Executive Board Members
Chair - Amber Harkey, BCC
Amber is the owner of Carolina Family Life Coaching where she works with families going through divorce. Her specialty is in working with families going through the process of a Collaborative Divorce. She is also a graduate researcher and Master’s of Science candidate in Youth, Family, and Community Sciences at North Carolina State University. When she’s not working, you can find her in the mountains with her husband and fur baby, Finn.
Email: aphuckab@ncsu.edu
Vice Chair - Christi Howard
Christi is the owner of Me Time 4 Mom, a life coaching business for mom’s. Her passion is seeing happy families, so she helps mom’s manage their time. She has a B.S. in Family and Consumer Science and is a Certified Professional Coach.
Email: choward1211@gmail.com
Secretary - McKenzie Stokes
McKenzie N. Stokes is a Doctor of Applied Social and Community Psychology candidate at North Carolina State University where she is also pursuing a graduate certificate in Family Life Education and Coaching. McKenzie is a budding researcher who examines how family processes (e.g. cohesion, parent-child relationships, communication) and race-based promotive and protective factors impact the psychological wellbeing of racially marginalized youth. She is particularly devoted to using this research and her knowledge of family life coaching to develop evidence-based programs that enhance family relationships and wellbeing in multiracial families in the United States.
Email: mnstokes@ncsu.edu
Treasurer - Alice Chen
Alice is a Youth, Family and Community Science student at North Carolina State and is originally from Taiwan. She is outgoing and enjoys helping people and participating in community services. She developed an interest in becoming a teacher and felt rewarded when she used her free time volunteering to teach basic economics, which she studied in college. She has been a teacher for six years and not only teaches her students professional knowledge but she also helps them to handle peer and family problems. Thus she decided to study further to strengthen her basic knowledge in the field of youth and families as well as to become a professional family life educator in the future.
Email: alchen2@ncsu.edu
Interim Executive Director and Advocacy Co-Chair - Kimberly Allen, Ph.D., BCC, CFLE
Kimberly is an Associate Professor, Extension Specialist, and Director of Graduate Programs in Youth, Family, and Community Sciences at North Carolina State University. Dr. Allen has research interests in family life coaching, teaching with technology, parenting, and relationship education. Dr. Allen is author of the book Theory, Research, and Practical Guidelines for Family Life Coaching.
Email: kiallen@nscu.edu
Executive Board Member-at-Large and Advocacy Co-Chair - Travis Bradley, Ed.D.
Travis directs the Bridge to Learning Project in the Early Life Stress and Resilience Program at Stanford University School of Medicine. He also works privately with adolescents and their families as a mindfulness-based cognitive behavioral coach. Previously, he was a clinical researcher for five years studying school-based yoga and mindfulness education. Travis has a Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) from the University of California, Davis, where he completed his dissertation on mindfulness curriculum development, a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a B.S. in Psychology from Virginia Tech.
Website: bridgetolearning.stanford.edu
Email: travisb@stanford.edu
Board of Directors
Conference Committee Chair - Bridget Walsh
Bridget Walsh, Associate Professor of Human Development and Family Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno, is the first author of Transforming Early Head Start Home Visiting: A Family Life Education (FLE) Approach. She is passionate about home visiting, FLE, and early childhood development.
Emerging Coaches Committee Chair - Melissa James
Melissa received her bachelor’s degree in Marriage and Family Studies from Brigham Young University-Idaho. Melissa is a Board Certified Coach and runs her own business called Your Life Helper, where she engages in coaching and educating those who are struggling with grief and adversity and want to learn to use their strengths more authentically.
Email: melissa@lifehelper4you.com
Fundraising Committee - Mary Peeso
I believe in the mission of FLCA and seek to help advance the vision of this organization. As a Family Life Educator, ICF credentialed life coach, certified mental health first responder and soon to be BALM family life recovery coach; my focus is a strength-based approach in working with individuals, families and communities who seek loving solutions to overcome heartaches, challenges and attain recovery by discovering lasting and proven paths for BEING FAMILY STRONG. I have been involved in fundraising activities for the past 10 years in my current position within the University of Rochester. While I do not have direct experience, I believe I have a unique background that would serve FLCA well. My desire is to share my skills and expertise in support of the greater good. I am look forward to the opportunity to support the mission of FLCA. Thank you for your consideration.
Email: peesoplace@gmail.com
Marketing Committee Co-Chair - Erin Richardson
Erin Richardson is a Raleigh, NC native and is currently employed with Workplace Options in Raleigh as a Case Manager. She has been in the Social Work field for 6 years following receiving her Bachelor’s in Social Work from Livingstone College. She enjoys reading and LOVES coaching and helping others. She is a wife and the mother of a beautiful 10 month old baby girl who is full of sass and personality! She is looking forward to serving on the board of such a fine organization as the Family Life Coaching Association!
Email: erinskeith@gmail.com
Marketing Committee Co-Chair - Deidra M. Craig, M.Ed.
Deidra Craig is the Distance Education Coordinator for the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at North Carolina State University. Her
background includes instructional support, distance learning and training and strategic digital marketing and communications for higher education.
Previously, Deidra was the Communications Specialist for the Youth, Family, and Community Sciences Academic program. She is an active member of the Association for Communication Excellence ACE, a professional organization providing networking opportunities and resources to support those working in the field of agriculture and family science. Deidra received 2 bachelor’s degrees in English and Mass Communication Studies, a graduate certificate in Teaching, Training and Educational Technology and a master’s degree in Training and Development where her capstone focus was on project management and instructional design methods. She is passionate about online learning and improving the online learning experience through effective instructional design tools, educational resources and creative
marketing strategies.
Membership Committee - Tina Feigal, M.S, Ed.
Tina is a parent coach and the Director of Family Engagement at Anu Family Services/Center for the Challenging Child in St. Paul, MN. A former school psychologist, Tina’s passion is bringing peace to homes, helping adults heal challenging child behavior. Her book Present Moment Parenting: The Guide to a Peaceful Life with Your Intense Child serves to support Tina’s coach trainees and clients and is available on Amazon and Audible.
Email: tfeigal@gmail.com
Professional Enrichment Committee Chair - Ali Tepper, M.Ed.
Ali is a certified parenting instructor, family coach, and Director of Curriculum at Read to Lead. She is a Fulbright scholar, holds a master’s degree in Elementary Education, and is a former classroom teacher. She has more than a decade of experience developing social-emotional learning curricula and game-based learning products for children and adolescents. She coaches parents struggling with challenging behaviors with their children and is passionate about strengthening the parent-child connection. She is a certified instructor through Hand in Hand Parenting and leads support groups where she teaches trauma-informed practices and listening tools that build confidence, cooperation, and security within the family. She lives in Austin, Texas with her hubby, two children, and Spaniel.
Email: alisonmaritepper@gmail.com
Research Committee and Board Member-at-Large - Luz Dalia Sanchez
Dr. LuzDalia holds a Parent Coach certificate from the Concordia University at St. Paul MN. In addition, she is an MD, with a Master’s Degree in Community Psychology and a Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. She has taught public health courses to medical students for over 20 years. Furthermore, she has been working with multicultural families for over 25 years and she focused on parenting coach. Currently, she is the founder and Executive Director of the Astounding Families Alliance, in Houston TX.
Links: https://astoundingfamiliesalliance.com/
Email: luzdasan@hotmail.com
Structure/Sustainability Committee - Susan Holt
Susan is a Board-Certified Family Life Coach with a master’s degree in education and 30 years of teaching and coaching experience with both children and adults. Her expertise is in building connection in families and classrooms by developing social/emotional intelligence for healthier families and resilient children. In addition, she is privileged to serve as Director of Family Ministry for her church.
Email: Susan@susanholtcoaching.com
Standards Committee - Margaret Machara
Margaret is an Associate Professor in the Department of Human Sciences at Tennessee State University. She teaches research, parenting, development, and family relationships classes. Dr. Machara is also a Certified Family Life Educator and has worked in childcare centers, in group homes for children, and with families of children with severe emotional disorders.
Email: mmachara@tnstate.edu
Board Member-at-Large - Sterling Wall
Sterling Wall, with his wife of 32 years, Natalie, are the parents of 5 children, grandparents of 4, and have been foster parents to over 20 children with varying ages and ranges of needs. With a Bachelors in Economics from Brigham Young University, Masters in Counseling from the University of Colorado – Colorado Springs, and a PH.D. in Human Development and Family Studies from Auburn University, Sterling continues his professional development with certification as a Parenting Coach from the Center for the Challenging Child. Currently in his 20th year teaching in the Family & Consumer Sciences department at the University of Wisconsin – Stevens Point, “I can’t wait to get our UWSP family life coaching program certified by FLCA!!!”
Email: swall@uwsp.edu
Committees
Advocacy
Conference
Emerging Coaches
Fundraising
Marketing
Membership
Professional Enrichment
Research
Standards
Structure & Sustainability
Interested in joining one of our committees?
All committees are volunteer positions. To apply, please send your information to the Chair of the committee that interests you. Include your full name, email address, resume and a brief statement of interest. The Chair will contact you by email or phone. Thank you!