The Safety Team consists of a group of highly-skilled women who together have over 50 years of martial arts training, including extensive training at the Martial Way Self-Defense Center in Colchester and Milton, Vermont. Our team has been offering women’s self-defense workshops for almost 20 years to groups of all sizes. As women, we clearly understand the real concerns other women have regarding personal safety.
While we teach both introductory and advanced women’s empowerment self-defense trainings, all classes include a focus on verbal, tactical, and physical techniques that are effective and easy to learn. As an added strength, team members are professional women who work in fields ranging from psychology, education, law enforcement, physical therapy and forensic toxicology, and, as such, we bring a wide range of relevant skills and expertise to our workshops.
We welcome inquiries and would be happy to talk with you about our programs. Please contact us at Eileen@TheSafetyTeam.org for more information.
Founding Members
Christine DiBlasio, Ph.D., PLC (President) was inspired to study martial arts by her children, over 15 years ago. She currently holds the rank of 5th degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu. She continues to train on a regular basis and enjoys learning and being challenged through martial arts. Christine is also a licensed psychologist and the director of an outpatient, private mental health practice, Stone House Associates. In this capacity, Christine has had the honor of working with many women who are survivors of violence and sexual assault. This in part has motivated her to offer these self-defense classes for women. Also, her experience as a woman and a mother of two daughters makes the mission of women’s safety, well-being and empowerment one that is close to her heart. She continues to update The Safety Team’s curriculum on a regular basis, and her self-defense approach blends both her background in martial arts and psychology to provide simple, yet effective, mental and physical self-defense strategies for women. Her sense of humor, professional approach, and respect for the sensitive nature of this material helps her connect with course participants. Christine welcomes questions or inquiries and can be reached at Christine@TheSafetyTeam.org
Darcy Richardson-Miller, M.S. (Vice President) has been training in the martial arts for approximately 15 years and holds the rank of 2nd Degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu, as well as a Black Belt in Arnis, the Filipino art of stick-fighting. As a forensic toxicologist (See Vermont Forensic Services), Darcy has extensive expertise regarding the legal issues of assault and self-defense, as well as the evidence needed to present in a court. As part of her career, Darcy evaluates assault cases and renders opinions on issues of impairment and toxicity. This knowledge enriches The Safety Team workshops by providing a realistic perspective on specific risks and subsequent avoidance strategies. Darcy’s toxicology experience directly relates to the use of alcohol and drugs in date rape situations. This is especially important as alcohol is the number one date rape drug used and is a common social issue with a variety of age groups. Too often women don’t realize how this impairment can reduce their ability to protect themselves and get out of potentially dangerous situations. Darcy believes it is crucial for young women to understand these risks. As a mother, Darcy is especially dedicated to ensuring that women and children have the right skills to protect themselves. Darcy can be reached at Darcy@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Nancy Keller, M.Ed., C.A.S. has been a student of martial arts since 2002 and a valued member of The Safety Team since 2004. She holds the rank of 4th degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu, 2nd Degree Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and 3rd Degree Brown Belt in Bushintai-Do, a martial art created especially for practice in public schools. Nancy is also a national board-certified science and mathematics educator with over 30 years of experience teaching both young adolescents and adults. Having integrated Bushintai-Do into her classroom, Nancy has witnessed first-hand the positive influence learning a martial art can have on the lives of students. While students learn and practice the physical skills of self-defense, they also make academic and social/emotional gains. Nancy is known as a warm, patient and encouraging instructor who combines her classroom expertise and martial arts training to help her students grow in self-confidence and independence. She can be reached via email at Nancy@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Hillary Boucher holds the rank of 1st Degree Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu and a Purple Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, testing her skills in competition regularly. Due to her successful competition record, Hillary holds numerous medals won in the Vermont Open Grappling Championship. Hillary is a forensic chemist with the Vermont State Forensic Laboratory, focusing on Serology and DNA. She brings valuable and relevant insight into The Safety Team’s self-defense workshops based on her experience and expertise in this field. Her caseload entails evidence that is collected from environments and situations where criminal activities and/or physical altercations may have occurred, including sexual assaults. Due to this, she has a keen understanding of the environment, situations, and evidentiary procedures that occur in situations where criminal activity and self-defense merge. Hillary entered into the study of martial arts at the suggestion of a close friend, and quickly fell in love with training. She was honored when Christine asked her to assist in offering women’s empowerment self-defense classes as she really enjoys being able to reach women and help them build confidence and skills to avoid dangerous situations.
Christina Allard, PT began her martial arts training when her daughter was in middle school, so that they could share a positive and empowering activity together. She has continued to train regularly and currently holds the rank of Black Belt in Kempo-JuJitsu. As a licensed Physical Therapist, Christina brings expertise about motor planning, physical training and its connection to mental and emotional well-being to the Safety Team workshops. Her work with children in school systems has given her first-hand experience in witnessing how practicing coordinated movements can increase an individual’s sense of confidence and competence; this in turn reinforces her desire to give people who are feeling vulnerable the tools to protect themselves. She can be reached at Tina@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Members
Eileen Mann, Guardian Ad Litem, (Board Member) Eileen Mann, Guardian Ad Litem, (Board Member) began training in martial arts with her children and husband at Martial Way Self-Defense Center, where she earned a 1st Degree Brown Belt in Kempo-Jitsu. Eileen joined The Safety Team in 2012 after training for years with the founding members of the team. Over the last decade Eileen has helped teach close to a hundred workshops, each time being amazed at the positive energy created when women unleash the power of their bodies in concert with their minds. As a member of the Workshop Committee Eileen is constantly looking for ways to improve the Empowerment Self Defense workshops, working closely with the Safety Team Volunteers whom she sees as the future of the organization. Through her volunteer work as a Guardian Ad Litem Mrs Mann engages with children as they come into the DCF and court system, giving voice and support to children when they often feel scared and vulnerable. Eileen believes that everyone has the right to be safe, and her work as both Guardian and with The Safety Team are dedicated to that purpose. You can reach her at eileen@thesafetyteam.org .
Peg Rieley, MBA begin her martial arts journey in the early 1990’s. As a former college athlete, she was looking for a physically and mentally challenging outlet and martial arts was a natural fit. She holds a purple belt in Shaolin Kempo Karate and has also trained in Taekwondo. Peg was introduced to the Safety Team when she and her eldest daughter participated in a workshop. The program’s mission and curriculum struck a chord, promoting many of the tenets that Peg holds dear; strength, community, safety and well-being, women’s empowerment, and positive change. Peg and her husband own and operate a commercial and residential real estate development business. She can be reached at Peg@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Genevieve Henry, CD, ICCE, CMT took our Level 1, 2 & 3 workshops years ago with her 14-year-old daughter. Wanting more, they both joined the team dojo to further their martial arts training. Her daughter became a regular volunteer and when she left for college, Genevieve took over her role as a volunteer and is now a black belt in Kempo. She lives in Burlington but is originally from Quebec. She is a massage therapist, a regular volunteer at The Family Room, and the co-owner of Birth Journeys, a childbirth education company whose goal is to support and empower families through pregnancy, labor, birth, and the postpartum period. She is also one of the founders and instructors for the UVM Volunteer Doula Program. Through her work, Genevieve wishes to empower women and promote equality. She has three grown kids, a middle schooler, and two rescue dogs. She can be reached at Genie@TheSafetyTeam.org.
Active Volunteers:
Mary Jean Egglefield
Sarah Carbonneau
Dale Henry
Michelle Lefkowitz
Lyressa Osgood
Kelsey Parenteau
Mira Rieley
Courtney Thorn
Kate Williams