Roots of Empathy – Mary Gordon & Larry Haberlin

Mary Gordon is recognized internationally as an educator, best-selling author, child advocate and parenting expert who has created award-winning programs informed by the power of empathy. In 1996, she founded Roots of Empathy, which now offers programs in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and the Isle of Man. In 2005, Ms Gordon founded the Seeds of Empathy program. She is a Member of the Order of Canada and an Ashoka Fellow. © Roots of Empathy 2008 Roots of Empathy is a registered trademark Charitable Number 89643 4818 RR0001 June 2008 Ms Gordon is also the founder of Canada’s first and largest school-based Parenting and Family Literacy Centres, which she initiated in 1981. They have become public policy in Ontario, with more than 120 schools involved for Fall 2008. They have been used as a best practice model internationally. The Nelson Mandela Children’s Foundation brought Ms Gordon to South Africa to share her parenting expertise. Ms Gordon speaks and consults to governments, educational organizations, and public institutions. She is the recipient of several prestigious awards recognizing her contribution to innovation in education and international social entrepreneurship. Her 2005 Canadian bestseller, Roots of Empathy: Changing the World Child by Child, was ranked as one of the Top 100 Books of the Year by the Globe and Mail, Canada’s national newspaper. Ms Gordon has presented on early childhood development to conferences organized by the Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, the World Health Organization, and the United States government, among others. She worked with the World Health Organization’s Commission on the Social Determinants of Health’s Knowledge Network for Early Childhood Development for their report Total Environment Assessment Model for Early Childhood Development. Ms Gordon has twice had dialogues with His Holiness the Dalai Lama: First in 2006, at the Vancouver Dialogues, and then in 2008, in Seattle, Washington as part of the Seeds of Compassion event. The Dalai Lama expressed that programs like Roots of Empathy will build world peace.In 2008, Roots of Empathy was one of three winners – and the only Canadian organization – to win an international competition from Changemakers, an Initiative of Ashoka: Innovators for the Public, for programs that help youth at risk. Ms Gordon attended the Young Men at Risk Change Summit. Ms Gordon was the first female Canadian Ashoka Fellow, recognizing her as a member of an international circle of social entrepreneurs who have the creativity that enables them to envision new and better ways to address persistent social problems and the entrepreneurial skill and determination required to bring their ideas to fruition. She is a member of the Executive Board of Directors of the Ashoka Foundation. More info – www.rootsofempathy.org

LARRY HABERLIN      PRIVATE CONSULTANT AND TRAINER

Larry is a consultant and trainer in private practice after retiring from the Vancouver School Board in June, 2006.  In his thirty five years of professional experience he has been a teacher, elementary counsellor, and more recently a social responsibility consultant with the school board. Earlier in his career he was a family and children services coordinator and social work supervisor with the province. For ten years he was involved as a trainer and clinical supervisor at Pacific Coast Family Therapy Institute.Larry’s recent work in training has included The Friends Program, Second Step, Focus on Bullying, and the Roots of Empathy program.  He will continue to work with several projects in the schools that include substance use prevention, school wide social responsibility initiatives and the Roots of Empathy.  Larry is currently training and mentoring new Roots of Empathy instructors in New Zealand.  Larry is also an Adjunct Professor with the UBC School of Medicine, working with second year students on community service learning projects.