Profiles in Leadership

Becky Schmooke (pronounced “Smoke”) is a leadership strategist known for cutting through the noise. Her work challenges outdated models of leadership by reframing it as a lifestyle—not a title—and the key to long-term performance, resilience, and impact. As founder of Stoic Edge Consulting and Becky's Mindful Kitchen, Becky equips high-performing teams with practical, repeatable tools rooted in Stoic philosophy and behavioral science. Becky's specialty is working with elite performers including NFL Rookies. Her SAFE and STOA frameworks are already in use across the NFL programs, helping them lead with clarity under pressure. With over a decade of experience and a reputation for raw honesty and results, she gives teams the mindset, language, and tools to lead from the inside out—and own the moments that define their legacy.

ThereseHuston, Ph.D., is a cognitive scientist at Seattle University, where she transforms good science into great strategies. She was the founding director of the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning at Seattle University and is now a consultant for their Center for Faculty Development. She is the author of Let's Talk: Make Effective Feedback Your Superpower; How Women Decide; and Teaching What You Don't Know and has written for the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times, TIME, The Guardian, and Harvard Business Review. Her latest book isSharp: 14 Simple Ways to Improve Your Life with Brain Science.Theresehas led workshops and delivered presentations to Fortune 500 companies, start-ups, and universities across the globe. She lives in Seattle with her husband and their dog, who insists on being the real boss of the household.

MichaelTimms—TEDx speaker, leadership development consultant, author, and founder of Avail Leadership—has empowered thousands of senior leaders to adopt powerful leadership habits and practices that drive measurable improvements in team performance, engagement, and results across organizations.  His latest book,How Leaders Can Inspire Accountability, provides leaders with practical strategies to help shift their teams from complacency and finger-pointing to a results-focused, continuous improvement mindset. The book has been described as “the ultimate guide for embracing accountability as a leader” by the world's #1 leadership coach, Marshall Goldsmith, and is the basis ofMichael's TEDx talk—How to Claim Your Leadership Power.

As a voice and public speaking coach, I believe your voice is your most powerful tool—whether you're speaking or singing. The key difference lies not in the voice itself but in how we shape it. This understanding led me to an early revelation: the techniques I used to help singers could be seamlessly applied to enhance speaking skills. Over the past decade, I've helped individuals from all walks of life—ranging from first-time public speakers to X Factor auditionees—develop their voices and achieve their goals. From improving vocal range and projection to overcoming performance anxiety, I've found the journey transformative and the results empowering. Today, I specialise in helping business leaders, entrepreneurs, and teams communicate with clarity, confidence, and presence. Through my Cannon Method, I focus on three essential pillars: - *Voice*: Master vocal techniques like projection, articulation, and resonance, ensuring your words carry authority.- *Confidence*: Build unshakeable self-assurance with proven strategies to overcome anxiety and stay focused under pressure.- *Presence*: Command the room with engaging non-verbal communication—eye contact, posture, and energy that captivates your audience. Before coaching, I spent my career as a singer and saxophonist, performing alongside icons like Sir Tom Jones and Roger Taylor from Queen. Those years taught me the art of sustaining audience engagement through passion, precision, and vocal reliability. Now, I use those same principles to help you optimise your vocal performance. Whether you're leading high-stakes meetings, delivering compelling presentations, or striving to communicate more confidently, I'll guide you to develop a strong, impactful voice that amplifies your message. 

Dr. Ja-Naé Duane is a creator, behavioral scientist, award-winning innovator, and 4x entrepreneur with over 20 years of experience guiding organizations, institutions, governments, and communities toward a new renaissance and a better future for humanity. For the past two decades, Ja-Naé has dedicated herself to one mission: make life better for one billion people. As an expert on global systems, she focuses on helping corporations, governments, and universities understand and develop systems of the future using emerging technology such as VR/AR, AI, and blockchain by guiding them forward, helping them get out of their own way to create exponential innovation and future forecasting. She has had the pleasure of working with companies such as PWC, Saudi Aramco, Yum Brands, Samsonite, Natixis, AIG, and Deloitte. A top-rated speaker and co-author of the best-selling The Startup Equation, Ja-Naé excels at helping both startups and multinational firms identify new business models and pathways on a global scale.  Over the years, her work has caught the attention of The Associated Press, NPR, The Boston Globe, and BusinessWeek. Ja-Naé holds degrees from Brown University, I.E. Business School, Northeastern University, Carnegie University, Bentley University, and Boston University. Ja-Naé is a member of the Loomis Council at the Stimson Center, collaborator with the National Institute of Health, and holds appointments at Brown University and MIT's Center for Information Systems Research. Her next book, SuperShifts, will be released in April 2025.Steve Fisher is a visionary futurist, innovation leader, and design strategist with over 30 years of experience driving transformational change. Passionate about reimagining business models, he leverages cutting-edge advancements—especially Generative AI—to empower organizations across industries to navigate complexity and seize future opportunities.  As a leader in foresight and innovation, Steve has consistently spearheaded high-impact initiatives at renowned organizations. At McKinsey & Company, he co-founded the Futures Practice, integrating strategic foresight and speculative design to help businesses anticipate and adapt to an uncertain future. At FTI Consulting, he led the adoption of Generative AI for business model transformation, pioneering new AI-driven solutions that delivered measurable impact across industries. Beyond corporate leadership, Steve is the Managing Partner of Revolution Factory, a global innovation firm that fosters cutting-edge solutions through AI, strategic foresight, and design thinking. He also serves as Chief Futurist at the Human Frontier Institute (HFI), where he explores emerging trends, conducts research on future-oriented challenges, and mentors leaders in strategic foresight. A prolific thought leader and author, Steve co-authored the best-selling The Startup Equation and is releasing his next book, SuperShifts in April 2025 and Designing the Future the following year—which delve into the future of business, technology, and human adaptation. He shares his insights through keynotes, industry publications, and his podcasts—the Think Forward Show and Off World Podcast—which explore the intersection of innovation, AI, and humanity's expansion beyond Earth. Committed to democratizing futures thinking, Steve believes that understanding human history and patterns of change are essential to building resilient, future-ready organizations. His expertise in Generative AI, strategic foresight, and design-led innovation enables him to help organizations anticipate challenges and seize opportunities with confidence.

Joshua D'Angelo is a doctor of physical therapy and board certified orthopedic specialist who has co-founded and directed global organizations centered around improving access to healthcare and innovating healthcare delivery. Dr. D'Angelo co-founded MovementX, a movement health platform delivering high quality physical therapy and personal training services whenever and wherever it is needed most. MovementX's mission is to help people move their best, so they can live their best. Dr. D'Angelo also co-founded Move Together, a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to increase access to quality rehab medicine around the corner and around the world. He served as Vice President and COO from its founding in 2015 through 2021. He is responsible for co-creating the first global Physical Therapy Day of Service, which has united over 20,000 physical therapy clinicians and staff from all 50 states and nearly 90 countries to give back to their communities. Dr. D'Angelo has served as delegate in the DC Chapter of the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA), as president of APTA's Student Assembly, which represents over 25,000 physical therapy and physical therapist assistant students, and as the chair of APTA's New Professionals Committee. In 2018, Dr. D'Angelo received APTA's Societal Impact Award and George Washington University's Distinguished Young Alumni Award. He is a previous recipient of the George Washington University's George Washington Award and APTA's Mary McMillan Scholarship, named after the physical therapy profession's founder. Dr. D'Angelo has spoken nationally and internationally on physical therapy, leadership, and global health. He currently serves as CEO of MovementX, as an adjunct faculty at The George Washington University's Doctor of Physical Therapy Program, on the American Physical Therapy Association's Finance Committee, and on the Alumni Council of the Zell Lurie Institute for Entrepreneurship at the University of Michigan.

About Jim Carlough With over 30 years of leadership experience, Jim Carlough is an accomplished businessstrategist, speaker, and author. Having successfully driven explosive growth for healthcareorganizations—from start-ups to industry leaders — Jim is a trusted expert in building high-performing teams, revitalizing underperforming businesses, and guiding organizations throughtransformational change.Jim's core philosophy—leaders aren't born; they're developed—challenges the myth of innateleadership.  In his book, The Six Pillars of Effective Leadership: A Roadmap to Success, Jim deliversa practical and inspiring guide for leaders at every stage of their journey. His approach focuses onsix essential traits that empower individuals to embrace leadership as a skill that can be learned,honed, and mastered through experience, mentorship, and intentional growth.

Aang Lakey is a distinguished leader with over 20 years of expertise in leadership development, violence prevention, and diversity and inclusion, honed through extensive experience in the U.S. Army and federal government. Aang excels in guiding leaders to integrate consciousness and emotional intelligence into their practices, emphasizing the critical importance of intentionality and reflexivity in leadership.    Throughout their career, Aang has advised leaders at various levels, helping them understand the profound impact their actions and behaviors have on organizational culture. Aang's approach is deeply rooted in the belief that effective leadership is built on a foundation of self-awareness, empathy, and a commitment to aligning actions with values. Aang's work is particularly focused on helping leaders navigate the complexities of diversity, inclusion, and violence prevention, ensuring that these essential issues are addressed with both sensitivity and effectiveness.  Aang's personal journey is a powerful testament to their commitment to this work. Having overcome significant socialization and unconscious biases from their upbringing in a challenging environment, Aang brings a relatable and authentic perspective to their teachings. They are passionate about helping others confront and overcome similar challenges, advocating for the practical application of leadership principles and appropriate accountability within organizations.   

Mick Hoffman has been the Executive Director of the Washington Interscholastic ActivitiesAssociation since the spring of 2019. He is the Association's fifth executive director.Serving at virtually every level of the WIAA, Mr. Hoffman most recently held the role of AssistantSuperintendent and Chief Operations Officer for Vancouver Public Schools. Before taking overas an Assistant Superintendent, he served as the District Athletic Director for Vancouver PublicSchools from 2007-15. Mr. Hoffman also represented WIAA District IV on the WIAA ExecutiveBoard from 2016-18 where he was a member of the Classification Committee and chaired theWIAA Recruiting Committee.Mr. Hoffman got his start as a language arts and social studies teacher at Fort Vancouver HighSchool and Hudson's Bay High School in Vancouver, Washington. He has head coachingexperience with boys' basketball as well as boys' and girls' golf.Mr. Hoffman graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Education before earning a Master's ofEducation all from the University of Portland

Michael P. Johnson, PhD, PT is Chief Researcher, Home Care Innovation at BAYADAHome Health Care in Moorestown, NJ. This is a new role where Dr. Johnson isresponsible for building an infrastructure that will support collaborative research effortsacross eight (8) specialty practices at BAYADA, partnering with academic researchers, industry leaders, as well as payors and policy makers, to advance the quality and accessibility of care in the home. Prior to his role as Chief Researcher, Dr. Johnson spent nearly 10 years as President of the Home Health Practice which is comprised of over 120 offices in 22 states that provide care to nearly 29,000 clients weekly through a multidisciplinary team approach delivered by over 3,500 clinicians and staff.  The practice focusesprimarily on geriatric home care services under the Medicare Program. He also served, concurrently as President of the Hospice Practice for 3 years, which is comprised of over 20 offices in 8 states that provide end of life care to nearly 1,400 clients daily. Dr. Johnson has served as a member of the National Advisory Council for the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), a Steering Group member for the AQA Alliance, and as a consultant on the development and testing of quality measurements for use in the Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS). He has also served in multiple elected and appointed roles within the American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) over the past 30 years, including as a member of the Scientific Advisory Panel (SAP) for the Center on Health Services Training and Research (CoHSTAR). He lives just outside of Philadelphia, PA with his family - spouse of 33 years – Beth and three adult children – Lucas, Madeline, and Paige.  He holds a BS in Physical Therapy from Northeastern University (Boston), an MS in Orthopedic Physical Therapy from MCP Hahnemann University (Philadelphia) and a PhD in Health Policy from the University of the Sciences (Philadelphia).

Marcelo Calbucci is an entrepreneur, innovator, technologist, and author. He's been building software products for over thirty years, having sold his first software at age fourteen. He has worked at Microsoft (Exchange Server & Bing) and Amazon (People eXperience & Technology), leading software engineering, product, data science, and UX. He has founded six startups in Seattle and London and launched a dozen tech projects. He's the inventor of eleven patents. Marcelo has been a community builder in Seattle, organizing dozens of meetups, events, and conferences. He has written over one thousand blog posts and articles on his web-site and other tech publications. Outside of tech and startups, Marcelo loves to cook elaborate meals for friends, run marathons (eight and counting), and travel with his wife and kids.

Tom Preston, co-author of COACHING POWER, is the founder of The Preston Associates, one of the world's premier executive coaching firms. With decades of experience coaching leaders across industries and geographies, he has helped organizations achieve extraordinary outcomes. A former private equity executive and bestselling author of Coach Yourself to Success, he brings deep insights and practical wisdom to his work.Luciana Nuñez, co-author of COACHING POWER, is an accomplished executive coach and former CEO with more than 20 years of leadership experience at Fortune 500 companies, including Bayer, Danone, and Roche. She blends her strategic expertise with a passion for mentoring, serving as a board member, investor, and advisor to entrepreneurs and executives worldwide.

Scott Marshall is the host of the As Unexpected Podcast and President and CEO of the Institute for Shipboard Education, a 61-year-old nonprofit that directs Semester at Sea, the world's leading comparative study abroad program.Prior to joining Semester at Sea, Marshall was a Professor of Management, Vice Provost and Interim Dean in the College of Business at Portland State University. Scott's life-long commitment to global education and travel was born out of a study abroad program in Japan as an undergraduate. Scott, his wife, and their two children sailed on the Spring 2017 voyage of Semester at Sea, after which he joined the organization as Vice President of Academic Affairs. He has served as President since January 2020.As a business professor, Marshall taught, researched, wrote and published over 40 articles, book chapters and case studies on management, marketing, entrepreneurship and international studies. During his time in academia, Scott also taught a wide range of courses in strategy, entrepreneurship and management. He earned his B.A. in Business Economics at Willamette University, his M.A. in International Affairs from George Washington University, and his Ph.D. in International Business from the University of Oregon. 

David Heacock's transformation from a successful Wall Street career to a game-changing entrepreneur is a story of bold decisions, resilience, and relentless determination. Walking away from a seven-figure finance job, David took a leap of faith to rebuild his family's struggling business—Filterbuy.  With zero experience in manufacturing, he faced incredible challenges, yet turned what began as a small factory in Alabama into a $250M industry leader.  Today, Filterbuy disrupts the indoor air quality sector, producing millions of high-quality air filters and expanding into HVAC services, air purification, and automotive filtration, while creating nearly 1,000 U.S. jobs and serving over 7 million customers. David's journey has been anything but easy—he's overcome burned-down factories, near-fatal accidents, and countless setbacks along the way. Yet, through his grit and determination, he's scaled his business without investors or shortcuts. His success story is a testament to what can be achieved when an entrepreneur is willing to face adversity head-on.Now, David is sharing the raw, unfiltered lessons he's learned from building a business from the ground up, inspiring others to take that same leap into entrepreneurship, no matter how daunting it seems.

Kasim Aslam is a serial entrepreneur who has built multiple 7- and 8-figure businesses, including two successful exits. He is the co-founder of Driven Mastermind, creator of Digital Marketer's Paid Traffic Certification, and author of three bestselling books, including You vs Google, a #1 international bestseller in marketing and advertising. Named one of the top 50 Digital Marketing Thought Leaders in the U.S., Kasim is also the founder of Pareto Talent, a company dedicated to helping entrepreneurs reclaim their time by matching them with world-class executive assistants. His work is grounded in insights gained as the founder of Solutions 8, one of the world's top Google Ads agencies.

JamesMisneris the founder and CEO of The Kipos Group. Over his career, he has facilitated the raising of 100's of millions of dollars to support nonprofit organizations. A trusted expert in the realm of fundraising strategy, staff, culture, and implementation, he and The Kipos Group bring a sharp focus on small and mid-sized organizations engaged in direct service.

Kendell was born in Dominica, West Indies and came to Birmingham from St. Croix in 1999 to attend Samford University. While at Samford, Kendell was a member of the track and field team and earned a Bachelor's in Education with a concentration in Exercise Science. He then attended The University of Alabama in Birmingham (UAB) and received his Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2007. Kendell founded M3 Endeavors, a performance venture in 2015 and in 2018 expanded the company to include physical therapy and Pilates. M3 Performance and Physical Therapy now operates across a few platforms in the Birmingham area.  He has a passion for evaluating movement in those who desire to live active lives and developing programs to improve their skill and performance.  When not in the clinic you can find him spending time with family on the golf course or developing new recipes in the kitchen.

Matthew Mitchell is a Wall Street Journal best-selling author, speaker, three-time SEC Coach of the Year, and the winningest head coach in the history of the University of Kentucky women's basketball program. The foundation for his teams' achievements is the Winning Tools principles: honesty, hard work, and discipline. Through Mitchell's focus on the fundamentals, he led the program to new heights―seven winning seasons and UK's first SEC Championship in 30 years. In his new book, Ready to Win:How Great Leaders Succeed Through Preparation(Winning Tools, November 19, 2024)Mitchell shares proven principles that lead to resilience, preparation, and growth. Learn more at www.coachmatthewmitchell.com

Colin Carr is a commercial real estate expert who has successfully completed over a thousand commercial real estate transactions while saving his clients hundreds of millions of dollars. Colin founded and scaled CARR, a nationwide commercial real estate company, to exclusively represent the unique needs and interests of healthcare providers. He has mastered several niches in the healthcare real estate industry and is passionate about helping others “Maximize Your Profitability Through Real Estate®”.  Today, CARR is the nation's leading healthcare real estate advisor with a team of almost 150 experts that span coast-to-coast. Every year, thousands of healthcare providers trust CARR to help them achieve the most favorable terms on their lease and purchase negotiations.

 Faisal Hoque is the founder of SHADOKA and NextChapter andserves as a transformation and innovation partner for CACI, an $8billion company focused on U.S. national security. He is a #1 WallStreet Journal bestselling author with ten award-winning books tohis name. His new book, TRANSCEND: Unlocking Humanity in theAge of AI, was named a ‘must read' by the Next Big Idea Club andselected as a Financial Times business book of the month. Itbecame an instant bestseller—across multiple categories—onthe USA Today (#1 in Computers, #1 in Philosophy, #3 in Business & Economics, #5 in AllNon-Fiction), Los Angeles Times (#7 in All Non-Fiction), and Publishers Weekly lists.For thirty years, he has been developing commercial business and technology systems,and enabling leadership teams at MasterCard, American Express, GE, Home Depot, FrenchSocial Security Services, US Department of Defense (DoD), US Department of HomelandSecurity (DHS), PepsiCo, IBM, Chase, and others with sustainable growth. Today, Faisal is ahighly sought-after innovation and transformation (digital/AI, business, organization)partner for both public and private sector organizations, and recognized as one of theworld's leading management thinkers and technologists.As a founder and CEO of multiple companies, he is a three-time winner of the DeloitteTechnology Fast 50™ and Fast 500™ awards. Faisal is a contributor at the MIT's IDEAS SocialInnovation program, Thinkers50, and the Swiss business school IMD. His work hasappeared in Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, The Wall Street Journal, MIT SloanManagement Review, The Financial Times, Psychology Today, BIG Think, BusinessInsider, Fortune, Inc., Kiplinger, Yahoo Finance, Fox, ABC, CBS, and others.Faisal's work and life are profoundly influenced by a distinctive fusion of Easternphilosophy and American entrepreneurial spirit. He frequently speaks at internationalconferences, business schools, corporate gatherings, and business summits. Inspired bypersonal experiences, Faisal is a passionate advocate for cancer research, raisingawareness and supporting research efforts to combat the disease.

Gabe is the owner of River Valley Therapy and Sports Medicine, a series of outpatient therapy clinics in northcentral Arkansas where the focus is delivering phenomenal patient care with a focus on customer service.  In addition to serving the communities where these clinics are located, he enjoys working with payers and regulators to ensure that patients have the access to care that they deserve. He is currently the President of Rehab Net of Arkansas, a collaboration of 200 different clinics and 1800 providers, where they provide shared administrative support in addition to delegated contracting and credentialing for these providers.  He serves on the Board of Directors for CareSource PASSE, an Arkansas Managed Medicaid insurance company and is currently the pay chair for APTA- Arkansas.  He is on various provider advisory committees with several insurance payers as well as the therapy workgroup for Arkansas Medicaid.Gabe's work on ensuring sustainable reimbursement models with payers has resulted in him being twice awarded the APTA-Arkansas Distinguished Service Award as well as the Greg Wren Legislative Award.  He currently serves on the PPS Payment and Policy Committee as well as the Payment Consortium.   He enjoys teaching at various universities on topics such as payment, coding, and leadership development.  

Leslie Grandy is an author, speaker, and CEO advisor who guides companies, teams, and product leaders to expand their creative capacity to invent and innovate for customers, disrupt and grow their market opportunities, and maintain relevance in a fast-changing world. Organizations like Oracle, Starbucks, and Red Robin Gourmet Burgers turn to Leslie to ignite creativity across their workforce and empower everyone, regardless of role or level, to identify novel solutions and think expansively. Leslie's book, "Creative Velocity," debuts in early 2025.Leslie's career has taken her on a 25+ year journey, from a successful career in the film industry in Los Angeles as a member of the Directors Guild of America to iconic brands, such as Amazon, Best Buy, Discovery, T-Mobile, and Apple. She's built teams from the ground up and led multiple first-to-market products; she was on the front end of the earliest digital media subscription services from major content brands like Major League Baseball, NASCAR, CNN, and ABCNews and co-authored a patent currently held by Intel. Leslie has led internal innovation labs and is an IDEO-trained leader in Design Thinking. Leslie has educated product leaders and executives through The Product Guild, the University of Michigan College of Engineering's Center for Entrepreneurship, and as a guest lecturer at the University of Washington Foster School of Business.  She co-created and serves as the Lead Executive in Residence in the Product Management Leadership Accelerator, part of the Foster School's Executive Education program. She is a member of the Board of Advisors and Adjunct Faculty at Regis College's Marshall Sloane School of Business in Product Management and Service Design and West Virginia University's College of Creative Arts and Media.

Joeserved as MD and Senior Partner at BCG. In The Generous Leader,Joeshares a performance review: He was told he was not the best at problem-solving solo; but with others, he could solve any challenge. His manager identified his key strength - a person who could connect.Joespent 37 years with BCG, co-founded the Washington DC office, led office systems, started BCG's NA Public Sector business, led BCG North America, founded and chaired BCG's Center for Inclusion and Equity.Joeearned his BA from Whitman College, MBA from HBS.Joeis currently serving his second term as Whitman's Board Chair. Joehas been married to Sarah for over 40 years, has four children, eight grandchildren.  

Former leadership coach to IBM's top executives, Head of Organization Development at Honeywell, and fellow with McKinsey's Change Center, Todd has taught world leaders at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government, developed doctoral students at Columbia University, and trained tens of thousands of leaders globally to “Get to Candor”.As the founder of Holzman Leadership, a global consultancy, Todd's Real Work Process has been used by numerous Fortunate 500, FTSE 100, and Global 2000 companies to transform their leaders, cultures, and business results.Todd holds a B.S. in Industrial Labor Relations (Cornell), an M.A. in Organizational Psychology (Columbia), and an Ed.M. in Leadership & Adult Development (Harvard).

Amy Lafko is a leadership and organizational design expert, mainstage speaker, author, and facilitator. Known for her “People First” method, she brings a step-by-step process to put employee engagement and empowerment into practice. Having spent 20+ years in healthcare leadership roles, her work is inspired by her personal transformation as a leader.  That inspiration and her energy is multiplied every time she assists someone with their own shift in mindset and intentions.  Her book, People First: A Proven Method for an Exceptional Healthcare Practice was an Amazon bestselling new release. In addition to founding Cairn Consulting Solutions, LLC and being certified in TTI Success Insights DISC, Driving Forces and Emotional Intelligence, Amy has earned her MSPT from Ithaca College, her MBA from Loyola University of MD. 

Dr. Laura is a professional speaker and organizational psychologist who inspires driven self-starters to transform theirrelationship with themselves to accomplish more than ever while making everything easier! While sharing revelationson radical self-acceptance she uniquely leverages humor to resonate with audiences. She is an approachable, funny,warm, alluring, optimistic, curious and delightful speaker and guest! Even as a USA Today and Wall Street JournalBest-selling author, Dr. Laura doesn't fit the typical "academic" personality of her PhD peers.Some of her noteworthy achievements include being hired by NASA to transform culture following the Columbiaaccident, working with Disney to lead radical shifts in performance management for their leaders, and inspiringYahoo's global teams to seek transformation from the inside-out.Fun is always abounding in Dr. Laura's life; so when she's not serving a mass self-acceptance movement you can findher water skiing, floating in a sunny pool (likely on a large peacock floatie), playing with her dogs, Grace andJackson, singing while playing her beautiful grand piano, or diving deeper into her own consciousness to livelife most fully.

Bill is a world-renowned keynote speaker, business owner, and partner at the Institute for Health and Human Potential (IHHP). Over the last 30 years, he's worked with leaders and high-pressure performers around the world — from the U.S. military and Olympic athletes to executives at global organizations like IBM, Marriott and Rolls Royce. As a partner at IHHP — one of Profit Magazine's fastest 100 growing companies — Bill has access to insights gained from monthly surveys of 40,000 people. Years of studying how people perform under pressure has led him to formulate a radical new method for building high-performing leadership teams, which he explores in his upcoming book The Last 8%.

Rebecca Shaddix is a seasoned marketing executive and go-to-market strategist with a proven track record of driving significant revenue growth across various industries. With a unique background that combines deep technical expertise, data-driven marketing, and empathetic leadership, Rebecca has led high-growth companies in education, healthcare, and SaaS to impressive success. Her approach is rooted in a research background, allowing her to blend analytical thinking with creative marketing strategies.  As a Forbes contributor and recognized thought leader, Rebecca brings insights into the societal impacts of technology, particularly in areas such as AI's role in solving global issues and fostering diversity in tech. Her ability to align technology-driven solutions with broader missions while driving substantial business results sets her apart in the marketing and leadership landscape.

Claudia Longo is a dynamic leader and social entrepreneur whose journey is one of resilience and purpose. A former Division 1 athlete, she was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis at 18, just months before beginning her collegiate soccer career at the University of Washington. Despite this challenge, she returned to the field, playing several successful seasons for the Huskies while earning her undergraduate degree in Neuroscience. After graduating, Claudia turned her experience into action, founding MS, I'mpossible, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to empowering young adults living with MS. Through community support and financial aid programs, the organization provides critical resources to those navigating life with the disease. Claudia is also the Managing Director at BoardReady, where she plays a pivotal role in increasing diversity of thought in corporate boardrooms. Under her leadership, BoardReady has expanded its reach, helping companies build stronger, more forward-thinking boards. Her influence extends beyond boardrooms and nonprofits – in 2024, Claudia took the TEDx stage, sharing her insights on how to create change from challenge. Recognized for her impact, she has received numerous accolades, including being a Seattle Kraken Hero of the Deep nominee and receiving the Wayne Gittinger Inspirational Award at the Seattle Sports Star of the Year event. 

Jimmy McKay and I sit down and discuss what I have learned doing interviews for my Podcast over 8 years and more than 235 interviews.  He wanted me to rank my top 10 impactful moments but I just couldn't do it because there are so many to choose from.  So I picked 10 I thought were great and didn't rank them but shared them as they were profound to me.  Jimmy was a pioneer in Podcasting and has shared some of his knowledge with me as I launched my show.  He has done exceptionally well and embraced those of us who have tried to follow in his footsteps.  It was an honor and pleasure to sit down with him and share ideas and experiences.

Franklin J. Rooks Jr. is a graduate of the Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science (“PCPS”), where he earned a Bachelor's Degree in Health Science and a Master of Physical Therapy Degree. After graduating from PCPS, he earned a Master of Business Administration (“MBA”), with a concentration in finance, from DrexelUniversity, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Along with his college roommate, he went on to be a founding partner of PRO Physical Therapy, an outpatient physicaltherapy business based in Wilmington, Delaware. At the time that it was sold to the private equity firm KRG Capital, the business had 18 locations in Delaware, Pennsylvania, and Maryland. After selling PRO Physical Therapy, Mr. Rooks earned his juris doctor degree from Delaware Law School. He is licensed topractice law in the State of New Jersey and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. Mr. Rooks also represents healthcare providers in breachof contract matters and also provides general legal advice pertaining to contracting and compliance with federal and state regulations. Since 2009, Mr. Rooks has been an operating partner of Shore Capital Partners, a private equity firm headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Currently, he serves on the Board of Directors for Therapy Partners Group, a portfolio company of Shore Capital with 137 outpatient physical therapy clinics primarily located throughout California, Texas, Arizona, and Nevada. After graduating from law school, he and his partner from PRO PhysicalTherapy purchased a single-office occupational medicine business from a hospital system in Delaware. Mr. Rooks and his partner grew the occupational medicine businessto five locations and in 2015, sold it to In-Tandem Capital Partners, a New York-based private equity firm. In 2018, Mr. Rooks and a partner acquired a durable medical equipment business in New Jersey. In 2023, after tripling the business's EBITDA, Mr. Rooks and his partner sold the DME business to a strategic acquirer.  He is currently a partner with Iterum Physical Therapy, and outpatient physical therapy business with locations in Florida and Delaware.Mr. Rooks resides in Chester County, Pennsylvania.   He is married withthree children, 2 sons, one daughter 

Israel David Duran, compelling speaker andbusiness growth partner, has empowered countless entrepreneurs worldwide to unleash their potential.After a transformative car accident in 2018, Duran dedicated himself to serving others, guiding them to personal and professional growth. He inspires purposeful leaders to build profitable businesses that impact the world.As a sought-after speaker, Duran's dynamic stagepresence motivates audiences to embrace theirpurpose and drive. With his guidance, individualslearn to share their stories effectively, enhancingcredibility and fostering personal growth.

DanJ.Berger(www.danjberger.com) is an Israeli-American entrepreneur, author, and community builder dedicated to fostering connection and belonging. His book,The Quest: The Definitive Guide to Finding Belonging(Forbes Books), cements his place as a thought leader on this essential human need. As the founder of Social Tables, an award-winning event design software company acquired by Blackstone-owned Cvent for $100 million,Danrevolutionized the events industry, helping people connect at scale. A recipient of multiple awards including the Pacesetter Award from the Events Industry Council, he now leads Assemble Hospitality Group, reimagining corporate retreats to cultivate belonging and transform team dynamics.An avid community builder,Danfounded the Idaho Israel Alliance, a nonprofit combating antisemitism in the wake of the October 7 attacks in Israel. He also spearheaded a prominent Idaho men's group and is an active participant in YPO and Tiger 21. He holds an MBA from Georgetown University and lives in Boise, Idaho with his wife and daughter.  

Dan Rootenberg is the CEO of Spear,  which he co-founded in 1999, working out of a small treatment room in midtown Manhattan. He had a singular vision for combining clinical excellence with a five-star customer service experience. Spear has since grown to 55+ locations throughout NYC, Westchester, Long Island, New Jersey and CT, employing over 950+ people currently and is continuing to expand further.Dan's focus on organizational leadership has resulted in several honors and recognitions from business, medical and academic institutions. Dan is an EY Entrepreneur Of The Year® New York finalist, National Entrepreneur of the month winner and an Olympic Team medical coordinator. Spear has been named to the Inc5000 list of fastest growing private companies in America seven times, received Columbia University's Award for Leadership in Clinical Education twice and has been named by SmartCEO magazine as a Future50 company five times.Dan has been honored with the National Practice of the Year award twice, by two industry leading organizations.Prior to Spear, Dan played pro baseball on three continents.  In the summer of 2021, Dan traveled to the Olympic Games in Tokyo as a team PT and medical coordinator as well as fulfilling that role in Major League Baseball's World Baseball Classic tournament held in Seoul, Tokyo and Jupiter, FL.Dan also served on the Board of Directors of Peter Stuyvesant Little League and the Bonnie Youth Club, two organizations devoted to teaching children lifelong values, self-worth, and responsibility through baseball. Dan has made numerous guest spots on Sports Talk radio, and was featured in the award-winning documentary “Holy Land Hardball”. Dan now plays tennis in his free time and lives in NYC with his wife and three children..

Interview on Profiles in Leadership with Rebecca FitzsimmonsOutlineIntroduction and Background of Rebecca Fitzsimmons Rebecca Fitzsimmons, founder of Tactical Harmony, an online business focused on holistic leadership and mindset strategies.Rebecca shares her background, starting from her upbringing in a small town in northeastern Ohio, her degree in forensic and investigative science, and her internship with the FBI.Rebecca explains her transition from forensics to becoming an NCIS Special Agent, detailing her 13.5 years with NCIS and her roles in criminal investigations, counter-terrorism, and counter-intelligence.She discusses her decision to leave NCIS after nearly 15 years to explore new sectors and eventually start her own business.Rebecca's Journey from NCIS to EntrepreneurshipRebecca elaborates on her reasons for leaving NCIS, including her desire to serve in a different sector and her leadership experience.She describes her transition to a technology company and her current role as an entrepreneur running Tactical Harmony.Rebecca emphasizes the importance of holistic leadership, which involves leading oneself and others in a comprehensive way.She highlights the components of holistic leadership, including emotional intelligence, self-awareness, and self-regulation.Holistic Leadership and Mindset StrategiesRebecca defines holistic leadership as a whole-person approach to influencing and inspiring oneself and others.She explains the importance of leading by example and the role of emotional intelligence in building strong relationships.Rebecca discusses the power of mindset, stating that it is the starting point for achieving greatness and that thoughts determine feelings and actions.She shares her belief in the transformative power of gratitude practices and how it can positively impact one's biochemistry and neural pathways.Client Profiles and Gratitude PracticesRebecca describes her typical clients, which include ambitious professionals, aspiring leaders, and businesses looking to enhance their mindset and leadership skills.She explains the concept of gratitude practices, advising clients to think of three things they are grateful for each morning and evening.Rebecca emphasizes the importance of feeling the emotion associated with gratitude to create positive biochemical changes in the body.She shares her own experience of initially dismissing gratitude practices and how it eventually became a transformative part of her routine.Resilience and High-Performance HabitsRebecca discusses the importance of building resilience through continuous hard work and incremental improvement.She introduces the concept of Kaizen, focusing on getting 1% better each day, and compares it to the analogy of turning a tractor slightly to achieve greater distance.Rebecca highlights the significance of raising standards and maintaining high-performance habits, such as physical exercise, mind-body-spirit nourishment, and focusing on high-impact activities.She emphasizes the need for self-care and the benefits of incorporating fun and enjoyable activities into daily routines.Spirituality and Self-Care in LeadershipRebecca explains the role of spirituality in holistic leadership, describing it as connecting to one's truth and highest self.She shares her personal practice of meditation and how it helps her achieve coherence between her heart and brain, leading to peak performance.Rebecca discusses the importance of self-care and how it contributes to being the best version of oneself.She describes her approach to self-care as a harmony rather than a balance, allowing for flexibility based on different life demands.Legacy and Personal GrowthRebecca talks about the concept of legacy and its importance in leadership.She explains the process of identifying one's values, mission, and vision, and how it ties into the legacy one wants to leave behind.Rebecca emphasizes the need for continuous personal growth and the role of coaching in helping leaders understand themselves better.She shares her experience of witnessing clients' transformations as they explore and nourish their personal growth.Client Relationships and Keynote SpeakingRebecca discusses the varying lengths of her client relationships, ranging from short-term engagements to long-term collaborations.She explains how her work with clients often starts with addressing their immediate needs and then evolving into more comprehensive support.Rebecca expresses her passion for public speaking and her plans to focus more on keynote speaking in the future.She mentions her goal of speaking internationally and the energy she derives from engaging with audiences hungry for growth and development.Tactical Harmony Podcast and Future PlansRebecca provides an overview of her Tactical Harmony podcast, which she started last year and has been a solo show so far.She plans to introduce guests in 2025 and aims to balance short, digestible episodes with longer, in-depth conversations.Rebecca describes her approach to creating content that is easy to fit into busy schedules and targets high performers.She shares her process of recording episodes based on her intuition and the topics that resonate with her at the moment.

BobKaplan just brought out a new book, GRAPPLING: Leaders Striving To Improve. It's short stories, fictionalized cases, meant to bring executive coaching to life, which is often a struggle, a wrestling match with yourself. GRAPPLING is a novel approach to writing about leadership and self-improvement, and very readable.Bob's previous book is Fear Your Strengths—What You're Best At Is Probably Your Biggest Problem. He is founder and president ofKaplanDeVries, a leadership-consulting firm. Learn more at KaplanDeVriesand http://kaplandevries.com/booksBobhas a bachelor's degree in English and a doctorate in organizational behavior from Yale, and lives in New York City with his wife, Becky. 

NeilTrickettis a physical therapist, and private practice marketing expert. Neil built a 7 figure PT practice with his wife, Amy, in which he transitioned out of in 2010. He then founded Practice Promotions, and has built that to be one of the largest multi-7 figure marketing agencies in North America, specializing in Rehabilitation. Neil's passion is for helping practice owners scale their business by leveling up their marketing systems and websites. Neil's company, Practice Promotions, currently services over 1200 clinic locations across the U.S. and Canada.

Adrian Koehler, the no-nonsense leadershipengagement expert and Senior Partner at Take NewGround, is the go-to guide for fast-moving leaders.Dedicated to breaking through barriers, he spendshis time helping entrepreneurs and enterpriseleaders cut through the noise and createtransformative outcomes. Adrian coachesexecutives globally, encouraging authenticleadership and fostering courage for meaningfulchange. His passion for human performance has ledhim to diverse contexts, from Fortune 500organizations to startups and healthcare, makingAdrian a catalyst for real talk and impactful results.Adrian Koehler extends his influence beyond theboardroom as the co-host of "Raising The Bar" and"The Naked Leadership Podcast." Drawing on hisbackground in philanthropy, ministry, activism, andmedicine, he thrives in difficult conversations andengaging complexity, challenging listeners to liveauthentically. Currently residing in the heart ofHollywood, with his children Scout and Charli, Adrianis on a mission to inspire authentic leadership, urgingindividuals to raise the bar in both personal andprofessional realms.

John D. Marvin is a visionary entrepreneur, acclaimed columnist, and influential leader dedicated to empowering others to unlock their full potential. As President and CEO of Texas State Optical, John has cultivated a thriving business network while spearheading initiatives in health and wellness consulting and eyecare partnerships. With a steadfast commitment to personal growth, John has spent years studying the transformative power of mindset and the “inner game” in achieving success. Beyond his entrepreneurial endeavors, Through his unwavering dedication to making a difference, John D. Marvin epitomizes the essence of leadership and empowerment, making him a compelling guest for any podcast seeking to inspire and motivate their audience. TSO brings in around 110M$ in revenue annually.      

Nancy is a Co-Founder and Managing Partner atRallyday Partners, a private equity firm built byfounders for founders, focused on lower middlemarket growth companies.Nancy's experience as an entrepreneur informs her role as an investor at Rallyday Partners. Nancy and thefounding team at Rallyday wanted to build the private equity firm that they would have wanted to partnerwith on their own entrepreneurial journeys. In practice, this involves a multi-stakeholder approach and anintense focus on purpose, culture, leadership development alongside the typical focus on growth and financialreturns. Rallyday's purpose statement is to Empower leaders to go even bigger, create the most value for themost people, and share in the experience of a lifetime. As Managing Partner, Nancy leads efforts to identifynew investment opportunities and guides value creation efforts in partnership with portfolio companyleadership teams. Nancy leads Rallyday's investments in Highbar Health, Livefront, Nimble Gravity, andKicksaw and supported Pyx Health to a successful exit in 2023.Nancy is a 35 year + veteran of the telecommunications and IT infrastructure industry. She has spent herentire career building and growing service-focused organizations demonstrating the power of people in atechnical world. A longtime leader in Denver's tech industry, she co-founded ViaWest in 1999 and served as itsPresident & CEO, successfully scaling the company to become one of the largest colocation and cloudproviders in the industry. In 2017, the company was acquired by GI Partners for $1.675 billion and combinedwith Peak10, another IT infrastructure powerhouse. Now called Flexential, the company is a leading providerof data center solutions spanning colocation, connectivity, cloud, managed solutions and security services.Nancy served as chair of the board until the end of 2024.Previously, Nancy served as president of Shaw Business Infrastructure Services, a division of ShawCommunications (NYSE:SJR). Nancy held founder and executive leadership positions with numeroustechnology companies, including TSC, ConferTech International, ITC, RMI.net and Intrepid Communications,where she enabled significant growth while maintaining a deep customer-centric focus. She has raised over$1.1B in equity during her career and consistently provided strong returns to her shareholders.Nancy is a passionate supporter of the Colorado entrepreneurial community as well as furthering theparticipation and advancement of women in computer science. She serves on the boards of the NationalCenter for Women and Information Technology, where she is chair; Blackstone Entrepreneurs Network; EspireDental; Highbar Health; Livefront; Nimble Gravity; and Kicksaw and formerly served on the NationalCybersecurity Center as well as the University of Denver Board of Trustees.Nancy has received numerous accolades for her visionary leadership and, in 2016, was honored with theinaugural Colorado Governor's Citizenship medal for Growth and Innovation, which recognized her as anentrepreneur with exceptional ingenuity who seeks to inspire and create new possibilities for others. She alsowas selected as the 2016 EY Entrepreneur of the Year in Technology Services for the Mountain Desert Region.Nancy has also been recognized in the global technology community when she received the CanadianGovernor General's Medallion in recognition of her distinguished track record building technology businesses.Nancy embraces the best of Colorado by spending time with family including her beloved black lab, Brooklyn,in the mountains skiing, cycling and hiking. A native of Toronto, Nancy received a Bachelor of Arts degree fromQueens University in Canada. Michelle Collie is a Physical Therapist and business owner who grew her company from one location to 35 and has now partnered with RallyDay to continue growth in the the Northeast United States.  She has been a Board Member of the American Physical Therapy Private Practice Association and has received numerous awards as a Best Employer!  Her company is now Highball Health.

Lawrence Armstrong is the chairman of Ware Malcomb, a leading design firm that he helped grow from 3 offices to over 46 offices globally. He started at the company in 1984 and eventually purchased it from the founders in 1992. As an architect and artist, Lawrence has leveraged both his creative and strategic skills to drive the firm's success.Balancing Creativity and Business @ 3:28Lawrence believes it's important for architects and designers to develop both their creative and business skills. He advocates for "whole brain" thinking, drawing inspiration from Renaissance figures like Leonardo da Vinci who excelled in diverse domains. Lawrence's own background as an internationally exhibited artist has complemented his work as a business leader.Scaling and Integrating a Geographically Distributed Firm @ 7:00Under Lawrence's leadership, Ware Malcomb expanded from 3 offices to over 46 offices across the US, Canada, Mexico, and Brazil. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a "one team" culture and consistent service delivery across the distributed offices, leveraging centralized resources and collaborative processes.Developing Future Leaders @ 9:35Recognizing the need for strong leadership as the company scaled, Lawrence focused on building a leadership development program to identify, train, and mentor the next generation of leaders at Ware Malcomb. This included executive coaching, mentorship, and creating opportunities for emerging leaders to take on greater responsibility.Philanthropy and Community Engagement @ 43:34In addition to his work at Ware Malcomb, Lawrence has been actively involved in addressing homelessness in his local community of Orange County, California. He helped launch a program called "United to End Homelessness" that has housed over 1,100 people through innovative approaches like landlord incentives.Reflections on the Creative Process @ 48:55As Lawrence transitions from CEO to Chairman, he is spending more time pursuing his passion for art and creativity. He discusses the iterative, collaborative process of writing his new book "Layered Leadership" and is open to the possibility of future writing projects, though he is focused on the current book launch for now.

Steve is a top talent strategist and leadership expert with 30+ years of experience. He famously led LinkedIn's early hyper-growth phase as its first CHRO, building its world-class company culture from scratch, and scaling the organization from 400 to 4,000 employees in 3.5 years.       As one of the most provocative global thought leaders on the future of work, Steve is hired not only by F500 companies but by entire countries to help them navigate the talent landscape. His clientele spans all the way from Google, X, Slack, BBC, and Intel, to the City of Lisbon, which hired him to develop the startup incubator Unicorn Factory.      His award-winning book Workquake is considered a game changer for leaders and organizations on the future of work in a post-COVID world. He has also written for Forbes and Inc., will soon be writing for Business Insider, and frequently appears on Bloomberg and CNBC to talk about the evolving nature of work, talent management, the Big Resignation, and successful leadership.  He is regularly asked for advice by legacy institutions like Harvard, as well as top VCs and management firms including Accenture, Deloitte, and McKinsey, and today sits on the board of three corporations. 

 Twanda E. Young, a retired US Army Brigadier General and the author of the inspiring leadership books "Destiny Exposed: Leading Ladies" and "Dare to Lead Differently…16 Bites for Bold Leaders."Her  background includes more than three decades of expertise in top executive leadership positions within the military, as well as a strong proponent for enabling executive leaders to realize their full potential and alter their mentality.The founder and chief executive officer of LT3 Leadership Solutions, a company that specializes in the management of conflicts and the development of leaders.

KENNEDY I. HAWKINS, MBA, JD, LLM Has been a  CEO | COO | PRESIDENT| VICE PRESIDENT He orchestrated Transformational growth and was a turnaround healthcare leader with a proven track record of growing a “mom & pop” healthcare startup by increasing revenue 2,614% and shepherding its evolution into a complex, nationally recognized organization. The company was the Recipient of multiple “Oregon Top Workplace,” “Best of the Willamette Valley,” and Innovation awards. He drove the successful acquisition and integration with one of the largest publicly traded companies in the Physical Therapy industry USPH. A servant leader, public speaker, and recognized thought leader with multi-dimensional background at the intersection of business, law, and taxation.  He is currently the Director-Executive of the Development Center at Willamette University Atkinson Graduate School of Management And is the owner of Kennedy Hawkins Consulting which provides Fractional Or Interim CEO/COO | Managing Director | Management Consultant servicesHe is the former President/CEO of PT Northwest which he held for 21 years which is now part of US Physical Therapy.  He took the organization from 3 service locations to 27 including 12 outpatient facilities, 2 hospitals, 3 universities, 3 minor league sport teams and 6 high schools.He built a national clinical learning community involving organizations like Intermountain Healthcare, Advent Health, Boston University, Mountain Land Rehabilitation, Hartford Healthcare, and University of Pittsburg Medical Center He has a long history with National Association of Rehabilitation Agencies including be the Past President of the organization.