Rebecca Lee Desjardins  | 2020

Intergenerational Conference: Raise Your Conversations

Rebecca Lee Desjardins is a lifelong learner, convener and writer committed to engaging people in meaningful moments that promote growth, understanding and a greater sense of community.

As a certified BioCoach, trained to teach The BioCode System® in group workshops and private one-on-one coaching sessions, she helps people learn how to build their behavioral agility, so they may begin to experience life with less stress and greater joy. As a communications consultant, Rebecca focuses on marketing and event planning with small businesses and nonprofit organizations. She has worked as chief communications officer in both K-12 and university settings and led public relations efforts for a variety of clients in an agency setting.

Rebecca is a leader in The Connext Exchange, an online community that hosts weekly conversations with the intention to help shape a world that prioritizes more humanity, generosity, and purpose. She also is an active community volunteer who serves the Community Foundation of Eastern Connecticut, the Killingly FFA Alumni & Parents Chapter, the Killingly Regional Agricultural Education Consulting Committee, and the Plainfield Business Association.
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View all three sessions here.

Tariko Satterfield | 2019

Intergenerational Conference: Grow U, Better You For A Better

Tomorrow

 
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Robin Fox | 2018

Intergenerational Conference: Treat Yourself to Wellness

 
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Darrel Hammond | 2014

Unplugged Play Matters: Giving Kids The Childhood They Need

Darell Hammond is the founder and CEO of KaBOOM!, a national non-profit dedicated to the bold goal of bringing balanced and active play into the daily lives of all children, particularly those growing up in poverty in America. With more than 20 years of experience in community development and volunteerism, Hammond has been named an Ashoka Fellow and was awarded the President’s Volunteer Service Award. Hammond has also earned recognition for his leadership in social entrepreneurship, including the American Express NGEN Leadership Award, the Satter Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and the Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur of the Year Award. In 2011, Hammond released a New York Times best-selling memoir, KaBOOM!: A Movement to Save Play and was named one of the Top 30 Social Entrepreneurs by Forbes Magazine.
See the program on YouTube: Unplugged: Play Matters - Giving kids the childhood they need.
See photos of the event. 

David L. Katz, M.D. | 2013

Feet + Forks = Healthy Kids + Healthy Community

David L. Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, is the founding (1998) director of Yale University's Prevention Research Center. He received his BA from Dartmouth College in three years (1984; Magna Cum Laude); his MD from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine (1988); and his MPH from the Yale University School of Public Health (1993). He is a two-time diplomate of the American Board of Internal Medicine, a board-certified specialist in Preventive Medicine/Public Health, and a clinical instructor in medicine at the Yale School of Medicine.
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Dr. Katz is the Editor-in-Chief of the journal Childhood Obesity, President-Elect of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, founder and President of the non-profit Turn the Tide Foundation, and medical director for the Integrative Medicine Center at Griffin Hospital in Derby, CT. He is the principal inventor of the NuVal nutritional guidance system, currently in roughly 1700 US supermarkets in more than 30 states, coast to coast. He holds 5 U.S. patents on other inventions, with several patents currently pending.

Ron Taffel Ph.D. | 2012

Childhood Unbound: Balancing Love & Authority in 21st

Century Parenting

Ron Taffel provides the keys to balancing love and authority for those who parent and educate children of all ages today.  He is the author of many books, including Childhood Unbound:  The Powerful New Parenting Approach That Gives Our 21st Century Kids the Authority, Love, and Listening They Need to Thrive and The Second Family: Dealing with Peer Power, Pop Culture, The Wall of Silence – and Other Challenges of Raising Today’s Teens.  He chairs The Institute for Contemporary Psychotherapy in New York City (providing significant training for educators and social workers), and continues his private child and family practice.  Most important, he is the parent of a daughter and son.

Two previous speakers for the Community Coalition for Children sing his praises.  Rosalind Wiseman, author of Queen Bees and Wannabees, says “Taffel is one of the rare experts in the country who is really listening to children, teens, and parents, and from truly listening, he is able to give unique insight and direct feedback to all of us.” Michael Thompson, Ph.D., co-author of Raising Cain, writes, “No one has thought more deeply about the dilemmas of the modern parent and child…In this frank, funny, and comforting book, he tackles the most troubling problems we face as modern parents.”

Writing about the “free-est generation of children,” Taffel addresses key issues:
 -  “the family envelope”
 -  “authentic engagement”
 - “culturally induced ADD”
 - “love and limits”\
 - “the importance of rituals”
 - “connecting during transition times” (In the car, dinner and bedtime)
​ - “praise small, praise quick, and praise authentically”

Joel Goodman Ed.D. | 2011

Someday We'll Laugh About This...Humor in Parenting, 

​Teaching, & Life

Joel Goodman's presentation at The Garde Theater, Someday We'll Laugh About This...Humor in parenting, teaching & life, will reverberate with all parents and educators who have uttered this famous phrase in a moment (or many moments) of exasperation. It reminds us that while we think that our experiences are unique, we share a common bond with all who have nurtured children through their ages and stages, including our own parents!

Dr. Goodman's work with The HUMOR Project has focused on the nature, nurture, and constructive applications of humor and creativity in everyday life and work. His presentations, publications, and media appearances have touched and tickled the lives of millions of people throughout the world. His annual international conferences have featured keynote speakers such as Steve Allen, Sid Caesar, Victor Borge, Jay Leno, the Smothers Brothers, Lucie Arnaz, Carol Channing, and Dr. Bernie Siegel.

Jeff Wolfsberg | 2010

Hey, Did You Ever Try Drugs? 

Jeff Wolfsberg is a highly regarded leader in the world of school-based drug education and early intervention. With more than a decade of counseling and educational experience, Jeff has worked with more than 1,500 of the world’s finest independent secondary schools, colleges, and universities in enhancing their response to underage drinking, alcohol misuse, and teen drugs.
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As a professional speaker and educator, Jeff has designed and presented programs to universities, Fortune 500 companies, educational conferences, and professional associations.  He is a regular guest expert for FOX TV and has provided commentary on adolescent and family wellness for National Public Radio affiliates, guest host on The View, other national media outlets. He is also the author and narrator of the two-disc instructional audio program “Mom, Did You Ever Try Drugs-Answers to the Most-Asked Questions about Parenting, Alcohol and Other Drugs” and “7 Mistakes Parents Make When Talking With Their Teen About Dating.”

Jeff believes that teens have a natural internal compass to move towards health and it is our instruction that will assist in this natural movement. He describes this theory by a “Behavioral Model” approach. The cognitive-behavioral approach teaches students how to anticipate, identify, and manage high-risk situations, while also preparing for the future by striving for lifestyle balance. 

Kenneth R. Ginsburg, M.D., M.S. Ed. | 2009

Building Resilience in Children and Teens 

Dr. Ginsburg is an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine and practices adolescent medicine at the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. The theme that ties together his clinical practice, teaching, research, and advocacy efforts is that of building on strength of children and teens by fostering their internal resilience.   His plan for resilience can help kids from 18 months to 18 years, not to mention their parents and educators.  His books include; But I’m almost Thirteen: An Action Plan to Raise a Responsible Adolescent, focused on parent-child communication, and two recent books published by The American Academy of Pediatrics are: A Parent’s Guide to Building Resilience in Children and Teens: Giving Your Child Roots and Wings along with, Less Stress, More Success.

His teachings offer strength and a great amount of support throughout children & teens' growing years, as they learn how to cope with stressors such as school, sports, family/friends, money, etc.  Dr. Ginsburg teaches parents and educators how to listen and communicate effectively with their children in order to help make for a healthy and successful development. 

Rosalind Wiseman | 2008

Surviving the Hive - Helping You and Your Child Navigate
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Conflict with Dignity 

Author of New York Times bestselling Queen Bees & Wannabes along with Queen Bee Moms & Kingpin Dads Rosalind Wiseman establishes an understanding of how to deal with conflicts amongst peers, families, and within their own community.

Adolescents today grow up in a society that measure who is most popular, rich, beautiful.  Parents constantly compete with one another at who has the most perfect child has created an undignified community.  These behaviors lead to acts of jealousy and hatred.  Students and parents need to be learned how to handle both appropriately and effectively. 

Rosalind Wiseman teaches parents and children how to resolve these situations strategically by approaching problems head on, creating calmness, explaining the situation, affirming and acknowledging, and locking in or out the friendship at stake.

Glenn E. Singleton | 2007

Beyond Diversity - Let's Get Real!

The co-author of Courageous Conversations About Race: A Field Guide for Achieving Equity in Schools, Glenn Singleton knows first hand the challenges that face all of us, whether we are black, brown, white, or yellow.  He serves as the adjunct professor of Educational Leadership at San Jose State University and there works to help future leaders to understand the three essential characteristics of anti-racist leadership, which are Passion, Practice, and Persistence.

His success with school districts in California and North Carolina prove that once educators, parents, students, and community leaders honestly examine their preconceptions, policies, and procedures, the racial achievement gap can be closed.

10 Year Celebration | 2006

Conversations About Children: A Decade of Practical Solutions

The Community Coalition for Children celebrated its 10th anniversary year with a very special panel discussion among several of our past presenters. This alumni panel, moderated by Faith Middleton of NPR, discussed current challenges and solutions as we all work together to raise our children.

We were glad to welcome back the following guest speakers to this year's panel:

Conrad Boeding, M.A., Children of Rage: Preventing Youth Violence after Columbine.
 Dr. Michael Bradley, Ed.D., Yes, Your Teen Is Crazy and The Heart & Soul of the Next Generation: Extraordinary Stories of Ordinary Teens.
Barbara Coloroso, The Bully, the Bullied, and the Bystander and Just Because It's Not Wrong, Doesn't Make It Right
 Adele Faber, How to Talk So Kids Will Listen & Listen So Kids Will Talk and numerous other books.

Pedro Noguera, Ph.D. | 2005

All Children Can Succeed: Connecting Community, Schools,

and ​Families

Dr. Pedro Noguera, A Leading Voice on Education Reform and Diversity.

Michael Bradley, Ph.D. | 2004

Conversations About Children: A Decade of Practical Solutions

Michael J. Bradley, Author, Yes Your Teen is Crazy!  Loving Your Kid Without Losing Your Mind. ​

Edward Hallowell, M.D. | 2003

Childhood Roots of Adult Happiness

Dr. Edward Hallowell, MD​

Barbara Coloroso | 2002

Kids Are Worth It

Barbara Coloroso, Author, Kids are Worth It! Relating with Wit and Wisdom. ​​

Mary Pipher, Ph.D | 2001

Rebuilding Our Families

Dr. Mary Pipher, Author, Rebuilding our Families.​​

Conrad Boeding, MA | 2000

Providing A Safe Childhood in Violent Times

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Michael Thompson, Ph.D. and Judith V. Jordan, Ph.D. | 1999

Gender Dilemmas: Raising Strong and Competent

​Girls and Boys

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Robert Brooks, Ph.D | 1998
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Raising Resilient Children: Strategies for Fostering Self

Esteem & Motivation

Dr. Robert Brooks, Ph.D.,  Raising Resilient Children:  Strategies for Fostering Self Esteem & Motivation​​

Adele Faber | 1997

How to Talk so Kids Will Listen and Listen so Kids Will Talk

Adele Faber, Author