La Leche League of Miami-Dade County Miami Parenting Conference Speaker Bios

2011 Miami Parenting Conference
Get to Know Our Speakers

Mindy Becker ~ Auntie “M” to the Rescue!, Certified Conscious Discipline® Instructor, Parent & Professional Coach and founder of Grow With Us (www.growwithusMiami.com) has been working with children and families for over 18 years. As a Barry University Suma Cum Lade graduate, she majored in Exceptional Student Education (ESE). She was first introduced to Conscious Discipline® ten years ago where she incorporated the strategies with medically fragile children while working at the Pre-Kindergarten ESE District Office in Miami-Dade County. She went on to teach for MDCPS Pre-K ESE Program after many years working at private schools with all ages and developmental stages. Mindy started her own business Auntie M’s Grow With Us as a parent and professional coach educating her clients about Conscious Discipline® and living more peacefully. She teaches and encourages others about implementing the philosophy into their professional and personal life and provides them with the skills necessary to make changes. In addition, she is a dynamic presenter providing a variety of workshops for parents and professionals in North and South Florida, New York, and North Carolina. Mindy has also led professional development workshops to early childhood, pre-k, and elementary educators, and presented to Dentist and their teams, and Psychologists at Nova Southeastern University with a focus on Conscious Discipline®. Mindy received certification as a Conscious Discipline® Instructor in 2007.

Amanda Bradley’s interest in babywearing began while she was still in law school and met a Swiss mom who carried her newborn baby everywhere, tied onto her body with a wrap. The baby was always happy, the mom had her hands free, and she was able to enjoy so many activities while still caring for her child. It also looked really cool! So, when she became pregnant 5 years later she started researching baby wraps online that let to her first German woven wrap that was used with her own baby starting at 1 week after birth. She loved being held close and it made going on with life so much easier! She was hooked on babywearing and soon MamaKanga.com was born!

Morgen Chesonis-Gonzalez, MPS, ATR-BC was born in New Jersey. She studied sculpture at the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan, New York. During her training she experimented with a wide range of sculptural media and techniques including; stone, wood, plaster, welding, ceramics, metal casting, environmental constructions and assemblage. After attaining a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree, she continued her education at Pratt Institute in the field of Art Therapy. Art Therapy is a blend of art and psychology that utilizes the creative process involved in art making to heal, motivate, teach and empower. She completed a Master’s Degree in Creative Arts Therapy, with an emphasis in Special Education. After relocating to Miami, she achieved her Registered and National Board Certified Art Therapist credentials. Since 1998, she continues to work as a Clinical Art Therapist in the Miami-Dade County Public School System with students who have been identified as having Emotional/Behavioral Disabilities. She also collaborates with the Miami Public Library System on a grant project to design and facilitate free art classes to toddlers, youth, and teens at several of their library branches since 2007. Practicing what she preaches, Morgen has exhibited her own artwork in several alternative spaces, galleries, and juried art festivals in New York and Miami. She especially enjoys making art messes with her two children, ages 1 and 3.

Jeanne Elser Smith finished her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education and Master’s in Elementary Education with a reading specialization at Lesley University. She went on to teach for several years in first grade and multiage classrooms. She is currently creating and teaching the “Music and Movement” class for three and four year olds at Miami City Ballet School on Miami Beach.

James Goodlatte, B.S. Kinesiology, is a NASM certified personal trainer and CHEK holistic health practitioner. Kim Nelli is a doula and holistic health coach. Together, they teach pregnant moms and new parents how to make simple changes to ensure that the growing baby is given the optimal environment for proper development. They are the founders of GetFitForBirth.com, YourSuperBaby.com, and authors of Super Baby.

Lizbeth Gonzalez ~ Medico General; Pediatra Puericulltora; Master degree health administation (Administracion de institucionesde salud); PhD Doctora en Ciencias Médicas
IBCLC (International Board of Lactation Consultant); Miembro de la Academia de Medicina de Lactancia Materna (Academy of Breastfeeding Medicine); Miembro de La Liga de La Leche.

Patti Laird is the President of Safer Kids and Homes and Director of the International Association for Child Safety as well as a Child Passenger Safety Technician and Certified Outdoor Playground Inspector and frequent speaker for Hospital prenatal and parenting groups.

8843 SW 132 Street, Miami, FL 33176 ~ www.SaferKidsAndHomes.com

Susan Linning is the Founder and Director of The Oscar Project, a Miami-based non-profit organization that was started in 2007, as the result of the tragic, drowning death of a 23-month old toddler. The Oscar Project trains and educates child caregivers and families via a seven-hour certification course that is available in both English and Spanish. The Oscar Project’s mission is to save children’s lives by educating and empowering child caretakers and families with critical, injury prevention strategies so that they are better prepared for their roles and better equipped to handle crisis situations. Since its first class, held on March 29, 2008, The Oscar Project has successfully trained and certified over 500 child caretakers and families and has touched over 3,500 people through its mini-workshops and seminars. (305.205.3315; susan@oscarproject.org; www.oscarproject.org)

Michelle Maniaci, Licensed Physical Therapist, Yoga Teacher, Belly dance Teacher, Infant Massage Instructor, Certified in Yoga For The Special Child and Neuro-Developmental Treatment (NDT)
www.nurturingmoves.com

Michelle Maniaci is a licensed physical therapist, certified infant massage instructor, yoga, and belly dance teacher that specializes in pre/postnatal and developmental pediatrics since 1996. She has created A Touch Of Love Infant Massage Program that teaches parents how to inspire peace and conscious touch communication in our children. She has also developed Nurturing Moves- a prevention, wellness, and healing approach that unites the science of physical therapy with other holistic approaches to benefit pre/postnatal women, parents, and children for a lifetime. Visit Michelle at www.nurturingmoves.com

Pam Mazzella DiBosco, IBCLC, RLC is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, professional labor assistant, and mother of seven children from preschool to adulthood.

Tiffany Pfeiffer earned her Bachelor’s in Elementary Education, Master’s in Reading and an Education Specialist in Ed. Leadership. She taught for eight years in second, third and fourth grade before becoming an Assistant Principal.

Michelle Salom is the founder of Fitness4Families, an American College of Sports Medicine Health and Fitness Instructor and Aerobic Fitness Association of American Personal Trainer. She has worked with home clients, with private gyms and at Baptist Hospital’s Kidsfit program. Of her recent endeavor of being a mom she states, "This is my toughest job yet and I find hardest to include my workouts because of my family." Thus, Fitness4Families was created so families can stay fit even when kids come along.

Shiela Simms Watson, LM, CPM has been practicing midwifery for 18 years. She currently runs “Spirit of Life Midwifery” in Miami, Florida, an independent midwifery practice offering personalized care for homebirth.

Racheli Videl has been a La Leche League Leader for nine years and is a International Board Certification Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).