A Tapestry Woven by Many Different Hands
Introduction
Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International is a tapestry of many different threads woven by many different hands. Our organization has grown from the ideas, questions, teaching, feedback, and stories of countless people since I first started learning about personal safety and self-defense in 1985.
I want to express my appreciation to each of our Kidpower instructors, parents, students, workshop organizers, program leaders, board members, advisors, volunteers, donors, workshop sponsors, funders, workshop hosts, readers, supporters, and office staff. Thank you for the thought, care, time, and generosity that you have given to bring Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International to where we are today. I feel honored to have you as colleagues and as friends.
My husband, Ed, used to say that he felt as if he had ended up with a surprise set of in-laws when I first got involved with this work. I want to give a special thank you to the families of all of the people who have given of themselves in order to bring our services to their communities and to help our organization to improve and to grow. Thank you for sharing your loved ones with Kidpower as well as your resources and your own time in building bridges for our organization.
Program Development
The following people played key roles in the early development of Kidpower International.
Timothy Dunphy
Timothy Dunphy is the program co-founder of Kidpower and a senior instructor. He is a sixth-degree Black Belt and international championship winner in Tae Kwon Do. In the formative years of Kidpower, Timothy was my partner every step of the way in running pilot workshops and evaluating what did and did not work. Timothy’s heart, head, and spirit have been essential to our success in creating a curriculum that is fun, effective, and empowering. Timothy continues to help Kidpower by being there whenever he is needed. He is the founder of a unique system of energy work called Chi-Aura Integration.
Ellen Bass
Kidpower’s founding board president Ellen Bass is the co-author of The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse and of Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian, and Bisexual Youth – and Their Allies, as well as of award-winning poetry books. Through our countless walks and talks for over 25 years, Ellen defined our underlying principle and has helped make it a reality. She has been a force for making sure that we are truly “walking our talk.” Ellen has supported Kidpower in each of our phases, has inspired me as a writer, and has encouraged me to keep going as a friend.
Along with Timothy and me, Sheryl Doran, Jerilyn Munyon, and Susan Wilde, Psy.D., were on the pilot Kidpower team and helped our program get off to an excellent start. Sheryl was the founder of the Bay Area Model Mugging (BAMM) Impact organization, a third degree Black Belt in Aikido, and one of the co-founders of Model Mugging. Jerilyn is a 4th degree Black Belt in Aikido. She taught with Timothy and me during Kidpower’s early years and provided business and personal consultation that was critical in our organization’s development. Susan is now a psychologist for the Center for Culture and Diversity in Oakland and has continued to share her mental health expertise with Kidpower over the years.
Joe Connelly
Our Chicago/Great Lakes Center director, Joe Connelly, is one of the pillars of Kidpower. Joe is also a seventh degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do, 5th Dan Kumdo, and 4th Dan Hapkido, 1st Dan Judo and Grandmaster of Connelly’s Academy. He helped to lead our early instructor training programs and showed us how to take what we were doing with children and apply those lessons to teaching teens and adults, adding many creative practices and concepts to our work. Joe’s dry humor and wise insights have often brightened my day and helped me to regain my sense of perspective.
Sterling Goodrich
Joe has been supported since he started running his center by senior instructors Anne Mason and Sterling Goodrich, who have also helped nurture our international work.
I want to acknowledge the origin of the full-force self-defense we teach. I received my first training in the system of full-force self-defense with the head-to-toe padded instructor through the Model Mugging program started by Matt Thomas.
Mark Morris
For over twenty-five years, Mark Morris, one of the co-founders of Model Mugging, has been a source to me personally of training, collaboration, and camaraderie. Mark was instrumental in improving the protective armor that makes full force self-defense possible and in evolving the effectiveness of the roles of both the padded instructor and the coaching instructor. He also co-led instructor training programs with me for the IMPACT Women’s Basics course for five years. Mark has done a great deal to help me understand the core of what it means to defend oneself and to manage conflict. He continues to build our padded equipment through his Nutcase Armor business, supported by his wife, Karin Stanger, who first brought Kidpower to Europe in the early 1990’s.
One of the people Mark introduced me to in 1989 was Marsha Kearns, who had taught a self-defense program called Kidpower in Texas with him for a few years in the mid-1980’s. When we were getting started, Marsha gave me permission to use the Kidpower name and all of her materials. She then trained with our organization as an instructor and led our Austin Kidpower Center for several years in the 1990’s, including presenting our program at the Texas Governor’s Conference on Child Abuse Prevention. In recent years, Eve Margolis started a new Kidpower Austin Center and is now taking leadership in getting our services going there again.
Sherryll Kraizer, Ph.D., is the author of The Safe Child Book and the founding director of the Safe Child Program. Sherryl provided consultation to Kidpower in our early years as well as giving permission to incorporate language, ideas, and research findings from her program into ours.
Evolution and Growth
The following program leaders have also made major contributions in the spread of our services and the continued improvement of the quality of our programs. Introduced in the approximate order in that they started their work with Kidpower.
Steve and Lea Sassone were the first people Timothy and I trained as instructors in the early 1990’s. Steve now serves as our North Bay Program Coordinator and, with Lea’s support, continues to bring services to his community with joy and with love.
Annette Washington
I want to honor the memory of my friend Annette Washington, who was one of my first teachers in this work. Annette collaborated with me during our early years with the IMPACT Foundation, which then became our Southern California Kidpower office. Annette always provided an oasis of peace, love, and power in a busy crowded world. Annette’s passion for teaching personal safety was so great that she would inspire others to become committed as well. This happened so often that I called the result “The Annette Phenomena.”
Janice Flynn
Since Kidpower began, Janice Flynn has been a wonderful teacher, longtime supporter, and a dynamic representative for our organization. Janice was on the original board of the IMPACT Foundation, which we started at the same time as Kidpower, and she served for many years as our Southern California Program Coordinator and Instructor. She has served on the Kidpower Board since the Impact Foundation merged with our organization in 1993, filling every officer position as needed. As Board President from 2006 to 2014, Janice has provided leadership and stability for our organization, bringing Kidpower to far greater visibility and strength while staying true to our values as we grow. Janice is someone who does whatever needs to be done quietly and effectively. I deeply appreciate her for taking care of our dear friend and colleague Annette Washington during her illness, as well as for all of her years of practical help, friendship, and guidance.
Jan Isaacs Henry
Our Kidpower of Colorado Center Director, Jan Isaacs Henry, has created a model for excellence with her center, which has a strong track record of professionalism and sustainability. She has also brought a number of new program ideas, research, and resources into the Kidpower program. Jan is a former psychotherapist whose mental health expertise with Kidpower strengthens the quality of the emotional safety of our work. I cherish the many mornings we have shared a long-distance conversation over a cup of tea or coffee by telephone or Skype, giving mutual mentoring to each other. Jan’s work with children with disabilities led to our partnership with Hands and Voices and to enhancing our work with Autism Speaks.
Meredith Henry & Chris Knoepke
Along with her daughter and son-in-law, Meredith Henry and Chris Knoepke, who are also exceptional instructors, Jan didn’t let me give up when our research project was floundering and provided consultation that led to our making a plan that was ultimately successful. Jan has been supported every step of the way by her husband, John Henry, who is on the Kidpower of Colorado Board and who is a public relations expert who coached us on how to build relationships with the media and manage our public image.
Jean Glowacki
Senior Program Leader Jean Glowacki has provided thoughtful insights, creative adaptations, and support for long-range planning as a member of both our Organizational Assessment Task Force and our Long Range Strategic Plan Committee. Jean used to run our Big Thompson Center and is now establishing a partnership between Kidpower and 4-H of Colorado.
Cornelia Baumgartner
Our New Zealand Center founder and co-director, Cornelia Baumgartner, has received a great deal of recognition in her country for the impact of her center’s services on people’s lives. She led the collaboration with the National New Zealand Police that created the Confident Kids program, bringing Kidpower skills to public school children throughout New Zealand. Cornelia is also a fourth degree Black Belt in Aikido. Cornelia continues to bring her creativity and vision to further evolve our materials for teens and young adults with developmental delays through the Healthy Relationships project and to day care programs through the Early Childhood project. Cornelia has helped me to grow in using technology to improve long-distance communications. We have a strong personal bond that grows deeper as the years go by, despite the miles that usually separate us.
Martin Hartman
Cornelia is supported by her partner in life and in teaching, Martin Hartman, who is a senior padded instructor and trainer as well as a 5th Dan in Aikido. In recent years, Fiona Bryan has joined her in leading the Center as a Co-Director.
Marylaine Léger
Our Montreal Pleins Pouvoirs (which means “full of power” in French) Kidpower Center director, Marylaine Léger, helped our instructor training program grow during its very challenging early phases, brought our Puppetpower, Senior Power, and day care programs to a new level, and translated our program into French. Marylaine and her Pleins Pouvoirs staff hosted our Reaching Out Conference in Montreal in 2005, bringing our work to professionals from charitable organizations working with youth in danger in Africa, Asia, and South America. Marylaine is a talented and loving leader with a strong, active center. Marylaine has been a terrific cheerleader for my writing and is continuing to help build our instructor training program.
Marc Meilleur
Marylaine’s partner in life and in teaching, Marc Meilleur, has supported Marylaine in all these accomplishments. Marc is a very experienced padded instructor and helps our organization to further develop our system for keeping people safe in doing full force work.
Erika Leonard
At the time she joined our organization in 1995, Erika Leonard was the kind of middle school teacher who inspired her students and had parents fighting to get their children into her class. She started her work with us by doing outreach to parents and teachers in her community and is now our Kidpower California Program Director, training and mentoring many people and creating countless relationships that help grow our services and funding. In her teaching, Erika keeps bringing fresh perspectives, new practices, teaching stories, and examples that improve the value and clarity of our services and the depth of our program. In everything she does with Kidpower and in life with those of us who have the good fortune to know her well, Erika gives fully of her enthusiasm, energy, creativity, commitment, talent, and love.
Kim Leisey
Board member and center director for our Chesapeake and Potomic Center, Kim Leisey, PhD, is the Associate Vice President for Student Affairs at the University of Maryland Baltimore County campus and leader of their team for managing potential “behaviors of concern.” Kim is a dynamic teacher and extremely effective representative for our organization in the Washington, D.C. area, bringing many important resources to our organization. She will serve as our Board Secretary starting August 1, 2014.
With her colleague Nancy Young, Kim co-developed our Collegepower program that has been used in a number of college orientation programs. Kim also included Kidpower in her dissertation about the meaning of self-protection for teen girls and is an advisor with our Research Project.
Amanda Golert
Much of our increased effectiveness in training other people to teach is due to Amanda Golert, who is both our center director for Sweden and our Training and Curriculum Development Consultant. Amanda has taught women’s self-defense since 1994 and is also the director of Allakan, which teaches workplace violence prevention. With humor, compassion, and competence, Amanda has provided leadership, structure, and stability both to our system of training and to our organization as a whole. In addition, Amanda’s cartoon drawings in our Safety Comics and Teaching Kits have made our program understandable in a way that transcends boundaries of language and culture. Amanda currently provides support to the development of our new centers, which is an important part of our infrastructure. Amanda also provides creative design and editing for many of our books.
Chantal Keeney
With a profound understanding of Kidpower, Senior Program Leader Chantal Keeney greatly improved the content of our curriculum, the management and structure of our instructor training programs, and the effectiveness of our resources for teachers. Chantal also served for many years as a Program Coordinator for our Central Office, bringing order to the functioning of our systems.
Technical Consultants and Professional Advisors
The following people have given generously of their special technical expertise in various fields in ways that have improved the effectiveness of our services or have played a key role in the growth of our organization. They are introduced approximately in order of the time they became involved.
Carol Middleton
Carol Middleton is a co-founder of the National Women’s Martial Arts Federation as well as director of the D.C. Self-Defense Karate Association, D.C. IMPACT, and Krav Maga D.C. She is now a seventh degree Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do. Carol has given Kidpower technical consultation since the beginning as well as opened doors for our organization in the Washington, D.C. area and in the martial arts world.
Beth McGreevy
Beth McGreevy is a Business IT Strategy Consultant who got our organization the kidpower.org domain name, created our first Web site, and served as our first webmaster. She created and maintains our internal international e-mail group of instructors, staff, and board members. Beth is also a longtime instructor who taught our first workshop in Israel. Beth now serves as our San Francisco Coordinator and Media and Technology Strategy Consultant, greatly improving our website and technical capacity.
Peter Lewis
Board member Peter Lewis, PhD, was the head of school at Gateway School in Santa Cruz, California, and is now in the same role at The Winston School in Short Hills, New Jersey. Under Peter’s leadership, the teachers and staff at Gateway School opened all their classrooms so that I could conduct the pilot programs that led to the foundation of our school programs. Mary D. Geyer, a first grade teacher at that time, came up with the idea of using your body to make a trash can for throwing away hurting words. Gateway continues to have our workshops in their classrooms every year. As an educator, Peter’s leadership has opened new doors and broken new ground, including sponsoring our first East Coast conference. As our new Board treasurer, Peter is committed to keeping our organization financially strong.
Peter Alsop
Peter Alsop, PhD. is a nationally known singer-songwriter, educator, and humorist. He has been an advisor to Kidpower for many years on how to reach a much wider audience with our work. His songs about child abuse prevention are known around the world. Peter also created the Kidpower Wake Up! video, which won an Indie Award.
Lillian Roybal Rose, an internationally known expert in cross-cultural communication, has provided support and consultation to Kidpower for many years. Her seminars help people to overcome prejudices, heal wounds, and build bridges of understanding between people of very diverse backgrounds.
Michael Linehan is the founder and managing director of Marketing Alchemy, which provides profoundly effective Internet-based strategic planning and marketing services. As our webmaster for many years, Michael generously donated his time and expertise to enable Kidpower to have a high level of presence on the Internet, greatly increasing our visibility to the world.
Jennifer Turner-Davis & Claire Laughlin
Board Member Claire Laughlin is a communications consultant and trainer. When she was still in college, Claire came to me and said, “What you are doing is important, and I will do whatever it takes to help you.” As a staff person, she brought order to our Central Office. Over the years, Claire has led many important projects for our Board, such as our Long Range Strategic Planning Committee. Recently, Claire made it possible for me to participate in the Leadership Challenge program that she was leading, giving me important insights into my own growth as a leader and how we can grow Kidpower’s leadership into the future.
For the past 3 years, Claire has worked with her colleague, friend, and Kidpower Board member Jennifer Turner–Davis, PCC OTR/L, principal and lead coach of Turner-Davis Coaching to co-lead our Board retreats. In 2014, Claire and Jen co-lead the Leadership Day of our International Conference.
Arnie Kamrin
Claire is a classic example of someone whose relatives become a “Kidpower family” who contribute their expertise, donations, and connections. Claire’s mother, Karen Calcagno of the Advantage Coaching & Family Business Center is a Kidpower advisor and donor who has provided business consultation that has been useful for staff planning and management of the central office. Claire’s sister, Kristen Calcatera of Big Sky Creative, provided countless hours of graphic design to help turn the first edition of The Kidpower Book for Caring Adults from a bunch of written text into a real book. Claire’s uncle and aunt, Dr and Mrs James Calcagno have organized numerous classes and been supporters over the years.
Board member Arnie Kamrin is a businessman who has helped Kidpower find the right people to work with in corporations, obtained free Web exposure for Kidpower through Google, and saved Kidpower thousands of dollars in printing costs with Kinko’s. Arnie has also opened his home to Kidpower many times for trainings, gatherings, and meetings. He is a former instructor and longtime donor. Arnie’s daughter and son, Jackie and Rich, are also supporters who have helped Kidpower in different ways since they were children.
Sandra Menefee
Board member Sandra Menefee is an expert on organizational development who provides training and consultation to large corporations and county governments. She is a former instructor and center director for Kidpower as well as a longtime donor. For many years, Sandra has given me management coaching that has greatly improved my skills as a leader and has served as a wise and effective mediator when we have needed one. She facilitated and hosted our first two board retreats and led the first joint meeting of our Board and Senior Program Leaders. Sandra is currently leading our Ready Power Committee for emergency preparedness and sustainability and still meets with me by phone every two weeks as a mentor and a friend.
John Luna-Sparks
Senior instructor and training team member John Luna-Sparks, LCSW, has presented Kidpower at conferences for professionals working with people with special needs and has contributed his expertise to our Bridges to People Safety Project for Individuals With Limited Speech as well as to our work with children who have faced sexual abuse. John used to work at the Center for Child Protection at Children’s Hospital & Research Center Oakland and is now training to become an acupuncturist along with having a private practice. John brings creativity and joy to Kidpower and has been a great support to our international work.
April Yee
Our new Board President effective August 1, 2014, April Yee started by working in our office when she was a student and is now a Senior Associate at an investment firm. April is a former instructor and a long-time donor who advocates for funding for Kidpower. She has served for many years as our Board Treasurer and Secretary. April tackles whatever she undertakes with great good cheer and competence and has furthered the work of our Board in many ways, including of the ReadyPower Committee.
Board member Abby Bleistein, MD, shares her medical expertise on how to have Kidpower integrated into the work of health professionals and on technical questions. As a Board member, she has been helping with planning and organizational development. Abby also made it possible for Kidpower to receive a major multi-year donation for our capacity-building projects.
David Harrison
Vancouver Center director and training team member David Harrison, M.D., is a physician who has a passionate commitment to teaching effective self-defense. Dave has brought important organization and refinements to our services through the combination of his medical expertise with his self-defense background. He has taken major leadership in improving our system of training padded instructors, including learning from Mark Morris how to build and improve the protective head-to-toe padded suit and writing a manual for padded instructors. He is also helping to further develop our training for trainers program. Currently, Dave is leading an exploration of how we might further improve our protective equipment to keep our padded instructors safe.
Victor Cheng
Long-time advisor Victor Cheng, CEO management expert and author of The Recession-Proof Business and Extreme Revenue Growth, contributes pro bono marketing and strategic planning consultation to Kidpower through his company www.victorcheng.com. Thanks to Victor’s expertise, we are doing a far more effective job of increasing our impact and visibility, leading to the development of important initiatives such as One Million Safer Kids and International Child Protection Month. Victor is also a major supporter who has created a unique way of fundraising. Through his free six-hour caseinterview.com workshops, thousands of MBAs have found excellent career opportunities. In the introduction, Victor gives compelling testimonial to Kidpower and requests that they make a donation. Successful job hunters from all over the world have collectively donated tens of thousands of dollars to Kidpower that have made it possible for us to greatly increase our online presence and services.
Advocate Pervaiz Tufail is a management psychologist from Pakistan who trains professionals working with youth in dangerous situations. Pervaiz co-led our Reaching Out conference for professionals from developing countries and is currently using our program through his work in health care in Pakistan.
Advisor Deborah A. Malkin is a California Attorney who donates estate planning services to people who want to make a contribution to Kidpower and who has helped us with contracts. She and her family also generously host guests from other countries who are coming to our instructor training program in her home.
Amy Tiemann
Graphic Designer Ian Price of Price-Watkins and Associates donated our beautiful Kidpower “seed person” logo, which has served our organization well. He also has designed and done the layout for our Bullying book and of The Kidpower Book for Caring Adults.
Senior Program Leader Amy Tiemann, PhD, is the co-director of our North Carolina Center, author of MojoMom, creator of the Courageous Parents, Confident Kids book in which we are proud to have a chapter. Currently, Amy and I are collaborating on an independent research project, featuring the website www.DoingRightByOurKids.com and forthcoming book, Doing Right by Our Kids: Protecting Child Safety At All Levels.
Robert Meltzer
Board member Eileen diFranco is a public relations expert who has been advising Kidpower on how to increase our on-line presence, as well as being a generous donor. She initiated, fundraised for, and organized our One Million Safer Kids film, which is opening many doors for Kidpower and provides ongoing support to me in event planning, including our 25 Year Celebration Conference and International Child Protection Month.
Board member Robert Meltzer has been a MyGym teacher since 1989 and owner of MyGym of Beverly Hills since 1996. He has been a dedicated Kidpower supporter for 18 years, helping in Los Angeles by teaching and hosting workshops. He is representing Kidpower with foundations and has developed a partnership for Kidpower with MyGym International, which will greatly extend our reach.
Julie Shattuck
Julie Shattuck, Principle and Founder of Applied Research + Evaluation made it possible for Kidpower to build a powerful case documenting that we provide an evidence-based program. She designed and implemented a study with a comparison group that had very positive results. She then created a team of people to get an article about our study published in a professional journal.
Alaina Brenick, Ph.D., assistant professor of Human Development and Family Studies, took the lead on this project, doing additional research, analysis, and writing and then submitting and re-writing. Alaina presented a poster at the Society for Research in Child Development’s Biennel meeting and her article has just been accepted by the Children and Youth Services Review journal.
Harold Johnson
Board member, Harold Johnson, PhD, Emeritus Professor of Education, has been a tremendous advocate in increasing Kidpower’s visibility and credibility with professionals and organizations helping children with disabilities. He has developed a partnership between Kidpower and Hands and Voices, the largest advocacy organization for families with children who are hard of hearing or deaf and is a master networker who is opening doors with many other professionals and organizations for Kidpower.
Law Enforcement Advisors
The members of our Law Enforcement Advisory Committee review our program and give feedback to ensure that what we teach is consistent with crime prevention knowledge and practices.
Police officer Ian Kirkpatrick, a founding board member of our New Zealand Trust, helped create a collaboration between Kidpower and the National New Zealand Police Youth Education Services that led to the Confident Kids program, bringing Kidpower skills to public schools throughout New Zealand.
Karl Herndon is a former deputy sheriff and detective with El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and has taught law enforcement officers. As a longtime padded instructor, Karl has improved our way of teaching by sharing his technical expertise and has been of tremendous support to Kidpower of Colorado.
Watsonville Police Chief Manny Solano is a longtime supporter who has given Kidpower credibility with other law enforcement officials, sponsored workshops, served as an ex-officio board member, and provided consultation on criminal justice issues.
Former Community Relations Specialist Jim Howes built a relationship for our organization with the Santa Cruz Police Department, which has co-sponsored many workshops with Kidpower. Jim also provides advice and collaboration on community safety programs.
Although he is not a law enforcement officer, Gavin de Becker is both an expert in the prediction of violence and the best-selling author of The Gift of Fear and Protecting the Gift. Over the last fifteen years, Gavin has provided important consultation and resources to Kidpower concerning questions of violence prevention.
Teaching, Program, and Organizational Support
Whether they are old-timers or new to our organization, our instructors, center directors, program support staff, board members, and advisors in different parts of the world are at the heart of our programs. In every community, we also owe a great deal to our thousands of service partners and workshop hosts for making it possible to bring our services to their schools, service organizations, businesses, communities, and families. To the Board members and supporters of our centers from around the world, I want to thank you for your generosity and commitment to supporting your program leaders in bringing Kidpower services to your communities.
Below are the names of people currently working with our four largest centers. Other people are included on the pages of their own Centers earlier in this book.
International Central Office and California Center Staff
The Central Office for both Kidpower International and the California Center is in Santa Cruz. Staff below teach and/or organize services in the Greater San Francisco and Monterey Bay areas unless otherwise noted.
Liam Bauer – Senior Full Force Instructor (1998), Judson Birza – Los Angeles Full Force Instructor-in-Training (2013), Jennifer Blackwood – Senior Instructor and Sonoma Workshop Coordinator (2010), Andrew Carl – Web Design Support (2010), Antonie Del Bonta – Program Coordinator/Senior Instructor/Trainer (2007), Denlin Doty – Los Angeles Instructor (2008), Timothy Dunphy – International Co-Founder and Senior Instructor (1989), Cybele Erwin – Beginning Instructor (2012), Ellen Frankel – California Workshop Coordinator (2011), Zoe Gladstone – Instructor (2012), Amanda Golert – International Curriculum and Training Consultant (2004), Kelly Goodwin – San Diego Instructor and Workshop Coordinator (2009), Ryan Holmes Senior Full Force Instructor (2004), Rob Johnson – San Diego Full Force Instructor-in-Training (2014), Chantal Keeney – Senior Instructor/ International Curriculum Developer/Trainer (1995), Allison Kenny – Instructor (2012), Erika Leonard – California Program Director/Senior Instructor/Trainer (1994), Penny Loftesness – San Francisco Instructor-in-Training (2014), John Luna-Sparks – Senior Instructor and Trainer (2002), Peggy Macy – East Bay Instructor-in-Training (2014), Beth McGreevy – Instructor and Technical/Media Strategy Consultant (1992), Kiona Medina – Beginning Instructor (2014), Sandhya Mysoor – Beginning Instructor (2013), Tasmin Pesso – Marin Instructor and Workshop Coordinator (2009), Stefany Reed – San Diego Instructor and Workshop Coordinator (2005), Beth Reichmuth – Instructor (2010), Eamon Saki – Beginning Program and Tech Support Assistant (2014), Jen Salinas-Holz – Beginning Instructor – (2014), Steve Sassone – North Bay Senior Instructor and Coordinator (1992), Elena Springer – Workshop Assistant (2010), Mike Stevens – Instructor and Senior Full Force Instructor (2008), Kathleen Thomas – Instructor-in-training (2014), Brian Tom – Full Force Instructor (2012), Ed van der Zande – International Co-Founder and Strategy, Finance, and Grants Director (1989), Irene van der Zande – International Executive Director/Founder/Trainer (1989), Matt Whittington – Full Force Instructor (2012).
I want to give extra thanks to staff members Antonie del Bonta and Ellen Frankel for welcoming traveling people to their home and for going above and beyond in their work with Kidpower. And to Natalia Gibrea and Hiruko Wellness Center for providing a home for our South Bay office for so many years. And to Montessori School of Santa Cruz County and Gateway School for many years of hosting our instructor training programs.
Kidpower International and California Board Members and Advisors
Kidpower International Board of Directors. Top row: Abbie Bleistein, Peter Lewis, Kim Leisey, April Yee and Claire Laughlin. Bottom row: Eileen DiFranco, Robert Meltzer, Sandra Menefee, Janice Flynn, Jennifer Turner-Davis, Arnie Kamrin.
I want to express appreciation to our Board of Directors for their years of encouragement, generosity, commitment, and friendship. Our current Board members are working with great commitment and determination to move Kidpower forward so that we will be able to realize our potential as an organization.
Robert Stephens
Honorary Board trustee and founding donor Robert Stephens is the owner of the Elkhorn Native Plant Nursery, current President of the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, former chair of Audubon California, and a strong advocate for environmental leadership. Robert has been a major annual donor to Kidpower since 1990. Robert’s credibility has opened doors for Kidpower with foundations, newspapers, and other community resources. His kindness, honesty, encouragement, and generosity have helped Kidpower get going and keep moving in the right direction.
Honorary Board Trustee Karen Ho is an accountant who served as our Board Treasurer for many years. Karen greatly improved how we keep our books in the central office so that the quality of our financial integrity is as high as our program integrity. She has sponsored Kidpower classes for all of her family and has been a very generous monthly and annual donor to Kidpower longer than anyone else. Her continual faith in our work has inspired me to keep going, especially during hard times.
Ellen Bass is our founding Board president and an ex-officio Board member. Nell Cliff, Gayle Ortiz, and Elena Baskin were founding donors to Kidpower, providing seed money and help with opening doors so that our organization could get off the ground.
Kidpower Colorado Staff, Board, and Advisors
Kidpower Colorado Staff
Jan Isaacs Henry – Executive Director and Instructor (1994), Natalie Yungner – Program Director and Instructor (2002), Heather Guerrero – Program Assistant (2008), Vennita Browning – Teen Advisory Board Leader (2010), Rita Burns – Board Member (2006), Debra Campeau – Local Co-Founder and Advisor (1994), Kelly Church – Denver Program Coordinator and Instructor (2008), Christy Crase – Board Member (2011), Jan DeBoer – Local Co-Founder and Advisor (1994), Adrienne Elmore – Instructor (2012), Amy Folsom – Board Member (2008), Angela Hamilton – Instructor (2002), John Henry – Founding Board Member (1994), Meredith Henry – Instructor (1998), Karl Herndon – Instructor (1998), Paul Isenstadt – Founding Board Member (1994), Robert D. Johnson – Founding Board Member (2012), Sandra Johnson – Founding President (1994), Kelly Kissell – Board Member (2012), Chris Knoepke – Instructor (2000), Annie Kurtz – Teen Advisory Board Leader and Instructor (2011), Brian Kurtz – Instructor (2009), Carla Lemmon – Past President (2005), Ann-Marie Manning – Board Member (2009), Clif Northam – Board Member (2005), Nancy Saltzman – President Emeritus (1995), Linda Schafer – Instructor (1999), Jim Stinson – Board Member (2006), Wynde Stinson – Board Member (2005), Sara Sugerman – Board Member (2010), Kiersten Tarvainen – Instructor (2013). Commander Clif Northam, El Paso County Sheriff’s Office and Sgt. Jim Stinson, Colorado Springs Police Department have been Kidpower of Colorado board members, trusted advisors, and valued supporters since 2005 and 2006 respectively. They are also parents of Kidpower/Teenpower Graduates who have also served on Kidpower of Colorado Teen Advisory Board.
Kidpower New Zealand Staff, Board, and Advisors
Kidpower New Zealand Staff
Cornelia Baumgartner – Local Co-Founder, NZ Centre Co-Director, NZ Programme Director and Instructor (1993), Martin Hartman – Local Co-Founder, Instructor and Advisor (1993), Fiona Bryan – NZ centre Co-Director (2009), Ezekiel Robson – Instructor and Advisor (2005), Rona Sedman – Instructor (2007), Jack Wyllie – Instructor (2008), Kate Canton – Instructor (2012), Claudia Manderson – Instructor (2012), Lisa Piper – Auckland Area/Programme Manager and Instructor (2013), Frith Daniels – Auckland Administrator and Instructor (2013), Bruce Gilkison – Board Member and President (2004,2011), Christine Piper – Board Member and Treasurer (2004), Anne Michelle Mattsen – Board Member (2004-2009 and from 2013), Simon Jones – Board Member (2007), Josef Hodel – Board Member (2008), Annie Simmons – Board Member (2009), Marion Satherley – Board Member (2012), Linda Glew – Advisor (2004), Deric Luçíc – Advisor (2005), Karen Borlase – Grants and Administration (2013).
Kidpower of Montreal Staff, Board, and Advisors
Kidpower Montreal Staff
Lynne Arsenault – Board Member/ Workshop Assistant (2001), Patrick Baby – Board Member/ Workshop Assistant (2005), Gabrielle Castonguay – Workshop Volunteer (2010), Majorie Chevrier – Instructor-in-Training (2013), Lorena D’Andrea – Workshop Assistant (2011), Marie Daoust – Founding Board Member/ Workshop Coordinator/ Productions Coordinator (1996), Marie-Pier Dupuis – Workshop Assistant (2014), Christine Emond – Assistant Workshop Organizer (2013), Nathalie Ferron – Board Member/ Organizational Ambassador (1998), Chantal Grand Maison – Workshop Assistant (2008), James Hunter – Beginning Board Member (2014), Jean-Serge Lafleur – Media Consultant (2010), Marylaine Léger – Montreal Co-Founder/ Center Director/ French Publications Developer/ Trainer (1996), Marie-Claude Lemire – Board Member / Organizational Ambassador (2007), Marc Meilleur – Montreal Co-Founder / Senior Full Force Instructor / Technology, Training and Grant Consultant (1996), Noémi Mercier – Workshop Assistant (2008), Danielle Moulin – Workshop Assistant (2001), Raymond Nault – Full Force Instructor / Workshop Coordinator (2010), Lise Noël – Organizational Ambassador / Instructor (2005), Isabelle Rodrigue – Organizational Ambassador / Workshop Assistant (2003), Eve-Marie Tremblay – Instructor / Organizational Ambassador (1997), Catherine Zékri – Volunteer Translator (2013)
Senior Program Leader Council
Long-term sustainability for our organization requires that the quality of our services does not depend on any one or two specific individuals. Our Senior Program Leader Council members are senior instructors who have organized workshops and who have made a significant contribution to our international organization.
Their role is to advise our organization on quality issues, center development, program changes, instructor training, and training for trainers.
Current members include Cornelia Baumgartner, Joe Connelly, Jean Glowacki, Amanda Golert, Dave Harrison, MD, Martin Hartman, Jan Isaacs-Henry, Chantal Keeney, Marylaine Léger, Erika Leonard, Anne Mason, Marc Meilleur, John Luna-Sparks, and Amy Tiemann, PhD.
And, Most of All, Thank You to My Family
Ed does whatever it takes!
Kidpower would simply not exist without the love, generosity, and help of the members of my family.
Ed van der Zande has been my husband and life partner for over 40 years. Ed’s unwavering, constant support, expertise, and commitment have enabled Kidpower to grow up in our home and in our lives. He supported our organization and family for over ten years as Kidpower was getting started, when our organization had very little income and many expenses. He then donated many years of time and expertise as our Director of Strategic Planning, Finance, and Grants and continues to provide a great deal of volunteer help as well as donated space in our home.
Arend van der Zande & Chantal Keeney
Our children, Chantal Keeney and Arend van der Zande, have shared their family with Kidpower since we began. They are the reasons why we first started doing this work – and our joyous granddaughters Svea and Ida Keeney inspire us to keep doing it! Also, as Chantal at age eight explained, “Me and my little brother taught her everything she knows.”
As an adult, Chantal has brought extensive leadership, creativity, expertise, and energy to our organization. Arend provides cheerful encouragement when I need it and permission to share potentially embarrassing stories. For years, Arend also gave me computer crisis management at 4 a.m. when I was desperate.
Lily and Raim Regelson
My father, Raim Regelson, has given me a foundation of confidence, teaching me from the time I was small to “walk in as if you own the place.” My mother, Lily Regelson, has given me a foundation of insight, teaching me to tune in to others and to look before I leap. Thank you to both of my parents for teaching me to do good in the world, put important things into writing, and be true to myself.
Irene with Elaine Regelson
My sister, Elaine Regelson, shares her management wisdom and helps me to figure out many a human puzzle so that we are the best we can be. Elaine was our first major donor, served on our Board during a transitional time, and gives her sisterly support.
Ken Regelson & Judy Wong
My brother, Ken Regelson, shared his computer expertise for over 10 years, built our first bridge to the blind community, set up our first center in Colorado, which led to all of our other services there, and gives his brotherly support. My sister-in-law, Judy Wong, served on the Board of Directors and led our Organization Assessment Task Force, which has provided the foundation for our Long Range Strategic Plan.
Memorials
We want to honor the memory of people who have been important to members of our Kidpower International community. Their values live on in the lives of the countless people we are able to serve.
May their memories inspire others as much as they inspire us.
Nancy Driscoll 1950-2016
Nancy Driscoll always thought of others first and never expected anything in return. She received joy by watching her pupils succeed. She served as Kidpower’s Board President for over 7 years. Nancy’s deep commitment to loving kindness and well being helped Kidpower grow from a good idea to a great reality.
Joel Herzog 1953-1995, Adam Herzog 1982-1995 and Seth Herzog 1953-1995
Adam, Seth and their father Joel, tragically lost their lives in a plane crash. Adam and Seth were Kidpower graduates. Nancy Saltzman, their mother, has served as a Kidpower of Colorado board member and president and continues on Kidpower of Colorado’s Advisory Board. The Adam and Seth Herzog Kidpower Fund has been established in their memory.
Dawson Leonard: 1938-2001
Dawson was immensely proud of his daughter Erika Leonard’s contributions to this work. He expressed his pride at seeing the Leonard name connected with this work every time Erika wrote an article or taught a class. “What you are doing will save lives,” he said, “and I am so proud our family name is part of something so valuable.”
Annette Washington 1952-2003
Annette Washington was an awesome self-defense instructor who empowered thousands of women, children, and men. She inspired others to join our organization and played a major role in shaping our values and our approach.
Jason Lhotka 1970-2007
Jason Lhotka was “Dada” to his 3-year-old son, a husband and a Sergeant with the Mesa County Sheriff’s Department in Colorado. His life was focused on keeping people safe. Kidpower scholarships in Jason’s memory will help continue that focus.
Evelyn Bertrandias 1916-2009
Evelyn Bertrandias hospitably opened her home to many of our instructors, gave generously of her time and money, and always believed that Kidpower would survive and thrive, even in the toughest of times.
Franz Baumgartner 1916-2011 and Madeleine Baumgartner 1918-2008
Madeleine and Franz Baumgartner were strong believers in the right of every individual to live happy lives free of fear. They loved how Kidpower gives people the opportunity to experience their own power. They made it possible for the New Zealand Center to start up and grow when very few had yet heard of Kidpower.
Ann Bohner 1942-2010
Ann set an example for her daughter Amy Tiemann to be honest, caring, and courageous. Ann was a feminist and early activist to stop sexual assault, as a member of WOAR, Women Organized Against Rape, in Philadelphia. She always supported Amy’s writing, activism, and teaching through Kidpower North Carolina.
Brian Leonard 1943-2010
As a gay man living closeted in most places throughout his life, fear, anxiety, threats, and prejudice colored all his days. The Kidpower community was the first place Brian experienced being truly himself and feeling safe at the same time. Brian’s love and caring are woven into the Kidpower tapestry forever.
Max Ljungqvist 1956-2010
Max was married to Senior Program Leader Amanda Golerts mother and proudly supported Amanda and her work with Kidpower. He believed strongly in our mission and thanks to Max unwavering support Kidpower Sweden has been teaching children, teens and adults to be safe for 15 years.
Darcell Palmer 1952-2013
Darcell Palmer, a 10-year Kidpower of Colorado board member and elementary school principal, was passionately committed to Kidpower’s mission. She was an outstanding role model to many young people.
Barbro Levelius 1946-2013
Barbro, a friend of Center Director Amanda Golert, was an avid supporter of Kidpower. In her work as a Social Services Municipal Director she fiercely and compassionately stood up for people who were vulnerable and in need of help. Her fighting-spirit will always be an inspiration!
Siobhán Zych 1972-2014
Siobhán was a childhood friend of Marylaine’s and a proud Kidpower supporter and lived by many of our Tools. Living with ALS, she shared widely about her journey. Siobhán inspired thousands with her decision to live life with courage, love, joy and determination.
