Barbara Coloroso is an international bestselling author and for the past 38 years an internationally recognized speaker and consultant on parenting, teaching, school discipline, positive school climate, bullying, grieving, nonviolent conflict resolution and restorative justice. She has appeared on Oprah, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN and NPR and has been featured in the New York Times, Time, U.S. News & World Report, Newsweek, and other national and international publications. Her uniquely effective parenting and teaching strategies were developed through her years of training in sociology, special education, and philosophy, as well as field-tested through her experiences as a classroom teacher, laboratory school instructor, university instructor, seminar leader, volunteer in Rwanda, and mother of three grown children. She is the author of four international bestsellers: kids are worth it! Giving Your Child the Gift of Inner Discipline; Parenting Through Crisis--Helping Kids in Times of Loss, Grief and Change; The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander--From Pre-School to High School, How Parents and Teachers Can Help Break the Cycle of Violence; and Just Because It’s Not Wrong Doesn’t Make It Right--From Toddlers to Teens, Teaching Kids to Think and Act Ethically. Barbara’s latest book is Extraordinary Evil: A Brief History of Genocide…and Why it Matters. She also has two critically acclaimed video programs Winning at Parenting...without beating your kids and Winning at Teaching...without beating your kids.

Sarah Davies is the Violence Prevention Coordinator for The Calgary Humane Society (CHS), and runs the Pet Safekeeping and Emergency Boarding programs and helps clients through stressful times when they are unable to care for their animals. She also helps victims of domestic violence safety plan for themselves, their children and their pets. Additionally, she educates local social service agencies and the public about the connection between animal cruelty, domestic violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. Sarah has written an article for the online magazine Fempower published by Women Against Violence Europe (WAVE) and she received the cover story in the Mount Royal College Alumni Magazine for Spring 2009 on her position at CHS. Sarah holds diplomas both in Child and Youth Care Counselling and Social Work; and she is working towards her Bachelors of Social Work Degree.

William Fals-Stewart, Ph.D. is Professor in the Department of Psychiatry, Wynne Family Research Center, University of Rochester, and Director, Family and Addiction Research Group in Buffalo, New York. His programmatic line of research and clinical practice focus largely on the effects of alcoholism and drug abuse on the marriage and the family, with an emphasis on partner-involved approaches to treat these disorders. His work also has explored commonly encountered problems among families with substance-abusing members, including partner violence, HIV risk behaviors, and children adjustment issues. Author of over 300 empirical articles, book chapters, books, and manuals, Dr. Fals-Stewart's research has been support by extensive funding from the National Institutes on Drug Abuse, the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, and private foundations.

Mary Fiakpui has an education in Economics, Agriculture Economics and Social Work. She has worked with children, youth and families, both in rural as well as urban communities for many years during which she has worked in different capacities as well as delivered workshops in many different areas. She brings valued expertise in family resource management from both a traditional and modern perspective. Mary has lived and worked with people of all ages, races and from all over the world, as well as with many systems that people interact with here in Canada and overseas. It is this very rich practical experience and knowledge that Mary brings to enrich this workshop.

Corporal Deanna Fontaine has been with the RCMP since 1998. In the past ten years, she has been posted to Bonnyville where she worked as a general duty investigator. Cpl. Fontaine was then posted to Leduc in 2003 as a traffic services coordinator. She then moved on to the position of Community Policing coordinator, Domestic Violence Coordinator/Reviewer and Media Spokesperson in 2004. Cpl. Fontaine has worked closely with various community groups and was involved in the revival of the Leduc and District Family Violence Prevention Team in 2005. She has been a facilitator for the women’s program and a guest facilitator for the men’s program. Cpl. Fontaine is passionate about helping women and children who are affected by domestic violence. She recently was promoted to Corporal with ARTAMI as a Threat Assessor.

Naomi Haines Griffith is a true Southerner, growing up in Alabama and Mississippi. She holds a B.S. from the University of North Alabama, an M.A. from George Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, and a Masters in Social Work from the University of Alabama. After teaching for several years, she worked in the North Carolina and Alabama child welfare systems from 1966-1984 when she became Executive Director of PACT, a pioneer child abuse prevention agency she helped to found. Naomi is presently president of her consulting company, Red Clay & Vinegar, based in Nashville, TN. She is the author of Red Clay and Vinegar: Looking At Family Through the Eyes of a Southern Child and co-author of The Unkindest Cut: The Emotional Maltreatment of Children.

Since 1988, Naomi Griffith has been a national speaker and consultant on child welfare issues, speaking at conferences throughout the United States and Canada. A well-known storyteller and family systems specialist, she uses humor and her own experiences to challenge and inspire audiences working with business, education, juvenile justice, mental health, child abuse prevention and family violence systems.

KRISTY HARCOURT is the Program Coordinator for RespectED: Violence & Abuse Prevention, at the Canadian Red Cross. In this role, she teaches about how to prevent violence in the lives of children and youth, promoting safety from child abuse, promoting healthy teen dating relationships or preventing bullying.

Carmela Hutchison is President of DAWN-RAFH Canada, and graduated in 1983 with a diploma in nursing from Mount Royal College. Carmela has a background as a registered nurse who specialized in mental health. She has worked in long-term, acute, adolescent and community mental health and psychiatric settings. In 1991, she “accepted her promotion” and went on long-term disability due to injuries sustained in a roll over car accident. Carmela lives with multiple barriers of mental illness, brain injury and physical disability. She maintains many involvements and leadership positions in the mental health and disability movements of Canada.

STEVE KOZIOL (RSW) has over 20 years experience working in the social work field for the Alberta Government. The last 15 years has been spent working in Child Welfare, both as a front line worker and Casework Supervisor. Steve is a strong advocate for community involvement to help solve community issues. In 2005, he and a dedicated group of community stakeholders saw a gap in services in Leduc in the area of family violence. Working together they have put together a “made in Leduc” workshop for men, women and children affected by family violence and have raised awareness in their community about the effects of family violence.

Karin Linschoten, M.A. Karin works as a counselor/therapist for the Edmonton Mennonite Center for Newcomers and as a Mentor for the Multicultural Health Brokers’ Coop. She specializes in holistic, community based approaches to therapy with children, adults and families from diverse cultural backgrounds.

Constable Eric Nelson has been with the Calgary Police Service for 11 years, and previously served with the RCMP for 8 years. He served in the Domestic Conflict Unit for 6 years, and during that time he specialized in the investigation of Criminal Harassment complaints, which has included domestic related stalking, public figure stalking, stranger stalking, and stalkers with major mental illnesses. He lectures to a variety of interested agencies which have included Victim Assistance groups, Corrections Services, Crown Prosecutors, the National Parole Board, Civil Lawyers, the Canadian Military, as well as various police agencies throughout Alberta.
This presentation will focus on the Canadian Law of Criminal Harassment, strategies of victims, and police investigative techniques.

Pol Ngeth is a registered Social Worker (RSW) and a Level 3 Practitioner with the Alberta Association of Immigrant Serving Agencies (AAISA). Pol Ngeth is multilingual and holds an M. Ed in Education from Bulgaria, MSW and BSW from the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary. Pol has held positions as a Psychiatric Social Worker with Alberta Health Services, Intern with the Alberta Child and Family Services Authority, Faith Link Resources Coordinator with Alliance to End Violence and a Multicultural Counsellor for the Men’s Program at Immigrant Services Calgary (ISC). His work includes mental health assessment, case management, program coordination, outreach, community development and counselling to immigrant and refugee children and their families in the area of cross cultural - family violence prevention and mental health/trauma.

He liaises on behalf of the ISC and works with many different communities in Calgary, such as Child and Family Services Authority, Faith Link, the Calgary Coalition on Family Violence, Alliance to End Violence, Canadian Red Cross - the Bridges of Hope for Refugees, the Family Conflict & Integration Program (Calgary Immigrant Women's Association), Multi-Faith Walk to End-Family Violence and the Khmer-Canadian Buddhist Cultural Centre. In addition, he has provided various presentations to different mainstream and ethnic agencies and communities, and cooperated with agencies regarding immigrant and refugee issues. These have included: Alberta College of Social Workers, Calgary Health Region, Child and Family Services Authority, Coalition on Family Violence, Calgary Immigrant Women Association, Canadian Red Cross, Oil and Gas companies etc.

Pol initiated and has tracked research and multiple publications related to family violence and trauma of immigrant and refugee populations. Lately he has been involved with a publication/research document titled: Violence Knows No Boundaries (Diverse cultural perspectives), Planting Peace in Family and Cambodian Community Domestic Violence Information and Prevention Resources and Children Refugee Trauma (a case study of an Afghani refugee family). Pol was named as “Ambassador of the Way” for the United Way, Calgary and Area from 2005 to 2009, and received the “Recognition of Excellence Award” from the Faculty of Social Work, University of Calgary 2008; John Hutton Memorial Award for Social Policy / Action – Alberta College of Social Workers (ACSW) 2008; Community Frontline Practitioner Selinger Award – Home Front 2007; and Co-winner of the fourth annual “Pulse of Social Work Interdisciplinary Group Award” 2006.

PAULINE NGURE is a domestic violence refugee from Kenya, Pauline is a mother, a full time employee at SAIT, a public speaker and author of Hope Beyond the Bruises. Pauline arrived in Canada in December 2002 and since then she has spoken at many women shelters, Amnesty International, Calgary Immigrants Women Association, University of Calgary, Business and Professional Women Club in Calgary among others. Pauline is a mentor at the University of Calgary, and a recipient of Corporate Citizen Award from Alberta Government. She was recently a keynote speaker at the PD 0918 Diversity Conference - How is the Family, in Brooks Alberta. Pauline believes no matter how bad the situation may be there is HOPE.

Dr. Judee E. Onyskiw, RN, PhD is an educator and research advisor in the Faculty of Health and Community Studies at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton. Prior to her current position, she conducted research on family violence and children’s health at the University of New Brunswick as a Canada Research Chair. Her research has primarily involved examining how children’s health, well-being and emotional development is affected by living in a violent home. She has authored several publications on the link between family violence and cruelty to family pets, the effect of witnessing family violence on children’s social, emotional and behavioral adjustment; the health and the use of health services of children exposed to violence at home, and factors that promote resiliency in vulnerable children. Recently, she has co-authored a children’s book to teach strategies to promote children’s safety when faced with a violent situation. She has presented at numerous conferences in Canada, the United States, Australia, and Iceland to various professionals including nurses, social workers, child care workers, mental health professionals, child advocates, and educators. She is strongly committed and passionate about her work on children exposed to violence at home. Her goal is to make these invisible victims of violence more visible.

STEPHANIE PARENT-CHANDLER serves dual roles at The Support Network as a Team Leader for the Help Lines, and as a Trainer with Education Services. As a Team Leader and Resource Leader, she ensures consistent standards of excellence in service, training and supervision for all Help Lines staff and volunteers. Her front-line and supervisory experience brings depth to her work as a Trainer in the areas of Suicide Intervention, Family Violence Prevention and other crisis-related topics. She is currently completing a Masters program in Counseling Psychology.

Monika Penner, M. Ed. has been working in the field of sexual violence for the past ten years. She has a M.Ed. from the University of Victoria. She utilizes a feminist lens to examine how various oppressions impact individuals’ experiences of sexual violence.
Ms. Penner is presently a Child and Adolescent therapist at the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton.

Dr. Lorraine Radtke is a full professor with the Department of Psychology at the University of Calgary where she teaches courses in the psychology of gender and qualitative research methods. She is a co-investigator and the academic Provincial Coordinator for the Healing Journey project in Alberta. Her areas of research have included mothering from the margins, e.g., mothers with chronic illness and lesbian mothers, and the implications of cultural prescriptions related to femininity for women’s health. Previous projects have included the construction of gender in written texts and other topics related to the psychology of women, e.g., sexual harassment, pornography, mother-daughter and mother-son relationships, and work and family responsibilities.

Jan Reimer is the Provincial Co-ordinator for the Alberta Council of Women’s Shelters, an organization that supports the sheltering movement in Alberta and is a well-known resource on family violence issues and woman abuse. She has served in this capacity for the last nine years. Jan served as Edmonton's first woman mayor from 1989 to 1995. Prior to that, she was a City Councillor for 9 years. As Chair of the City’s budget committee, she implemented a new budgetary process, which won the City an International Award of Excellence. Jan has received a Woman of Distinction Special Award from the YWCA, an award from SPARE (Society for the Protection of Architectural Resources in Edmonton) for her role in developing the City's historical policies and the restoration of the Gibson Block, and was made an honorary member of the International Association of Mayors of Northern Cities. She has recently received the Queen’s Golden Jubilee Medal and was one of the 100 Edmontonians of the century recognized during the City’s centennial celebrations.

ALANA ROSS is the Aboriginal Outreach Coordinator for the Canadian Red Cross. In this role, she connects First Nation, Métis and Inuit communities with Canadian Red Cross programming specializing in RespectED: Prevention Education programming designed to create safer communities for all.

CHIEF Superintendent MICHAEL J. SEKELA has been with the R.C.M.P. for over 27 years and has completed all his service within the Province of Alberta. Over the first two decades of his police service he was involved in uniform detachment duties, plainclothes investigational roles, and with the serious crimes unit. He also was involved with security duties at 1988 Olympics, Universiade Games, the Papal visit and the Summit of America’s in Quebec City. Since being Commissioned in 2001 he was the Officer in Charge of the Joint Intelligence Group of the G8 Summit in Kananaskis, the Division Intelligence Officer, the OIC of Project KARE and now the OIC of the Serious Crimes Branch. Superintendent SEKELA has now been promoted to Chief Superintendent and is the Deputy Chief Operating Officer of the 2010 Olympics and is off to Vancouver.

Pragya Sharma, M.A. has been working in the field of sexual violence for five years in myriad capacities. She has a M.A. from the University of Manchester (U.K.) in Gender, Sexuality and Culture. She is interested in examining the structural causes of sexual violence, including sexism, racism, ableism, Queer-phobia, and other oppressions. Her work focuses on dismantling these oppressive structures in order to end sexual violence.

As Director of Public Education at the Sexual Assault Centre of Edmonton, Ms. Sharma is responsible for developing workshops, information sessions and other psycho-educational materials that address the causes and consequences of sexual violence.

Jewelles Smith currently works as a consultant for DAWN-RAFH Canada. Jewelles has an MA in Women’s Studies and a BA in Women’s Studies and English. Passionate about women’s rights, disability rights, and single parent issues, Jewelles has worked actively on many boards and committees including NEADS (National Educational Association for Disabled Students) Board in 2006-08, ATBC (Assistive Technology British Columbia) Advisory Committee, CCD (Council of Canadians with Disabilities) Board, and PEADC (Provincial Equipment and Assistive Devices Committee. Previously, she worked with the CCPA (Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives) on two projects: “Denied Assistance: Closing the Front Door on Welfare in BC” (2006), and “Living on Welfare: Experiences of Longer-Term ‘Expected to Work’ Recipients” (2008). Further, she volunteered on the conference planning committee for the conference “Imaging Public Policy to Meet Women’s Economic Security Needs” (2005). Jewelles is a lone parent; she and her two sons live in Vancouver, BC.

Dr. Leslie Tutty is a full professor with the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Calgary where she teaches courses in both clinical social work methods and research. Over the past nineteen years, her research has focused on services for family violence including a number of evaluations of shelter and post-shelter programs for abused women, support groups for abused women, treatment for adult and child victims of sexual abuse and groups for men who abuse their partners. Since 1999, Leslie has served as the Academic Research Co-ordinator of RESOLVE Alberta, a tri-provincial research institute on family violence. RESOLVE is one of Canada’s Alliance of research centres on violence against women and children. As such, Leslie has collaborated with a number of the leading researchers in family violence across the country. Her extensive body of research on domestic violence spans the perspectives of social services, justice, health and mental health and addresses prevention, intervention and policy. Leslie is currently the Brenda Strafford Chair in the Prevention of Domestic violence.

Augusta Ugoala, BSc, RSW was born and raised in Nigeria where she worked as a Banker. She immigrated to the United States and later to Canada. Augusta is a Registered Social Worker with the Alberta College of Social Workers. She has worked as a social worker for the Government of Nunavut (formally Northwest Territory), in Kitikmeot, Kivalliq and Baffin Regions. She has, over the years, been an avid community volunteer. Augusta has volunteered at: Calgary Correctional Centre (Spy Hill), Calgary Parole Office, Calgary Community Corrections, Calgary Women’s Shelter and past board member of the Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association, Adjunct professor field education for BSW practicum students at the Faculty of Social Work at University of Calgary, In-School Mentor – Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Calgary, Preparation Facilitator – Child Witness Court Preparation Program and speaker for the Multifaith Walk against Violence and the Partnership Walk (Aga Khan Foundation), Bridges of Hope for Refugee at Canadian Red Cross, and the Alberta College of Social Workers - just to name a few of her many interests. In addition, Augusta has provided presentations to different organizations such as Alberta College of Social Workers annual conference, Calgary and Area Child and Family Services Authority, Sudanese Community and other ethnic communities.

Augusta’s education and ethnic background have enabled her to effectively work from a culturally informed perspective. In addition to this, she provides assistance to colleagues on various issues pertaining to African cultures and also provides presentations to various ethnic communities on issues of cultural differences. Augusta’s interests and experiences, working cross-culturally, have led her to provide her expertise both to the Inuit population in Nunavut and to the many diverse populations of Alberta. Augusta has been employed with the government of Alberta for the past 20 years.

She is presently a Casework Supervisor with Calgary & Area Child and Family Services Authority. Recognition of Augusta’s work has included: 2005 -Caseworker of the year Award, 2007 - Outstanding Nominee for the Field Instruction Pulse of Social Work Award, and 2008 Award of excellence - Calgary and Area Child and Family Services Authority.

Brian Vallée has been the keynote speaker on intimate partner violence at events and conferences around the country since the publication of his latest books, The War on Women and a special commemorative edition of Life With Billy which combines the original Life With Billy and Life After Billy into a single volume and includes an updated prologue.
The War on Women shines a light on the alarming number of women being murdered by their male partners and the failure of the justice system to protect them. A documentary based on the book is in the planning stage.
After working as a journalist on newspapers in England, the U.S. and Canada, Vallée joined CBC’s award-winning documentary program ‘the fifth estate’ where he spent ten years. He was researcher and associate producer of John Zaritsky’s documentary, Just Another Missing Kid which won an Oscar at the 1983 Academy Awards. He was also associate producer for the one-hour documentary Cruel Camera which won an Audubon Society award and two of the numerous ‘fifth estate’ documentaries produced by Vallée won Actra Awards.

The best-selling Life With Billy, about Jane (Stafford) Hurshman, an abused wife who took the law into her own hands, was first published in Canada, the U.S. and France. Her case led to the Battered Wife Syndrome as a legitimate defence in Canadian law. A television movie based on the book won three Gemini Awards in 1995.

Since leaving the CBC, Vallée has produced and directed several documentaries for ‘the fifth estate’ and one-hour documentaries on Edwin Alonzo Boyd and Canadian artist Ken Danby for the network’s Life and Times program. His first novel, the reverse-aging thriller, Pariah, was published in Canada and the U.S. in 1991. His other non-fiction books include Edwin Alonzo Boyd: The Story of the Notorious Boyd Gang and The Torso Murder: The Untold Story of Evelyn Dick. Vallée also researched and wrote the 2002 documentary The Notorious Mrs. Dick, which aired on CTV.

Jane Warren is a white-knuckle flier… who loves to travel! Jane’s greatest journey began with a car accident on a snowy road near her Annapolis Valley home in December 1981. Jane spent two weeks in a coma, followed by nearly four months in hospital. Out of hospital she fought to regain her life. Jane re-enrolled at Acadia. Because of the long-term effects of the accident it took ten years to complete her second degree. A fighter, she then enrolled at Saint Mary's University, Halifax, where she earned her MBA.

Jane is an active volunteer with the disabled community. She has been chair of the Nova Scotia Survivors’ Advisory Committee, and the first survivor-president of the Brain Injury Association of Nova Scotia. She is involved with Women for Wellness, Feminists for Just and Equitable Public Policy, and Treasurer of the DisAbled Women’s Network of Canada.

Dr. Sophie Yohani is a psychologist and assistant professor of Counselling Psychology in the Department of Educational Psychology at the University of Alberta. Her practice has included mental health services to immigrant and refugee children and families through non-profit agencies and in private practice. Sophie’s research focuses on the mental health and adaptation of refugee children, women and families based on pre- and post-migration experiences and program implications in education and community settings.