2022 Choose Love Shift Summit
Choose Love Awareness month will culminate in a virtual two-day Choose Love Summit in partnership with the Shift Network, a global leader in transformational learning that is dedicated to helping people achieve their full potential.
Hosted by Lenny O’Keefe, Community Service Aid for the Concord Police Department in NH, the uplifting event will commence with a kick off by Scarlett Lewis. Attendees will learn about living a Choose Love lifestyle based on the Choose Love Formula of Courage, Gratitude, Forgiveness and Compassion-in-Action. Also, there will be information on how incorporating character and social-emotional learning, EFT Tapping, positive psychology, and more can cultivate more loving and harmonious schools, homes, and communities. “I am thrilled to be part of this Summit and set forth the intention for it to ripple out to the far corners of the world to cultivate love, hope and resilience — and the world we all want to live in that is safe, peaceful, and loving,” says Scarlett Lewis. Choose Love programming is in all 50 states, 120 countries, and serves over three million children.
The Summit will feature inspiring presentations from educators, government leaders, mental health experts, and Choose Love Youth Ambassadors. Some of the presenters include Dr. Chris Kukk, Dean of the Cormier Honors College for Citizen Scholars at Longwood University discussing the science of compassion; Hawaii Choose Love Ambassador Dawn O’Brien explaining the impact in her state; educators from all over the US; Canadian Choose Love Ambassadors Michelle Greenwell and Paula Droog offering energy balancing and well-being activities; Maria Ortner of The Tapping Solution demonstrating the power of Emotional Freedom Technique; Canadian Choose Love Ambassador and school counselor Tanya Levy sharing “The Stone” exercise; and Devaa Haley Mitchell, co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of the Shift Network, providing insight on how people can liberate their leadership gifts and step into their full potential for maximum impact in the global collective. A special presentation features Peacebunny Island, a natural sustainable island in Minnesota that trains comfort and emotional support rabbits for calm and relaxation.
CLAM and The Summit will incorporate Jesse’s message of Have a Lot of Fun with motivating presentations that will leave you feeling balanced, energized and with a renewed sense of hope and healing.
Speakers
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Dawn O'BrienChoose Love Ambassador, HawaiiDawn O’Brien is an Aloha Ambassador representing Choose Love, or Choose Aloha as it’s called in the Aloha State of Hawaii.
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Shannon DesiletsDirector of Advocacy, Choose Love Movement
Governor-appointed Program Director of the Choose Love Movement for the state of New Hampshire, as well as the Director of Advocacy for the Choose Love organization. Shannon is also a member of the Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists and is a specialist in Post-Traumatic Growth. Further, her international work as an MNRI ® Core Specialist has served families world-wide with trauma, anxiety and special needs.
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Peacebunny IslandCaleb Smith, Founder of Peacebunny Island
Our 22 acre main island and Peacebunny Cottage serve as the play area and training center for our bunnies, many of whom are rescues or rare heritage breeds that are in training to become comfort rabbits who will share hope and hoppiness with our Peacebunny Unit. We also provide educational programming through STEMbunnies to get kids excited about learning while playing with rabbits.
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Host - Lenny O'Keefe & LibertyChoose Love Ambassadors, NH
Liberty is a Certified Therapy Dog from the Alliance of Therapy Dogs and has received several titles from the American Kennel Club (AKC) to include: Novice Trick Dog, Canine Good Citizen, Community Canine Good Citizen, Urban Canine Good Citizen, and the distinguished title of Therapy Dog. Liberty is the first police Comfort Dog in the State of New Hampshire and is part of the Concord, NH Police Department.
Liberty’s handler, Lenny O’Keefe, is Community Service Aide for the Concord Police Department. He is a retired law enforcement officer who spent most of his career as a trainer for the Merrimack County Department of Corrections (MCDOC).
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Evie Joy ChanCounselor at Honouliuli Middle School, HI
Evie Joy Chan, counselor at Honouliuli Middle School in Hawaii will share how Choose Love is practiced by her students. The school has incorporated Choose Love into their mission statement and the fabric of their community. Their mission reads:
“Everyday we will live with courage, express gratitude, practice forgiveness, and exemplify compassion in action.”
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Dr. Christopher KukkBoard of Director Member, Choose Love Movement
Dr. Kukk is the HarperCollins author of The Compassionate Achiever, Dean of the Cormier Honors College for Citizen Scholars and Professor of Political Science at Longwood University. He is also a Fulbright Scholar, member of Phi Beta Kappa as well as proud husband and father. He received his Ph.D. in political science from Boston College and his B.A. from Boston University. He was also an international security fellow at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs. His research and publications combine neuroscience with the social sciences and focus on understanding how weaving values such as compassion into our learning, civic, and business communities affect levels of financial, intellectual, and social capital. Dr. Kukk was also a counter-intelligence agent for the United States Army, a research associate for Cambridge Energy Research Associates, and has provided the A.P., NPR, The Economist magazine, and other media outlets with analysis on a wide range of topics and issues.
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Director Nicholas DuffyDirector of Community Corrections, New Hampshire Department of Corrections
Director Duffy is the Director of Community Corrections for the NH Department of Corrections. The Division of Community Corrections oversees four Transitional Housing units, Correctional Industries, Case Management, Reentry Programming, Faith based Services, Family Connections Center, Corrections Special School District and Vocational Training.
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Devaa Haley MitchellCo-Founder & Chief Impact Officer, The Shift Network
Devaa Haley Mitchell is the co-founder and Chief Impact Officer of The Shift Network, a transformational education and media company that’s dedicated to helping people awaken to their full potential through online classes, media, and events; and our partner for the Choose Love Summit.
Devaa has been involved in founding multiple organizations to serve the spiritual awakening of humanity. She started Inspiring Women with Soul, a virtual gathering that’s included more than 120,000 participants from more than 160 countries. She was also the first Executive Director of Full Circle Fund, a venture philanthropy group. Devaa is also an ordained as an interfaith minister and draws upon 20 years of study and practice of the most respected systems of personal growth and spiritual development.
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Denise Darval ChangHonolulu District Health and Physical Education Resource Teacher
Denise Darval Chang, Honolulu District Health and Physical Education Resource Teacher, serves schools throughout the district and offered virtual lessons during the pandemic with our Choose Aloha Programming
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Dr. Maria OrtnerGlobal Director, The Tapping Solution Foundation
DR. MARIA LAURA ORTNER is a licensed psychologist who served for
27 years in public schools in Connecticut, prior to beginning her work with The Tapping Solution Foundation. She holds degrees in Clinical and School Psychology, as well as a Doctorate of Education, and has published a book entitled “Big Changes in the Little House; How to Talk to Your Child When Facing Tough Financial Times,” in both English and Spanish. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and the mom of Nick, Alex and Jessica, she lends her voice and expertise to the Spanish Tapping meditations. -
Commissioner Helen HanksCommissioner, New Hampshire Department of Corrections
Commissioner Hanks is in her 19th year with the NH Department of Corrections. In her current role as Commissioner,, confirmed in November of 2017, she is working on advancing strengthening families and vocational opportunities within correctional facilities, creating better continuity of care upon release for transitioning residents and implementing new initiatives such as the expansion of Medication Assisted Treatment in corrections. She is always on a path to advance correctional practices, strengthen community awareness of what corrections is and is not and working to reduce recidivism into NH Correctional facilities.
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Alane FreundLicensed Marriage and Family Therapist
Alane Freund, MS, MA, is an International Consultant on High Sensitivity (ICHS) and family therapist who helps highly sensitive adults and youth focus on solutions through therapy, consultation, and speaking. She has developed numerous programs for highly sensitive people, families, youth, and professionals, including her monthly workshops at Are You Highly Sensitive Live. She is known for her widely recognized Talk at Google, Understanding the Highly Sensitive Person.
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Tanya LevyChoose Love Ambassador, Canada
Tanya has worked in the social services field for over 30 years. For the last 20 years, she has worked as a Counselor at a Community College supporting students in their individual learning and healing journeys. Tanya is also one of our beloved Choose Love Canada Ambassadors.
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Paula Nowak DroogChoose Love Ambassador, Canada
Paula is an Educator, Well-being coach and Wellness facilitator. She was an elementary school educator for 30 years, including 15 years as a school administrator. Prior to becoming an educator, Paula specialized in recreation, leisure and movement. Paula creates wellness workshops utilizing a variety of BioEnergetic Wellness tools, self-care strategies and gentle movement to ease tension, release stress, and enhance well-being.
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Michelle GreenwellProgram Coordinator, Choose Love Movement
Michelle is a dancer, Tai Chi enthusiast and movement specialist. Currently completing her doctorate in Integrative Health, she specializes in using BioEnergetic Wellness tools through movement to bring balance and flow to the systems in the body. You can find some of her publications in the Choose Love Shop.
She is also a Choose Love Ambassador for Canada.
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Julia RichterImplementation Coach & WI Ambassador, Choose Love Movement
Julia Richter has a BA in Elementary Education and a Minor in Dance. She received her Masters Degree; “Integrating the Arts in Education” and taught arts based programming in inner city schools to help build levels of confidence, trust and a sense of belonging. She became a certified Growth Coach through Lifeforming Leadership Coaching and received her certification in Mindfulness & Social Emotional Learning and Positive Intelligence.
Julia learned so much about herself and how to better manage stress and cope with pain by practicing the Choose Love formula, and so it became part of her mission to help coach these essential practices and strategies to her two teenage daughters as well as educators to be proactive in providing tools and skills to manage emotions, be resilient in the face of adversity, make positive choices, and have meaningful relationships.
Julia took her experiences of parenting, teaching and coaching to create the “C.A.R.E.S.” Coaching Program. In “Cultivating Authentic Relationships in the Education System,” Julia coaches creative strategies and social emotional well-being practices to and empower both youth and adults in becoming the best versions of themselves and learn to thoughtfully respond with love.
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Scarlett LewisFounder of the Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement
Scarlett Lewis founded the nonprofit Jesse Lewis Choose Love Movement after her son was murdered during the Sandy Hook Elementary School tragedy in December 2012. After his death, Scarlett became part of the solution to the issues that we’re seeing in our society—and that also caused the tragedy. She created the Movement and became an advocate for social and emotional learning (SEL) and character development that teaches children how to manage their emotions, feel connected, and have healthy relationships. Speaking across the US and internationally to diverse audiences, Scarlett urges everyone to become part of the solution.
Scarlett created the Choose Love for Schools Program, a no-cost, comprehensive, lifespan, next generation SEL and character development program that teaches children and adults how to thoughtfully respond with love in any situation, handle adversity, and have courageous conversations by using the Choose Love Formula of: Courage + Gratitude + Forgiveness + Compassion-in-Action = Choosing Love. Choose Love has been extended into homes, communities, athletics, and the workplace. The programs have been accessed in all 50 states and 100 countries, reaching more than 1.9 million children. Learn more at ChooseLoveMovement.org and join the Movement to help make the world a more loving, and peaceful place.
