Sister Anne Bryan Smollin, C.S.J. To Keynote Catholic Charities USA's 2014 Annual Gathering

ALEXANDRIA, Va., July 28, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) announced today that Sister Anne Bryan Smollin will serve as one of the keynote speakers during CCUSA's 2014 Annual Gathering in Charlotte, North Carolina.

An international public speaker and author in wellness and spirituality, Smollin currently serves as the executive director of the Counseling for Laity center in Albany, New York.

"Many members of the Catholic Charities network work with thousands of clients that face difficult situations daily, and that can sometimes take a toll on them mentally and physically," said Rev. Larry Snyder, President of CCUSA. "Sister Anne's expertise in stress management and spiritual wellness, and entertaining delivery, will be of great benefit to member agency staff who see first-hand the struggles facing people in their communities across the country."

Anne Bryan Smollin, C.S.J., is an international lecturer on wellness and spirituality. Her dynamic public speaking style and natural gift for entertaining have sent her far from her Albany, New York, home base to lecture on humor and its effect on wellness, aging, spirituality and stress. A Sister of St. Joseph, Smollin has a bachelor's degree in education and a master's degree in counseling, as well as a doctorate in counseling psychology from Walden University in Naples, Florida. She became the first elementary school guidance counselor in Albany, New York, working on early intervention with the school's students, parents, and teachers. In 1975, Smollin set out on the road to bring her message to even more people. As an educational coordinator for an Albany Consultation Center, Smollin presented parental effectiveness training workshops along the East Coast. She also worked as an adjunct professor for six colleges and institutes, teaching courses on humor as a tool to communicate and as a method in stress management.

Smollin's keynote will take place on Tuesday, October 7^th, 2014 at 12:00 PM. She will also be available for a book signing following her remarks.

The CCUSA Annual Gathering is a preeminent gathering for Catholic Charities professionals, volunteers and partners to advance our work, to strategize about poverty reduction and to celebrate our shared identity. This year's event will include a number of insightful sessions on immigration reform, food insecurity as well as disaster relief and recovery.

Additional information about CCUSA's 2014 Annual Gathering can be found by visiting the event website: http://2014AnnualGathering.CatholicCharitiesUSA.org.

About Catholic Charities USA
Catholic Charities USA (CCUSA) is the national office for Catholic Charities agencies nationwide. Catholic Charities USA's members provide help and create hope for more than 10 million people a year regardless of religious, social, or economic backgrounds.

To learn more about CCUSA, please visit our website at www.catholiccharitiesusa.org  

SOURCE Catholic Charities USA