Living an Authentic Life
Joan Grundy is a charismatic speaker and inspiring writer.She has addressed many groups in the areas of spiritual growth, educational leadership and wellness. She has a Masters degree in Theological Studies and background in psychology and counselling.
Before her retirement, Joan was employed as a department head of religion and family studies at a local Catholic high school. There she chose to counsel the LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer) students and to educate people about this issue. In her thirties, she realized that she was gay but because of her Catholic upbringing and profession was not able to be authentic because she couldn’t live out her real sexual life in the confines of the Church.
This is a timely topic now with extreme groups objecting to schools offering support and resources to kids who are in the “sexual minority”. I think Joan’s presentation should lead to some interesting discussion and thought.
Susan Gamble’s long career in journalism began in 1979 at the Brant News. She went on to become one of the first female television news photographers, working with her husband at CKCO-TV in Kitchener, travelling around Ontario capturing events on her wind-up Bell and Howell camera at first, and later on video, for the evening news. In 1980, Susan began writing for the Brantford Expositor, first in the real estate section, and later with a light-hearted column called Word Has It. Susan covered scams, local interest stories, and events featuring Brantford people from many walks of life. Her columns were heart-warming, informative and often amusing, and had a loyal readership. Eventually, Susan took on the role of investigative reporter, winning several Ontario Newspaper Awards, and a nomination for a Canadian Newspaper Association Award.