Business & Tech
Donnie Kanter Winokur is 'Empowered by Paws'
Local author and speaker, Donnie Kanter Winokur, has made it her mission to educate people about service dogs for those who experience developmental disabilities.
What is your business and how long have you been doing it?
I travel internationally and speak about the benefits that service dogs provide individuals living with developmental disabilities through my company, Empowered by Paws. For over 25 years, I have worked with non-profits developing educational programs as well as producing and writing in many arenas. My passion has always compelled me to help give voice to the voiceless. . My daughter, Morasha, penned and published her award-winning book, "My Invisible World: Life with my Brother, his Disability and his Service Dog," when she was 11 years old in 2009. She appreciated that being a sibling of a brother who lives with special needs was a narrative that other kids her age could also share. I hope to write a memoir of our experience as adoptive parents.
What makes you good at what you do?
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I'm told that when I speak publicly, I weave personal stories into the educational framework which engages people in a comfortable manner. I write from the heart because most people don't want to hear words from any other body part!!
How did you end up in Roswell area?
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I graduated from Emory University and emigrated north in the 1990s. Subsequently, I married a rabbi who lived on the other side of Ga. 400 but I managed to stay in Roswell.
What new hobbies or classes have you recently taken up?
I am studying American Sign Language with my daughter.
How do you stay connected to the community?
Being a rabbi's wife is a good conduit. I also serve on the board of directors for All About Developmental Disabilities (AADD), on the Jewish Family & Career Services Committee for Developmental Disabilities and participate on the State Advisory Panel for Special Education.
How can people find you (and find the book)?
Our book can be ordered from our website, www.thechancerchronicles.com, www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com. We have a free downloadable 40-page book with photos from our training experience when we obtained Chancer, our son's service dog. Folks can also find a Speakers E-Kit on our website and I can be reached directly at thechancerchronicles.com.
