PROFILE OF IRENE VAN DER ZANDE
CO-FOUNDER AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
Irene van der Zande is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International. From the beginning, Irene has led the development of the programs, creation of the curriculum, establishment of centers and training of instructors. She is the author of most of the program materials and publications.
Working in conjunction with experts in the fields of public health, violence prevention, mental health, law enforcement, child safety, education and the martial arts, Irene has developed and taught self-protection, boundary-setting, self-defense, harassment prevention, advocacy, and confidence-building workshops for thousands of children, teenagers, adults, and people of all ages as well as trained others in how to lead these workshops. She has extensive experience adapting these services to meet the special needs of people with different abilities and/or facing challenging life circumstances.
In addition to her work with Kidpower, Irene has extensive experience in providing management, facilitation, program development, and resource development to a wide range of nonprofit organizations, with a special focus on children's, women’s, and health issues. Irene graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles, in June 1969, with a degree in Psychology and is a member of Phi Beta Kappa. She received her initial training as a VISTA Volunteer, setting up services on Indian Reservations and in small towns in Iowa and Nebraska, and training other volunteers to work in both inner city barrios and rural communities. Her background includes thirty years of serving as Executive Director or Management Consultant with a wide variety of non-profits and conducting strategic planning, program development and grant writing seminars.
Irene has authored various books in the educational and child development field. The Parent/Toddler Group: A Model of Effective Intervention to Facilitate Normal Growth and Development, published by Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, is used as a textbook for medical, mental health and child care professionals. 1,2.3...The Toddler Years: A Guide for Parents and Caregivers is used as an early childhood education textbook in colleges around the United Sates. Irene has also written numerous articles and training manuals on the teaching of self protection skills including the KIDPOWER Book for Caring Adults and the Comprehensive Program Manuals, Teaching Kits, and Comic Books for Kidpower and for Teenpower/Fullpower.
Irene is an engaging and dynamic speaker, capable of drawing large audiences into interactive participation in effective, practical and fun self-esteem, self confidence and personal self protection skill building practices “on the spot”, even within the constraints of a standard conference set-up. Her presentations range from one-on-one meetings to facilitation of panel discussions to leading large group sessions in applying self protection concepts and turning them into skills though experiential role plays, to being the keynote speaker at major events.
Irene is tremendously committed to helping make the world a better place for everyone. Her vision is to create an international community of leaders who will help as many people as possible in their own communities learn skills to protect themselves from emotional and physical violence and abuse.
A Health Scare and 60th Birthday Wish: A Letter from Irene
TIMOTHY DUNPHY: CO-FOUNDER
Timothy Dunphy is the other Co-founder of Kidpower and has contributed greatly to the program development over the years through his expertise, commitment and creativity.
Timothy is recognized by the World Taekwondo Federation as a Master Instructor and holds a 6th degree black belt. Before retiring from competition, Master Dunphy was an International, National, and California State Gold Medalist in both Traditional and Creative forms.
In addition, he is a Reiki Master and is internationally known and travels the world with his Chi Aura Integration energy work.
ELLEN BASS: FOUNDING BOARD PRESIDENT
Ellen Bass is the Founding Board President of Kidpower Teenpower Fullpower International and has provided ongoing support for the organization since it began. In her professional life, Ellen is an award winning author of both fiction and non-fiction books including her most recent book of poetry, Mules of Love, which is the winner of the 2002 Lambda Literary Award for Poetry. Ellen co-edited has also the groundbreaking book, No More Masks!: An Anthology of Poems by Women and has published four previous volumes of poetry, I’m Not Your Laughing Daughter, Of Separateness and Merging, For Earthly Survival, and Our Stunning Harvest.
Her non-fiction books include I Never Told Anyone: Writings By Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, Free Your Mind: The Book for Gay, Lesbian, And Bisexual Youth--And Their Allies, and The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse, which has sold over a million copies and been translated into ten languages.
