Morning Seminar Bios

Deanna Collins is co-founder of JDDesigns, and leads design and marketing operations for this start-up company and its premiere brand, The Gratitude Collection. She plans to guide the business toward a collection of inspirational consumer products.

Three years ago, Deanna embarked down several complementary paths to expand her education and experience in the arts. She studied jewelry design, learning stringing techniques, stitching and metalwork. She also pursued her passion for creating beautiful living and working spaces, and trained to become a professional Interior Decorator where she met and befriended Judy Yablonski. Deanna completed advanced studies in the principals of design and project management, and the teachings of Mary Gilliatt, the world-renowned British interior designer. During the six years prior, Deanna was a decorative artist, certified with the Donna Dewberry organization. She is a One-Stroke Certified Instructor and Wall and Furniture decorative painting specialist. Deanna exhibited at many juried shows and was selected to create a prominent public art display in Oxford.

After earning a BA in Communications from Marist College in Poughkeepsie, New York, Deanna joined a Westport, Conn., ad agency where she advanced to the position of Media Director. She managed extensive media budgets and worked closely with the media to effectively represent clients.  During five years with the agency, she did extensive event, meeting and public relations support work.

Cheryl Grayson is a Development Consultant with over 20 years consulting experience in the following industries:  Insurance, Financial Services, Pharmaceuticals, “Dot Com,” Entertainment, Accounting, and Education.

Cheryl takes pride in designing learning that is engaging, relevant, thought-provoking, and fun to help participants ultimately achieve the expected goals of her programs.  She has designed hundreds of modules; all to increase the participants’ personal effectiveness.  Program titles designed or facilitated by Cheryl include:  Diversity and Inclusion, Positive Power and Influence, Effective Presentation Skills, Building High Performing Teams, Leading Change and Transitions, and MBTI.

Wilbur Pike’s career in the field of human development spans more than 30 years. He has worked internally in the field of social services at the YMCA, in manufacturing, finance, and insurance. As an independent consultant his work has taken him through hundreds of assignments with companies all over the world.

Wilbur’s academic background includes an undergraduate degree in Secondary Education and an MA in Organizational Psychology. He has devoted much of his professional career to the study and practice of effective management behaviors as well as within the broad field of interpersonal effectiveness.

In 1995, Wilbur published Leading the Transition, a book focusing on the leadership requirements needed to complete a transition from traditional hierarchical organizational structure to one of team based decision-making. A second book on the topic of transition management is expected in 2008.

Currently he is employed by the Hartford Insurance Group as a Senior Educational Consultant. He has also maintained a private practice in management training for 25 years.

Anita White Barbero has been a dedicated health and fitness professional for over twenty years. She is a certified Kripalu Yoga teacher and certified to teach Latin style Zumba dance. Anita stays on the cutting edge of implementing healthy living to as many people as she can reach out to. Her specialties are personal training, group instruction, exercise rehabilitation, spiritual rejuvenation and lecturing on those topics of healthy living through lifestyle changes.

Anita ran her own business, Renew You, (www.renewwithanita.com) for 10 years where she developed the Anita White Workout, teaching aerobic and fitness classes to adults and children. Just recently Anita designed and trademarked her specialty class called Strength & Spirit™. A certified Kripalu Yoga teacher in 2006, Anita continues to teach her passion to corporations such as ESPN and local communities around Connecticut.  Her newly refound passion is a live drum-dance class, which she teaches with The Sounds of Afrika.

Sasha ZeBryk show people how to  be remembered, recalled and referred.  She turns people into instant authors of tips booklets in 70 to 90 days.

President of SashaSpeaks Seminars, Sasha earned a BA in English, A Business Woman of the Year award in Massachusetts & served on the Board of Directors of the New England National Speaker’s Association for two years, receiving the President’s Award & chaired the Great New England NSA Auction.  She has helped thousands of professionals boost their business and their industry reputation with speaking, networking and self-marketing skills.  Clients include- MassMutual Financial, Seacoast National Bank, Hasbro Games & Disney.

Sasha is the author of Remarkable Women, NetWork the Room like a PRO & How to Give a Talk-People Talk About-93 Ways to Hook ‘em, Book ‘em & Keep ‘em.   As an executive speech coach since 1996, Sasha teaches business owners, CEO’s, managers, politicians and PhD’s….how to give talks- people talk about!