The staff of the Catawba Parenting Network are eager to assist you in any way possible.
Please feel free to contact us by phone, email or regular mail, using the information below:

CATAWBA COUNTY PARENTING NETWORK
1005 1st Avenue South
Conover, North Carolina 28613
Phone: 828/ 465-9295
828/ 465-8151
Fax: 828/ 464-7727

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Susan W. Lee
Director, Parenting Network
(828) 465-9295 tel
(828) 464-7727 fax
susanlee@catawbacountync.gov

Click Here to read Susan's bio

Allison Simpson
Assistant Director
(828) 464-7384  asimpson@catawbacountync.gov
 

 

PROGRAM COORDINATORS


What They Do:
The Program Coordinators receive specific training and become certified to manage their assigned program(s).
Each coordinator actively recruits participants, develops program subject matter, and pulls together class material and handouts.
 
Who They Are:
• Lisa Doucette, Marketing/Public Relations Specialist
• Metaleen Morgan Thomas, Active Parenting Now Coordinator
• Nancy Riddick-McClelland, Active Parenting, Nurturing & Strengthening Programs, Grandparents Raising
  Grandchildren Support Group
• Donna Fletcher, Cooperative Parenting and Divorce Coordinator.
• Allison Simpson, Assistant Director of CCPN, ADHD Support Group Coordinator
• Lynn Martin, Parent to Parent Coordinator
• Christy Sigmon, Parent Talk Membership Club Coordinator
• Lynn Mullinax, Parent Intake Coordinator
• Susan Reinhardt, Parent Consultant
• Jo Ann Hefner, Parent Liaison
• Sara Artis, Hispanic Program Coordinator

SUPPORT GROUP LEADERS
ADD/ADHD Group - Allison Simpson- Support Group Leader

Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Group - Nancy Riddick-McClelland - Support Group Leader

Sensory Integration Support Group - Angie Stone

You and Me, Baby! – PAT educators

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 Lisa Doucette
 Marketing/Public Relations Specialist
lsdoucette1@hotmail.com

Career Highlights:
• BA in Communications, Lenoir-Rhyne College
 • Former Recycling Coordinator, City of Hickory
 • Developed city-wide education for schools and promoted various collection programs
 • Freelance Writer

 CCPN Involvement:
• Became involved with Parenting Network in 2005.

 Personal Highlights:
 • Mother of two wonderful boys – Adam and Jordan
 • Thrilled to be promoting parenting programs which will make a real difference in the lives
  of children!
 

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Jo Ann Hefner
Parent Liaison
joannhefner@catawbacountync.gov
828-465-8151

Career Highlights:
• 20 years experience in the business field
• Currently studying for BA in Psychology

Personal Highlights:
• Mother of two children
• Passionate about making a difference in children’s lives
 


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 		 Nancy Riddick-McClelland
Program Director, Grandparents Raising Grandchildren Support Group Coordinator

Career Highlights:
• Early Childhood Credentials
• Effective Teaching Training
• Business Administration in Human Resources.

CCPN Involvement:
• Involved with CCPN since April 2003
• Attended several network meetings before facilitating a CCPN program
• Trainer for Active Parenting, Nurturing, Strengthening and Positive Discipline programs
• Parents Anonymous Training
• ParentWise Coordinator

Personal Highlights:
• Saw potential to make a difference in lives of parents searching for answers by sharing her
  story and letting them know they are not alone
• Mother of two adult children, one teen, one tween, and “Nana” to 2 grandchildren
 

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Allison Simpson
Assistant Director of CCPN, ADHD Support Group Coordinator
asimpson@catawbacountync.gov

(828) 464-7384 – work
asimpson@catawbavalleymc.org

Career Highlights:
• Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology – Davidson College
• Served as Resident Director at Lenoir-Rhyne College
• Former Community Relations Director for Frye Regional Medical Center

CCPN Involvement:
• Involved with CCPN since September 2000
• Attended Continuing Education workshops in areas of anger management, Attention Deficit
  Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), and childhood bipolar disorder
• Currently Applying to North Carolina Parent Education Network (NCPEN) to become a North
  Carolina Credentialed Parent Educator
Personal Highlights:
• Her own challenges as a parent inspired her to return to the work force in 2000 to be a
  resource to other parents through CCPN
 

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Lynn C. Martin
Parent to Parent Program Coordinator and facilitator
lynncmartin@charter.net

CCPN Involvement:
• Parent to Parent Coordinator and Facilitator since 2005

Career Highlights:
• 3 years as Special Consultant and Program Facilitator to the Coordinator of Addictions
   program for the city of New York.
• 25 years facilitating support groups for women, couples, professional organizations, etc.
• 4 years Facilitator & Trainer for AVP (Alternatives to Violence Project) in Portland, Maine.
• 3 years Prevention Educator and Asst. Director of the Julie Foundation,
  Cape Porpoise, ME
• 5 years as Coordinator of PERC (Parent Effectiveness in Resolving Conflict...with
  your teen) parenting program and Co-facilitator and Facilitator Trainer for the program in 4
  counties in Maine.

Personal Highlights:
• Mother of 3 adult children and “Nana” to four grandchildren.
• Experience in a step-family, as a single mother of 3 adolescents and special
   needs child.
 
 

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Lynn Mullinax
Parent Resource Coordinator
(828) 465-8151
mullrl@aol.com

Career Highlights:
• Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish - Duke University
• Masters degree in Counseling – Appalachian State University
• Sixteen years as Spanish and English teacher, grades 6-12
• Seventeen years as School Counselor
• Teacher of the Year for Newton-Conover High School
• Adjunct professor at Lenoir-Rhyne College, graduate program in Counseling
• Therapist in private practice since 2003

CCPN Involvement:
• Joined the Parenting Network as the Parents Anonymous Coordinator in 2003
• Former President and Vice-President of CCPN Advisory Board

Personal Highlights:
• Married for 35 years
• Proud mother of two grown children
• Recently became a grandmother!
• Love working with kids, particularly adolescents, and helping parents carry out the hardest
  job in the whole wide world!

 

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Susan Reinhardt
Parent Consultant

Career Highlights:
• B.A.- Psychology, UNC-Chapel Hill
• M.Ed.- Counseling, East Tennessee State University
• Certified Parent Educator for Parents as Teachers, Catawba County Schools (10 years)
• Certified Infant Toddler Family Specialist, 2008
• Former school counselor
• Specialized training in perinatal mood disorders (i.e. postpartum depression)
• Received "Champions for Children " award in 2006

CCPN Involvement:
• Have attended Parenting Network meetings from the organization's inception
• Just beginning Parent Consultant role

Personal Highlights:
• Married to husband, Frank, for 26 years
• Two wonderful grown sons
• Postpartum Depression Telephone Volunteer
• Active church member- First United Methodist, Newton
• Very happy to have an opportunity to encourage parents and share fantastic information
  about child development!
 

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Metaleen Morgan Thomas
Active Parenting Now Coordinator
mcmthomas@embarqmail.com

Career Highlights:
• Bachelor’s degree from Greensboro College, Greensboro, NC
• Master’s degree from Garrett Theological Seminary, Evanston, IL
• Retired educator (religion and sociology) from Caldwell Community College
• Taught for Western Carolina University, Lenoir-Rhyne University, Appalachian State
   University
• Began Early Childhood Education program at Caldwell Community College
• Fulbright study in Israel and Egypt
• Taught marriage & family and parenting courses during career
• Taught online college courses (sociology and religion)

CCPN Involvement:
• Became involved in Parenting Network in 2002
• Facilitates Active Parenting Now course
• Facilitates Cooperative Parenting and Divorce course

Personal Highlights:
• Parent of adult son, Ben
• Grandmother of one
• Enjoy cooking, camping, elder issues and Twelve-Step recovery
• Have always felt that most of the world’s problems would be solved with healthy parenting
  skills
 

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Gretchen Beard
 Financial/Grants Manager
(828) 465-8151

CCPN Involvement:
• Involved with CCPN through Catawba County Schools since 2006

Career Highlights:
• Attended CVCC and has almost 20 years of experience in finance
• Worked for Catawba County Schools Student Services Department as Financial/Grants
   Manager for 4 ½ years
 
 

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Sara Artis
 Hispanic Program Coordinator

 Career Highlights:
• English as a Second Language ESL Bilingual Associate, Catawba County Schools
  International Newcomers Center
• Bachelor’s degree, Appalachian State University
• Associate Arts degree, Catawba Valley Community College

CCPN Involvement:
• Coordinator of Spanish programs at the Parenting Network

Personal Highlights:
• Would like to make a difference among the Hispanic community and help them as a
  facilitator and a resource

 






Convenient Text Links

Main Page  l  Programs  l  Support Groups  l  Finding Us  l  Meet The Staff  l  Contact Us  l  Program Calendar  l  Network Partners
Major Contributors  l  Advisory Board  l  Parent Testimonials  l  Register For Classes Online!
Capital Campaign  l  Giving Options

 
Created in 1999, The Catawba County Parenting Network works to improve the well-being of children and families in Catawba County by providing high quality parenting education and support programs as well as timely referral to other family resources. The CCPN is a program of Catawba County Schools and is primarily funded by the Catawba County Partnership for Children (Smart Start). Additional funding is provided by the Beaver Family Foundation, Catawba County United Way, Catawba Valley Medical Center, The Department of Juvenile Justice, Hickory Public Schools, More At Four Pre-Kindergarten Program and Newton-Conover City Schools.



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