About Our Coauthors
Audi of America, Inc. Headquartered in Herndon, Va., Audi of America Inc. and its U.S. dealers offer a full line of German-engineered luxury vehicles. Audi AG is among the most successful luxury automotive brands globally. Audi was a top-performing luxury brand in Europe during 2011, and broke all-time company sales records in the U.S. Through 2016, Audi AG planned to invest about $17 billion on new products and technologies. www.audiusa.com

Richard J. Anthony, Sr. Rick is founder and managing director of The Solutions Network, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in business advisory services, human resource management and performance improvement. He is also founder of The Entrepreneurs Network, a venue for aspiring and serial entrepreneurs and accredited angel investors. His book, Organizations, People and Effective Communication, is available at Amazon. He can be reached at 610.225.0277 or r.anthonysr1@verizon.net.

Joan Ashplant. Joan has experienced many of life's ups and downs across health, death, divorce, etc. Joan has become a big proponent of positive forward thinking and has not only motivated herself but many others around her. Originally from Wyckoff, New Jersey, Joan now resides in Jupiter, Florida with her husband Rick. She appreciates life and is thankful for what she has and for the blessings God has given her. 

Janet S. Bales. Janet is a mother of three, step mother of three and nana of ten grand-children and a newlywed to her husband of three years. Janet is a musician and at an early age traveled on tour with America's Youth in Concert, Janesville Symphony Orchestra, and recorded in Carnegie Hall in 1976 with the BBC. Her musical talents were useful in the local church where she served for 23 years as a worship team leader, in the choir and leading various art teams. In 2000 she was hired full time as the programming music and arts minister at a church in Wisconsin where she served until retirement. Soon after handing in her resignation, she developed colon cancer. The following year was spent in chemo until she successfully beat the disease. Janet is now serving as the director of Tychicus Ministries, Inc. an organization she formed with her husband, Peter. They travel extensively supporting missionaries on the field keeping them healthy so they can be effective in the area they are serving. www.tychicusministries.org

Carolyn Bates. Carolyn is an International Coach Federation (ICF) certified personal life coach, expert contributing author for Self Help magazine and Boomer Living and a Top 50 expert with Self Growth magazine. Coach Carolyn is also a member of Coach U, Coachville and the Highland Lakes Health Partnership. Her organization, Coaching Life Design, offers personal coaching and workshops with a focus on the challenges of caregiving, dealing with adult children, divorce after 50, supporting a serious diagnosis, career changes, retirement decisions and death and dying. They also write a newsletter and create customized teleclasses and e-books on the challenges of creating life, before life creates itself. www.coachinglifedesign.com, carolyn@coachinglifedesign.com

Amy R. Beller, Ph.D., D.A.H. Amy received her philosophy doctorate in Esoteric Studies and alternative healing doctorate from Albert University. Dr. Beller holds certifications as an advanced clinical hypnotist, certified biofeedback technician, and certified aura-soma diplomat consultant. Additionally, she is certified as a Reiki master teacher in 2 rays (Usiu and Tera-Mai), certified hypnosis instructor and universal spirit energy level III master teacher. Dr. Beller is noted for her series of quality on-site wellness programs. She is the creator of Bioenernostics, stress management programs and has been practicing esoteric and self-hypnosis in groups and private sessions for a number of years. www.totallywholistic.com, drbeller@totallywholistic.com 

Terri Benincasa. Terri is a nationally known boomer expert and the host of Boomer Nation! on WGUL 860 AM out of Tampa Bay, Florida and rebroadcast on a number of highly respected internet radio websites such as Power World Radio, Boomster and Boomer Authority. Terri's boomer expertise is drawn from a double master's degree in counseling psychology from Columbia University. This is followed by over 10 years as both a therapist and life coach to her generation along with an ongoing study of the characteristics, trends and research surrounding the baby boomer generation.

Rondi M. Boyer. Rondi is the daughter of first generation Americans, who both served in WW2. She also chose to serve her country in the U.S. Air Force. There Rondi was trained as an air traffic control operator, a job she enjoyed for several years in the military and as a civilian. Rondi's family includes her daughters, husband and her two grandsons. She and her husband of many years enjoy ballroom dancing, fiddle music, scuba diving, boating and traveling. Her more formal education includes a B.S. in business, a master/teacher level of attunement in Usui Reiki, training in Tai Chi, Chi Gong, as well as training in several other forms of vibrational energy medicine. Presently on track for certification in craniosacral therapy, Rondi uses all these skills in her energy medicine practice in Barrington, New Hampshire. She is trained as a licensed nursing assistant, and works as a hospice aide at the Hyder Family Hospice House in Dover, New Hampshire. She serves as a Reiki and spiritual care volunteer for hospice patients in her community. www.sovereigntyandconnection.blogspot.com

Inez Bracy. Inez is a lifestyle transitions coach, speaker, award winning author, radio and TV personality that helps boomer women rejuvenate, reinvent and redefine their life. Inez started her coaching business in 2005 to help boomer women deal with the sometimes overwhelming prospect of starting a new life in their boomer years. Through the medium of TV, radio, web, etc., she has helped tens of thousands deliberately create a life by design. As the creator of "SPICE" (Sassy-Phenomenal-Inspired-Conscious-Empowered) woman, Inez believes that each woman has the right to unleash her femininity and live the life of joy she desires.
Inez has been featured on Lifetime TV's The Balancing Act, giving tips on how to start a home based business. She is a frequent guest on the Fox 4 Morning Blend as their career coach giving tips to help boomers successfully navigate the workplace. She is a columnist for the Coastal Breeze Newspaper, Senior Stuff and former columnist for The Island Voice. www.thebracygroup.com

Michael Stanley Braga. Michael is a marketing and development manager for Morse Life in West Palm Beach, Florida. Formerly from Tiverton, Rhode Island, Mike was trained in healthcare therapies, management and marketing at Quinsigamond College in Worcester and University of Rhode Island in Narragansett. Michael is married to his wife Carrie for 10 years and has 2 children, Zach and Isabelle. They reside in North Palm Beach, Florida.

Dale Buss. Dale is a veteran automotive journalist, based in Rochester Hills Michigan. He is a major contributor to industry coverage by Forbes and Brandchannel. Buss also has covered the car business for Chief Executive Magazine, Edmunds.com, Automotive News, Advertising Age, AutoTrader.com and the Wall Street Journal, where his coverage of General Motors earned a Pulitzer Prize nomination by the Journal for him and his colleagues. dalebbuss@aol.com

Lisbeth Calandrino. Lisbeth is an award winning author, activist and entrepreneur. Lisbeth has spent over twenty years developing custom tailored training programs in team building, sales and customer service. Today she is co-founder and vice president of Peachtree Communications and associate publisher of Fabulous Floors Magazine, an international flooring consumer publication. 
Lisbeth has recently published Red Hot Customer Service, 35 Sizzling Ways to Heat up Your Business and Ignite Your Sales and hosts a radio show by the same name. Her awards include executive of the year award from the International Executive Association, and first place honors in an international marketing contest for alternative medicine. Lisbeth has spoken extensively about her experiences with cancer, offering words of comfort and inspiration. She has worked with at-risk youth, spoken out against injustice and advocated to and helped to build resources for women. www.lisbethcalandrino.com, redhotcustomerservice@nycap.rr.com

Faith Campbell. Faith is a mother of four who lives in Bronx, New York. She is an administrative assistant for a nonprofit organization, a mentor at a business school for women and a peer trainer for a financial organization. Faith attended Grace Institute where she graduated with honors as well as receiving awards for academic excellence, leadership, and attendance. Over the years Faith has accumulated various certificates and awards ranging in areas from academics to HIV/AIDS advocacy. She loves giving motivational talks, helping others and ushering in her church.

Joseph M. Carbone. Joe is President and Chief Executive Officer of The WorkPlace, Inc., an innovative workforce development board which helps people prepare for careers and develops the workforce for employers in Southwestern Connecticut. It also has projects that cover the entire state of Connecticut, several states across the nation, and in Latin America.
Joe’s unique perspective grows from his experience working in the private sector, government, and non-profits. He holds a B.S. in economics from Quinnipiac University. jcarbone@workplace.org

Kathi Casey. "The Healthy Boomer Body Expert" is a renowned health and wellness coach, author, popular speaker and radio show guest. Kathi has appeared on Fox 23, ABC evening news, and produces her own weekly TV show called "To Your Health".  Kathi is a columnist for The South Shore Senior News, Life After 50, Boomers Forever and other magazines and owns the Healthy Boomer Body Center in Massachusetts. Her latest book Get Off The Couch, Potato! is a fun beginner's fitness program that you can start while lying on your couch watching TV. www.healthyboomerbody.com

Dee Cascio, LPC., LMFT., ACC. Dee founded the Professional Counseling and Life/Retirement/ReCareer Coaching Center in 1986. She works with individuals, couples and groups to achieve healthier and more satisfying lives now and as they transition to a more fulfilling lifestyle. Dee is a private practice licensed psychotherapist who successfully entered the coaching arena as a certified life coach and a certified retirement and Re-Career coach. Dee writes a retirement planning newsletter on various aspects of creative lifestyle planning. She makes presentations about life planning to financial and estate planners, professional groups, businesses, government agencies, church and civic associations. She is also a member of Rotary International and the Dulles Chamber of Commerce, and she volunteers in her community. deedeelpc@aol.com

Mary Ann Davis. Mary Ann has over 20 years of experience providing coaching, counseling, and advising with individuals through various life transitions. Ms. Davis is a licensed professional counselor and is certified as a master career counselor, a life/work counselor, and is a Distance Credentialed counselor. She is a resourceful coach, empathic counselor and an experienced guide on life's journey. Ms. Davis has been an associate with Holistic Counseling Care of Cincinnati since 1995. She launched "Your Career Plan",  an online practice for coaching and counseling in 2007. Additionally, Ms. Davis teaches a career development workshop. www.yourcareerplan.com, yourcareerplan@cinci.rr.com

Michael Delia. Michael was born and raised in Brooklyn New York. He moved to Connecticut when he was 30 years old. He currently has three children, seven grandchildren and resides in Connecticut and Florida. Michael is 80 years old and is still active in legal consulting as well as golf, swimming, and various community organizations.

Dr. Brian Denhoffer. Dr. Denhoffer is a holistic practitioner who discovers and helps to gently remove any interferences in your nerve system to allow your body the opportunity to heal itself. His training has given him the ability to get to the core of people's imbalances and help them have overall health in a very expedient manner.He works with infants, children and adults, with all levels of disease (lack of ease) and those who are seeking higher levels of function and performance in their lives. He also works with those on Autistic spectrum, ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), depression, anxiety, mind and body performance enhancement, pregnancy, fibromyalgia, MCS (multiple chemical sensitivity) and RDS (reward deficiency syndrome) including addictions of food, shopping/hoarding, drug and alcohol addiction. Many health care professionals consult Dr. Denhoffer for their own physical well-being which has aided them in better serving their communities. Doctorate degree in chiropractic studies from Life University; in practice since 1999, Certification in addictionology and obsessive compulsive disorders from St. Martin’s College, 2005, bachelor’s degree in physics from Skidmore College. www.drsoulsoother.com

Jed Diamond, Ph.D., LCSW. Dr. Diamond is founder and director of MenAlive. Though focused on men's health, MenAlive is also for women who care about the health of the men in their lives. Jed is a member of the International Society for the Study of the Aging Male and serves as a member of the International Scientific Board of the World Congress on Gender and Men's Health. He is the only male columnist writing for the National Association of Baby Boomer Women. Dr. Diamond has been a licensed psychotherapist for over 45 years and is the author of nine books including the international best-selling book, Surviving Male Menopause that has thus far been translated into 22 foreign languages, The Irritable Male Syndrome: Understanding and Managing the 4 Key Causes of Depression and Aggression and Mr. Mean: Saving Your Relationship from the Irritable Male Syndrome which has recently been published. He is currently working on two new books, Tapping Power: A Man's Guide to Eliminating Pain, Stress, Anger, Depression and Other Ills Using the Revolutionary Tools of Energy Psychology and As Civilization Sinks: Making the Transition to a Better World. www.menalive.com

Martin Diano. Martin is a leader in helping baby boomers use social media to find, access, and consume high value content. He is founder and CEO of the Boomer Authority Association and publisher of the Baby Boomer Knowledge Center. Martin is a veteran of international business, held senior staff positions at Eaton Corporation, Thunderbird - the American Graduate of International Management and the National Institute for World Trade. He is managing partner of the social media and public relations consultancy Martin Diano Agency LLC. A native of New York, he has a B.S. in business from City College of New York and lives with his wife of 40 years, Annette, in Arizona and New York. www.boomerauthority.org 

Scott Duncan. Scott is from Renfrewshire, Scotland. After discovering that he was dyslexic in his early 20’s, Scott realized there was a reason for his struggling at school. Eventually he discovered a passion and strong ability to relate to people also facing multiple barriers in life through youth work. Scott learned a range of skills for his own growth and personal development which he now uses to help others make positive changes in life. Since graduating with a Degree in Community Education, Scott has focused in areas such as business & social enterprise development and project management. He has written and published a number of e-books as part of his fund raising to help build a school in Malawi. Scott believes in the idea that there should always be something to look forward to in life, appreciating what you have today and spreading laughter and joy to those who need it most. scott@cycleforgood.com

Jeri Hird Dutcher. Jeri is a an award-winning certified professional resume writer, career coach, and interview expert who inspires professionals and managers to achieve the career of their dreams - and have fun! She has written interview-attracting resumes for more than 13 years. Jeri specializes in resumes for the fields of technology, communications, creative arts, and sales/marketing. Her career highlights include winning first place in the coveted international TORI (Toast of the Resume Industry) awards. Jeri serves on the advisory board of ProfilingPro and on the Education Committee of Career Directors International. She attained a B.A. in English (summa cum laude) with a concentration in writing. WorkwriteResumes.com

Dr. Andrew Fagelman. Dr. Fagelman is a board certified internist. He completed his internal medicine residency at St. Vincenta's Medical Center in Bridgeport, Connecticut, an affiliate of Columbia University, College of Physicians and Surgeons. During his training, Dr. Fagelman did extensive research into the clinical efficacy of Sildenafil. He attended medical school at the University of Buffalo School of Medicine in Buffalo, New York, and business school at the Zicklin School of Business in Manhattan where he earned an MBA in healthcare management. Dr. Fagelman has received several honors and awards including being recognized as the Critical Care Resident Physician of the Year. He currently is an attending physician at Beth Israel Medical Center in Manhattan.

Rebecca Fein. Rebecca has always been drawn to helping people live better lives. After a lot of soul searching, she decided to become a life coach and specialize in relationship transitions. The core of Rebecca's practice is working with people experiencing divorce. In addition to these efforts, she has helped people work through other transitional issues in business and business startups. Rebecca believes that people aren't broken they just have to unlock the answers they seek to bring out more of their own potential. Her greatest joy is watching people flourish and reinvent themselves. Rebecca completed her certification as a relationship coach at the World Coach Institute in 2010. She completed her masters of business administration degree in healthcare management at University of Phoenix in 2007 and a bachelors of arts degree in political science at Hope College in 1999. Rebecca is the mother of 4 children adopted out of the U.S. Foster Care System in 2005. www.feinlife.webs.com, rebeccaa.fein@gmail.com

Nancy Ferrari. Nancy is the radio host of The Nancy Ferrari Show on W4CY Radio The Intertainment Network, life empowerment coach, author, contributing writer for numerous publications and speaker, sharing her messages of inspiration and living an empowered life. Nancy is a co-author of the #1 best-selling book, Selling With Synchronicity. She is also the founder and CEO of Nancy Ferrari Media & Mentoring, providing media and mentoring programs to attain personal and professional success, utilizing her signature coaching programs based on the principles within her book Discover the Essence of You. nancy@nancyferrari.com. www.nancyferrari.com.  

Dr. Colleen Georges. Colleen has been working for 13 years as a counselor and coach. She has come to find that true contentment and balance are possible only after we are able to embrace ourselves-gifts and flaws. Over the years, she has found immense joy in helping to guide individuals through self-discovery and personal and career goal attainment. Colleen received her bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees in psychology from Rutgers University. She is a certified professional résumé writer, certified professional career coach, certified JobsOver50-Boomer Authority career coach, certified professional life coach, certified professional NLP practitioner, NJ licensed professional counselor, and a member of the Professional Association of Résumé Writers and Career Coaches (PARW/CC). Her professional background has included work as a psychotherapist, career counselor, university department director, and college instructor. She currently owns Colleen’s Career Creations and Concentric Life Coaching. She teaches Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies courses at Middlesex County College and her two alma maters—Douglass College and the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. www.colleenscareercreations.com

Fred Gill. Fred joined the MTA (Metro-North Railroad New York) in 1984 as an electrician. In this position he was responsible for the operation of electric-propelled equipment. Since then he has held several positions. In his current position he is responsible for the identification and development of potential employees. Mr. Gill has partnered with Gateway Community College, in New Haven, Connecticut where he was instrumental in developing an associate degree in rail engineering technology. With final approval by the Connecticut Governor’s Board of Higher Education, this degree offering commenced in the fall of 2010. He also partnered with Connecticut Technical High Schools and various New York City organizations to develop curricula to support the technical need for qualified electrical employees. He is an active member of various civic and community organizations and was recently appointed the chair of the Connecticut Business Advisory Council.

Marshall Goldsmith. Dr. Marshall Goldsmith has recently been recognized as one of the 15 most influential business thinkers in the world in a global study sponsored by the London Times. Other acknowledgments include: American Management Association - top 50 thinkers and leaders who have influenced the field of management over the past 80 years, Institute for Management Studies - lifetime achievement award (one of two ever awarded), Wall Street Journal - top 10 executive educators, Forbes – 5 most-respected executive coaches, Economic Time (India) - top CEO coaches of America and Fast Company - America's preeminent executive coach. 

Marshall is one of a select few executive advisors who have been asked to work with more than 120 major CEOs and their management teams. He is the million-selling author of numerous books, including New York Times best-seller What Got You Here Won't Get You There – a Wall Street Journal #1 business book and winner of the Harold Longman Award for business book of the year. His newest book, MOJO, is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, USA Today and Publisher's Weekly best seller. It is available online and at major bookstores. Learn more at www.marshallgoldsmithlibrary.com. 

Dr. Carlos M. Gonzalez. Dr. Gonzalez is a nationally board certified chiropractic physician and has been in private practice since 1991. Post-graduate training includes: chiropractic orthopedics, pediatrics adjusting techniques, motion palpation, sacral occipital technique, whiplash and spinal trauma, sports chiropractic, extremity adjusting, holistic healing, ayurvedic medicine, bio-energetic synchronization technique, geriatrics. He has also served and participated with: Texas Workers Compensation Committee, Aging to Perfection Conference, Healthy Living Expo and alumni board of directors for the Parker College of Chiropractic. Dr. Gonzalez produced and hosted the live radio talk show program “All About Your Health�, which aired every Saturday for three consecutive years. He has also appeared on Spanish and English local TV talk shows. He is a wellness consultant for local businesses in helping them reduce workplace injuries, and presents on wellness, injury prevention, stress management, anti-aging to name a few. Dr. Gonzalez has written over one hundred articles on wellness, fitness, weight loss, holistic healing, pain relief, women’s issues, preventative care and more. He has authored the soon to be released e-books, Hanging Out For The Health Of It and Hanging Out Pain Free. www.hangingoutforthehealthofit.com, drcmgonzalez50@yahoo.com 

Elisa Ham. Elisa, adjunct professor and writing consultant in the English Department at Brookdale Community College, Lincroft, NJ, has also worked independently as a writing tutor and graphic freelancer. Elisa graduated magna cum laude from Fairfield University with a B.A. in English and received her teacher certification from Georgian Court University, where she earned her M.A. in education. Elisa and her husband, Steve, live in Fair Haven, NJ with their sons, Stephen and David.

Joel Heller. Joel worked in the insurance industry for twenty five years in various underwriting and management positions. He left the insurance industry in 2010 to open a retail clothing, jewelry and gift shop in Vermont. Joel holds a B.A. degree from Fairfield University and resides with his wife in New Hampshire.

Rosemary Hubartt. Rosemary lives and loves in Florida. She has God, her husband, three married children, one granddaughter, one grandson, one step-grandson, her mother, two married sisters, three granddogs and a good man named David to thank for the inspiration to do this writing. She enjoys family time, volunteering, boating, fishing, movies and social time with friends.

Brenda S. Jones. Brenda started her marketing career in 1981 selling promotional advertising products to some of the nation’s largest pharmaceutical clients. In 1990 she opened her own company, Adstracts, Inc., where she served as CEO for 20 years. Adstracts’ portfolio holds over 30 patents and has offices in Raleigh, New York City, Hong Kong and China. Pharmaceutical clients included Pfizer, Astra-Zeneca, GSK, Novartis, Bayer and Merck along with retail partnerships with Target and Michael's. Brenda is also passionate about helping to fight our nation's obesity problem, and the associated diseases. Over the past 2 years, she has been successful in launching a pilot study at ECU Brody School of Medicine, dietetics and nutrition department, using her patented BMI (body mass index) wheels and the proprietary nutrient analysis software. These studies will target health improvement in poverty stricken areas. Brenda resides in Pine Knoll Shores, North Carolina. She has 2 sons, and one precious granddaughter.

Chloe JonPaul. Chloe is a retired teacher-turned-writer who now has several published titles with another book coming out soon. Chloe’s philosophy of life is, "find a need and fill it." This has been her guiding force in the many projects she has been involved in as a volunteer. She was a lead facilitator for the Alternatives to Violence Project for many years; has worked with AIDS patients and veterans as a Hospice volunteer, and much more. Chloe is a world traveler who has been on all 7 continents. Chloe has published the following books: What Happens Next? A Family Guide to Nursing Home Visits…and More, Entering the Age of Elegance: A Rite of Passage and Practical Guide for the Modern Maturing Woman, This Business of Children, an award-winning novel that has been written into a screenplay by Don MacNabb, and a children's book, The Girl Who Did Not Like Her Name. For her full bio, visit her web site at www.chloejonpaul.com.

Karen Lyons Kalmenson. Karen is a poet, blogger, animal and human rights activist, who has contributed her rhymes to many places, many causes, and in the process, made friends worldwide and touched many hearts. In Karen’s eyes, the world is a vibrant palette and a limitless source of inspiration in its most beautiful and saddest of incarnations. She finds a rhyme and a laugh almost everywhere she looks. And she is always looking; heart, mind and smartphone ready for whatever so can share with her thousands of compatriots circling the orb. fayely10@aol.com

Barbara Rady Kazdan. Widely known for her leadership of Ashoka-US, Barbara Kazdan tapped her own experience to enhance the success of leading social entrepreneurs. Ashoka Fellows often credit her as the catalyst for turning points in their work and lives. In 2009 she launched a unique consulting practice, Achieving Change Together, to spark social change by strengthening social innovators. She guides, connects and works collegially with her clients, leaders of innovative non-profits. Barbara is actively engaged in The Transition Network-DC, an organization of professional women 50+ creating new roles, relationships and “encore careers.� Earlier in life, while a full-time mom, she held local, regional and national roles in a women’s organization supporting education and training programs. As a volunteer she created a literacy awareness campaign that became a national initiative. She returned to the workforce as founder/CEO of the Houston READ Commission, a mayoral literacy coordinating agency. She later co-founded and served as CEO of InFOCUS, an international primary eye care program. Barbara tapped her writing talents to create presentation materials that raised awareness of these new entities. At Ashoka, she co-authored Recognizing Outstanding Innovators. She earned a BA from the University of Michigan and a Management Certificate at the Jones Graduate School of Administration, Rice U. In 2010 Barbara became a certified JobsOver50 career coach to expand the scope of Achieving Change Together. She also began her role as a contributing author to a new book series, Contagious Optimism! www.achievingchangetogether.com

Nancy Koenig. Nancy is a writer and iPEC trained certified life coach dedicated to teaching readers and clients how to stretch beyond illusory limitations and be open to receiving the gifts of their ideal lives. TimeForProsperity.com is designed to teach readers how to allow all forms of abundance, by combining Nancy's personal stories with manifestation tools and resources. As a coach, Nancy specializes in clients that are seeking freedom from addictions. She also escorts clients across the US and beyond. Visit InRecoveryCoaching.com for details. Connect with Nancy on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/nancy.koenig.98 or email at nancy.koenig.98@facebook.com

Ellen Kratka. Ellen is an Integrity Coach who helps people realize the power of unconditional self-love for healing and growth and then aligns the essence of who they are in their Soul with its expression in life and work. Trained in multiple modalities of heart and energy-based healing, she brings 15 years of research into energy, manifestation, consciousness, esoteric philosophy and holistic healing to her work with individuals and groups. Ellen has also been a student of physics, a high school teacher, a journalist (in Nicaragua), a factory worker, an entrepreneur and an activist for social justice, peace and sustainability. In addition to her work in the arena of personal evolution, she also works with leaders by offering tools, systems and consulting to help them make more of a positive impact on the world. www.theloveandlight.net 

Faye Levow. Faye, president of Launch Pad Publishing Inc., has been a freelance writer and editor for over 30 years. As a book writing coach, she assists upcoming authors in seeing their way clear to completing their manuscripts. Her further background includes business, sales and marketing, as well as personal development, hospitality and theatre. She has appeared on NBC’s “South Florida Today� with Trina Robinson and James Chladek's Show "the New Yorkers." She was contributing author to Sprout the Life You Love published in 2008 by Sprout Publishing in Australia, and has authored hundreds of poems. Her upcoming book, OMG! My Parents are Getting OLD! is scheduled for release in the upcoming months. www.launchpadpublishing.com 

Eileen Lichtenstein, M.S. Ed. Eileen is a keynote speaker, seminar leader, Peak Performance Success Coach and consultant-trainer. Her unique style blends mind-body modalities including EFT (emotional freedom techniques) with traditional coaching training competencies and strategies to facilitate success and happiness. She is also a Certified Anger Management Specialist. The founder of Balance & Power, Inc., Eileen has been in the training and coaching arena for over 25 years, facilitating trainings and workshops for the corporate and private sectors. Eileen believes inner strength and being centered are keys to life and business management. A former biofeedback therapist, faculty at Hofstra University and trainer for CUNY schools, Eileen has been featured in print, TV and radio media. She has recently published her book SOAR! with Resilience and Ebook Series. 

Samuel Lieberman. Sam is president and CEO of Rothschild Lieberman LTD., a broker dealer founded in 1981; Rothschild Lieberman Capital Management Corp., a money management firm; and Rothschild Lieberman Partners, L.P., a hedge fund. He has helped to fund, and served on the board of directors of several large organizations across various industries. Prior to 1981, he was a partner at Rothschild Securities Corp., and began his career as an over the counter trader at Goldman Sachs & Co. Sam has received significant attention from both national and local media. He has been interviewed and called upon as a repeat expert source in media outlets, which include, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times and several television networks. Further, he has been actively involved in numerous charities throughout his career, and has served on several committees for the National Association of Security Dealers (NASD), as well as the Cincinnati Stock Exchange. Mr. Lieberman holds a B.S. and B.A. degree from Boston University, College of Business Administration. www.rothschildlieberman.com 

Barry L. Lindstrom. Barry is a maverick adaptive design scientist offering unique and innovative solutions to individuals and organizations. His first adulthood spanned nearly 40 years. He went from cleaning tables for a dollar an hour in Gary, Indiana to mopping up process failures at major corporations throughout the country. He authored hundreds of nonfiction papers, user manuals and presentations for those confused by complexity and wearied by the pace of change. Barry first significant work of fiction is titled, Considering SomeplacElse. He continues to count his blessings with his life partner, Melinda, in suburban Arizona and places 39 remarkable years of marriage, three outstanding children and six wondrous grandchildren at the top of his list. www.soiwrotethisbook.com 

Alan Malizia. Alan Malizia attended Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he earned a B.A. in mathematics and a M.A. in education from the University of Bridgeport. His professional experience included corporate positions with companies such as Walden Books and then he shifted gears to teaching, his true passion. Malizia taught at Our Lady of Fatima in Wilton, Connecticut, Saint Gabriel Middle School and then at Stamford Catholic High School in Stamford, Connecticut where he ultimately became renowned coach for the girls high school volleyball team. Under Malizia, the team earned 4 state championship titles, one county title and numerous city and division titles as well. Many of Malizia’s players earned collegiate athletic scholarships. Malizia earned Connecticut Coach of the Year in 1988 and was selected for the Connecticut Women's Volleyball Hall Of Fame in 2007. Malizia wrote 2 self-published books: "The Little Red Chair," an autobiography about his life experience with polio and "A View From The Quiet Corner," a selection of his poems and reflections. Malizia received book awards from the USA Book News National in 2009 and was the International Book Award finalist in poetry for the inspirational category and winner in the religious category in 2010. amalizia1@ct.metrocast.net

Laurie Martin. Laurie has been a leading teacher of self-love and personal empowerment for over ten years. As a passionate speaker, Laurie conducts a series of workshops titled, Living Fully Empowered in the New Paradigm, throughout the year based on her forthcoming book Language of the Heart: Unconditional Love. She is a certified life coach since 2003, a certified yoga instructor since 2002, and the author of Smile Across Your Heart: The Process of Building Self-Love and an e-book called The Conscious Breakup Guide. Laurie has written a monthly “Ask Laurie� advice column called “Heart to Heart,� for the Naples Daily News for over two years contributing over fifty articles. She has distributed her own monthly newsletter to an international readership in several countries for over ten years. www.SmileAcrossYourHeart.com.

David R. Martin. David is a wealth manager with 20 years of experience working with individuals, families and non-profits. David serves as the managing partner of INDX Strategies and the chair of the INDX Strategies Investment Committee. As a wealth manager, he focuses on helping his clients achieve financial independence and a healthy retirement. Prior to founding Quantflow Strategies and INDX Strategies, David was a Vice President at Smith Barney and UBS. While at UBS, David developed his expertise in all aspects of financial planning including asset allocation, stock option & ESPP plans, estate planning and retirement planning. www.indxstrategies.com/writings.html 

Patrick McKay. Patrick is a fitness consultant based in Jupiter, Florida. He helps people of all ages and fitness levels improve their quality of life and achieve long term results through common sense nutrition, challenging cardio routines, and constantly varied workouts. He is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and as a golf fitness instructor through the Titleist Performance Institute. When he is not in the gym, Patrick enjoys playing basketball and tennis, as well as surfing and snowboarding. patmckay1@aol.com 

Tina L. Montez. Tina is a business advisor to entrepreneurs in California and a distinguished media professional. She was recruited to assist in the development of AIDS campaigns by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), selected as a public affairs production fellow, WGBH-TV and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and won the Orson Welles Award for creative media.
Tina was raised in Mount Vernon, New York. Her father was a Navy veteran. Her mother was a talented songstress and vocalist in The Chantels. Tina has a master’s degree in business administration from Dominican University of California and a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Duquesne University. She spearheaded collaborative relief effort in the wake of the earthquake in Haiti and Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. Her philanthropic objectives were met through educational scholarships and literacy programs in Solano County California as well. Tina.Montez@hotmail.com 

Laura Nadeau. Laura is a makeup artist, beauty blogger and beauty expert who has appeared on morning shows around the country. Laura lives and works in NYC with her 90 pound Scottish Deerhound, Zo. www.blog.loandco.com, lauranadeau@hotmail.com

Myrtle Newsam. Myrtle, a resident of Raleigh, North Carolina, is a gospel song writer and is currently in the process of recording a gospel CD. In 2010, three of her gospel songs were selected for her churches Christmas album. Besides pursuing her music career, Newsam is busy writing children and young adult stories as well as doing free-lance work in the commercial and jingle writing industry. Newsam is also an active member of BMI, Central Carolina Songwriters Association, and Writers-Unite.com

Michele A. Nuzzo, M.A. Michele inspires baby boomers to recharge their batteries and take positive action. Her specialties include career transitions, retirement life planning and caregiver support. Michele earned a master’s degree in clinical psychology and is certified as a life, retirement, ReCareer, and New Life Story wellness coach. Personal medical challenges, family caregiving crises, and her own midlife reinvention taught her the importance of focus, resilience, and self care. She weaves her professional training with her personal experiences to bring insight, compassion, and humor to her writing and coaching practice. Michele is the author of a caregiver booklet, Keeping Seniors SAFE: Tips for Boomers and Their Parents, and a career transition booklet, Keeping HOPE Alive: Success Strategies for Mature Job Seekers. 

Anabela Olivier. Anabela grew up in Connecticut and completed her bachelor’s degree in history at California State University, Los Angeles. She then went on to complete her law degree at Suffolk University Law School in Boston. Anabela, her husband and their 5 year old son live in the San Francisco Bay area. 

Rev. John J. O’Neill, M.S. Fr. John was born in 1935 in Bridgeport, Connecticut. His three sisters, Mary, Ann and Peggy are all Sisters of Mercy. His brother Gene is the Police Commissioner in Bridgeport. Fr. John has been a LaSalette priest for 40 years. He received a master of education degree from Boston College. He is a National Science Foundation Scholarship recipient from the University of Missouri. He was the president of the Northeastern Collegiate Athletic conference in upstate New York. He was the first national director of vocations for the Catholic Church of the United States of America. He served as a provincial of the missionaries of LaSalette for nine years. He is currently pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes, Our Lady of LaSalette as well as St. James Church and Our Lady of Peace. He is best known as a good story teller.

Michael A. Pollock. Mike is a freelance writer in Ridgewood, New Jersey, focusing on investment topics. He has more than 30 years of experience as a business and financial reporter for The McGraw-Hill Companies and Dow Jones & Co. michaelapollock1@gmail.com

Christine Henchar Reed. Christine is a 1990 graduate of Fairfield University, where she majored in politics and minored in religious studies. She was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for dedication to public service and academic excellence and inducted into Alpha Sigma Nu while studying at Fairfield. Christine has dedicated her career to public service and has earned a master of arts degree (1994) in religion from Vanderbilt University and a master of divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School (2003). She has served as a campus minister at Vanderbilt University, a chaplain at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina and as a pastoral counselor at Cumberland Heights in Nashville, Tennessee. She resides in Franklin, Tennessee with her husband Roland and their two beloved cats, Tipper and Bob.

Harvey Rephen, ESQ. Harvey is an attorney and founder of law firm M. Harvey Rephen and Associates, P.C. with the main office located in New York, where he concentrates his practice in all areas of consumer debt law. Within this area of practice he handles a variety of matters including disputes, Fair Debt Collection Practices Act claims, debt resolution and management, debt elimination and Fair Credit Reporting Act issues. Harvey is a dedicated advocate that received his law degree from Pace University School of Law in 1995. www.mharveyrephenlaw.com, consumeradvocatenyc@gmail.com

Susan Ross. Susan’s career spans 20 years in business education, new business launch and development, business growth consulting, sales training, speaking and team building. She has worked with over 500 businesses and coached one on one with numerous clients.
Susan’s work began in college teaching kindergarten, then teaching college. Later she launched a private business college which achieved national accreditation and approval from the U.S. Department of Education. The college specialized in training people to become entrepreneurs and sales professionals, a journey that allowed Susan to participate in hundreds of career and business launches. After selling her business college in 2005, Susan founded Blue Ocean Business Coaching & Masterminds and shifted her passion from students to business. www.blueoceancoaching.com

Lisa Rothstein. Lisa is a former Madison Avenue creative director and copywriter whose campaigns for IBM, Hanes, Johnson & Johnson and many other Fortune 500 companies have run worldwide. She continues to consult for select clients such as Capital One Bank, Samsung Electronics and Lenox. Lisa's first screenplay, Brit or Miss, was the winner of the comedy genre prize in Creative Screenwriting Magazine's Screenwriting Expo Screenplay Contest and a top finalist in several other competitions. Lisa is represented as a screenwriter by the Bohrman Agency in Beverly Hills, California. Lisa is a cartoonist, a singer with the San Diego Master Chorale, a occasional stand-up comedian and a certified coach for creative entrepreneurs. She is the co-author of the upcoming book, The DaVinci DilemmaTM: How Multi-Talented People Can Get Focused, Get More Done and Get More Joy Out of Life. Lisa holds a B.A. in Semiotics from Brown University, is a graduate of Anthony Robbins Leadership Academy and is a certified coach through Life Purpose Institute. www.thedavincicoach.com

Jacquelyn Saad. Jackie is President of Inter-Change Consulting Inc., a full service human resources and organizational development consulting firm specializing in change and problem management. Projects have included human resources program development, coaching of key executives, business closure, merger and acquisition support, employee fraud investigation, organizational redesign, team building and employment dispute mediation in the US and Canada. inter-change@rogers.com

Rabbi Scott Saulson. Scott earned a B.A. in political science from the University of Michigan, a M.A. in international relations from the University of Miami, a M.A. in Hebrew letters from the Hebrew Union College where he was ordained as a Rabbi in 1976 and a Ph.D. in Semitics from the University of South Africa. Based on more than 30 years of professional pastoral service, and certification as a family mediator with a specialty in caregiving mediation, he established Moving Parents in 2007. This service offers workable decisions and richer relations for individuals and families as they are guided through the challenges that surface when seniors face significant life changes. He is a member of the National Association of Jewish Chaplains and of the Association of Clinical Pastoral Education and a charter member of the Atlanta chapter of the National Aging in Place Council. Scott is married to Dr. Diane Wulfsohn, a practicing clinical psychologist. They have two daughters, Raelle and Aliya. www.movingparents.org 

Terri Schanks. Terri is a healer, visionary teacher, writer and affirmative life coach based in St. Louis, Missouri. She offers a nationwide practice and works with adults, children and businesses to heal, empower and transform lives and challenging situations. Terri holds a masters degree in social work from St. Louis University and is a licensed clinical social worker. She is the owner of Blessings Enterprises, LLC, a holistic healing and coaching business dedicated to honoring all the path of life brings with mindfulness and giggles. www.blessingsenterprises.com

Ira Scott. Scott grew up on Long Island, NY and graduated from The State University of New York at Stony Brook where he studied political science and psychology. After college, he worked for 17 years in financial services dealing in both mortgages and wireless infrastructure. Scott was in the top 3% of producing sales executives nationwide and then as a Regional Sales Manger led a sales force that produced more than 50% of the total production for the region with less than 10% of the region’s total sales force. After leading others to higher levels of success Scott decided it was time to formalize what he felt had always been a life calling - Personal Development Coaching. In 2009 Scott became a Certified Life Coach by an ICF (International Coach Federation) accredited school and founded Lean Into Life Inc. As a professional coach Scott provides an ongoing partnership to help clients produce fulfilling results in their personal and professional lives. Scott is a Certified Master Practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, Certified in Belief Craft (Knowledge Engineering and Sleight of Mouth), an American Board of Hypnotherapy Board Certified Hypnotist (Neo-Ericksonian Hypnotherapy), and has studied Human Needs Psychology, Strategic Intervention, and Havening (A Psychosensory Therapy). Learn more about Ira Scott at www.LeanIntoLife.com.

Dr. Barbara Seifert. Barbara is the president of Committed to Your Success Coaching & Consulting in Orlando, which specializes in personal and professional development. She is a Success Coach and helps individuals to take charge of their careers, find the work they love and enhance their professional development to reach their peak performance. She understands human behavior and is an expert in helping individuals to work off their strengths and do their best work. She also coaches in organizations to enhance employee engagement and for leadership development. In her 25 years of business experience, she has mentored and trained employees and business leaders to become successful and to achieve personal and organizational goals. Barbara received her Ph. D. from Barry University in Human Resource Development; she is a Certified Professional Coach, a Certified Law of Attraction Coach, Certified NeuroLinguistic Practitioner, and Licensed as a Clinical Social Worker. She is a writer for several publications and has appeared in print, radio and television to discuss career-related topics; she also is a speaker and trainer. She has provided career coaching services for several national and international conventions and is a Premier Coach for the American Society of Training & Development. Barbara is an adjunct professor at several universities, teaching both management and human resource development courses, including career management. You can learn more by visiting www.cyscoaching.com. You can get free tips and articles by visiting her blog, Your Career Success, which was rated as one of the top Lifecoaching Blogs to Follow in 2013, at www.allaboutcareerssite.com. 

Lee E. Shilo. Lee holds a nine-to-five job and, in his free time, enjoys a passion for writing. He has a variety of published books and eBooks. Contributing to “Life Carrots� has been a pleasure for him and he hopes there will be a sequel that he can also contribute to! He lives on Vancouver Island in Victoria City, British Columbia. www.shilocom.com, leeshilo@yahoo.com 

Lynda Smith. Lynda is a wisdom preserver and connection specialist in South Africa. Her current role is building The Refirement Network in South Africa. This network is helping organizations and baby boomers to understand the opportunities and challenges that the future holds for this demographic. Lynda is a certified retirement coach with Retirement Options in the U.S. Lynda is a social entrepreneur and has a passion for understanding how South Africans can unlock skill development and help grow the economy. Lynda would like to encourage baby boomers worldwide to play an “encore� role in helping with skills, development and growth by engaging virtual, and live, travels to South Africa. www.refirementnetwork.com

Paula C Snyder. Paula has been songwriting and performing coast to coast over a 40 year span. Generally expressing her heart through poetry and song, Paula also enjoys writing articles, stories and marketing copy. Though she started songwriting in her early college years, Paula waited until recent years to record and publish some of her music. Paula recently started a new poetry and songwriting gift service, “Verses to Go,� for special occasions. You can also find Paula on iTunes. Paula is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University. She currently resides in Raleigh, North Carolina with her husband Marc. www.pcsnydermusic.com

Kim Solomito. Kim is married to Jon Malkmes. They are business partners of 25 years as floral designers. Their business, Kim Jon Designs, is located in Watermill, New York. Kim is also active in Yoga and other wellness activities. www.kimjondesigns.com, kim@kimjondesigns.com

Mona Tippins. Mona has traveled extensively throughout Europe, North America and the Russian Far East by train. She holds the Guinness World Record for unduplicated rail miles. Mona is the author of Tomorrow the Train: Journey to the World Record and European Train Travel Tips: Revised and Updated. Her novel, Operation Winterset: Code Name Jonathan will soon be released.

Marina Tonkonogy. Marina is a psychotherapist practicing in Thousand Oaks, California. She has M.A. in psychology in the field of marriage and family therapy, certification in psychoanalytic psychotherapy and is a member of California Association of Marriage and Family Therapists. She offers individual and marital therapy, support groups for those going through divorce or recently divorced and for those dealing with their partner’s infidelity. Marina has a passion for making psychological education open and accessible to general public and gives lectures and presentations on a variety of psychological topics. www.mtmft.com, marina@tonkonogy.com

​Daniel P. Tully. Dan Tully is Chairman Emeritus of Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc., the worldwide financial services corporation. Mr. Tully has spent his entire business career at Merrill Lynch, which he joined in 1955 in the accounting department. Within two years he was named operations manager of the Stamford, Connecticut office. After this grounding in the firm’s operations, he entered the Merrill Lynch Training School and in 1959 returned to the Stamford office as an account executive. He was appointed manager of the Stamford office in 1970 and the following year he was elected a Vice President of the firm. 

In 1976 Mr. Tully was appointed Director of Individual Sales. One year later he was elected to the Board of Directors of Merrill Lynch, Pierce, Fenner & Smith, the firm’s principal securities subsidiary, becoming Chairman and Chief Executive Officer in 1985. He also served as President and Chief Operating Officer of the parent company, Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. Mr. Tully then served as Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Merrill Lynch & Co., Inc. from May 1992 to April 1997. 

Mr. Tully and his wife, Grace, have four children and fourteen grandchildren. 

Leonard Velasquez. Leonard graduated from high school on a Thursday and was drafted for Vietnam the following Monday. He chose the Navy; he wanted to serve his country and also travel abroad to see what he had read in books. Leonard realized that however poor he thought he was, he was rich by the living standards he saw abroad. Leonard’s work experience commenced as a Navy postal clerk. After the service he landed a temp job with the Bank of America which eventually became full-time. He worked his way up the corporate ladder. His roles along the way included computer operations midnight shift manager, mainframe operations (the new IBM platform), cash management lockbox services, account reconcilement services, mortgage and enterprise-level server operations. He was blessed with great teams from Hawaii to New York. Together they found continuous ways to improve the business. He has now worked for the Bank of America for over 40 years and is proud of his accomplishments. 

Paul Volpe. Paul is a managing partner and financial advisor with Halper-Rawiszer Financial Group in Westport, Connecticut. He resides in New Canaan, Connecticut with his wife and two sons.

Ricky Wade. After leaving Jamaica and a career in aviation, Ricky Wade took a corporate position with McDonald’s in 1981 and became a franchisee in 2001 along with his wife Lissette. While operating high-performing restaurants, the Wades are extremely involved in regional and national McDonald’s leadership and as role models in their community. Wade is known as a business leader and as a mentor for youth throughout his community. He has devoted his talents to 15 community boards, from the Urban League and Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to United Way, The Arc of Palm Beach County, and Ronald McDonald House Charities. He is a frequent speaker at youth-oriented events and was honored to meet George W. Bush at the Whitehouse in 2007 as a McDonald’s representative for Black History Month.

The Wades have three children and live in West Palm Beach. The couple recently received the coveted McDonald's Golden Arch Award, an honor bestowed on less than 1% of franchisees.

Paul and Charlene Walker. The Walkers reside in South Florida. They are proud parents of five children; Nicholas, Frederick, Michael-Lerner, Michael and Angela and have fifteen grandchildren. 

Peter Wallimann. Peter graduated from ETH Zurich with a degree in chemistry. Later, he conducted research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. Peter then became a scientific editor in an international publishing house and worked in the Swiss chemical industry.
Apart from intellectual development, Peter has always been interested in cultural and spiritual movements. His project, termed “SENSIGNS,� is a unique fusion of art, nature and poetry, the focus lying on beauty as a universal key to higher understanding and deeper compassion. Peter has published numerous scientific, philosophical and spiritual articles and has given many lectures. He has made thousands of remarkable high resolution photographs of insects, especially of dragon flies and butterflies. His art work has been shown at private exhibits, published in magazines and printed in various formats. Peter lives and works as a writer and sound therapist in Zurich Switzerland. He has a 10-year-old son. www.sensigns.ch, info@sensigns.ch

Joanie Winberg. Joanie is the CEO of the National Association of Divorce for Women and Children and the founder of Single Again! Now What? She launched several mentoring programs for women and men on how to survive after a loss or a divorce. Joanie's mission is to provide educational programs to empower single parents to regain their confidence, build self esteem and create a foundation of life skills to enhance their quality of life—for themselves and their families. Joanie is a certified human behavior consultant, author, speaker, corporate trainer and mentor specializing in divorce. www.nadwc.org

Becky Woodbridge. Prior to becoming a speaker and professional coach, Becky Woodbridge was the former president and founder of a highly rated South Florida real estate company, and as a 25-year major airline Zillion Miler in the aisles. In two distinctly different work environments, Woodbridge saw commonality in the way that customer service is highly affected by poor communication and can limit successful results both personally and professionally. As the owner of a real estate company and a flight attendant for a major airline, Woodbridge had firsthand knowledge of the mood shifts between employees and the customer. Her very own mood created a company identity and is acutely aware of the shift in business. “Plane Speaking� Mood Matters is an interactive workshop that entertains, educate and empowers participants to unleash their extraordinary way of being to reach their fullest potential. Woodbridge is currently the organizer for TEDxDelrayBeach 2013. Originally from Bangor, Maine,Woodbridge migrated down the coast and has become an active participant in the South Florida business community. In 2007, she participated in Leadership Boca Raton and Leadership Delray Beach as a member of each respective Chamber of Commerce. Formerly served on the Board of Aid To Victims of Domestic Abuse, Delray Beach Film Festival and founder of Holiday Angels Foundation. Woodbridge is a member of the National Speakers Association, Florida Speakers Association, American Society of Training and Development, and the International Coach Federation. www.beckywoodbridge.com

Karen Wright. Karen coaches individuals seeking clarity and assists corporations in transforming ordinary into exceptional. In The Sequoia Seed: Remembering the Truth of Who You Are, Karen speaks knowingly of life’s hardships—fires that can ravage and entrap, but also strengthen and free. This profound little book packs a powerful punch of inspiration and guidance for those who have lost their bearing on life’s spiritual journey home. Her bi-monthly ezine, Waking Up, gives a precious moment’s sanity to a world in chaos. www.wrightminded.com

Barbara Wulf. Barbara is a professional career and life coach, speaker and writer. She brings 25 years of experience in education and career consulting to her business, Beckon Call. With a master’s degree in counseling, Barbara completed her professional coaching certification from the Coaches Training Institute, holds the designation of associate certified coach by the ICF and is a certified ReCareer coach. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and miniature schnauzer and is a mother of two young working adults. www.beckoncall-coach.com

Susan Young. Susan has a B.S. in business and a MA. in education. One of her greatest strengths is getting people to share their stories with her. She asserts that everyone has the desire to feel loved and appreciated for the person they are and not the person others need them to be. Having coached hundreds of people, Susan understands how personality type affects every aspect of a person's life. Susan has developed a teaching system where a person can be better prepared for college, a career or even finding the right partner. Susan’s goal is to enlighten millions of men and women on what makes them unique and to follow their passion and focus on their strengths. chooseprofession@gmail.com



Dr. Emile Allen. Emile is a graduate of Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, Illinois. He completed his general surgery internship and urology residency at the University of Iowa Hospital and Clinics in Iowa City, Iowa. An accomplished surgeon, Emile built three successful private practices and was the chief of urology and vice chairman of surgery at Scripts Memorial Hospital, San Diego, California. Although he no longer uses his surgeon’s scalpel, Emile now heals through his inspirational speaking and writing. His life story, vividly described in his book, Eaten By The Tiger: Surrendering to an Empowered Life, is captivating and entertaining audiences nationwide. His book has received the Writer’s Digest and the Readers' Favorite International Book Awards. Emile’s laser-sharp lessons and his electrifying charisma teach us how to embrace our fears in order to live a more empowered life. Emile is a member of the National Speakers Association and lives in Boca Raton, Florida. He travels the globe, sharing his invaluable insights to improve the lives of those he touches. www.emileallen.com


Richard J. Anthony, Sr. Rick is the founder and managing director of The Anthony Group, Inc., a management consulting firm specializing in business advisory services, human resource management, and performance improvement. He is also founder of The Entrepreneurs Network, a venue for aspiring and serial entrepreneurs and angel investors; host of The Entrepreneurs Network TV; and co-host of The Entrepreneurs Network Radio. His book, Organizations, People and Effective Communication, is available on Amazon. r.anthonysr1@verizon.net.


Marian Axley. Marian moved to Florida in 1960 after graduating from college in Kentucky because her husband had been hired by an airplane engine manufacturer to do research on their engines. For the next fifteen years, her family’s life revolved around his job, and they traveled and lived in different states. In 1976, Marian’s husband died of cancer, and although she was not enthusiastic about a career, she took a job teaching art in her local high school. This enabled her to raise her two small children while staying at home with them as much as possible. Today, Marian is remarried and retired, and she spends her time lecturing, critiquing, and judging art shows. 


Janet S. Bales. Janet is a mother of three, a stepmother of three, a “nana” of ten grandchildren, and a newlywed to her husband of three years. Janet is a musician and at an early age she traveled on tour with America’s Youth in Concert and Janesville Symphony Orchestra, and recorded in Carnegie Hall in 1976 with the BBC. Her musical talents were useful in the local church where she served for twenty-three years as a worship team leader. In 2000 she was hired full-time as the programming music and arts minister at a church in Wisconsin where she served until retirement. Soon after handing in her resignation, she developed colon cancer. The following year was spent in chemo until she successfully beat the disease. Janet now serves as the director of Tychicus Ministries, Inc., an organization she formed with her husband, Peter. They travel extensively, supporting missionaries on the field by keeping them healthy so they can be effective in the area they are serving. www.tychicusministries.org


Anne Bennett-Bready. Anne is a parent of a child with autism and she wears the title of "super mom" with pride. She has been married for eighteen years and is a full-time certified dental assistant. She currently resides with her husband and son in Jupiter Farms, Florida. She is a lifetime member of Weight Watchers. She is in the process of starting up a support group for parents with autistic teenagers. She loves to use writing as a creative outlet, and she believes in being healthy in all three areas: mind, sprit, and body. She is fifty-one, but thinks that age is only a number. Hope and faith are two things that often get her through the day.  


Edith Bergman. Edith Bergman was born in Brooklyn, New York, and her current hometown is Fall River, Massachusetts. She has three children: Shelley, Larry, and Eric. Bergman moved from Fall River to Hollywood, Florida, in 1969 and taught kindergarten and second grade at Sheridan Hills Elementary. She retired in 1990 and volunteered in various schools and libraries. Bergman joined the Life Learning Program at Nova Southeastern University in 1997 as a student and a part-time instructor. She is currently a resident of Brookdale Senior Living. www.brookdaleliving.com


Inez Bracy, MS, CNLP, CGC. Inez is a lifestyle coach, speaker, award-winning author, and radio and TV personality who helps women rejuvenate, reinvent, and redefine their life. Inez started her coaching business in 2005 to help women deal with the overwhelming prospect of starting a new life in their boomer years. As the creator of “SPICE” (Sassy-Phenomenal-Inspired-Conscious-Empowered) women, Inez believes that each woman has the right to unleash her femininity and live the life of joy she desires. She is a frequent guest on the Fox 4 Morning Blend as their career coach, giving tips to help boomers successfully navigate the workplace. She is a columnist for the Coastal Breeze newspaper and Senior Stuff. www.thebracygroup.com


Estelle Berk. Estelle was born and raised in Bronx, New York. She completed high school at fifteen years old. Prior to getting married and raising a family, she was an accessories buyer for a prestigious firm in Manhattan. She was also an executive secretary for many different employers throughout her working years including Max Factor in Hollywood, CA and Florida National Bank. She loved to travel with a special love for French language and culture. Estelle was an avid reader, enjoyed ballet and theater, and was socially active with a many close friends. Having undergone open heart surgery at age 50, she had continued interest in Mended Hearts as well as ongoing fundraisers for the American Heart Association. She had a great love of children and spent time mentoring them as well as being a longtime supporter of St. Jude Children's Hospital. Estelle also had the debilitating condition of Essential Tremor which had an ongoing impact on her. Although the tremor limited her involvement in some activities, she never let it prevent her from living life to its fullest. She frequently reached out to others experiencing difficult times by being a group leader for Recovery, Inc. for many years. She was passionate in her hope for a cure for Essential Tremor and donated her brain to Columbia University's Research Dept for that purpose. Estelle was a nurturing mother, committed friend, loving grandmother, and had a zest for life. Going forth with Optimism during life's many challenges was how she chose to live her life. Estelle was a resident of Brookdale Senior Living until her passing in March, 2014. www.brookdaleliving.com


Christina Callahan. Christina received her bachelor's degree in English in 2012 from Fairfield University. She enjoys writing and going to the beach with her yellow lab, PJ. Christina resides in Fairfield, Connecticut, with her family. www.therusticmermaid.tumblr.com


Roger Cannon. Roger writes as often as possible, still loves Wisconsin White Pines, and lives happily in San Pedro, California with his wife, Sherri, and their two cats.


Michael Carlon. Michael is a qualitative research professional who engages consumers in highly personal conversations about the products they buy and the services they seek. Michael’s success as a researcher is based on his ability to make people feel comfortable expressing their thoughts, experiences, and emotions in a variety of settings. Michael publishes articles multiple times per year in industry publications and is an active contributor to his local newspaper, The Stamford Advocate. Additionally, he runs a successful blog and podcast both entitled Uncorking a Story. In 2011, Mike published One Last Round, his first novel. Mike lives in Stamford, Connecticut, with his wife Nicole and their triplets. He has a degree in psychology from the University of Connecticut and a master's degree in business administration from Fairfield University where he also designed and taught a course on Internet marketing. www.vertigopartners.com


Gay Cartier. Gay is a recovery coach, addiction counselor, master NLP practitioner, and the founder of Addiction Recovery International in Sydney, Australia. Her services include providing telephone and online recovery coaching and addiction counseling within her trademark system called the New Life Recovery Program. The New Life Recovery Program was founded specifically for addicts and their partners, family members, and friends. 


Sunny Chayes. Sunny is the Media Personality for Universal Broadcasting Network, GWEN Network, and GWEN T.V. On her shows “Singin’ in the Rain” and “The Personal to the Universal,” she chats with directors, peace advocates, politicians, musicians, and international sages of all kinds. The shows discuss topics to intend enlightenment, education and Spiritual Activism using conversation, humor, and music. Sunny was also an award-winning clothing and costume designer as well as a dancer and sacred singer. She was born in Chicago to Nancy Lee and Stewart, has two sons, and lives in Los Angeles, California.


Claudette Chenevert. Claudette is the founder of Coaching Steps LLC and is a certified master stepfamily foundation coach specializing in stepfamily relationships and conflict resolution. She has a degree in psychology of communication and is a member of the International Coach Federation and the International Positive Psychology Association. She has been a stepmother for over twenty-two years and a mom for over twenty-eight years. Whether speaking, leading workshops and seminars, writing, or networking, she shares the tools that have enabled her own family to thrive. www.StepmomCoach.com.


Thomas Collins. Thomas is from Smithtown, New York. He is nineteen years old and lives at home with his parents Tom and Margaret, his sister Sarah, and their dog Brett. He graduated from Chaminade High School in Mineola. He is presently a biology major at SUNY Geneseo in upstate New York. He is enjoying his time in school and is looking forward to the future.


Jennifer Cutler Lopez. Jenny was born and raised in Newfoundland, Canada, and resides in Virginia. She is working on her book American Scars: Stories on Display. American Scars combines photography and uplifting biographical essays to reveal the stories of people and their physical scars.


Nancy Ferrari. Nancy is the radio host of The Nancy Ferrari Show on W4CY Radio The Intertainment Network, and she is also a life empowerment coach, an author, a speaker and a contributing writer for numerous publications. Nancy is a coauthor of the bestselling book, Selling With Synchronicity. She is also the founder of Nancy Ferrari Media & Mentoring, providing media and mentoring programs to attain personal and professional success, utilizing her signature coaching programs based on the principles within her book Discover the Essence of You. www.nancyferrari.com. 


Ernest Field. Ernest Field is from Vienna, Austria. He is survived by his wife, Kitty, of sixty years. They have two boys and thirteen grandchildren. They also have fifty great grandchildren. Kitty Field is originally from Bochum, Germany. Both Ernest and Kitty are Holocaust survivors who have amazing stories and accounts of their lives leading up to, during, and after their concentration camp experiences. 


Hayley Foster. Hayley is a married mother of three who says that nothing will teach you more about yourself than raising children. Her mission is to bring as much good into the world as possible. She has helped hundreds of clients—including speakers, CEOs, educators, and astronauts—find the perfect combination of who they are and what resonates best with their audiences. www.shorttalkexpert.com.


Allison Frattaroli. Allison is seventeen years old and a junior at St. Luke's School in Darien, Connecticut. She is also an active ambassador for Kids Helping Kids in Stamford, Connecticut. www.kidshelpingkidsct.org


Sally Gates. Sally is the mother of two children, Carey Braga and Matthew Gates, and she has three grandchildren: Isabelle Braga, Zachary Braga, and Harper Gates. Sally was raised in Swansboro, North Carolina, and graduated from Sacred Heart College. After marriage she lived in the greater Kansas City area and was a social worker. After completing a master’s degree in gerontology, she spent several years consulting and teaching at local universities. Sally has been employed by HCR Manor Care in Florida since 1991 as a regional director and an administrator of a skilled nursing facility.


Barbara Gelston. Barbara lives in Stamford, Connecticut, with her husband, Art, who graduated from Fairfield University in 1961. They have two children, Nancy Dobos and Tom, both of whom also graduated from Fairfield University. Barbara and Art have been married for forty-four years. Barbara and Art both enjoy gardening, golfing, visiting their vacation home on the North Carolina Outer Banks, and spending time with friends and family.


Dr. Colleen Georges. Colleen has been serving as a counselor and coach for over 15 years, helping to guide individuals through self-discovery and personal and career goal achievement. Today, she owns Colleen’s Career Creations and Life Coaching with Colleen, where she provides career and life coaching services, writes résumés for clients across the professional spectrum, facilitates professional development workshops, and runs wellness and support groups, including the Contagious Optimism Wellness Group and Moms Helping Moms Support Group. Colleen is also a faculty member at Rutgers University where she teaches graduate-level counseling and undergraduate women’s leadership courses. She received her doctorate in counseling psychology from Rutgers University, is a nationally certified psychologist and NJ licensed professional counselor, and holds over a dozen certifications in positive psychology, positive parenting, life and career coaching, résumé writing, and job search. Her publications include co-authorship in Contagious Optimism: Uplifting Stories & Motivational Advice for Positive Forward Thinking, 101 Great Ways to Enhance Your Career, scholarly psychology journals, and The Gallery of Best Resumes, 5th Edition. Colleen has been quoted in Forbes.com, CandidCareer.com, InspireMeToday.com, SuperChangeYourLife.com, and The Trenton Times. www.ColleenGeorges.com. ​


Dr. Donald E. Gibson, Ph.D. Donald is the dean and professor of management at the Dolan School of Business at Fairfield University. He teaches courses in leadership and teams and managing people for competitive advantage to undergraduate and graduate students. Donald's research examines organizational role models, emotions in management, anger in the workplace, and conflict management. He has articles published in Organization Science, Journal of Management, Journal of Vocational Behavior, Academy of Management Perspectives, and Journal of Business Ethics, and he has also published in a book for practicing managers, Managing Anger in the Workplace. Donald received his master's degree in business administration and Ph.D. from UCLA, and was previously a professor in organizational behavior at Yale. Prior to entering academia, Donald worked in the entertainment industry in Los Angeles, managing post-production and distribution for television shows and motion pictures at Lorimar Productions.


Fred Gill. Fred joined the Metro-North Railroad of New York in 1984. He has held several positions, and he is currently responsible for the identification and development of potential employees. Fred has partnered with Gateway Community College in New Haven, Connecticut, where he was instrumental in developing an associate degree in rail engineering technology. Fred also partnered with Connecticut Technical High Schools and various New York City organizations to develop curricula to support the technical need for qualified electrical employees. Fred is an active member of various civic and community organizations, and was recently appointed the chair of the Connecticut Business Advisory Council.


Larry Glenz. Larry is the author of Forgiving Kevin: A Son’s Addiction Becomes a Father’s Greatest Teacher. He served as a high school history teacher and athletic coach in Long Island, New York, for thirty-six years. As a travel tour group leader, he supervised hundreds of teenagers to destinations in Europe, Australia, Asia, and Africa. Larry received his ordination as a reverend for his church, Pathways of Light, in 2008.  


Laura Graham. Laura is a high school senior in Oakland, California, and she is hoping to attend the University of Arizona and study business. With the help of family, Laura has clothed thousands of teenagers, helping them return to the classroom and feel better about themselves. 


William Goldberger. William is a retired professional engineer and former vice president of research at a company that manufactures highly specialized industrial products. He is a named inventor on twenty-five U.S. patents and has published technical papers and articles in the field of chemical and metallurgical processing. 


Melody Goodspeed. Melody suffered health complications that caused her to lose her vision in 2003. Prior to her vision loss at the age of twenty-six, Melody was a special education teacher. Her fight to regaining and sculpting her life has given her a new perspective on what is truly important in life, and she is grateful to God for all the gifts He has given, including a loving husband, motherhood, family, friends, and a new career. 


Bharath Gopalan. Bharath has master's degrees in psychology and human resource management. He steers the learning and development practices in a cement-major in India. He holds certifications in NLP, psychometric profiling, quality management systems and is deemed by the Government of India as a national resource person to conduct trainers’ training courses. Bharath writes articles for business magazines. He is presently working on a book on career building for McGraw-Hill. He has recently authored a book titled Break Your Boundaries, a compendium of some of the best books on personal excellence.


Jim and Rachel Harper. Jim was born on November 4, 1925, in Jacksonville, Florida, where he grew up with his parents and four brothers. His father was a flight instructor in World War I and his mother was a native of Louisiana. For three years during World War II Jim served in the US Navy as a radio operator. After the war he returned home and enrolled at the University of North Carolina, where he graduated with a degree in geology. Rachel Wilkerson was born in Rome, Georgia, on the same date as her husband four years earlier on November 4, 1921. Her father Dewey Wilkerson owned a coal business in Rome, where Rachel grew up. In high school, Rachel played basketball and softball and was a star athlete on both teams. After graduating high school Rachel took a job doing clerical work at a local hospital. At the beginning of World War II, Rachel started working at a Navy Flight School at Auburn University. The Harpers are residents of Brookdale Senior Living. www.brookdaleliving.com 


Joel Heller. Joel worked in the insurance industry for twenty-five years in various underwriting and management positions. He left the insurance industry in 2010 to open a retail clothing, jewelry, and gift shop in Vermont. Joel has a bachelor's degree from Fairfield University and resides with his wife in New Hampshire.


Christine Henchar Reed, M.A., M.Div. Christine graduated from Fairfield University, where she majored in politics and minored in religious studies. She was awarded the Harry S. Truman Scholarship for dedication to public service and academic excellence. Christine has dedicated her career to public service, working for public TV, assisting people with disabilities, and serving in ministry. She has a master's degree in religion from Vanderbilt University and a master of divinity from Vanderbilt Divinity School. She has served as a campus minister at Vanderbilt University, as a chaplain at Converse College in Spartanburg, South Carolina, and as a pastoral counselor Cumberland Heights in Nashville, Tennessee. She resides in Franklin, Tennessee, with her husband Roland and their two beloved cats, Tipper and Bob.


Elke Hennecke. Elke currently works as an administrative assistant at a medical office. She lives in Glen Cove, New York, with her partner since 2010. When not working, she likes to decorate their abode to make it pleasing and peaceful. This includes meaningful pieces, photos, and furry friend rescue animals named Tashi, Jessie, Lucas, Esmer, Nikki, Minnie, and Barbarino.


John Brantley Hooks, IV. John is the founder and chief content officer of The WWRG Networks, a global network of high-profile women on five continents and in thirty-six countries. Through social media and hosted events, they are able to “connect” with others who share their positive forward thinking lifestyle. John is also the chief executive officer of DMM, LLC, a management consulting practice that provides strategic advice to entrepreneurs in emerging technology and funding. wealthywomensresourceguide-jbhiv@yahoo.com.  


Kimberlee M. Hooper, M.Ed. Kimberlee works in the field of higher education where she directs the School Relations office at Middlesex County College in Edison, New Jersey. With over ten years of experience in the field of education, she finds great joy in helping others achieve their educational goals. Kim earned her bachelor of arts and master of education degrees from the University of Virginia.


Sherry Hursey. Sherry co-owns Smile TV and is an award-winning actress, writer, and producer. Most recognized as Ilene from the hit series Home Improvement, Sherry has an extensive list of credits from stage to screen. A vocalist and voice artist, Sherry can be heard in over a hundred films including Shrek, Madagascar, Polar Express, and Monsters vs. Aliens. Following her passion for music, children, and positive programming, Sherry produced and starred in the uplifting family musical, Lilly’s Light, for Public TV, advocating for displaced and foster youth. Her heart and talents are now fully expressing through Smile TV. www.smiletvgroup.com


Eileen Keller. Eileen is a single mom of two children and lives in Chicago, Illinois. She graduated from the University of Rhode Island with a bachelor's degree in psychology. Eileen works at AT&T as a senior technical team leader. She leads a team of project managers and is certified as a project management professional. 


Jerry Kelly. Jerry is a licensed massage therapist and canine caretaker in his hometown of Massapequa Park, New York. He has been on the Self Transformation Path for over twenty years, studying multiple religions and new thought technologies. He meditates two to three hours per day and believes that world peace will happen when individual inner peace is achieved.


​Nancy Koenig. Nancy is an author, speaker, certified life coach and EFT Practitioner who motivates others to stretch beyond illusory limitations, follow their deepest passions and reach their highest aspirations. After enjoying what was once her dream career as a writer for the National Hockey League (including NHL.com), Nancy left the world of sports to coach clients from addiction to empowerment. Today, she leads women through weight loss, smoking cessation and other goals while helping them dramatically improve the most important and often most neglected relationship of their lives: the one with self. Excerpts from Nancy’s first book, a novel about relationships that subtly doubles as a personal development guide, can be sampled at NameMyNovel.com. www.timeforprosperity.com. www.nancykoenig.com. 


Liisa Kyle, Ph.D. Liisa is the go-to coach for smart, creative people who want to overcome challenges, get organized, get things done, and get more out of life. She has coached individuals, facilitated groups, and delivered inventive workshops on four continents. Liisa Kyle has published books about happiness, goal setting, and overcoming perfectionism. She cofounded The DaVinci Dilemma, an online community devoted to helping multitalented people. www.DaVinciDilemma.com


Krystian Leonard. Krystian is a high school junior who wrote her first children’s book Shining Scars at age fifteen as a way to teach healing and promote character for children healing with visible scars. Krystian experienced firsthand the trials and self-esteem issues associated with visible scars. She overcame her self-image and entered her first beauty pageant at the age of fourteen and then entered the Miss America Scholarship Organization at the age of fifteen. After developing and creating the Shining S.C.A.R.S. organization, Krystian has been able to use her personal experience to reach out to children and teens with physical scars and teach them self-acceptance. www.shiningscars.org


Barry L. Lindstrom. Barry is a maverick adaptive design scientist offering unique and innovative solutions to individuals and organizations. He authored hundreds of nonfiction papers, user manuals, and presentations for those confused by complexity and wearied by the pace of change. Barry’s first significant work of fiction is Considering SomeplacElse. He continues to count his blessings with his life partner, Melinda, in suburban Arizona and places thirty-nine remarkable years of marriage, three outstanding children, and six wondrous grandchildren at the top of his list. www.soiwrotethisbook.com 


Paul R. Lipton. Paul is author of Hour of the Wolf: An Experiment in Ageless Living. Paul is a graduate of Penn State University with a bachelor's degree in political science and a Juris Doctor graduate degree from Washington University Law School in St. Louis. Paul is a frequent speaker on the topics of living a balanced life in a world that seems out of balance. Paul currently resides in Boulder, Colorado.


Deborah Littlejohn. Deborah has spent the past three years working as a certified home health care aide. She was a girl scout, cheerleader, and homecoming queen. She received her Secretarial of Science certification from Taylor Business Institute.


Lee Lively-Garcia, CPM. Lee is the president of One Great Kid, Inc. Lee is currently working in corporate banking as a business analyst and project manager and lives in Florida. Lee has a wonderful husband and a phenomenal son. Lee has held various positions as a daycare teacher, peer coach/trainer, project manager, and has owned her own business in her over twenty-five-year career. Lee’s philosophies on life come from many life trials she has experienced, which include being jobless and nearly homeless, morbid obesity, and breast cancer. Lee feels it is important to learn from these challenges in order to grow stronger and empower ourselves to meet future challenges that come our way.


Karen Lyons Kalmenson. Karen is a poet, blogger, animal and human rights activist, who has contributed her rhymes to many places, many causes, and in the process, made friends worldwide and touched many hearts. She finds a rhyme and a laugh almost everywhere she looks. fayely10@aol.com


Cynthia Makris. Cynthia has been an opera singer for thirty years, and throughout her career, she has sung almost every leading role written for a soprano. Critics have praised not only the beauty of her voice, but also the honesty, integrity, and depth of her portrayals. www.cynthiamakris.com


Alan A. Malizia. Alan attended Sacred Heart University in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and earned a bachelor's degree in mathematics and a master's degree in education. His professional experience included corporate positions with companies such as Walden Books. Then he shifted gears to teaching, his true passion. Alan taught at Our Lady of Fatima in Wilton, Connecticut, and then at Stamford Catholic High School in Stamford, Connecticut, where he ultimately became a renowned coach for the girls volleyball team. He earned Connecticut Coach of the Year in 1988 and was selected for the Connecticut Volleyball Hall of Fame in 2007. Alan wrote two self-published books: "The Little Red Chair," an autobiography about his life experience with polio and "A View From The Quiet Corner," a selection of his poems and reflections. Alan received book awards from the USA Book News National in 2009 and was the International Book Award finalist in poetry for the inspirational category and winner in the religious category in 2010. amalizia1@ct.metrocast.net 


Charles Markman. Charles started creating cartoons in grammar school and high school. He worked as an apprentice cartoonist while going to night school. During his three-year army stint he was able to get his drawings and cartoons into several army publications. He went back to school after returning home from war. Charles then started working in the commercial art field as a graphic designer. Many of his cartoons have been published. Charles never really retired; he is still drawing cartoons today. Charles is a resident of Brookdale Senior Living. www.brookdaleliving.com 


David R. Martin. David has worked as a wealth manager with many top global financial institutions. In 1995, David joined Smith-Barney as a financial advisor. His successes at Smith-Barney led him to join UBS Financial Services as vice president of investments in 1998, where he managed portfolios with assets of more than $70 million. In 2006, David founded Quantflow Strategies LLC, with a current client and physicist, and together they developed a unique investment platform. In early 2011, David founded his own wealth management firm, INDX Strategies. www.indxstrategies.com. 


Richard Masterson. Rich Masterson is a serial entrepreneur who, at age twenty-five, became the first business-to-business advertiser on Prodigy Interactive Personal Service, a joint venture of IBM and Sears that was the forerunner to the World Wide Web. He was named Inc. Magazine’s “Entrepreneur of the Year” for his innovative use of technology, and went on to be the founder of US Interactive, an early web consulting business. After US Interactive had a successful IPO, Rich became a philanthropist and real estate developer. He is a graduate of James Madison University and the executive education program at Harvard Business School, and was the first Entrepreneur in Residence at The University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business. He resides in suburban Philadelphia.


Diane May. Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Diane has lived in Florida for the past forty-three years. She has been a teacher and librarian, and has also worked in special education. Diane also spent time in India and organized a library there for children. She also wrote two conference show scripts, The Children Are Our Future and Christmas is for The Birds. She wrote her nonfiction work, The Wealth of Wholeness, while setting up Seventh Heaven Education, a nonprofit organization. She also wrote The Cosmic Spirit for high school kids. Most of these endeavors took place prior to Diane’s stroke over ten years ago. Diane is a resident of Brookdale Senior Living. www.brookdaleliving.com 


Patrick McKay. Patrick is a fitness consultant based in Jupiter, Florida. He helps people of all ages and fitness levels improve their quality of life and achieve long-term results through common sense nutrition, challenging cardio routines, and constantly varied workouts. He is certified through the National Strength and Conditioning Association and is also as a golf fitness instructor through the Titleist Performance Institute. When he is not at the gym, Patrick enjoys playing basketball and tennis, as well as surfing and snowboarding. Patmckay1@aol.com 


Karie Lynn Millspaugh. Karie was born and raised in Michigan as one of five children. She has always found herself to be a natural leader in many roles throughout her life. She currently resides with her beautiful daughter in Las Vegas, Nevada, where she recruits business coaches for a global organizations. She also coaches others on personal development and finding their own source of happiness and well-being.  


Fred Moore. Fred was born in 1920 in New York. At age three, his parents moved to Paris, France. Fred attended French grade schools and then returned to the US in 1937. He served in the Navy during World War II as an interpreter in Normandy. Fred then went on to college at Rutgers University, class of 1948, and earned a bachelor’s of science degree, an art degree, a master's degree. Fred taught secondary school for three years in New Jersey. After teaching, he purchased a home furnishing business and later moved to Florida where he owned and managed a motel. After a bout with cancer, he ran a real estate management business. His public service has included being president of the Chamber of Commerce in Millburn, New Jersey; president of a Florida Ostomy Support Group; and president of Friends Of Ostomates Worldwide, a USA group that collects unused ostomy supplies and distributes them to needy ostomates in third-world countries. He also served on the board of directors of a local Florida AIDS support organization. Fred is a resident of Brookdale Senior Living. www.brookdaleliving.com


Kerry Flynn Moeykens. Kerry is a veteran teacher. She has degrees from the University of Vermont and the University of Cincinnati. She is currently living in Kentucky and working in the financial industry. Her hobbies include spending time with her three children, working on light home renovation, and writing.


Gavin Morris. Gavin was born on August 24, 2009, to Chad and Tosha Morris and is the older brother of Greyson, who was born on August 15, 2011. In May 2012, Gavin had what the doctors thought was an ear infection. When the ear infection cleared up, but the pain continued, a CT scan and bone marrow biopsy confirmed everyone's worst fears: Gavin had stage IV neuroblastoma. This was a devastating diagnosis, but Gavin and his family are determined and are ready to fight. Tosha graduated from Ripley High School and obtained her registered nurse degree from Fairmont State University. Chad graduated from Grafton High School, West Virginia, and is currently pursuing his bachelor's degree in information technology at Western Governors University. The family currently resides in the Philadelphia area to be close to Gavin’s hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia. For more information on Gavin and neuroblastoma, visit www.BeGavinStrong.org.  


Merry Nachemin, LCSWR. Merry was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She went to Brooklyn College and then New York University's School of Social Work. Following thirty years as a social worker, with the last twenty as an administrator, Merry shifted gears and started her dream business: She became an image consultant and makeup artist. Now, she helps her clients change from the outside in as she participates in their metamorphoses.


Alison Nancye. Alison has made it her life's work to inspire others to go after what they want in life. As an author, speaker, and media spokesperson, she encourages people to take positive action in their lives. She is the author of several nonfiction self-development books and also her new novel Note to Self. 


Navid Nazemian. Navid is a global human resources professional who has worked for world-class organizations such as Adidas, General Electric, BAT and Roche. Navid has delivered numerous speeches, training workshops, and keynote presentations at management conferences and training facilities across Europe, Asia and Middle East. He is a member of Harvard Business Reviews’ Advisory Council and McKinsey's Executive Panel. He is author of several published articles on management and leadership and has co-authored the books, Interimsmanagement and HR Service Management. Navid has a master’s degree in international management from Hamburg University of Applied Sciences, Germany, and is a trained principled negotiator at Harvard Law School in Cambridge. Navid currently lives in Basel, Switzerland. Follow Navid on Twitter @NavidNazemian.


Peter Nicholls. Peter Nicholls is a lifestyle mentor, and he goes by the title “Australia’s People Gardener.” This nickname stems from his thirty years of experience working in parks and recreation, as well as his belief that nature can teach us about personal growth and development. Nicholls’ extensive experience in recreational planning has given him deep insights into positive human behavior and optimism. He lives in Adelaide, Australia, and enjoys choir singing and social golf. peter@australiaspeoplegardener.com.au


Ester Nicholson. Ester is an author, an Agape International-licensed spiritual therapist, a motivational speaker, and an inspirational recording artist who brings twenty-five years of sobriety and spiritual teachings to audiences around the globe. Ester host shows on Hay House Radio and Unity Online Radio, facilitates workshops, and gives keynote addresses. Her book, Soul Recovery: 12 Keys to Healing Addiction, is based on spiritual principles and a progressive Twelve-Step recovery process. Ester resides in Nashville, Tennessee. www.esternicholson.com


Melinda Petroff. Melinda lives in Bridgeport, West Virginia, with her husband Joe and two children, Isabella and Jonathan. She received a bachelor's degree in accounting, marketing, and finance at Fairmont State University and later a master's degree in business administration from West Virginia University. She is the current chief financial officer and president of Supply Solutions, LLC. She is active in her school fundraising efforts and community events. Melinda is the aunt of Gavin Morris, who has stage IV neuroblastoma. She assists the family with their website, YouTube videos, Facebook group, and fundraising efforts for Gavin.  


Barbara Rady Kazdan. Widely known for directing Ashoka’s US program of leading social entrepreneurs, Barbara is the founder and principal consultant at Achieving Change Together and the strategic development officer at Parents Alliance. Barbara created a literacy awareness campaign that became a national initiative, and she has chaired city, state, and national planning groups. She founded the Houston READ Commission, the Mayor’s literacy agency, launching thirteen technology learning centers and changing public policy to support community-based programs. She cofounded InFOCUS to help low-income families access eye care. Barbara earned a bachelor's degree from the University of Michigan and completed the Jones Graduate School of Administration at Rice University. As a certified JobsOver50 career coach, Barbara helps individuals shift into nonprofit careers. www.achievingchangetogether.com 


Sandy Pedeflous. Sandy, coowner of Smile TV, is a thirty-year veteran of the entertainment industry and has worked behind the scenes in all aspects of production including producing, production coordinating, and post-production supervising. Sandy graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree in radio, television, and film, from California State University Northridge, and used her creative expertise to build her own editing business developing industrial video productions. Sandy is also the co-owner of two companies, Omegasonics, a manufacturing company, and UltraCare, a service business. At a young age Sandy had a dream to create a positive news show. She made this dream become a reality with Smile TV, an all-positive media network producing video for the soul purpose of smiling. www.smiletvgroup.com 


Susyn Reeve. Susyn is the bestselling author of The Inspired Life: Unleashing Your Mind’s Capacity for Joy. She has forty years of experience as an international leadership development coach, and she is a life mentor and interfaith minister. Susyn has honed an ability to guide others in seeing and ultimately experiencing the gifts in life. Susyn is the co-host of the popular weekly radio show, The On Purpose Show: Your Path to Fulfilling LifeWork. www.SusynReeve.com


Vaneetha Rendall. Vaneetha is a freelance writer, currently working on a memoir about her childhood. She previously worked in the fields of marketing and finance for Gartner Group, Sara Lee, and Bank of Boston. Ms. Rendall has a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Virginia and a master's degree in business administration from Stanford Graduate School of Business. She currently lives in Raleigh with her two daughters, Katie and Kristi, and speaks frequently on the topic of overcoming adversity. www.danceintherain.com 


Shane J. Repmann. Shane Repmann has a strong background in sales. After a decade of being a top producer, he returned to higher education in order to pursue a bachelor's degree in psychology. After obtaining degree, Shane jumped right into graduate school, and he is currently pursuing his master's degree and state certification in school counseling at Rutgers University. 
J. Todd Rhoad. Todd is the managing director of BT Consulting, an Atlanta-based business and career consulting firm. He is a public speaker and the author of the book, Blitz the Ladder: A team-based approach for getting ahead in business. Todd is the founder of MBAWriters®, a global team of MBA graduates who want to share their experiences to help other MBAs become more successful in their career. He holds a master’s degree in engineering from the Missouri School of Science and Technology and a master's degree in business administration from Indiana Wesleyan University. todd.rhoad@blitzteamconsulting.com


Patricia Rose. Patricia was born and raised in New York, and is an optimist and animal lover. She has experienced many difficult things in her life, including overcoming addiction, two near death experiences due to violence from men, and dealing with the death of her newborn daughter. However, she has defied odds and has chosen to live a happy, fulfilling, and healthy life. Patricia currently works in the healthcare field, and she also works as a site manager and writer for MommysDirtyLittleSecret.com, which is a blog for adults.


Susan Ross. Susan’s career spans twenty years in business education, new business launch and development, business growth consulting, sales training, speaking, and team building. She has worked with more than 500 businesses. Susan launched a private business college, which achieved national accreditation and approval from the U.S. Department of Education. The college specialized in training people to become entrepreneurs and sales professionals, a journey that allowed Susan to participate in hundreds of career and business launches. After selling her college in 2005, Susan shifted her passion from teaching students to working in business by founding Blue Ocean Business Coaching and Masterminds. www.blueoceancoaching.com


Joan Rubinstein. Joan lives in Long Beach, New York. A graduate of Hofstra University’s Drama Department, she has spent many years involved with Regional Theater on Long Island, participating with and starring in as many as one hundred shows. 


Jacquelyn Saad. Jackie is president of Inter-Change Consulting Inc., a full-service human resources and organizational development consulting firm specializing in change and problem management. Projects have included human resources program development, coaching of key executives, business closure, merger and acquisition support, employee fraud investigation, organizational redesign, team building, and employment dispute mediation in Canada and the US. inter-change@rogers.com 


Arnold Sarrow. Arnold was born in New York City. He moved to Huntington, New York, when he was eight years old, and the family ran a grocery store business there for many years. Arnold eventually left college to enlist as a private after the Pearl Harbor bombing, and he became a fighter pilot. He flew 101 combat missions and sorties, and obtained several letters of achievement from France, Australia, and the Czech Republic. Since that time, Arnold has experienced many personal and professional achievements. He values family, friends, and his time in the Sunshine State. Arnold is a resident of Brookdale Senior Living. www.brookdaleliving.com


​Ira Scott. Ira is a certified master practitioner of Neuro-Linguistic Programming, is certified in Neo-Ericksonian Hypnosis, and a member of The American Board of Hypnotherapy. He is also certified in “Belief Craft - Knowledge Engineering and Sleight of Mouth" and is a certified practitioner of The Havening Techniques - a psychosensory therapy. Ira has also studied Strategic Intervention and Human Needs Psychology. Ira empowers clients to take measurable action for positive, lasting, and empowering personal growth. Ira is a member of the Society of NLP, the International Coach Federation, and The Long Island Coaching Alliance. www.leanintolife.com


Arthur Scalzo. Arthur is a retired U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration special agent, who conducted investigations and para-military operations in countries like Philippines, Peru, and Bolivia. Arthur retired from the DEA in 2002, after thirty years of service. Following his retirement, he served as a line detective and commanding officer of the Suffolk County NY District Attorney’s Insurance Crime Bureau. From January 2007 to January 2008, Arthur also served in Iraq as a civilian criminal investigator embedded with the US Army 4th Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. He identified and brought to justice terrorists involved in the manufacturing and placement of IEDs that were targeting U.S. and Coalition Forces in Baghdad. He was decorated by the US Army for his actions in Iraq. He has also served in the US Secret Service and the US Immigration and Naturalization Service. Arthur graduated from the American University in D.C., where he earned a bachelor of science degree in the administration of justice. He is married and has four children and two grandchildren.


Lee E. Shilo. Lee holds a nine-to-five job and has a passion for writing. He has a variety of published books and ebooks. Contributing to Contagious Optimism has been a pleasure for him. He lives on Vancouver Island in Victoria City, British Columbia. www.shilocom.com, leeshilo@yahoo.com 


Sophie Skover. Sophie is an author, a holistic life coach and an inspirational speaker. She started her own company, LSS Harmony Life Coaching, to help others experience harmony in their lives. She works with clients, conducts workshops, and encourages us to grow into the most impressive version of ourselves. www.LSSHarmony.com


Amy Spencer. Amy is the author of The Happy Life Checklist: 654 Simple Ways to Find Your Bliss (Perigee, 2014); Bright Side Up: 100 Ways to Be Happier Right Now, which was recommended by O, The Oprah Magazine; and the "dating optimism" guide Meeting Your Half-Orange, which Harper’s Bazaar called “the ultimate pep-talk.” Amy is a journalist who has written for Glamour, Redbook, Real Simple, New York Magazine and The Huffington Post. She founded TheLifeOptimist.com, and she sends out the popular email, “Vitamin Optimism,” offering happiness tricks to try at home. www.amyspencer.com.


Lance Stranahan. Lance is a real estate investor and commodity trader from West Palm Beach, Florida. He is also an independent filmmaker and actor. He received a bachelor’s degree in business from Palm Beach Atlantic University and is a graduate of The Palm Beach Film School. His interests include weight training, golf, holistic health, and nutrition.


JC Sullivan. JC is addicted to backpacking the world. Having been to more than 120 countries, her goal is to see them all. Not financially rich, she barters, takes odd jobs, and sells an inspirational poem or story. backpackingpoet@yahoo.com.


William Sweet. William is a retired engineer living in St. Mary's County, Maryland. He is married and has three children and three grandchildren. Sweet was employed by Johns Hopkins University's Applied Physics Laboratory for thirty-seven years. He retired in 1989. He and his wife enjoy traveling, biking, and swimming. His hobbies include radio-controlled model aircraft and photography. He coauthored a textbook on systems engineering, which is currently used in many graduate courses.
Sónia Trejo. Sónia is a certified life coach and master core energy coach. Her passion is to inspire others to achieve their greatest potential, turning their challenges into opportunities. Incorporating mind, body, and spirit, she is a fully certified Pilates instructor and certified personal trainer through the National Academy of Sports Medicine. She has also studied yoga for twenty years. She is also an active board member of the nonprofit Heartfelt Foundation, the International Coaching Federation, and the M.S. Society. Sónia resides in Pasadena, California.


Salvatore Trifilio. Sal was raised in Waldwick, New Jersey. He grew up playing baseball and football, but dropped football in high school to play baseball year-round. His dream had always been to play Major League Baseball, but that ended when he graduated high school. Sal is currently the news editor at The Fairfield Mirror, an award-winning student newspaper at Fairfield University in Connecticut. His plan is to pursue a career in sports journalism after graduation.


Steve Uible. Steve served as a Peace Corps volunteer in the Kingdom of Tonga from 1967 to 1970. He is currently a consultant to the construction and farm equipment industry, and is the owner of Time Service Consulting, LLC. www.TimeServiceConsulting.com


Norman Wain. After graduating from Brooklyn College, Norman worked at various radio shows as a DJ. He was on the air during army service in Japan for the Far East Network. He went on to be a program director, advertising account executive, and salesman in Cleveland. Years later, Wain formed a company to buy and operate radio stations, including stations in Cleveland, D.C., Raleigh, Charlotte, St. Louis, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Jacksonville. He retired in 1994. He is now president of the Palm Beach Gardens concert band, where he still plays his tuba. 


Peter Wallimann. Peter graduated from ETH Zurich with a degree in chemistry. Later, he conducted research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge. He became a scientific editor in an international publishing house, and worked in the Swiss chemical industry. Apart from intellectual development, Peter has always been interested in cultural and spiritual movements. His project, termed “SENSIGNS,” is a unique fusion of art, nature, and poetry, with a focus on beauty as a universal key to higher understanding and deeper compassion. He has published numerous scientific, philosophical, and spiritual articles, and has given many lectures. He has made thousands of remarkable high-resolution photographs of insects, especially of dragon flies and butterflies. His artwork has been shown at private exhibits, published in magazines, and printed in various formats. Peter works as a writer and sound therapist in Zurich, Switzerland. He has a ten-year-old son. www.sensigns.ch 


Natalie Weinrauch. Natalie is an eighth grader at the Singapore American School. Although she is American, she was born and raised in Singapore. This experience has presented her with many opportunities, including the ability to build relationships across nationalities, become fluent in Chinese, and travel around Asia. She enjoys softball and volleyball, and participates in Model UN, but her main focus is spreading awareness of children’s shelters in Cambodia.


Monsignor Robert Weiss. Msgr. Weiss grew up in Florida. He completed his seminary studies at Saint Bernard Seminary in Rochester, New York, and was ordained in Saint Christopher Church, North Chili, New York, in 1973. Coming to the Diocese of Bridgeport in 1976, he served as parochial vicar at Saint Andrew Parish in Bridgeport, Saint Leo Parish in Stamford, and Saint Jude Parish in Monroe, before becoming Pastor of Saint Joseph Parish in Shelton in 1990. He was the spiritual director for Stamford Catholic High School (now Trinity Catholic), has been a member of the College of Consultors, and was Territorial Vicar of Vicariate V. He was appointed Pastor of Saint Rose in 1999.


Henry Wiseman. Henry Wiseman is the president of CDS Global Logistics, Inc., with over 30 years of experience in international air and ocean transportation, customs brokerage, and supply chain logistics management. Prior to joining CDS, Henry was senior vice president of FedEx Trade Networks, North America. He was responsible for sales and operations of a business unit with sales of $2.3 billion dollars and 2,300 employees. He retired from the organization in 2008. Henry graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing from University of Baltimore.


Becky Woodbridge. Becky, founder of Becky Woodbridge & Company, is a professional speaker and executive coach. Becky trains and coaches individuals, teams, and organizations around the world to “unleash the extraordinary.” A Newfield Network graduate, Becky specializes in ontological coaching, the study of being. Becky values the importance of giving back and supports many nonprofits in her community. She currently resides in Delray Beach, Florida, with her dog, Benney. Becky is a member of the National Speakers Association, Florida Speakers Association, ASTD, and the International Coach Federation. www.beckywoodbridge.com.


Barbara Woodworth. Barbara is a freelance writer who specializes in diversity and career-related nonfiction. Her 1,500 articles appear in more than 50 international, national, regional, and local publications. Today, the Woodworths reside in Buffalo, New York, near their three children and grandchildren. Barbara believes optimism is a vital and important facet of her life. 


Rebecca Zerbo. Becca is thirteen years old and lives with her sister Hannah, her mom Laura, and her dad Chris. She has two dogs, Oreo and Mallomar. She loves to play the flute and is also learning to play the alto saxophone. She will enter the eighth grade at Eagles Landing Middle School in Boca Raton, Florida. She is enrolled in advanced classes and is a member of the National Junior Honor Society and the school symphonic band. This past year she was recognized as the Character Counts winner for her school and an honoree for the school district. Becca also graduated from the Young Entrepreneurs Academy (YEA) in June and won the national title for the Saunders Scholars Bright Ideas Competition, where she earned a $30,000 scholarship to R.I.T and University of Tampa.