Listed below are biographies for instructors of the Community Outreach and Professional Studies programs. For information on audit faculty, see individual department web pages at www.meredith.edu/academics.

SUZANNE BALLANTYNE is an open and entertaining facilitator. She believes strongly in our own ability to reflect, focus and take steps to create the future we want with peace and wellbeing. She has a background in psychology and educational studies and is developing “simple practice”—a training and coaching business dedicated to healthy growth for individuals and small organizations.

JENNA BOYD is the owner and consultant of Elements of Harmony Feng Shui. She has professionally practiced the art of Feng Shui since 2003, and is a graduate and certified practitioner of the Western School of Feng Shui in Solana Beach, Calif. Along with consulting, she teaches classes, lectures and writes articles on Feng Shui. Boyd provides Feng Shui in an easy, understandable and applicable method for today’s lifestyle with her down-to-earth approach to the ancient study. www.elementsofharmony.com

SUZANNE BRITT has taught for 21 years in the Department of English at Meredith. Her poems and essays have been published in newspapers, magazines and college textbooks. She has written five books.

MEGAN CUTTER graduated from Randolph-Macon Woman’s College with a B.A. in English/creative writing in 1998. She is a local freelance writer with published works in the The News and Observer (North Raleigh News), Natural Awakenings as well as included works in A Taste of Taffy: Samplings From the Triangle Area Freelancers. www.cuttersword.com

DONNA RHODES DARNELL has a B.A. in art from Meredith College and a master’s in art history from UNC-Chapel Hill. She has taught both studio art and advanced placement art history at Ravenscroft School and art history at St. Stephen’s and St. Agnes School in Alexandria, VA. Darnell has been a docent at NCMA for a total of 13 years and is a past president of the docent organization.

BEV DWANE is a certified image professional who works with women to ensure what we see is who you are. She offers private consultations in color, style and makeup and is an energetic speaker and trainer in the field of image. www.bevdwane.com

PEG GIGNOUX, textile artist, is an accomplished facilitator of vibrant textile collaborations linking literacy with visual images. She has a B.A. in English from Kenyon College and a M.I.D. in fibers from NCSU. Gignoux’s outreach work includes creating large textiles with at-risk youth, hospitalized children, adults, K–12 schools and university students. Many of these community collaborations have been created for distinguished NC institutions such as Greensboro Hospice, Greensboro Libraries, Duke Medical Center, UNC Hospitals, Elon University, and Hickory Art Museum. An instructor at Penland School of Craft, and Arrowmont School, Gignoux has also established a book arts workshop in Anjou, France. In 2001 she and Susie Wilde joined forces to form Textile Partners. www.ingignousity.com

KRISTA HOLSTEIN has a B.S. in mathematics education from Towson University and an M.S. in mathematics from NC State University. She has experience teaching middle school, high school, and college. She is currently in the Ph.D. program for mathematics education at NC State University.

DON KING has a B.A. in business administration from Campbell University. He has been a free lance calligrapher and illustrator since 1982, operating as D. King Studio. www.dkingstudio.com

BOB KLATT has been ballroom dancing for most of his life and has enjoyed teaching with Liz Sorrell for many years.

MEREDITH KOHARI is an experienced, certified wedding planner through the Wedding Planning Institute. She received a B.A. in clothing and fashion design from Meredith College. In addition to her regular studies, she spent two summers studying at the Paris American Academy in France. www.french75events.com

RITA KOHARI is a certified wedding planner from the Wedding Planning Institute and has a B.S. in business education and a master’s in counseling. She has six years teaching experience as well as events planning experience.

AMY LAWSON earned her MBA from East Carolina University and is the president of Lawson Financial Group, Inc. in Raleigh.

KATIE PAGE, professional organizing consultant, helps Minding Your Matters® clients achieve their organizational goals in home or small business settings. She earned a B. A. in speech communication from Meredith College. Katie is a member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO), serves as Community Relations Director of the North Carolina Chapter of NAPO, and has received the Certificate of Study in Chronic Disorganization from the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization (NSGCD). (www.mindingyourmatters.com)

RICHARD PAXSON (B.F.A., M.A.) is an experienced artist and teacher and published cartoonist. He uses positive reinforcement and humor to help his students reach their potential as artists.

JOHN ORR, a professor at Duke, has led meditation retreats globally and workshops in stress management in the Research Triangle Park. He was ordained a Buddhist Monk while living in Thailand and India for eight years. www.newhopesangha.org

JANICE RUSSELL and her firm, Minding Your Matters® Organizing, have built a reputation for helping business and residential clients organize their space, items, documents and time using the flexible structure principle™. Russell is North Carolina’s first certified professional organizer in chronic disorganization. Minding Your Matters is dedicated to helping people achieve organization with lasting results™ in their personal and professional lives. A member of the organizing industry, Russell is a Golden Circle member of the National Association of Professional Organizers (NAPO) and past president of the North Carolina Chapter of NAPO. She is the author of the book “Get Organized This Year!” and the audio “Stop Letting Stuff Overwhelm You.” (www.mindingyourmatters.com)

JONATHAN E. SHORES, Jr. is a graduate of the Lundy Fetterman School of Business (Campbell University) where he obtained both his undergraduate degree in trust and investment management and his MBA. He is a financial advisor with Edward Jones Investments in Apex, having earned his Series 7,63,66, Life/Health and Long Term Care licenses. He is also an adjunct professor at several area colleges.

KIMBERLEE D. SIPE is a financial advisor with Wachovia Securities in Raleigh and has been in the financial profession for six years. While working with a range of individual clients, she also specializes in small business and nonprofit retirement plans. An enthusiastic and engaging speaker, Kimberlee has spoken on a variety of topics from finance to professional development with the Raleigh Chamber of Commerce, various networking groups, small business sales teams and is a monthly contributor to Women’s Edge magazine. Email: kimberlee.sipe@wachoviasec.com. Web: www.KimberleeSipe.wbsec.com. Wachovia Securities, LLC, member NYSE/SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wachovia Corporation.

CHIP SLADE is an AWSDA certified rape prevention instructor and the regional representative for the American Women’s Self Defense Association. He is certified through the Modern Warrior Defensive Tactics Institute as a confined area safety tactics instructor and is the head of the Bushido Judo School’s women’s self-defense program. Though he has a background in a variety of martial arts, his rape prevention classes are not martial arts based. www.bushidojudo.com

BRYAN SMITH is a graduate of the UNC-Wilmington Cameron School of Business and an attorney. He is a certified financial planner, chartered financial consultant, chartered life underwriter and certified in long term care. Smith specializes in the specific concerns of seniors including financial, retirement and estate planning.

LIZ SORRELL has a B.S. in computer science from NC State and is retired. She has taught ballroom dance for more than 20 years at Sertoma Recreation Center and has taught at both Apex and Cary Community Centers.

SUSIE WILDE has an M.Ed. from Tulane University and has reviewed children’s books for Learning Magazine. She currently writes a monthly column for The News and Observer. She has taught writing and reading in classrooms for 13 years. She is a reading-writing advocate. www.wildewritingworks.com

STEPHANIE ZIZZO is a career and life coach with 14 years experience helping hundreds of people to take purposeful action to live their best lives. She is the author of “The Journey From Comfort to Possibility: a Workbook of Self Discovery and Personal Transformation,” is certified as a life coach through the Institute for Life Coach Training and the International Coach Federation, has a master’s degree in counseling and a bachelor’s degree in psychology.

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