MEET OUR TEAM

Left to Right:  Standing-Dellena Carson, Tonya Robinson, Jane Conn,  Gail Reese.  Sitting-Catherine Wood, Debbie Everett, Imogene Bowers, Bonnie Hailey, Cheryl Mahoney, Melanie Howell

Melanie Howell, President of AEN, Inc.  

Melanie has been President of AEN since July 1997.  She also serves as the Director of the ODH Grant.  Melanie enjoys the planning and implementing of new strategies that will reach teens, parents, and professionals with the abstinence message.  The success stories give new vitality to the vision of having every Ohio student hearing and choosing, primarily or secondarily, to remain sexually pure until marriage.

Bonnie Hailey, Peer Life Seminar Trainer

Bonnie conducts Peer Life Seminars throughout the state of Ohio, for the Ohio Department of Health through AEN's Title V Grant.  She also travels throughout the Midwest presenting these seminars for other contracting organizations.  The Peer Life Seminars train, support, and encourage teenagers to continue in healthy life choices through the avenues of character development, role play, and training in abstaining from high-risk behaviors.  Having worked with teenagers and their parents most of her career life, Bonnie has a passion to pass life-giving truth on to the next generations.  She believes that AEN and agencies like it are affecting the overall well-being of the soul of America.

Imogene Bowers, Parent Coordinator and Regional Coordinator, Cincinnati

As Parent Coordinator, Imogene's role is to educate parents on how to help their children postpone sexual activity, achieve emotional security and maximum self-esteem, and stay healthy until marriage.  She has completed Parent Training sessions in Cleveland, Toledo, and Cincinnati in 2001.  Imogene's favorite aspect of her vocation is the eye-opening response from the parents when they realize the vast amount of information given on relationships and STD's.  Her vision and passion lies in the desire to reach the elementary age students, from Kindergarten through 6th grade.  Here the parents' involvement is crucial, and the interest in their children's development at this level is so high.  This could equip the parents and the children to handle the years ahead with wisdom and solid information.

Catherine Wood, Regional Coordinator, Columbus

Catherine's tasks and accomplishments with AEN include:  Ron Johnson Seminars (marriage component, 2000), Lakita Garth Assemblies (a total of 12, 5 for AEN, February 2000 and February 2001), Student mentoring (April/May 2000 and 2001), development of Power Team Materials for Mentoring, Integrity Award 2001, providing Library of Abstinence Materials for schools and individuals, Peer Life Seminars (2000/2001).

Jane Conn, Administrative Assistant and Director of Development

As a part-time Administrative Assistant, Jane oversees the book-keeping, bill-paying and general correspondence for AEN.  She also enjoys promoting AEN's mission and future growth through fund-raisers, community exhibits, and through designing promotional materials.  Jane's vision is to see AEN break beyond state-wide boundaries and expand to a nation-wide coalition, which would spread the truth of abstinence until marriage from coast to coast.

Gail Reese,  Regional Coordinator, Cleveland

As a regional coordinator for the Cleveland area, Gail enjoys working together with adults (educators, parents, and youth workers) of various organizations, churches, etc. to pool resources to increase youth and adult awareness about the importance of  the abstinence message.  Together, using character-based education, they help with prevention, as well as helping students over-come negative choices that they have already made.  Gail's favorite aspect of responsibility has been mentoring.  She has seen this process help students to re-direct their behavior, to change their lives in a positive way.  Through the mentoring, students also develop a willingness to share their stories with their peers and adults.  The mentoring role has been possible in large part due to the Peer Counseling sessions and guest speakers that Gail has facilitated in the Cleveland area.

Debra Everett, Regional Coordinator, Toledo

Through her position, Debra has had the opportunity to reach the full audience with the abstinence message.  Starting with the school administrators, the counselors, the teachers, down to the students and their parents, and the professionals, too.  All have heard about the power of abstinence through AEN's "full service" program.  It is evident to Debra that reaching each group is the strength of a successful abstinence program, and she is grateful to be a part of this organization.

Cheryl Mahoney,  Regional Coordinator, Dayton

The highlight of working with AEN for Cheryl is the support and encouragement given by her co-workers.  AEN is more than a job for her; it is a family, a passion, a vision for the future.   Cheryl's experiences as Regional Coordinator inspire her to further challenge today's youth to aim high and seek the best.  For them, we should not settle for less.