Gloria Thomas Anderson Where there is breath, there is hope. Location: Kansas City, MO Website: www.hearttones.com

Biography:
Gloria Thomas Anderson, a master’s degreed social worker and clinical instructor at the University of Missouri–Kansas City School of Social Work, is an African-American international author and motivational speaker. Anderson teaches cultural diversity and practicum integration courses, has authored three books, and presents and lectures on a wide range of social service and inspirational topics. Additionally, she developed and wrote a population-based cultural competency training manual for mental health and social service professionals.

Her books, Passion For Your Purpose – Discovering Peace, Direction and Balance in Your Life; While I Wait, an inspirational book of original poetry; and her most recent publication, The African American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End of Life Care: What Y’all Gon’ Do With Me? (Let’s Talk About It), are examples of Anderson’s lifelong commitment to helping others through knowledge and inspiration. In addition to her own online column, “Inspiring Insights,” Anderson has been a contributing writer for other websites and hardcopy newspapers and magazines.

Anderson’s publication, The African American Spiritual and Ethical Guide to End of Life Care: What Y’all Gon’ Do With Me? (Let’s Talk About It) (“The Guide”), is the culmination of her personal experience with elderly relatives, extensive primary and secondary research for her master’s degree project, and a groundbreaking educational paper she wrote to address the end-of-life care issues specific to African Americans. The Guide discusses spirituality in the context of three key influencing factors— the African-American culture, history, and generational family values. In the process of developing and writing The Guide, Anderson became a subject-matter expert and presented her paper in 2006 to the North American International Conference on Spirituality and Social Work in Ontario, Canada. Her paper was also published in The Society for Spirituality and Social Work Forum. In the Kansas City metropolitan area, Gloria has teamed up with a local hospice organization to distribute the booklet in an effort to increase awareness of end of life options to African American communities.

A native of Kansas City, MO, Anderson has presented workshops and/or lectured in Canada and many cities throughout the U.S. She has been a radio talk show host and guest featured on various television/radio shows, including NPR affiliate, KCUR, and other print media for her books and accomplishments. She was also commissioned by the N.A.A.C.P. for an inspirational literary piece. Most recently, Anderson presented for Children’s Mercy Hospital, the National Association of Social Workers’ 2008 “Show Me” Annual Symposium, and Kansas University Medical Center Ethics Committee. Recent articles written about her end of life project by Hospice Foundation of America Newsletter (July 2008) and The Best Times Magazine (March 2008) can be read online.

Anderson is a Certified Facilitator and Diversity Trainer. In 2002, she became a Certified Behavioral Consultant through the Institute for Motivational Living in New Castle, PA. She received her FastTrac Facilitator certification from the Kauffman Foundation in Kansas City, MO in 2004. Anderson is also a self-made entrepreneur as Founder and President of Heart Tones™, a company that offers educational and inspirational workshops/presentations, products and writings, and a monthly online inspirational column at www.hearttones.com. Her professional affiliations include the National Association of Social Workers (NASW), Society of Social Work Leaders in Health Care (SSWLHC), and Council of Social Work Education (CSWE).

Availability:
Available as a speaker and consultant.