Chair & Advocacy Committee - Kimberly Allen, Ph.D., BCC, CFLE

Kimberly 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.

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Vice Chair - Amber Harkey, BCC

Amber 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.

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Secretary & Standards Committee - Margaret Machara

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.

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Treasurer - Alice Chen

Alice is a Youth, Family and Community Science student at North Carolina State and is originally from Taiwan.  She is outgoing and enjoys helping people and participating in community services.  She developed an interest in becoming a teacher and felt rewarded when she used her free time volunteering to teach basic economics, which she studied in college.  She has been a teacher for six years and not only teaches her students professional knowledge but she also helps them to handle peer and family problems. Thus she decided to study further to strengthen her basic knowledge in the field of youth and families as well as to become a professional family life educator in the future.

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At-Large & Professional Enrichment Committee - Christi Howard

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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Conference Committee - Treisha Peterson, MS, CYT

Treisha 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.

http://www.treishapeterson.com/

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Emerging Coaches Committee - Melissa James

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.

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Marketing Committee - Emily Ragland

Emily has her MR in Youth, Family and Community Science through North Carolina State University.  In addition to her Master's degree, Emily is a family life coach and a certified family life educator through the National Council on Family Relations. With experience serving and supporting families of individuals diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder, Emily looks forward to expanding her work in the field of family science. Emily is enthusiastic and eager to make productive use of her education and work experience to strengthen families through a trauma-informed lens. Emily has dedicated her work service thus far to children and young adults who struggle with learning, social, emotional, and behavioral challenges. Emily is trained through Prevent Child Abuse North Carolina on Protective Factors as well as Connections Matter protocol in efforts to support youth and families facing trauma. Emily is an active member of the Family Life Coaching Association and owner of communiTEAM LLC a training, consulting and parent support business focused on youth with unique needs.   

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Membership Committee - Tina Feigal, M.S, Ed.

Tina 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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Research Committee - Luz Dalia Sanchez

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.

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Structure/Sustainability Committee Co-Chair - Susan Holt

Susan is a Board-Certified Family Life Coach and Director of Everyday Parenting Solutions.  She holds a master’s degree in education and 27 years of teaching experience with both children and adults.  Her expertise is in building connection in families and classrooms by developing social/emotional intelligence for healthier families and resilient children. She writes a monthly parenting column for Richmond Family Magazine.

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Structure/Sustainability Committee Co-Chair - Heidi Hackney

Heidi is a certified professional coach.  She holds a degree in Psychology with a certificate in Gerontology.  Her Masters in Family, Child and Consumer Science focused on Adolescence to Adulthood, as well as Aging.  Heidi had a highly successful career in clinical research, a consulting business for which she traveled the country, and worked in corporate America as a project lead, trainer and associate director.  Currently, Heidi plans and facilities retreats for non-profit boards in vision casting and team building, has a private coaching practice, and a speaking career.

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