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Brief Biographies for Speakers & Presenters
Dr. Mary Ann Hollinger Dr. Mary Ann Hollinger most recently served as Dean of External Programs and Director of International Programs at Messiah College. In this role she provided oversight for the experiential and contextual learning opportunities available to students through the College's Agape Center for Service and Learning, Career Center for Vocation and Development, EpiCenter, Internship Center, Latino Partnership and Messiah's urban campus in Philadelphia.
Mary Ann earned her bachelor's degree from Goshen College (IN), her master's from Montclair State University (NJ), and her doctorate from Columbia University in New York City. During her undergraduate and graduate years she studied abroad at Europa Kolleg in Germany and the University of Strasbourg in France. She has done post doctoral studies at Oxford University, England, and has served as a visiting faculty member in Pune, India, and Moscow, Russia. Her academic field is Human Development and Family Science with special research interests in cross-cultural family studies. Mary Ann taught in the Department of Human Development and Family Science while at Messiah.
Over the years Dr. Hollinger has been active in a variety of professional organizations including the Family Science Association (President, Vice President), National Council on Family Relations (National Public Policy Committee, International Family Section Chair), DC Sociological Society (Program Chair), Indiana Council on Family Relations (Board of Directors), Pennsylvania Council for International Education (Board of Directors), Student Academic Programs Commission/Council of Christian College & Universities (Commission Member and Chair). Her involvements at Messiah included serving on the faculty Service-Learning Committee.
Emily Parke Chase is the author of five books for teens on key relationship issues. Those titles include Why Say No When My Hormones Say GO? (Christian Publications, 2003), What Do I Say to a Friend Who is Gay? (Kregel, 2006), and Help! My Life’s Messed Up! (Kregel, 2008). Mrs. Chase has served as Coordinator of Educational Services with the Capital Area Pregnancy Centers for over 20 years. She developed the abstinence education curricular materials called “Waiting, The Smart Choice!” for use in public schools and community groups. That program is presented over 350 times each year in the capital region of Pennsylvania, and her training materials are now being used across the nation and abroad. In addition, Mrs. Chase presents her PACT (Parents and Children Talking) program at conferences and community groups throughout the nation and abroad. Mrs. Chase received her BA at Cornell University and her MA at Penn State University. She is married to Dr. Gene Chase and is the mother of three adult children.
Karol Taylor brings a broad perspective and considerable expertise to the career and management and federal hiring process due to her more than 28 years of federal service combined with 20 years of career and academic advising. Karol is a two-time recipient of the coveted Department of Health and Human Service’s Secretary’s Award for Distinguished Services. She has also received numerous Assistant Secretary’s Awards and the Middle Atlantic Career Counseling Association’s Goodwill Ambassador Award. Karol is active in career professional organizations, and is currently serving as Executive Secretary for the National Employment Counselor’s Association. She graduated from Bowie State University in 1996 with a Master of Arts in Counseling Psychology, in the School of Adlerian Counseling. Karol’s workshop is modeled after Construction Theory espoused by Dr. Mark Savikas in Chapter 9 of Thomas Sweeney’s book, Adlerian Counseling: A Practitioner’s Approach.
Dr. Raeann Hamon received her Ph.D. in family science and graduate certificate in gerontology from Virginia Tech. She has presented and written extensively on later life families, particularly the topic of filial responsibility. Her articles are published in Journal of Gerontology, Family Relations, Journal of Divorce and Remarriage, and Educational Gerontology and her chapters are in texts like Cultural Diversity and Families and Gender, Families and Elder Care. She also teaches a variety of courses at Messiah College, including Sociology of Aging.
Avery Johnson is a senior Human Development and Family Science major and Gerontology minor at Messiah College. She is especially interested in the effects of Alzheimer's disease on spousal caregivers and plans to develop a six-hour family life education program that addresses this need. Avery has volunteered at several nursing homes and leads a weekly activity for residents at Bethany Village Retirement Community. After graduation she plans to pursue a career in the field of aging and also plans to attend graduate school for Gerontology and/or Social Work.
Alyssa Kunkle is a sophomore Human Development and Family Science Major with a Gerontology minor at Messiah College. She has a particular interest in developing the fundamentals to help and care for older adults and is still trying to find her niche as she contemplates her values and gifts within this field. During high school, Alyssa worked and interacted with older adults while serving Masonic Village (in Elizabethtown) residents in the dining room. She is currently a volunteer with older adults at Bethany Village Retirement Center. After graduation, she hopes to pursue a career in the field of aging in order to make a difference in the lives of older adults.
Dr. Jennifer Clements is a licensed clinical social worker in the state of Pennsylvania with over 10 years of practice experience working with children and families. She received her MSW and PhD degrees from the University of Maryland Baltimore. She has facilitated numerous mutual aid groups with children through older adults on topics such as anger management, grief and loss, parenting and dealing with trauma. She was formerly the director of a private non-profit treatment foster care program in Baltimore, Maryland. In addition, she has provided out-patient mental health services through Chesapeake Counseling Services of Baltimore City for the past 5 years. Since 2005, she has been on the faculty of Shippensburg University Department of Social Work where she teaches group work and advanced clinical courses in both the MSW and BSW programs.
Scott M. Watts is a doctoral candidate in the Pastoral Counseling Program at Loyola College in Maryland. He has earned an MS degree at Loyola and a Master of Divinity degree from Earlham School of Religion, as well as a Certificate of Studies in Spirituality from Loyola University of Chicago. He has 22 years of experience, working as a therapist in public and private mental health facilities. Mr. Watts is certified by the National Board of Certified Counselors and is a licensed professional counselor in the state of Pennsylvania. He is currently Director of Bethany Counseling Ministry in Harrisburg, PA., which is a ministry of Bethany Children’s Home. Mr. Watts resides in York County with his wife, Mary Ann and their dog, Frankie.
Linda M. Fetzer is a 1992 graduate of Messiah College with a BA in Sociology. Currently, she is the Project Coordinator for the AgrAbility Project through the Pennsylvania State University that provides direct services to agricultural workers and farm family members after an injury or long-term health condition. Ms. Fetzer has worked with the AgrAbility Project in various capacities for the past 13 years. Currently, she is pursuing her MS degree in Agricultural and Extension Education at Penn State University. Ms. Fetzer was raised on a farm and is a 3rd generation farm owner. Her farm background, life experiences, and educational pursuits have equipped her to provide direct services to farm families across PA.
Angela N. Hissong, OTR/L, CAPS is the Academic Fieldwork Coordinator for the occupational therapy program at Penn State University—Mont Alto Campus and the Healthcare Education Specialist for the Pennsylvania AgrAbility Project. Her practice and research focuses on how farming affects personal/family health and well being. Dr. Hissong is a Certified Aging in Place Specialist which focuses on home modifications and assistive technology application. Dr. Hissong is a community-based and academic occupational therapist that is practicing and teaching in the areas of agriculture-related disabilities, pediatrics, and women’s health and well-being. Primary areas of research and evidence-based practice involve gleaning a better understanding of the occupational performance, challenges, and adaptations of farmers/ranchers with disabilities, school-aged children with disabilities, and mothers living in rural communities.
Erin Boyd-Soisson, Ph. D., CFLE, Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Science, Messiah College. Dr. Boyd-Soisson teaches classes in child, adolescent, and adult development, as well as foundations of marriage & family and social science research methods. Her research interests include the transition to parenthood, emotional socialization of children, and individual, family, and social issues regarding breastfeeding.
Elizabeth Reininga is a senior Human Development and Family Science (HDFS) Major and Pre Marital and Family Therapy Minor. Upon graduation she hopes to take her knowledge and use it to teach parenting classes to first time parents. She is currently developing a six-hour lesson plan to do just that. Elizabeth has worked as an HDFS department work study, specifically for Dr. Boyd-Soission, for the past two years doing research and various other academic tasks.
Paul Johns, LMFT, CFLE, Lecturer of Human Development and Family Science, Messiah College. Paul Johns teaches courses on marital relationships, interpersonal relationship skills, and marriage and family therapy theory. He practices marriage and family therapy in his own part-time practice (Tree of Life Counseling) in Reading, PA. Paul also engages in family life education by conducting marriage enrichment seminars and retreats.
Dr. Barbara Settles is a professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the Universtiy of Delaware. She received the Jan Trost Award for Outstanding Contributions to Comparative Family Studies, International Section of the National Council on Family Relations in 2004 and NCFR Fellow in 2008. Other family organizations include the Committee for Family Research of the International Sociological Association and the Groves Conference on Marriage and Family. She has lectured abroad on globalization, families and intergenerational relationships.
Alyson Cavanaugh is in the combined undergraduate/graduate program in Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Delaware and a Dean’s Scholar. She has interned in a school based program in Barbados, served as a research assistant in a youth and family research focusing on drug abuse and prevention, and has presented with Dr. Settles in Oslo, Norway at the Committee for Family Research of the International Sociological Association sponsored by Global Discovery Learning Travel Award and the Alumni Enrichment Award.
Brittany Kappauf is a senior Human Development and Family Science Major and Pre Marital and Family Therapy Minor at Messiah College. Last year she was the president of Messiah College Council on Family Relations. Her research interests include marital expectations, families coping with cancer, and breast-feeding. Brittany hopes to work for non-profit organizations after graduation.
Denise Greenhalgh graduated from Messiah College in 1988. She has a Masters Degree in Christian Education from Asbury Seminary, and a Masters Degree in Social Work from the University of Kentucky. She has over 13 years of clinical experience working with severely emotionally and behaviorally disturbed children and adolescents in residential treatment facilities, and was Director of Sanders Center Crisis Stabilization Units for 4 years. During this time, she conducted research on FAMILY Rules which is currently sited on the FAMILY Rules web sire and will be included in an updated addition of the Positive Parenting with a Plan book.
Marita Flagler Ph.D. MSW is an assistant professor at the Department of Social Work and Gerontology of Shippensburg University with a major interest in the area of disabilities. Additionally, she has first-hand experience of the impact of having a member with a disability in the family as a parent of a son with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Cynthia Vriens M.Ed. is the director of a local adoption agency and has assisted in the placement of many children with intellectual and developmental disabilities. She also serves as a Family and Consumer Transition Consultant for Cumberland/Perry MH/MR. She has an adult daughter with multiple disabilities who lives at home with her family. JeanMarie St. Clair Christman is an Assistant Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at Penn State York. She is the former director of a federal, non-profit program for "at risk" youth. She is currently conducting research that focuses on family involvement in education for low-income adolescents. Her research interests include educational equity for low income families, risk and resilience in adolescence, and experiential education for human service and social work students. Dr. Michelle Knights received her Ph.D. in Human Development and Family Science from the University of Delaware. She is an Assistant Professor at Messiah College and teaches social research, child development, human sexuality, foundations of marriage and family. She has studied the effects of early abuse and neglect on the developing children, in special populations, and their later functining with caregivers.
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