable
themselves to live a healthy, prosperous and productive life.
Q: How does your teaching effect a person’s life for now and
in the future?
A: During the three-day Etalon course, every student learns
the basics of Etalon speech and life actions. He/she changes
their own life in the NOW: stops acting irrationally in speech,
begins performing Etalon speech actions - and his/her so-
called “stuttering” disappears almost instantly (usually, on the
very first day)! Then, each of the students makes a personal
decision regarding the level of mastery of their speech (and life)
they want to accomplish in the future. They turn themselves into
conscious captains of their own lives and can live to the fullest!

Contact:
Anna Deeter, M.A.
USA: (323) 896-1214
International: (591) 723-5052
www.livestutterfree.com
info@livestutterfree.com
adeeter58@gmail.com

Women of Distinction

Erin Conway’s vision was to work with young children
and the Montessori education philosophy seemed
the perfect fit for her beliefs. Erin was introduced
to the Montessori method of teaching in 1991 when she
accepted a job as an assistant teacher at a Montessori school
in New Jersey. Within less than four years, she went from
assistant teacher to head teacher. In 2000, she left that
school and co-founded Montessori Cottage in Fallsington,
Pennsylvania.
Believing that children who are fortunate enough to have
a Montessori educational experience have an unshakable
foundation for lifelong learning, Erin said, “My dream is
for every child have the option of a Montessori education,
particularly at the preschool level when development is so
rapid. The first five years of a child’s life is the most rapid
time of brain development, more than any other period of time
in their lives. It makes one question why we wait until five-
years-old to formally start a child’s education. I feel that the
younger a child is when self-confidence and a love of learning
is instilled, the better the chance for longevity.”
The Montessori method of education is more than one
hundred years old. Maria Montessori, the creator of the
teaching method was the first female physician in Italy.
She made the transition from medicine to education after
observing children with cognitive delays in the hospital who
were believed to be unteachable. According to Erin, Dr.
Montessori would not accept the fact that any child was
unteachable, and so she worked with these children on her
own time and eventually created a method of teaching that
turned out to be an extremely successful educational venture.
“Essentially, it teaches the senses, then the
intellect,” Erin explained about the Montessori
way, “so that looking becomes reading and
touching becomes writing, and so forth. This
method was so successful that, in a period of
two years, some of Dr. Montessori’s cognitively
challenged children were able to surpass the
abilities of typical children. Dr. Montessori
wondered if these unfortunate children could
do so well with this method, how much better
could typical children do if they used her
methods. Hence, the first Montessori school
was born.”
As Head of School, Erin’s responsibilities at Montessori
Cottage include interviewing and touring families, handling
all of the school’s administrative duties, including overseeing
parent-teacher conferences, presenting parent development
workshops, and negotiating all contracts pertaining to the
school. Maintaining good relationships with the existing
families, she is also the sounding board for her staff. Most
importantly, she takes time out of her very busy schedule
to stay current with child development and professional
development and makes sure that their school is up to date
on the latest information. The mandatory minimum for
professional development in the state of Pennsylvania is six
hours.
Erin Conway
Co-Founder & Head of School,
Montessori Cottage;
Montessori Consultant
Fallsington, PA

This year, Erin completed more than 50 hours. On average,
her staff usually has about three times the state minimum of
teacher development and Erin believes that this investment
sets them apart from all the other area preschools. She
also does private consulting for Montessori schools, where
services range from teacher workshops to implementing
Montessori programs.
More than academics, the Montessori method of teaching
fosters compassion and tolerance in children. It also
fosters collaboration, flexibility, independence, creativity,
perseverance, problem solving skills, critical thinking, and
helps to develop concentration. These skills are not just for
school, but for life.
While Erin admits that the rewards for teachers certainly do
not equate to material in this industry, and that Montessori
teachers are “shamefully underpaid”, the rewards of being
a Montessori teacher is in knowing that you have made a
difference in the lives of the children.
“Children may have a vague memory of you,
the teacher, but their parents never forget,”
Erin said about the impact her teachers and
staff have on families. “Over the years, I have
run into parents whose children have left my
school years before, and they tell me that
the foundation that we gave their child is the
reason for their child’s current success. We are
investing in the future, in mankind; that is our
reward.”
One of the biggest differences in working at a Montessori
school versus any other school, Erin further explains, is that
the children in the care of a Montessori school are affected
by the type of people the teachers are. Being a Montessori
teacher is so much more than simply presenting materials
and understanding development. Erin said that Dr. Maria
Montessori spoke a lot about the teachers doing self-
inventory, something Maria called ‘moral alertness’, which is
revealed in tranquility, patience, charity, and humility; not in
words but in virtues.
“The Montessori philosophy is misunderstood,” Erin noted. “It
has a reputation of being too strict as well as to lenient. The
fact is, it is neither. The Montessori Method is unique from
traditional education in two significant ways. The classrooms
are grouped by three year spans rather than by a single age
and the children are self-directed. Dr. Montessori believed
that children innately know what they are ready to learn when
they are ready to learn it. If you think about the day that your
child first learned to walk, you didn’t choose that day because
the child was a certain age. You knew it would happen
somewhere between nine and 18 months and you waited for
the child to show signs that he or she was ready. When they
began to show signs, you began preparing their environment
to foster that new skill.
It is the same approach to what happens in a Montessori
classroom. In addition to their training in childhood
development, Montessori teachers are trained as observers.
They are trained to watch for signs of what the child is ready
to learn next and then they offer materials that will foster that
new skill.”
Erin explained further that, just like it would be absurd to force
a child to learn how to walk before they are physically ready,
we cannot make a child read before they are developmentally
ready. There are no grades in a Montessori classroom;
instead, a child works on the activity until they have learned
it; each child works at their own pace. In a traditional
classroom, the child has a certain amount of time to learn
something, they are graded on it, and then they move on to
the next level. Here, each child works at his or her own pace,
the child is in the same classroom for three years, and, in that
time frame, the children learn what they need to at their own
pace.
“In a traditional classroom, they are expected
to move on to the next level despite their
level of understanding. They are building on
a foundation that is not strong,” Erin added.
“Eventually, the foundation gets weaker and
weaker because they are constantly adding on
to information that was not solid to begin with.
It really doesn’t make sense when you think
about it. Montessori makes sense; it sets the
child up for success.”
Montessori Cottage is a full affiliate with the American
Montessori Society where Erin is also a member herself.
Philadelphia was the host city of the Annual American
Montessori Society Conference in March 2014. With more
than 4,000 attendees from all over the world, volunteers from
the local Philadelphia Montessori schools, including Erin,
lent a hand in making it such a great success. Erin is also
an active member of a Pennsylvania Montessori Heads of
School group and the Pennsylvania Montessori Teachers
Association.
Erin holds a Master’s Degree in Education as well as an
Infant/Toddler American Montessori Certification. Her
husband, Glenn, to whom she has been married for 19
years, is a tremendous supporter of her career. They have
two children, Sarah, 18, and Shane, 14, both of whom are
Montessori students. Erin enjoys her free time with her
husband and children, as well as her extended family. She
also enjoys reading, exercising, and time at the beach.
“This is more than a career,” Erin said
with gratitude. “This is an industry for
the passionate. “If it was possible to fully
understand the Montessori Method, it would
take a lifetime.”

Q&A
Q: What is Montessori?
A: It is a philosophy of teaching where the children
are grouped by three years. The children learn at their
developmental level rather than their age. Children move to
the next level when they have mastered their current level,
not when the calendar says it is time to move on.
Q: What ages does Montessori serve?
A: Primarily preschool, but it starts at infancy and goes
through high school.
Q: Is Montessori good for children with learning disabilities?
What about gifted children?
A: Montessori is good for all students. Children move
through the curriculum at their own pace; it doesn’t matter
where the child is cognitively.
Q: How are all the children doing different things at different
times? Is it chaotic?
A: On the contrary, Montessori classrooms are usually
quite peaceful. The children are self-directed. That is, they
are choosing what activities to do throughout the day and,
consequently, they become absorbed in their work and they
develop great concentration skills.
Q: If they are choosing their own activities throughout the
day, how do you ensure a well-rounded education?
A: Children innately know what they are ready to learn when
they are ready to learn it. Cognitive development is not
much different than physical development. The adult doesn’t
choose the day that a child learns to crawl or walk, the child
innately knows. The same goes for cognitive development.
You can’t make a child hear letter sounds before they are
developmentally ready.
Q: How do you know when a child is ready to learn a new
skill?
A: Montessori teachers are trained in child development as
well as in observation. We know what signs to look for and
when a child shows readiness the teachers will introduce the
lesson.
Q: Where do I find Montessori schools?
A: Montessori schools are all over the world. In fact, it is the
only teaching method that is on six continents. Be aware
though, the name Montessori is not registered and schools
do use the name without practicing the philosophy. Check
to see if the school is affiliated with the American Montessori
Society (AMS) or Association Montessori International (AMI)
and make sure that the teachers have a certification from one
of those organizations.
Q: What else should I know about Montessori?
A: The Montessori Method is over 100 years old and it is
as, or more, relevant than ever. Modern research is finally
confirming Dr. Maria Montessori’s theories from over a
century ago.
Q: How is the Montessori Method more relevant than ever?
A: In education today you hear a lot about 21st
century
skills. The world is changing so quickly that we are preparing
children for jobs that don’t even exist yet. To do that we need
to give children a broad set of knowledge, skills, work habits,
and character traits. Montessori has been doing that for over
100 years.
Q: What types of skills and character traits are 21st
Century
Skills?
A: Critical thinking, problem solving, creativity, perseverance,
self-direction, oral and written communication, collaboration,
etc. These are skills that Montessori schools have been
fostering in children for over a century. It is no coincidence
that some of the greatest innovators of our time (Google
Founders Larry Page and Sergey Brin, The Sims Creator
Will Wright, Creator of Wikipedia Jimmy Whales, Singer/
Songwriter Taylor Swift) were all Montessori students.

Contact:
Erin Conway
(215) 295-3125
www.montessoricottage.com
admin@montessoricottage.com

9 Old Locust Street, Fallsington, PA 19054
(215) 295-3125
Where childhood is a journey...not a race
Serving Children 13 Months - Kindergarten in the Yardley area
Monday 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Tuesday 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Wednesday 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Thursday 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Friday 7:30 am – 4:30 pm
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed

9 Old Locust Street, Fallsington, PA 19054
(215) 295-3125
Where childhood is a journey...not a race
Serving Children 13 Months - Kindergarten in the Yardley area

Gloria Layne Bieber
Health and Wellness, Spiritual Practitioner/Intuitive Reader, Our Angels
Center for Well Being; Wellness Counselor, Owner, Life Portraits;
International Psychic
Calgary, Alberta, CAN


Advising others to trust in your higher power, Gloria
Layne Bieber declares that, many times, we do
not see the totality of a situation but rather allow
our emotions and ego to dictate how and what we are going
to do about certain events. Knowingly changing the form of
negative thought and promoting a positive atmosphere links
us to higher consciousness. Living by this simple notion, and
fortunate to have a family and doctor (Dr. Pujara P Bakul)
to support her on her latest journey, Gloria finally set out to
commence intuitive healing and hold workshops of a number
of disciplines, like meditation, channeling, Reiki, and psychic
reading, beginning in 2000. It has been a long time coming.
“Most of my young adult life I was able to
connect to spirits. I always felt different and
had difficulty expressing myself in what I
felt and saw in my inner mind’s eye,” Gloria
explained about her younger years living in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada. “The support of my
family gave me the confidence to trust and, as
a child, I was brought up to meditate and attend
classes of well-being, intuition, dream therapy,
and others similar to those. I went to many
teachings and workshops to align my self-
esteem and to learn to trust in my abilities and
in other people.”
Explaining further that she desperately needed to live her life
in a way that was not surrounded by drama and negativity,
Gloria set out to understand herself better, become more
grounded, and continue in her journey in a way that enabled
self-help towards positive living. To do this, she had to leave
her previous management career, where she had spent 25 of
her former years, to challenge herself without the security of a
weekly paycheck in order to do what she does best.
As a Practitioner/Intuitive Reader at Our Angels Center For
Well Being, located in the Calgary area, Gloria teaches
various workshops for clients, including Intuition, Dream
Interpretation, Vision Board, Reiki, and Meditation. Our
Angels Center For Well Being is a multidisciplinary, holistic
wellness center that offers spiritual and alternative treatments,
services, and products to the public with a focus on teaching
clientele the importance of self-healing within the mind, body,
and soul through the use of spiritually-based products and
services that promote personal life transformations. She
began working for them in 2011.
As a Wellness Counselor and Owner of Life Portraits,
her consultancy business that she formed in 2004 and
is also based in Calgary, Gloria offers a comprehensive
range of spiritual insight and holistic healing. She utilizes
electromagnetic fields to balance clients’ chakras and energy
and provides insight to aid people in coping with practical, day
to day stresses and life’s difficulties. Services include aura
and chakra imaging, Reiki energy balance, iconic detox baths,
color therapy, nutrition, connecting with guides, home parties
and private readings, and workshops.
“I feel humbled and privileged to be able to
connect to people through my practice,” Gloria
said happily. “It is an honor to serve and share
information with others. Being empathetic
serves for the greater good even though life’s
experiences can be very hurting at times. I
hope, that through my work, I can help people
through those difficult times and help them find
their path to better understand themselves and
be able to succeed.”
Gloria has had the good fortune to work with numerous
retreats in and around Calgary. She has participated in
venues like The Women’s Show, Body Soul Spirt Expo, and a
number of health shows as well. She was privileged to attend
the 2014 Emmy Awards, and she also attended the 2015
Oscar Awards in their gifting suites. Gloria has interviewed on
television and radio and has published articles in The Rising
Women Magazine relating to the holistic industry.
Gloria currently works out of Our Angels Center For Well
Being located in the Kensington area of Calgary, Alberta,
Canada. She offers spiritual alternative health treatments
with a focus on teaching clients the importance of self-healing
within the mind, body, and soul through the use of spiritually
based practices that promote personal life transformations.

Q&A
Q: What purpose does an aura or chakra have?
A: Auras and chakras are a window into the state of the
personality of the inner soul. They provide information about
the choices you make at a given point in time and how these
decisions fit with your inner truth. When the path you are
taking does not align with your inner purpose, your auras
and chakras will let you know. They are the true indication of
balance and inner peace.
Q: What is an aura?
A: An electromagnetic energy field, called an aura, surrounds
every living organism. This energy field vibrates at different
frequencies, reflecting colors that denote your state of mind,
body, and inner being. Your aura colors are determined by
physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual states of being.
Without energy, we would not exist. The human aura is an
energy occurrence within a highly complex system. The
aura is the external representation of a creative life force that
energizes and sustains our existence. As a functional energy
form that envelopes the physical body, the aura provides
a channel for interacting with other energy sources and
dimensions, including other human aura systems.
Q: What is color therapy?
A: Color and light around the chakra centers tell the secret of
the body’s physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual balance.
The different colors represent different frequencies, and that
represents the health of the body’s core energy locations.
These are the points in the body that balance thought,
emotion, spirit, and other life-affirming dimensions.
Q: Are there spiritual teachers on the other side?
A: Guides are with us at every step. In essence, they try to
teach and guide us along our path throughout our life. We
try to form a communicative style in order to render one’s
conscience mind to reach out to our teachers. They give
us information through our senses on how to make the best
decisions for ourselves at any given point in time.
Q: Does one’s health or nutrition play a role in balancing?
A: With the body and spirit working together through time
and dimensions as a whole, we can heal the body through
nutrition. Each chakra accounts for its current state,
respecting both the function it play within the individual, where
it sits in the body and what nutritional elements it needs to
thrive. For example, the root chakra is the body’s grounding
network and it, likewise, finds nourishment through root
vegetables, while the body’s sacral chakra, controlling sex
and creativity, finds healing through sweet fruits, nuts, and a
select few spices.
Q: How does one learn to feel energy?
A: Subtle energy is the life force energy field of a living thing
that most people cannot see with the naked eye. We all have
the ability and use it naturally so that, most of the time, we
do not really think about how we actually do it. Examples
include: sensing the mood of a friend before they speak;
walking into a room and feeling that you could cut the air with
a knife; and knowing that someone is staring at you.
Q: Can energy be blocked?
A: Energy feeds and nurtures the soul. When there is a
blockage, the physical, spiritual, and mental well-being may
be at risk. One of the greatest gifts a healer can offer is
to willingly be a conduit of Mother Nature’s energy to work
with you through your energy blockages. The art if Reiki,
however, is beyond removing blockages. It comes in the skill
and knowledge of being able to read the meaning behind
a blockage to provide clients with information on what the
energy source means.
Q: Why do people feel anxious?
A: Anxiety is the body’s natural response to when you feel
threatened or under pressure. One individual may suffer
from intense anxiety attacks that strike without warning, while
another gets panicky at the thought of change. Someone
else may struggle with fear or intrusive thoughts. Yet another
may live in a constant state of tension.
Q: How can one become silent in the mind?
A: Relaxation, meditation, and guided imagery is effective
in silencing the mind. It sidesteps the logical and analytical
centers of the brain.
Q: What is transcendental meditation?
A: It is a technique that uses a mantra to encourage in a
passive attitude. It is the use of a mental device through
repetition of sound, word, chant, or prayer that teaches one to
be quiet and move away from distracting thoughts.
Contact:
Gloria Layne Bieber
(403) 226-7665
www.lifeportraits.ca
www.ourangelscenter.com
gloria@lifeportraits.ca

Karen Hunter
Sewing, Crafts
Proprietress, A Stitch in Time Sewing Lounge and School
Orofino, ID

Aperson who says she does not like to follow the
norm and prefers to stand out from the crowd,
Karen Hunter takes pride in crafting beautiful things
as the Owner and Creator of A Stitch in Time Sewing Lounge
and School, a sewing and crafts store in Orofino, Idaho.
Discovering the art of sewing in her home economics class
in high school, along with several sewing projects during her
time volunteering with 4-H, Karen has been honing her craft
since 1979.
“My mother and grandmother sewed for basic
needs, like mending, and my mother made
clothes for my sister and I when we were
young,” Karen said. “My grandmother even
taught me to crochet. When I create something
now, it is a way for me to continue their
memories.”
Living in a small community in Idaho of approximately 3,000
people, people do not typically stray far from home. But
Karen has found a great big world outside of Idaho and that
it is absolutely beautiful. Using her experiences in travel, she
has been able to learn and discover new things, like material
and techniques, and bring them back home with her to share.
She enjoys teaching and sharing her experiences with those
that can appreciate the quality handiwork from our heritage
and those of other countries, thus preserving a piece of
history by recreating something new. And what better way to
do it but within the four walls of her business?
“If we do not keep these skills going they will
die out. So many people will rely on what
they can buy at the store,” Karen said about
preserving and reviving older pieces by way of
her business. “And should there be no more
stores, those people will be absolutely lost.”
A Stitch in Time Sewing Lounge and School is a very new
and unique concept. In addition to offering sewing classes
in garment construction and design, the “lounge” aspect
offers the opportunity for customers from larger communities
who might not have enough room in their homes to come in,
relax, meet other people with similar interests, and be able
to cut their fabric, work on their projects, and feel just as
comfortable in the lounge as they would feel at home. It is
also a place where support, encouragement, and inspiration
flourish.
“Being brave and thinking outside my comfort
box has been the essence of my business,”
Karen admits. “When it comes to business, it’s
always a good idea to try something new that
no one else is doing. It may not be available in
your community, so you can be the first. I am
always pleasantly surprised when I find other
people who like my ideas; it keeps me going.”
Constantly looking for inspiration and ideas for herself in
other businesses, crafters, and by way of the internet, Karen
takes advantage of one of the great perks of owning a crafting
store – shopping! She always keeps in mind what marketing
practices work for other people and she has a great ability
when it comes to sifting through garments and other items
at thrift shops and swap meets and finding things that have
some sort of hidden potential. Being able to transform them
into new and exciting pieces, however, takes a special talent
all her own. This form of searching is what Karen identifies
as upcycling or recycling, and she believes it is a wonderful,
sustainable business tactic that benefits her as a business
owner, as it allows for better profitability and it affords her the
opportunity to be more environmentally and economically
conscience.
Karen has had experience working with the public for as
long as she can remember, so customer service has always
come second nature to her. She has worked for big box
retail stores like The Home Depot, Staples, and Macy’s, to
small chain stores like Joann Fabrics. She has also worked
in hospitals, doctors’ offices, and lawyers’ offices. The value
of learning good customer service serves as her bread and
butter as the owner of her own shop, so when it comes to
the customer she will do whatever it takes to make them feel
comfortable and eager about their next visit.
A big fan of a woman by the name of Martha Campbell Pullen,
PhD from Huntsville, Alabama, Karen discovered a lot about
her business style by reading up on her in books. Martha
developed a huge business following with sewing techniques
that she developed to recreate French heirloom sewing.
Meeting her at the Sew Expo in Puyallup, Washington in
2008, Karen became hooked on her ideas and level of
creativity. In fact, she was the one who really taught Karen
how to think outside the box. Although Karen was making
clothing for herself and her daughter and dabbled a bit in
quilts at the time, she never truly blossomed in the art of
sewing until she took Martha’s licensed teaching certification
training. It has changed the way she thinks about how to
teach, make money, and most of all, make her customers
happy.
Finding her biggest strengths by first believing in herself,
Karen knows that no one is going to hold your hand and lead
the way to your own achievements. Although she has been
encouraged along the way by both friends and family alike,
and her accomplishments have been recognized, which
certainly keeps her going every day, she still must keep her
head on straight and remember that she must fight for herself,
her business, and all that she believes in if she wants to be
successful in life and work.

“My biggest challenge has been a lack of self-
confidence,” Karen said about her innermost
feelings. “But God has given me a special gift
and purpose that only I can fulfill.”
Karen’s self-esteem issues were the result of a bad marriage
and divorce. But knowing just how talented she really
is, she must continue to remind herself that she is worth
it. Growing up in a town with a lot of retirees and young
families, her advanced degrees have actually hindered her
in her job search over the years. She has been told she was
overqualified for many of the positions she’s applied for, so
she always had to go above and beyond the competition to
improve upon herself to achieve her own goals and dreams.
By creating her own path and opening up the doors to A Stitch
in Time Sewing Lounge, she has been able to prove just how
capable she is.
A great way to create a name for yourself in your local
community, when it comes to business, is by being present
and active and Karen knows this first hand. She tries to
get involved with various organizations and projects to
demonstrate her versatility and to give back. Recently, she
took over the local Cinderella Project in town. The project is
a closet of evening gowns and prom dresses at her school
for women and young ladies who live locally from which to
borrow them for events like prom, the Junior Miss program,
or any other social gathering that requires formal attire.
Women donate gently used dresses at the store that they
have previously invested in and only wore once or twice. It is
another fantastic way to upcycle and reuse, something that
Karen is very much a fan of. She also plans on using these
dresses in future classes on redesigning. Karen volunteers
as a 4-H leader and is in the beginning phases of starting a
Swap Meet on weekends.
Karen also enjoys spending some of her free time on
personal development, which she said is a “fancy way of
saying that I am constantly learning”. When she watches
television, she likes to watch shows like The History Channel
or the news programs.
Never taking her personal time for granted, Karen is a
survivor of not only divorce but three separate battles with
cancer. The times she has gone through have made her
stronger and much more resourceful. Single with four grown
children and three grandchildren now, her daughter is a
registered nurse and all three of her sons are active duty
military men.
Karen earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Paralegal Studies
from Lewis-Clark State College in Lewiston, Idaho in 2008,
and her MBA in International Business from American
Intercontinental University in Illinois in 2010. She is now
working toward her Master’s Degree in Paralegal Studies at
The George Washington University in Washington, DC and a
Master Sewing and Design Professional Certification through
the Association of Sewing and Design Professionals.
“I want people to remember me as an
overcomer. I am the person who was dealt a
bad hand of cards and was able to turn things
around. I am making something of my life by
pulling up my boot straps and making my future
happen,” Karen said happily.

Q&A
Q: What makes your business relevant at this time?
A: In the 21st
century, so much education and focus is on
technology. The basic skills in life are being forgotten. The
majority of garments purchased by today’s consumers are
mass produced in overseas factories on assembly lines.
Such garments are produced in the millions and are all
identical. If a person does not want to look like everyone else
in the crowd, his or her shopping choices are very limited. By
providing sewing classes in garment construction and design,
the average person can create a wardrobe that sets him or
her apart from the crowds, while maintaining the high quality
that has been lost over time.
Q: Is your business sustainable?
A: Sewing skills are the basis of my business. These skills
can be taught to men, women, children, teens, seniors,
and disabled persons. Creativity will be encouraged
while keeping budget and effect in mind. Garments from
secondhand stores can be redesigned to create new items
more appealing than the parts. By teaching classes, more
people will benefit than by one person doing custom sewing
who has a limited space and time to work from.
Q: What age groups will you cater to?
A: There are many quilt and fabric stores who cater to a
specific slice of the crafting market. There needs to be
more places for people who want to learn skills of a larger
variety. Beginning sewing can be taught to children as young
as four or five and to all ages. Special adaptations can be
incorporated in the teaching programs for disabled persons.
The business will focus on encouraging the gift of creativity
in fashion design with programs similar to “Project Runway”
and Masquerade events. Student teachers and interns will
be given the opportunity to gain skills and knowledge in the
crafting business industry.
Q: What is the bottom line motivator for you?
A: My bottom-line motivator is to educate and encourage.
The old Chinese proverb says that if you give a man a fish,
he will eat for a day, but if you teach a man to fish, he will eat
for a lifetime. The bible verse Proverbs 22:6 says “Train up a
child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not
depart from it.” What that means to me is that each person is
valuable and teachable. Someone told me recently that “You
don’t know what you don’t know.” That barrier is easy to bring
down by finding out what you do not know and incorporating it
into your everyday schedules.
Q: Will you be doing any conferences on Women
Entrepreneurs in business?
A: I have some experience in public speaking and would be
honored to speak to groups on my thoughts and plans for
starting and running a business as a single woman.
Q: From where do you get your inspiration?
A: My inspiration comes from the wonderful artists around
the world in the crafting industry, like Martha Pullen from
Huntsville, Alabama and Jenny Haskins from Castle Hill,
New South Wales, Australia. They have opened up a world
of design and creativity to the regular people outside of New
York City and Paris. People who live on Main Street, USA
can recreate the fabulous garments that are featured on the
catwalks in Milan and Paris.
Q: What is in the future plans for your business?
A: The sewing lounge concept has become very popular in
large communities. I plan on franchising the idea in order to
share my vision through like-minded people throughout the
US and beyond. The basic concept is that it is better to give
a hand up than a hand out. I think this idea is fundamental to
the successful future of our society to become self-sufficient
and resourceful in the changing world of technology and
globalization.
Q: What is the theme of the business?
A: The name, “A Stitch in Time”, is a metaphor for proper
planning and sustainability. If you take an extra step in
the beginning, whatever you do will last longer. I like the
Steampunk movement because it incorporates the Victorian
era of Old London and the futuristic gadgets of HG Wells
and Jules Verne. What it means to me is the foundation in
our history from which we have learned, and the promise the
future holds for those who are prepared and resourceful. The
sewing lounge idea was created for people who live in larger
communities who may not have room in their own apartments
for sewing tasks, such as cutting out fabric or tying quilts.
Other purposes of the sewing lounge are to provide a place
for creative support, inspiration from others, and a safe place
to learn and express ideas.
Q: Will you be teaching any classes yourself and what
kind?
A: I am a licensed heirloom sewing teacher through
the Martha Pullen Company. It is my favorite form of
embellishments and design. I plan on teaching classes in
heirloom sewing techniques for garments and quilts. I will
have a variety of teachers to teach a large choice of classes
in all areas. I will also involve the students from the local
universities’ textile program to work as interns.
Q: Will you continue your education in the field?
A: I like to say that I am a lifelong learner. I will continue
my education by taking more certification classes from the
Martha Pullen Company and from the Association of Sewing
and Design Professionals. They both offer classes and
training that I can bring back and share with my students
and associates. This form of networking will broaden my
knowledge and influence in the crafting and sewing world.

Contact:
Karen Hunter
(208) 476-4326
sewinglounge@aol.com karenhunter64@aol.com

Rebecca Theodore
Media Communication
Independent Journalist, Professional Writer, and Public Speaker
NY, New York

Rebecca Theodore is a syndicated columnist based in
Washington, DC and has built a reputation for strong
social and political writing. She writes on trending
topics of national security, politics, and human rights. Her
work has appeared in the LA Times, the Nation of Change, the
Associated Press, and the Baltimore Post; among others.
As an award-winning public speaker, Rebecca successfully
paneled the Harvard Caribbean Law School Conference of
2011, and was the keynote speaker for the Peaceful Caribbean
Conference 2012 and Women in Leadership conference 2010.
In combining her liberal arts education with politics, public
administration, and journalism, she has mastered the art of
speech writing; thus translating complex economic, political,
and policy issues into a clear message for the general public.
Rebecca always knew that writing and public speaking were
God-given talents. Growing up in her native Dominica, she
was one of the best English students in her local primary
school. She recalls the times when she was laughed to scorn
by peers in her little church after memorizing a script called
‘The Mission Story’ and delivering it with confidence before
a packed audience. But little did she know she was building
her confidence to speak before large audiences. Although
sometimes she felt defeated from the constant criticisms and
rebuke that were continually being lashed out at her, she
somehow knew deep within that she would use her writing and
public speaking skills to rise to prominence.
Finally, in 2002, at York University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada,
Rebecca decided to become a writer and public speaker after
receiving much praise and admiration from professors on the
depth of her writing and eloquence and fluency in speaking.
“I believe that the task of professional writer,
public speaker, and journalist provides a
wonderful opportunity to interact with ethnic
and diverse audiences from all walks of life.”
The world is full of people who have a good story to tell, hence
why she aspired to be the best at telling her story. While the
thirst for leadership, literary cohesiveness, and the love of
challenging difficult tasks keeps her firmly glued to her career,
Rebecca loves the task of diffusing problems through writing
opinion editorial pieces for numerous publications.
“As long as the world turns and there are
trending topics of interest, I’ll continue to write
and speak.”
Although she has to find her own market and negotiate her
own fee as an independent journalist, professional writer, and
public speaker, Rebecca chooses who she wants to work for
and what she wants to write about. However, writing on trending
topics on national security politics and human rights gives
leading publications an edge in publicity, as they all capitalize
on her publicity with a large readership.She is the author of the
book ‘Escape Artiste’. Rebecca is also an articulate pro-Israel
activist, and has held notable debates on Israel’s right to exist
in the Middle East.
She has even co-authored an anthology of the political, social,
and economic life in Haiti published as the ‘Caribbean Writer’.
“I’m one of those distinct women who find certain strength
in boldness. The personal power within me has helped me
define success my way. I don’t follow the crowd. However,
I always admired Christian Amanpour, a female journalist;
but more and more, I find myself gravitating to Sarah Palin.
Regardless of the legacy that Sarah Palin will write on the
slate of history, I think she will always be regarded as a
fearless woman who stood up for herself and that in itself is a
great inspiration for me.”
She also found her voice through writing. In striving to be the
voice of the voiceless and bringing attention to issues that are
overlooked or underrepresented, Rebecca has become the
tireless advocate for women’s rights globally. By taking the
role of keynote speaker at women’s conferences and summits,
she’s able to raise awareness of the marginalization problems
that women are facing globally and implement ways to raise
awareness of these problems.
“I think the most professional challenge is
being looked upon as an outsider. Maybe if I
was perceived otherwise, I wouldn’t have been
so persistent in my efforts to get my message to
a wider spectrum. Women have always been on
the side of the less valued and that really stirred
the challenge within me to seek solutions.
And in the process, I found out that it was not
a singular thing. These were the actions that
contributed to my success.”
Rebecca grew up in a family of nine children as the middle
child.
“I had to fight to break loose to define who I was and which
direction I wanted to take. People refer to me as a force of
nature, but I had to work very hard to achieve this power. I
believe that personal power is harder to achieve, because you
have to believe in yourself. It’s hard to protect your personal
power from others, because people always think you have a
chip on your shoulder or you have a bigger than life attitude. But
I don’t think I have to play it safe with anyone where excellence
is concerned. I make my own rules and play my own games.
And in the end, I’m the winner, because I always play to win.”
In her free time, Rebecca volunteers for a literacy program at
a women’s ministry and serves as a minister to the elderly in
a nursing home. She also enjoys reading, fishing, and yoga.
She has one daughter, Chrissy Theodore, who is currently
finishing her degree in public policy and governance at Ryerson
University in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
“Chrissy is my world and the wind beneath my wings.”
Rebecca wants to be remembered as someone who ran the
race and won. She fought the good fight and gracefully reached
the finished line.

Q&A
Q: Does the business of journalism synthesize or aggregate
information?
A: The world leaders in news are making too much noise on
a single topic. They get the audience distracted instead of
registering interest. It would be better if they stop turning the
media into a circus. The only reward for some viewers is to
become copy cats to what they have seen and heard.
Q: What does the business of journalism need to stop doing?
A: We are living in a post-industrialized age and public service
journalism is open to investigation by all and anyone. They
need to tell the truth, because people make up their own stories
and mask it as truth.
Q: What does public speaking mean to me?
A: Public speaking gives a fierce purpose and builds my
confidence and gives me a sense of accomplishment.
Q: What story are you most proud of writing about?
A: I am most proud of writing about the Ebola crisis in West
Africa.
Q: What qualities should writers share with the world?
A: Words are a writer’s most cherished asset, and they should
know how to use them.
Q: How would you describe yourself as a writer?
A: Writing helps me express my feelings. As a writer, I love
writing about my feelings, curiosity, and all of the questions in
my mind. Even though all of my questions are not answered,
writing helps me calm myself and make me a satisfied and
complete person.
Q: What are the most important things that writing and public
speaking have taught me?
A: Writing and public speaking help me see the world in a new
way. There are always new discoveries.
Q: What advice would you give to aspiring writers?
A: You must always learn to exercise your conscience.
Q: Who is your favorite writer?
A: George Elliot.
Q: Why do journalists feel that it is important to ask tough
questions?
A: Journalists are like servers. They wait on the audience. The
audience, on the other hand, wants to be informed. They must
grill the interviewees for their own answers.
Q: Why do journalists like to repeat the whole story in the
middle of an interview?
A: It helps find the truth. Maybe you can ask me to repeat my
story again.
Rebecca Theodore
(202) 487-7742
www.rebeccatheodore.com
rebethd@aol.com
Contact:

Special Education, Early Childhood
Assistant Professor Emerita, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
Oshkosh, WI


Corrine Russell Donley, EdD, who is best known for
her very rewarding career as a qualified applied
behavior analyst and educator with expertise in the
education of caretakers for infants, toddlers, youth, and adults
with developmental disabilities and/or emotional disturbance,
retired from her teaching profession in 2002 with the
Department of Special Education, University of Wisconsin-
Oshkosh, while also upholding her own private practice as
behavioral consultant for nearly 18 years.
Working in her latest role as the university’s coordinator
of assessment, the University called upon Corrine to
facilitate the development of the assessment of student
learning with the deans and chairs of all the departments
under the direction of the vice-chancellor. Corrine had the
ability to utilize the science of Applied Behavior Analysis
(ABA), a relatively new area of research and practice that
is misunderstood by many because they find it difficult to
accept. Despite those misconceived perceptions, Corrine
found it very effective in implementing the assessment
program.
Corrine’s educational contributions over the years have
included everything from regular to special education
classroom instruction, to parenting education, higher
education, educational leadership, and, finally, therapeutic
instruction in homes, schools, workshops, and group homes.
During her undergraduate studies at Ohio State University,
Corrine traveled to the state of Maine to work as a nurses’
aide in the state institution with the American Friends Service
Committee over a summer. She was chosen to help build a
stone, bamboo, and handcrafted tile building with the World
Council of Churches for five weeks in Greece the following
summer. Most of her clients toward the end of her career
were violent adults with autism or cognitive deficits that
were successfully transferred from institutions to community
settings with the modern educational approach in treatments,
called ABA.
“ABA is governed by the scientific approach
and the volume of research produced and
published yearly concerning the behavior of
all organisms, especially children’s education,
has been monumental,” Corrine explained.
“Spreading this methodology and encouraging
the study of ABA is my lifetime goal.”
Unfortunately, Corrine’s work in ABA ended abruptly when
she was forced to retire following emergency surgery to repair
a dissected aorta. But her hope is that this area of study
will continue to live through others with the same amount
of passion and zest she has for the practice. Although,
she admits, she has found that people, in general, do not
appreciate change, even when the product is successful.
Moderating the speed of change is the lesson she still
must learn, however, because change that is instituted too
quickly will, unfortunately, not be effective. This, she says,
is a valuable lesson for any behavior analyst. For all those
that follow her lead in the study of ABA, she believes in the
importance of undergraduates not waiting too long after
receiving their degree to pursue their master’s degree in
ABA. A professional background in psychology, education,
business administration, animal training, social services, or
human services are all examples of the many areas that are
applicable to this discipline. According to Corrine, ABA is
related to all areas of life and the number of behavior analysts
is growing.
When Corrine first entered into her teaching career in 1961,
she taught children with cognitive disabilities at what was then
called “The Little Carpenter School”, which was located in
Point Pleasant, New Jersey.
“It was one of the first public school classes for
‘trainable’ children in the United States because
New Jersey legislature had the foresight to pass
a law that every child, regardless of disability,
was to attend a public school,” Corrine said
about the state law at that time. “Sophisticated,
positive developments in the field of special
education have challenged me for over 50 years
and have motivated me to remain in teaching.
In 1960, those of us who had studied the few
instructional courses available really had few
clues as to what methods were effective. Our
students were guinea pigs; their progress and
my frustration often showed it.”

Corrine began her career in the Point Pleasant school
systems, followed by 22 years teaching in the Howell
Township, New Jersey Public Schools. She then worked as
a supervisor for a short time at Margaret Chapman School
in Yonkers, New York while pursuing her doctorate in ABA at
Teacher’s College at Columbia University in New York City.
Accepting her first position in higher education as an assistant
professor of special education at Georgian Court College in
Lakewood, New Jersey, Corrine remained in this role for two
years. She then took on the role of behavior analyst/parent
trainer for children with disabilities at Fred S. Keller Preschool
in Yonkers, New York. Finally, in 1992, Corrine began working
for the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh. Beginning as an
assistant professor for the Department of Special Education,
she then became a lecturer for the university before entering
into her final role as university coordinator of assessment until
retirement. Throughout her career, Corrine has published
numerous papers in educational journals, including the The
Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis.
Initiating the formation of the Wisconsin Association for
Behavior Analysis (WisABA), a chapter of the Association for
Behavior Analysis International in 2002, Corrine is proud of
the manner in which younger behavior analysts have carried
the tradition and successful work to grow the practice within
the state. WisABA membership has multiplied, meetings
are held in various areas in the large state of Wisconsin,
their yearly conference is well attended, and Board Certified
Behavior Analysts become licensed regularly as a result. In
addition, the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee supports
the graduate discipline through the Corrine Russell Donley
Fellowship for Behavior Analysis.
Corrine is also actively involved with other organizations
that have supported her in both her teaching and consulting
career, as well as networking endeavors. These include
membership with the National Association of Distinguished
Professionals, National Association of Professional Women,
as well as Alpha Lambda Delta Freshman Women’s Honorary
Delta Omicron International Music Fraternity, Mortarboard
Senior Women’s Honorary, Council for Exception Children,
and Kappa Delta Pi, and was designated as a Keller Fellow
at Teachers College of Columbia University. She has also
been recognized by Who’s Who in American Women,
Continental Who’s Who, and Cambridge Who’s Who, and
was the recipient of a Teacher of the Year Award by The Arc
of Monmouth County in 1981-82.
Graduating in 1958 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Music from
Ohio State University, Corrine followed up man years later
with a Master’s Degree in Music Education with a minor
in Special Education from Trenton State College in 1981.
Continuing in her education, she earned herself a second
Master’s Degree in Special Education in 1989, followed by an
EdD in Behavior Analysis with a minor in Special Education
in 1990, both of which were received at Teachers College of
Columbia University.
Now residing in Ohio with her daughter and her family
ever since the surgery, Corrine reflects back on the many
wonderful years that she lived in Oshkosh. One of her
favorite and most memorable experiences was when
she restored her Victorian home there. It was a very
personally rewarding time in her life. As an elder at the First
Presbyterian Church of Oshkosh, church is a big part of
Corrine’s life now. She has studied piano, choral directing,
voice, and violin, all at different points in her life, and she has
a great interest in music, mostly classical. Previously married
for 32 years, Corrine has four children, nine grandsons, and
one granddaughter, as well as four great-grandchildren.
Having spent her married years in New Jersey followed by
more than 20 years in Wisconsin, it is good to be back in
Ohio again enjoying her days with her daughter and extended
family.
“My goal in my later years has been to cultivate
positive, generous, close relationships with
as many family members, colleagues, and
friends as possible, because I believe those
connections are the most important aspects of
life,” Corrine said reflecting back on life’s many
blessings. “Rather than collecting ‘objects’
now, I seem to be giving away the artifacts and
things I love to people I care about or those who
really need them.”

Q&A
Q: What is Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA)?
A: A system for the improvement of behavior that focuses on
observable, measurable, socially significant behaviors studied
with objective, scientific procedures.
Q: What does scientific mean?
A: In science, the results of experimentation can be used
to predict behavior under the same circumstances, because
the experimenter uses objective observation and seeks the
simplest explanation for the behavior.
Q: What is the difference between “typical” education and
ABA?
A: Behavior Analyst Teachers do not expect that their
hunches or that other’s tales of effective instruction will
necessarily produce learning. They test their ideas by
manipulating the variables and measuring their students’
responses over time.
Q: Why haven’t we heard of this kind of education before?
A: The science is relatively new, people are resistant to
change, the implementation requires work, the number of
teachers using the technology is still small, and some people
feel that only children with disabilities are those that need
“special” education.
Q: Why do teachers who use ABA talk about behaviors
instead of “subjects” or “grades”?
A: Learning a new academic skill is the improvement of a
behavior that the child did not perform well before, or he did
not “know” before.
Q: Are there other professionals who use this technology?
A: The field of professionals studying and using the
discipline is growing quickly; social work, sports instruction,
parent training, business management, animal training, and
psychology, among others.
Q: Why is this system important to the future of the world?
A: I feel that this field will stimulate faster, more creative
learning for all children with various abilities who will then
solve many of the earth’s dilemmas. Effective education is a
major need in much of the world, especially in the US.
Q: What types of technology are used in ABA?
A: Research constantly requires the newest technologies for
measuring behaviors. Prior to magnetic resonance imaging
(MRI’s), people could not measure brain waves. Now we
can see the effects of the environment on the brain; we can
measure the effects of instruction on it. This is important for
treating autism.
Q: If I wanted to get help from a behavior analyst, where
would I look?
A: The Association for Behavior Analysis International
website (www.ABAI.com) is a power house of information. I
would suggest that you contact a behavior analyst first, who
would be listed in your state on the website.
Q: If I wanted to be a behavior analyst, where would I
inquire?
A: A link to these A-accredited programs and other
information about certification are on the website: Ohio
State University, City University New York, Teachers College
Columbia University, University of Cincinnati, University of
Kansas, University of Nevada Reno, West Virginia University,
Western Michigan University, CSU Los Angeles, FSU
Panama City, Florida Tech, Simmons College, Southern
Illinois University, St Cloud State, University of Houston Clear
Lake, University of Maryland Baltimore County, University of
North Texas, University of South Florida, Jacksonville State
University, McNeese State University, Western New England
University, University of Wisconsin Milwaukee, University
of Wisconsin Eau Claire, Caldwell University, UNMC, and
OAUCAS.
*Corrine credits her colleagues, Cooper, J. O., Heron, T. E.,
Heward, W. L. (1987). Applied Behavior Analysis. Columbus;
Merrill for the answers to these questions, however they’re
not quotes.)
Contact:
(920) 516-4792
Cdonley2001@yahoo.com

Sandra “Sandy” L.
(Hill) Marshall
Oil & Gas (Energy)
Officer and Corporate Secretary to the Board of Directors - Tanager Energy, Inc.
Calgary, Alberta, Canada

Ican do all things through Christ who strengthens me”. -
Philippians 4:13

Sandra “Sandy” L. (Hill) Marshall is the Officer and Corporate
Secretary to the Board of Directors at Tanager Energy in
Calgary, Alberta, Canada. She focuses on providing the
Board of Directors with ethical company practices, effective
shareholder communication, timely disclosure, and strong
board administration.
Sandy gives very high attention to professional detail with
her extensive expertise in the energy field, as well as her
outstanding leadership abilities; thus, increasing focus on good
company practices, effective shareholder communications,
efficiency, dedication, new business development, operations
management, timely disclosure, and effective board
administration, as well as improving corporate communications
with both registered and beneficial owners.
This also entails the following processes:
• Actively representing member interests to government, stock
exchanges, and regulators.
• Streamlining and standardizing industry requirements.
• Identifying and implementing cost reductions and operation
efficiencies.
As an accomplished executive in the oil and gas energy industry
with well over two decades of diverse professional experience,
Sandy considers herself blessed to have the opportunity to
come to work every day to a job that she loves and allows
her entrepreneurial spirit to be practiced. She routinely
demonstrates the excitement, passion, vision, goal orientation,
dedication, and diligence necessary for the Board of Directors
to reach their potential. As a result, she has earned recognition
in the prestigious network of prominent professionals.
Sandy has also earned numerous other awards and distinctions
over the years. However, she considers her most important
accolade to be that she is a person of integrity before God.
“At times, God will be the only witness to my
righteous behavior. Sometimes God is the only
one who understands my motives. Sometimes I
will do all I know God has asked me to do, only
to face ridicule from others. At such times, all
I can do is maintain my integrity, trusting that
God always keeps His eyes on me. God looks
favorably upon those who walk with integrity,
doing what they know is right, regardless
of how others perceive their actions. Your
vindication should not be in the eyes of others.
It should be in the knowledge that God keeps
you in His sight. If you have this confidence, it
will be enough to sustain you.”
• Facilitating discussion and communication among its
members.

Q&A
Q: Why do you feel that your business is relevant in today’s
world?
A: The oil and gas industry will always be relevant, whether it’s
today or in the future. With collaborative actions and innovations
of most of the big oil companies and environmental agencies
working together, the energy industry has made great strides
in decreasing our carbon footprint.
The energy industry is very concerned about greenhouse gas
emissions, land, and water and will continue to place these as
priority areas.
The regulatory agencies (AER) are also on board and regulating
what is being done in all areas of the industry, making sure that
it is living up to the standards that are set before them.
One of the companies actively engaged in the environmental
protection of the oil and gas industry is COSIA (Canadian Oil
Sands Innovation Alliance). COSIA is an alliance of oil sands
producers focused on accelerating the pace of improvement
in environmental performance in Canada’s oil sands through
collaborative actions and innovations. COSIA is comprised
of 14 members who represent almost 90% of the oil sands
production in Canada. They share experience and intellectual
property with other member companies. Through the
sharing of innovation and application of these technologies,
members accelerate the pace of environmental performance
improvement. (http://www.cosia.ca/about-cosia/members)
Oil companies, whether national or international, are the central
driving force in the oil industry, right across the supply chain,
from exploration and production, through processing and
transportation, all the way to marketing, sales, and distribution.
Strong partnerships between the public and private sector are
to be encouraged, especially given the challenges that the
oil industry is facing. Oil companies must continually seek to
develop new technologies (for example) to enhance recovery
from mature oil fields, as well as look to the oil sands in
Northern Alberta.
The energy industry is currently facing a challenge with raising
costs and the retirement of its workers. Everyone is well aware
of the rising cost of oil and gas. With the gas and oil prices in
North America, we have to find other avenues where we can
become more self-sufficient, rather than being so dependent
on OPEC. We do have the means to accomplish this. There
will always be a continual demand for oil and the cost/bbl (cost
per barrel) is only going to rise.
The environmentalists and the oil industry are facing
challenges, but with each working together, the industry can
become stronger and more acceptable to both sides.
We have a great responsibility to our children and future
generations to make this work.
Q: What do you do to stay on top of the latest developments
that are coming your way?
A: I am continually researching and reading all the business
magazines I have subscribed to, along with articles on the
Internet to keep the company abreast of what they should be
aware of. I review articles put out by law firms for the latest
security issues that pertain to the energy industry.
Q: What policies or practices have you put in place for your
Board to follow?
A: I’ve put in place the following policies and practices:
• Code of business ethics, which is given to each employee
to read and sign
• Whistleblower policy
• Onboarding and offboarding policy;
• Keeping the Board abreast of cybersecurity issues and the
evolving role of the Board
• Strategy and risk assessment
• Implementing Board evaluations twice a year
• Brought forth a gender diversity policy within the workplace
• The Board’s role in emerging risks
• Corporate responsibility strategy
• The Company’s enhanced corporate governance rules
• Shareholder feedback
• Latest in finance rules and regulations
• Director and officer liability insurance
Q: How do you make sure that everyone’s computers have the
latest software on them to prevent cybersecurity?
A: I arrange with our IT group to not only thoroughly check
everyone’s computers at the office, but to also go to their
homes and make sure that their security is up to date and that
they have the latest security software.
Q: How do you keep your Board informed of the latest securities
information?
A: I attend all courses offered by the CSCS, TSX, IIROC,
NCAD, SCCE, and as many webinars as possible that are
pertinent in enabling the Board to succeed and stay up on the
latest events.

Q: ‘Company Survival 101’ by Daniel Burns – What is he stating
that companies need to do and how does this apply for your
company?
A: According to Daniel: “Today it is all about transformation.
This means you can’t go backwards, and you can’t stand still.
You can’t rest on your laurels, and you can’t keep doing what
you’ve always done; even if you do your best to keep doing it
better. The only way for a company to survive, let alone thrive
is to continuously reinvent and redefine itself.”
As an oil and gas company, we continually have to redefine
what we’re doing, especially when we’re out in the field
working on a well. You definitely can’t stand still or rest on your
laurels. You are forever trying new techniques. There’s always
a service company out there who has come up with a new
procedure that you can try. (I would suggest that if you have
the time, read “Company Survival 101 – You Must Continually
Reinvent and Redefine”.)
Q: Board composition, executive pay, and corporate strategy
are among the issues directors will face in 2015. How do you
propose to handle this?
A: Mark Rogers, CEO of online boardroom community
BoardProspects.com, states: “Increasingly, companies are
realizing that although they may have a very talented group of
directors around the boardroom table, they may not necessarily
be the right directors to confront the growing challenges in a
global economy.”
What Mark says is true, which is why it’s important that
you evaluate your Board members and give each a Board
evaluation process questionnaire to complete on a regular
basis; after which they all sit down and review where their
strengths and weaknesses lie. This enables the Board to focus
on the areas where there needs to be change. The directors
have to be willing to listen to change and want what’s best for
the company. If that means stepping down to allow someone
with fresh ideas to come aboard, then they have to be willing
to do so.
Q: Does your company have a succession plan in place?
A: In his book, “Succession Planning – Reasons Why
Companies Often Fail”, written by Noel Trichy, a professor
at the University of Michigan and long-time researcher on
succession, Trichy discusses the importance of continuity of
leadership and developing a pipeline of future leaders who
are willing and able to take up leadership positions within an
organization.
He suggests that it’s important to have a pipeline already
established that’s agreeable to everyone involved. The
succession plan must be tailored to fit the needs of the
company. If your company hasn’t thought about having a plan
in place, then it should. One never knows what may happen
and your company could be left with no one at the helm to lead
it.
Q: In the latest issue of “Financier Magazine”, they state: “In
theselitigiousdays,athoroughawarenessoftheriskandliability
issues faced by directors & officers (D&Os) is a prerequisite
for businesses intent on surviving the considerable pitfalls that
exist within the corporate world. As a direct result of the 2008
global financial crisis, the risks faced by D&Os have grown
exponentially and new exposures arising from compliance,
discrimination, tax, bribery, and antitrust rules have taken root
amid the fiduciary responsibilities board members have to
investors and company constituents.” How is your company
dealing with these issues?
A: Tanager Energy, Inc. has taken steps to increase its D&Os’
awareness of their responsibilities to their investors. Tanager
is paying strict attention to ensure that each Board member
is made aware of their responsibilities and that they are being
followed. This is being done by a continual assessment of what
is required of each director and making sure that none of the
aforementioned situations arise within the company.
Q: Where do you see compliance and ethics in your company?
A: Compliance and ethics are especially critical for oil and gas
companies such as Tanager Energy, Inc.
Over the last three years, Tanager has completed several
acquisitions; each one demanding extensive due diligence to
ensure there are no outstanding or pending lawsuits or other
issues that may have adverse impact on the company in
the future. That in itself is a formidable task for a company’s
compliance department.
Rigorous compliance starts with Tanager’s Board of Directors,
which are extremely supportive of the compliance program.
The CEO and President, John E. Squarek, always tells people
to do the right thing, a message that’s disseminated throughout
the organization. The most important aspect in compliance is
the culture of the company and that people take it seriously.
That culture is evident in the Company’s “Code of Conduct”
entitled “We Are Responsible”, which lists three core values
(integrity, respect, and responsibility) and emphasizes open
communication among employees and recognition of individual
contributions, as well as treating the company’s reputation as
each consultant’s/employee’s own.
The President’s business update and newsletter on our
website is another example of Tanager’s culture of compliance.
It reminds consultants/employees of their individual and
collective responsibility for compliance.
Contact:
Sandra “Sandy” L. (Hill) Marshall
(403) 388-0969
www.tanagerenergy.com
sandy@tanagerenergy.com

Barbara Bates SedoricEstate and Legacy Planning -
Internet business that applies to Estate Planning, Financial Planning,
Hospice, and Palliative Care, Senior Living, and Retirement Communities
President and Founder of LastingMatters
New Castle, NH

We need to ensure that our next of kin are
prepared and understand what we want
should we become incapacitated or die. These
arrangements can and should go beyond legal documents
like wills, estate plans, and medical directives. They should
include instructions about belongings, social media, family
traditions, and other issues of importance. I’d like to change
the way we have conversations about and plan for what
happens in a practical and pragmatic way. It doesn’t need
to be morbid or morose. Making such a plan now is an easy
and profound gift to those who care about you, and can help
minimize conflict and upset during a time of tremendous
emotion. My legacy is helping your loved ones find what will
matter most when it is needed most.”
Barbara Bates Sedoric is the President and Founder of
LastingMatters and Author of The LastingMatters Organizer,
launched in May 2014. (http://www.LastingMatters.com)
Barbara is responsible for all daily business operations
and transactions, speaking engagements, bookkeeping/
accounting, an active blog, and future business development.
Her strong organizational skills and acute attention to
details, combined with her passion for helping any adult plan
ahead, has allowed Barbara to successfully gain widespread
media attention and garnered interest from many industries,
including financial, legal, healthcare, and senior care and
living services and corporations.
“My story is compelling and I’ve created a
comprehensive solution for a significant
problem (the lack of information) that’s unique
and beneficial to all adults.”
She got to where she is now when her career as an Estates
and Trusts Paralegal at the Boston law firm of Foley, Hoag,
& Eliot ended after seven years when she had her first
child. Subsequently, she remarried (celebrating 22 years in
October), and had her youngest child at age 40. Barbara
remained involved in the legal field as a CASA (Court
Appointed Special Advocate), representing children in abuse
cases.
Her training and experience as a paralegal and the personal
experience from her mother’s sudden death in 2006 inspired
Barbara to help others plan for the inevitable in a practical
and pragmatic way. (More on this in the Q & A section.)
Barbara is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Connecticut College
and currently lives in Rye, New Hampshire with her family.
“Deliberately preparing for the end of life (or
an incapacitation) is one of the kindest things
you can do for your family, your friends, and
yourself. While having a conversation about
these events may be difficult, actually making
the plan doesn’t need to be. Planning ahead is
the greatest gift a person can give and receive
when it matters most.”
It is with these ideas in mind that Barbara created The
LastingMatters Organizer, which helps individuals at any age
comprehensively communicate and document their wishes.
Barbara launched LastingMatters and The LastingMatters
Organizer in May 2014 after three years of extensive
research, hundreds of interviews, and a lengthy writing and
design process. For more information, please visit http://www.
LastingMatters.com.
Barbara comes from four generations of financial advisors
and is married to a nationally recognized wealth manager,
Thomas Sedoric. (http://www.thesedoricgroup.com)
“I’m inspired by observing first-hand the hard work,
dedication, and long term care that Tom has provided his
clients in the past three decades of serving them, as they
plan for all of life’s transitions. I’ve witnessed his compassion
for, and deep relationship and understanding of, his clients
and their families. I’m also inspired by my father, Bruce
Bates (84), who along with Tom has helped hundreds of
families as a wealth manager. Both motivated me to combine
my experience as an estates and trusts paralegal with my
organizational and planning skills to create a comprehensive
guide and resource to help any adult at any age plan for the
inevitable.”

Contact:
Q&A
Q: Tell us about LastingMatters and why it was started.
A: I launched LastingMatters to help people communicate their
personal wishes and plans, should they become incapacitated
or die. Trained as an estates and trusts paralegal, I was
inspired to act following the sudden death of my mother. We
were unprepared for her death. I founded LastingMatters to
help provide an easier, more personal and practical way to
help anyone tackle communicating about this inherently difficult
and often avoided topic. The Organizer was designed to help
anyone, at any age, reduce the costs, time, stress, and the family
pressure associated with the incapacitation or death of a loved
one.
Q: Why do we need The LastingMatters Organizer?
A: Death is inevitable and incapacitation is possible. Regardless,
these are difficult subjects to discuss or address in any
straightforward manner. We live longer than we‘ve ever lived
before, but typically remain stuck avoiding these topics, and
certainly don’t plan for them as we should. The LastingMatters
Organizer is designed to take the complexity out of planning and
documenting personal information and wishes about everything
ranging from family heirlooms and traditions, to your social media
profiles and photos. Completing the Organizer will greatly reduce
the costs, guesswork, and stress your loved ones will experience
with these life-altering events.
Q: What are some websites that list LastingMatters as a
resource?
A: Some of these websites include:
National Healthcare Decisions Day - www.nhdd.org
The Conversation Project (Landing Page) - www.
TheConversationProject.org
Life Matters Media - www.lifemattersmedia.org
Maria Shriver – http://www.mariashriver.com
Home Instead Senior Care - www.HomeInstead.com
A Place for Mom - www.aplaceformom.com
Palliative and Supportive Care of Nantucket Foundation - www.
pascon.org
Q: What words of inspiration can you give for the future?
A: Any age is the right age to make sure your wishes are known
to those who care about you most. Carpe diem!
The LastingMatters Organizer is a priceless gift for those you
love and those you will leave behind. It is where loved ones will
find what matters most.
Q: Who is The LastingMatters Organizer designed for?
A: The LastingMatters Organizer was developed for all adults.
Whether 30 or 80, you are the person the Organizer was
designed for. An easy-to-use resource, the Organizer is also
designed for your adult children, your spouse, parents, clients,
and employees and can be a gift that provides true peace of
mind. It is a place to consider, document, and store information
that’ll be incredibly useful for your loved ones, should you die or
become incapacitated.
Q: What kind of feedback have you received since your launch
in May 2014?
A: The feedback has been amazing. We were named a “must-
read” book by New Hampshire Public Radio last summer
and public response overall has been very positive. “Very
impressive!” “Comprehensive!” “Brilliant.” “You beat me to it!”
Read the “In the News” and “Read the Reviews” section of
my website for more. Financial advisors and estate planners
are using the Organizer to deepen their relationships with
multigenerational clients. Boomers and their aging parents
use the Organizer as a guide and resource for engaging in
conversations and planning about the issues that lay ahead.
This is a tool that facilitates one of the most meaningful
conversations people could ever have.
Keith Sabella, a 55-year-old college professor and father of two,
initially thought his wife was being “morbid” when she came
home with “The LastingMatters Organizer”. “But we walked
through the process together and there were so many things
we hadn’t talked about that needed discussion,” he said. “I can’t
believe how much I found out about her life, and what she wants
and doesn’t want. What a surprise that talking about these things
could make us feel much more alive!”
Q: Tell us about two of your “A-HA!” moments.
A: (1) When Maria Shriver introduced me as an “Architect of
Change” on her website: http://mariashriver.com/architects/
page/2 (2) When I officially launched my company and The
LastingMatters Organizer at Water Street Bookstore in Exeter,
NH; speaking in public to a crowd for the very first time about
why LastingMatters actually matters. I recognized the power
of my story and the value of the product was the result of my
passion to help others avoid the chaos that erupts after the death
of a loved one.
Q: What are some articles we should read about you and
LastingMatters?
A: Learn more about Barbara Bates Sedoric and LastingMatters
here:
- Maria Shriver: ‘Why Even Healthy People Should Keep
Their Affairs in Order’
- New Hampshire Public Radio: ‘Must Read Book –
Summer 2014’
- Maria Shriver: ‘Losing My Mother Inspired Me to Help
Others’
- New Hampshire Public Radio: ‘The Death Show’
- Fox News – Connecticut: ‘Helping Families Cope With
Death and Loss’
Barbara Bates Sedoric
(603) 490-8305
http://www.LastingMatters.com
Twitter: @LastingMatters
https://www.facebook.com/LastingMatters
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bbsedoric
Barb@LastingMatters.com

Carol E. Parrish HarraReligious Congregation
Bishop of Chapel of Christ Sophia
Tahlequah, OK

39
Carol E. Parrish Harra is the Bishop of Chapel of
Christ Sophia. She has 44 years of experience and
has served as Academic Dean on the staff of Sancta
Sophia Seminary for 30 years and ordained many. Carol now
serves in a small chapel, teaching four six-week classes a year
and presents workshops in various cities throughout the U.S.
She’s also had the pleasure for years of taking students on
tours to one to three countries a year to study various world
religions.
“I had the opportunity to help in developing
a small campus in the foothills of the Ozarks,
where we average 700 visitors, students,
or seekers a year to be introduced to the
concept of the Interfaith Christian Approach. I
particularly enjoy working in small groups of
sincere questers.”
Her journey began in 1958 when a near death experience
prompted her desire to serve in some kind of spiritual approach.
“Since my family was Roman Catholic, becoming a priest was
out of the question at that time. I had a business background
working for a bank and an estate planning company, but that
wasn’t what I desired. So at age 30, I prepared to become a
protestant minister.”
And in 1971, at age 36, Carol was ordained and entered the
ministry.
“It was the right step at the right time.”
Much of Carol’s earlier work was in the area of Death and
Dying and she had a chance to meet Elizabeth Kubler-Ross,
Raymond Moody, and Kenneth Ring.
“I was one of the early members of International Academy
of Near Death Studies. Since that time I’ve trained others
in dealing with experiences of the light, hospice, served as
Chaplains at two hospitals, and introduced many to the topic of
Death and Dying Studies. My career is one of assisting others
in their time of need, and this manifests in dozens of ways.”
Carol believes that sincerity of purpose must lead the way for
those who seek to serve humanity.
“This type of statement must be taken truthfully,
not just as a line of type. I don’t take on a cause
or a project if I don’t feel I can give it my all. I
belief whatever our beliefs, we are to be a living
example.”
Additionally, she believes that there can be no peace in the
world until we learn to communicate our feelings and respect
our neighbors.
“To apply our spirituality is most necessary;
religion is responsible for numerous hatreds
and wars, because each person thinks their way
is the right way. Each person should spend time
writing their own Ten Commandments.”
Carol also lives by these simple truths; ethical principles that
create a peaceful life.
“One learns to walk by walking; you learn to love by loving.
We are taught we can love only one person at a time. This isn’t
true; we know we already love more than one at most any time,
we love many.
Healing is a state of balance, harmony, rest, and, creativity.
Healing happens as we prepare this desired state of harmony
within ourselves and our environment.
Behind emotions lay feelings. Calm the emotions, and you’ll
discover how you truly feel. Behind intellectualizing lie your
true thoughts.
Each day, look for your challenge, your blessing, and a chance
to do service (help another).
We are to see the other as a reflection of ourselves and are
challenged by the thoughts and feelings of others to discover
ourselves.
The feminine in each is loving, nourishing, gentle, and the
protector. The masculine in each is wise, bold, willful, and the
defender. Both are needed to be in balance.
We are especially designed to build a higher consciousness in
all areas of our lives. The world needs the contributions of wise
ones for the world to be abundantly healthy.
It takes time to learn all children are our children; all parents
are our parents.”

Speech Educator Pioneer

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