Speakers
Myralyn Miller is ASHA certified and licensed in the state of Florida as a speech pathologist. Her work experience included practicing as a speech pathologist in hospital, clinical, school and skilled nursing settings as well as being a speech instructor on the college level. She has conducted numerous workshops and in-services addressing swallowing, communication skills, developmental milestones, vocal abuse behaviors, accent enhancement, and reimbursement issues.
After being a Senior Clinician/Supervisor at the Shady Trails Speech and Hearing Camp through the University of Michigan, Myralyn realized that effective communication skills can be achieved in a fun, interactive environment. She pursued her passion for facilitating learning and communication skills by establishing one and two week programs at the Kids’ Toolbox for Success Summer Camp for children in 2007. Similar programs are designed for adults whose goals are to navigate easily and successfully at work, school and/or during personal interactions. She continues to offer speech therapy and computer-based tutoring by appointments.
In her free time, she creates children’s stories, therapy games, speech activities and designs themed wallhangings and totes. As an International Senior Advisor of the Professional Woman Network (PWN), she is a contributing author in five books published by PWN Publishing with topics dealing with communication and issues addressing aging parents. After spending more than fifteen months sharing caregiving responsibilities with her three siblings, Myralyn reflected on the challenges, joys and regrets regarding the care of her elderly parents. The conference, Caring for Aging Parents: Tools for a Successful Journey and the soon to be released Caregiving Guide reflect a personal committment to sharing the many facets of caring for elderly parents who choose to remain at home. Myralyn is proud to be married to John Miller, Jr. and collaborate with him on seminar projects.
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Hazel Blake Parker is CEO of the Parker Institute for Excellence, LLP, a training and grant consulting company. She is a Certified Family Life Educator and Internationally Accredited Triple P (Positive Parenting Program) Trainer and Provider who has conducted numerous projects in the areas of parenting, family resource management, youth development and caregiving. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Counselor Education, a Master of Science in Individual and Family Development and a Human Development Consultant Certificate from South Carolina State University. She has worked in numerous capacities for over 24 years with the South Carolina Department of Social Services. She currently serves as Program Manager in the Office of Administration and Program Support.
Hazel has been trained and certified in a number of areas, including Schwarz Skilled Facilitation, Diversity, and Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. She is also a Certified Grants Consultant and Associate Public Manager (involves a series of management and leadership training).
Hazel established The Parker Institute for Excellence, LLP in 2001, realizing a longtime dream of becoming an entrepreneur. The Institute conducts a variety of personal and professional development seminars and provides grant consultation and board development activities to nonprofit organizations.
Hazel is married to Terry, and they have one son, Taurean.
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Kathryn Kilpatrick received her Master’s Degree in Speech and Language Pathology in 1968 from the University of Massachusetts. She has worked in a variety of settings in Ohio including hospitals, rehabilitation centers, private practice, and home health care.
Kathryn is the author of over 30 products sold nationally including the Visiting Nurse Service Therapy Guides (Volumes 1-5) for Speech and Language Disorders. Her background in speech and language pathology, specializing in serving the older adult population for over three decades, led to the development of Communication Connection in 2000 as a geriatric communication consultant.
She is a motivational speaker, marketing consultant, and trainer on the local, state and national levels and her programs and products focus on enhancing the quality of life of the older adult and supporting their families, friends and caregivers. She conducts family support groups and staff training on Life Enhancement and her recent area of focus has been in working with families coping with dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Her motivational and informative memory wellness programs are presented to all ages, from senior centers to corporate America. She is the author of Walking the Path to Memory Fitness One Week at a Time and recently created Memory Fitness Matters to meet the needs of those interested in learning more about brain health and successful aging.
Her website, Communication Connection, provides a multitude of communication and activity suggestions that will enhance time spent with an older adult along with a free quarterly email newsletter. Her latest product includes a book for caregivers or patients who would appreciate additional assistance: Because You Care - What to do when you do not know what to do.
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Steve Games, San Diego native, is proud of his military background and the eight years he spent in the Navy as a Flight Deck Trouble Shooter for A-6 aircraft prior to entering the real estate industry. Initially, real estate was a means to contribute to the “American Dream” by helping young people become homeowners.
Steve Games founded Pickford Realty in 1985 in the prestigious community of Rancho Santa Fe. In 1988, when Prudential entered the real estate business, Steve and his business partner, Nyda Jones-Church, became one of the first Prudential Real Estate franchises in the country. With visions of growth and the power of the new brand, Steve and Nyda became the largest real estate company in San Diego County by 1996. In 1997, the company expanded to Orange County and continued to Los Angeles in 1998. Today, the company has more than 100 offices in Southern California, from San Luis Obispo to the Mexican border, and more than 5,000+ sales associates. Games is proud to have created an agent-driven company that treats agents as the biggest contributing factor to Prudential California Realty’s success where retention is extremely high because agents really matter. In 2005, the company brokered almost $24 billion in real estate sales and continues to be the #1 franchise within the Prudential Real Estate network nationwide.
Games has many projects to his credit. He was part of the team that produced the concept that Fairbanks Ranch would not be a world-class community without having a golf course. He was instrumental in orchestrating construction, marketing and public relations to make it a household name in southern California. As the Real Estate Marketing Director and Broker of Records he handled all sales for Fairbanks Ranch, now Fairbanks Country Club. His newest endeavor is the expansion of Prudential California Realty into Mexico which offers opportunities for second- and third-home buyers. The strength of the Prudential brand helps establish international credibility for any properties listed in Mexico. Games has taken his visions from conceptions into implementation, having overseen the development of Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta, among others. His latest endeavor also includes the development of a second home and resort community near La Paz, Mexico. Now, his luxury resort in Mexico, GranSueno is available for vacations and a variety of events ranging from weddings to concerts.
Steve Games believes in his San Diego heritage and is extremely active in several community organizations, including Pickford Cares which expanded abused women’s facilities in San Diego County; Sunshine Kids where he is involved actively in fundraising for children with cancer; Corporate Chair of Mt. Soledad Memorial Association Capital Campaign Team and Board of Trustees for Scripps Foundation as well as Scripps Institute of Oceanography. Honored as friend of the Veterans many times and featured speaker for Veterans’ events, Steve Games is an asset to San Diego, making differences in people’s lives daily. He resides in San Diego with his lovely wife Sandy and their daughter Sarah.
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Deborah Thompson has been in the mortgage finance counseling business since the 70’s and certified for the U. S. Dept of HUD to counsel homeowners who were behind on their mortgages. She established relationships with HUD mortgagees to accept repayment schedules through one of the various relief measures available to cure delinquent and defaulting mortgages. Conversely, she prepared HUD mortgagors with budget counseling, repayment plans, community resources and follow-up to bring their mortgages current, keep them current and remain in their homes.
In the 80’s Ms. Thompson became a licensed mortgage broker and acquired an independent contract with USHUD as a fee underwriter on direct endorsement mortgage loans. Following the mortgage industry through its many changes, Ms. Thompson currently uses her license with a local non-profit as the principal broker for first time homeowners and loan mitigation services under contract with the federal government for Fannie Mae and Ginnie Mae mortgages. She has been following the reverse mortgage process since the 90’s and has some strong advice for aging parents and their caregivers who are most commonly their own children.
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John Miller, a Jacksonville, Florida based human resources trainer and motivational speaker, brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the areas of team building, conflict resolutions and negotiations. He has a M. Ed. from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, trained at the Human Resources Management School for Leadership Management Education and Training Specialist and attended the Defense Race Relations Institute to become an Equal Opportunity Program Specialist. John is a retired Navy Master Chief and a certified Master Trainer. He served as a Course Manager at the FAA Center for Management and Executive Leadership where his areas of expertise involved Team and Leadership Development, Change Management and Human Resource Development.
John encourages participants to challenge their current mental models and form new stories that will aid them in creating different life altering results. His passion is to effect a change in the lives of teens, youths and adults by exposing them to practical communication strategies that diffuse conflict and increase understanding during various verbal exchanges. His no nonsense approach to learning translates into communication that leads to effective interactions and positive outcomes at home, at school, or at work. Highly regarded as a dynamic trainer, John is often asked to facilitate power meetings or train upper level managers. John resides in Orange Park, Florida with his wife, Myralyn.
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Linda Lockett Brown has over 30 years experience in nutrition and food service management and education. She is a Registered Dietitian and holds licensure as a Dietitian/Nutritionist from the State of Florida with specialty certification as Lifestyle Counselor Certification in Stress and Weight Management.
She earned her BS in Food Science and Technology and Master’s Degree in Nutrition from the University of Florida and is currently completing her PhD in Nutrition with emphasis in Nutrition Informatics and Statistics at Florida State University.
She writes extensively for newspapers and magazines. This includes the Palm Beach Post, Weight Watchers Online, American Cheerleader, North Florida Doctor, Fleming Island Messenger and Neighbor to Neighbor.
She has held faculty positions at several universities and community colleges. These include Kaplan University, University of Florida, University of North Florida, Florida Community College at Jacksonville, St. Johns River Community College and Palm Beach Community College.