ShareThisOur Board of Moms
Saren Eyre Loosli, Executive Director
Saren and her husband, Jared, had five kids in five years which wasn't exactly planned. In fact, Saren has learned that very little about motherhood (or life in general) goes exactly as planned! Despite her control-freakish nature, she's learning to exemplify her name more (Saren comes from the word "serendipity" which means "when, through sagacity, one finds something better than what one planned for").
After growing up all over the place (Washington DC, London, Salt Lake City, Mexico, Japan, Boston), Saren graduated from Wellesley College and Harvard, spent 18 months doing service work in Eastern Europe, conducted regional conferences for educators and designed curriculum for schools and preschools. While motherhood is now her primary pursuit, she also runs some programs at her kids' school and operates a little preschool curriculum company (The Joy School Company) as well as The Power of Moms. Yes, she's a girl who has trouble saying "no." She often struggles with balance but finds joy (and stress!) in being involved in many pursuits that help her make contributions to the larger world as well as her little world at home.
When she's not trying to answer five different needs and questions at once, Saren loves reading and writing as well as traveling, hiking and biking with her family. The Loosli family lived in the San Francisco Bay area for many years and now St George, UT is their home.
For more information, visit Saren's blog: Five Kids in Five Years. For information on what led Saren to The Power of Moms, click here.
April Perry, Executive Director
April is the mother of four children, Alia, Grace, Ethan, and Spencer. She and her husband, Eric, live with their family in Southern California--mainly because April REALLY likes sunshine, and Eric has the philosophy, "Happy wife, happy life." Since receiving her bachelor’s degree in Communications with a minor in Family Science, April has worked to build two websites designed to strengthen families: HusbandHero.com and PowerofMoms.com.
April spends most of each day being “Mommy,” but she also enjoys actively participating in her church, writing, playing the piano, and organizing (clean closets and orderly files are her secret passion). Launching Mind Organization for Moms has been a great outlet, and she loves helping other people feel just as giddy about their system of lists and files.
As a mother, April is working towards achieving greater patience and living more in the moment. She appreciates the sweet, unexpected moments that pop up everyday and make her work worthwhile, but she still feels that motherhood is a lot harder than anyone ever let on. Her hope is that The Power of Moms can help her and other mothers be the best they can be.
To see two great little videos about April, click here. To learn more about what led April to start The Power of Moms, click here. For April's blog, click here.
Allyson Reynolds, Content and Submissions Manager
Allyson is the mother of four children, Kate, Will, Elizabeth, and Rachael. She has lived 27 of her 30 something years in the mid-west (Iowa and Illinois), but has also lived in San Diego, Florida, Utah, Japan and Los Angeles. By the time you read this, she and her husband, Brandon, will have just recently moved from his childhood home near Los Angeles to the rather uncharted terriority of Utah.
Allyson earned a BA in Family Science from Brigham Young University, and met her husband while living in Sendai, Japan as a missionary. When she can get a little "me time" (what's that?) she enjoys reading and blogging, the great outdoors, cooking, digital scrapbooking, getting things done, living like a tourist, and date nights with her husband. Shopping is just about the last thing she would ever want to do with her "me time", and having to keep 4 growing people continuously dressed in weather appropriate clothing has further solidified this position. Her illustrious work career B.C. (before children) included many glamorous jobs such accompanying ballet classes and working at a fish cannery in Alaska. She much prefers the lifestyle and payment method that comes from domestic employment!
Surviving nine years of her husband's medical training in Iowa while raising their first three children provided many award-winning memories such as shoveling snow and cutting grass with a baby on her back, and cleaning out the gutters on the roof of their house while pregnant. For her, the hardest part of motherhood is finding balance - and not just on the roof. She loves being a mom the most when she finds that "sweet spot" between getting things done and letting the less important things go so she can be in the moment before the moment is gone. For her, snuggling up with her kids and a good book is pure bliss. Allyson blogs at: A Day in the Life
Lisa Hawkins, Publication Manager
When Lisa and Brad were first married they lived in Grenada which is in the West Indies. After this hands-on learning experience, the desire to teach their children to respect other cultures and to appreciate the wonderful world they live in has been very strong. Lisa feels completely blessed that they've had the opportunity to take road trips to Mt. Rushmore, hike to volcanoes in Hawaii, and their most recent adventure was going to London and Paris! Lisa feels that right now is a great time for being a mother to Maddie (13) and Sean (10) because of all the wonderful things she can show them and teach them. Her philosophy is that "Life is an adventure and that there's more to the world than just the little city we live in."
Along with traveling, she also loves to plan parties, be a cheerleader for her daughter's performances and help her son achieve his goals in scouting. Even with all the adventures that surround them, Lisa still feels the best part of motherhood is the spontaneous hugs and kisses from her kids.
Lisa juggles working full time and mothering her wonderful kids.
Tiffany Sowby, Best of the Blogs Manager
Mother of five children, ranging in age from 1-11, Tiffany shares a funny Mom Moment: “…while at a local parade, the float carrying the ‘Mother of the Year’ drove by us. My then 8-year old daughter turned to me and said, ‘You’ll never be that, huh Mom?” Eight year-olds--gotta love ‘em!
The person Tiffany credits with who she is today is her “fabulous” husband, Mike. Her very favorite things about motherhood are laughing and biking with her kids as well as the spontaneous “thank you's,” “I love you's” and slobbery kisses she gets from the cutest kids in the world. She's also a big fan of naptime. Her least favorite things about motherhood are temper tantrums, picky eaters and unmade beds.
Tiffany’s favorite quote: “Enjoy the little things in life. For one day you’ll look back and realize they were the big things.” She tries to live by this.
Tiffany lives in Bountiful, Utah and blogs at Our (Most of the Time) Happy Family.
Amber Gillette, Learning Circles Manager
Amber has 4 children, ages 5, 3, 2 and 3 months. She and her family live in southern Utah. She earned her Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering and spent four exciting years as a transportation planner for the Salt Lake Olympic Committee. Amber wasn’t sure she would ever have another job that could top this experience, until she became a mom and realized this new “career path” was the most rewarding, fun (and challenging) experience of her life.
Most of Amber's time is spent playing with her children and taking care of their many different needs. Amber loves to squeeze in some time for playing the piano, reading, sewing and doing digital scrapbooking. After becoming a mom, she discovered several other hidden passions, including photography and teaching.
She and her family love outdoor activities and have learned to appreciate the adventures that come up with little ones in tow (at least some of them). Amber’s favorite quote is taped to her computer. “The work will wait while you show the child the rainbow, but the rainbow will not wait while you do the work.”
Alisha Gale, Content Editor
Alisha Gale lives in the Conejo Valley in California with her husband, three daughters and son. She and her husband met while earning philosophy degrees; he now practices law while she practices patience. She finds that her position as a Power of Moms editor perfectly dovetails her two primary passions: mothering, and ensuring the internet doesn't obliterate proper English grammar and punctuation. She also enjoys reading, ballet, and floral arranging.
Jessica Millar, Backend Content Editor
Currently from Iowa, but headin’ out west for Utah this summer is Jessica Millar. She is the proud mother of 3 children ages 8, 5 and 2. She holds a Master’s of Science Degree in Electrical Engineering and worked in this field for 8 years before “retiring” from engineering and becoming a full-time mom and part-time on-line math professor. She loves the freedom of working from her couch after the kids have gone to bed. Jessica enjoys doing anything crafty, which must be very helpful with her Brownie Girl Scout leader position. Got to keep those 19 crazy 2nd graders busy! She loves to see her children accomplish new things, whether it is her 2nd grader reading novels to her, or her 2 year-old putting plates on the table for dinner, rather than throwing them at his older brother. Her least favorite part of her Mommy role is housekeeping--she thinks she is the world’s worst. Come to my house girl!
Laurie Brooks, Public Relations Editor
Laurie Brooks lives in Orange County, California with her husband John and their three young boys. Her biggest passion is finding new ways to be a better wife and mom. She also enjoys journaling quite a bit. Her parents started a journal for her before she could even write--they would label all of her drawings. The rest is Laurie’s history--literally.
Laurie’s favorite parts of being a mom are the bonding moments she has with her kids when they ask her questions and then actually listen to her answers, and when they talk about their thoughts when they are about to drift off to sleep. Her least favorite part, “hands down,” is administering consequences for broken rules.
Laurie lives in Southern California and has worked in PR for many years.
Koni Smith, Retreat Manager
You will find Koni in the Blue Ridge Mountains of southwestern Virginia, along with her 4 boys and one girl, ranging in age from 4 to 13. Judging from the family photo, her husband must be somewhere in there, too! She is one of those “crazy coupon ladies” and loves to get free products, or even better, loves getting paid to buy them.
Koni’s favorite part of being a mom is hearing her kids laugh. It makes her feel that all is right with the world; that probably comes in handy for dealing with her least favorite part which is the lack of sleep! What has she learned is different about being a mother than what she thought as a child? “I realize now that my mom knew WAY more than I ever gave her credit for.”
Lindsay Ruiz, Question of the Week Co-Manager
Lindsay--mother of three girls ages 5, 3, and 2--lives in Provo, Utah with her husband who she met while attending Brigham Young University. This southern girl from Atlanta, Georgia fell in love on the ballroom dance floor and they both passed on their love of dance to their three girls--apparently the family that cha-chas together, stays together. Lindsay loves being a mother, as long as she’s not “shopping or walking through a parking lot with three kids.” She loves doing crafts and reading with her girls. She never knew how much you could love someone until she had children. She feels that motherhood is the greatest and most rewarding schooling you can get, “if you can survive it!” One of Lindsay’s favorite mottos is by Thomas S. Monson, “Gaze Upward, Look Inward, Reach Outward, and Press Forward.”
Shawnie Sutorius, Content Editor
Shawnie lives in what her husband terms an “estrogen ocean”--in Idaho. She is mother to four daughters ranging in age from 5-13--see what her husband means? Her life is finger nail painting and make up, dress up and tea parties, and fixing lots of hair--oh yes, and plenty of emotion thrown in because we are talking about girls, after all.
After high school, Shawnie spent two summers working at a law firm, loved it and decided she wanted to be an attorney. Then one fateful day, a female attorney rushed into the office late and a bit flustered. She explained she had just dropped off her daughter at daycare with a fever of 102. At that moment, Shawnie knew there was nothing she wanted more than to be a full-time mother. Shawnie graduated from college in Elementary Education and uses her skills daily with her kids. Her favorite things to do include: making photo books online, baking blackberry pies, organizing closets, and public speaking. Her favorite quote is by Cardinal Mermillod: “A mother is she who can take the place of all others but whose place no one else can take.”
Mary Christensen, Content Editor
Mary has a BS in Physical Education with a K-12 teaching emphasis from Brigham Young University. She lives just outside of Boston, Massachusetts and has four children between the ages of 8 and 11 mos. She keeps busy teaching a once-a-week preschool in her home, serving in her church community and being a taxi to her kids. She loves to exercise, quilt, find an excuse to go to the beach, and go on dates with her husband. One of her biggest struggles as a mom has just been getting her children here! Her life as a mother has significantly been influenced by dealing with infertility and the loss of her son, Robert. (Family photo by Rebecca Mudrick at www.darling-art.com)
Chantelle Adams, Family Volunteering Manager
In the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia lives Chantelle Adams, her husband, and three amazing boys, ages 8, 6, and 3. Her passion is educating kids, parents and educators about leading by example, making a difference and living a life based on key values.
Ever since she was a little girl, she has wanted to make a difference in the world and knows that raising three strong, responsible, compassionate boys is helping her to achieve that dream. Her passion for making a difference has led her to found her own company (she works with schools to educate kids about how they can make a difference) and to become involved with The Power of Moms. Giving back in simple ways is one thing that has drawn her family closer and has provided countless moments of joy.
Chantelle says that the 2,290 nights of interrupted sleep, averaging only 5 hours a night, has been the most difficult challenge of motherhood, but the moments that make it all worthwhile are scattered throughout and keep her going. The whispered “I love you, Mom,” the belly-laugh of her three year-old, and those beautiful moments when her children offer to help without even being asked are simple things that truly make life grand. She is grateful to cross paths with other mothers as we “struggle, laugh, cry and enjoy this journey of motherhood.”
Mindy Thurston, Power of Moms Ambassador
Mindy “LOVES being a mom!” She lives with her husband Mike in a small town in central Utah, with their blended family of six kids, ranging in age from 13 to 1. As a child she always wanted a home full of kids….and boy, did she get her wish! While it didn’t happen quite the way she had planned, she has learned much from the challenges she has had in her time as a divorced single mom, and now as a step mom.
It is quite an adventure balancing a full time job (she works at a trucking company) and a house full of kids. Her favorite part of being a mom is watching her kids discover and learn to do new things. She loves the magic of looking at the world through the eyes of her little ones and she wishes doing dishes was as fun for her as it is for them! Shes love hanging out with family and friends, photography, camping, snowboarding, reading a good book, Zumba, family dinners, and anything and everything “crafty”. Mindy is excited to be a part of such a fabulous network of women, promoting something she feels so passionate about and is looking forward to getting to know YOU!
Melanie Vilburn, Power of Moms Ambassador
Melanie, her husband, and their “five silly goslings” ages 12, 10, 8, 5, and 3, live just outside of Tokyo, Japan in a traditional Japanese home. One of her favorite hobbies to do with her “flock” is cutting out paper butterflies, flowers, and winged unicorns to put up as shadow designs for when the moon shines through their sliding paper doors.
She has always dreamt of being a mom. She remembers an argument on the school bus with a fellow student over who was going to have the most children. The number climbed into the billions when the bus driver, who had finally had enough, stopped the bus, turned around and informed them that the bus wouldn’t go another inch until they were silent.
She is grateful that college gave her an opportunity to pursue Family Science (Brigham Young University--Provo, Utah) and she's been able to use her studies as she helps set up community groups for moms and families in Japan.
Anna Jenkins, Author Information Editor, Power of Moms Ambassador
Anna and her husband, Mike, are first-time grandparents, as their oldest daughter recently gave birth to an awesome grandson! Their other daughter is a rising junior in college.
The Almost-Empty Jenkins Nest is located in Davie County, North Carolina--ahhh…small town life--where Anna works for the local Arts Council. Anna’s interest in Power of Moms is to help her to be a good grandmother--any tips will be appreciated! She hopes to help her daughters prepare to be, and become, better mothers by sharing what she is learning from our website--”I really wish I could have had access to this wisdom when I was a young mom.“
De-junking, organizing, going to the beach, and attending Zumba classes are some of her favorite things to do--she also enjoys mowing the grass on her zero-turn mower, which she hopes is the only “hover ’round” she will ever need. She prays for the energy to play with her grandson as often as possible (hence the Zumba classes). Anna loves quotes! One of her favorites is from “The Ten Commandments” movie: “So let it be written, so let it be done!”
Rachelle Price, Pictures Stories Manager
Rachelle Price lives in Northern California with her husband and five children, ages 9, 7, twins 5, and 1. Rachelle is grateful for her Bachelor's Degree in Family Science (Brigham Young University) as it has come in handy, but still wishes kids came with an instruction manual! She has had a photography business, but is not currently shooting. Rather, she's enjoying her little ones while they are still at home.
Her favorite part of being a Mom is the occasional, precious moments of serious connection with her kids-- whether it's a lengthy conversation or giving a sincere compliment, those moments when your child looks in your eyes and you know you've connected are the best!
She has a passion for traditions and rituals that bind families together and identify who we are. Rachelle loves a good project, a thought-provoking book, and being with friends and family. She also enjoys reading, running, entertaining, traveling, and digital scrap booking. Her love of families and photography make her a perfect fit for our Picture Stories Manager.
Rachelle Jones, Brillant Books Manager
Rachelle and her husband have been blessed with five children, three of whom are with them today--their oldest and youngest children passed away as infants. Along with their three teenagers, they live in small farming community in Northern Mexico filled with lots of family and other wonderful people who make their lives very enjoyable. They left corporate America for small town living and a life full of uncertainty as they grow peaches, pecans, chiles, potatoes, pumpkins and children (their most important crop).
The kids are blessed by learning the value of work and continue to learn the principle of faith as they've had to cling together as a family in the face of many challenges--infertility, loss of loved ones and the extreme insecurity of their locale. They do love their life, however, and feel blessed to live where they do.
In addition to the work involved in farm life, there are moments to laugh, or cry, depending on your perspective. One time they left their son at a food stand when they suddenly changed their minds about where to eat. They thought that he was in the truck with them, but no. Luckily their town is small so when the local police heard him screaming they picked him up and brought him right to them--only a block away. In spite of that experience, Rachelle says he has turned out to be an exceptional young man. Kids are pretty resilient and no moms are perfect!
Rachelle’s biggest passion is her family--”the good, the bad, and the downright ugly!” Her favorite quote? “Fill up…Go on…and pray again!”
Mary Croxford, Values Manager
Mary loves kids and always knew she wanted to be mother to a big family. She married her high school sweetie, Bryce, after he served a two-year Church mission. They reside in Highland, Utah. Their first three children are ages 26, 22 (daughters) and 13 (son). Originally resolving to have a smaller family, they learned that plans are rarely realized in the way we make them. They do, however, turn out better than expected.
Nine years after their son was born they were blessed with twin sons, followed about a year later by another daughter, and then their little daughter caboose 2 years later. To recap, the kids are ages 26, 22, 13, 4, 4, 2 and 1! Mary is also blessed to be "Grammy “ to 3 grandsons with another grandbaby on the way. She has worked with children and youth most of her adult life through church and school involvement, including stints in preschool. Her #1 passion is family, but she also enjoys the outdoors, composing music, and a new growing passion for photography.
Her least favorite part of motherhood is not being able to get enough sleep due to the challenge of juggling many demands and schedules. The best part is being rewarded with notes, pictures, hugs & kisses, service, one-on-one talks, and friendship. Motherhood has far exceeded her expectations and she never realized the depth of emotion that would be involved. Her favorite quote? “Live life in crescendo!”
Rachelle Heywood, Contest Manager/Trainer
Rachelle loves chasing three rambunctious--yet very cute--kids around their home in Mesa, Arizona. Her boys are five and three, and her daughter is one. Although she enjoys all of that running around, she does look forward to date nights with her husband Chad. As a licensed cosmetologist, Rachelle enjoys coaxing innocent bystanders into her chair in order to enjoy some adult conversation. She does worry about the day when one of her kids decides to play hairdresser and takes a pair of scissors to someone else's hair. Won't that make a great photo opportunity? As a young girl, Rachelle often dreamed of endless days of laughing and playing with her kids. While she does enjoy doing just that, she never anticipated that so many other responsibilities were a part of the Mom job description. Rachelle’s favorite part of Motherhood is hearing her kids giggle, being smothered with hugs and kisses, and hearing them say “Mom, I love you really much!” These pleasures make the messes, smelly diapers and whining all worthwhile. Rachelle feels like there is nothing more important or rewarding for her, than helping to raise the next generation. She has a strong desire to help mothers find joy and satisfaction in their role. This is what gave her the desire to become a part of the Power of Moms.
Megan Stewart, Values Manager
Megan is the mother of two boys ages 4 and 3 and is about to become a mommy again any minute! She and her husband, Wes, currently reside in Eagle Mountain, UT. A full-time stay-at-home Mommy, Megan also sells jewelry part time. She loves to rock climb and bike as often as she can. She enjoys anything domestic--from decorating to knitting to gardening to cooking-- but her greatest joy is her family. Not only does she have her little youngsters to raise, she is the oldest of seven children--five of whom still live at home with mom, four being the same ages as her own kids. She never dreamed she’d be mothering alongside her own mother, but she feels so blessed and lucky to soak in the wisdom and love from her own mother, who lives close by, every day. She has a passion for teaching and playing with and cuddling her kids and siblings, and is excited to be on the Power of Moms board drawing ideas from women and moms everywhere.
Camille Pack, Public Relations
Camille, her husband Craig, their three boys and two girls (ages 13, 12, 9, 6 and 3) are always on the move with his Air Force career and have lived all across the USA, and in Japan and England--they are moving to Texas right now! Camille loves and seeks adventure. At 15 she taught kayaking and whitewater rafting at a high adventure camp. She holds an Associate Degree in Recreation Education and is only a year away from completing her Bachelor of Science in Communications. Her greatest and grandest adventure, however, is motherhood. Camille loves to sing and feels a powerful connection to God when she does. She loves to create through cooking and sewing, loves to hike, swim and take bike rides with her kids. Her favorite part of being a mom is “pay day”--the times when she sees her kids laughing and having fun together, or accomplishing a difficult task. Her least favorite part is the heartache she feels when her children are sad or hurt. As a young girl she dreamed up all her kids’ names, where they would live and never imagined a day without sunshine. None of those dreams came true, but she got something much better, more realistic and more satisfying. The “sad days are much sadder than I expected and the happy days are much happier than I imagined.” Camille’s favorite quote is by C. S. Lewis: “The homemaker has the ultimate career. All other careers exist for one purpose only- and that is to support this ultimate career.”
Hilary Erickson, Power of Moms Ambassador
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