This speaker participated in our 2014 Conference. Learn more about our 2023 conference speakers here.
Is The Humanist Institute now an accredited institution? What is it like to attend the Institute? What would I gain from such an experience? Can I take courses online? Does the Institute offer anything for children, parents, families, or groups? The panelists will talk about the new and exciting humanist educational offerings coming out of The Humanist Institute. From expansions of the graduate-level program to what’s available and being planned online, these representatives from the organization will address how humanist education is changing, developing, and becoming more available to individuals across the globe. They will also discuss the unique experience of attending the graduate-level certificate program and how it has been a life changing experience.
Kristin Wintermute (panel moderator)Kristin Wintermute, executive director of the Institute, has B.A. degrees in Psychology and Art Studio from the University of Montana and a Master’s in Social Work from the University of Maine, Orono. She has done post-graduate course work in Business Administration at the University of Minnesota, Carlson School of Management; Web Design at Minneapolis College of Art and Design; and Accounting Certification at North Hennepin Community College. She worked for over seven years as a family therapist in a variety of settings, including private practice, a non-profit clinic for women, and a for-profit health maintenance organization.
Panelists:
Vanessa Gomez BrakeBrake will graduate from The Humanist Institute in August as a member of Class 18. She holds an M.S. from the School for Conflict Analysis & Resolution at George Mason University and Bachelor Degrees in Psychology and Religious Studies from Arizona State University. Since 2008, she has been active in the San Francisco Bay Area as a community educator, peacemaker, and interfaith activist and is currently co-president of the San Francisco Bay Area Humanists.
Kevin WatsonWatson, the marketing and development director for the Institute, has a B.A. in anthropology and criminal justice as well as a certificate of forensic sciences from Hamline University in Saint Paul, Minnesota. He is a graduate of the Institute (Class 17), is studying for his Masters of Nonprofit Management at Hamline, helped found Hamline’s Values in Action Program, and currently serves as the staff advisor for the Hamline Secular Student Alliance. For over eight years, he has worked with nonprofits and small businesses as a marketing, communications, and development professional.
Carol Wintermute, Co-DeanCarol Wintermute, co-dean for the Institute, did her undergraduate work at Denison University in Ohio where she received a Bachelor of Fine Arts. She did post-graduate work in psychology at the University of Minnesota and pursued a career as a family therapist before choosing to be a stay-at-home mother. She is a graduate of the Institute’s first class, co-mentor of Class 8 and past co-president. She currently serves on the board of directors of the Humanist Foundation and the Institute for Humanist Studies.
