History
How Tarmac came to life…
Brenda and Laura met in graduate school, where they connected over their similar backgrounds as cross-cultural kids (CCKs) and a shared desire to help other CCKs successfully navigate their transition from a cross-cultural childhood to adult life. The first Tarmac small group was started at Covenant College in 2007, and the program continues there to this day. Since 2012, Covenant students have been able to receive academic credit for their participation. Tarmac has also been used at LeTourneau University, Wheaton College, and Johnson University.
The authors
Laura Ward, MA
Laura grew up in East and southern Africa, and returned to the US for college, where she began trying to make sense of her own multicultural story. This experience ignited her passion to help others, particularly CCKs, better understand their stories. She is a licensed marital and family therapist and licensed professional counselor in the state of Tennessee, and has over fifteen years of experience working with CCKs in a variety of settings. She considers it a privilege to walk with people on their journey of becoming, whether in her counseling office, in the classroom, or over a cup of tea.
Photo credit: Emily Shaw
Brenda Keck, PhD
Brenda grew up in East Africa, lived as an adult in SE Asia, and has worked as a counselor and consultant on behalf of expatriate families in Asia, Africa and Europe since 2008. Her passion to promote resilience, health, and positive growth in TCKs/CCKs has been fueled and informed by her own journey of navigating a multicultural upbringing. She believes deeply in the power of groups as means to explore, understand, and intentionally move forward in our stories.
Photo credit: Amy VV Buchanan