Workshop Leaders
Sarah Waxman
At The Well connects women to body, soul, and community through wellness education and Jewish spirituality. We're activating Jewish wisdom to create a worldwide network of safe spaces, resources, and products. At The Well works to inspire women to empower themselves, live whole lives, and lift each other up.
Sarah is the passionate Founder of At The Well. She has been a student of sociology and holistic medicine, a national champion athlete, an instructor of yoga and mindfulness, and a passionate member of the Jewish community. All these experiences gave her a deep understanding of the power that comes from being in a supportive community, feeling connected to your spirituality, and having a real understanding of your cycle. At The Well was created out of love; it is a place to be witnessed, and to witness others, to share, to learn, and a place to connect Jewish heritage to everyday life. After being selected for a leadership fellowship, Sarah launched At The Well with Moishe House as her fiscal sponsor.
At The Well was just featured on Slingshots “2020 - 10 to Watch List” . Slingshot is an organization that engages young Jewish philanthropists to make lasting impact, and is highlighting young organizations
and projects in North America that are responding to current and timely needs.
Jennifer Brown
Workshop: March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is Eat Right Bite by Bite. Jennifer will discuss what “right” means and field questions from the audience. The goal is to separate fact from fiction and to leave with a clearer understanding of what it means to eat “right”
Workshop: March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is Eat Right Bite by Bite. Jennifer will discuss what “right” means and field questions from the audience. The goal is to separate fact from fiction and to leave with a clearer understanding of what it means to eat “right”
Bio: Registered Dietitian Nutritionist with a Master’s Degree in Nutrition and over 30 years of experience. The first 10 was in a hospital environment and for over 20 years in private practice specializing in the treatment of eating disorders, sports nutrition, digestive illnesses and weight management for men and women, adults and children.
Workshop: How to Write Your Life Script - a workshop to explore how we can formulate goals, personal and professional, and remove roadblocks within ourselves that prevent us from beginning and achieving.
Bio: Julia Erickson is a four time entrepreneur, mom of seven, and the founder of Jolie - a lifestyle company that helps women achieve their goals. She also is the CEO of JolieLife -a plant based meal delivery company serving New Jersey and New York City. Julia graduated from Harvard University, is a lover of gardening, and an avid reader.
Workshop: When life overwhelms you, a meditative sound bath can help you find peace. In a sound bath, you are bathed in therapeutic music that induces meditation through the process of entrainment.
Bio: Alison is a sound healer, Vibrational Sound Therapy certified and licensed practitioner, and the owner of Awaken Sound Health in Chester, NJ. Alison is a musician, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, a teacher, and a lifelong student of the transformational power of sound. Alison is a member of the Sound Healers Association and the Vibrational Sound Association. Her favorite sonic tools are her therapeutic harps, alchemy crystal singing bowls, bronze zen bowls, and voice. Alison uses Sound Healing, and Vibrational Sound Therapy as natural alternatives or companions to established medical practices.
Workshop: PARENT EDUCATION TALK FOR PARENTS, TEACHERS, GRANDPARENTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS On Raising Resilient Girls. We will share how to help girls practice assertive self-expression, emotional intelligence and healthy relationships, preparing them for a life of personal and social leadership. This engaging presentation covers the development of girl dynamics beginning in preschool through high school and into college.
Bio: Crystyn Wright is a Board Member and long-time educator for Girls Leadership, and is the owner of Minnie Endeavors, an educational and small business consulting company. She is from the Bronx, New York, but has lived and traveled nationally and internationally. The Florida A&M University graduate has a B.S. in Journalism, and an MBA in Media Management from MCNY. As a Dow Jones Copy Editing Scholar, Crystyn has freelanced for various of publications including American Legacy Magazine and started her own magazine called NeoBlack Cinema. She has worked as a facilitator, instructor and coordinator with a number of organizations in educational and social leadership including; the Harlem Children’s Zone, Creative Connections, Learning Through an Expanded Arts Program (LeAp), Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools and 1199’s Youth Mentoring Program.
Bio: Aliza Freud, the founder and CEO of SheSpeaks Inc., launched the award-winning media and influencer marketing platform with one goal in mind: to build a stage for women and help amplify their voices. SheSpeaks is the voice of female consumers. It is now the largest community of female content creators with a network reach of over 300 million consumers each month. Aliza has used her vision to help major brands including P&G, L'Oreal, Tyson, American Express, Prudential and Citibank to push the boundaries of marketing innovation and create influencer content that drives awareness, excitement and purchase. Aliza’s dedication to ensuring that women’s voices are heard by the media, brands and other women has been a persistent and relentless pursuit that has helped empower hundreds of thousands of women to be heard. Aliza was recently named to the Top Woman in Digital by Cynopsis Media and PR Week’s Innovation 50. Prior to SheSpeaks, Aliza was an executive at American Express, where she led worldwide brand innovation initiatives including product management, new product development & co-brand partnerships. Aliza holds an M.B.A. from Columbia Business School and has been featured on ABC News, MSNBC, Good Morning America and in Forbes, The Wall Street Journal, New York Times and The Economist. She lives in New Jersey with her husband, two daughters and two wacky Labrador Retrievers.
Workshop: How Money Works and Personal Finance- the Cash Flow Quadrant and pursuing your passions through entrepreneurship
Bio: A Wealth & Money Coach - my mission is to teach women and families how to become financially independent through exploring entrepreneurship and nurturing talents and passions into solid business ventures; with 15 years in the financial service industry and a small business owner in both education and the arts. A wife and mother of an 8 year old daughter and 9 year old black lab/Great Dane, we share a beautiful life and studios in Mendham, NJ and office in Morristown, NJ.
Workshop: Relaxing Art Therapy with Rock Painting and Wrapping
Bio: Karen Benvenuti is a trained artist and designer living in Boonton, NJ. She specializes in teaching how to make beautiful projects from natural and recycled materials. Rock painting is a relaxing art project that you can hold in your hand and feel the serenity. Karen regularly does workshops at Rise Gatherings which are weekend retreats for women.
Workshop: Choose Love: Simple Tools for Healthy, Joyful Relationships?
Bio: Margot Schulman is an Activist, Author, Facilitator and Love, Sex & Relationship Coach with over 16 years of experience coaching individuals to create peace, freedom and love in their lives. Known as the “Love Activist” and as the founder of the Choose Love Movement, Margot is the author of Choose Love: A Simple Path to Healthy, Joyful Relationships. Margot is a sought after Speaker and Facilitator who has led a TEDx Talk and been featured on VoiceAmerica Radio, ShineOn! The Health & Happiness Show, Hitched and more.
WORKSHOPS For Girls 8-12
Stephanie Alblas:
Workshop: Coding with Scratch. We'll learn some basics of coding and game-making using a programming language designed just for kids!
Workshop: Coding with Scratch. We'll learn some basics of coding and game-making using a programming language designed just for kids!
Bio: Stephanie Alblas spent over 20 years in the technology industry, and as a parent has loved seeing her own children light up when they master something that had previously left them puzzled. She started Click CodeSpace because she is committed to building a new generation of creators and innovators. Click CodeSpace offers coding and robotics classes in a small, instructor-led classroom setting in Denville, NJ.
Bio: Mackenzie Fingerhut was born in Ridgewood, New Jersey and has been doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu for seven years and martial arts for more than 14. She started Tae Kwon Do at six and received her black belt when she was twelve and was introduced to Jiu-Jitsu. She is currently a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu purple belt as well as a second degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She is also a junior at John Jay College of Criminal Justice majoring in Forensic Psychology and minoring in creative writing.
Accolades:
-Gi World Champion-Blue Belt / -No Gi World Champion- Blue Belt
-2x Pan American Gi Champion (weight class and absolute)-Blue Belt / -Pan American No Gi Champion-Blue Belt
-2x Pan American Silver Medalist (weight and absolute)- Blue Belt
Kim Hammond
Workshop: Choose to Stop and Take a Breathe: This workshop will provide girls with the tools and strategies to use when they feel pressured by their friends or other people their age. Using the strategy of STOP, BREATHE, THINK, RESPOND and REVIEW helps give girls the change to stop and think through our options before making a decision.
Megan Grandinetti has served as the Board Chair of Girls on the Run NJ East for the past 5 years. She's worked with the organization to grow and strengthen its board, implement an ongoing Strategic Plan, expand staffing, grow the number of girls being served on scholarship, and continue to saturate the five county footprint the chapter serves. She's passionate about how the intersection of sports and social emotional learning. She has a background in advertising and business development and spent most of her career at Google. She lives in Monmouth County with her husband and three children, two of whom are training to be future girls on the run! Kim Hammond has served as the Morris County Director for Girls on the Run for the past 3 years. She has helped grow the Morris County area by establishing new sites and recruiting new coaches in the Morris County area. Kim is also a elementary special education teacher in Morris County.
Workshop: This session is all about positivity and fun! We will read the book, Say Something by Peter H. Reynolds and explore using our voice! The world needs you to SAY SOMETHING so let's take a canvas and explore all the possibilities.
Bio: For the past 15 years as a creative & art director, Liron launched brands from fortune 500 companies to individuals. She founded Owl & Antler in 2019. Owl & Antler is a creative playground and a place to inspires people to live a creative life. From the simple act of coloring with sustainable crayons to art education in different communities.
Caryn Reppen
Workshop: Writing and Verbalizing Emotions and Feelings Workshop, one for younger students and one for older students. Will coordinate two social skills games, one will be "Feelings Jenga" and one will be "Positive Affirmation Fortune Tellers. We will then work on writing down our feelings in a journal provided to each participant during the session and take it home to continue the exercise on a daily basis.
Bio: School Social Worker at Gottesman RTW Academy
Workshop : Stretch out the Stress
Bio: Certified special education teacher, High School Vice Principal, College Professor, now running a summer camp on her farm Soulshine Farm. She teaches yoga and meditation, and parenting workshops as well as school consulting (special educ workshops) for teachers and mindfulness training in schools. She is a certified Social Worker and Yoga instructor.
Workshop: How Money Works and Personal Finance- the Cash Flow Quadrant and pursuing your passions through entrepreneurship
Bio: A Wealth & Money Coach - my mission is to teach women and families how to become financially independent through exploring entrepreneurship and nurturing talents and passions into solid business ventures; with 15 years in the financial service industry and a small business owner in both education and the arts. A wife and mother of an 8 year old daughter and 9 year old black lab/Great Dane, we share a beautiful life and studios in Mendham, NJ and office in Morristown, NJ.
There will also be STEM and Coding Classes.
WORKSHOPS For Ages 10+ (AND TEENS)
Workshop: Think less, feel more! Learn and practice The Write Fit’s “Feel Move Love Write Be” flow to release stress, judgment, expectations and competition, and celebrate yourself exactly as you are.
Bio: MFA Creative Writing for Children, RYT-200 hour training from Bhakti Barn Yoga, kids' yoga certification from Karma Kids Yoga NYC, Girl Meets World curriculum training with Rachel Simmons from Girls Leadership, Kind Ambassador for the Kind Campaign, former Girls on the Run coach. She is a yoga enthusiast, triathlete, lover of the outdoors and the smell of her dog’s paws when she sleeps (they kinda smell like Fritos). She used to be a kids’ marketing smartypants and Now she’s a mom of two kids and one four-legged girl who does a perfect downward dog.
Workshop: Improv “Don’t be Shy”
Bio: Currently attending Drew University. 14 years of theater experience. 5 years of Improv experience.
Workshop: What does it mean to be an empowered teen or pre-teen in today's world?
Bio: Rabbi Diana Fersko, Director of Moving Traditions, oversees strategic partnerships, programming, and development for the New York area. Moving Traditions emboldens teens by fostering self-discovery, challenging sexism, and inspiring a commitment to Jewish life and learning. Prior to joining Moving Traditions, Diana served at Stephen Wise Free Synagogue for seven years as Associate Rabbi. There, she worked closely with hundreds of families to strengthen Jewish identity. Diana received her ordination from Hebrew Union College in New York City, where she also earned a master’s degree in Hebrew literature. She is a proud graduate of the University of Wisconsin – Madison, where she completed her undergraduate studies with highest academic honors.
WORKSHOPS For Teens
Workshop: Release, Express, Empower presents concepts and tools to help young people experiment, explore and develop their authentic voice, and to reduce anxiety by providing tools to overcome the emotional and physical blocks to vocal expression.
Bio: Ruth Ratliff is a voice professional, sound healer, author and inspirational speaker. She is a licensed Vibrational Sound Therapist and holds Level 1 certifications in Sound Healing with Voice and Shoden Reiki. Ruth’s book “The Voice of Women’s Wisdom” can be found on amazon.com. Ruth has also been a vocal performer for 40 years and a holistic voice coach for over 20 years. She studied vocal performance and pedagogy at Mannes Music College and Westminster Choir College. Ruth and husband Jim have been welcoming students and clients to their home studio Jemini Music in Hope, NJ. She is also a member of The Sound Healers Association, Holistic Business Association and Natural Life Business Partnership.
Workshop: This workshop will discuss the impact that social media has on girls' self-esteem. It will focus on helping girls and their parents learn how to manage their social media use to limit its' negative impact on their self-esteem.
Bio: Dr. Erica Lander Miller, Psy.D. is the Founder and Clinical Director of the Behavioral Care Center of New Jersey, LLC and is licensed to practice psychology in the states of New Jersey and New York. Dr. Lander Miller specializes in the practice of cognitive behavioral therapy, dialectical behavior therapy, motivational interviewing, and acceptance and commitment therapy with children, adolescents, and families.
Workshop: When life overwhelms you, a meditative sound bath can help you find peace. In a sound bath, you are bathed in therapeutic music that induces meditation through the process of entrainment.
Bio: Alison is a sound healer, Vibrational Sound Therapy certified and licensed practitioner, and the owner of Awaken Sound Health in Chester, NJ. Alison is a musician, with a Bachelor of Arts in Music, a teacher, and a lifelong student of the transformational power of sound. Alison is a member of the Sound Healers Association and the Vibrational Sound Association. Her favorite sonic tools are her therapeutic harps, alchemy crystal singing bowls, bronze zen bowls, and voice. Alison uses Sound Healing, and Vibrational Sound Therapy as natural alternatives or companions to established medical practices.
Workshop: How to Write Your Life Script - a workshop to explore how we can formulate goals, personal and professional, and remove roadblocks within ourselves that prevent us from beginning and achieving.
Bio: Julia Erickson is a four time entrepreneur, mom of seven, and the founder of Jolie - a lifestyle company that helps women achieve their goals. She also is the CEO of JolieLife -a plant based meal delivery company serving New Jersey and New York City. Julia graduated from Harvard University, is a lover of gardening, and an avid reader.
Workshop: Impact of Social Media on Adolescent Girls
Bio: Marianne McCrone is currently the Child & Adolescent Program Coordinator for Jewish Family Service of MetroWest. Marianne is responsible for providing outpatient mental health services to children and families within the Morris and Essex County communities, as well as, supervising Clinicians in the Child & Adolescent Program. Marianne’s current position includes direct support to children with a focus on their emotional well-being. Marianne also works with parents to address the mental health and emotional needs of their children and assisting them in understanding developmental milestones. Marianne is a Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Certified Counselor. She started her career in the mental health field working with at-risk youth in a residential facility and then moved into the field of trauma for over 10 years working with adults, children, and families. Marianne has a BA in Psychology and a MS in Mental Health Counseling from Monmouth University.
Workshop: "How to Find Your Leadership Voice" focuses on why you need one and how to create/build one. I focus on 3 simple steps to jumpstart this process for the audience.
Bio: Rachel Braun Scherl is a champion for women’s health and a pioneer in the space, where she has passionately focused on driving the conversation on the business of women’s sexual and reproductive health. Rachel works on women’s businesses “from the tops of their heads to the tips of their toes.” As Managing Partner and Co-Founder (1998) of SPARK Solutions for Growth, a strategic and marketing consultancy, Rachel has built an international client list that includes Johnson & Johnson, Allergan, Pfizer, Merck, Bayer and Church & Dwight, as well as venture-backed start-ups. As a business builder and Vagipreneur®, she brings deep knowledge of menstruation, fertility, sexual disease prevention, birth control, pregnancy, menopause and incontinence to help brands and businesses grow. While President and co-founder of Semprae Laboratories, Rachel and her team built a company that developed and marketed sexual health and wellness products for women - creating a new category and transforming women’s health.
Semprae attracted significant media attention and industry interest and was sold to Innovus Pharmaceuticals in 2013. Rachel’s experience, learnings and recommendations are at the heart of her book: Orgasmic Leadership: Profiting from the Coming Surge in Women’s Health and Wellness, a #1 International Best-Seller on Amazon. With insight, experience and humor, Rachel highlights the trials, tribulations and triumphs involved in building businesses in the global women’s health space. As a keynote speaker, Rachel focuses on leadership, entrepreneurship, women in business, the business of female health and the importance of building a common vocabulary around an industry filled with taboo topics at conferences, companies, and universities.
In addition, she serves on Boards of Director and Advisory Boards for a number of female health companies. Rachel served on the board of the Partnership for Jewish Learning and Life for many years until its recent integration into the Greater MetroWest Federation. Rachel served a leadership role in the 2018 MetroWest CommUNITY mission and as chairman of the Mission FedED (continuing ed following the conclusion of the mission). Rachel graduated from the Wexner Heritage Program in 2010, served on the Alumni Council and will be part of the 2019 Wexner Summit Accelerator. Rachel is a member of the Israel Bonds Metropolitan New Jersey Women’s Division and is a frequent public speaker on behalf of her Jewish Community including Greater MetroWest’s Federation’s Major Gifts event, NJ Israel Bonds, Wexner, NCJW and JWI Young Leadership. In 2016, Rachel was recognized as one of the 10 Jewish Women to Watch by Jewish Women’s International.
Workshop: The Power of Art: Create Trading Cards to empower yourself and others
Bio: Licensed Professional Counselor, a Board Certified and Registered Art Therapist, a NJ Certified Art Educator, and an Approved Clinical Supervisor. Cindy has worked with children, adolescents and adults for the past fourteen years in a variety of settings; including in-home therapy, in and out-patient programs, residential programs, public schools, a convalescent home and rehab facility, and private clinics. She served on the New Jersey Art Therapy Association (NJATA) board as a student and professional, and is currently the Past President of the NJ Counseling Association’s Creativity in Counseling Division. Cindy owns and operates a private practice in Caldwell, NJ and teaches as an adjunct faculty at Caldwell University. When Cindy is not working, she enjoys spending time with her family, being outside, and creating her own artwork.
WORKSHOPS For Mother Daughter
Workshop: Level 10 Confidence to Rock Any Interview Through proper skin care & the art of professional makeup application What is a professional “color” look. First impressions/likability and How to's and pro-tips
Bio: Loving wife & proud mama. Sales Director and Business Coach with Mary Kay Inc for twenty-two years. Beauty Influencer. Building a women's confidence by teaching her proper skin care and glamour techniques. Team development/entrepreneurship. Addicted to Java Chip Ice-cream Amateur gardener. Volunteer. Loves Lake Life.