Biographies of Speakers and Conference Organizers

Please note that both sessions and speakers are subject to change.

Keynote

Mary Sheedy Kurcinka, MA, Doctoral Cand. www.parentchildhelp.com

Mary is a best selling author and internationally recognized lecturer and parent educator. Her books Raising Your Spirited Child, Raising Your Spirited Child Workbook, Kids, Parents and Power Struggles and Sleepless in America: Is Your Child Misbehaving or Missing Sleep have been translated into nine languages. Mary provides training nationally and internationally for families and professionals, including medical personnel, educators and social service providers who serve families. Licensed as a parent educator and early childhood teacher she has pioneered efforts to bring temperament, neuro-biology, the importance of sleep and emotion coaching into homes, schools, medical practices and businesses. She is as comfortable as a keynote speaker for major professional conferences as she is working one on one with families in their homes or teachers in their classrooms. Known for her real-life examples, Mary links research based information with typical challenging behaviors and provides practical solutions which really work. Her presentations have helped hundreds of thousands of parents and professionals to understand children better, and themselves as well. Mary's work has been featured in the New York Times, National Public Radio, Good Morning Canada, Fox Nine News Good Day, Parenting Magazine, Good Housekeeping, Parent Magazine, Working Mother, First for Women and many other national and local television, radio, magazine and newspaper venues. She recently appeared on ABC's Good Morning America talking about the release of her latest book. A former Director of one of Minnesota's largest, Early Childhood Family Education programs Mary is the founder of the "Spirited Child and Kids", "Parents and Power Struggles" workshops. She also provides individual parent consultations for families and professionals. Mary graduated with honors from the University of Minnesota with a Master's degree in Family Social Science and from Iowa State University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Early Childhood Education. Mary is currently a doctoral student at Hamline University. Born on a third generation dairy farm, Mary resides with her husband in St. Paul, Minnesota. She is the proud mother of one son and one daughter, now adults whom she loves to spend time with.

 

La Leche League Canada Guest

Michele McShane, BSc. (Biology), Bsc.N, RN

I became a La Leche League Canada Leader in 2001 in my home town of Sussex, New Brunswick. However, my contact with LLLC started while pregnant with twins and living in Cold Lake, Alberta. It was at that LLLC Group in Cold Lake that I felt I was finally in the right place. My family consists of my husband Pat, who was in the military for 20 years and is now retired, the "big girls", Isabelle and Sophie, who are 12, and Stella, who is 4, plus the cat and dog of course. We live in Halifax and I work as an RN on a busy Cardiology step-down unit. My work within LLLC has included Group work, District Advisor, and Area Coordinator of Leaders for Atlantic Canada. I have also represented LLLC on the local Baby Friendly Initiative committee. Currently, I co-Lead the Halifax Group, volunteer as a LLLC Leader at a cooperative breastfeeding drop-in program at the children's hospital, and am on the LLLC National Board of Directors chairing the By-Laws and Policies committee and the Human Resources committee.

 

Speakers (in alphabetical order by first name)

Alice Russell

Alice is a mother to four children, Ben (8), Charlie (6), Andy (4) and Marigold (1) and wife to Aaron. A former dental hygienist, she now spends her time homemaking and homeschooling. She's been a La Leche League Leader for almost seven years in the Calgary West group. Her co-leader has been her best friend since they were ten, and she has met many of her other close friends through La Leche League. She is grateful for the opportunity to serve in an organization that understands and loves families.

 

Amanda Whiting, BSc

Amanda is a La Leche League Leader for the Edmonton West Group. She lives in Edmonton with her amazingly dedicated and creative husband Arthur, and two miraculous, enthusiastic, food-challenged children: Caius (age 4) and Amber (age 2.5). She is a proud member of the Celiac Association of Canada since getting diagnosed with Celiac Disease in 2008. Amanda has been immersed in the world of creative food since she was a teenager dealing with multiple food allergies and restrictions. Both of her children also have severe allergies and sensitivities as well. This has led to many new and exciting recipes, adaptations of old-time favourites, and quite a few never-to-be-repeated failures. She has been published several times in Birth Issues magazine as well as MOM magazine. La Leche League has not only provided Amanda with support through times of worry and doubt, but has given her strength in her convictions as both an expert on food and on her children. Food has finally become a joy in Amanda's life as opposed to a roadblock.

 

Ann Heninger

Ann has three girls and one boy ranging in age from 10 years to 2 years. She has been a La Leche League Leader for three years working with the Calgary West and Teen groups. She has a great passion for music and organizes an inter-denominational choir festival every Easter. She spends much of her time serving in her community.

 

 

Anne Frantz

Anne has been a Registered Nurse for ten years, and is also a fairly new La Leche League Leader for the Lacombe group. She is a very happy wife to Zach, and proud mom to Blaze who is almost three, and Alice who is 15 months younger than her brother. Anne is also anticipating the arrival of baby number three in early August. She has experience with the breastfeeding/working outside of the home combination, and truly enjoys empowering mothers to make decisions that are best for baby, mom, and the whole family.

 

Anu Chiarelli, RN, BA, MA

Anu has been a La Leche League Leader with Calgary East for six years. She is a past District Advisor and is the current Area Conference Supervisor for AB/NWT. Married to Gary for 20 years, they are parents to Sarah (19) and Ben (9). Anu gives credit to La Leche League for getting her mothering career off to a good start. Even longer than being married and parenting, Anu has worked as a registered nurse with specialty certification in Maternal-Infant-Child Healthcare. Anu's current professional life includes teaching maternity and mental health nursing. Anu also enjoys teaching perinatal education, mostly teen classes. With a passion for helping people and a Masters degree in Counselling, she is also a therapist in private practice counselling individuals and couples.

 

Colleen Kennedy

Colleen has been a Leader since November 1983 with groups in Prince Albert, Medicine Hat and Maple Creek. For many of those years she was a Lone Leader. Colleen is currently a District Advisor for the Regina, Saskatchewan groups and has helped with LLLI help forms online for over ten years. Colleen is a mom of three grown-ups, Tsinda, Mike and Sean (adopted) who were breastfed and Granny of five ranging in age from 9 to 2.5. That score may go up as both of my boys are currently dating moms with another five children between them. Colleen's husband Dick was a goldsmith, but had a mid-life career change and is now an Anglican Priest, which is what took us to Maple Creek. In 39 years, life with Dick has never been dull. In her spare time, Colleen gardens, knits, drives a school bus and reads. Ask her about BookCrossing.com.

 

Christine Lilge, D.D.S., BSc

Christine is a La Leche League Leader at Calgary East where she co-leads meetings and does email/telephone helping. She has practiced dentistry for 19 years in Calgary in a general practice setting. She has been attending dental courses on a continuing basis in the fields of occlusion, fine restorative dentistry and TMJ including attending the L.D. Pankey Institute in Key Biscayne, Florida. LLL has helped Christine become a better mother and dentist in that she feels less judgmental and has learned to fully listen and try to understand before leaping in with solutions. Christine was born in Edmonton, Alberta. She lives in Calgary with husband Jim and her son MacGregor (5 1/2).

 

Donna Cookson Martin B.A, B.Ed., Grad Dip (Ed Psych)

Donna has been learning from LLL since The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding helped her nurse her first baby in 1976. Accredited as a La Leche League Canada Leader in 1990, she has served on the boards of both LLLC and LLLI, and has spent much of her Leader life in the Leader Accreditation Department where she is currently the Associate Coordinator of Leader Accreditation for AB/NWT. Blind since birth and a psychologist by profession, she finds special joy in helping mothers and Leaders with disabilities. She has five young adult children and a nine-year-old granddaughter, the incomparable Abigail. She lives in Edmonton.

 

Fiona Audy

Fiona Audy is a former teen mother whose four children are now adults. She is also "Grandma" to two. She has been a La Leche League Canada Leader for 26 years and currently leads meetings in Sherwood Park, Alberta and at the Braemar School for Pregnant and Parenting Teens in Edmonton, Alberta. Fiona is also a member of La Leche League Canada's Board of Directors.

 

 

Gary Chiarelli

Gary is father to two children, a 19-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son. Gary strongly believes in the value of fathers in the lives of their children as well as in the special role of husbands in supporting the mothering of their wives. Gary enjoys talking with and helping other fathers, especially at La Leche League gatherings. Twenty years of marriage, with better and worse times, and being married to a counsellor has taught Gary much about marriage.

 

Jacki Glover, RN, MN, IBCLC

Jacki has a long history with breastfeeding that began with the birth of her first baby. She is a retired La Leche League Leader. She is a lactation consultant. From 1988 to 2003 she worked with families in the Chinook Health Region Breastfeeding Support Service, which she created. She currently teaches nursing students at Lethbridge College and enjoys facilitating a variety of breastfeeding workshops. She is married to Bill and has two wonderful children and one grandchild.

 

Jennifer Kowal, RN

Jen is a Registered Nurse and La Leche League Canada Leader currently living and working in Lethbridge where she is working with the Lethbridge La Leche League group. She is wife to Kelsey and mother to four-year-old Lillian. She has experienced both sides of the hospital experience in her past nine years as a registered nurse in pediatrics, and as the mother of a premature baby. She had several years of support from her La Leche League group in Calgary East, where she decided to take the next step and become a Leader. She is passionate about empowering mothers to listen to their instincts and their babies and find the best solutions for their families.

 

Jennifer Peddlesden, BScPharm, IBCLC

Jen is a La Leche League Canada Leader, pharmacist, International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, and grannie to three breastfed boys. She has been a volunteer with La Leche League Canada since 1980 and is presently the Area Professional Liaison Leader for LLLC AB NWT. Since certifying as a lactation consultant in 1988 Jen has authored a chapter on infant nutrition for the Canadian Pharmacists Association, written their position statement on infant feeding, and taught preparatory classes for IBLCE exam candidates on medications and breastfeeding and the International Code of Marketing of Breastmilk Substitutes through the Calgary Breastfeeding Centre. In 2007 she was invited to join the Ethics and International Code Committee of the International Lactation Consultant Association. Jen and her husband live in the town of Chestermere, just east of Calgary.

 

Joan Little

Joan is mother to four adult children. She has been a La Leche League Leader in Calgary for 27 years and serves on the La Leche League Canada Board of Directors as Chairperson.

 

 

 

Karin Gerritsen, Ph.D.

Karin who recently became accredited as a LLLC Leader is mother to three kids (5 years old and under) and married to Mark. Both of them have attended many a LLL meeting over the past 5.5 years! Karin runs her own small IT/research company which specializes in digital photography, web design and development, scientific programming and research consulting and is glad to be able to provide IT Support for this Conference. She holds a Ph.D. in Medical Science / Biomechanics. Karin also runs the Junior Development Program of our local orienteering club. Other than that, she's quite busy with three little ones at the moment!

 

Kim Johnstone

Kim lives in Edmonton with her husband and three children. She has been a La Leche League Leader for three years with the Sherwood Park group. Kim's education started off in the field of alternative therapies for animals and then continued on into the human side of things. Kim was introduced to the world of babywearing by a friend at a LLL meeting in 2000 and now finds babywearing to be an integral part of parenting her children.

 

Lana Lonseth, RN, IBCLC

Lana is a lactation consultant and a La Leche League Leader in Lethbridge. She is the mother of two adult children, both breastfed. One of her children was spirited as a child and remains "spirited" as an adult. Lana has 35 years of experience as a registered nurse. She has spent 25 of those years working with mothers and their newborns. She has worked as a lactation consultant in hospital settings in Lethbridge, Calgary and High River during the past 10 years.

 

Leann Kleckner

Leann is a La Leche League Leader with the Calgary North Morning Group. She has been happily married to Dean for twelve years. They have three boys, Eric, Tyler and Marc. They can usually be found after school on soccer fields, at music lessons or the ski hill. Leann has been a La Leche League leader for four years but has been involved with La Leche League for eleven years. Leann is the secretary for the LLL AB/NWT Area Council. She has recently begun working with teen mothers at Louise Dean School.

 

Lisa Loeppky

Lisa lives in Red Deer with her three children and her husband Mike. She attended her first LLLC meeting in 1997 and was hooked on the support that was offered and has made LLLC a part of her life ever since. She never stops being amazed at the wonderful women she has met through LLLC and loves giving back. Lisa has been a LLLC Leader since 1999 and has served as the Area Coordinator of Leaders for LLLC-AB/NWT since 2003. She was a flight attendant for 15 years and this is where she learned about combining work and breastfeeding. Her kids have taught her more than she could have ever imagined and she credits her own mom's influence in making her comfortable in talking to her kids about sex. She currently works part-time for Red Deer Public Schools in the International Services department. With three busy kids, free time is in very short supply but when she can find some, her hobbies include dancing, running and spending time with friends.

 

Mark Astridge, MSc

Father to three kids (5 years old and under) this electrical engineer has designed, tested and manufactured some great ways to be a supportive husband. Mark has been to many a LLL meeting (mostly to chat with Gary). Always keen to jump out of bed at 5am on a Saturday morning to give his breastfeeding wife some must needed sleep and/or to catch up on some UK Football so that he can keep current with his dad.

 

 

Maureen Fjeld, IBCLC, RLC

Maureen is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant in private practice and director of the Calgary Breastfeeding Center since 1987. She is an international speaker on breastfeeding and regularly teaches the Eighteen Hour Course on Breastfeeding in Calgary. Maureen currently serves as Co-Chair of the Alberta Breastfeeding Committee. Her background includes 17 years as a LLL Leader with the role of Professional Liaison Department Administrator for Canada for 7 years. Maureen has three adult children and two very special grand-daughters.

 

Nancy Whistance-Smith

Nancy is a Professional Mother of two teens and one adult child (all spirited) and Wife. She has been a La Leche League Canada Leader in Edmonton for eighteen years. Nancy is currently enrolled in Dr. Gordon Neufeld's Developmental Psychology Intensive Level II home-study course.

 

 

Pam MacKay

Pam is currently the Area Treasurer for LLLC AB/NWT and thoroughly enjoys every Le Leche League event she is fortunate enough to participate in. She lives in Red Deer with her husband, Steve, and their two children. Having a 14 year old daughter and an 11 year old son, Pam has adapted her approach to talking about sex with each child as they grow older and especially when they start learning things from other sources such as school, observations of other people and what they see on TV. After having "the talk" for the first time many, many years ago and numerous times since, Pam is still surprised by some of the questions she needs to answer. As we all know, life with kids is never boring...especially when we're talking about sex.

 

Patricia Tatlow

Patricia is married to Norm and proud mother to Jessica, 23 and Nadia, 21. She believes her daughters are Extraordinaire! Much credit is given to long term breastfeeding and La Leche League influence. Accredited in 1990, Patricia has benefited from the love of the LLL family across Canada and world wide through many family moves. She has had administrative roles as a Communications Skills Development Leader, District Advisor and now shares her passion for the future of La Leche League as the Coordinator of Leader Accreditation for Alberta and the North West Territories. Patricia now resides in Calgary AB.

 

Conference organizers (in alphabetical order by first name)

Anu Chiarelli, RN, BA, MA - Conference Supervisor

Anu has been a La Leche League Leader with Calgary East for six years and is the current Area Conference Supervisor for AB/NWT. Married to Gary for 20 years, they are parents to Sarah (19) and Ben (9). Anu gives credit to La Leche League for getting her mothering career off to a good start. Even longer than being married and parenting, Anu has worked as a registered nurse with specialty certification in Maternal-Infant-Child Healthcare. Anu's current professional life includes teaching maternity and mental health nursing. Anu also enjoys teaching perinatal education, mostly teen classes. With a passion for helping people and a Masters degree in Counselling, she is also a therapist in private practice counselling individuals and couples.

 

Jenni Duke, RN, BSc - CERPs Coordinator

Jenni is a Leader with LLLC - Red Deer and a Registered Nurse who has her BSc in Nursing from University of Alberta as well. She currently works on the maternity unit of a local hospital and is looking forward to focusing on being lactation support to the moms on the unit. Jenni was born and raised in Red Deer, but has also lived in Yellowknife, NWT and Ft McMurray, AB. Jenni has been married fourteen wonderful years to John, and they have three great kids, Quinton (12), Jesse (10), and Hannah (7). Jenni attended LLL meetings since before her eldest son was born, and has been a Leader for five years. Besides a monthly series meeting, she also holds a monthly Cafe au Lait meeting where moms can get together and visit in a more informal setting. This is her second time being a CERPs coordinator for our area conferences. LLL has influenced Jenni to develop a love for the breastfeeding dyad and keeping moms and babies together after birth!

 

Karin Gerritsen, Ph.D. - IT Support

Karin who recently became accredited as a LLLC Leader is mother to three kids (5 years old and under) and married to Mark. Both of them have attended many a LLL meeting over the past 5.5 years! Karin runs her own small IT/research company which specializes in digital photography, web design and development, scientific programming and research consulting and is glad to be able to provide IT Support for this Conference. She holds a Ph.D. in Medical Science / Biomechanics. Karin also runs the Junior Development Program of our local orienteering club. Other than that, she's quite busy with three little ones at the moment!

 

Leann Kleckner - Saturday Night Event Coordinator

Leann is a La Leche League Leader with the Calgary North Morning Group. She has been happily married to Dean for twelve years. They have three boys, Eric, Tyler and Marc. They can usually be found after school on soccer fields, at music lessons or the ski hill. Leann has been a La Leche League leader for four years but has been involved with La Leche League for eleven years. Leann is the secretary for the LLL AB/NWT Area Council. She has recently begun working with teen mothers at Louise Dean School.

 

Lisa Loeppky - Local Conference Chairperson

Lisa lives in Red Deer with her three children and her husband Mike. She attended her first LLLC meeting in 1997 and was hooked on the support that was offered and has made LLLC a part of her life ever since. She never stops being amazed at the wonderful women she has met through LLLC and loves giving back. Lisa has been a LLLC Leader since 1999 and has served as the Area Coordinator of Leaders for LLLC-AB/NWT since 2003. She was a flight attendant for 15 years and this is where she learned about combining work and breastfeeding. Her kids have taught her more than she could have ever imagined and she credits her own mom's influence in making her comfortable in talking to her kids about sex. She currently works part-time for Red Deer Public Schools in the International Services department. With three busy kids, free time is in very short supply but when she can find some, her hobbies include dancing, running and spending time with friends.

 

Pam MacKay - Conference Treasurer

Pam is currently the Area Treasurer for LLLC AB/NWT and thoroughly enjoys every Le Leche League event she is fortunate enough to participate in. She lives in Red Deer with her husband, Steve, and their two children. Having a 14 year old daughter and an 11 year old son, Pam has adapted her approach to talking about sex with each child as they grow older and especially when they start learning things from other sources such as school, observations of other people and what they see on TV. After having "the talk" for the first time many, many years ago and numerous times since, Pam is still surprised by some of the questions she needs to answer. As we all know, life with kids is never boring...especially when we're talking about sex.

 

Patricia Vanier - Exhibitor and Advertisement Coordinator

Patricia has been a La Leche League Leader since 1989. She has lived in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba and Ontario holding various positions within LLLC including Board member. Patricia has five wonderful kids - 12, 16, 18, 20 and 22. She also has two awesome grandchildren born in January 09 and December 09 and was blessed to be at their births.

 

 

Sherryn St. Thomas - Saturday Night Event Coordinator

 

 

 

 

 

 

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