Bay Area Women Magazine - Mercedes Ramirez Johnson by Rich Borell

B A YA R E AE D I T I O N|F A L L2 0 2 1

A nE x c l u s i v eI n t e r v i e w Wi t hMo t i v a t i o n a lS p e a k e r ,

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Lynn North

650.703.6437 | www.LynnNorth.com

“I am personally committed to your success in selling or finding your dream home.”

Lynn North (DRE # 01490039) has been in the top 5% as a realtor for the past 16 years with the prestigious Compass in the Bay Area and formerly with Alain Pinel Realtors. She was just recently honored with inclusion in the 2020 REAL Trends ranking, representing the top 1.5% of 1.4M real estate professionals in the U.S.

Lynn North

650.703.6437 | www.LynnNorth.com

“I am personally committed to your success in selling or finding your dream home.”

Woman finds relief from debilitating painful spine fracture thanks to balloons and cement Nancy is one of more than 10 million Americans with osteoporosis, a disease marked by porous, brittle bones that can break more easily than healthy bones. Women over 50 have a 1-in-2 chance of breaking a bone due to osteoporosis.1 Osteoporosis is sometimes called a “silent disease” because it has no symptoms before a fracture occurs.2 That’s what happened to Nancy. “I was walking in a parking lot, and I stepped on something that tripped me up,” says Nancy, 73, “and I fell very hard.” The fall caused Nancy severe pain.

Dr. Lindsey Pierce Interventional Radiologist San Jose

“Vertebral compression fractures are common, but they often go undiagnosed and untreated. Someone who experiences a sudden, severe pain in their back that doesn’t go away after a few days might have a VCF. It’s important to identify and treat patients with VCF as soon as possible so they can get back on their feet and avoid a downward spiral of health problems. In my practice, I have found Balloon Kyphoplasty to be an effective procedure to relieve pain and restore the damaged vertebrae. We can do the procedure on an outpatient basis or even in the clinic, so most patients don’t have to be admitted to the hospital. They can return home the same day.” *The preceding testimonial contains the opinions of and personal surgical techniques practiced by Dr. Lindsey Pierce. The opinions and techniques presented herein are for information purposes only, and the decision of which technique to use in a particular surgical application should be made by the surgeon based on the individual facts and circumstances of the patient and previous surgical experience.

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“I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t do anything, I was basically house-bound and couch-bound, I couldn’t drive, nothing.” Nancy says she finally broke down and told her husband to take her to the emergency room. “I said, ‘Please, X-ray my spine!’” The ER doctors found the source of Nancy’s unrelenting pain: a compression fracture of her T9 vertebra – in other words, a broken back. Nancy went to see an interventional radiologist who ordered an MRI to get a better look at Nancy’s spine. Because her fracture was still acute and her pain was a 10 out of 10, the radiologist recommended she undergo Balloon Kyphoplasty (BKP). Balloon Kyphoplasty is a minimally invasive procedure for the treatment of spinal fractures due to osteoporosis, cancer, or non-cancerous tumors. The radiologist punctured Nancy’s back with a needle to insert a tiny balloon into the damaged vertebra. He then used a pump to inflate the balloon and restore the original height of the vertebra. Then he injected acrylic bone cement into the balloon to create an internal cast to repair the fracture. The procedure takes only about an hour. It typically re-

During a Balloon Kyphoplasty procedure, a balloon is inserted into a fractured vertebra where it is inflated and filled with cement.

quires only local anesthesia, and it’s often done on an outpatient basis in a clinic or office. Medtronic developed balloon kyphoplasty, a minimally invasive procedure that reduces and stabilizes VCF related to osteoporosis, cancer or non-cancerous tumors. Since the initial technology launched in 1998, Medtronic has developed better balloons, an improved cement delivery system and added access tools shown to reduce hand radiation exposure for the surgeon. Over the years, studies comparing balloon kyphoplasty to non-surgical management have shown balloon kyphoplasty produced better pain relief and quality of life for patients with acute VCF compared to patients treated with non-surgical management.3-5 Although the complication rate for BKP is low, as with most surgical procedures, serious adverse events, some of which can be fatal, can occur, including heart attack, cardiac arrest (heart stops beating), stroke, and embolism (blood, fat, or cement that migrates to the lungs or heart). Other risks include infection; leakage of bone cement into the muscle and tissue surrounding the spinal cord and nerve injury that can, in rare instances, cause paralysis; leakage of bone cement into the blood vessels resulting in damage to the blood vessels, lungs, and/or heart. Nancy said she had a dramatic improvement in her pain. “I was able to exercise in the pool, and I was able to drive again and resume my normal activities: grocery shop, the usual. I would absolutely recommend Balloon Kyphoplasty to someone who needs it.” For more information, go to kyphoplasty.com. References: 1. US Dept. of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Office of the Surgeon General. Bone health and osteoporosis: A report of the Surgeon General. Rockville, MD: US GPO; 2004, p. 436. Available from: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK45513/ pdf/TOC.pdf.

A Balloon Kyphoplasty procedure is performed through two small incisions in the back.

2. National Osteoporosis Website. https://www.nof.org/patients/what-is-osteoporosis/ 3. Berenson J, Pflugmacher R, Jarzem P, et al. Balloon kyphoplasty versus non-surgical fracture management for treatment of painful vertebral body compression fractures in patients with cancer: a multicentre, randomised controlled trial. Lancet Oncol. 2011 Mar;12(3):225-35. 4. Boonen S, Van Meirhaeghe J, Bastian L, et al. Balloon kyphoplasty for the treatment of acute vertebral compression fractures: 2-year results from a randomized trial. J Bone Miner Res. 2011;26(7):1627-1637. 5. Van Meirhaeghe J, Bastian L, Boonen S, et al. A randomized trial of balloon kyphoplasty and nonsurgical management for treating acute vertebral compression fractures: vertebral body kyphosis correction and surgical parameters. Spine. 2013;38(12),971-983.

One or two small balloons are used to create space in the fractured vertebra.

Dr. Lindsey Pierce Interventional Radiologist San Jose

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During a Balloon Kyphoplasty procedure, a balloon is inserted into a fractured vertebra where it is inflated and filled with cement.

A Balloon Kyphoplasty procedure is performed through two small incisions in the back.

One or two small balloons are used to create space in the fractured vertebra.

Bay Area

WOMEN magazine

We Support Diversity and Gender Equality – An Issue Greater Than Just “Equal Pay in the Workplace”

The story behind Bay Area Women Magazine and Website has always been to empower, inspire and support women in our local communities and the workplace. We believe in diversity and gender equality, equal pay for equal work and believe that no woman should have to be in fear of harassment or assault in her community or workplace. Women have made unquestionable advances — from American boardrooms and courts of law, to political and sports arenas — but inequality remains, especially in poor or rural areas. By simply being inclusive of an equitable number of women in an organization, it has availed itself of a larger talent pool, increased its attractiveness to potential talent, increased its ability to retain talent and has brought an insightful eye to market to potential users and clients of the organization’s products or services. While outcomes of equality in the workplace should be achievable equally among genders, these outcomes may not necessarily be the same for all. Still, it’s essential to advance the trend of acceptance and advancement in gender equality to ensure that access and enjoyment of the same rewards, resources and opportunities are available to all. This includes freedom from gender discrimination and its stereotypes, pregnancy and parenting, freedom from discrimination in fields of employment where women have traditionally been excluded or discouraged and the systemic undervaluing of work traditionally performed by women. Workplaces need to provide equal opportunities and pay for equal work; there is no justifiable reason based on gender not to do so. There should never be limits to the equal participation of women in the workforce. All should have access to all positions and industries; including leadership roles regardless of gender. Women represent nearly half of the U.S. workforce and the number of women in politics is increasing rapidly. At some point in their career, one in four women has been subjected to harassment at work. Management has a responsibility to ensure they act early to both identify and stop harassment, but unfortunately, in many companies, occurrences are often ignored. If there are signs of harassment taking place within the workplace– no matter how big or small – it should be rectified immediately, and preventative processes reevaluated to avert such occurrences from happening again. Organizations have a responsibility to maintain an environment that is free of sexual harassment. Today we are asking that our communities’ most prominent workplaces and community organizations take a step to join Bay Area Women Magazine and its website to advocate for respectful, fair and dignified treatment of women. Thank You Rich Borell Founder & Publisher

Bay Area

WOMEN magazine

We Support Diversity and Gender Equality – An Issue Greater Than Just “Equal Pay in the Workplace”

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An Exclusive Interview With Former President of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons,

Dr. Lynn Jeffers Q: You recently served as President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Can you tell us what this meant to you and did you accomplish what you set out to do? LJ: Being President of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons was an honor and a privilege. Despite the COVID pandemic, we were able to accomplish what we set out to do. At the beginning of my presidency, I wanted to focus on technology/innovation/disruption and on valuing our physician members. I created a presidential task force on technology that will build an infrastructure within ASPS that will not only address technology used by the society in our work, but also support our members interested in technology, innovation, and entrepreneurship. We are also looking at the big ideas such as artificial intelligence, biosensors, block chain, etc. and making sure that we keep our society well-positioned to address potential opportunities and threats. In addition, we had a deliberate focus on making sure to recognize and engage our volunteer physician leaders. At the end of the day, this is a member organization, and we are thankful for their dedication and time that they give to ASPS and our specialty. Of course, we could not have anticipated COVID-19 and I am very proud of ASPS’s response to this pandemic. We were able to set up a COVID resource page for our members with regular webinars. We set up a clearinghouse for members to offer PPE and ventilators to other facilities in need. This caught the attention of the White House COVID Task Force which ultimately led us to help source over 6 million masks to New York alone as well as working with FEMA and other governor’s offices. When it was time to consider reopening, we responded to our members’ needs for access to PPE by having ASPS buy PPE in bulk and thus allowing our members access to PPE. Ultimately, I am so proud of the response of our physicians and our staff in coming together, being proactive, and responding effectively to the COVID pandemic. Q: Why is it important for a plastic surgeon to be a member of ASPS? LJ: The American Society of Plastic Surgeons is the largest plastic surgery organization in the world. We are here not only for our plastic surgeon members but also our patients. Our advocacy, research, education efforts (of the public as well as plastic surgeons) promote patient safety, ethics, and excellence in plastic surgery. We continue to promote collaboration and science not only in the US but globally with our global partners. We continue to support important

initiatives such as our clinical registries, task forces, and research endeavors that will lead to data that we need to better address topics such as implant safety, surgical safety, proper training, and best practices. ASPS is here also for our members to provide resources for their everyday practices both operationally as well as clinically and also helps to facilitate communication, networking and camaraderie among our members. Q: Can you tell us about your current positions as Chief Medical Officer at St John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital, and Medical Director of the Integrated Breast Center at St. John’s? LJ: I currently serve as the Chief Medical Officer at Dignity Health St. John’s Pleasant Valley Hospital which is a part of CommonSpirit Health. During the COVID crisis, I covered an additional hospital while their CMO was out. The Integrated Breast Center offers a community-based team-based approach to breast cancer care. The Center is nationally accredited and has been the recipient of a number of national grants. For the last 11 years, we have held a Breast Symposium that has grown from 30 attendees to 300 attendees last year. This year, of course, we will host a virtual symposium, but we look forward to being hold one in person next year (hopefully!). Q: Tell us about your private practice you have as a plastic surgeon in Ventura County, Calif, and why you chose to become a plastic surgeon. LJ: I am in solo private practice and share the office with my husband who is an Orthopaedic surgeon . I specialize in breast surgery, as well as non-invasive and minimally-invasive procedures such as injectables (Botox/fillers). I was drawn to plastic surgery because in plastic surgery, you create and rebuild. That really appealed to me. One of my first exposures to plastic surgery was watching one of my research mentors in the operating room build an ear for a patient who was born without one, using the cartilage from her rib. It was fascinating and I was hooked. Today, I am so grateful to be able to help people every day. Many of my breast cancer reconstruction patients, I have known for years and there really is no comparison to the satisfaction you get, knowing that you make a difference in people’s lives. Q: Most of your medical education was done in Michigan … how did you end up in Southern California? LJ: I grew up in southern California. I went to Michigan because I was accepted into medical school out of high school

AMA meeting during her first campaign for a seat on the AMA Council on Medical Service and thus did my undergraduate education, medical school education, and residency training in Michigan. I returned to California after finishing my training, and I now live in the same community in which I grew up. Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance? LJ: It is definitely a day-by-day, even hour-by-hour, adjustment. I am fortunate to have a very supportive family including having my parents living nearby. My husband and I joke that our children did ok, DESPITE us. For better or worse, we were too busy to helicopter parent our kids and they had to learn independence and resourcefulness early in life. I have many stories that we laugh about now. Balance is a moving target, but I would say that it starts with self-assessment and being aware of what is really meaningful--what are your real priorities. I don’t sleep much, but even so, more recently, I find that I have had to set limits and recognize that you can’t do all things all of the time. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? LJ: Never underestimate the importance of relationships. It is the personal connections that not only make the work we do meaningful but also, I believe, personal connections are the key to success. I also believe in the importance of leaving things better than you found them both in terms of the organization itself but the people. I have certainly benefited from the mentorship of many people and I hope to be that for others. Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments in your career? LJ: Some of the most meaningful milestones in my career

were starting my own practice, spearheading the Integrated Breast Center, assuming my Chief Medical Officer (in addition to my practice), being elected as one of 11 members of the American Medical Association’s Council on Medical Service, and most recently, my term as president of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. In fact, at the end of my presidency, I was chosen for two awards: the ASPS Patients of Courage and the Young At Heart award that really meant so much to me as it really reminded me why I do what I do -advocating for my patients and mentoring those after me. Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? LJ: Sometimes, women may have a difficult time finding mentors and seeing role models in leadership, depending on the arena. Also, it can take some work to understand how to navigate a particular environment and finding ways to be heard that are effective. Studies have shown that women cannot employ the same tactics in the boardroom as men do, as they are not as effective for women. With more recognition of these differences, more work is being done as to effective strategies specifically for women, we can promote better functioning teams and organizations. Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to pursue a career as a Doctor? LJ: Being a physician is such a rewarding profession. Every day you can look in the mirror and know that you can help people directly. However, know that the number of years of education, training, and sacrifices can be daunting, so find your mentors and find your “why”. Make sure to pay attention to self-care and to not neglect the other portions of your life as those are just as crucial to a whole, meaningful life.

An Exclusive Interview With Former President of The American Society of Plastic Surgeons,

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She Barely Survived a Deadly Mountain Plane Crash That Took The Lives of 160 Passengers. Making Her Second Chance of Life Count, An Exclusive Interview With Motivational Speaker,

Mercedes Ramirez Johnson

In 1995, Mercedes Ramirez Johnson narrowly survived a commercial airplane crash where about 160 people died, including her parents. As one of only four survivors of this tragedy, she vowed that she would make her second chance at life count… and that she has – not just for herself, but also for the tens of thousands of people who have heard her story and her message. Mercedes has received national awards for her work, influence, commitment to helping others. People Magazine’s Spanish edition, People en Español, named her one of the country’s top young Hispanic up-and-comers. INROADS, Inc., an international organization dedicated to developing talented minority youth, voted her Alumni of the Year. She was also awarded Volunteer of the Year for Christ Haven for Children, a Texas-based home for neglected children. In memory of her parents, she established a scholarship for minority students at Northwest Missouri State University, where she actively served as an Executive Member of the university’s Foundation Board. Q: Every year, we’re incredibly lucky to have and celebrate our birthday. For you, it’s also an anniversary of an incredibly sad event that happened on your 21st birthday. Is there something special you do for your birthday that you can share with us? MRJ: Every year, my birthday is always bittersweet. The reason for this is that I feel a little guilty celebrating my birthday since it’s the anniversary of my parents’ death. But my birthday is also incredibly life-affirming since on that very day in 1995, I was given a second chance to live life with my heart and mind wide open. It has taught me to appreciate the beauty of life, family, friends and fulfilling my dreams, not just for myself but for my family. Q: What type of injuries did you sustain and how long was your recovery?

MRJ: I was hospitalized for nearly three months after the plane crash. Initially, the doctors in Colombia told my family I had a 2030% chance of survival due to the severity of my injuries. I broke my right femur bone, fractured my lower spine, broke quite a few ribs, and sustained massive internal injuries in my stomach, so I had to undergo many surgeries to repair the fractures, skin grafts, and do some rerouting of my intestinal tract. Q: Do you still keep in contact with your fellow survivors? MRJ: No, unfortunately, I lost track of most of the survivors. Occasionally, I see family members of Mauricio Reyes, but I’d love to get reconnected with them all. I know that everyone has accomplished success in their lives, and I consider myself privileged to be a part of such a remarkable group of people who have made the most of their life. Q: How long did it take before you felt you could fly again? MRJ: I used a baseball game in St Louis against my favorite team, the Atlanta Braves, as an excuse to board a plane just about a month and being released from the hospital. It was terrifying, but it was under an hour-long, and I knew I needed to start the process of getting over my newfound fear of flying. Every little bump and dip felt frightening, but every flight from that point forward became a little less scary. I’m glad my sister convinced me to take that first flight because the world is too beautiful of a place to not enjoy it with the people I love. Q: What was your first thought when you learned the flight crew had failed to adequately plan and execute the approach to runway? MRJ: For months, I was filled with bitterness and anger. I was trying to make sense of it all, trying to figure out what would have led to their numerous mistakes and oversights. I kept wondering why

they weren’t more careful and mindful of their responsibilities. But after months of prayer and therapy, I grew to accept it wasn’t because of bad intentions. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life as a jaded negative person; because that’s NOT the type of person I’d like to be WITH, so why would I allow myself to BECOME that? The pilots were two good men who just had a really bad day at work that day. They had friends and family that were devastated by their loss just as much as I was devastated from losing my parents. Q: When did you realize that you wanted to become a motivational speaker? MRJ: I would never have pictured myself being a “motivational speaker.” Just the title makes me cringe… it makes me think of smoke machines, thumping music, and crazed audiences willing to pay half of their life savings for some guru to tell them how to live their life. I’m a storyteller; I’m an eternal student — my favorite part of my work is researching my clients’ industries, victories, and problems, then crafting a program that catapults them to working and living with a clearer outlook better tools to succeed. In 1996, a schoolgirl scout troop invited me to share my story about my plane accident in the basement of a church, which happened just weeks after being released from the hospital. From there, my career as a storyteller blossomed. It’s inspiring to see how it’s turned into such a fulfilling career. It helps give me so much purpose. Q: Can you share with our audience when and to whom your first speech was given? MRJ: The first time I openly talked about my plane crash to a group was the girl scout troop, but my first real speech was in Chicago at a collegiate Hispanic leadership conference. It hit close to home because I was a member of this same Hispanic leadership organization throughout my high school and collegiate years. I felt like I was in the audience watching myself. It was emotionally overwhelming, and I had to regain my composure to finish the speech through tears. After that, I realized I had to learn how to give a genuine, emotionally compelling talk while at the same time emotionally removing myself from the talk. It’s too painful not to. Q: You’ve given many speeches since that terrible accident over 25 years ago. Is there one question that you’ve been asked that is still difficult to answer?

MRJ: The first time someone asked me if I felt guilty that I survived and not everyone else really threw me back. Honestly, at first, I felt insulted because I thought that person was insinuating I could have done something to save others, which I couldn’t. I was knocked unconscious at impact and didn’t wake up in the wreckage until the following day. But instead of guilt, I feel responsible for living a life of kindness, generosity, and adventure. I feel that if I live a FULL life, that it’s a life worth being proud of. Not just for me to feel pride, but for all the people who would were denied that second chance to live out their days. Q: Tell us what the Second Chance Living concept means and how it has helped those you’ve shared it with. MRJ: God, the universe, and all the rescue/medical staff that played a role in saving my life are responsible for the second chance at life I was given. Sadly, it took losing my parents, nearly losing my own life, and living through the hell of a plane crash to make me realize that every day on this earth is a precious gift. Each day we wake up, we’ve been given a brand new second chance at life. What an incredible opportunity that is! To wake up with a clean slate and a fresh start to right your wrongs and be the truest version of yourself that day. When we value each day as a new chance, that’s when we can muster the courage and the energy needed to slay the dragons in our way and make our little slice of our worlds better by our actions, our words, and our interactions by being intentional. Q: How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted you and your family? Have you made use of video conferencing to continue speaking? MRJ: This is going to make me sound so weird, but I LOVED being home with my sons. These past few years, I went through many changes in losing two sons that were born with a genetic terminal condition, ending my marriage of 21 years, and navigating motherhood of two teenage twin boys. So, quarantine gave me a chance to finally breathe. I had been running nonstop for so many years that this gave me a chance to focus solely on people in my inner circle. It gave me time to grieve, time to heal and celebrate the loves in my life. From March until early summer, all my speaking engagements had been canceled or indefinitely postponed. Then little by little, my clients came back with revamped conference and meeting plans, and my master bathroom has now been permanently transformed into my live virtual keynote studio. I’ll be all dolled up in a suit, full makeup, great lighting, and using all kinds of professional jargon to make myself sound smart — but my client has no idea that it’s all smoke and mirrors in front of my bathtub just a few paces away from my toilet! Although I miss interacting with my clients in person at their amazing events, it’s still a blast to play a role in their endeavors. I’m looking forward to the day where I can meet and hug my audiences again. In the meantime, my bathroom studio has been a hit which I’m grateful for! Q: Is there a lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? MRJ: Without authenticity, gratitude, and drive, there won’t be anything such as long-term success or happiness. When

She Barely Survived a Deadly Mountain Plane Crash That Took The Lives of 160 Passengers. Making Her Second Chance of Life Count, An Exclusive Interview With Motivational Speaker,

Mercedes Ramirez Johnson

where you are today? MRJ: My biggest fear after the plane crash has been losing the people I love. Sadly, my youngest set of twin boys were born with a rare genetic terminal disorder (Mucolipidosis Type 2). According to the doctors, they were given a life expectancy of 3-7 years when they were born. Wynn lived to be six years old, and Dorian lived to be ten. Those sweet little angels transformed me into a better human being. They made my two older sons more empathetic and caring. They made their father more appreciative of the little things since little victories were all we had with them. I think God gave me those two earth angels because he knew I could handle it, that I wouldn’t drown myself in all that was “wrong,” and that I’d take the time to relish all that was right. I’m so thankful the Lord entrusted me with those boys for the short time that we had them.

you are REAL, then you’re trusted; you go within yourself to fight for your dreams and experience success by being true to yourself. When you have a grateful heart, you are able to savor the milestones (big and small) along the journey and feel so much more fulfillment in the process. You can forge your own path, set your own goals, and break your own barriers when you have drive; without it, there is no direction, and you feel like the never-ending hamster in the wheel. Q: What advice would that you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace? MRJ: Don’t make yourself small for ANYONE. Not in your personal life, not in your professional life — nowhere. Don’t wait till you meet all the qualifications, have enough confidence in your own abilities to learn as you go. Speak up! Quit apologizing! Don’t ask for a seat at the table. Take it. Spend your time with people that speak words of goodness and encouragement, with people that bring out the best in you. You don’t have to use money to invest in yourself. Instead, to broaden your perspective and deepen your knowledge base, you should listen to podcasts, watch documentaries, and attend free online classes. Find a hobby of your OWN that brings you joy that doesn’t revolve around your partner or your children. Buy the shoes, the suit, or the lipstick that makes you walk with a bit more swagger when you’re about to walk into a room or situation that scares you. You’ll feel like you own the room by the time you leave, and you’ll wonder why you were ever intimidated in the first place. Q: After high school, where did you feel your career path would take you? MRJ: I majored in International Business in college, so I hoped I

would be in a fast-paced career traveling the world. My father used to work for TWA, so as a family, we used to fly around for free, so that was a big reason why I went into International Business was to incorporate my love of traveling, my drive for business, and my knowledge of foreign languages for life. Q: What was your first job? And how did it shape or impact you? My very first job was in high school when I worked for a family-owned jewelry store. My friend in high school’s parents owned the store, so I worked there as a cleaner. I was surrounded by gorgeous jewels, so my eyes are always sparkling since I inherited a love of jewelry from my parents. It taught me about receiving instruction/constructive criticism in a way that I didn’t take it personal. The first time my boss told me I didn’t clean the display cases well enough, I remember I went down to the basement of the jewelry store and bawled my eyes out since my parents used to have me do chores around the house all the time, so I always consider myself a cleaning and polishing expert. This first job also taught me that I am terrible at time management. I couldn’t handle working there and getting all my homework and studies done to the level I was accustomed to. However, I quit the job after three months. Q: If we interviewed all your clients … what is “one” common word that comes up when they describe working with you? MRJ: Real. I’ve had so many clients afterward tell me, “when you were on stage, I felt like you were talking directly to ME.” I’ve been told that they felt like I was a friend who was having a one-on-one conversation with them. There are all kinds of speakers/experts who go on stage and have a certain persona or branding that they stick to, and it feels like an incredibly awesome production, but sometimes people may think, “I wonder what they’re really like.’ Well, when people see me, they get the real me, scars, bumps, limp, and all. That’s just the truth. Q: What’s the greatest fear you’ve had to overcome to get

Q: Can you tell us how you manage your work life balance? MRJ: Work-life balance is a beautiful myth because our brains cannot do more than one thing at a time. Instead of trying to juggle it all, have it all, and do it all; I’ve learned to say no. I’ve learned to focus on one thing at a time. If I’m watching a movie with my sons, I’m going to ignore the email alerts or the phone calls, and I’m going to enjoy that movie with my boys. Suppose I’m prepping for a client’s keynote. In that case, I’m going to lock myself into my room with a sign posted on the door that says “don’t come in here unless you’re bleeding or in need of immediate medical attention” because my of pride in helping people, and I always had so much fun watching sons wouldn’t call their dad and expect him to drop a client meeting how she had this magnetism that drew people to her, made people laugh, and knew how to make people feel loved and welcomed. And to ask what’s for dinner so why would I let them do that me? my sister, Sylvia. She’s nine years older than I am, and she took on the Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that role of caretaker and comforter for me after our parents died. Amid her own grief, she took care of me, and she’s never stopped caring for you can share with our audience? MRJ: Sometimes your biggest failures or biggest sources of fear can me since. I’ll never be able to truly express how much she means to turn into the most rewarding opportunities. You can’t be scared, me. I wouldn’t be me without her. intimidated, or overwhelmed. You can FEEL scared, intimated, or overwhelmed, but don’t BE those things. You feel it, then release it Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? and get back to the business of being badass. MRJ: Being a woman isn’t meant for the weak. I don’t need to remind Q: Can you tell our audience one of the most memorable women of the insurmountable expectations we put on ourselves to the moments in your career? mama bears of our family, the school volunteers, and community/ MRJ: The first time I spoke in front of a huge audience was social action leaders, the leaders in the workplace, and rock a swimsuit life-changing. While I was still a college student, I was asked to speak at the pool. I would still come back as a woman in my next life, just at the National Catholic Youth Conference. They were anticipating that this time, I would just come back as a woman who didn’t care 15,000 attendees. I had to go to my college speech professor and what other people feel or think of me. How freeing that would be if we asked him, “how do I craft a speech for 15,000 teenagers?” He pa- all just frolicked around being kind, doing what makes us happy, and tiently coached me through the process. The night before I gave the making our world a better place with our heads held up high. speech, I had a dream that I was in a lecture hall giving a presentation in class in school, and while I was giving the speech, I was going row by row, making eye contact with all of my classmates. When I Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to got to the 3rd row, I saw my parents sitting there smiling and watch- succeed in the workplace? ing me proudly. In my dream, I said, “Oh my God! What are you MRJ: Learn as much as you can, find a mentor, hang out with sucguys doing here!” and I wanted to run up and hug them, but they cess-minded people, and bring your full self to work. Don’t create a put their fingers over their lips in a gesture to be quiet, and they both work persona — be your true self. waved their hand to signify carry on. I could remember waking up that morning from that dream in tears, but when I hit that stage, I Q: What is your coaching philosophy for success? didn’t feel a single once of nervousness because I could feel their love MRJ: Make yourself proud every single day. and encouragement with me on that stage. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? MRJ: My paternal grandmother was an incredible woman — brave, loving, kind, tenacious in caring for her children, and humble. My mother — she was a joyous person, courageous to come to the United States without knowing a soul, and she took care of her family in Nicaragua financially until the day she died. My mother took a lot

Q: How do you know if a client is right for your service? MRJ: I work with clients that have open hearts and open minds. It’s like being in a relationship — if you meet someone that already knows it all, why would they need to hang out with you? Same with clients — all organizations have blemishes and problems they need to fix. If they are honest enough to address them, then we can roll up our sleeves and be brave enough to fix them.

WE DESIGN HAPPINESS www.staceylapukinteriors.com (415) 493-6469

PB: Practicing law was not always my career goal. I’ve always enjoyed being a student. When I finished my B.A., I began my studies at Police College. After graduation, I enrolled in graduate school and attended classes at night and on my days off. After completing my master’s degree, I enrolled in law school. That was a bit more challenging to manage because I was enrolled in law school full-time (they didn’t allow part-time studies), and I was working full-time as an undercover police officer. I couldn’t tell my professors or classmates what I did for a living, which made conversations interesting, especially in my criminal law classes. I married my undercover partner in what we jokingly call our government prearranged marriage. Fortunately, I graduated from law school just as we were starting a family. Being an undercover police officer is not a very mom-friendly job, and my law degree allowed me to leave policing and begin a career as a prosecutor. Q: Tell us about the responsibilities you had as a Federal Prosecuting Attorney.

Pamela Barnum

A Trust Strategist, Body Language Expert, Former Undercover Police Officer & Federal Prosecuting Attorney

Q: After high school, where did you feel your career path would take you? PB: After high school, I attended university to study politics and economics. I wanted to have a degree completed before entering law enforcement. My grandmother and mother did not have the opportunity to attend college or university. They were adamant that I go and at least get a bachelor’s degree before becoming a police officer. I was the first person in my family to attend university. Q: What was your first job? And how did it shape or impact you? PB: I had several part-time jobs and full-time summer jobs while I was a student. Everything from being an operator for the phone company to working at a bookstore and a beer store. However, my first “real” job was as a uniform police officer. I know from experience that policing is one of the most challenging and underappreciated jobs there is. But it is also the most rewarding. One moment you may be in a life-threatening situation, and the next, you’re responding to a call about a minor event. In policing, you learn a lot about people, and

at the same time, you learn a lot about yourself. Specifically, that you can accomplish more than you ever thought you could because you have to. You’re the police. You can’t wait for someone to come and save you – that’s why you’re there. Q: Can you share with our audience about the opportunity you had to become an undercover police officer? PB: I started my policing career as a uniform patrol officer. I worked with a great platoon and had the opportunity to respond to everything from murder to traffic stops and everything in-between. But I was always drawn to criminal investigations, especially narcotics work. After completing three years in uniform, I was transferred to the drug enforcement section, where I worked as an undercover officer. Working as an undercover police officer is not for everyone. You’re required to work odd hours and live away from home for months at a time, which is probably one of the reasons why I was one of two women in a unit of eighty-nine officers. Q: While working full-time undercover, you also completed law school … was this always your career goal?

PB: I primarily prosecuted drug offenses like trafficking and importing. It was an exciting career, and I enjoyed the new challenges that came with it. My experience as an undercover police officer gave me a perspective that most attorneys do not have. Q: You’re writing a book and are doing a lot of speaking engagements … what else do you have on the horizon? PB: I am currently writing a book about the negotiation and communication techniques I learned and developed over a twenty-year career in the criminal justice system. Pre-COVID-19, I traveled throughout North America, delivering keynotes on negotiating, communicating, and building trust through intentional communication and body language. Now, I am delivering virtual keynotes and workshops. Although I miss the live interaction of in-person events, I can manage more events now that I don’t have to leave my home studio. Q: What’s your advice for women in male-dominated fields? PB: Care more about being respected than being liked. Being heard and seen in male-dominated professions is more effective when you communicate confidence and empathy with what you say and with your body language. Q: What do you like doing in your spare time? PB: I love spending time with my husband Kevin and our son Kaleb. We enjoy hiking and skiing in the beautiful Rocky Mountains where we live. I also enjoy reading mystery novels and anything by Malcolm Gladwell.

Pamela Barnum

A Trust Strategist, Body Language Expert, Former Undercover Police Officer & Federal Prosecuting Attorney

Damsel in Defense: A Brief History of Women in the Military

ince this country was founded, women have proudly served as active members in the U.S. military. From battlefield nurses to full members of the military, their active roles in the armed forces have inspired change for women across the board. Military contributions by females go all the way back to the Revolutionary War. Although they were not able to enlist as soldiers, women at the time still served their country as combat nurses and caregivers in camps. It wasn’t until the Civil War that females began to enlist in the Army. However, women were forbidden from serving in the military. Many ladies of the day disguised themselves as men to pass through the recruiter’s station. During the Civil War, over 400 women enlisted as secret soldiers. One of the most famous secret soldiers of the Civil War was Pvt. Cathay Williams. Williams initially served in a support role against her will because of her status as a captured slave. It wasn’t until 1866 that she became the first black female to enlist in the U.S. Army under a male pseudonym, William Cathay. She was eventually honorably discharged in 1868 after a physician discovered her status as a female. Throughout the 19th and early 20th century, females were viewed as merely caretakers for servicemen. The Great War changed the country’s perspective on women in the military entirely. Their service helped push for the passage of the 19th Amendment in 1919, which guaranteed women the right to vote.

Despite the passage of the 19th Amendment, ladies were not recognized as full military members until 1948. President Truman signed the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act into law following the second World War. This act formally recognized women as members of the armed services. Since the Women’s Armed Services Integration Act was passed, many influential females have made a career for themselves in the military. Among those incredible women is retired U.S. Army Gen. Ann E. Dunwoody. Dunwoody was directly commissioned into the Women’s Army Corps in 1975 following graduation from college. In 1992, she became the first woman to command a battalion during the First Gulf War. She also became the first woman to ever reach a four-star offer rank in the United States military. Another woman with an impressive military career is Jennie Marie Leavitt. Leavitt blazed a trail for women in the Air Force through a series of firsts. She was the first woman to graduate from the Air Force Weapons School and became the first woman to control the 57th Wing at Nellis Air Force Base. Today, she is a Command Pilot with over 3,000 in the F-15E under her belt, including over 300 combat hours. Women in the military have come a long way from where they started. Today, women account for about one-fifth of the officers in the military and represent about 17% of the total armed forces. Standing on the soldiers of giants, servicewomen today are encouraging and empowering the military women of tomorrow.

Damsel in Defense: A Brief History of Women in the Military

our dog. I am on the board of Development in Literacy, a non-profit organization to help educate girls in Pakistan, as well as The Khaled Hosseini Foundation, a non-profit organization to aid Afghan refugees. Q: Can you share with our audience how your passion for books has led you to be where you are right now? PMK: Cliches seem so exhausted, but they do hold some truth; “Follow Your Passion” sounds passe, but the irony is that it is true. When you follow your passion, work doesn’t seem like work– it feels like you are knee deep in your hobby. You may get overwhelmed at times, but that feeling isn’t annoying. It’s more like a challenge that you feel you can achieve. I am here because of my passion.

Parisa Mirza-Khan She Shares Her Passion With The World As An Avant-Garde Book Reviewer & Book Vlogger.

Q: So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story. PMK: Hi, I’m Parisa. Thank you for featuring me in your wonderful publication. It’s an honor to be part of the Bay Area Women’s Community. I am humbled to be amongst such dynamic women. It is so wonderful to see all the astounding things women are doing. I am a passionate bibliophile. I love books and sharing what I have read with people and hearing their perspectives and ideas. Two years ago, in 2018, I started sharing my passion with the world on social media platforms. I share weekly Book Reviews in various forms such as flash book reviews, IGTV and YouTube videos. Additionally, I have a penchant for fashion, travel, and art. I fuse all elements and provide inspiration for an eccentric lifestyle. My content is an avant-garde blend of reading,

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fashion, and social media trends. My goal is to empower my audience and enrich their lives with exposure to books in a fun and creative way. Empowerment and being part of a community is something I take pride in. I want to enrich viewers’ lives through knowledge and awareness, and by encouraging them to read and explore new territories. I support the reading and fashion community by participating in partnerships and collaborations, and I have done IG Lives and interviews of authors to support their books. In 2020, I further expanded my passion and launched a company by the name of ‘Enchant by Parisa’. It is an online e-commerce shop, selling book novelties such as mugs, home decor and exclusive designs. It gives me great joy that many collections bring awareness to social issues and that partial proceeds of each purchase are donated to these causes. I reside in Silicon Valley with my husband, 3 kids and

Q: Can you tell us about the success you have experienced as an influencer? PMK: I often struggle with both of the word’s “success” and “influencer.” I don’t necessarily want to “influence” anyone. Rather, I would like to be a source of inspiration and motivation, rather than beguiling people and tricking them into wanting to emulate a certain image. Success, in my books, is a relative word. To me, success means getting my perspective heard and starting a dialogue with others. And yes, I have been able to reach more people by supporting others in the same cause. Collaborations, interviews, sponsorships, and shout-outs have all provided the platform to spread my message. Q: Tell us how your book novelty company, Enchant By Parisa is doing. PMK: It is doing really well. Its website is www.enchant. store. It’s my brainchild and there are so many angles to it that resonate with me. Firstly, it is a bibliophile’s best place to shop. If you’re not into books, there is always someone you know who is and you can find something for them. Secondly, there are so many causes that are addressed through exclusive designs made specifically for Enchant. For example, there is a “Black Lives Matters” collection, from which partial proceeds are donated to the NAACP to counter the injustices minorities face. We came out with another collection right before the election, “Your Vote Matters”. Many people took advantage of the shirts, mugs and accessories supporting this campaign. Q: I know you have a fondness for fashion and art. Tell us how you blend them and social media trends in with reading? PMK: I am a very visual person, and Instagram and TikTok are all about instant gratification and visual euphoria.

With book reviews, I’ll do a Flash Book Review and use fun and trending filters. I’ll share books with songs and fashion and tie the two together with a common theme. I’ll do a meme video and give it a bibliophile vibe. I’ll use fun effects and make books disappear. I’ll change multiple outfits and books in mere 15 seconds. Q: Which people or books have had the most influence on your growth and why? PMK: Books have so many genres: Nonfiction, Fiction, Historical Fiction, Fantasy, Horror... I have mostly stuck with Nonfiction and Fiction. In Fiction I include Historical Fiction and just recently I have started reading Fantasy. It’s quite good. I switch between the two and I feel my audience likes the switch up and react to it in the same fashion. I stay away from Horror– I am a scaredy cat. www.enchant.store | parisa@parisamk.us Instagram: @parisamk | Facebook: Enchant by Parisa LinkedIn: Parisa Mirza-Khan YouTube: Books and Everything Nice Mirza-Khan

Parisa Mirza-Khan She Shares Her Passion With The World As An Avant-Garde Book Reviewer & Book Vlogger.

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Meaningful Remedies “Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain” We do not always know what life will throw at us. Whether it is managing daily tasks at home or at work, taking on just that “one more thing or experiencing an unexpected life event that we were not initially prepared for. These experiences may lead to feelings of confusion, sadness, loneliness, anxiousness, irri-tability, stress, exhaustion, or more. Over time, we can lose our emotional and physical reserves that we generally have to manage these tasks. We may even forget or overlook our own limits, needs, wants, goals, desires, and dreams. Life can be unpredictable and unmanageable at times, and we may not know all of the answers that come along with itWe often look for understanding, meaning, or strength through it all, but we may not know where to find it.

Michelle Medeiros Ph.D. (650) 830-8334 | www.michellemedeirosphd.com

Therapy can be a safe and non-judgmental environment to explore these experiences, find meaning through them, examine how we respond to them, and gain guidance on how to navigate them. The goal for therapy is to develop an individualized treatment plan that provides you with the opportunity to eYplore your experiences, gain new insights, identify your needs, wants, and goals, build on your unique strengths, obtain a clearer sense of direction with confidence, and restore a sense of harmony and balance. I commend you on your courage, strength, and willingness to explore these experiences to find meaning and answers. I am committed to working in a collaborative approach by carefully listening, helping you find the solutions you have been looking for, and starting this journey with you. Finding the right therapist or psychologist takes time. Please contact me at (650) 830-8334, if you have any questions. My office is located in Palo Alto, CA and is accessible to many locations in the San Francisco, Bay Area. I also offer audio and video telemental health for individuals anywhere in California. I accept Lyra Health and Modern Health benefits.

Michelle Medeiros Ph.D. (650) 830-8334 | www.michellemedeirosphd.com

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Female Ground Breakers in Professional Sports

Michele Roberts: National Basketball Association

Michele Roberts was ranked Numero Uno by a panel of sports insiders for the top spot on a list of “The 25 Most Powerful Women in Sports,” and for good reason. As the current executive director of the NBA Players Association, Roberts represents the interests of over 300 of the best basketball players in the world. Michele is the first woman to ever hold the position and is first woman to head a major professional sports union in the United States. A graduate of UC Berkeley Law and former trial attorney, Roberts success is an inspiration to women everywhere.

Sarah Thomas: National Football League

NFL Down Judge Sarah Thomas has made making history a habit. In 2007 she was the first ever female official to work in a major college football game. Since then Sara was the first ever female official to work a college football bowl game, the first ever full-time female official to work in the National Football League and in January of 2019 Sarah became the first ever female official to participate in an NFL playoff game. Aside from making football history, Sarah lettered five times playing high-school softball and received a basketball scholarship to the University of Mobile where she was an academic all-American.

Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird: Women’s National Basketball Association/Team USA

Legends in the making and double trouble for opposing teams, point guards Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury and Sue Bird of the Seattle Storm account for a combined eight Olympic and seven FIBA World Cup gold medals and will again team up for the 2020 Olympics. Taurasi was the first WNBA player to score 8,000 points and is the league’s all-time leader in field goals. One of the highest paid female athletes in the world, at 38 years old Sue Bird is still a backcourt phenom with ball-handling skills that rival those of any basketball player, male or female, at any level. Unless one of them breaks a leg, the 2020 gold medal should be a lock for Team USA.

Alex Morgan: Women’s Professional Soccer

Women in sports have come a long way since the inception of Title IX in 1965. In an industry that had for so long been dominated by men, women have assumed their rightful place as being able to hold their own both on the field and in the front office, even obliterating the glass ceiling in some instances. Here are just a few cases in point:

Very few players can start out at the top and stay there, but Alex Morgan has made it look easy. Soccer fans will never forget Alex Morgan’s game-winning shot in overtime that beat Canada and sent the USA Women to the gold medal match vs Japan in the 2012 London Olympic Games. Since her juggernaut debut, Alex has played professionally at home and abroad, including a stint with the French Olympique Lyonnais, where she helped the team win a French Cup and UEFA title. Most recently, in July of 2019, Morgan once again help the U.S. team win the FIFA Women’s World Cup and was awarded the Silver Boot.

Serena Williams: Professional Tennis

Ranked as Number One in the world eight different times, Serena Williams has won more combined Grand Slam tennis titles then any active player, with 39 major victories. Serena is the most recent female player to hold all four of the singles Grand Slam titles at once, is only the third player in professional tennis history to do it more than once and is also the most recent player to win a championship on hard court, grass and clay in one year. With over $28 million in earnings in 2016 and again in 2017, Williams was the only woman to make Forbes’ list of the 100 highest paid athletes. At 37 years old in 2019, Williams is ranked 8th in the world and will arguably go down in history as one of the greatest female athletes of all time.

Female Ground Breakers in Professional Sports

Michele Roberts: National Basketball Association

Sarah Thomas: National Football League

Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird: Women’s National Basketball Association/Team USA

Alex Morgan: Women’s Professional Soccer

Serena Williams: Professional Tennis

Helping Women Get Smarter About Money An Exclusive Interview With Diane Bourdo, CFP ®, President, The Humphreys Group

Q: As a female leader in an all-women business, how does that set you apart in a traditionally male-dominated field? DB: Bottom line, women are better listeners. Expressing empathy and vulnerability comes more easily and naturally to us, so we bring both expertise and empathy to our client work in equal measure. We are not afraid of true connection, of asking difficult questions, of holding that space, of tolerating some discomfort. As a result, we can get at the “why” for our clients. Of course, technical knowledge and expertise plays a significant role in our work. But that’s the minimum. By having a deeper understanding of our clients, we can help them better navigate the emotional roadblocks, biases, and obstacles that may get in their way Q: Were there moments in your career that were pivotal to getting where you are today? DB: At the age of 23, I moved from my Midwestern roots to San Francisco. I knew two people and had less than $1,000 in my wallet. No job, no housing. I didn’t realize at the time how courageous that was. Having been an ardent liberal arts undergrad student, once my interest in investing was sparked, I was surprised and delighted to find out that business school (and getting my CFP designation) was a lot of fun. I remember the moment I first met the woman who would become my mentor. I felt it in my body, I trusted my gut and followed my instincts. After resisting for a long time, I dissolved a business partnership — and it was not easy. It took me a while to get rid of a feeling of failure, but the experience was one of the best things that could have happened for me.

Q: Under your leadership The Humphreys Group recently became a B Corporation. What made you decide to make that change and how does it impact your work? DB: I initially learned about the B Corp certification probably two decades ago and since then aspired to run The Humphreys Group to serve the interests of all stakeholders. I also wanted to recognize and foster the idea (and my belief) that business success is not measured solely by the bottom line. The world of wealth management is steeped in numbers and metrics of course, and I wanted to explore other ways to measure value and success in a for-profit environment. Lastly, I wanted to join a community with like-minded endeavors. I want to add our voice to the growing belief that making money and doing good can happen at the same time. Q: You focus on empowering women to take control of their finances. Can you explain why this is important to you and how you achieve it?

DB: Even as a girl, I considered myself a feminist. Like all women, I suspect, I have a deep sense of gender inequality based on my lived experience. During my career, I have seen it over and over: When a woman gains agency over her finances, she also gains freedom, confidence, and independence. It often comes as a surprise to her, after being told by society for so long that women aren’t “good at money.” The Humphreys Group has a step-by-step approach to financial planning, and we work with women collaboratively to demystify the world of money and investing. We provide basic education and tools for introspection and help guide this through our book ‘Rewriting the Rules: Telling Truths About Women and Money.” You can download the book for free from our website humphreysgroup.com. We have seen that when women’s money and values are aligned, they are more engaged and confident, and they experience better financial outcomes.

Q: What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership? DB: Our ideas about and definitions of leadership are centered around men, their perspectives, their preferences, their strengths, and their historical place of power. This has allowed them to define success on a cultural level so that anyone who has a different definition may have a tough time — or will be seen as an outlier, an outsider, other. For example, there has been a lot of ink devoted to women and their crisis of confidence. If we reframe that into seeing that women do their homework and take risks in a more measured and informed way, the narrative becomes more nuanced. Further, we generally don’t question the appropriateness of men’s confidence, even when its unjustified. We have seen that overconfidence has contributed to poor decisions, the results of which have hurt many. Cultural norms often discount the qualities that, as women, we are conditioned to develop from a very early age. Girls are constantly bombarded with cultural messages that they be em-

pathetic, understanding, sacrificial, nice. While many of these qualities are required for true leadership (empathy, vulnerability, servant mindset), they are often discounted in business settings. As another example, cultural norms also punish women who advocate for themselves. The challenge of balancing the demands of a career and that of motherhood cannot be overstated. The pandemic has laid that bare and has worsened the situation for many women. When I listen to my niece who is in med school and has a 6-month-old child, she is being forced to make the same trade-off calculations that women of my generation (and earlier) have faced. How is it that in 2021 she must (still) choose between pumping breast milk at work or going on rounds? Q: People often wonder about the differences between how men and women lead. What are your thoughts on that? DB: Books have been written on this subject! There are many aspects, but I’ll focus on one that I’ve become acquainted with recently. With the pandemic, we have all been operating under higher and more consistent levels of stress. We have been forced to consider and develop our own strategies for resiliency. The standard “fight or flight” stress response is a paradigm based on 1932 research. (That’s almost 90 years old!) The narrative was set. The problem is that only 17% of research participants were women. New research was done in 2000, by psychologist Shelley Taylor at UCLA. She and her team uncovered a new stress reaction that was especially prevalent in women. The research shows that women have a natural tendency to “tend and befriend.” When tending, we nurture and protect offspring. When befriending, we seek and provide social support and attention. The research found that this response is an outgrowth of cultural norms and how we are raised, from days of survival. Moreover, in addition to the cultural influence, there are different chemical reactions in male vs. female bodies in times of stress. What does this have to do with leadership? Leadership is tested in times of stress, in times of crisis. By expanding the stress response definition beyond simply “fight or flight,” we gain greater insight, we have more tools at our disposal, and we cultivate a greater appreciation for the strengths and perspectives that women bring to the leadership table. Q: What advice do you have for women aiming for leadership positions? DB: Work with a business coach — someone you can rant to, someone you can use as a sounding board, someone who will tell you the truth. Pay attention to how often you apologize unnecessarily or use discounting language. If you can, catch yourself. If that’s hard, ask a friend to point it out when you do it. Define success on your own terms.

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Q: Flying a plane, walking a tightrope – when do you first remember challenging yourself to do things the typical person never attempts? JC: I don’t see myself as someone who does things because other people don’t do it. My mom overcame extreme poverty to graduate from college, immigrate to the United States, she traveled the country as a nurse and she never sat still for very long. In my mind, my drive to try new things and go on adventures comes more from her spirit. Q: How often have you encountered naysayers in your abilities to accomplish your goals and what has been your response? JC: Every day. While it’s not always blatant, it’s obvious in how people react to me. It challenges me to try to prove them wrong. It fuels me. You only need to look as far as some of the comments on my YouTube videos to see the pushback people give for me flying or being a black belt. Q: Describe how you encourage your audience to find their motivation to achieve their goals? JC: I find that most people are well motivated, but they allow excuses, over-complication, and habits to get in the way. Normally, motivation isn’t the problem, it’s the perceived limitations that often aren’t as difficult as we make them out to be.

Jessica Cox

The World’s First Licensed Armless Pilot, and First Armless Black-Belt in The American Taekwondo Association Cover photo by Jessica Korff | Feature images Amy Haskell

Jessica is best known for becoming the first armless pilot in aviation history. Her achievement earned her a Guinness World Record medal, invitations from six continents, and featured on TV programs like Ellen, Inside Edition, Fox and Friends, Oprah Winfrey Network, CNN, CBS Evening News, and the BBC. Described as a speaker “no one will ever forget,” she shows audiences around the globe how to inspire enthusiasm and build authentic confidence. With the goal of showing people how to go home from work every day feeling excited for tomorrow, she teaches how to courageously tackle new challenges with creativity and unrelenting drive. Since she was born without arms, she became fascinated by the limitless ways the human body can adjust to a variety of circumstances. As she learned to conquer physical barriers, she developed mental skills that allowed her to go on to achieve the seemingly impossible in her own, unique way.

Q: Have you ever had to modify a goal and how do you address this subject to your audiences? JC: Every goal was modified at one point. As long as you get the job done, it doesn’t matter which way you attack it. In my speeches, I talk about “thinking outside the shoe.” It’s a metaphor for when I learned to first tie my shoelaces. I remember watching my Kindergarten teacher show us how to tie our shoes with her foot inside her shoe and using her hands to tie her laces. Since my feet have become my hands, I couldn’t simultaneously have my foot inside the shoe and tie the laces. I could have given up, but who said your foot has to be inside the shoe when you tie them? I eventually figured out how to tie my shoelaces with my toes and then slip my foot inside the shoe. The goal shifted from tying my foot inside the shoe to simply tie the laces loose enough for me to later slip my foot in. Q: One aspect of your motivational speaking addresses diversity, can you tell us more about that? JC: Diversity has become a regular part of social justice conversations and those conversations have become more common, which is great. The problem is that while we talk about race, gender, or orientation, disability is often forgot-

Jessica Cox

The World’s First Licensed Armless Pilot, and First Armless Black-Belt in The American Taekwondo Association Cover photo by Jessica Korff | Feature images Amy Haskell

ten or diminished in the conversation. I often remind people that the disability community is the only minority that you could join, not everyone is born into it like me. We also make up 25% of the US population and more than 1 billion people globally will experience a disability in their lifetime. That is a lot of people that need to be in more conversations. Q: The obvious question, have you and your team done anything unique to adapt to the COVID videoconference environment? JC: Everything has switched to Zoom and other platforms, so I did too. I think I had a head start because I was already recording video content. We upgraded some equipment and our bandwidth to make sure my clients received the best possible stream. Not traveling meant that I had a little more time on my hands - or feet - so I’ve been expanding my coaching services. I’ve worked with amputees in the past to be a mentor for them but now I’ve opened up my one-onone time to the general public. Q: You write an occasional blog, including one on inspirational porn, probably not a subject that a lot of people have studied. What would you like to say about it and how has it evolved? JC: I’m more than happy to inspire someone because I fly an airplane, earned a black belt, surf, scuba dive, and slack-

line. Inspiration porn is when someone’s inspired because I can function as a human being. I once had a woman in the checkout line at the grocery store say, “It’s inspiring to see you, people, out and about.” People shouldn’t be inspired because someone with a disability eats food and needs to buy toilet paper. I think it comes from an assumption that people with disabilities are inherently unable to do regular things or the person without a disability assumes they couldn’t cope with the disability they see. In reality, the disability community is the only minority you can join and represents about twenty percent of the global population. Inspiration porn only exists because we as a society haven’t a normalized disability. Q: Do you ever give in to asking someone to do something that’s somewhat difficult for you – difficult, but something that you’re capable of doing? How does that feel? JC: Yes, I do. For example, with my husband, but I think it further perpetuates laziness and is a disservice to me because then my ability to do something can be impacted. I’ve been asking my husband to reach for things that were at the edge of my flexibility. Unfortunately, as a result, I’m not stretching my limits and therefore my flexibility has lessened. Q: You’re a Third Degree Blackbelt – without it would you ever feel physically vulnerable?

JC: It’s sometimes hard for even me to believe but I’m a fourth-degree black belt. I started training when I was 10 because I had some anger issues as a kid and sometimes kicked my siblings or my bedroom door. Channeling that energy certainly helped. I think without a black belt I would feel vulnerable because people would see my armlessness as a vulnerability. Despite being a black belt, though, I naturally maintain a higher awareness of my surroundings and try not to present myself as an easy target. Q: Of your many avocations, which are your most enjoyable and which are you most proud of, and why? JC: My most enjoyable activity is cycling because it’s a sport where I can just relax and enjoy the breeze on my face. I usually find myself always moving so it’s an activity that matches my personality, I think. I’m most proud of learning to fly. It not only challenged me physically but also emotionally. It represented one of my greatest fears and I had to overcome that to fly solo. I’ve been a certified pilot for 12 years now and no one can say I didn’t earn it, and no one can take that achievement away from me. Q: Aside from martial arts, is there a particular activity that you and your husband enjoy most together?

JC: We both love to travel and unique experiences. I’ve visited 26 countries so far and he’s been with me for most of them. We’ve had ginseng chicken in Korea, flown in small planes all over Alaska, had fish and chips outside the Tower of London, been invited by princes, had breakfast with a baboon in Kenya, and even fed hyenas in Ethiopia. Q: In the trailer for your documentary, Right Foot, you mention that you wouldn’t have chosen to have arms because of the many people you’ve met and whose lives you’ve touched. If you had been born with arms, how do you feel that your life would have been different? Do you think you would have been equally motivated and had the same interests? JC: Nick Spark deserves the credit for the documentary. It was his vision; I was just the one in front of the camera. I think there would have been some things that would have stayed the same, like the sense of adventure in me. But whether I would be equally motivated is something I question. Those naysayers fueled a certain level of motivation. My mom was the youngest of thirteen kids in an impoverished family in the Philippines. She beat the odds and immigrated to the United States as a nurse. Even after her cancer diagnosis, it was hard to slow her down. I’d like to think I got a lot of my drive from her.

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Julie Castro Abrams

is a CEO of How Women Lead, a network of women influencers and gamechangers. As a result she is also a GP in a venture fund, How Women Invest and Managing Partner for a corporate board search firm, BoardLeaders. She is admired as an advisor to many female executives and entrepreneurs. Q: After you graduated from college, where did you feel your career path would take you? JCA: I thought I was going to be a clinical social worker and was on my way to graduate school. Once there I realized that I am better at the administration side and focused on health policy and hospital administration. I only worked for 2 years in that arena. Q: What was your first job? And how did it shape or impact you? JCA: I worked at the Chicago Foundation for Women and that helped me see how I could use my skills and passion to work aligned with my values. I saw powerful women using their wealth and influence to change the world. They were big thinkers with a discipline around racial and gender justice that shaped my life. Q: You are Founder & CEO of How Women Lead. For those in our audience not familiar with your organization, can you tell us how it started and where it’s at now? JCA: How Women Lead is a network of 13,000 women leaders who come together to disrupt antiquated unequal systems to ensure women leaders are in the room where the most critical decisions are made. We champion the voices of all women and propel their leadership forward through designing and training on leadership and pathways to take action together. Women influencers find a platform for thought leadership, collaboration, resource sharing and to make an impact.

We started because I wanted to get together with other senior women leaders. They found such relief and inspiration by coming together, they asked for more and I invited them to architect programs and ultimately an organization. This is truly an organization and effort built out of the collective. As a result, we can pivot quickly, be responsive to the environment and take bold action. Today our areas of focus are on supporting women leaders in a variety of short and long term programming, to train and place women on corporate boards and to encourage and support women to invest in women founded companies including our venture capital arm we are just now launching. Q: Where do you see How Women Lead five years from now? JCA: We have had a lot of requests to expand into other regions of the world. I would love to share the “toolbox” and support others to build something like what we have here. That said, now that the world is virtual, perhaps we will have robust virtual networks around the globe. Q: If you could make one change to help women at work, what would it be? JCA: Remove bias in the promotion systems Q: What’s your advice for women in

male-dominated fields? JCA: Define your values and your leadership traits based on a measuring stick that is feminine and let others know what they will see in you and how they can best utilize your gifts. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? JCA: Those people who look like they have it all figured out, don’t. So, move forward even if you don’t have all of the answers and let others know they can support you in filling in the blanks. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? JCA: Stacey Abrams. No relation. She is unapologetically standing in her values and sense of herself. She is smart, prepared, disciplined, and deeply rooted in justice and integrity. Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments in your career? JCA: I was hired for my first CEO role and I moved my family across the country. When I arrived, the entire board said they were resigning now that I was there, and I could handle the challenging board chair. I told them no, they hired me, and they had to stick it out until we could restructure the board. Q: What are the best practices you have employed to build a successful career?

JCA: • 80/20. Don’t let perfection be the enemy of getting it done. • Tell them what you are going to tell them, tell them and then tell them what you told them. Own the narrative. • Be responsive • Be authentic • Be clear • Ask what success looks like • Drive decision making as close to the client as possible • Be loving and clear about how someone can do a good job, whether it is a board member, a client, or a staff person.

Q: What is one word of advice you can offer to young women who want to reach your level of success? JCA: Get rid of the itty bitty shitty committee in your head. You have to keep working at it because it crops back up.

Identify the stories that no longer serve you, acknowledge that what might have been true when you were 12 served you but it is time to move forward with a new story about your value and qualities and strengths and define yourself.

Julie Castro Abrams

African American film critics. Being accepted as a member meant a lot because we get access to the team and talent behind films that mean the most to our culture.

Wycleff Jean interview at Andrew Young Leadership Awards.

Our Exclusive Interview with Influencer

Kim Ford

Kim Ford Is A Keynote Speaker, TV Host & Media Consultant. She Has Appeared On CNN As An Entertainment Correspondent Where She Shares Her Take on What’s Relevant in Film, Television, & Celebrity News. Q: After college, where did you feel your career path would take you? KF: Honestly, I wasn’t really sure. All I knew was I wanted to live in Atlanta. I knew I’d figure it out when I got there. It took a while, but I finally figured it out. Q: What was your first job? And how did it shape or impact you? KF: My jobs after college were random and all over the place. I first worked at Macy’s in the handbag department

until I locked in a “real” job after college. After Macy’s I entered the Management Trainee program at Enterprise Car Rental. Working there taught me a lot about owning a business, sales calls, and teamwork. The hours were long and sometimes I had to wash cars in my suit. I hated it back then. Now I understand the lesson was to get the job done no matter how uncomfortable I was. That’s a skill I use today. Q: Can you share with our audience some details about your role as a CNN/Headline News entertainment contributor? KF: I appear as a guest Entertainment Contributor on CNN/HLN to give my take on what is relevant regarding film and television. Typically, when there is a special segment. Q: In March 2019 you were accepted into AAFCA (African American Film Critics Association). Can you tell us what it meant to you? KF: AAFCA isn’t an award. It’s the world’s largest organization of

Q: Tell us about Jubilee Mag, how it started and where you see it going. KF: Jubilee Mag was an online mag I started in 2007 that covered faith, culture, and style. I created it because I saw a void in the industry for positive media. I built my own website and gained access to events like the BET Awards, Essence Fest and countless press junkets affiliated with NBC, CBS, Sony, Warner Bros, and many others. In March 2020, the growth of my audience led to me to leave Jubilee Mag behind and evolve from just an online magazine. My audience wanted more of me as a personal brand instead of a magazine. As a result, I launched iamkimford.com covering entertainment, personal development, and lifestyle. Q: You must keep a hectic schedule between speaking engagements and TV commitments. How do you maintain a healthy work life balance? KF: It’s all about prioritizing. The commitments my children have come first. I schedule everything else around that. My kids are older, so that makes it a lot easier. Q: What’s the greatest fear you’ve had to overcome to get where you are today? KF: Since I didn’t study media in college, I was concerned about what I didn’t know that should know. I’m in grad school now, but for many years it was a concern in the back of my mind. It’s definitely possible to do it without grad school, but it was a personal goal of mine.

NBC press dinner for ‘This Is Us’. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? KF: It’s hard to narrow it down to one woman. There’s definitely a village of women I admire for various reasons. A few are: Oprah, for obvious reasons. Myleik Teel for her entrepreneurial journey. J Lo because she’s been timeless for decades. Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? KF: I’m actually writing a book about that right now. It’s called “It’s Never Too Late”, releasing late summer 2020. A lot of women think just because they’ve had major setbacks, it’s too late to pursue their dream life. If God called you to it, “It’s Never Too Late”. Q: What is one word of advice you can offer to young women who want to reach your level of success? KF: Do your research. Pay attention to the greats. Find your lane and dominate.

African American film critics. Being accepted as a member meant a lot because we get access to the team and talent behind films that mean the most to our culture.

Wycleff Jean interview at Andrew Young Leadership Awards.

Our Exclusive Interview with Influencer

Kim Ford

www.UrbanEastBayHomes.com 510-725-7422

Photo credit: Thomas Kuoh

Q: Can you share with us why you decided to have a career in Real Estate? ET: Taking a “road less traveled,” I came to real estate as a career-change when I realized it was already my lifestyle. I was the corporate-relocated spouse, moving my family coast-to-coast and back again, through 7 states and 15 homes. It was on the 5th re-launch of my former career – as a journalist, then a marketing-PR executive – (also the purchase of the 12th home) that I realized I knew more about making the real estate deal than most of the agents I hired. It dawned on me that having lived through so many moves – some happy, some traumatic; some profitable, some not – with kids and pets in tow, that my personal experience could be of enormous help to people. I wanted to put down roots – I saw the deep connection to the community that comes with deep market knowledge. I realized I could make a difference in people’s lives in a meaningful way.

they work with the Eileen Townsend & Team? ET: The agents who joined my team share that foremost commitment to the client’s goals, and we really work on educating and leading our clients through the process. Our team right now is all women, each with a different strength. I’m the content-focused communicator – I want to know everything and be able to explain everything involved in a transaction. Sharon is a MBA scientist – formerly in pharma sales – she’s details-driven and goes the extra mile. Janna is a born advocate; she is going to push her clients’ objectives to the finish line. Megan is a natural leader, fearless and willing to tackle any challenge. Backing us up is our team admin, Sarah, a former teacher. Together we follow systems and procedures designed to ensure nothing is overlooked, and that we have the expert resources to draw in whenever needed.

Q: What do you think are the ingredients that keep you as a top Realtor year after year? ET: It’s really one main ingredient, supported by hundreds of details: Succeeding in each real estate challenge is enormously personal for me. It is deeply fulfilling to me to get it right for my clients – I think it’s quite like the urgency I felt when I was trying to make each move right for my children. Resonating with the dreams people hold about real estate … understanding how huge the financial stake is … knowing how to solve each of the property-finance-legal-negotiation-and human dilemmas along the way … and finally, helping people create “home” in their new space … it is just important to me that it be done well. This commitment to excellence – and to caring – is a common thread among my team.

Q: How do you help buyers come to a decision? ET: By respecting that the decision is, in fact, theirs to make. My job is to understand their goals and their capabilities, then to provide them with the resources to move ahead and opportunities to do so. I see my job as to keep them “safe” along their way. I use the expression, “eyes wide open.” While it is easy to get wrapped up in the dream, and to feel pushed by the pace and competition in our market, I lay out for my buyers the facts about condition, about comparative values, about how the market is behaving … and when they make the decision that “this is the one,” I help them put their best foot forward.

Q: Can you share with our audience what Buyers & Sellers can expect when

Q: If we interviewed all your past clients… what is one common word that comes up when they describe working with you? ET: “Real.” Working with me, people sense my commitment, and know I see each

www.UrbanEastBayHomes.com 510-725-7422

Photo credit: Thomas Kuoh

Q: Can you share with our audience what Buyers & Sellers can expect when

Photo credit: Thomas Kuoh

situation as uniquely as they do. They feel my confidence which comes from completing hundreds of purchases and sales – for myself, my friends, my clients – and now with my team agents. They know that if I don’t already know something, I’ll tell them, and then I’ll go find out. They quickly learn that I’ll go outside the box to solve problems and that those years in the news business taught me how to find whatever it is they need, to comprehend even the prickliest of problems, and to be direct and goal-focused in getting it all done – on time. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? ET: Patience and calm along this journey. There’s no point in being the drama queen, and usually no gain. Know your craft – in my case it’s the market, the many details and connecting dots of the contract, and my client’s goals. They choose the destination; I chart the savvy course. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? ET: My daughter, Tess Townsend, never ceases to amaze and impress me. Half my age, she has always had smarts and wisdom beyond her years; she is as ideals driven a person as I’ve ever met. She challenges me to remain true to myself and my strengths, and she holds me accountable. Having grown up in newsrooms across the country, she has charted her own career as a journalist, today working as deputy opinion editor of the Sacramento Bee. She has committed her free time to leading the non-profit she founded, Journalists in Classrooms (JiC), to ensure that our next generations understand the difference between the “noise” and dis-information in our media, and properly researched, factbased information … she teaches, and teaches other journalists to teach, students what to trust and what to discard as “fake.” Like her millennial generation, she seeks both to disrupt systems that no longer are working, and to form new ways to make life and our world work toward the greater good.

Covering the Greater Berkeley-Oakland market: Left to right: Janna Woods, mother of two in the Melrose Leadership Academy and La Plazita preschool in Oakland; Sharon Gill, MBA, focusing on Oakland and suburbs to the East, from Concord to Dublin; assistant Sarah Lawrence; Megan Gurrentz, a former wilderness guide living in West Berkeley; and Berkeley-based Team Lead Eileen Townsend.

Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? ET: Honestly, I have never thought in terms of challenges that limit or are unique to women. I grew up the only girl with four strong brothers, and I think I took life on with perspective just like theirs: to be and do whatever I choose, to neither respect nor accept boundaries or limits imposed by others. Q: What advice do you have for parents with daughters graduating from high school? ET: I think it is our duty to provide models

of success in the endeavors that matter to our children. Help them find mentors who can guide them and help them grow. Being a mentor and seeing success emerge among my team agents is as rewarding as “winning” in my career myself. Pass it on. Q: What do you see as the biggest challenge for the generation of women behind you? ET: I truly believe the sky is the limit and as long as they believe that too, it will be. Q: What advice would you give to young

women who want to succeed in the workplace? ET: Come from courage, never fear. Set a goal and work toward it. Setbacks, even failure, are part of the process. Learn from every win, and every loss, and use what you’ve learned to keep progressing. Ask for help – there is no shame in accepting help. Ask questions. There are no stupid questions; anyone who makes you feel your question is “dumb” is the problem – not you. There will be another person who will answer your question, and that is the one to follow.

Photo credit: Thomas Kuoh

What Does it Mean to be a Successful Woman in Business?

he U.S. Census Bureau in its Annual Survey of Entrepreneurs notes that women owned 20 percent of all employer firms in 2016. The number of women who are starting their own companies in the U.S. continues to grow. These women find that entrepreneurship offers a unique opportunity to use their talents, expand their influence and increase their wealth. Although starting and maintaining a successful business is not always smooth sailing, women often find the endeavor not only suits their personalities, but also their personal goals.

Creating an Enterprise That Reflects Your Own Values

you get to determine your own level of financial success. Your ability to earn is only limited by your own efforts to maxStarting a business is often an uphill imize profits. This requires doing a sigclimb that many people never even attempt. The corporate world offers many nificant amount of research and understanding important features of your area perks and financial benefits, but you of the economy. In addition, successful must always bow to the “vision” of the corporation. For some women, this effort woman entrepreneurs know that you can can be too limiting. They may be able to never rest on past laurels. They always see other aspects of the market that need keep an eye out for new opportunities to addressing, and the chance to tackle the expand their markets, increase their customer base and refine their operations. task in your own way offers personal gratification at the highest level.

The Freedom to Manage Your Own Finances Having your own business also means

Becoming an Expert in Time Management

Women have a natural aptitude for multi-tasking, and this quality can be of

significant benefit when they are running a business. Women prioritize activities to schedule work efficiently and keep the most important aspects at the forefront of their actions. Managing a workforce well is a critical part of success in business, and women often have the “people skills” needed to maintain high efficiency and productivity.

Dealing with Harassment & Discrimination

comfortable situations. In addition, you may still feel acquiring loans, getting important contracts and maintaining your competitive edge still requires you to work harder in order to be judged as equal to a male-owned company. However, as you develop a record and reputation for success, this need to “dance backwards and in high heels” tends to diminish.

Being a woman in business offers a chance to forge your own path in your own way. Unfortunately, the downside for women continues to be frequent incidents of sexual Although the obstacles can be daunting and harassment and discrimination that may oc- often reflect institutional prejudices, being a cur at both personal and institutional levels. woman also offers a variety of natural adLearning ways to skillfully deflect unwanted vantages that can help you excel in business. attention can help you manage these un-

What Does it Mean to be a Successful Woman in Business?

Creating an Enterprise That Reflects Your Own Values

The Freedom to Manage Your Own Finances Having your own business also means

Becoming an Expert in Time Management

Women have a natural aptitude for multi-tasking, and this quality can be of

Dealing with Harassment & Discrimination

Ursula Evans Leading Women in the Adventure of Self-Discovery! Author & Certified Life Coach for Women Around The World “Life isn’t about wait ing for the storm to pass, it’s about learning how to dance in the rain” Q: What made you want to write a book about self-love/care? UE: I had first-hand experience of being a doormat woman, a woman with no identity and a woman who didn’t fully love herself. Through my own personal growth, my spiritual foundation and using coaching techniques I knew I wanted to help other women who had similar debilitating issues overcome these challenges just as I had done. I want to see women free from limiting beliefs, debilitating thought patterns, self-sabotage and so much more! I wanted women to know that there is a way to combat low emotional-health and self-love is a practice which will allow women to implement each and every day. In Chapter 9 of Heart Work I share that “…real self-love/care has very little to do with “treating yourself” and a whole lot to do with parenting yourself and making choices for your long term wellness.” Q: How did your career impact the writing of your book? UE: As an Emotional Health Coach, I have an understanding what my tribe wants and needs and this is incredibly important. Most of my clients are on the go,

Ursula at a Networking Event- Panelist Speaker speaking about Heart Work Emotional Health and Self Love so they want to read content that gets straight to the point, solves real-world problems, and helps them learn new things quickly. In writing Heart Work, knowing this I keep my topics focused, and formatted my book to appeal to my target audience. As an Emotional Health Coach, I listen to my client’s aches/pain points and I wanted to use my book to address women at large who may suffer from some of the same challenges such as setting boundaries, learning more about self-validation, and learning or renewing their own self- love journey. Q: How would you describe the Heart Work process? UE: The Heart Work process begins with cleansing, discovering areas in your life that may be hindering you from loving yourself fully or simply identifying areas for growth and improvement. Time spent in the cleansing phase may bring up old wounds but this is a great phase to deal with these challenges head-on. The next phase is appreciating, where you will deal specifically with self-care, making you a priority and loving yourself from the inside out. It is necessary to appreciate yourself, reading these appreciating chapters will give the reader resources and tools to use to continue this practice long after reading Heart Work. Finally, by the end of the Heart Work process you will deal with surefire ways for you to continue your self-love journey and continuing growing even after reading Heart Work. Once, you complete the growing chapters you are armed with an arsenal of ways to keep growing and evolving. Q: Why would you say emotional health is important? UE: Emotional health is important because it is essential to living a full, and balanced life. If you do not attend to your

emotional needs, your quality of life suffers, your relationships suffer, your work suffers and your physical health also suffers. It is important to give credence to your emotional health just as you would your physical health. Emotional health is about your approach to life, and your ability to live a life of wellness. Building your emotional strength doesn’t mean that life will be easy, or perfect, or that you won’t have negative thoughts. Instead, it means being able to navigate life’s ups, and downs with confidence, and resilience, and bouncing back when things don’t go to plan. Being able to manage your emotions, thoughts, and feelings empowers you to make better decisions, and approach life with optimism. The journey to building your emotional health is one of personal growth. Q: How do you maintain your self-care/love routine and what tips do you have for others? UE: I add me to my calendar… and it’s a non-negotiable appointment with myself. One that I never cancel or “re-schedule”. It’s important to me to check in with myself and carve out space to do the things I love. The truth is if we don’t make time for self-care/love, we probably won’t find the time for it. Make self-care a non-reschedulable appointment with yourself. Schedule it in your calendar and set reminders if you need to. For example, block off 30 minutes in the morning to do yoga and 30 minutes at night to read. Tell your family or roommates what times you will be unavailable. Make it as official as possible. It can even be something as simple as planning ahead and

laying your clothes, bag, and lunch out the night before to alleviate some stress in the morning. When you plan ahead and schedule self-care/love in, it becomes easier to fit it in your days. In Chapter 9, Love on You, I encourage others to say No to the people and things that get in the way of self-care and start saying YES to yourself! Q: What’s next after Heart Work? UE: I most certainly have more than one book in me; so there will be more books of inspiration and empowerment in the future. My next immediate project is a community book project. There are many women who have dreams of becoming an Author and I want help bring their dream to reality through my anthology book project. This project will be announced August 2020 and our Signature Coaching Program will be announced in September 2020 Q: What was your first job? And how did it shape or impact you? UE: I got my first job when I was 15 years old working as a Cashier at Hardees. Working at Hardees shaped me because I learned invaluable principles about leadership, collaboration, and service. I worked for a great boss who believed in mentoring and pouring into his employees. These values have stuck with me and I’m happy to say I learned these ideologies early in life. Q: What’s the greatest fear you’ve had to overcome to get where you are today? UE: The greatest fear I had to overcome was putting myself out there. My Heart Work success and growing from the inside out required me to be vulnerable, transparent and open with my tribe. Overcoming my fear of worrying what others thought of me, my platform, or what I had to say allowed me to share my heart with women who I wanted to see be set free and liberated; walking in freedom on their emotional health and self-love journey. Q: How do you maintain a healthy work life balance? UE: Chapter 8 in Heart Work talks about Boundaries. I say, “There are times when you may have to push your limits and take on a lot for a period of time, but make sure you check in with yourself. Are you feeling run down? Do you need a break? Did you mismanage your time and overcommit when you should actually be refueling yourself? Always evaluate where you are. Give an honest gauge of your output.” Personally, Boundaries are my best friend. Boundarieees help me keep things easy + light. I do not over commit or over extend myself. I leave work when I say I’m going to leave. I exercise when I’m supposed to, and I tell friends and family No! With a smile of course. I respect my time and activities. It’s important to maintain these balances for the positive effects, including less stress, a lower risk of burnout and a greater sense of well-being. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? UE: Focus on developing and using your strengths. Finding out what you enjoy doing and what you’re truly good at as well

as how to develop those areas is an important lesson I learned in my career. While it may take time, determining where you excel can be one of the most rewarding gifts of having a job and something you can’t learn outside the workforce. Find what you enjoy doing the most and work to develop your strength in that area. Keep in mind that no one is an overnight expert and that you’ll have to work hard to get to where you want to be. Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments in your career? UE: One of my most memorable moments in my career is a client success story. I was coaching a woman who had been suffering with self-identity and emotional health challenges. It was so rewarding and memorable to see the great strides and work she put in to make positive changes in her life. Her determination met with coaching support and accountability, she was able to see the root of her self-identity challenges and from that point on it was moving to watch her grow in areas where she was once challenged. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? UE: I’m inspired by Marshawn Evans- Daniels. She is a reinvention strategist and life coach mentoring women all over the world to live a BOLD life. She left a high powered law firm and turned her passion for people into a multimillion-dollar enterprise. I absolutely admire her and her mission. She’s proven it can be done. She is my light. Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? UE: I hear the same thing over and over from my busy professional clients. These women are all busy with career, parenthood, marriage, and some caregivers. The resounding challenge women face is carving out time for self-care/self-love and feeling guilty when they do commit to self-care/self-love. Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace? UE: At companies where women are underrepresented, it might seem tempting to fall into the trap of competing with other women. But that misses the point. One easy way to support other women is through a mentorship relationship. A good mentor can provide career advice, counsel during stressful times, and unwavering support. And you don’t have to be a member of the C-suite to provide guidance to another female employee, either. Women should seek out mentors who are only one step ahead in their career — their advice can be invaluable since they made it to the next step in the management hierarchy fairly recently. My best advice to young women who want to succeed in the workplace is to seek out mentors with varied experience to get varied perspectives on your career. Always Stand in your Truth. What I have learned, in my humble years as a woman, is that being a strong woman means being unapologetically, fiercely and wholeheartedly YOU no matter what. Q: What self-care tips do you recommend during stressful times?

Ursula with a Group Of Women Sharing their Final Self Love Vision Board UE: When you’re stressed, self-care is often the first thing to go. Fortunately, there are several pathways to self-care, and none of them need to be difficult or take a lot of planning. I recommend starting with the following: Address unmet needs. When you can’t meet a certain need it can be exceptionally frustrating. Silently acknowledge that you’d like to satisfy this need in the future. Addressing your needs — even when they can’t be met — is a significant form of emotional self-care that can help hold you over until the storm passes. Check in with yourself. Self-care is all about listening. My biggest tip, is to sit still and pay attention. Literally, just sit for five minutes — somewhere quiet and cozy – and do a quick check-in physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually, asking what do I notice?’ What do I need?’ in each area. Ask for help. When your plate is too full, remind yourself to reach out. Precisely, ask: “Can someone else do this?” Q: When people book a coaching session with you, what can they expect? What is the recommended number of sessions to see results? UE: Coaching with me is honest and loving. The battery of questions asked WILL challenge you and equip you for success. Coaching is a powerful conversation and support system that empowers you to experience your potential more quickly, easily and joyfully. It provides accountability, a sounding

board, and a way to overcome fears or challenges. Coaching is an ongoing tool that empowers you to move from where you are now to where you want to be. Coaching focuses on where you are presently and where you are headed, with a goal of helping you gain clarity, eliminate obstacles to your success, and accelerate the pace of growth. Coaching with me is forward focused. I recommend a minimum of three months for clients to establish a coaching relationship and begin to see significant results. Q: What would you tell younger you (10 years ago? 5 years ago? Last year?) UE: Ten Years Ago: Accept yourself as God made you. I spent too many years fighting this battle and it took a long time to surrender, and by that time it carried extremely painful ramifications. How I wish I could tell the young me that it is okay to be true to yourself. Because God does not make mistakes. Five Years Ago: I would advise my younger self to just say ‘yes’ to every opportunity that comes your way. No responsibility is beneath you. These are all stops on the path to your career, and don’t be that person that just waits for their turn to talk. Listen, care and then react. Last Year: Bless others. Be a positive influence in any way you can. Even simple little supportive acts can make others — and you — much happier.

www.keeleyrankin.com

Do you want to be more confident in bed? Feel sexually uninhibited & experience more pleasure in your body? Do you want to have the sex you dream about? Are you motivated & open minded with a desire to look inside yourself? Could you use guidance around where things are misaligned? I use practical & body-based sex therapy methods to help individual & couples move through physical and emotional intimacy struggles. They’re looking to make sex playful, fulfilling and invigorating — to fully let go erotically! My clients have a huge capacity for love but they can’t seem to put it all together in the intimacy category. If you’re ready to stand in your power in the bedroom, understand yourself sexually and unleash what you have always know was inside of you, I can help you get there.

www.keeleyrankin.com

She’s Committed to Her Profession, Her Community, and Impassioned Goodwill. A Successful Woman Making a Significant Impact in our Community. Meet Action Cleaning Service President

Davlyn Spetch Q: Can you share with our audience some history about ACS and how long the company has been in business? DS: ACS originally started as a partnership with my sister Erica. I believe it was 2005. We decided to form a partnership as we were working together quite a bit. I fought to name it Action Cleaning Service. It went through a major change in 2011, which is when I first started hiring employees. My sister moved to Modesto from San Jose, and although I enjoyed working with her, there were some ideas I had for the business that she was not on board with at the time. The most important one being to expand the business, by hiring employees etc. So, in 2010, we became the sole owners of separate businesses. I was terrified to hire employees lol! So different from now, where one of the things I enjoy most, is supplying people jobs in a small business. But randomly and without knowing something like this existed, I found a great consultant/ coach for cleaning and have had two

different consultants since then, who have really helped me to move along. Quite awesome! Don’t be afraid to get help! This world is hard enough. Forget tackling it alone, if you don’t have to. At this point in my career, I have realized that the only thing that can hold me back in life is me. I have really focused on self-care in the last few years and am now ready to bring my business to a whole new level. We are definitely in a growth period. One idea that I have planned is opening more branches of my company to widen out my service areas. It’s very exciting, and will give me the challenge I need, to stay fully engaged and interested in what I am doing. After being in the cleaning business for over 22 years, it is important to me to have new goals and plant new seeds. Q: For those who maybe looking for a house cleaning service … which areas of Santa Clara County do you service? DS: San Jose, Campbell, Santa Clara, Milpitas, Sunnyvale and parts of Los Gatos and Saratoga (in town).

“After being in the cleaning business for over 22 years, it is important to me to have new goals and plant new seeds.”

Q: If we interviewed all your clients … what is “one” common word that comes up when they describe working with your cleaning service? DS: I would say dependable. We hear that in a lot of our interaction with clients. It is one of our core values as well! We are very grateful to have awesome employees and clients. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? DS: In the end, nothing is that big of a deal. We tend to make it a big deal. And that can hold us back from changing our perspective on it. But in the real scheme of things, nothing is that big of a deal. We can get through it! 408.690.8016 www.actioncleaningsvc.com

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She’s Committed to Her Profession, Her Community, and Impassioned Goodwill. A Successful Woman Making a Significant Impact in our Community. Meet Action Cleaning Service President

“After being in the cleaning business for over 22 years, it is important to me to have new goals and plant new seeds.”

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has done extensive research on monetary and fiscal policy from the time of the Great Depression to the present day. In 2008, she joined the Obama Administration as the Chair of the Council of Economic Advisors. Professor Romer currently teaches at the University of California Berkeley Department of Economics. Thea Lee was the first woman ever to be named as the President of the Economic Policy Institute. She began her career working as a trade economist at the Institute during the 1990s and later worked with the most prominent labor organization in the country, the AFL-CIO. She earned an appointment to the Congressional United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission in December 2019. The commission was established in 2000 to oversee the details of the trade war. As a member of the Congressional Progressive Caucus Center, a non-profit organization, she assisted with finalizing the details of the Green New Deal, proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.

Women & the World Economy

Trade is one of the significant factors that stabilize the world economy. However, some countries have been economically excluded from advances in technology, the creation of jobs, and expanding supply chains across borders. Natural disasters, climate change, and geopolitical tension among nations is a risk to emerging countries. Despite the setbacks and turmoil in many regions, there is some good news for the worldwide economy. Women around the globe are engaged in economic activity, which could increase the GDP to $28 trillion as soon as 2025. Here are some of the prominent women who affect the world economy.

Christine Lagarde is a French lawyer and politician who began serving as the President of the European Central Bank in November 2019. She previously held the positions of Minister of the Economy, Finance, and Industry, Minister of Commerce, and Minister of Agriculture and Fishing. Lagarde was the first woman to be named the Finance Minister of a GB economy. As a prominent labor and anti-trust lawyer, she was the first woman to be appointed Chair of Baker & McKenzie, a leading international law firm. In 2019, Lagarde was named by Forbes as the Second Most Powerful Woman in the World. Christina Romer is the former vice-president of the American Economic Association; She earned her Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. She worked as an assistant professor at Princeton before accepting a position as a professor at the University of California, Berkeley. Romer

Dr. Stefania Paredes Fuentes is an Associate Professor of Economics at the University of Warwick. Dr. Fuentes is a noted lecturer who coordinated Economic modules at undergraduate and post-graduate levels. She is involved with research in Macroeconomics and Development Economics, Institutional Economics, and Economics and Economic History of Latin America. In January 2020, Dr. Fuentes is organizing the first workshop of its kind on Economics for Women Students at the University. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez is the youngest woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez majored in economics and international relations at Boston University and graduated cum laude in 2011. Her platform includes free trade school and public college, a federal jobs guarantee, Medicare for all, and abolishing the ICE agency. Rep. Ocasio-Cortez and Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts co-sponsored the Green New Deal legislation which addresses the issue of economic inequality among different countries and groups of people, and the long-term effects of global warming.

Women & the World Economy

Annika and players at the gala dinner to kick off the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex hosted at the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Having Been Inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame as One of the Greatest Winners in LPGA History, Our Exclusive Interview with Golf Legend, Annika Sorenstam Annika is often regarded as the greatest female golfer of all-time. During her 15-year, Hall-of-Fame career, she rewrote the LPGA and Ladies European Tour record books, won countless awards, and changed the way women’s golf was played, viewed and covered.

when she became the first woman in 58 years to play in a PGA TOUR event at the 2003 Colonial Invitational. Annika stepped away from professional golf after the 2008 season to focus on her family and the ANNIKA brand of businesses, which include the ANNIKA Collection of high-end women’s golf apparel and ANNIKA Course Design. In 2007, she created the ANNIKA Foundation, which provides golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition.

She amassed over 90 worldwide victories, including 72 on the LPGA and 10 Major Championships. Annika holds a record number of Rolex Player of the Year awards (eight) and Vare Trophies for the lowest scoring average in a season (six). As the only female to break 60 in an official event, she has been nicknamed “Ms. 59.” Perhaps most notably, Annika received worldwide media attention The Foundation annually conducts six major tourna-

ments in the United States, Sweden (2), China, Argentina and New Zealand for aspiring junior girls along with the ANNIKA Intercollegiate presented by 3M, a college tournament featuring 12 top Division I schools. It has annually enjoyed the strongest field in all of college golf since its inception. With the support of Stifel and the Haskins Commission, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award presented by Stifel in 2014, which is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. Her global success in golf and knowledge of business has enabled her to become the first and only female golfer to create a successful brand of businesses, as featured in Duane Knapp’s book BrandStrategy, Inc. Annika’s brand has also been featured in Brandweek, the New York Times, Fortune Magazine, SportsBusiness Journal, Success Magazine, USA Today, and Wine Spectator to name a few non-golf publications. Annika still tops the LPGA’s All Time Money List despite not competing since the 2008 season. She represented Europe as a player in eight Solheim Cups, as a vice-captain three times and captained the European team in 2017. Annika has received many accolades throughout her life. She was the recipient of the Patty Berg Award in 2003 for her contributions to women’s

golf. She was the Associated Press Female Athlete of the Year from 2003-2005, and the Golf Writers Association of America Female Athlete of the Year in 1995, 1997 and from 2000-2005. In 2008, Annika joined Arnold Palmer as only the second Ambassador of the United States Golf Association. She and Jack Nicklaus were named Global Ambassadors by the International Golf Federation to help with golf ’s successful bid for inclusion in the 2016 Olympic Games. Annika won the USGA’s prestigious Bob Jones Award in 2011, which is presented annually to someone with distinct character on and off the course. In 2013, she was named the First Lady of Golf by the PGA of America. The following year the LPGA, in partnership with Rolex, created the Rolex ANNIKA Major Award. It recognizes the player who, during a current LPGA season, has the most outstanding record in all five major championships. In 2015, Annika was named the top female athlete of all-time in her home country of Sweden. In 2016 Annika received the KPMG Inspire Greatness Award from the KPMG Women’s Leadership Summit advisory council, with the support of the PGA of America and the LPGA. In 2016 Annika received the Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to the business of golf at the HSBC Golf Business Summit. She is also the

Annika and players at the gala dinner to kick off the ANNIKA Invitational USA presented by Rolex hosted at the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Annika and her family having fun at a photo shoot.

first female golfer and only the third female in sport to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Annika is a very popular motivational speaker and many corporate executives, CEOs and meeting planners utilize her talents to entertain important clients, reward top performing employees, and build camaraderie amongst their teams. Annika is a driven, leader with a vast network of contacts throughout the world of business, sports, and entertainment. In addition to expanding her brand and growing the game, Annika and her husband, Mike McGee, have two children, Ava (9/1/09) and Will (3/21/11). Annika represents world-class companies like 3M, AHEAD, Callaway, Cutter & Buck, Cabot Saint Lucia, Golfing World, Lexus, Mastercard and Rolex. Her Twitter handle is @ Annika59 and Instagram handle is @annikas59. For more information: www.annikafoundation.org. Q: You started playing Golf at a young age, what

inspired you to pursue it professionally? AS: As a kid, I loved all sports. I played soccer, badminton, did downhill skiing and my first love was tennis. I didn’t start playing golf until the age of 12 and was introduced to it because my parents played a lot. My sister, Charlotta and I would ride my parents’ pull carts like a horse and get ice cream at the turn. I didn’t take it seriously until the age of 16. That’s when I focused on golf, rather than tennis. Fellow Swede, Liselotte Neumann won the US Women’s Open in 1988 and that really inspired me. If she could do it from our small country, why couldn’t I? I continued to work hard and went to the University of Arizona on a golf scholarship and after two years there I decided it was time to turn professional and give it a shot. Q: For those in our audience not familiar with the Annika Foundation, tell us what kind of opportunities it provides for young women. AS: We started the ANNIKA Foundation in 2007 to

provide golf opportunities at the junior, collegiate and professional levels while teaching young people the importance of living a healthy, active lifestyle through fitness and nutrition. It has partnered with key organizations to promote healthy, active lifestyles for children. Some initiatives are SPARK, the Florida Hospital for Children in support of its Healthy 100 Kids initiative and The First Tee in development of the Nine Healthy Habits curriculum for children. The Foundation annually conducts six major golf events for aspiring junior girls. They are the award-winning AJGA tournament, the ANNIKA Invitational presented by Rolex at the World Golf Village in St. Augustine, Fla.; the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, the first all-girls junior tournament in China; the ANNIKA Invitational in Europe; and the ANNIKA Cup, a team event for the top juniors in Sweden. In partnership with The R&A, the Women’s Amateur Latin America, and the ANNIKA Invitational Australasia at the famed Royal Wellington Golf Club in Wellington, New Zealand. With the support of Stifel, the Haskins Commission and Golfweek, the Foundation created the ANNIKA Award Presented By Stifel in 2014. It is given annually to the best collegiate female golfer. In concert with the award, the Foundation launched the ANNIKA Intercollegiate Presented By 3M, a college tournament featuring 12 of the top Division I schools. This tournament takes place at Royal Golf Club and has had the strongest field in all of college golf since its inception. Q: Have any of your alumnae gone on to pursue a professional career in Golf ? AS: Each year we have over 600 girls from over 50 different countries compete in our global events. We have had over 60 of our alumnae play on the LPGA Tour, and over 150 on the Symetra Tour. Q: You’ve accomplished so much as a Professional Golfer, Businesswoman, and mentor to many young women. Has it been a smooth road? AS: I think the lessons I have learned from golf certainly

apply to life. It teaches you integrity, how to overcome adversity, how to make goals and accomplish them. There are a lot of correlations. Each day brings you new challenges. Some days you get good breaks and some days bad ones. I stepped away in 2008, which in hindsight was a difficult time to start businesses. There have been ups and downs and we have learned a lot. I enjoy working with my husband, Mike on all of our businesses. We have a great team around us, and we have narrowed our focus to the foundation, the ANNIKA Collection of clothing with Cutter & Buck, and golf course design. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? AS: My dad taught me when I was a young girl that there are no shortcuts to success. It was raining and I didn’t feel like practicing, so I called my Dad to pick me up. As we drove out of the course, we passed the driving range, and there were still kids hitting balls in the rain. My dad turned to me and said that to me. I will never forget that, and it still drives me to this day. Q: Can you tell us one of your most memorable moments in your career? AS: I have been fortunate to have a lot of very memorable events of which I’m proud. I would say shooting a 59 in 2001, playing against the men on the PGA TOUR in 2003 at Colonial, and being inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame. Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace? AS: I would tell young ladies in the workforce to find their passion. Life is too short to do something you don’t love. Work hard and put in the time. Again, there are no shortcuts to success. Surround yourselves with good people and network as much as possible. Q: What’s the most interesting thing about you that we wouldn’t learn from your resume alone? AS: I am a normal Mom and wife. I love to hang with our family and kids. I cook probably six nights a week and love it. I enjoy housework and chores and am constantly busy.

Annika and her family having fun at a photo shoot.

Emmy Award Winning Journalist & Best Selling Author, Leeza Gibbons, Shares Her Insights on Today’s Challenges For Caregivers & Maintaining a Positive Outlook. Photography by Caroline Greyshock & Jeff Annenberg

Q: It’s safe to say that you’re best known for your TV work on Entertainment Tonight, Leeza, and 2015’s Celebrity Apprentice. What thoughts come to mind about that body of work? LG: I’m a lucky girl. I have had a career that has been challenging, fulfilling, and fun! I studied broadcast journalism and have been on a path of wherever the stories took me ever since. After reporting in TV and radio news, I became an entertainment correspondent and anchor before the advent of social media, which allowed celebrities to break their own story. Until then, it was pretty much right what they used to say about ET, that we provided an “all-access pass” to all things Hollywood. One of my early professional dreams was to have some of Dick Clark’s abilities to host virtually anything and make audiences feel welcome. I was blessed to have met Dick, worked with him, and become his friend. Now, when I host something like The Rose Parade, I often keep his mentoring in mind. Even though I have a Ph.D. in drama avoidance, I loved being on Celebrity Apprentice! Competing on the show allowed me to use my business skills to win the grand prize and invest it in opening Leeza’s Care Connection in my South Carolina hometown. It was a dream come true to offer our free services for family caregivers in Columbia, where I grew up.

Q: Tell us how your education contributed to your success and how that path is the same or different for new journalists? LG: I was trained as a broadcast journalist. Barbara Walters was one of my big inspirations. When I began reporting at ET, I was accustomed to a reporting style that was objective; providing only a conduit through which the stories made their way to readers, listeners, and viewers. When I was hosting and producing a single topic talk show, The LEEZA show, the format required that I editorialize and offer an opinion and lead with it too often, it was liberating and allowed for the kind of passionate energy that I admired about Barbara Walters. Many storytellers take a variety of paths to get to where they want to go. I believe how you do one thing is how you do all things, so if excellence is your goal, buoyed by curiosity, then you’ll get there. Q: Did PBS’s My Generation, which addressed a more mature audience, represent a shift for you; if so, why? LG: It was a deliberate choice to address topics that were relevant to an audience that found itself at a turning point ...an audience like me. Boomers are reinventing and eager to explore all kinds of transformations. We believe that who you were yesterday is not who you have to be tomorrow, so we’re looking for the inspiration to recreate ourselves.

Leeza with her Dad looking at one of his poetry books. “Pops has written thousands of poems, so I began putting them together in books. We’re up to Volume 8, but he’s only 92, so he’s got a lot more writing to do!”

“My Generation” delivered the stories of celebrities and others who had accepted the challenge to re-boot and re-create their lives and re-write their narratives. Q What do you see that is different from interviewing styles from the period you were on the air to today? LG: Today, things are much more transparent than when I first began Viewers’ insatiable appetites to “get inside” and “lift the veil” led to more raw reporting and a genuinely authentic exchange preference.

terviewers to uncover more than “just the facts” and interview subjects to drop any facade and get real. Today, the best way to do that is to bypass a reporter and go straight to fans through social media.

From skilful politicians to creative celebrities of all kinds, intimate relationships are built on social platforms, but interviews with reputable outlets or with interviewers who have perceived gravitas can often maintain, boost, or augment them. Look at Donald Trump Twitter was more important to his victory than his political advisors and mainstream media exposure. However, There is still brokering for interviews and nego- events like the interviews with Lester Holt and tiating for access. Still, the expectation is for in- George Stepanopolis can still do damage.

“Breathe, Believe, Receive” is our mantra at Leeza’s Care Connection. This is a group of caregivers making that philosophy come to life at our Providence St Joseph Medical Center location in Burbank.

Q: You have published books about having a positive attitude and self-care, particularly for caregivers; would you remind our readers what those books are about and what they represent to you? LG: On our journeys through life, I often need to remember that our strength comes from being vulnerable. Our power comes from how we are connected. My books honour those connections; whether it’s a daughter caring for a sick parent, or a divorced woman who needs a Take 2, we can all find our strength by giving ourselves permission to change and grow.

LG: A couple of years ago, I wrote a book called FIERCE OPTIMISM and nowhere is that more relevant than when applied to our community at Leeza’s Care Connection. We help families cope with Alzheimer’s and other chronic illnesses by offering tips, resources, and coping strategies. We are a community of those who understand the journey, and we’re dedicated to making sure that no one walks alone. Caregivers have to be fierce, optimistic, and radically resilient to move forward. This past year, we all learned how to pivot and redirect, but caregivers are used to those things. They have to be.

Q: Tell us about Leeza’s Care Connection.

My mother died of Alzheimer’s disease, the

Q: Tell us about Leeza’s Care Connection.

My mother died of Alzheimer’s disease, the

same as her mom, my dear Granny. Our family struggled with the same emotions as every other; we were stressed and depressed, isolated, and sad. When you become a caregiver, you take on an enormous assault on your emotions and your immune system. You often unravel and deplete spiritually, physically, and financially. When that started happening to our family, I created what we wish we had, and that became Leeza’s Care Connection. I promised my mother I would tell the story of our struggle, and I would use it to help others. It is the most rewarding work I have ever done, and I feel blessed to be able to do it. Q: Does writing energize or exhaust you? LG: Both! I think it’s true that we often write what we need to learn. Valuing self-care and finding empowerment is a lifelong pursuit. When I write about the power of kindness or the benefits of optimism I am fortifying my commitment to those values. I have kept journals, on and off, since the ‘70s! At the tune, I was travelling quite a lot for Entertainment Tonight and interviewing the biggest names in the business. I was also young in my career, and I took notes from others about how to find balance and grace to go along with my ambition. I have discovered that writing helps us find answers (and better questions) to guide our actions. It shows us patterns and ways that we sabotage or subvert. I recently facilitated a Leeza’s Care Connection virtual course on journaling for caregivers. It was an exercise of self-awareness, self-care and gratitude for our

Proudly holding an Emmy for Best Host for the PBS show, My Generation .

gifts and our burdens. Our everyday experience provided the solace of a support group and the benefits of clarity and stress management that come from writing. Q: What was an early experience where you learned that language had power? LG: I was competing in an essay contest in high school. We were given a speech topic and an hour to prepare before delivering our speech in front of judges and attendees. The topic was “What’s Right About America”. I believe I won the competition because of my ability to appreciate and express language, which made my oration memorable. At that time, I also had

“Memories Matter. When someone you love has Alzheimer’s disease sharing those memories in scrapbooks can be very soul-satisfying”

quite a thick southern accent which was either ated that concept was evil and cruel! If we seek a distraction or an endearment! the ever-elusive middle of the see-saw, we will be bitter and disappointed. Instead of balancQ: What is your favorite childhood book? ing time, I think of investing time. As with any LG: I loved The Secret Garden - it was magical business venture, I look for dividends. For exand sad and uplifting all at once. Shel Silver- ample, if you’re a working woman (there’s a stein’s “The Giving Tree” was a favorite too, redundancy for you!), you may not always feel but it’s The Velveteen Rabbit that resonates that you have the ideal balance. Still, you’re deeply still because of its message about what providing for your family, setting an example of the value of work, and growing into the next real love is. phase of life when you may feel you have more Q: You’ve maintained a hectic, career, autonomy. You’re investing in your future, and can you share with our audience how those dividends will come due. you manage your work-life balance? LG: I gave up trying to balance! Whoever cre-

Proudly holding an Emmy for Best Host for the PBS show, My Generation .

“Memories Matter. When someone you love has Alzheimer’s disease sharing those memories in scrapbooks can be very soul-satisfying”

They often say that the future is female, and they’re not wrong at all. Women are beginning to truly take the world by storm. They’re covering many different sectors, too. Women are starting to become bigger forces in everything from athletics to business. If you look around, you’ll probably notice that there are more small businesses owned by women than ever before. Things are changing in rapid and meaningful ways all over the United States and globe. It doesn’t look like things are going back ever again, either.

Small Businesses and

Female Owners

Women of past decades and centuries were often kept down by societal standards. They in many cases felt as though they had no option but to lead certain types of lives. It wasn’t uncommon for women to believe that they had no option but to remain at home. The situation is totally different now, however, and without a doubt for the better. Women are rapidly discovering that they have more options than ever. It doesn’t matter if a woman wants to pursue a life as a small business owner. It doesn’t matter if she wants to go after a rewarding career as a staff member for a massive corporation, either. Women are gaining major traction in all sorts of career divisions. They’re setting fantastic examples for young girls that are part of newer generations, too.

Small Businesses and

Female Owners

longer taking others telling them that they cannot accomplish certain objectives. Women are not sitting back and settling for things. They’re standing up for themselves. They’re speaking up about the things on the planet that make them feel the most passionate. It’s happening in women across many different walks of life. It’s happening in women of many different age categorizations as well.

Women and Small Businesses of All Kinds Little girls are growing up with so many positive female role models around them. It isn’t hard to come across female small business owners in this day and age. If you visit a bakery or general dining establishment in your community, there’s a strong chance that it’s owned and operated by a hard-working woman. Women are quickly learning about all of the ins and outs that are associated with keeping businesses running smoothly. They’re figuring out the fundamentals of getting their hands-on business loans of all kinds. They’re figuring out the logistics that are part of recruiting staff members. They’re figuring out how to train their team mem-

bers. These things are only the beginning. There are many women nowadays who have bosses and who appreciate their careers. There are also many women who are having serious epiphanies. They’re realizing that they can opt to be their own bosses if they wish. They’re realizing that there are choices that go beyond being part of a company’s staff. They can make pertinent choices that relate to staffing. They can make meaningful choices that relate to getting their hands-on supplies and tools. What makes things so different for women who are keen on the concept of entrepreneurship as of late? Women are no

Women are becoming more supportive of their fellow female entrepreneurs, too. It’s not atypical to see women giving their full support to other businesses that are owned and managed by female aficionados. Sisterhood is more than alive in the United States. It’s more than alive all around the planet, too. Young girls in elementary schools are learning that sisterhood is a wonderful thing. They’re starting to make it a huge priority in their existences. Women have a lot of potential. The future may revolve around women and all their possibilities. They’re making enormous waves in all sorts of fields and industries. They’re thriving in science. They’re thriving in politics. They’re thriving in many sectors that go beyond those as well. It’s going to be fascinating to see where women will go next. Small businesses that are run by women are going to become even more ubiquitous.

She’s well known as a Leader in the Newsroom and Advocate for Women in Journalism. Meet Our Evening Anchor at NBC Bay Area News & Emmy Award Winning Journalist

Jessica Aguir re

Q: What was your first job and how did it shape or influence you? JA: My first job was in a mall, I was working at a clothing store called “The Body shop.” I was a senior in high school, got involved in a ton of clubs, and was working too. I knew I really could not complain since I saw how hard my parents worked, so it taught me how to manage my time and to multitask. My parents also told me to be the best at whatever I did, so I was quickly the best sales clerk! That really came into play when I was in college doing an internship at the Spanish Language station and the woman I was interning under quit. The new director then asked me if I could handle her job, I didn’t falter, so I said yes, and turned that internship into a full-time job. I was back to working full-time and going to school full-time. To this day, my daily schedule is super full, with charity events, stories, interviews, and board meetings. Then, I actually go to the station to do my job. Q: How did your career start as a news Anchor? JA: My career started in Miami. Way before, I was a news anchor as an intern at the local Spanish Language television affiliate for UNIVISION. I was at the University of Miami when the woman I worked under suddenly quitted, and in a “Broadcast News” (movie), they turned to me and said, “Can you do her job? You are hired “. From that moment on, I went to school during the mornings and worked as a night shift at the TV station until I graduated doing a variety of jobs from production assistant, prompter, assignment desk, and producer, and after I finished school, I became a reporter in Spanish. It was great training because it really helped me have a grasp of how the entire news operation works and what I take to get a story on the air. A year later I got a call from the CBS station in town, they asked me if I wanted to switch to English Language, and I said yes! My next jump was to weekend anchor and eventually full time, from Monday through Friday primetime anchor. I worked in Miami and Los Angeles before arriving in the Bay Area in 1998. I have always been a reporter at heart, I love being out in the field covering a story and really seeing it unfold for myself. Q: Can you share with our audience one of your most memorable events that you’ve covered? JA: I have had so many memorable experiences, some historic, some heartbreaking, some adventurous, and some silly. My kids always tease me that I can’t remember all the people and things I have done and it’s true because I am always deleting them from my memory bank to make room for more. I have covered natural disasters like Hurricane Andrew and more recently the North Bay fires, manmade disasters like the Oklahoma City bombing and “9-11 “. I have traveled to report on immigration issues in Cuba, Princess Diana in England, and the Olympics in Brazil. This is the beauty of this job; it is never ordinary, so it’s very difficult to single out one great event.

She’s well known as a Leader in the Newsroom and Advocate for Women in Journalism. Meet Our Evening Anchor at NBC Bay Area News & Emmy Award Winning Journalist

Jessica Aguir re

Q: What was your first job and how did it shape or influence you? JA: My first job was in a mall, I was working at a clothing store called “The Body shop.” I was a senior in high school, got involved in a ton of clubs, and was working too. I knew I really could not complain since I saw how hard my parents worked, so it taught me how to manage my time and to multitask. My parents also told me to be the best at whatever I did, so I was quickly the best sales clerk! That really came into play when I was in college doing an internship at the Spanish Language station and the woman I was interning under quit. The news director then asked me if I could handle her job and I didn’t falter, I said yes, and turned that internship into a full-time job. I was back to working full-time and going to school full-time. To this day, my daily schedule is super full, with charity events, stories, interviews, and board meetings. Then, I actually go to the station to do my job. Q: How did your career start as a news Anchor? JA: My career started in Miami. Way before I was a news anchor, I was as an intern at the local Spanish Language television affiliate for UNIVISION. I was at the University of Miami when the woman I worked under suddenly quit, and in a “Broadcast News” (movie), they turned to me and said, “Can you do her job? You are hired “. From that moment on, I went to school during the mornings and worked as a night shift at the TV station until I graduated doing a variety of jobs from production assistant, prompter, assignment desk, and producer, and after I finished school, I became a reporter in Spanish. It was great training because it really helped me have a grasp of how the entire news operation works and what I take to get a story on the air. A year later I got a call from the CBS station in town, they asked me if I wanted to switch to English Language, and I said yes! My next jump was to weekend anchor and eventually full time, from Monday through Friday primetime anchor. I worked in Miami and Los Angeles before arriving in the Bay Area in 1998. I have always been a reporter at heart, I love being out in the field covering a story and really seeing it unfold for myself. Q: Can you share with our audience one of your most memorable events that you’ve covered? JA: I have had so many memorable experiences, some historic, some heartbreaking, some adventurous, and some silly. My kids always tease me that I can’t remember all the people and things I have done and it’s true because I am always deleting them from my memory bank to make room for more. I have covered natural disasters like Hurricane Andrew and more recently the North Bay fires, manmade disasters like the Oklahoma City bombing and “9-11 “. I have traveled to report on immigration issues in Cuba, Princess Diana in England, and the Olympics in Brazil. This is the beauty of this job; it is never ordinary, so it’s very difficult to single out one great event.

Jessica with Gloria Steinem

I have had the opportunity to interview Presidents, movie stars, and even the Pope. However, for me as a reporter, the most satisfying stories are often about ordinary people doing extraordinary things —these kinds of interviews stick with you and make you reflect as a person. Q: for most of us, it’s very difficult to discuss events like 9/11 or Natural Disasters … for those seeking a career in broadcast, can you offer advice on how you dealt with these events emotionally and still be a calm voice to your viewers? JA: I have covered almost every natural disaster including earthquakes, hurricanes, and manmade disasters like 9-11 or the bombing of the Murrah in the Federal Building. It is daunting to see the pain and fear that people feel when something that horrible touches their lives. It is hard not to let it overwhelm you when you see so much loss and cruelty. The important part is not to let the barrage of tragedy ever take away your ability to feel. I have over decades learned to use my empathy to be a better journalist, to share other people’s heartache with respect and dignity, and to highlight the human resolve and spirit of optimism. I see it so much… when tragedy strikes, we rise to be better. I also know that it is on my shoulders to be that calm voice of information and reassurance that people desire when there is such breaking news. It is in those moments like the “Wine Country “firestorm that we must individually and as a profession bring our best selves and put our own fears, our own worries aside, and do what is best for the viewers looking to us for answers. It’s a strange profession when you have to leave your family and hope they are ok because you have a responsibility to care and inform others, but that is what we do

Jessica Covering Wine Country Fires

without even thinking twice. Q: What’s the toughest part of your job? JA: From a personal perspective, it’s the very nature of the job that requires that “it” be first in your life. I have missed many birthdays, holidays, vacations, and back to school nights. When there is breaking news, you have to go without hesitation because your commitment has to be to the community, often before your own family. In many ways, it is like a first responder. When things go bad and everyone is running home to take care of their loved ones, the firefighters, police, and reporters are the ones running toward the mayhem. On a professional level, all that “mayhem” takes a toll on your psyche. I am the most prepared person at every event because I always think something could go wrong. I see potential danger everywhere! When I was the class mom at my girl’s schools, I would book the field trip busses, and everyone knew I would inspect them before anyone got on. I am a worrier and all my fears are on a grand news scale! Q: What is the key to success when communicating with the public? JA: Being yourself, being honest and allowing them to see who you really are. Q: Do you have any advice you can share for those women who may want to pursue a career in Broadcast Journalism? JA: I talk to women studying broadcast journalism all the time and I always say the same thing: start in the trenches. You need to know how to do everyone’s job in the newsroom, so you are self-sufficient as an anchor and reporter. If you are looking to be on TV because you think it’s glamorous, you will be disappointed.

Jessica at the Olympics in Rio

Jessica as Club Reporter in Miami

You are not reading the news; you are living the news. I also always tell young women coming up not to be afraid, to be direct, to take chances, or to ask for what they want.

I see the way she carries herself while she works so hard at a job that many would consider to be unskilled, and I think to myself, I hope I can one day live up to her.

Q: What’s the greatest fear you’ve had to overcome to get where you are today? JA: I am still combating it: that I am not doing enough, accomplishing enough, or giving enough.

Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? JA: I think a lot has changed since I started in TV in the 90’s. At that point, I was one of handful of minority reporters in the newsroom and the men ran virtually all the stations. Today, newsrooms reflect the communities in which we live. At KNTV the main anchors are Hispanic, Indian and Chinese and African American, I could not have imagined that level of diversity 30 years ago. Even more significant a woman runs our network division, my general manager is a woman, and my news director is a woman. But I would be naïve if I didn’t admit that we still face some of the same issues we did decades ago, as do most women in workforce, dealing with kids, family, and having our voices heard.

Q: Can you tell our audience one of your most memorable moments in your career? JA: There is no single moment, it is a tapestry of moments woven together where you feel satisfied and proud that you made a difference, that you helped someone, and that you changed a life. What I often most remember are the hugs, the thank you notes, and the photos people send me years after I have done a story, updating me on how they are doing and reminding me that all the lost personal moments were well worth it. Q: What’s the one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? JA: You get a new chance every day to do right. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? JA: I see inspiring women on a daily basis, Moms who fight to get their kids’ medical care, Women fighting to get a seat at the table in corporate boardrooms, or Women battling to lead, I see it every day in my co-workers who are unafraid to run toward a dangerous story. I see it at night when the elderly woman who cleans our studio comes by my desk. She does her job with such dignity and diligence to help pay for her daughters’ college.

Q: What do you like the most about living in the Bay Area? JA: I love the diversity of the Bay Area from the people to the landscape to the opportunities that are available. You forget how beautiful it is here and how much there is to do until you have out of town guests. You have a very sophisticated social scene in San Francisco and a wonderfully creative vibe in Oakland. The peninsula is innovative and the East Bay where I live still has a small-town feel. Go to the North Bay, it is breathtaking and healing. My only complaint is the ever-increasing costs to live here, which I fear will eventually force my own daughters who were both born here to move away.

Jessica with Gloria Steinem

Jessica Covering Wine Country Fires

Jessica at the Olympics in Rio

Jessica as Club Reporter in Miami

You are not reading the news; you are living the news. I also always tell young women coming up not to be afraid, to be direct, to take chances, or to ask for what they want.

I see the way she carries herself while she works so hard at a job that many would consider to be unskilled, and I think to myself, I hope I can one day live up to her.

Q: What’s the greatest fear you’ve had to overcome to get where you are today? JA: I am still combating it: that I am not doing enough, accomplishing enough, or giving enough.

Equal Pay for Women in Sports

s the United States women’s national soccer team was making its dominating run to the 2019 Women’s World Cup title, more and more coverage was focusing on the team’s push for equal pay relative to the men’s national team. This was coupled with chants of “Equal Pay!” at its post-championship celebration in New York.

However, one important aspect of this issue is oftentimes overlooked. What causes these athletes to not receive equal pay in the first place? Although reports later surfaced that the team may already be paid roughly equal to the men’s side, they don’t address the core issue with this squad and with other women’s teams. How are these athletes and the events that they participate in being marketed? Although most would expect the percentage of the marketing pie going to women’s athletes and sports to be low, many are shocked that it’s as low as it is: 0.4%. The common argument for those criticizing this argument for equal pay for female athletes is that they don’t garner the ticket sales and

other sources of income that male players do. However, if 99.6% of the marketing budget is being focused on the men, how will prospective fans be able to learn the storylines and other aspects of the female athletes that will cause them to regularly attend matches? It should be noted that pay gaps don’t exist in all sports, but there are significant ones in team sports. The extreme ends of the spectrum tend to the equally paid tennis players and the vastly unequally paid basketball players. Fortunately, progress is being made. For example, in 2017, Norway announced that it would pay its male and female national soccer players equally. However, the amounts of money that these sets of players earn for their club teams

Equal Pay for Women in Sports

Making an Incredible Impact on Community Through Selfless, Dedicated Volunteer Work

Meet Lynn North,

Recognized Top Realtor & Dedicated Community Volunteer “My clients would say that I’m honest, trustworthy, experienced and committed to working with integrity. I truly care about my clients and am personally committed to their success, which shows in how I work with them and in my results.” Sunny View Award Presentation to Francis N Njuakom, Director CDVTA in Cameroon, Africa for senior housing there: Francis accepts his award of $20,000 donated by the residents and staff of Sunny View & Front Porch (left to right: Sally Plank, EVP Front Porch, Francis’ wife Rosie, Jack York (founder of iN2L and large donor to CDVTA), Lynn North, Chair of Sunny View’s Foundation, Francis N. Njuakom, Director of CDVTA in Cameroon)

Lynn North has been a realtor for the past 15 years & ranked in the top 5% with the prestigious Alain Pinel Realtors in the Bay Area. She has served as coordinator and director of programs and is currently in various leadership positions at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Los Altos, California. Previously, she was director of telecommunications business development at Network Appliance and vice president in sales with SBC and Pacific Bell, where her large team literally built the infrastructure known today as Silicon Valley.

“I believe there will continue to be a strong demand for housing with continued struggles of less inventory and pent up demand.”

After earning her Bachelor of Science degree in Organizational Behavior from University of San Francisco, Lynn’s expertise has been in helping her clients deal with change, whether it be in growing their business or with her recent board experiences, in helping families with seniors deal with the challenges of life changes. Lynn has been the Chair on the Board of Sunny View’s Foundation since 1999 & with Front Porch since 2004. Lynn has been in several key leadership roles at Immanuel Lutheran Church for 33 years. For 3 years, she took 40 youth and adults to Mexico to build homes for the poor and has been an active role in local schools and community sports programs. Lynn is a licensed real estate agent drawing on her wealth of experience helping clients and is a fourth generation Bay Area resident, who has lived in Los Altos for 33 years. She was past president of her neighborhood association. Lynn has earned the reputation among her colleagues and clients for honesty, integrity and loyalty. Lynn’s philosophy on real estate recognizes the need for a knowledgeable consultant who can produce top results. “I work continually to keep up with this ever-changing, complex market and strive to help my clients realize the greatest return on one of their largest investments.”

Sunny View’s Annual Benefit Dinner, Lynn North, Chair of the Foundation

Q: How long have you been in the Real Estate business? LN: I have been in real estate for 16 years, starting as an assistant for 2 of the top agents for a year to really get a sense of the business and develop a strong understanding of the details. Prior to changing careers, I was a vice president at Pacific Bell and SBC, where my team built the infrastructure that we now know as Silicon Valley with all of the large accounts headquartered here. Also, I ran our church (Immanuel Lutheran Church) for 5 years when our long-term pastor retired. As a youth director at our church during 4 of those years, I took 40 teens to Mexico to build homes for the poor, which was very inspiring and really rewarding in seeing how it gave the kids a broader perspective of life. Q: What designations or certifications do you hold? LN: Relocation is my current designation, where I help my clients and their families moving to this area get settled into the community. Compass has an extensive relocation program, where I have helped many of my clients buy vacation homes or

relocate to anywhere in the world through their recommendations and referrals. Q: What percentage of your clients are buyers vs. sellers? LN: The majority of my clients are sellers. While I am in the top 1% of my business, I only take one listing at a time, so I can dedicate my attention to that seller in marketing their home. The result is I usually bring in the highest offer for that neighborhood, which gives them their greatest return on their investment. I attend to all of the details, including preparing their home for the market and directly working with all of the potential buyers and their agents. For my buyers, I really focus on what they are looking for and make sure they have a great lender, which can strengthen their offer and make them as competitive with all cash offers. Also, I have a good reputation amongst my peers, so listing agents really encourage me to write an offer for their properties, which helps my buyers as well. I am thorough in researching the comparative market sales and reviewing the disclosures, so my buyers are confident in what they are buying and at the right price.

Making an Incredible Impact on Community Through Selfless, Dedicated Volunteer Work

Meet Lynn North,

“I believe there will continue to be a strong demand for housing with continued struggles of less inventory and pent up demand.”

Sunny View’s Annual Benefit Dinner, Lynn North, Chair of the Foundation

rienced and committed to working with integrity. I truly care about my clients and am personally committed to their success, which shows in how I work with them and in my results. Q: How do you compare Compass Real Estate from past companies you’ve worked for? LN: I have had the privilege to always work and be associated with strong, respected market leaders. Specifically, in real estate, I previously worked for Alain Pinel Realtors, (a privately owned Bay Area company), which was a highly respected brand in terms of integrity, professionalism, and high standards. Compass brings that same quality in a broader scope on a national scale. It is the number one largest independent brokerage in the country with a strong financial backing (over $1.5 billion in funding as a market leader), resulting in a stronger marketing brand. This gives its agents an opportunity to invest in the company and participate in equity shares for their own financial planning goals. The company’s mission is to help everyone find their place in the world. With the agents at the core of the company, Compass drives market insights and offers continuous new tools that help us differentiate ways to better serve our clients. They have incredible leadership beginning with their CEO, Robert Reffkin, who communicates regularly for input and encourages us to collaborate without ego. Q: Can you tell us about your involvement with the Sunny View’s Foundation? Sunny View resident, Sara Carter receiving the Oliver Ruud Award (left to right: Bill Penrod, Director of Sunny View’s Foundation, Lynn North, Chair of Sunny View’s Foundation & Sara Carter, resident)

Q: If you had to make one prediction of where the Silicon Valley Real Estate market will be this year … what would it be? LN: I believe there will continue to be a strong demand for housing with continued struggles of less inventory and pent up demand. Most of our buyers are looking for closer commutes. Many seniors and baby boomers are not moving because of their capital gains and the need to keep their property taxes down with Prop 13 (currently they can only transfer it to 8 counties). Frequent needs in the cycle of life are first time home buyers, young families moving up, baby boomers downsizing and selling their parents’ homes, along with people from all over the world here looking for new jobs. Our main concern is buyers being priced out of the market. We have already seen a correction in our appreciation rate to a more “normal” rate (10% per year) and listing prices seem to be lower. With 5 world-leading industries headquartered here (see list below), we continue to be a buoyant economy with so many

diverse jobs requiring many different skill sets resulting in healthy appreciation rates: • Entrepreneurial/VCs/Stanford • Tech including Apple, wireless, chips, Google and new AI • Bio Tech, Pharmaceuticals & Medicine (Stanford & UCSF) • Clean Tech such as solar, Tesla (automotive) • Animation Entertainment (Pixar, Nvidia & Lucas Films) Q: What has been your most satisfying moment while in the Real Estate business? LN: Helping my clients realize their dreams in getting their first home or seeing my retired clients realize their greatest return on their investment for their retirement. Q: You were featured in the 2019 list of Americas Best Real Estate Professionals. If we interviewed all your past clients … what is “one” common word that comes up when they describe working with you and why? LN: My clients would say that I’m honest, trustworthy, expe-

LN: I have been chair of the Sunny View board for over 20 years, which is a non-profit senior retirement community in Cupertino. We have created an environment where our seniors have a renewed purpose to their lives and are able to continue to thrive in their later years & fulfill their legacy. We leverage tech products such as iN2L (very large computer wall tablet) and artificial intelligence tools such as Echo dots and Nest thermostats to assist them. With iN2L, our cognitive or dementia residents in Summer House can play the piano and entertain their neighbors or other residents can see their hometowns or attend their grandchildren’s weddings. Partnering with local high schools, those students can earn community service hours in writing the biographies of our residents as a gift for their families. Residents raise money for scholarships for the staff and together they work on community projects that benefit children in the hospital. The local Lutheran churches started it, so the spiritual element is there, and we have a full time wonderful chaplaincy team, who brings wonderful programs and worship services for our residents as well. Q: If you could talk to one person from history, who would it be and why? LN: I would like to answer with 2 people. Jesus Christ and Abra-

ham Lincoln. As a direct descendant of Abraham Lincoln (my paternal great grandmother’s cousin was Nancy Hanks, his real mother), I would love to interview him on how we can heal our nation by realizing we have more in common than have differences. I would love to meet Jesus to learn from him on how he changed us to serve others and be inspired by his message on gratitude and being in his presence. Q: How do you maintain a healthy work life balance? LN: Life is so precious! Keeping a perspective and having a sense of humor (along with eating right, getting enough sleep and exercise) brings so much enrichment and joy into my life. Knowing that God, my family and my life’s work of making a difference are my priorities and keeping clarity of purpose are the keys to keeping a balance. Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? LN: That the value of truly listening to my clients can really guide me to better serve them. It is the ability to focus on what clients really need and give them that concierge experience! Recently, the actor, Tom Hanks shared how Mister Rogers was a masterful listener and used the acronym, WAIT as a guide to help him improve his ability to better listen. It stands for “Why Am I Talking”, which I have found to be a great tool for thoughtful listening. Q: What advice do you have for the next generation of women behind you? LN: Don’t let fear sabotage your ability to take risks and don’t lose the courage to be your best self! It can be challenging for women to continue to believe in themselves and to know that they can succeed and to not lose the confidence and faith that they are on the right path despite the challenges. Rehearse each challenging task mentally in advance, so you are ready to address them and have considered all scenarios (from Stephen Covey). Previously, as a corporate VP in a very dynamic and changing environment, I knew that the people I had the privilege to lead truly made the key difference, as they were the ones closest to the clients’ needs. Respect all those who have led the way, listen and be grateful to your mentors. All of us can recollect those who believed in us and were humbled by their incredible support. They were the ones who created your path!

Pamela Lindsay Pamela Lindsay co-founded the College of Adaptive Arts (CAA) with DeAnna Pursai in the spring of 2009, launching a vision of lifelong collegiate education for those who have historically not had access to such opportunity. The effort began with one student and endless possibilities, a twinkle in the eye, and a call upon their hearts. However, that little-vision-that-could has developed into one of their community’s most historic and impactful contributions to accessible, lifelong higher education for adults with differing abilities. The importance of this mission has been recognized locally and state-wide while the college itself has grown strong as a California charitable organization. CAA “Cardinals” are spirited collegiate men and women with a whole wide and beautiful range of learner profiles, including those who happen to have Down syndrome and autism. They have collectively earned over 11,000 credits to-date toward private diplomas in designated areas of adapted classroom study. The students do not need to leave the program upon graduation or cease their learning journey. They can stay and pursue as many diploma tracks as they like or take just one class. Like any community college, CAA is there for students whenever and however they need it. Lindsay explains that adults with differing abilities ages 18 to 70+ can experience obstacles to their pursuit of lifelong academic development including cost, age-out, class content, pace of study, and access to programs. These obstacles inhibit movement toward ongoing diploma goals. Lindsay’s M.A. in Theatre Arts, background in special needs education and consulting, and experience in college classroom instruction guide continual invention of innovative designs for eliminating these limits. She is currently completing her doctorate in research and development of ground-breaking ways for CAA staff, students, families, and community partners to collaboratively construct new solutions for curriculum and instruction within this disruptive and adaptive learning model. A day in Cardinal life has expanded to include joyful learning moments in nine schools of study. However, the need for expanded classroom space also grows every year. According to Lindsay, this is a great problem. They are now launching the next stage of their vision to accommodate growth: the move of their students and programs from current studio space to an existing college campus. The significance of this step will only be surpassed by the increase in the students’ learning and contribution potential. Colleges with space on their campus and in their plans for expanded impact

will experience another stratosphere of identified inclusive learning opportunities when they add CAA to their student community. The battle cry for this revolutionary work is, “Move the mountain!” The students’ motto is, “Showcase ability!” The community cry is “Transform perception!” Lindsay describes these as ingredients for powerful momentum and change if, as their alma mater asks, we all work together and “Just Believe.”

Pamela Lindsy, Co-Founder | College of Adaptive Arts 1401 Parkmoor Ave. #260 | San Jose, CA 95126 | mobile: 408-538-3809

DeAnna Pursai DeAnna Pursai teamed up with Pamela Lindsay in 2009 to co-found College of Adaptive Arts, which provides an equitable collegiate experience to adults with special needs who historically have not had access to college education. This lifelong college model is one the first of its kind in the country, and it’s grow 12-fold since inception. CAA’s vision is empowering the student body to creatively transform perception of individuals with disabilities. The long-term vision is to make this model of lifelong education as flexible and scalable so that it can be replicated across the country to become the Special Olympics model in the education space. DeAnna received her Bachelor’s at Purdue University in special education and elementary education and her Master’s from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Educational Policy Analysis. She’s active in the San Jose in San Jose Rotary Club, in the MyProGroup business leads/referrals group, and she sits on the board of Christmas in the Park. Her guiding force is her sister, Angel, who happens to have Down syndrome, who is a constant source of love, guidance, and in rethinking possibility.

DeAnna Pursai, Executive Director | Official Mountain Mover, College of Adaptive Arts 1401 Parkmoor Ave. #260 | San Jose, CA 95126 | mobile: 408-394-6816

Dr. Aparajita Sohoni Physician Lead, QTbreasthealth

For every woman who is diagnosed with breast cancer, 19 more are likely to endure the sleepless nights, depression and anguish commonly associated with a false positive. And those are just some of the reactions felt by women who have been mistakenly told they have a potentially life-threatening disease. At QTbreasthealth, our mission is to provide reassurance without radiation. With two locations right here in the Bay Area, we provide the only true 3D, FDA-cleared breast imaging technology for women as a follow-up to mammography – and with no radiation, compression or injections. Throughout my career as an ER doctor, I’ve witnessed the results of delayed cancer diagnoses or side effects from treatments and wondered what may have happened with earlier detection or a more progressive approach to medicine like we have at QTbreasthealth. It’s time you put the decision making about your breast health in the most qualified hands – yours.

3 Hamilton Landing, Suite 180 Novato, CA 94949 415-497-4800

Honest, Funny & Filled with Passion to Empower Women!

Dion Lim,

News Anchor / Reporter ABC7 News, KGO-TV Q: How did your career start as news anchor? DL: By a stroke of pure luck! I had always wanted to be a reporter, then a network correspondent before the age of 30. This was the career path I had carved out in my head. But during my first on-air job in tiny Springfield, Massachusetts, (market 109) just a year into the job, somehow, my agent got a call from the ABC station in Kansas City (market 33) and asked if I wanted to try anchoring. Having never anchored before, and wanting to keep it a secret, a friend of mine from a competing station snuck me into their studios after hours to record a demo using the day’s old scripts. When I got the job and first sat down at that desk, (much to the chagrin of my much older, experienced, talented co-workers) I made a lot of mistakes but learned so much. All it took was for one person to believe in me, someone who thought I had talent and just needed the experience and skills. He laid the foundation for what I do today, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything else in the world. Q: What is a typical day like for you? DL: After working nights most of my career, I’ve discovered unless you are regimented on waking up it’s far too easy to sleep in until noon! So, when the alarm goes off, usually around 8 I immediately get on my phone and scroll through social media and catch up on the big news of the day. That keeps me from going back to sleep. DION AT THE OSCARS 2019

In the news business you never know what your

REPORTING ON THE KAVANAUGH HEARING

shift will be depending on the day...and that some weeks I work day shifts and night shifts and the occasional early morning 3am shift! The hours before my shift starts at 2:30 or 3 pm, I try to be as productive as possible. This week, I’m meeting with the Asian Realtors Association of America to go over a speech I’m presenting for their yearly gala.Other days I meet up with friends for lunch since I’m at work at the time most people go out to dinner and drinks. I’ve been a part of an online food group called #FoodTravelChat for several years and for the San Francisco members, we explore new places to eat and we jokingly refer to ourselves as “those people” who take photos of our food to post on social media later! As soon as work begins, it’s go-go-go. For reporting shifts, I’m in assignment meetings, making calls, in the field grabbing interviews and trying to juggle many tasks at once. A photographer friend of mine introduced me to a device called a Hot Logic, which is like a portable oven the size of a lunchbox. I use it to eat while I write my story script and web script. Depending on what I’m covering, I could be live in the 11 pm newscast. The fact you never know where you’ll be on any given day is what makes reporting exciting. On anchoring days, it’s equally as busy, but inside the station. There is proofing and writing of scripts. Recording teases and tracking story packages and calls to set up stories for reporting days. Since we have a lot of newscasts at ABC7 during

the week and on the weekend, I usually use my Hot Logic at my desk for dinner or we’ll all order delivery. Postmates, Caviar and Uber Eats are a must some nights! Some evenings, we’ll have special guests visit the studio. I’m involved with a group called Best Buddies, which promotes friendship, job creation and confidence for those with physical and developmental disabilities. Recently, a generous donor spent $1600 to sponsor a group of 10 Buddies and their family members to watch one of our newscasts. My co-anchor Eric Thomas and I, along with meteorologist Drew Tuma spent time answering their questions, showing them the technology of the studio and just spending quality time eating cake with them. These evenings are very special to me and part of why I love what I do! After getting home at around midnight, (or later if I’m reporting and live somewhere far away from the station) I stay up another hour or two reading, unwinding with all of my DVR’d shows and eating my 4th meal with my husband. He is a professional poker player and has a flexible schedule, so it’s good he’s a night-owl too! Q: Can you share with our audience one of your most memorable events you’ve covered? DL: My first day on air at ABC7 was when the North Bay Fires broke out. As soon as I stepped into the newsroom, a colleague thrust a big red

Honest, Funny & Filled with Passion to Empower Women!

Dion Lim,

In the news business you never know what your

REPORTING ON THE KAVANAUGH HEARING

newscast from her. She taught me every has a season and a place to shine. Lyanne Melendez here at ABC7 News/KGO-TV is inspirational because she’s reported all over the world for CNN and is tough as nails, knows who she is and has been a cheerleader for me as the relative new kid at KGO. Members of Women Entrepreneurs of Los Altos launch festive inaugural 2017 WE Vibe Block Party highlighting the women-owned businesses of Los Altos.

I’ve had a lot of success, but behind it also came a lot of rejection. But it’s those who said “yes” and took a chance or believed in me that helped me get to where I am today.

DION VISITS GOOD MORNING AMERICA

bag my direction and inside was my fire-retardant suit, a face mask, and hard helmet. I’ve covered tornadoes and hurricanes and all other natural disasters...but a wildfire, which grows, and spread is unlike anything I could ever imagine. I met so many people those first few days who had experienced tremendous loss. A man, covered in ash, dazed and wandering the streets. A family frantically packing up their belongings to evacuate. A woman who had lost a dozen horses to the flames. I still keep in touch with some of them today, and it’s been encouraging to hear how they’re starting to rebuild and piece their lives back together. The funniest? A time in Kansas City when a man was arrested after licking a frog, hoping the animal’s poisonous venom would create a hallucinogenic experience! Q: What’s one lesson you’ve learned in your career that you can share with our audience? DL: That you don’t have to be the smartest, the most talented or most skilled in order to thrive in your career. (I’m definitely not and have the grades from school to prove it!) It’s about being able to communicate, not

Q: Do you have any advice you can share for those women who may want to pursue a career in broadcast journalism? DL: Don’t be discouraged by the “no’s”. Let them fuel your passion to strive for something better. This is a subjective business. It’s not like mathematics, where there is always a clear and defined right or wrong answer to an equation. In TV news, you could be a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, but if one person doesn’t like your voice, and you don’t get the job, does that mean you’re not talented? Absolutely not.

only with an audience but during those day-to-day “microinteractions” in the workplace and also with yourself. Being comfortable in your own skin to have the confidence to tackle any challenge that comes your way. This is the theme of my book “untitled” (McGraw-Hill 2019) coming out this fall. Q: Which woman inspires you and why? DL: Do I have to pick just one?! The cliché thing to say would be my mom but she is truly remarkable in many ways. My mother grew up in Taiwan and because girls were not viewed as valuable like boys, she was given away to another family. When that family rejected her and gave her back, can you imagine what that must do to you psychologically? Later as an immigrant she faced tremendous racism and adversity in the US. I’m amazed by her work ethic and grit to get things done and to take care of our family despite all of the hurdles. When it comes to TV news, I’ve had the fortune of working with some remarkable women in my career. Sonja Gantt the former main anchor at the NBC station in Charlotte taught me how to lead a newsroom with kindness and empathy when I took over the 11pm

Q: What are some of the challenges you feel women face today? DL: What AREN’T some challenges women face today? An important topic I speak about often at schools and at women’s conferences is being “ok” with who you are and understanding you are “enough”. There is so much pressure to look and sound a certain way. To fit the standard of beauty and success. But unless you wholeheartedly grasp the notion of acceptance of who you are, you cannot effectively emote and communicate with your audience, your colleagues, the environment around you. Early in my career, I was very insecure. Unaware of my unique talents as a person. But during this time, I was portraying this image of perfection on TV. It was not authentic. My advice is to never let others take away your confidence. Your sense of self-worth. It empowers you to pass on these lessons to others and empower them. If you remember what that is, you’ll be untouchable. Q: What advice would you give to young women who want to succeed in the workplace?

DION AT THE 2018 OSCARS

DL: It’s why I partnered with my literary agent at Full Circle Literary and my publisher, McGraw-Hill to write a book about communication. It’s number one. Unlike in say, college, workplaces are filled with people from all different backgrounds, all different ages. The bringing together of a diverse workforce means each person can bring inherent skills and talents to the table. But it also can mean breakdowns in communication style. This breeds stress, drama, and frustration. You don’t have to be the smartest, the quickest or the most talented. But when you know how to listen and react appropriately with those you interact with, you’ll have a more productive, harmonious work environment. Q: What do you like the most about living in the Bay Area? DL: Hands down the diversity, which is reflected in the thinking, the lifestyle, and the FOOD! Every city I’ve had the opportunity to work in has shaped who I am today, and I’m so grateful for those experiences. But San Francisco has a vibrancy like no other, which makes me feel alive.

I’ve had a lot of success, but behind it also came a lot of rejection. But it’s those who said “yes” and took a chance or believed in me that helped me get to where I am today.

DION VISITS GOOD MORNING AMERICA

DION AT THE 2018 OSCARS

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Join The Fight Against Human Trafficking Here in Santa Clara County! By Cindy Chavez

Santa Clara County Supervisor, District Two

“Out of sight, out of mind” is a sad but fitting way to describe they recalled many suspicious situations that had occurred how human trafficking has grown into a multi-billion dollar in the past. One of the VTA drivers who received this training illicit industry across the globe. Human trafficking is a form recognized that passengers on his bus seemed to match the of modern day slavery that transcends gender, age, ethnic, description of a kidnapper and his toddler abductee texted socioeconomic and national boundaries. The most vulner- from the VTA operations center. He acted, and when the bus able of us are susceptible to traffickers’ use of deception, reached the Fremont BART Station, police officers immedifraud, threats, coercion, violence, debt ately apprehended the captor and rescued bondage and other manipulative stratethe child. The hero driver, Tim Watson, gies to force people into commercial sex credited the human trafficking training he or labor. had received the week before. The FBI has identified the Bay Area as one We need strong enforcement, too, so the of the nation’s top four hubs for human County has also funded new teams in the trafficking. That is why one of my primaSheriff’s and District Attorney’s offices dedry foci since joining the Board of Supericated to fighting human trafficking. The visors has been to expose and combat Law Enforcement to Investigate Human the scourge of human trafficking in Santa Trafficking (LEIHT) Task Force has investiClara County. gators from the Sheriff, local police and the In 2014, I proposed, and the Board of FBI. The work of the LEIHT Task Force has CINDY CHAVEZ Supervisors unanimously apalready paid off with the arrest of proved, the creation of the multiple human traffickers and Santa Clara County Human Trafrescue of victims from both sex ficking Commission, which I coand labor trafficking. chair with Sheriff Laurie Smith We need your help in identifying, and District Attorney Jeff Rosen. reporting and raising awareness The Human Trafficking Comabout human trafficking. In colmission has already worked on laboration with our community a number of high-profile campartners, Santa Clara County’s paigns, including collaborating Office of Women’s Policy has with the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority (VTA) developed training materials to help raise awareness and to provide human trafficking awareness training to all VTA decrease the number of people trafficked in our neighbordrivers beginning in March, 2015, and launching the San- hoods. Please learn the red flags of human trafficking and ta Clara County Human Trafficking Awareness Campaign in remember: if you see something, say something. December, 2015. To view the County’s Human Trafficking training video and In the first week of the training provided to VTA drivers and brochure, please visit: fare inspectors, the Office of the Sheriff received eight tips. http://tinyurl.com/SCC-HT-Training-Video (video) VTA employees wished they had this knowledge before, as http://tinyurl.com/SCC-Know-the-Red-Flags (brochure)

FERTILITY PRESERVATION 5 Things You Should Know By Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh

Your fertility isn’t skin deep. It’s as simple as that. Just because you look like you’re 28 when you’re 42, doesn’t mean your ovaries are the same. Unlike men who don’t run out of sperm, it is totally normal and expected for every woman to run out of eggs by a certain age. The average age of menopause is 51 and it’s very difficult to get pregnant during the 10 years leading up to that age. Some of us are born with more eggs or run out at a slower rate but at the end of the day most women are not fertile in their 40’s. It’s unfair for women to be made to feel like there’s something wrong with them when they’re told they’re not fertile at the age of 40. Not many women are fertile in their 40’s. Empower yourself with knowledge about your fertility so you can learn more about your options. Running out of eggs doesn’t mean you also run out of options. Women in their 40’s often turn to more creative ways to grow their family: donor eggs, donor embryos and adoption just to name a few. I find that most of my patients who see me over the age of 40 say they wish they had frozen their eggs when they could have. Women today sadly learn that they’re running out of eggs at the same time that they decide to start a family. Egg freezing technology has changed dramatically over the past 5 years or so. Women don’t have to say that they wish they froze their eggs 10 years ago…..a time when egg freezing success rates weren’t as good as they are today. The time is now to ask your doctor whether egg freezing is for you. Here’s what you should know: 1. There are tests you can do to find

Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh Photos by Jennifer Crandall

out more about your fertility. Your doctor can order an Anti Mullerian Hormone level (AMH) as a guide regarding how much battery you have in your biological clock. Cycle day 3 FSH and estradiol levels and an antral follicle count (ultrasound looking at your ovaries often done by a reproductive endocrinologist) can also be used clinically as a guide. 2. If your Mom or other female family members had fertility issues related to conditions like endometriosis or early menopause, you should strongly consider preserving your fertility and seeing a doctor

to talk more about your options. 3. There are some medical conditions that require drug treatments that can be what we call “gonadotoxic” ie result in damage to eggs or sperm. Patients who are diagnosed with conditions like Lupus, blood disorders, and cancer are often put on chemotherapeutic Dr. Eyvazzadeh has been hosting “Egg Freezing Parties” designed to raise awareness of fertility issues since 2014. drugs. Freezing eggs/sperm Harvard Medical School, she completed a can give these patients a chance for pregnancy in the future fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility at University of Michigan. She after their treatment is over if they run out also completed a Masters in Public Health in of eggs earlier because of the treatments. Health Management and Policy at University 4. Freezing eggs for future use is best in of Michigan. She has a private practice in younger women because our eggs have a the SF Bay Area. higher chance of being viable the younger Each day she hears story after story we are. If you’re considering freezing your from women struggling to conceive. In her eggs in your late 30’s, you could still have a attempt to alleviate some of this heartbreak, good chance for pregnancy. Speaking with she has gone on a mission of “fertility a fertility specialist would be helpful before awareness”. Her hope is to empower you decide to freeze your eggs. women at an early age, making them more 5. Egg freezing involves a surgical aware of their own personal fertility levels procedure. Women have to take selfadministered shots in the skin of their lower and allowing them to be better educated about their options. Never again does she abdomen for about 10 days prior to the egg want to hear “If I had known 10 years ago extraction procedure. To hear more about the process of IVF or that my egg reserves were running low, I would have done things differently”. egg freezing, please read Dr. Aimee’s next In 2014, she launched her message with article. “Egg Freezing Parties”. These hosted parties Dr. Aimee Eyvazzadeh is a native of offer women a chance to learn more about the Bay Area. She is a graduate of UCLA egg freezing and ask their questions in a School of Medicine. After completing her comfortable, safe environment with likeresidency in Obstetrics & Gynecology at minded women. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center and

stop and say, ‘Wow this or Wow, I’m a success at this’. Well, I’m just doing it. I’m still doing it. It’s never over. You’re always working to get better. SVL: What advice do you offer to aspiring basketball players or aspiring youth? TV: In anything, if you want to be accomplished, you have to put a lot of time into something. You have to love it. You have to have passion for it. For someone to do anything, you need to be passionate about it, excited about it, enthusiastic and work at it every day. And you don’t know where it’s going to take you. I had no idea that basketball would take me to where it has taken me. But, I love basketball. I love to watch

THE LOVE OF THE GAME,

A great student ... a great teacher ... a great leader. Tara VanDerveer and team in their pregame preparation as they were about to play UConn in the Final Four.

Music and Life A Fascinating Conversation with Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer

it, I love to play it; I love to think about it, talk about it. I still do. To be good at something, yes, you have to put a lot of time into it, and you have to have a plan - how to always improve and get better. SVL: What advice do you offer people in life in general? TV: Young people that I meet, or even if I’m speaking, I think first of all, for the most part - I mean look at our lives, how fortunate we are to live where we live, the people that we are around, the opportunities that we have, the beauty of the Bay Area, all this great weather … It’s not to say that there aren’t problems or issues. I say to our team: when you wake up in the morning, you have two choices: Are you going to have a good day or are you going to have a great day? Make it a

Tara VanDerveer is the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball at

life and the people she meets … and she loves her coaching. There is so

Stanford University. She is one of the greatest coaches, men or women, bas-

much … in basketball … in music … and in life … She is the ultimate student

ketball or any sport, of any era. She is just one of six Women’s College Basket-

of all … and the ultimate teacher, too. I hope you enjoy this visit with her as

ball coaches to win more than 900 games … and coaches at one of the very

much I certainly have.

few schools where the academic standards are so high, so many of the best recruits cannot be admitted and play for Stanford.

Q: What is your definition of leadership? TV: I think leaders are people that don’t complain; they are people that get

Tara has won two national championships, 23 Pac-12 Championships, 11 Pac-

things done. Leaders to me are people with high energy; they really care

12 Tournament Championships and was the coach of the US Olympic Wom-

about the people they are working with. They care about the outcome of

en’s Basketball Team in Atlanta that went 60-0 and won the Gold Medal. She

events; they are unselfish, are very determined and are very resilient. I like

is also on the verge of becoming the winningest NCAA Women’s Basketball

resilient leaders. Having worked with different teams, leaders have to set a

Coach in history.

good example, they have to be people that you can identify with. Yes, the same can be said about coaching.

In 1985, Tara accepted the challenge of coming to Stanford where on the west coast women’s basketball was merely an afterthought. Tara saw some-

Q: What is your definition of success?

thing … it called to her … and she has never looked back. She loves it here.

TV: I don’t know that I have a definition of success just because it seems like

“There is a culture of excellence here. We are part of a special place in time, to

it’s so fluid. To me, nothing is “done”. It is always a journey. So maybe you’re

be here, to be in the Silicon Valley and the Bay Area. It is very energizing and

lying on your deathbed and then you can say, “Wow, that was a success”. But,

it’s motivating. It gives me an incredible amount of energy.”

everything to me, a success seems like it’s a final answer. A final, here’s a successful season - Well, you’re always working on always improving and getting

She loves her piano every day, she loves her training for a triathlon, she loves

better. So, that’s a hard one for me. I am just kind of in the moment. I don’t

great day and do the things to make it a great day, by giving to others and by being excited. SVL: What would you say about how much life is about sports and sports is about life? TV: To me basketball is just my medium. Basketball, it could be an art, it could be ballet, it could be music. Anything you do, if someone is passionate about computers, or cars, what-

So excited. Tara VanDerveer loved being the honorary coach of the

ever it is you’re passionate about, that’s what you try to do,

Stanford football team. It was such fun and, sure enough, Stanford won big.

you try and learn as much as you can about them – work as hard as you can, like for me, to making our team as good as

cruiting weekend this weekend, so we are hoping there will be some more of those that want

it can be. Like Tesla, how do you make a great car, how do

what we call, “to be on the wall” … To be on the wall, they are great players, or All-Americans,

you make the great working environment. Whatever it is, it’s

or they’re great team players - teammates like Krista Rappahahn, who is now a doctor here at

all the same to me. You’re always recruiting, you’re always

Stanford – so it’s not just the All-American best, but All-American caliber players, teammates,

coaching. But basketball is my medium.

the whole thing. It’s going to be a big game this weekend vs. Arizona. You know, I’m the honorary coach this

SVL: What do you look for in your recruits?

weekend at the football game. I am very excited about it. I’m going to be talking to the team

TV: You know, really, it’s are they great basketball players and

Friday night. We have our recruits here, so it’s going to be a very busy weekend. I’ll be running

are they great students? And, then, those are people that we

out onto the field, will be there for the toss of the coin, I’ll be on the field and also in the stands

recruit. You hope the fact that they are very disciplined aca-

with our recruits, so I’ll be running back and forth. I am really excited about it.

demically and that they work really hard.

Over the years, I have been here with such great Football coaches … I have been very close

We just try to keep recruiting and it’s going to be a big re-

with a number of them. Coaches like Bill Walsh, Tyrone Willingham, Jim Harbaugh, David

stop and say, ‘Wow this or Wow, I’m a success at this’. Well, I’m just doing it. I’m still doing it. It’s never over. You’re always working to get better. Q: What advice do you offer to aspiring basketball players or aspiring youth? TV: In anything, if you want to be accomplished, you have to put a lot of time into something. You have to love it. You have to have passion for it. For someone to do anything, you need to be passionate about it, excited about it, enthusiastic and work at it every day. And you don’t know where it’s going to take you. I had no idea that basketball would take me to where it has taken me. But, I love basketball. I love to watch

THE LOVE OF THE GAME,

A great student ... a great teacher ... a great leader. Tara VanDerveer and team in their pregame preparation as they were about to play UConn in the Final Four.

Music and Life A Fascinating Conversation with Stanford’s Tara VanDerveer

it, I love to play it; I love to think about it, talk about it. I still do. To be good at something, yes, you have to put a lot of time into it, and you have to have a plan - how to always improve and get better. Q: What advice do you offer people in life in general? TV: Young people that I meet, or even if I’m speaking, I think first of all, for the most part - I mean look at our lives, how fortunate we are to live where we live, the people that we are around, the opportunities that we have, the beauty of the Bay Area, all this great weather … It’s not to say that there aren’t problems or issues. I say to our team: when you wake up in the morning, you have two choices: Are you going to have a good day or are you going to have a great day? Make it a

Tara VanDerveer is the Setsuko Ishiyama Director of Women’s Basketball at

life and the people she meets … and she loves her coaching. There is so

Stanford University. She is one of the greatest coaches, men or women, bas-

much … in basketball … in music … and in life … She is the ultimate student

ketball or any sport, of any era. She is just one of six Women’s College Basket-

of all … and the ultimate teacher, too. I hope you enjoy this visit with her as

ball coaches to win more than 900 games … and coaches at one of the very

much I certainly have.

few schools where the academic standards are so high, so many of the best recruits cannot be admitted and play for Stanford.

SVL: What is your definition of leadership? TV: I think leaders are people that don’t complain; they are people that get