New Leaf Resources
May 13, 2008
Speakers

Sherry Williams, RN,BA,GMS, GRS

Sherry150.jpg Sherry L. Williams, RN, BA,GMS, GRS, is president and founder of Sherry Williams Enterprises and New Leaf Resources, a division of Sherry Williams Enterprises. Based in Louisville, Kentucky, New Leaf Resources specializes in grief resource materials and informational/educational services. The company has helped thousands of firms assess their internal systems, communities and resources to develop and manage good bereavement outreach programs.  
 
Out of her personal loss experiences and need for information when she was grieving, Sherry founded ACCORD® Grief Management Services in 1984. She served as president through 2004 at which time she founded Sherry Williams Enterprises and New Leaf Resources.  
 
She has an Associate Degree in nursing from the University of Kentucky Extension Program and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Bellarmine College in Louisville, KY. Sherry is a nationally certified grief management specialist, has received advanced certification as a bereavement facilitator from the American Academy of Bereavement and is certified by the Grief Recovery Institute as a Grief Recovery Specialist. She has devoted more than 20 years to the field of grief and bereavement service.  
 
She is the publisher of New Leaf Magazine, formerly Grief Magazine™, a quarterly publication for the bereaved, as well as a featured writer for In DeathCare Today and Yellow Book News. She is the author of Holiday Help®: A Guide for Holidays and Special Days, Beyond Goodbye: A Guide for your Journey through Grief) and is a contributing author to Every Woman’s Guide to Financial Security, When All the Friends Have Gone (A Manual for Aftercare) and What To Do When Someone Dies. She is listed in 2000 American Notable Women for outstanding service to community, state and nation.  
 
Sherry served on the Board of Trustees for the National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved, has co-chaired, the 1996 World Gathering on Bereavement and served as an advisor for the 2001 World Gathering. She has been a featured speaker for numerous organizations, including the National Funeral Directors Association, The Association for Death Education and Counseling, The National Catholic Ministry to the Bereaved, churches, support groups and state funeral associations across the United States.  
 
Sherry is a guest lecturer at Bellarmine College School of Psychology, Kent School of Social Work and Expressive Therapies Department at the University of Louisville.  
 
In the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, Sherry was invited by the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) to address the grief issues of the widows, parents, and children of fallen fire firefighters. In addition, she debriefed and provided insight into appropriate coping skills and techniques for firefighters at each City fire department location as well as Headquarter personnel.  


Jessie Flynn

Jessie Flynn has helped people develop their potential for over 20 years as a lecturer, writer, workshop leader and teacher. After graduating from Gettysburg College, she studied at the University of Pennsylvania and Drew University where she specialized in pastoral counseling.  
 
Her background includes organizing community charitable outreach programs, providing motivational in-services for business and schools, and teaching life-coping skills of parents and children. A certified bereavement facilitator, she conducts support groups that help people journey through grief.  
 
Jessie is the author of the Kids Cope With Grief, a series of ten (10) books published by ACCORD Grief Management Services, written in coloring book-personal letter format that educate families about dealing with the loss of a loved one through death.  
 
To each of these endeavors, Jessie brings a remarkably intuitive, empathetic, warm and hopeful manner that acts as a catalyst for positive change in others.  


Renelle Grubbs, MSW, ACSW

Renelle Grubbs is a licensed clinical social worker specializing in trauma recovery and grief and loss issues. She is presently Executive Director of the Kentucky Community Crisis Response Board. The board was created by the General Assembly in 1996 and administratively attached to Military Affairs. Ms. Grubbs and her staff recruit provide training programs and mobilize a crisis response team that provides services statewide.  
 
She was recognized in April 1998 for her outstanding contributions in Critical Incident Stress Management by the Internal Critical Incident Stress Foundation and received an Award of Merit in October 1996 from Jefferson County Fire Chiefs Association for Outstanding Professional Assistance.  
 
Ms. Grubbs is a member of the Academy of Certified Social Workers, National Association of Social Workers, The Association of Traumatic Stress Specialists and the International Critical Incident Foundation as a recognized trainer.  
 
Over the past two years she has provided clinical management for over 100 community responses across the Commonwealth of Kentucky, impacting communities of emergency responders, supervisors and employees in public and private industry, disaster survivors and schools, including the shootings at Heath High School in Paducah, Kentucky. As a trauma specialist, Ms. Grubbs provides Kentucky School districts, assisting administrative staff in the development of integrated crisis response system by providing pre-incident education, crisis management and recovery. She has addressed a variety of education-related associations, cooperatives and organizations in regard to crisis planning and recovery services. Ms. Grubbs is currently involved in a joint project with Kentucky Department of Education to survey Kentucky school districts regarding their crisis plans and teams.  
 
Prior to her current position, Ms Grubbs has served as a Unit Manager and Outpatient Therapist and the Mental Health Chairperson for the Interagency Disaster Response Committee in Louisville, Kentucky. She was on the Clinical Faculty at West Virginia University School of Social Work.  


Dr. James "Jim" Burge

Jim Burge, speaker and educator served as a member of the clergy for 35 years. During his ministry, he was drawn to work with grieving families and communities and was instrumental in helping many churches organize lay ministry programs for the bereaved. Continually being drawn to work with the bereaved, Jim began extensive studies in the field of grief and bereavement and completed his doctoral studies in the field on Thanantology.  
 
Jim holds a B.S. in Speech/Communications from Rio Grande University, Rio Grande, Ohio, a Masters of Divinity and Doctor of Thanantology from United Theological Seminary in Dayton, Ohio. He is a Certified Bereavement Facilitator and a Certified Grief Management Specialist. He has studied extensively with Alan Wolfelt at the Center of Loss and Life Transition in Fort Collins, Colorado.  
 
Jim is known for his down to earth manner. His effective use of humor when talking about grief and death enables people to hear a very difficult message. He is a delightful after dinner presenter and an extraordinary workshop presenter and educator. He has spoken extensively for the Ohio Funeral Director Association and The Compassionate Friends. In addition to presenting for ACCORD Grief Management Services has presented for the National Funeral Directors Association.  


Suzanne L. Howell, M.A.

Suzanne L. Howell, M.A., LCPC, is owner of Suzanne Howell Counseling in Morton, IL. She has devoted the last 20 years to the field of grief and bereavement service. She has a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology with an emphasis on grief from Anitoch University and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor in the state of Illinois. Additional specialized training has been received in grief, loss and trauma from The Grief Recovery Institute, ACCORD Grief Management Service and The Center for Loss and Life Transition. Suzanne is former Vice President of The Wilton Mortuary, Peoria, IL where she initiated grief recovery programs and facilitated numerous support groups.  
 
She is a frequent contributor to Grief Magazine™, now called New Leaf Magazine™, a quarterly publication for the bereaved. She is also a frequent presenter for Compassionate Friends and local Hospice and other grief support groups. In addition to presentations done through her own business she has for the last 13 years been a presenter through New Leaf Resources, a division of Sherry William Enterprises of workshops for the bereaved and for such professionals as medical personnel, school counselors and clergy. She is a member of the American Association of Christian Counselors. Suzanne serves as Adjunct Faculty at Illinois Central College, East Peoria, IL, teaching Death and Dying and Aging courses.  
 
As Director of Family Ministries at First Baptist Church in Morton, IL she is in frequent lay ministry contact with families who are experiencing the dying and death of someone they love. She also teaches an adult Sunday School class and with her husband, David, leads a weekly Children’s Worship Service.  
 
In the aftermath of the events of September 11, 2001, Suzanne was invited by the Fire Department of the City of New York (FDNY) to accompany Sherry Williams in addressing the grief issues of widows, parents and children of fallen fire fighters. In addition, she debriefed and provided insight into appropriate coping skills and techniques for firefighters at City fire department locations as well as Headquarters personnel.