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BrightStart For Families

BrightStart For Families

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Circle of Security Parenting

Circle of Security Parenting

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Building Healthy Families is guided by a working board in which all members participate on committees or fundraising events or directly with our work with families.  Our committees are an essential way we tackle long range projects that are crucial for our success.  If you have an area of expertise such as accounting, marketing, fundraising or development and would like to make a difference in the lives of parents and their young children, please contact us.  We are always looking for board members or committee members who share our vision of seeing families and children flourish.

Staci Allen, DDS, Pediatric Dentist with Granby Dental in Granby, CT. Dr. Allen teaches about Dental care for toddlers to help parents give their babies a great start to healthy teeth.

Krissy Anderson, Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program, Family Nutrition Program, UCONN Department of Nutritional Sciences. Krissy’s teaching changes the way parents look at fast food and how they shop.

*Monica Bassette, Administrative Assistant, The Ambulatory Surgery Center at Connecticut Children’s Medical Center. Monica is a volunteer in our Play and Learn Children's Program and is a trained Circle of Security Parenting facilitator. Monica is also trained to help parents use the Ages and Stages developmental screening tool.

*Serena Fung, Serena serves as BHF's Treasurer.

*Amos Lys, LMFT, Lift Your Spirit Counseling & Consulting.

Lynda Sue Moore, MS, CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist (retired). Experienced with pre-k through High School. Lynda is passionate about communicating the importance of reading to young children and selects the books we give to families.

Scott B. Moore, LMFT, Psychotherapist in private practice in Manchester. Scott loves to help our families feel comfortable and welcome. He also helps to set up our children’s rooms every week.

Jill Parkany, RD, Registered Dietician with National Healthcare Associates, East Hartford and Marlborough, CT. Formerly Nutritionist at Hill Health Center WIC (Women Infants and Children) where she provided diet assessment and counseling on proper nutrition for children 1-5 years old, as well as teaching the nutritional requirements and physiological changes during pregnancy. Jill is also a parent who shares from her own life experiences as she encourages a healthy approach to mealtimes with children.

Meredith Starr, Nutritionist. Meredith helps teach nutrition as part of our BrightStart For Families, and loves working with kids. Meredith is an Ages and Stages Questionnaire facilitator.

*Michele Stevenson, MA, Michele loves children and is gifted at supporting their play during BrightStart and through the Imagination Playground.  She is one of our key children's group leaders and is a trained facilitator of Circle of Security Parenting groups.

*Sandra Stevenson, Sandra works in management at Ticket Galaxy in Vernon and supports BHF with wonderful organizational skills. She helps with the Nutrition Team on BrightStart and is the Coordinator for our Annual Kids Fair.

*Marisa Tatiwong, MBA, Marisa is the Program Coordinator, Global Partnerships and Outreach at UConn Global Affairs in Storrs, CT. She brings her passion to help families thrive through her strategic gifts and helping out in various capacitiewe with BrightStart.

*Karen Tullson, BS, Physical Therapist; Trained Facilitator for Raising Readers Parent Club; Certified Leadership Parenting Coach through John Rosemond. Karen has spearheaded the development of BrightStart content and coordinates the teaching and special event schedules. She loves to teach parents about the importance of play and often has opportunities to encourage parents whose children have unique developmental needs. Karen is a trained facilitator of Circle of Security Parenting groups and for the Ages and Stages developmental screening.

*Peter Tullson, MA, PhD, Executive Director, Building Healthy Families, Inc., Member of the Manchester Early Childhood Collaborative.  Peter supports the overall mission of BHF and teaches about brain development and also helps to coordinate workshop meals. Peter is a trained Circle of Security Parenting facilitator.

*John Walker, MD, Pediatrician in practice at Manchester Pediatric Associates in South Windsor. John’s first career aspiration was to be a comedian; this talent helps him to connect with parents and children in a beautiful way. He also sweeps the floor after lunch nearly every Saturday during BrightStart.

*Board of Directors

Upcoming Events

BrightStart

BrightStart is now available in an online digital version. This is used in combination with discussion groups or you can get personal access to the course to do on your own. See the article on our home page for more information.

Circle of Security

Please subscribe to our email list to be reminded of our next classes.

Imagination Playground

We are bringing the Imagination Playground to community events this summer. Check our Facebook page for Imagination Playground events.