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Meriflor Toneatto MSc, MCC, PhD candidate
Founder & CEO
Meriflor Toneatto is an award-winning leadership and coaching executive, credentialed coach, mentor, author and entrepreneur. Founding the Institute of Positive Psychology Coaching (IPPC) is an extension of Meriflor’s desire to contribute to the advancement of the coaching profession with the motto to ‘Do Good & Prosper’.
Meriflor Toneatto, MSc, MCC, PhD candidate
Toronto, Canada
Founder and CEO
IPPC Faculty Member
Course Instructor and scope:
Foundations in Positive Psychology Coaching and Evidence-Based Practicum
Education and credentials
Meriflor Toneatto is an award-winning leadership and coaching executive, Master Certified Coach, mentor, author and entrepreneur. Founding the Institute of Positive Psychology Coaching (IPPC) is an extension of Meriflor’s desire to contribute to the advancement of the coaching profession with the motto to ‘Do Good & Prosper’.
After a successful 15-year career in the public sector in Canada with involvement in major policy initiatives and legislation for social impact, human rights and health promotion, Meriflor took a leap of faith and shifted her focus to her personal passion: coaching and transforming lives coaching and transforming lives through the evidence-based positive psychology coaching approach that IPPC teaches and promotes. Her work spans across a diverse audience and industries from executive, life, business, entrepreneurial and book coaching to women’s empowerment.
She is the author of Money, Manifestation & Miracles: A Guide to Transforming Women’s Relationships with Money, which has now empowered thousands of women across five continents.
Some things that inspire Meriflor are unlocking and maximizing human potential, generosity, and using one’s talents and energy to make the world a better place.
Fun fact: Meriflor once represented herself as her own literary agent when she could not find one – then she became one herself!
Favourite quote: “Go confidently in the direction of your dreams! Live the life you have imagined.” — Henry David Thoreau
Alison Bishop PhD, MSc.
Instructor
Alison is an educator and researcher on resilience and is also a research supervisor in the Masters of Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology (MAPPCP) program.
Alison Bishop PhD, MSc.
Ipswich Suffolk, UK
IPPC Faculty Member
Course(s) and scope: Positive Psychology Coaching for Enhancing Resilience (with focus on the four stages of resilience)
Education and credentials
Alison is an educator and researcher on resilience and is also a research supervisor in the Master of Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology (MAPPCP) program at the University of East London. On top of being a certified counsellor, she is also a coach and graduate of the MAPPCP program. Alison has presented her research findings on resilience, hope, and optimism at several industry conferences. She is most inspired by the courage that people have to share their challenges and change their lives. Alison truly lives out the philosophies of positive psychology, and both the people around her and those she helps clearly see the impact and difference it has made to her own life.
Fun fact: Alison has a dog named Hugo who doesn’t realise he is a dog. He thinks he is human so it’s hilarious when he tries to speak!
Favorite quote: “We ask ourselves, ‘Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?’ Actually, who are you not to be?… and as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same..” — Marianne Williamson
Lindsay Foreman PhD, MSc.
Instructor
Lindsay is a leadership and executive coach, doctoral candidate in Coaching & Mentoring, a researcher on goal attainment and strengths, and a leadership and executive coach.
Lindsay Foreman, PhD, MSc.
Granada, Spain
IPPC Faculty Member
Course(s) and scope: Positive Psychology Coaching and the Strengths-Based Approach, facilitating group supervision for students at the Certification Level
Education and credentials
Lindsay is a leadership and executive coach, doctoral PhD. in Coaching & Mentoring, a researcher on goal attainment and strengths, and a leadership and executive coach based in Spain. An award-winning business consultant in outsourcing and transformation, Lindsay has made Positive Psychology a mainstay in her life since 2011. She completed her MAPPCP degree by designing and testing a Positive Psychology board game called The Game Changer, which transformed the way she engaged her clients. Lindsay has consulted for corporate leadership teams in large global organizations such as IBM and SITA, and has worked in Spain, US, Italy, France, Ireland and the UK, where she was part of the team that led the UK air transport community recovery program after 9/11. She currently has her ideal work-life balance, enjoying sunbathing on the coast of Spain, skiing up mountains, and training for Ironman Austria 2021.
Fun fact: Lindsay won a karaoke competition when she was 18.
Favorite quote: “Whether you think you can, or whether you think you can’t, you are right!” — Henry Ford
Adrienne O’Hare
Instructor
Adrienne has held senior management roles in telecommunications and consulting organizations including Franklin Covey Europe.
Adrienne O’Hare, CPsychol, MSc, MPsSI, MCIPD, MSc (MAPPCP), BSc (Psych)
Dublin, Ireland
Coaching Supervisor
Education and credentials
With over 20 years of proven experience in delivering coaching, learning, development and human resources solutions in multinational companies, Adrienne has held senior management roles in telecommunications and consulting organizations including Franklin Covey Europe. She has been engaged as a coach, mentor, and advisor for executive teams and boards navigating organizational change, in areas ranging from flourishing, leadership, management development, to personal effectiveness, balance, conflict and change management, and team development. Her expertise in and passion for maximizing performance in people and organizations has helped her build and maintain lasting relationships with her clients, as well as found and run her own training and development, and coaching businesses.
Fun fact: Adrienne is terrified of heights – and yet she loves to ski.
Favourite quote: “Just Do It.” — Nike slogan
Dr. Tony Toneatto
Instructor
Tony has 35 years of experience as clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, psychotherapist and educator.
Dr. Tony Toneatto, PhD., CPsych., FIPA
Toronto, Canada
IPPC Faculty Member
Course(s) and scope: Positive Psychology Coaching and Mindfulness
Education and credentials
Tony has 35 years of experience as clinical psychologist, psychoanalyst, psychotherapist and educator. He is on the Faculty of the Masters of Pastoral Studies (Buddhism) at Emmanuel College at the University of Toronto, and teaches several courses on Buddhism and Psychology. He recently concluded his 17-year tenure as the Director of the Buddhism, Psychology and Mental Health undergraduate program at the University of Toronto, which was devoted to the convergence of Buddhist and Western psychology from 2007-2020. He spent 23 years at the Centre of Addiction and Mental Health in Toronto as a clinical research scientist studying addictions. Tony has published 120+ peer-reviewed articles and contributed to chapters for books in the areas of substance addiction, pathological gambling, and mindfulness meditation. Tony has practiced mindfulness and meditation for over 30 years and once had an audience with the Dalai Lama. Tony is also a trained Co-Active Professional Coach.
Favourite book: Full Catastrophe Living by Jon Kabat-Zinn
Favourite quote: “What do you consider the most humane? To spare someone shame. What is the seal of liberation? To no longer be ashamed in front of oneself.” — Friedrich Nietzsche
Dr. Sok-Ho Trinh
Instructor
Sok-ho is a Passionologist, educator, research, speaker, and global-minded business leader.
Dr. Sok-ho Trinh, PhD., MBA, MSc., BSc., CPCC, PGCTLHE, FHEA
London, UK
IPPC Faculty Member
Course(s) and scope: Positive Psychology Coaching for Positive Leadership, Positive Psychology Coaching and Building a Meaningful Life
Education and credentials
Sok-ho is a Passionologist, educator, research, speaker, and global-minded business leader. Inspired by humanistic values inherited from his parents and siblings who survived the Cambodian genocide, Sok-ho founded the Institute of Passion, a wellbeing and cross-disciplinary scientific institute; Mr Passion, a Positive Psychology Coaching and human capital development practice; and launched the Passionology movement to unleash people’s purpose and passion through social and behavoural sciences. In addition to 15 years in global organizations in senior roles in retail and consumer analytics and as an entrepreneur, Sok-ho is a Certified Professional Co-Active Coach (CPCC) and a past instructor of the MAPPCP program. He also served as an advisory board member and mentor to social enterprises. His own passions include music, travel, good food, and discovering cultures, minds, and people.
Fun fact: Sok-ho can speak 8 languages, is a professional performing artist, and has travelled to over 75 countries collecting thousands of faces as a humanist photographer.
Favorite quote: “Everything can be taken from a man but one thing: the last of the human freedoms—to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” — Viktor Frankl
Petra Walker
Instructor
Petra is a Chartered Coaching Psychologist, speaker and writer, specialising in Positive Psychology Coaching.
Petra Walker, CPsychol, MA(Oxon), MSc. Psych, MSc (MAPPCP)
Devon, UK
IPPC Faculty Member
Course(s) and scope: The Science of Wellbeing for Positive Psychology Coaching, Program Coordinator.
Education and credentials
Petra’s coaching journey began in Hong Kong in 2006, and she has since worked in South Korea, Kuwait, Poland, and Dubai. She is a researcher, writer and speaker. She has published her research on Post Traumatic Growth, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and Scuba diving and presented it at several international positive psychology conferences. She also co-authored a chapter on posttraumatic growth and adventure in a forthcoming text book on Adventure.
As well as running her private practice, and being the IPPC Programme and Assessment Coordinator, Petra is also an Associate Coach with NEO Leaders at INSEAD, the Business School for the World.
The most rewarding part of her professional life is when she sees a message from a client saying “Thanks, I did it!”
Fun fact: Petra is an Advanced Instructor for the British Sub Aqua Club, and is one of the instructors on their online courses.
Favourite quote: “She believed she could, so she did.” — R.S. Grey
Peter Balint
LMS Developer & Technical Support
Peter is the lead LMS developer for the IPPC. He provides an exceptional level of technical support for the entire organisation.
Peter Balint
Szeged, Hungary
LMS developer and technical support
Peter is the lead LMS developer for the IPPC. He provides an exceptional level of technical support for the entire organisation. From the doorsteps of an academic career, through market stall trading to web development, Peter’s professional life has been full of amazing twists and turns. Since 2013, he has been helping online businesses and start-ups – initially as a virtual assistant, and more recently as a freelance front-end developer. Originally from Hungary, Peter speaks a number of languages, including English, German and Hungarian. As a result, he has worked across Europe in countries including the UK, Germany, Denmark and Hungary.
Favourite book: 1984 by George Orwell
Favourite quote: “Know yourself.” ― Socrates
Aoife Mollin
Corporate Trainer
As a career and leadership coach, Aoife helps managers thrive professionally to raise confidence and reduce stress so they can also flourish in their personal lives.
Aoife Mollin, MSc., ACC (ICF)
Dublin, Ireland
Coach
Education and credentials
· Master of Science in Applied Positive Psychology and Coaching Psychology
· ICF Member (PCC in progress)
· EMCC Member
As a career and leadership coach, Aoife helps managers thrive professionally to raise confidence and reduce stress so they can also flourish in their personal lives. Aoife is intentional about using evidence-based coaching principles to further enhance her coaching abilities by combining them with a strengths-based approach. Her strong listening skills served her well as a change management consultant, and she supplemented them by building strong questioning skills during her coaching training, which focused on the neuroscience behind change and helping clients develop their self-awareness. As a 2016 ICF Coach of the Year finalist, Aoife is inspired by wanting to change the corporate world and its leaders to be more focused on people and sustainability.
Favourite book: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl
Favourite quote: “Be kind; everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle.”
Charlotte Perrins
Marketing Automation & Operations Manager
Charlotte is a self-made entrepreneur of 8 years who is a CRM automation expert and trainer, and certified in Google Analytics.
Charlotte Perrins
West Midlands, UK
Marketing Automation & Project Coordinator
Charlotte is a self-made entrepreneur of 8 years who is a CRM automation expert and trainer, and certified in Google Analytics. She has supported many businesses with e-commerce, email marketing and automation, as well as building membership sites and sales funnels. She began her career in the food industry, where she quickly became a field sales executive with the company’s largest customer base and gross revenue. A lifelong learner who loves practical hands-on learning, Charlotte is a mother to three lovely and active children – all under 8 years-old.
Fun fact: Charlotte is an excellent cocktail maker.
Favourite quote: “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.” –– Dolly Parton
Paul Sanders
Sales & Marketing Strategist
Paul helps educators grow their company while creating value and impact.
Paul’s interest in entrepreneurship began at the age of 15. After receiving a Bachelor of Business Finance degree, he started his career in Hedge Fund Management. He quickly realized that entrepreneurship and business building in financial education was his right path.
While working with fledgling start up, Paul discovered the key to rapid business growth – the art of creating a valuable offer, which he applied to help transform the startup’s sustained success. Today, Paul helps educators grow their company while creating value and impact. He is passionate about the psychology of human interaction and applies this into business, sales and marketing.
Fun fact: Paul survived parachute failure while skydiving.
Favorite quote: To strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield. By Alfred, Lord Tennyson
Sanna Välttilä-Wit
Student Success Coordinator
As a Student success co-ordinator, Sanna uses her considerable knowledge and expertise to help the students of the IPPC to get most out of their studies.
Sanna Välttilä-Wit, M.Sc.
Netherlands
Student Success Co-ordinator
Education and Credentials (click for more)
As a Student success co-ordinator, Sanna uses her considerable knowledge and expertise to help the students of the IPPC to get most out of their studies. Originally from Finland, Sanna now lives in the Netherlands and next to IPPC works as mental wellbeing coach. She speaks fluent English, Finnish and Dutch – and is competent in Portuguese, Spanish and French. Sanna finds inspiration from the people she works with, no matter the industry. She especially enjoys working with those from different cultural backgrounds, as different worldviews act to enhance her own experience of the world. Her top character strength is love of learning and she is at her happiest when learning new things and teaching them to others.
Fun Fact: Sanna is known to family and friends as the “knitting machine” as she keeps them stocked with colourful unique wollen socks.
Favorite quote: “Only the development of compassion and understanding for others can bring us the tranquility and happiness we all seek.” Dalai Lama
CJ (Comet Junior)
Chief Happiness Officer
CJ's super power is the gift of love, lifting spirits and bringing good cheer and happiness to all he meets.
CJ
Toronto, Canada
Chief Happiness Officer (HPO)
CJ is a 9-month old English Cream Golden Retriever. He is named after his late brother, Comet, the IPPC’s first CHO. He has boundless energy from dawn to dusk. CJ’s super power is love and friendship. His smile lifts spirits and brings joy to all he meets.
Fun fact: CJ loves a car ride and resting his chin on the window while watching the scenery.
Favourite Hobbies: Playing fetch, treats, and chewing on anything and everything.
Kimberley Wakefield
Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships
Kimberley has been a leadership coach for the past 5 years, and has 10 years of executive experience in marketing, sales, and brand management.
Kimberley Wakefield, M.Sc.
Toronto, Canada
Vice President, Business Development & Strategic Partnerships
Education and Credentials
Kimberley has been a leadership coach for the past 5 years, and has 10 years of executive experience in marketing, sales, and brand management for companies ranging from large multinationals, (Unilever), privately owned companies and non-profit organizations, to small entrepreneurial ventures. Politically minded and driven, Kimberley has worked on a number of federal and provincial political campaigns and lobby groups, as well as held numerous board positions for political parties. She received an Award of Distinction for her MAPP and dissertation during her academic career, and held the position of Communications Chair for the Canadian Positive Psychology Association. Kimberley thrives on co-creating new and more-positive realities for her clients and forging deeper connections to see hope, change, and growth.
Fun fact: Kimberley is a “darn good cook”, belongs to a Women’s Soccer League, takes adult Hip Hop classes, and has been involved in political campaigns for the last 10 years.
Favourite quote: “Be just and fear not.” — Henry Alford
Caley Walsh
Web Designer
A self-educated entrepreneur, Caley began her business over 17 years ago and has been building websites for over 15 years.
Caley Walsh
Barrie, Canada
Webmaster and LMS Developer
A self-educated entrepreneur, Caley began her business over 17 years ago and has been building websites for over 15 years. She has successfully launched 200+ websites including 3 for the founder of IPPC. In addition to being the webmaster for many clients, she is also raising and moulding two incredible, smart and successful children on her own. She is inspired by fellow entrepreneurs who bring their vision to life with little more than just an idea.
Fun fact: Caley is an avid renovator and loves DIY projects. In another life, she would love to renovate and flip houses.
Favorite quote: “Not all those who wander are lost.” ― J.R.R. Tolkien
The IPPC offers ICF-accredited, evidence-based, advanced training and business development leading to a diploma and designation as a Certified Applied Positive Psychology Coach (CAPPC).
The IPPC. We’re your next step.
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