About Mary Funari

I started out in the healthcare field advocating for cost-effective insurance benefits for Massachusetts’ state employees and shifted focus after having my own children. My children needed support with their development, including speech and occupational therapy. This opened my heart to the challenges of parents raising children with special needs. I became actively involved in parent organizations and committees dedicated to special education advocacy. I found strength in shared experiences and community support.

Volunteering inspired a career shift from health care benefits to parent coaching. I was drawn to the approach of helping parents tap into their own values and create an effective advocacy plan for their unique family situation. My parent coaching career launched in 2008 and, since then, I have had the privilege of working with mothers and fathers throughout the country.  I work with parents who have children with special needs as well as others simply looking to improve their daily interactions.

Currently, I work full-time coaching expectant and new parents in a corporate setting. Becoming a parent is a major life transition that pulls an individual or couple into a new realm of being. Children enter our lives and we are forever changed. I coach moms and dads to be mindful of the shifting priorities, emotions, and responsibilities that come with parenthood. You can learn more about me here.

During coaching conversations, I help parents gain clarity on what they need to thrive and communicate clearly with their managers, teams, families, and caregivers. I believe parenting is an opportunity to hone your individual strengths and transfer communication and leadership skills from the workplace to the home environment and vice versa. 

I lead workshops for parent groups to build community support and share self-care and resilience strategies. I encourage parents to focus on what is within their control and let go of unnecessary worrying or other habits which drain their energy. I enjoy connecting new mothers and fathers with more experienced parents for peer mentoring.

Over the years, I have volunteered in my children’s schools and local organizations. My work as a board member for a non-profit counseling center was recognized by Montclair State University’s College of Education and Human Services. I received the George G. King Memorial Award in recognition of service and contributions to the community in 2011.

For several years, I served as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA), where I advocated for children removed from their birth parent(s) due to abuse, neglect, or abandonment. In 2016, I was honored by Legal Services of New Jersey as a Family Reunification Day Hero, for my “extraordinary passion, dedication and effort in helping to make families whole again.”

I hold an MBA in Health Care Management with high honors from Boston University, and a BS from Boston College. I am a Certified Parent Coach^® through the Parent Coaching Institute and an Approved Instructor of The Art of Positive Parenting. I enjoy sharing positive parenting skills and stress reduction strategies with parents. Whether working with new parents or those who have children with special needs, they create strong relationships with their children and a peaceful family environment.

Collaborating with Amy and Beth on Real-Time Parenting has been a stimulating and rewarding experience! I have benefitted personally and professionally from their wise guidance and loving support. I am energized to share our learnings with many more families.

I married my childhood sweetheart and raised our children in New Jersey. We enjoy spending time in Northeastern Pennsylvania not far from where we grew up. We are the parents of two wonderful sons. I marvel at how different they are and appreciate the powerful bond we share. Their dedication to serving others inspires me.  My hobbies include walks with our dog, knitting, golf, and spending time with family and friends.