Navy SEAL (Ret.) Chief Eddie Gallagher spent 20 years in the military, deploying nine times to Africa, Afghanistan and Iraq, earning a litany of awards, including two Bronze Stars with Valor. In 2018 he was wrongfully accused of war crimes by underlings trying to ruin his career. He was eventually acquitted of murder, but only after exposing the mutiny and corrupt investigation that nearly sent him to prison for life. President Trump intervened to ensure Eddie was able to participate in his defense, retain his rank, and keep his Navy SEAL Trident. Eddie has since co-founded The Pipe Hitter Foundation to assist other warfighters and law enforcement officers fighting a system designed to persecute them.
Jeff Gardner is an accomplished entrepreneur, CEO, investor, and board director. He has a passion for nurturing exceptional leadership and developing corporate cultures that generate amazing returns. Jeff currently serves as executive chairman for a half dozen companies and is a general partner for SpringTime Ventures, which specializes in supporting seed-stage companies in the Rocky Mountains region.
Jeff has degrees in finance, accounting, and international business from Penn State and an MBA from the University of Virginia's Darden School of Business. He resides in Crested Butte, Colorado, with his wife and three kids. When he is not helping to grow great people and companies, he competes in mountain endurance events, including mountain biking, backcountry skiing, and trail running.
Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino gained worldwide recognition starring on the hit reality TV show Jersey Shore, captivating audiences with his entertaining personality and trademark abs. But while his life appeared to be a constant party, Mike was silently suffering. Years of intense drug addiction took their toll on his mind, body, and life, and if not for the grace of God, he doubts he would be here today. Encompassing the highest of highs—fame, money, and adoration—and the lowest of lows—rehab, poverty, and prison—Mike’s story is one of redemption and love. On his way to rebuilding himself, Mike inspired millions, showcasing the power of personal growth and determination.
Now, back on top with the hit show Jersey Shore: Family Vacation, clean and sober for nearly eight years, and happily married to the love of his life with two kids, The Situation has transformed into The Inspiration. Reality Check: Making the Best of The Situation – How I Overcame Addiction, Loss, and Prison is his jaw-dropping tell-all, offering readers a behind-the-scenes look into his extraordinary life journey.
Greg McNeilly is a husband and the father of three children. His passion is serving companies he helps lead, as well as reading, imbibing, and inscribing.
Marv Weidner lives in the beautiful, mountainous Gunnison Valley of Western Colorado and is a volunteer with Living Journeys, a local not-for-profit organization providing services and support to cancer patients and their families and caregivers. He is a proud father and grandfather to his and Marty’s children.
Justine Evirs is a business consultant, Stanford University Graduate School of Business alum, and Navy veteran. She teaches women executives and entrepreneurs how to create consistent revenue models and business plans. Her authentic leadership style — paired with her passion for building psychologically safe, inclusive environments — are the secrets to the energetic and high-powered teams she builds and leads.
As the owner and creator of the signature twelve-week programs Courage to Create and Courage to Lead, she teaches leaders to trust their instincts in creating values-based organizations and solutions to worldwide social problems. As the Founder of The Paradigm Switch, she helped to raise more than $500,000 in donations and led more than forty volunteers.
She also flexed her grassroots community organizing and nonprofit leadership skills during a three-year tenure at Bunker Labs, a nonprofit that helps veterans and military spouses start businesses. She is a frequent speaker and podcast guest, and is the mother of three children. She lives in Burke, VA.
Born at Patrick Air Force Base and raised in Huntsville, Alabama, Jan Davis has been surrounded by aviation and space her entire life. She followed up her biomedical engineering degree from Georgia Institute of Technology with a mechanical engineering degree from Auburn University and a Ph.D. from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. During her career, she worked for Texaco and for NASA before being selected as an astronaut in 1987. Davis flew on three Space Shuttle missions and continued her NASA career in the Senior Executive Service. After her retirement from NASA, she went on to become an industry executive. Now a consultant and speaker, she also enjoys traveling, quilting, exploring the outdoors, and working with her non-profit organization, AstraFemina, to encourage girls to pursue science, technology, engineering, and math careers.
Learn more about the author here: www.astronautjandavis.com
Zoë Gregory is a dynamic individual with a captivating life story. She started her career in modeling at age seven, appearing in TV commercials and print media in the UK and the USA. Zoë later became a personal Playboy Bunny to Hugh Hefner, which offered her a unique glimpse into the Playboy Mansion. She also worked as a VIP flight attendant for private charter jet companies, allowing her to travel the world and meet people from diverse backgrounds. Zoë is a three-time fitness competition champion and a fitness trainer and nutrition consultant who is committed to helping others achieve their health and fitness goals. With her passion for storytelling, she evolved into a talented writer and author, sharing her extraordinary journey in From Britain to Bunny. Today, Zoë resides in sunny Florida, where she continues to pursue her writing and share her incredible life experiences.
Dan Blakeley served in the 2nd Battalion, 75th Ranger Regiment, deploying six times in support of the Global War on Terror. He graduated from Appalachian State University with his bachelor’s degree and two master’s degrees. He started the school’s solar-powered racing team that designed and built two solar-powered race cars, competing in five international races. Dan’s transition from military to civilian was not easy. Over the years he has seen firsthand a trend in the veteran community which paralleled his own experiences. “It’s a lack of understanding the skills veterans bring to the table, our proven leadership, our commitment to teammates, our unwavering desire to increase potential and be our best,” Dan said recently. Dan’s passion for veteran success and telling their stories was the inspiration for his first book, The Twenty-Year War. Dan is the Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer of United Valor, a company focused on telling the untold stories of war through all media formats.
A world leader in digital businesses, disruption, and digital transformation, Juan Jose (J.J.) de la Torre is an expert in the areas of strategy, innovation, and all things digital. He has been recognized as one of the world’s top eighteen digital transformation leaders and a top five digital marketing influencer. J.J. holds an MBA from INSEAD, a master’s degree from La Salle, and an industrial engineering degree from Adolfo Ibanez.
J.J. is a senior executive with decades of experience across the globe. Following his return to his home country, Chile, after twenty years of a successful international career, J.J. joined Virtus Partners as a senior partner. At Virtus, J.J. led the organization’s digital endeavors, which turned into Raven, a unique consulting boutique solely focused on business disruption and acceleration. As Raven’s CEO, J.J. pools strategy, design, technology, and analytics to help clients across industries embrace digital enablers and technologies.
He has founded and successfully traded three start-ups and is also an angel investor for fourteen start-ups, a mentor for more than 150 companies, and the founder of the first information and communications technology incubator in Saudi Arabia as well as the first 360 accelerator in the Middle East. He has even advised the United Nations and has delivered more than two hundred keynotes on entrepreneurship, gaining recognition from Forbes, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and more.
A father of three and a loving husband to his wife, Maria, J.J. is a former professional DJ and now music composer, a PADI diving instructor, and a mountain bike and golf aficionado. In his free time, he enjoys traveling and adventure sports.
Diana McLain Smith is a renowned thought leader who has led change efforts for thirty-five years in some of America’s most iconic businesses and cutting-edge nonprofits. A former partner at the Monitor Group and a former chief executive partner at New Profit, Smith developed a novel approach to conflict and change called Leading Through Relationships (LTR)™. Her frameworks and tools, captured in The Elephant in the Room and Divide Or Conquer, have been used around the world to turn intergroup conflict into a powerful force for change. She shares her life with negotiation expert Bruce Patton, her husband of thirty years; her two rambunctious dogs; and a motley family of friends.
Michael Stutts is a corporate executive and client services leader who strives to leave companies and people better than he found them. Driven by a passion for business transformation, Michael has two decades of experience in finance, management consulting, and corporate leadership. Above any business achievement, his purpose is to normalize mental health conversations in conference rooms, corner offices, and boardrooms of high-stress environments.
Dafne Toro knows that true success relies on both personal and professional well-being and fulfilment. Passionate about empowering people to adopt a holistic growth mindset through strategic thought processes, she holds a PhD with a focus on business development and management and is a Certified Life Coach. Her work with individuals and teams has given her a deep understanding of the transformative effect strategic decision-making can have on people’s overall sense of purpose. After years of studying how individuals in businesses and organizations applied strategies and theories to achieve a common goal, Dafne noticed a similar dynamic in her personal life, which contributed to the development of The Strategic Business of You. She lives in Houston, Texas, with her family.
Adam DeMarco is a graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point as well as Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and McDonough Business School. He is a field artillery officer with mobilizations and deployments in support of multiple overseas contingency operations. He is also a successful business consultant with experience working across public and private sectors, along with being a nonprofit leader and civic organizer. Adam currently resides in Washington, DC, with his dog, George.
Ashton Pienaar is perhaps best known for his role on Bravo’s hit reality TV show Below Deck. He appeared on season six as a deckhand and was so popular that he was invited back as a bosun on season seven. One of his most notable experiences on the show was when he nearly lost his life after being dragged into the water from his foot being caught in a line. Fortunately, he was saved by a quick-thinking cameraman.
As is the case with all reality TV stars, Ashton was both loved and hated by viewers of Below Deck. This motivated him to wholeheartedly focus on his mindset and personal development after the show. Since his time on Below Deck, Ashton has inspired countless fans by steadfastly improving every area of his life, including achieving sobriety. Today, Ashton is three years sober and eager to help others rise up from rock bottom the way he did.
Although he grew up in Johannesburg, South Africa, Ashton now lives in Raleigh, North Carolina. He is the founder and CEO of AP-Elite, a fitness and health company dedicated to helping others achieve optimal health and fulfillment in their own lives through custom nutrition, training, and mindset coaching.
Dr. Jeffrey Kuhlman is the longest tenured physician assigned to support the White House (1997 to 2013), notably as White House Medical Unit Director for President Bush and Physician to the President for President Obama. He is the only individual to serve as physician to the president, WHMU director, White House physician, Camp David physician, Cabinet physician, flight surgeon aboard Air Force One, and Marine One flight surgeon. He completed medical training at Loma Linda University School of Medicine, Johns Hopkins Hospital, and the Naval Aerospace Medical Institute. Dr. Kuhlman is board certified in aerospace, family, and occupational medicine as well as medical management. He has provided medical care in over ninety countries and maintains board certification, DEA registration, and active medical licensure in several states.
David Runge holds a B.S. in psychology from Ohio State University and earned M.Ed. and Ed.S. degrees from Georgia State University, specializing in counseling and psychological studies. He also completed a theological curriculum and counseling practicum at the Psychological Studies Institute in Atlanta. With a rich background, he has served as a marriage and family counselor, business jet pilot, homeland missionary, and pastor. David has contributed to ministry teams across Belize, Jamaica, Appalachia, Haiti, Mexico, India, and Africa. Now retired, he resides in Columbus, Indiana, where he volunteers with local ministries aiding the incarcerated and addiction recovery communities in addition to serving on the church prayer team. David, along with his wife Kathy, takes pleasure in the company of their mini labradoodle, Buckeye, and enjoys spending time with their adult son, Daniel, and his new family nearby.
Jason Van Camp is a decorated Green Beret who attended and played football at West Point before earning his US Army Ranger tab and Special Forces tab. He served as a Detachment Commander with 10th Special Forces Group before deploying to war zones in the Middle East and Africa, receiving three Bronze Stars, one with a “V device” for Valor.
Meet Pete Kusiak, the franchise guru who knows how to bring fun into business. With over twenty years of experience owning businesses, coaching business owners, and training business leaders around the world, he’s a master at turning fun into success. Pete’s innovative strategies have led to incredible growth in sales and employee engagement. By implementing The Fun First Strategy™, Pete motivates teams, improves company culture, and drives sales and operations to new heights. He holds certifications in happiness coaching and human resources consulting. When he’s not working his magic, you can find Pete enjoying quality time with his family in Charlotte, North Carolina, running marathons, and sipping tropical drinks in the Caribbean.
Master Sergeant (Ret.) Darrell Utt has displayed a commitment to excellence and extraordinary service throughout his decorated military career, consistently exemplifying the qualities of a dedicated and exemplary leader. Raised in Huntington, West Virginia, Utt joined the elite Green Berets and led high-stakes missions in hostile environments worldwide. Known for his tactical acumen and strategic thinking, Utt’s leadership combines humility, discipline, and dedication, inspiring his team and fostering unity. He also mentors aspiring soldiers and Green Berets, sharing his knowledge and instilling values of courage, selfless service, duty, and loyalty. Utt’s awards include five Bronze Star Medals, one with valor for heroism in Baghdad (2006), and the Larry Thorne Award for best operational detachment in the 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne). He also received the Robert T. Frederick Award for military excellence in 2007. Utt retired from the US Army in January 2017 and now resides with his wife in Denton County, Texas.
Lex Van der Ploeg’s religious upbringing led him to search for answers to the meaning of life, which inspired the publication of I Am Machine. Lex is actively involved in writing a series of novels on the philosophy of life from a scientific, physics, and mathematical perspective. Having worked as a tenured faculty member at Columbia University as well as in the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, Lex’s expertise has included the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for cancer, neurodegenerative disorders, metabolic disorders, and infectious diseases.
David Adams is a retired computer programmer. He enjoys photography and traveling with his wife and is dedicated to keeping Mike’s legacy alive. Mike and David were born in Columbus, Mississippi, and grew up in Houston near NASA, where their parents worked.
“Let’s get our hands dirty and make stuff.”
That’s the family motto of impressionist artist Emily “EMYO” Ozier. A Tennessee girl with Cuban roots, EMYO has lived a life full of art. From paper dolls wearing napkin dresses to a 3D house for a family of painted bumblebees, EMYO spent her childhood creating.
Today, EMYO lives and creates art alongside her husband and six children on a grassy piece of land in Tennessee. Her art is featured in galleries across the country, all the way from Palm Beach to Portland, Maine, and is collected far and wide. Her paintings are layered with inspiration. From her Cuban heritage and her impressionist training to the love, laughter, and gratitude that fills her home.
Chris Frueh, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and professor of psychology at the University of Hawaii, Hilo. He has over thirty years of professional experience working with military veterans, service members, special operators, and private defense contractors. He has conducted clinical trials, epidemiology, historical epidemiology, and neuroscience research. He has coauthored over three hundred scientific publications, including a graduate textbook on adult psychopathology. Previously, he was a tenured professor at the Medical University of South Carolina and Baylor College of Medicine.
He has testified before US Congress and served as a paid consultant for the Department of Defense, Veterans Affairs, the US State Department, and the National Board of Medical Examiners. He has also published commentaries in National Review, Huffington Post, The New York Times, Time, Men’s Journal, and Special Operations Association of America. He has been quoted or cited in The Wall Street Journal, The Economist, The Washington Post, Scientific American, Stars and Stripes, USA Today, Men’s Health, Los Angeles Times, Reuters, Associated Press, and NBC News, among others.
He devotes time to SEAL Future Foundation, HunterSeven Foundation, Special Operations Association of America, Boulder Crest Foundation, Military Special Operations Family Collaborative, The Mission Within, VETS, Inc., and Big Country Veterans. He has also published nine historical crime novels, including They Die Alone (2013) and, most recently, A Season Past (2019).
Michelle Bazargan firmly believes that leadership is not a title—it’s a courageous behavior. Throughout her two-decade professional journey, she has spent countless hours across diverse teams at various organizations, from startups to industry giants. An immigrant who escaped war, she exemplifies what’s possible with bravery and curiosity. As a global executive advisor, conscious leadership coach, and sought-after speaker for TEDx and keynotes, she guides organizations like Starbucks, Chevron, and Amazon and is dedicated to inspiring people to shed limitations, use their voices, and embrace their brilliance.
Dr. Richard Greenberg grew up in Southern California and attended medical school at UC Davis School of Medicine in Northern California. He completed his internship and residency in pediatrics at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center/Primary Children’s Medical Center as well as a fellowship in pediatric emergency medicine at the University of Colorado Health Sciences Center/Children’s Hospital, Denver. He later served as an associate professor of pediatrics at the University of Utah Health Sciences Center and currently works as a general pediatrician at a community clinic in the Salt Lake City area (South Summit Pediatrics).
Dr. Greenberg has published several articles on pediatric subjects such as croup, asthma, sepsis, and pediatric trauma. In addition, he has presented research on several pediatric subjects at national and international medical meetings. Dr. Greenberg is the author of The Emergency Room: When Does My Child Need to Go? and acts as a public speaker for childcare groups regarding child health issues. He enjoys running, participating in triathlons, and baking with his family as well as traveling with his wife, Carrie, and his three children, Zachary, Samantha, and Marla.
Robert “Navy Bob” Roncska, DBA, had a distinguished twenty-eight-year career in the US Navy, serving as the Pacific Fleet’s top fast-attack submarine commodore and as the naval aide to President George W. Bush. He is currently a national speaker on leadership and high reliability, as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Central Florida School of Global Health Management and Informatics.
Kelly Speck once thought she would spend her life as a working mom and wife, hustling in corporate America while volunteering for the PTA. Life’s numerous curveballs, however, have prompted an evolution; she now considers herself a recovering type-A planner.
For more than twenty years now, she has performed accounting in an array of industries while maintaining a strong marriage to her college sweetheart, Travis. Kelly and Travis have three children who have, along with her deep faith, humbled her profoundly.
When her high school friends voted her “Most Likely to Drive a Minivan,” she scoffed and declared that would never happen. Ironically, the Specks currently own not one but two minivans.
Kelly’s favorite of the two has a ramp for her oldest son, Bennett, a quadriplegic, and she considers it the world’s greatest honor to serve as chauffeur for him and his two younger siblings. As she faces work’s daily challenges while remaining a proud wife, mom, and caregiver for Bennett, Kelly’s mantra is: life is not always easy, but it is always beautiful.
Tom Amenta was born in Chicago, IL, and grew up in the area before enlisting, against his family’s wishes, into the United States Army on his 18th birthday. Following his five years as a member of the 75th Ranger Regiment, including two combat tours in support of Operation Enduring Freedom, Tom earned his degree in political science from the University of Illinois. Tom spent the next eight years as the COO of the veteran lifestyle apparel company Ranger Up. He pioneered the veteran lifestyle apparel category and helped grow Ranger Up into the premier company in the space. At Ranger Up, he passionately advocated for veterans’ causes in many spaces, including lobbying Senate service committees. Later, he helped produce and starred in the only fully veteran-produced Hollywood movie, Range 15. He is a passionate advocate for veteran entrepreneurship and assisting veterans in transition, which led him to author his first book, The Twenty-Year War. Tom is the Chief Development Officer of United Valor.
Beau Simmons has been a professional photographer since 2009. He grew up just outside Joshua Tree National Park. An adventurer, Beau grew up working on and racing motorcycles as a child. He made a name for himself at 21 on the fashion photography scene working with clients including Marc Jacobs, 7 For All Mankind, Guess Jeans, and Converse. He was a go-to photographer for such agencies as Elite Models, IMG, and Ford Models. Beau captures his work exclusively on film using the lost art of medium format film photography, feeling it gives a classic look and feel to his work. The fashion scene began to grind on Beau. Being a cowboy is in his blood. In this spirit, he decided to pursue his passion for capturing classic Americana and the wonder of the American landscape. Through this cross-country journey, he was introduced to the veteran non-profit Heroes and Horses, a group that uses equine therapy to help veterans cope with PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. His commitment to telling an authentic story about American veterans is on full display in his first feature photo book, The Twenty-Year War, which he created with two former Army Rangers, one of whom is his childhood friend, Dan Blakeley. Beau is the Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer of United Valor.
Ellen Goldstein is an award-winning former senior executive at the World Bank with a forty-year career on the front lines of foreign aid delivery. She provided billions of dollars in aid to some of the poorest, most fragile, conflict-ridden countries, advising presidents and prime ministers on growth and poverty reduction while reaching out to the most marginalized in society. She served as director of the World Bank in Myanmar in 2017 as the country clung to a flawed democracy amid increasing human rights abuse. She is a global leadership coach, author, and speaker on foreign aid policies and fragility.
Mark T. Hebner, a highly regarded authority on investing, is an acclaimed author and is featured in an award-winning documentary film titled Index Funds. He also appears in the new Errol Morris documentary film titled Tune Out the Noise.
Like many investors, Hebner’s conversion to passive investing was sparked by his realization that the traditional brokerage paradigm had substantially hampered his own investment success—causing him to significantly underperform a risk-appropriate index portfolio by as much as $30 million. This striking revelation about just how much damage Wall Street inflicts on unwitting individual and institutional investors has served as the impetus for his tireless efforts to educate and inform investors so they can make better investment decisions.
Hebner is on a mission to change the way the world invests by replacing speculation with an education. With this in mind, he leads a team of writers, artists, graphic designers, mathematicians, statisticians, and researchers to build as well as maintain ifa.com—considered one of the internet’s most comprehensive websites on investing. Hebner’s website, book, and documentary film elegantly set forth long-term data and research that educate and empower investors to make sound investment choices.
This special twentieth anniversary and tenth edition of Index Funds: The 12-Step Recovery Program for Active Investors includes new data and research as well as a large edition on the Galton board and how it applies to the stock market.
Index Funds: The 12-Step Recovery Program for Active Investors is arguably the most artistic book ever written on investing. It contains more than sixty-five original oil paintings created by distinguished artist Lala Ragimov. It also includes more than 115 color charts and graphs, many of which reflect as much as ninety-five years of stock market data.
This one-of-a-kind little jewel is an eye-pleasing manifestation of hundreds of studies and decades of research, and it clearly represents Hebner’s ongoing commitment to educate investors throughout the world. It is destined to emerge as the go-to handbook for intelligent, evidence-based investing.
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Ryan Henderson is a real estate investor and a wealth strategist experienced in many facets of real estate. Ryan leverages the relationships he’s developed within the real estate community, as well as the skills he acquired as a tactician gained over a decade of serving in the US military, to provide an authentic and comprehensive real estate strategy for novices and experienced real estate investors alike.
Steve Shull is a former linebacker for the Miami Dolphins. When an injury forced him to change his game—literally—he pivoted into finance, then real estate, and found his calling when he started coaching other real estate agents. After three decades and over 60,000 hours of one-on-one coaching, he knows more about real estate agents than anybody in the business. That insight has led to a unique approach that takes the fear and the fight out of real estate, allowing agents to build stronger businesses while actually enjoying their lives.
Dana Green has held the title of the top realtor in Lafayette, California, since 2008 and in the combined Lafayette, Moraga, and Orinda regions (Lamorinda), California, since 2010. Her unwavering passion and innovative approach to the real estate industry have positioned her as a trailblazer in Bay Area residential real estate. Dana was among the pioneers to adopt a “team” concept in the real estate business, creating a model where each team member plays a crucial and expert role in the transaction process. This strategic teamwork consistently yields meaningful real estate results by maintaining a dedicated focus on process, execution, and community engagement.
Boasting an impressive track record with over $2.5 billion in real estate sales and more than 1100 homes sold, Dana Green has established herself as a market influencer, a natural connector, and a true master of her craft. She has received numerous accolades that reflect her exceptional contributions, including being honored as the MVP of Bay Area real estate by LuxeSF and RealTrends in 2019, and earning the title of Business Person of the Year by the Lafayette Chamber of Commerce in 2018. Dana’s commitment to ethical business practices was recognized with the Better Business Bureau’s prestigious Torch Award for Ethics in 2021. Additionally, she has been a recurring presence on the RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker list and consistently ranks as one of the top mid-size teams on the RealTrends list of the Top 1,000 U.S. Agents. Notably, she has received the Five-Star Customer Service Award for an impressive 11 consecutive years.
Dana Green’s impact extends beyond her professional success as she has made significant contributions to the Lafayette community. Her deep-rooted relationships and commitment to creating positive outcomes benefit not only her business but also the wider community. Dana has generously donated over $500,000 to local non-profit organizations, underscoring her strong belief in giving back and maintaining a strong connection to the communities and industry she serves. She is currently serving her second term as a Board Member for Make-A-Wish Greater Bay Area, showcasing her dedication to making dreams come true. As an industry leader, Dana frequently serves as a guest speaker to realtors across the country and takes joy in teaching classes to her industry peers. Dana Green’s educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts in communications with an emphasis in public relations from the University of the Pacific. Her commitment to excellence, ethical standards, and community enrichment continues to shape the real estate landscape in Lafayette and the broader Bay Area.
Jonathan Lack is a serial entrepreneur and turnaround specialist focused on top-line growth for bottom-line results. Jonathan has over thirty years of experience in management and strategic planning in both consumer and business-to-business markets (e.g., startups, mid-size, and Fortune 500) in over fifteen industries.
Jonathan started consulting in residential real estate in 2018, initially helping the Carey Hagglund Condy team with its strategic planning resulting in the firm becoming the #1 Compass Marin County team in 2022 and currently in 2023. Since July 2021, Jonathan has been the president & COO of the Beverly Hills-based Sally Forster Jones Group, one of the nation’s top luxury residential real estate teams. Jonathan has conducted strategic planning webinars in conjunction with Steve Shull of Performance Coaching. He is currently working on a strategic planning book for real estate rainmakers titled You Can’t Scale Chaos. Jonathan is also the author of Plan to Turn Your Company Around in 90 Days.
Jonathan earned an MBA from the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business, an MA in International Relations from Johns Hopkins University’s School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS), and a BA in Middle East Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.
Dr. Jessica Thompson is the northern housing director with HRDE. After growing up in the small town of Seneca Rocks, West Virginia, she left right after high school and pursued a twenty-year career in the criminal justice field. While obtaining a Ph.D. in business and criminal justice, she settled in Morgantown, West Virginia, where she lives to this day with her husband.
Anna Nasset, a victim/survivor of stalking for the last decade, has firsthand experience with how to identify and respond to stalking, which has led her to become an international speaker on the subject. She has trained thousands of professionals, students, and military members on the importance of recognizing stalking, getting help, and advocating for oneself and others. Anna is one of very few people who can speak openly about her experience after the man who stalked her received the maximum sentence for aggravated felony stalking—ten years in prison—in 2019. This is one of the longest known sentences for this crime in US history.
As an activist and the owner of Stand Up Resources, Anna works with law enforcement, victim service agencies, universities, and other organizations to be part of the solution. As an authority on stalking, sexual assault, suicide prevention, and navigating the criminal justice system, she works to educate people on victim-centered and trauma-informed practices.
Anna is the recipient of the 2023 NCVRW Survivor Empowerment Award for embodying the theme “Survivor Voices: Elevate. Engage. Effect Change.” In addition, she is a board member with End Violence Against Women International (EVAWI) and the Mad River Valley Chamber of Commerce. She also hosts a podcast, The Mend (sponsored by the Vermont Center for Crime Victim Services), which focuses on topics and services to support crime victims. She resides in the Green Mountains of Vermont with her three-legged chihuahua, Dolly Parton, and is excited about her first book, Now I Speak.
Vickie Kloeris recently retired from NASA where she worked in space food systems for thirty-four years. For twenty-nine of those years, she served as the NASA manager of first the Shuttle food system and then that of the International Space Station. She has authored and co-authored numerous publications and has received several awards, including NASA’s highest employee award, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, in 2019. During her career, she was twice awarded the NASA Exceptional Service Medal and also received the Johnson Space Center Director’s Commendation Award. In 2017, she was given an Outstanding Alumni Award by the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences at her alma mater, Texas A&M University.
Vickie has been a member of the Institute of Food Technologists (IFT), a professional organization for food scientists, since 1978 and has received their designation of certified food scientist. Over the years, she has held multiple IFT roles and served on the board of directors. After serving for a year as president elect and a year as president, she is now the immediate past president.
Vickie earned a B.S. in microbiology and an M.S. in food science and technology from Texas A&M University.
She lives in Pearland, Texas, just outside Houston with her husband, Steve, and their lab, Emma.
Raymond van Aalst graduated cum laude from several art academies in the Netherlands and started an illustration company in 1980. He creates, sells, and publishes oil paintings, lithographs, etchings, cartoons, and drawings worldwide. As a gifted dreamer, Raymond is able to quickly conjure up and process complex images. His curiosity and broad interests have made him a visual intellectual with philosophical depth, where thinking through illustrations enabled by words helps clarify insights for himself and for others.
Benito Olson began his naval career as a Master-at-Arms serving in Bahrain and Kingsville, Texas. His work with military dogs opened the opportunity of a lifetime to serve with SEAL Team — for multiple deployments in Iraq and Afghanistan. He earned a reputation as a go-to handler for dogs at the tip of the spear and was awarded multiple decorations, including a Bronze Star with Valor and Purple Heart. After medical retirement from the Navy, Olson started Patriot Dog Training for law enforcement, estate protection, or household pets.
Darren Sapp has authored multiple works of fiction and nonfiction and serves as a guide for other authors crafting their memoirs. He served in the US Navy as a yellow shirt on an aircraft carrier flight deck.
Amy Moreland, an advocate for changing the look of fitness, is the CEO and founder of AMPD Strong, a group fitness certification and workout program. She is inspired by every single instructor of her courses as well as everyone who takes an AMPD class. Amy’s passion is to showcase that fitness is for every body and that strength isn’t defined by outward appearance. She is also an international presenter and has graced the stages of FIBO, IDEA World, CanFitPro, Fitness and Wellness Australia, SCW Mania, FitExpo, and DCAC. Amy lives in Pennsylvania, and when she’s not working out, she enjoys time with her family—and a little retail therapy doesn’t hurt either!
Savannah Spidalieri is an author and ghostwriter. Raised on the forested trails of the Pacific Northwest and the banks of the Shenandoah River, Savannah currently shares her central Virginia home with her husband, daughter, and pets as well as far too many houseplants. She studied creative writing and publishing and printing arts at Pacific Lutheran University in Tacoma, Washington. While at school, Savannah spent late nights on her writing coursework and early mornings on the lake with the varsity crew team. She is a co-founder of Haunted Waters Press, which is not a publisher of ghost stories but instead takes its name from one of her favorite pieces of literature, A River Runs Through It by Norman Maclean. Still working on her own solo debut novel, Savannah enjoys ghostwriting and collaborating with authors who have powerful stories to tell and need someone to help bring them to the page. Savannah loves puzzles and mysteries and just “figuring things out” in general, and had she not chosen a career so deeply steeped in the written word, she would have been a detective. She might still like to try that one day.
Jonathan Jakubowski is a Christian, husband, father, author, business leader, and millennial. He played football at Bowling Green State University and received his master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University. Jonathan leads an innovative and award-winning startup called SmartSolve. He lives in Ohio with his wife and four kids where he serves as Executive Committee Chairman of the Wood County Republican Party and sits on the Wood County Board of elections.
Charissa Fontan Westfall is a wife, mother, Christian, and the surviving widow of Navy SEAL Jacques Fontan, who was killed in action during the rescue mission depicted in the book and movie Lone Survivor.
Char’s life was turned upside down the day her husband was killed in service to his country. Her dreams of being happy on Earth and having a family with Jacques were crushed, leaving her seemingly without hope or a future. Over the next year she tried to cope with her enormous loss, but to no avail. With her visions of the future crushed, she began a downward spiral that manifested itself in extreme anger. She was mad at everyone, even God, who she’d always had such a strong relationship with.
Through the help of family and friends and several survivor foundations, she began to seek help for her anger and grief.
Char turned to counselors who helped her process all the questions she had. While she does not hesitate to admit that many questions remain unanswered, she is the first to also admit her biggest mistake was not seeking therapy right away and choosing instead to deal with her loss alone.
Today, Char’s life is a picture of restoration and hope. One of her favorite things to tell people is that God blessed her life twice with love. She married Drew Westfall in 2008 and they were blessed with their first child in 2009 and their third in 2014. It was because of Drew’s encouragement to share her story and support other surviving spouses that she became involved in several foundations that help those dealing with loss. Her involvement has included work with the Special Ops Survivor Foundation, being on the board of the Lone Survivor Foundation, in addition to working with the Boot Campaign and Team Never Quit, all of which have made a difference in both her continued healing and that of others.
George Bearnard Graen is an American scholar and scientist in the field of leadership during on-boarding. He was awarded the James McKeen Cattell Award by the American Psychological Association as a graduate student at the University of Minnesota for the best research design in applied psychology and his doctoral dissertation was published as the only study in a special issue of the Journal of applied psychology. Another of his articles was the most requested reprint in ten years in Leadership Quarterly.
He was awarded the Illinois – Keio exchange distinguished professorship to Tokyo, Japan. He also garnered membership in the Center of Advanced Studies at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign. He was head of the Department of Management at the University of Cincinnati, Ohio and Gene Braun endowed Chair in Management at the University of Louisiana. He is well known globally for authoring his theory of the on-boarding worker procedure, LMX theory, which has been successful in many countries in empowering team startup coordination and retention. He is one of the most cited leadership scholars in the world.
Julio C. Canedo is a computer systems and electronics engineer with an MBA in Human Resource Management (HRM) and a PhD in Strategy/Organizational Behavior. He is an accredited coach and is certified in HRM and ethics. As associate professor of management, he has published and presented his research in numerous academic and professional outlets and conferences.
He is a member of multiple editorial boards and associate editor of academic journals. In addition, he supports multiple non-profit organizations, where he provides pro bono training and consulting. As a consultant, Julio has favorably implemented systems to align, empower, motivate, and lead individuals to deliver strategic organizational results. Combined with Artificial Intelligence algorithms, his methodology is available in the Strategic Alignment App.
J.D. Danny McCabe grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, as the middle child of a very large family. From an early age, he was independent and a practical realist. This first-time author began writing his diary as a historical journal of events that evolved quickly and came without context. JD was encouraged to share this personal and unbelievable voyage in rediscovering himself by the many people who witnessed and heard about his journey firsthand. He is blessed with two beautiful adult children. J.D. resides in Charleston, SC.
Daniel Huang is a freelance journalist based in Washington, D.C. A graduate of New York University, he previously worked as a staff reporter for The Wall Street Journal, where he covered finance and veterans issues. Since 2016, Dan has lived and reported from across Asia, the Middle East, and the United States. He has primarily covered international affairs, ranging from the elections in Afghanistan to Chinese history and politics. His writing has been published in Foreign Affairs, Guernica, Pacific Standard, and The New Republic. Wounding Warriors expands upon a series of articles Daniel wrote from 2014 to 2016 on fraud and abuses at the US Department of Veterans Affairs. His coverage culminated in a front-page exposé detailing how the dramatic rise in disability claims has overwhelmed important assessment and control tools at the V.A. Dan’s work on the myriad dysfunctions within the veterans disability systems for both The Wall Street Journal and on this book has incorporated wide-ranging firsthand testimonies and research from 60-plus sources, spanning current and former V.A. staffers, policymakers, academics, and crucially, veterans themselves.
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