About Judy Whalen

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About Judy Whalen

Judy Whalen is president of IT STARTS WITH US, Inc. and WHALEN & ASSOCIATES, Inc. Judy launched IT STARTS WITH US in 1997 as an outgrowth of guiding corporations and nonprofit organizations through strategic thinking activities that helped them identify and examine their core values and develop strategies to move them to their desired future. While watching the struggle and amazing progress these organizations made as a result of knowing and living their core values, Judy became interested in applying her knowledge to help individuals and families experience similar success. As a result, she launched IT STARTS WITH US which provides services and products that:

Help individuals, couples, and families develop and grow in an environment that is RICH with Respect, Integrity, Caring and Happiness.

Encourage people to work together to address issues facing families and children

Involve young people in working with adults to develop and promote solutions to family issues and juvenile crime

Promote awareness of issues facing today’ families

Unite people around the common message … "IT STARTS WITH US" ...You and me … working together …. making a difference by sharing our talents, time and expertise to help families and children

IT STARTS WITH US offers the following Products and Services:

Resources to build strong families

Strengthen the Harmony between Your Life, Family and Work Teleseminars/Webinars and Workshops
Books, DVDs and CDs on topics related to building strong families and children with strong character traits

Juvenile Crime

Shoplifting IS Stealing!™ – a 20-minute video in DVD format designed for use by parents or community organizations, schools, law enforcement, youth groups, etc.
Shoplifting prevention products - Posters, pencils, zipper pulls, retail merchant packets

Portal – Resource Clearinghouse

WHALEN & ASSOCIATES, INC. is a 17-year-old consulting firm that helps businesses and nonprofit organizations think and act in ways that enable them to be more innovative and competitive. W&A specializes in the areas of strategy, market research and communication. Its clients are associations, manufacturing companies, family services organizations, health care providers, educational institutions, service businesses, chambers of commerce, foundations and public entities to mention a few.

Judy has over 30 years of experience helping organizations and individuals grow to their greatest potential. Prior to starting her own businesses she worked in association management as an executive director of state and national associations, as a lobbyist, as a communications specialist and as an elementary school teacher.

Her accomplishments include:

leading three organizations through reorganizations

coaching individuals and organizations to reach their desired goals

conducting leadership retreats for numerous boards of directors

facilitating strategic thinking and planning and conducting market research for state, national and international organizations;

facilitating a succession plan for a national engineering firm

increasing grant revenue 15x the original amount

increasing association membership 15%

doubling advertising revenue

implementing Total Quality Management

increasing program participation in the Governor’s New Product Awards Program 104% in one year;

developing communications programs

implementing a statewide government relations program

publishing a professional journal and numerous newsletters.

Judy also has first-hand experience as a board member. She served as Treasurer of the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Foundation Board of Trustees. She is a past president of the Wisconsin School Public Relations Association; past director of the Public Relations Society of America -- Madison Chapter; completed a six-year term on the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Board of Visitors, an advisory board to the Chancellor; a former board member of the Council for the Advancement of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education of the Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts and Letters; past vice president of the State Society Executives Council for the National Society of Professional Engineers and a former board member of the Association of Wisconsin Lobbyists. She has also been a tutor for Literacy Volunteers of America.

Judy is a member of coachville.com, SuccessNet.com, Board Source, and the Madison Area Business Consultants.

She has a Bachelor of Science degree in education from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. In addition, she has graduate credits in public policy and has completed the six-year Institute for Organization Management at Notre Dame, sponsored by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce as well as numerous seminars related to coaching individuals to achieve their desired future.