Meet the P&K Team

Robin Lorenzen, Publisher

  Hometown: Medway   Kids: Daughters ages 10 & 6  

Former life: I’ve always packed my schedule full of sports, clubs and activities. I always had to have something to do. That hasn’t changed.

 

Current life: Professional multi-tasker, queen of schedule coordination and skilled juggler of meetings, emails and kids activities. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

 

Secret confession: I sleep with the television on (all night). It’s the only thing that can take my mind off of our crazy lives.

  Hobbies: Running, working out, some day I’ll build a family website.   Last book I read: “Gone Baby Gone”, Dennis Lehane.  

Favorite family meal: We have pizza every Friday night. It’s the only thing we can all agree on (most of the time).

 

What I would do if I had an extra hour every day: Only one? 

 

Professional background: After graduating from Framingham State College with a degree in English, I was a freelance sports stringer for the Newburyport Daily News while I worked on the stock market. I spent some time working for Apple Computer and then came to Community Newspaper Company where I’ve spent my time in sales and marketing. It’s been seventeen years but there is still so much to do here. 

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Heather Kempskie, Editor

  Hometown: Bellingham   Kids: Son, 5 and daughter, 3.  

Former life: As a child, I appeared in McDonald’s commercial and had dreams of stardom.

 

Current life: I’m writing a siblings’ activity book with my identical twin sister. I’m also the proud and busy CEO of my home.

 

Secret confession: I am REALLY bad at removing stains from my daughter’s clothes. One problem is I’m too lazy to do it right and the other is that she stains EVERYTHING.

  Hobbies: Reading, hiking, being with family  

Last book I read: “Flirting with 40” by Jane Porter and “The Negotiation Generation” by Lynne Reeves Griffin.

 

Favorite family meal: Tacos. My son will eat it because it comes in a Spiderman package!

 

What I would do if I had an extra hour every day: I’ve actually tried to make this happen by waking up an hour before the rest of my family. It’s my ME time!

 

Professional background: After graduating from Saint Anselm College in Manchester, NH, I got my first job as the Holliston TAB reporter. I left the world of journalism for the world of public relations as a spokesperson for the American Red Cross of Massachusetts where I responded to national and international disaster scenes including a 2000 trip with WBZ-TV to Macedonia during the Kosovo crisis. I have also served as the public relations representative at North Shore Medical Center in Salem. At the time, I started freelancing for Parents and Kids (this was prior to having my own children!). It’s the only job I kept after having my son but when the editor position opened up, I enthusiastically accepted it. Here I am.

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Kathleen Noonan, Account Executive

  Hometown: Newton   Kids: Son 10, Daughters 10, 6 and 4  

Former life: I was a tomboy as a kid, played three sports in High School and played soccer at the University of Wisconsin.

 

Current life: My time spent away from my desk is spent driving my four children to their events.

 

Secret confession: I am obsessed with Cape Cod and its Beaches.

  Hobbies: I have a list but don’t have the time.   Last book I read: The Road by Cormac McCarthy   Favorite family meal: Steak from the Fells Market  

What I would do if I had an extra hour every day: Go running

 

Professional background: After Graduating from Boston College I went to work at The Boston Globe. I had always dreamed of going into Journalism. After a six-month period of compiling calendar listings in their Editorial Department a woman in the Human Rescources said they had an opening in the Advertising Department. I started in Advertising Administration, moved into Sales Support and then into Outside Sales. I never looked back and I worked there for fourteen years. I took the past two years off and stayed at home with my family. After two years, I missed the buzz and the excitement of advertising and fell upon my position here at Parents and Kids!

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Meredith O’Brien, P&K Columnist & Blogger

She brings humor to the pages of P&K in her monthly Picket Fence Post column. You can also catch her online at www.wickedlocalparents.com/picketfencepost

 

Most prized possession: Since my kids don’t count (now I’ll have children’s rights advocates after me for suggesting that I “possess” my children . . .) I guess I’d have to go with my BlackBerry and my DVR (digital video recorder) which records my favorite programs, although it’s currently being held hostage kids’ programming. I love my old, manual typewriters on my desk.

 

As a child, my parents would probably say I was: Bossy and Tom Boyish

My best parenting quality is: Gettin’ goofy with it. I’m (*polishing my nails on my shirt*) a master at the goofy.

My worst parenting quality is: Given my Irish and Spanish heritage, it’s no surprise that the answer to this question would be that I’m one who shouts.

 

My plans for the fall include: Scheduling my nervous breakdown. All three kids are playing sports -- TRAVEL sports -- and have practices which consume approximately 67 hours a week and away games in Bulgaria. Oh, and I’ll be going broke from filling up my gas tank every day.

 

Ursula Furi-Perry, P&K Columnist & Blogger

Ursula Furi-Perry is an attorney, adjunct professor, and mom of three boys in Haverhill. She is the author of four books and more than 300 articles on legal topics. She can be reached at www.furiperry.com and authors the Legally Mom Blog at http://wickedlocal.com/legallymom

 

 

For dinner last night I made: Cajun crabcakes

 

My plans for the fall include: Lots of apple picking (and eating caramel apples!) with the kids, finishing my next book, and running my first half-marathon.

 

I would describe my summer vacation as: With three kids under five? Non-existent!

 

As a child, my parents would probably say I was: A know-it-all

 

My best parenting quality is: Emphasizing reading and education and turning everyday experiences into teaching moments. Plus lots of hugs!

 

My worst parenting quality is: Impatience

 

My life's dream is to: Stay balanced while accomplishing the goals I've set for family and career alike