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Executive Board Members
Kimberly Allen, Ph.D., BCC, CFLE is an Associate Professor, Extension Specialist, and Director of Graduate Programs in Youth, Family, and Community Sciences at North Carolina State University. Dr. Allen has research interests in family life coaching, teaching with technology, parenting, and relationship education. Dr. Allen is author of the book Theory, Research, and Practical Guidelines for Family Life Coaching.
Chair
Amber Harkey, BCC is the owner of Carolina Family Life Coaching where she works with families going through divorce. Her specialty is in working with families going through the process of a Collaborative Divorce. She is also a graduate researcher and Master's of Science candidate in Youth, Family, and Community Sciences at North Carolina State University. When she's not working, you can find her in the mountains with her husband and fur baby, Finn.
Vice Chair
Margaret is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Sciences at Tennessee State University. She teaches research, parenting, development, and family relationships classes. Dr. Machara is also a Certified Family Life Educator and has worked in childcare centers, in group homes for children, and with families of children with severe emotional disorders.
Secretary & Chair of Standards Commitee
Leah B. Mazzola, PhD, BCC, ACC is the Founder and Managing Director of Youth Coaching Institute, LLC, an organization offering ICF- and CCE-approved evidence-based life coach training and certification for youth serving professionals who work with at-risk youth. She leads all research and development initiatives to ensure programs remain updated with the latest research and effective for the diverse audiences served. She’s a coaching program development consultant for youth serving organizations and maintains a small private practice, LBM Coaching, LLC, where she offers life, academic, career, and recovery coaching for youth and emerging adults.
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Youth Life Coach Training & Coaching Program Consulting: www.youthcoachinginstitute.com
Private Coaching: www.drleahmazzola.com
Treasurer
Christi is the owner of Me Time 4 Mom, a life coaching business for mom's. Her passion is seeing happy families, so she helps mom's manage their time. She has a B.S. in Family and Consumer Science and is a Certified Professional Coach.
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At-Large & Chair of Professional Enrichment Committee
Board of Directors
Tina Feigal is a parent coach and the Director of Family Engagement at Anu Family Services/Center for the Challenging Child in St. Paul, MN. A former school psychologist, Tina’s passion is bringing peace to homes, helping adults heal challenging child behavior. Her book “Present Moment Parenting: The Guide to a Peaceful Life with Your Intense Child” serves to support Tina’s coach trainees and clients and is available on Amazon and Audible.
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Co-Chair of Membership Committee
Tine Feigel, M.S., Ed.
Treisha Peterson, MS, CYT is the owner of Free & Full where she contracts as a yoga instructor and trauma informed yoga coach; her passion is working with adolescents and their parents as they navigate the transitions and obstacles that often occur on the journey towards developing a healthy sense of ‘self’. As a doctoral student at Texas Woman’s University she is a graduate assistant for a Health and Well-being Initiative that focuses on student wellness education. Treisha’s research interest is on overall well-being for youth, emerging adults, and their families with an emphasis on perfection, religiosity, and identity distress.
Chair of Conference Committee
Treisha Peterson, MS, CYT
Graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BA in Sociology/ minor in Psychology from Catawba College. Danielle hopes to graduate Suma Cum Laude from NC State University in May. Upon completion, she will have her Master’s Degree in Youth, Family, and Community Sciences, her CFLE, and BCC. She has experience working with bereaved populations in the hospice community where she obtained her Certification in Thanatology from ADEC (Association of Death Education and Counseling). Currently, she is working on a thesis that examines the ecological impacts of grief on individuals with autism and their caregivers while seeking to establish her own coaching and consulting business.
Follow Danielle on LinkedIn & Facebook!
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Co-Chair of Membership Committee
Danielle Pennington
Bria holds a Bachelor of Science in Child Development degree from North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, and a Master of Liberal Studies from North Carolina State University, where she focused on utilizing family science practices in youth development. She is a board certified coach, specializing in family life coaching. Currently, Bria works for the Natural Learning Initiative as a Early Childhood Program Assistant at North Carolina State University.
Co-Chair of Conference Committee & Networking Committee
Bria Sledge, MA, BCC
Todd DuPell received his training in Florida Supreme Court Family Mediation at Family Mediation Training, LLC. In 2018 he opened his own Life Coaching and Family Mediation practice in the heart of Wilton Manors, Florida. Prior to relocating to Fort Lauderdale with his husband and the child they are raising, he enjoyed serving families in his capacity as a school principal leading both private and public schools in Pennsylvania. Todd has also held a variety of titles as an educator including elementary teacher, high school psychology teacher, grade-level chair and dean of curriculum. Likewise, Todd has served on a variety of school related committees aimed at unifying school stakeholders in the communities he has served. He has both a Bachelor of Science in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Curriculum, Instruction and Supervision. Presently he serves on the Board of Directors for the Family Life Coaching Association as Co-Chair of the Networking Committee.
Co-Chair of Networking Committee
Todd DuPell
Brandee is the FLCA student co-chair. She holds a B.A. in Leadership in the Public Sector. In May 2019 she will have her M.R. in Youth, Family and Community Sciences as well as her certification as a Family Life Educator, all from NCSU. Brandee has been working with nonprofits since 2004 and is currently volunteering with the National Association of Mental Illness to bring the Ending The Silence Program to the WNC area. She currently resides with her son Sebastian and dog Sir Valentine in Asheville, NC. Her areas of passion are child advocacy, rights based sexual education, mental wellness and illness awareness, healthy relationships, and domestic violence prevention.
Connect with Brandee on LinkedIn!
Co-Chair of Emerging Coaches Committee
Brandee Oliveira
Melissa received her bachelor's degree in Marriage and Family Studies from Brigham Young University-Idaho. Melissa is a Board Certified Coach and runs her own business called Your Life Helper, where she engages in coaching and educating those who are struggling with grief and adversity and want to learn to use their strengths more authentically.
Co-Chair of Emerging Coaches Committee
Melissa James
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Dr. LuzDalia holds a Parent Coach certificate from the Concordia University at St. Paul MN. In addition, she is an MD, with a Master’s Degree in Community Psychology and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. She has taught public health courses to medical students for over 20 years. Furthermore, she has been working with multicultural families for over 25 years and she focused on parenting coach. Currently, she is the founder and Executive Director of the Astounding Families Alliance, in Houston TX.
Links:
At-Large
LuzDalia Sanchez
Sterling Wall earned his doctorate in Human Development and Family Studies and has taught 17 years in the Child Life & Family Studies program at the University of Wisconsin - Stevens Point. Leading seven service learning trips to Mexico, Nicaragua, Romania and the Lakota reservation he is very much about facilitating change at the group system level. Towards that end his current research explores expanding family/group facilitation competencies in family life coaches. He and his wife Natalie enjoy kayaking together, foster parenting, and their own family system of 5 children, and 2, soon to be 3, grand children!!!
At-Large