Alumni Spotlight - Lisa Doherty Brown, N'88

Communication has always played an important role in Lisa Brown’s life. It has fostered a comfortable atmosphere of interaction in her workplace and in everyday conversations with family, friends, and co-workers.

But in today’s hectic, pedal-to-the-metal world, family talks around the dinner table have been replaced with half-hearted “How was your day?” questions while waiting in a fast-food drive-thru. Brown lamented how meaningful conversation often suffered – even in her own home.

Brown, a 1988 graduate of the College of Nursing who lives in Pelham, NH, cherishes her time with her children, Joey, 12, and Sarah, 10. But when her husband, Joe, passed away in 2004, and the frequency of their mealtime conversations dwindled, Brown knew she had to do something.

“I was sitting in traffic on my way to work one morning and I got to thinking about how important it is to talk to your kids, to continue to maintain that connection with them,” said Brown, a psychiatric nurse practitioner. “Too often your lives get busy with work, the kids have school and sports and other things that they take part in. It just seems that if you let too much time go by and you lose that connection, a whole series of problems can happen.”

But beginning a conversation can often be a stumbling block, and that’s where Brown’s development of a series of placemats called MatChats comes in. Available online at www.matchats.com, each placemat displays a topic, a series of questions or instructions, and an inspirational quote designed to promote discussion. Topics include gratitude, friendship, reflection, and attitude.

Brown said the talking points are simply a catalyst to engage in meaningful conversations that can lead in many different directions.

“Sitting at the table eating dinner might be that one time you have with your family that they’re not being bombarded with distractions,” said Brown, who involved her children in the product development. “Whether it’s sitting down in front of the TV or playing video games, talking on the cell phone, listening to their iPod, there are plenty of distractions that can make having conversation difficult. And as your kids get older, it becomes that much more difficult.

“I want my kids to know that they can come to me any time with any problem that they have. The only way they’re going to do that is if you’ve built a foundation of trust and they feel comfortable talking to you. To me, it’s very important that we talk every day. That way you know what they’re up to and they even know what’s going on in your life.”

Since MatChats hit the market in 2008, Brown has filled orders for customers across the country and the product has been featured in newspaper articles and on Internet sites and blogs. MatChats hasn’t yet turned a profit, but the rewards can go beyond financial benefit.

“Too often people are stressed out with work and other commitments and you don’t realize that your most important role is as a parent,” Brown said. “Your kids need guidance and there’s no better way to understand what’s going on in their lives – and to gain their trust – than to let them know you’re here for them and want to help.

“At dinner time, you have your kids all to yourself,” Brown said. “It just feels so natural to be able to talk, relax, and enjoy each other’s company.”

As Brown says, it’s clear that sometimes you have to slow down to catch up.