[cs_content][cs_section parallax=”false” separator_top_type=”none” separator_top_height=”50px” separator_top_angle_point=”50″ separator_bottom_type=”none” separator_bottom_height=”50px” separator_bottom_angle_point=”50″ style=”margin: -130px 0px 0px;padding: 45px 0px;”][cs_row inner_container=”true” marginless_columns=”false” style=”margin: 0px auto;padding: 0px;”][cs_column fade=”false” fade_animation=”in” fade_animation_offset=”45px” fade_duration=”750″ type=”1/1″ style=”padding: 0px;”][cs_text]
Senator Leahy’s Women’s Economic Opportunity Conference 2017
Storytellers and Performer Bios
[/cs_text][x_feature_box title=”Lisa Ryan” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lisa-ryan.jpg”]Lisa Ryan, 28, was born in Louisville, Kentucky, but has lived in Rutland nearly all her life. She attended Rutland High School, then Temple University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology. She holds a master’s degree in mediation and applied conflict studies from Champlain College as well.She works for a property management company called E. P. Management, as a resident services director for one of its properties, the Bardwell House in downtown Rutland.She is engaged to be married and identifies as a Democrat. She has volunteered as a panel member on the restorative justice board, and with an organization, COSA, which focuses on re-integrating offenders into the community, as well as teaching mediation at the Rutland jail. She is a board member of the Chaffee Art Center, a member of Project VISION and vice president of the Rutland NAACP chapter.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Melody Walker Brook” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Melody-Walker-Brook.jpg”]Melody Walker Brook, Elnu Abenaki Tribe, is an educator, activist and artist. She is a member of the Vermont Abenaki Artists Association and is an adjunct professor at Champlain College and previously Johnson State College. Brook is serving her second term on the Governor’s Commission on Native American Affairs. [/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Prudence Pease” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Pru-Pease.jpg”]Prudence Pease of Tunbridge, VT, created a career dedicated to advancing the lives of others in her community and the state of Vermont. She is a certified Bridges Out of Poverty facilitator and has trained more than 5,000 individuals in Bridges work, including human service providers, HR professionals, and employers. Her personal story of growth and change as she traveled the road from welfare mom to judicial officer is extremely compelling and demonstrates beautifully the messages of Bridges Out of Poverty. Prudence is a graduate of the Vermont Leadership Institute. [/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Colin Ryan” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Colin-400×400.jpg”]Colin Ryan is a one-of-a-kind comedic speaker: a financial educator and author with the background of a professional comedian and storyteller. He is also a Commissioner on the VT Commission on Women. Colin was named one of the top 10 youth money presenters in the nation. To date he has spoken to over 200,000 students and adults across North America. He has collaborated with National Geographic Television, the Girl Scouts of America, United Way, numerous student leadership organizations, as well as banks, credit unions and colleges across the country. His comedy charity series has raised over $150,000 for good causes.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Judy Pransky” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Screen-Shot-2017-08-14-at-7.23.46-PM.png”]Judy Pransky has been an Educator for fifty years. She moved to Vermont in 1974, teaching at the Twinfield School and in the GEPFE Program at Goddard as well asraising funds for the Peacham School. In 1979 she was inspired to create CREEP (Caledonia Rural Early Education Project) an early prevention of school failure program serving Walden, Danville, Peacham and Barnet. That program is still going strong and supporting the early education and development needs of children and families in those four towns.In 1984 she built Emerson Falls Hydro on the Sleepers River in St Johnsbury at the site of an old Federal Fish hatchery. In 1985 opened her first licensed child care center at Emerson Falls - she has owned and operated six centers over the past 32 years. She currently operates Cherry Street PlayCare for children 6 weeks to 14 years in St Johnsbury and Camp Laughing Turtle in Cabot, a ten week summer school-age program.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Lena Ginawi” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/lena-ginawi-1.jpg”]Lena Ginawi is a 17 year old senior at South Burlington High School. She is tired of staying silent on topics revolving around social, racial, and environment issues. She tries her best to allow youth to engage in these conversations, and go out to create change themselves. Lena is a member of Muslim Girls Making Change.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Balkisa Abdikadir” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/Screen-Shot-2017-08-23-at-9.18.57-AM.png”]Balkisa Abdikadir is also a 17 year old and is a senior at Burlington High School. She is a leader in the community who continues to work on social justice issues wether it’s through poetry, having conversations, attending workshops she’s there. It’s important to her to stand up for all forms of oppression and injustice as well as influencing her fellow youth to get involved. Balkisa is a member of Muslim Girls Making Change.[/x_feature_box][x_feature_box title=”Hawa Adam” title_color=”” text_color=”” graphic=”image” graphic_size=”150px” graphic_shape=”square” graphic_color=”#ffffff” graphic_bg_color=”#2ecc71″ align_h=”center” align_v=”top” side_graphic_spacing=”20px” max_width=”none” graphic_image=”http://changethestoryvt.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/09/Hawa-Adam.jpg”]Hawa Adam is a senior at Burlington High School is a passionate social justice advocate. She’s always excited for the future and works to encourage others to be just as hopeful and motivated in creating the future they would like to see. [/x_feature_box][/cs_column][/cs_row][/cs_section][/cs_content]