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Thursday Afternoon Special Sessions | Friday and Saturday Workshops for Agency Owners and Staff
Friday and Saturday Workshops for Nannies and Educators

Thursday Afternoon Special Sessions

12:45 PM  
*Product Demonstration
Streamlining Agency Operations – Guy Maddalone, CEO,
GTM Household Employment Experts

Agencies face a multitude of tasks and volumes of communication & information when they place a nanny with a family.  See how using software technology will assist agencies work smarter when interacting with clients, families and  nannies to make the placement processes simpler, more efficient and more effective.  When strategically embracing technology new and existing agencies will be able to better compete and grow their business through increased placements and enhanced information management.
*Software demonstration - 12:45 pm – 1:45 pm 

2:00 PM  
Ready, Set, Go!  A workshop for new agency owners 
 Sharon Graff-Radell, TLC for Kids, Inc.
Wendy Sachs, The Philadelphia Nanny Network, Inc.
This workshop is of enormous value to anyone who is a new nanny agency owner, (less than two years), or is considering opening an agency in the near future.

“You gave me the confidence I needed to run a new agency.” 
“This workshop made the trip to the INA Conference more than worth the time and money spent.” 

These comments have been repeated every year for the past 4 years about the New Agency Workshop that kicks off the INA Annual Conference.  This workshop covers the nuts and bolts of starting a referral agency as well as shares information on what needs to be considered as a young agency in today’s market.  This workshop is an in-depth presentation on financial considerations, marketing, recruiting, competition, and insightful business practices that pertain specifically to our industry.  It is a must-attend-workshop if you are new to the nanny referral business (less than two years) or are considering opening your own agency.

Sharon Graff-Radell, founder and president of TLC for Kids, Inc., a full service nanny and child care agency established in 1985, is a consultant in the in-home child care industry. She has been leading seminars and workshops at INA conferences and consulting nanny agency owners since 1992. Her own agency, TLC for Kids, Inc., was one of the first nanny agencies to provide "temp nanny services," including corporate back-up care, sick child care, and postpartum and newborn care services in the country. Sharon was named the Young Entrepreneur for the state of Missouri in 1990. She has served INA as a Board member since 1996 in various capacities including; the Public Relations Co-Chair, Internet Committee Chairperson, 1st Vice President, and has served on various committees including conference, publications and more.  Sharon is married, lives in Miami, FL and is the mother of two children.

 

Wendy Sachs is President and founder of The Philadelphia Nanny Network, Inc., a full service agency that provides referral of fulltime, part time or temporary nannies, babysitters, housekeepers, tutors, homework helpers and cooks.  She is also a founding member of INA where she has served as Board Member, Secretary, and President for four-terms.  Sachs is a nationally recognized expert on the nanny profession and has given more than 500 interviews to network television, national magazines, and leading newspapers during her career. She has appeared on national newscasts including the Today Show, CNN and The Oprah Winfrey Show.  She is a regular workshop presenter at INA.  Sachs earned her undergraduate degree from Simmons College and her MBA from the University of Miami.  Wendy is married, lives in New York City and is the mother of a 13 and 16 year old and is an experienced nanny employer.

1:00 p.m. 
Baby Nursing 101 – Tonya Sakowicz and Lisa Stipe
If you are considering making a career move to baby nursing, don't miss out on ‘Baby Nursing 101.

This class will include everything you wanted to know about baby nursing or how to become a baby nurse, but didn’t know who to ask.   In this in-depth seminar you will learn how to get started on your new career path; tips on developing strong client communications; instruction on newborn care; the best techniques for soothing a fussy baby, handling infants with colic or reflux, how to empower your clients, how to find clients and get them to commit to your service,how to juggle being a business woman as well as a nurturer, the difference between baby nurses and night nannies, and so much more....

Tonya Sakowicz With more than 18 years of nanny and baby nurse experience, the majority of it with premature multiples, Tonya does private training and consulting for both clients and agencies.  Tonya supports and teaches her clients to manage the special circumstances of having a newborn baby (or two, or three, or more!).  Tonya also works closely with families to help resolve sleep issues, manage colic and make dealing with reflux easier on everyone.   She is a college-educated nanny and credentialed through the International Nanny Association.  Tonya was voted the 2003 Professional Childcare Provider of the Year, was nominated in 2004 for the International Nanny Association Nanny of the Year, and was recognized in 2004 by her peers with a nomination for the National Association of Nannies’ Harriette Grant Memorial Award.  She has served on the boards of the Northwest Nanny Association, Valley Professional Nanny Network, Christian Nannies Online, and the National Association of Nannies.  She is the Chair Person of INA’s Nanny Mentor Program and is a frequent consultant and instructor for several nanny agencies.  Tonya has been a speaker at several industry conferences.  She is currently in the final stages of writing her first book and is a proud mommy to her toddler son, Hunter.

 

Lisa Stipe is a professional baby nurse and sleep training expert, with over 20 years of experience with newborns, including premature babies, multiples, and children of celebrities. She attended the University of Arkansas for two years, and graduated from the National Academy of Nannies in Denver, Colorado.  Lisa provides private, in-home consultations, teaching newborn baby care, as well as assessing colic and reflux.   Additionally, she conducts a training class for night nannies.  Lisa appears in a promotional video for the Miracle Blanket, and her work has been recognized in The Arkansas Gazette; Park Cities People (a Dallas-based newspaper); and the book Little Dallas.

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Friday and Saturday Workshops for Agency Owners and Staff

Shameless Self Promotion 
Arnold Sanow, MBA, Professional Speaker, Author of Marketing Boot Camp

This session will provide specific how-to and easy to implement tools, tips and techniques to boost your bottom line…NOW…Specifically you will learn, where to network, what to say and how to follow up; 5 steps to having a winning advertisement; how to get free publicity and create your own PR machine; selling strategies for those who hate to sell; and more.

Dealing With Difficult People  … Understand Others First
Arnold Sanow, Author of Get Along With Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere

 The key to dealing with others and especially with “difficult” people is you must learn to understand others first before having them understand you. To be truly successful with others we need to communicate in the ingredients that others find important and not just what we consider important.  Once you understand this you will become more effective in building cooperation, connections, rapport and relationships.  In addition, you will be much more adept in dealing with “difficult” people and handling everyday challenges.  This is an interactive workshop; you will take part in a communication styles exercise to find your own style but most importantly you will learn how to deal with other styles – both verbally and non-verbally.  You will learn to recognize the weaknesses in the various styles and to use them to build better working and social relationships.  This workshop is recommended for all agency staff members and agency owners that deal directly with clients and nannies.

Key note speaker and workshop leader, Arnold Sanow, MBA, CSP (Certified Speaking Professional) speaker@arnoldsanow.com; www.arnoldsanow.com; 703-255-3133 is the author of 5 books to include the best sellers “Get Along with Anyone, Anytime, Anywhere (even kids)” and “Marketing Boot Camp”.  Mr. Sanow has spoken at other nanny industry conferences, has been a regular contributor to the INA newsletter and has been hired by several nanny agencies to consult with their staff on communication and marketing skills.  He will be conducting the following workshops: For agency attendees: “Shameless Self Promotion” (how to impress clients, nannies and the media) and “Dealing With Difficult People” (a workshop for all front-line agency personal on how to improve business relationships), and for nannies, “6 Ways to Make Everyone Sing Your Praises” how to get positive responses from everyone in your life, including the kids! He will also be leading a round table discussion on best marketing practices.  Mr. Sanow continuously provides his audiences with the tools, inspiration and support they need to help them meet the challenges and changes in life.

“Helping Families Make Great Hiring Decisions”
Guy Maddalone, CEO, GTM Household Employment Experts

The family is pleased, nanny is happy and the children are well cared for – another agency match well made!  This workshop will dispel common hiring myths and help you uncover the secrets you need to know so that you can help families fulfill their hiring expectations.

Guy Maddalone is the founder and CEO of GTM Household Employment Experts, a nationwide leader in household tax, payroll and human resource services.  In addition to GTM, Guy is the founder of Tech Valley Payroll, a payroll service for small businesses with up to 1,000 employees.  Mr. Maddalone is also the author of the recently published and highly acclaimed reference book, How to Hire & Retain Your Household Help… A Household HR Handbook. Mr. Maddalone holds an Accounting Degree from Siena College, is a participant in the MIT Birthing of Giants entrepreneur leadership program and serves as President of the Albany NY Young Entrepreneurs' Organization as well as Treasurer for the Alliance of Professional Nanny Agencies.  With over twenty years of household employment experience, Mr. Maddalone has appeared as an industry expert on WABC-TV, Westchester News 12, Boston TV 23, WTEN-TV and FOX TV; numerous radio shows including the Kojo Nnamdi Show & Ask Heloise Show, and has been written-up in Business Week, Kiplinger’s, Money, the Wall Street Journal and the Westchester Patent Journal.  Guy is also a household help consultant to GE, Textron and other corporations, a member of the USA Today Entrepreneur Panel and has conducted numerous seminars across the country on IRS matters, tax compliance, household payroll taxes, human resources and corporate dependent care.

Agency-Run Training Programs
Barbara Marcus, CEO, Parents in a Pinch, Inc.

Nanny agencies are in the business of promoting the best childcare practices.  That is why they check references and do background checks.  That is why they want to make sure that each candidate has experience, is responsible, reliable, and knowledgeable.  The best agencies know legal, ethical and customer centered business practices, but do they know how to screen nannies based on the actual work they do?  What are the "best childcare practices?" 

Over the years, there have been a number of nanny training programs available to agencies.  In addition, some agencies have invested time and money in developing their own program.  And a large number of agencies have decided that training is a luxury of time and expense that they cannot afford.  Finally some believe or were advised that by providing training, the agency would have increased risk and liability in the event that the trained nanny does something "wrong."

Barbara Marcus, Owner, CEO of Parents in a Pinch, Inc., Professionally screened childcare for home, business and special events, Brookline, MA After 10 years of developing programs for abused children, Barbara became the owner of Parents in a Pinch, Inc, a full service nanny agency (1984). Parents in a Pinch is best known for offering backup childcare to companies as an employee benefit with over 50 companies in 9 states.  What also makes Parents in a Pinch unique is their commitment to training.  Barbara developed KidCare@Home, a computer based nanny-training tool and is using her recent experience as a fellow with the Zero to Three Foundation to develop a Childcare Certificate Program for childcare providers in the Caribbean.

Personality Testing – Bill Traynor & Jodi Resko, Ph.D., Traynor Consulting

Mr. Traynor and Dr. Resko will discuss the effectiveness of testing in the in-home childcare industry.  Assessment tests can reveal the applicant’s attitudes toward drug use, unsafe driving habits, discipline, and even expose their experiences regarding abuse.   Other topics for discussion will include legal issues related to testing and job analysis, the introduction of the Resko Childcare Assessment Test, the development of the Parent / Nanny Compatibility Assessment (PNCA) and its effectiveness in identifying the right parent/nanny “fit.” 
Bill Traynor and Dr. Resko have worked together for over 10 years in the area of test assessment and validation.

Bill Traynor is the founder and president of Traynor Consulting Services and has developed a series of tests that are used specifically for the childcare industry.  He has been working in the area of test development and assessment for over 18 years and has aided in the development of tests that are currently used worldwide for screening high-risk job applicants.  Dr. Jody Resko received her Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the Graduate School & University Center of the City University of New York.  She is a contributor to the development of the childcare series and has worked in the area of test development and research since 1992.

Buying, Selling or Adding On  –
Michael Gerard, Executive Director , Childcare Solutions and The Sitter Cafe  Susan Tokayer, President,  Family Helpers, Inc.

Learn how to increase the value of your agency by firing yourself!  Learn what an agency that earns $40,000 a year would sell for as well as how to value a $400,000 agency.

Susan Tokayer, President and Owner of Family Helpers, Inc. Susan is the owner and president of Family Helpers, Inc, a referral agency of permanent and temporary nannies, babysitters, housekeepers and companions to the elderly.  She has served on the INA Board of Directors since 2001 and currently serves as secretary of the board and chairperson for the Nanny Credential Exam.  Susan has a BS in management from Santa Clara University and a Masters of Social Work degree from Fordham University.  She is the mother of two grown sons and along with her husband resides in Dobbs Ferry, NY.

Michael Gerard, Executive Director, Childcare Solutions and The Sitter Cafe.   After a 20-year career as a sales and marketing executive in the consumer products industry Michael purchased his first nanny agency in 1999. He has since acquired another agency and created The Sitter Cafe, an Internet sitter-search subscription service. Michael has served on the board of directors of the APNA and currently manages the Educational Resources List of the INA. Through his consulting company, The Patio Network, Michael works with companies in a variety of industries to increase revenue generation through asset optimization. He currently resides in Chagrin Falls a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio.

Look Who Has A Lawsuit – Real Stories, Real Agencies
Stephanie Breedlove, President, Breedlove & Associates, LP

Lawsuits and audits are always ugly, and there is always something very valuable to be learned from the outcome of these cases. Come learn of audits and lawsuits in our industry. We will discuss the causes, business practices that can be employed to avoid them, how to comply with the law that governs employment relationships, and, as always we will cover the financial and legal requirements for household employers and employees. 

Stephanie Breedlove, President, Breedlove & Associates, LP Breedlove & Associates is the leading provider of household payroll and tax expertise. The company's dedication to client service and depth of industry knowledge provides unparalleled value and education to clients and agencies.  Our standard service offering includes complete management of the financial relationship: budgeting, payroll, tax reporting, workers’ compensation, health insurance, savings plans, salary negotiation, raises, employment issues and more. Partnering with Breedlove & Associates is like having a financial and legal guide for your clients in-house.    Stephanie Breedlove is founder and partner of Breedlove & Associates. As a leading provider of household payroll and tax services, Breedlove & Associates has been chronicled in Business Week, The New York Times and Kiplinger’s. Stephanie has an undergraduate degree in Finance and an MBA from the University of Texas. She developed an expertise in accounting and information technology during her 6 years with Andersen Consulting in Denver. She founded Breedlove & Associates in 1992 as a result of her own frustration with household employment taxes when she hired a nanny. Stephanie is dedicated to the professionalism of the household industry - she speaks annually at many industry conferences and was on the board of directors for the International Nanny Association for four years.

“Thorough” Background Checking Jim Martin, President, JEC Background Screening

Jim Martin is an expert in background screening and a frequent guest on radio and television programs.  His workshop promises to be entertaining and eye opening.  Mr. Martin will give you the insider's grasp of what background checks really need to be. The session will prove to be a unique learning experience and will separate fact from fiction. Some of the highpoints of his presentation will include: How to avoid negligent hiring lawsuits. What is the only source for criminal records that’s legal for employment purposes? How criminal records are often misses What’s the only source for criminal records that will protect you in court? How some screening companies do what’s best for them.  Not for you. Why you’re legally responsible for your background checks, not the screening company. If you learn all you can about how the criminal records system works you won’t have to trust someone else’s word.  Your business depends on it.

Organized Networking 

This workshop will give attendees an opportunity to interact with one another and be able to discuss in small groups the big issues that face individual nanny agency owners and staff.  The group will be separated by how long they have been in business.  Some topics will be assigned and some will be presented as an open platform. 

If you would like to suggest topics for the group to discuss, please contact Pat Cascio at: pcascio@morningsidenannies.com.

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Friday and Saturday Workshops for Nannies and Educators

Six Ways to Make Everyone Sing Your Praises – Arnold Sanow

Would you like to build strong rapport, healthy relationships and get employers, kids and agencies singing your praises?  Mr. Sanow will teach you about the six key ingredients that you must embrace. The areas we will discuss include building and keeping a positive attitude, being reliable, responsive, credible, having the right appearance and personal presence and the importance of being empathetic

This checklist was developed by the authors to determine if children and families have a solid foundation in place.  The foundation is essential to raising healthy, happy children.  It is also essential for the nanny and child to have a pleasant and productive time together. The checklist includes:  1. Do the children have a consistent routine and schedule? 2.  Are they getting age appropriate amounts of sleep? 3. Does the household have clear and consistent boundaries? 4. Is there time for fun and play each day - (are the children over-scheduled or watching too much TV/computer/video games etc?) 5. Do the children eat a healthy and balanced diet? 

Justine Walsh grew up in England. Her 15-year nanny career has taken her to France, London, and New York, and her success has led to several high-profile positions. Today she cares for the children of Richard Gere and Carey Lowell Gere. Kim Nicholson is an Australian-born nanny who became a full-fledged English nanny in the U.K. After working for several families in London and Australia, she now lives in New York and cares for the sons of photographer Pamela

Fostering Resilience in Difficult Times – Dealing with Death, Divorce & Disaster
Jenni Watts Evans, Parent Educator
Children will be met by adversity throughout their lives.  It may be a social issue at school or a tragedy at home.  When bad things happen, children depend on adults for support and guidance, they count on the adults in their life to model coping skills and to encourage the children to develop these same skills.

Jenni Watts Evans has been involved in the field of Early Childhood Education and Development from many angles.  Beginning in the classroom as a preschool teacher, Jenni moved into advocacy work as a Parent Counselor at Child Care Resources of Agenda For Children helping parents find quality child care and training teachers of young children through the Positive Steps program.  Jenni has also served on the Board of the Greater New Orleans Association for the Education of Young Children and was on the Anti-Bias Education Leadership Project team.  After starting a family of her own and taking a few years to teach in the toddler classroom, Jenni joined the staff at the Parenting Center.  As a Parent Educator, Jenni talks to parents about issues such as toilet training, aggression, separation, dealing with divorce, and more.  Jenni has two children, Reina, 10, and Haley, 8.

Creating an environment that helps children increase their self-esteem. A dynamic workshop for dynamic nannies! 
Greg Young, Author, Professional Speaker
 
In this session you will learn:

• What is the most important part of your job (this will
absolutely astound you - less than 5% of people get this)
• Why children behave differently and how to deal with these differences
• Simple ideas that will add some zest to your life
• Practical ideas on how to help children increase their self-esteem
• Dealing with discipline issues
• Handling sibling jealousy
• Suggested activities that help children
• Youth sports and how to make it a positive activity (no you can't shoot the coach)
• How to get more of what you want and less of what you don't want in life

Greg Young has real life experiences in helping organizations grow, be profitable, and he has first hand knowledge of what works (and what doesn’t work!).  In addition to his business and financial background, his expertise is in understanding human behavior, the dynamics of creating positive change, and getting positive results.  All individuals, organizations, and companies can benefit from having a better understanding of themselves, their employees, and by making positive changes to get better results.  If what you desire involves human behavior, change, and getting positive results, Greg can help you reach your goals.

Greg also offers speeches and workshops on how to help your children develop positive self-esteem by becoming a more aware and effective parent.  He is the author of "What to do if the Stork Didn't Leave Instructions", a book that helps parents form better relationships with their children and raise them with healthy self-esteem. He has presented programs on self-esteem to students from elementary school to high school and is a former teacher of the year, elected school board member, basketball and track coach and Boy Scout Leader.

A well rested baby means a well rested family - Tonya Sakowicz

Need some practical answers and real-life solutions to babies and toddlers with sleep problems? In this workshop, we will examine all the current trends in sleep training, from the family bed to crying it out and everything in-between and then I will share with you the practical application of what really works and what I have learned over the last 20 years of working primarily with newborns and teaching them how to self calm and sleep well. It is not for nothing that my friends and clients jokingly call me "The Sleep Nazi." I will also share with you what I consider to be "The Sleep Bible" when it comes to training babies to sleep and dealing with sleep problems.

Who Rules Your Roost?  The 4 C’s Of Effective Discipline
Michelle LaRowe, 2004 INA Nanny of the Year, Author, INA 1st Vice-President

Whether you are all drill sergeant, all Mary Poppins, or any flavors or combinations of the two, the 4 C's will help most any disciplinary method go down like a spoonful of sugar.  Teaching our charges the "do's and the don’ts" of life is a great responsibility, and as a professional nanny, disciplinarian is one of the most important roles that we play.
Learn how to tackle the toughest of situations - and come out on top (or at least with your head above water) - when the right four ingredients are added to the mix.

Michelle LaRowe has appeared on television and has been featured in print as a career nanny with more than eleven years of nanny experience and as winner of the 2004 International Nanny Association “Nanny of the Year” award. She is the author of several industry publications and of the recently published parenting series, Nanny to the Rescue! Although she holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, Michelle has found her true calling - working as a professional nanny. She is an active member of the nanny community and, serves as Vice President of the International Nanny Association. She is also the founder and president of Boston Area Nannies, Inc. and a member of Christian Nannies.

Additional Workshops Include:
How to Tell When Childhood Problems Are More Than Just A Phase
From Entitlement to Gratitude – Helping Children (and Parents) Understand the Difference

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