Featured Speakers
Dale Bartlett and his wife, Michelle, have been married 20 years and have four children, Brianne, Cameron, Devon and Marissa. They make their home in the mountains of Northern Utah. They have been traveling cheap and free since Marissa was 3. They are a home schooling family and understand the budget struggles it brings. Their hope is to bring the world a little closer to other families through incredible adventures.
Jonathan Carroll is an educational consultant with several years of experience helping a variety of individuals meet both personal and educational goals. Throughout his professional career, he has helped individuals of all ages and backgrounds achieve academic and social success through a variety of effective strategies and techniques. Jonathan has training and experience in assisting with school functioning (executive functioning, organization, study strategies, etc.), life coaching, special education (learning disabilities and social/emotional concerns), and ADD/ADHD.
Chris Fascione is a nationally known story-performer.  He acts out the best of classical and contemporary children's literature and folktales in fun-filled, participatory shows tailored for specific age groups or family audiences. His comedic interpretations in such shows as "Bringing Literature to Life," "Juggling Funny Stories", and "Around the World" have been enjoyed in school assembly programs, library shows, park districts and special events from New England to California for the past 18 years. His unique combination of storytelling, mime, juggling and comedy creates colorful characters from literature who tell their stories as laughter abounds.
Barbara Frank, founder of Cardamom Publishers, is a dynamic speaker and avid writer.  She is the author of several books, including Life Prep for Homeschooled Teenagers and The Imperfect Homeschooler’s Guide To Homeschoolng.  She also writes an online column and oversees The Imperfect Homeschooler, a free website that provides support for homeschooling parents. 
Cindy Gaddis is the mother of 5 children, ages 8-16, whom she has been living with and learning from through homeschooling over the last ten years with her husband, Weston. Cindy has worked with homeschooling laws in four states. She has been published in Home Education Magazine and Growing Without Schooling. Cindy has also presented in workshops at several state education conferences on teaching strategies for autistic children.
Teri Heinichen Owens, RN, began her training as a critical care nurse in Chicago in 1983. She has studied herbal healing arts since 1995 and is currently completing her master's-equivalent degree in herbal and Chinese medicine. She has taught a variety of herb classes to all ages at area grammar schools and in the field. She is the founder of Eco Kids, a children’s learning program focusing on herbal facts and lore, medicine making and earth ecology. Teri’s garden contains over 70 medicinal herbs, many of them endangered, and she is a homeschooling mom. See her web site at LaughingLadybug.com
Diane Keen is a homeschooling mom of 2, a graduate of Northeastern University and a certified educator in K-12 art.  Her artwork has been featured on HGTV and the Carol Duvall Show.  Her latest focus is mixed media, fiber and paper arts.
Pattie Kelly-Huff is a mother of six and has been homeschooling for a decade.  She was a successful debater in college and a former debate coach at the University of North Texas.  She enjoys sharing her tried and true methods for successful homeschooling and supporting other homeschoolers on their journey.
Karolyn Kuehner is a homeschooling mom who left school early, finishing her pre-college education at home.  She is a former Professor of Piano at Roosevelt University and is the founder of Hands On! Children's Art Museum of Chicago, located in the Beverly neighborhood of Chicago.
Amy Lowe, a national award-winning singer/songwriter/storyteller, has captivated audiences from concert halls to schools around the world. She is the recipient of two Educational Press Distinguished Achievement Awards, the Parents' Choice Gold Award, the Parents Choice-Best 25 of 25 Years Award and Two Parents' Choice Silver Awards. As a touring performer, workshop facilitator, residency and teaching artist she has appeared in over 1000 elementary schools, high schools, community centers and universities.
Marsha Marsh is a Professional Life Coach certified through the Coaches Training Institute, who has worked in the coaching and training industry for over eight years. Her certification and real world coaching experience, combined with her extensive background in personal growth work, leadership and facilitator training, makes Marsha uniquely qualified to provide individual and group coaching services and workshops on a variety of topics including personal life management, relationships, team building and communication.
Alison McKee’s articles have appeared in Growing Without Schooling, Home Education Magazine, Homefires: The Journal of Homeschooling, The Relaxed Homeschooler, F.U.N. News: Family Unschooling Network, and Homeschooling.com. She homeschooled for 20+ years and has written books concerning unschooling and creating college transcripts.
Karen Rittle and her husband, Mark, have homeschooled their three children for close to ten years. As a special education teacher she always places her students’ self-esteems above all else. Karen’s energy abounds particularly when sharing stories and cooperative games with her family and friends.
Carol Severson is the mother of four children ages 15-22, all of whom she homeschooled through high school.  She helps operate a computer and software business and is also the Director of Home Education Issues for Illinois Eagle Forum, a political action group. In her spare time she writes curriculum reviews for a national homeschooling catalog company. She is the author of a book on homeschooling as well as having written many articles for national magazines on both homeschooling and using computers in your child's education.  She is also a T-Tapp consultant, working with moms and children to promote healthier lifestyles through good diet and specialized exercises.
Kiela Smith-Upton is an inspiring visual artist and certified herbalist with 20+ years passion and experience. Her life has afforded her many rich experiences in addition to earning her BFA from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago and a Certified Herbalist (C.H.) certificate at Northeastern Univ., Center for Inner City Studies. Her husband and children affectionately refer to her as their natural Dr. Mom. Kiela lives a creative life, choosing to see the connectedness of people and their experiences. See her websites www.songhaystudios.com and www.mynsp.com/aaaherbal for more info.
Kathryn Stout is a Christian educator, consultant, speaker, and author of nine books. An honors graduate of the University of Delaware, Kathryn holds a bachelor's degree in elementary education and a master's degree in special education. During her eight years in public schools she taught, tested, and developed programs for students who did not respond to traditional strategies. She homeschooled her own two children, Clea and Christopher, for fourteen years using the Design-A-Study materials she created.
Roy Underhill grew up in Freeport, Illinois, attended college in Appleton, Wisconsin, and went to law school in Chicago. He worked for six years as a lawyer before moving to Wisconsin sixteen years ago and beginning his current career as full-time homeschooling father. His daughter is beginning her second year of college and his son is fifteen. Roy has presented workshops on music, mathematics and philosophy at the Wisconsin Parents Association conference and the InHome conference.
Kathy Wentz is a ‘reformed’ classroom teacher who left teaching to raise and homeschool her own children sixteen years ago. She maintains several homeschool email lists and web pages, has been speaking since 1998 on a wide variety of homeschooling topics, and has been published in Home Education Magazine. She is probably best known for her role in helping to establish the Johnsburg Public Library’s Homeschool Resource Center in northern Illinois.
Dorothy Werner is the founder of Illinois H.O.U.S.E., mother of five sons and longtime unschooler. Dorothy is also a member of the Advisory Committee of the National Coalition of Alternative Community Schools. She has been affiliated with Clonlara School Home Based Education Program since it’s beginning. Dorothy is a frequent speaker on homeschooling and unschooling issues and we’re delighted to have her back with us again this year.
Dona Zeffery is a 5th degree black belt, a martial arts instructor of ten years and a Du Page County deputy sheriff.
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