Stand Up and Speak Up

Do you know how to have difficult conversations in order to advocate for yourself in all aspects of your life? Do you want to learn how? Ming Shelby has dedicated her career to inspiring students, teachers, and administrators through positive learning experiences. She believes that courage is the most critical ingredient for personal transformation. She is now building a community of courage beyond the classroom to support kids and adults. You can catch her sharing stories of courage on the podcast Courage Up!

If you want anything in life, don’t wait for it to come to you. Go and make things happen. If you can lift others in the process, your chances of success increase even more. Michael Schirtzer is a standup comedian and slam poet born in New York and raised in Los Angeles. Since starting in the backroom of a comedy club in 2014, he and his writing have appeared on NBC Sports, The Jimmy Dore Show, TYT, and KPFK. He has also co-written and appeared in videos with Joe Hanson of Joe Goes receiving upwards of 5 million views. Michael produces and hosts a monthly comedy show in Malibu, CA, that features upcoming talent from the Los Angeles comedy scene and national headliners, including: Ian Edwards, Dean Delray, Tony Baker, Laurie Kilmartin, Debra Digiovanni, Jackie Kashian, and Jimmy Dore.

Do you truly know what being healthy means? Being healthy goes beyond the "normal" everyday life changes of exercising and eating healthy. It involves our mental health as well as our physical health. Deanna Blair is the founder of Spot the DOTS (Developing. Optimal. Talents. Soulfully - Connecting minds, bodies, and souls for a healthier lifestyle.) Deanna helps people understand that MENTAL ILLNESS can be overcome by creating healthier lifestyles and by changing our environment. By creating healthier lifestyles and eliminating hazardous toxins in our lives, we connect brighter minds and better bodies. We change the world one dot at a time, leading to living our most abundant life. She does this using Science-Based Evidence. The results are a much happier, healthier life with less stress. For over 30 years, Deanna has had first-hand experience. A series of life events, including living with her mom with mental illness, has led her to write her first book to be published in April of 2020. Deanna is also a member of the NAMI (National Alliance of Mental Illness), where she facilitates a family mental health class and serves as a volunteer for Mental Health of America greater Dallas. Deanna is certified in Mental Health First Aid Youth and Adults, and in NAMI Homefront – A family program designed for military service members and veterans with PTSD, and other mental health conditions. Deanna's passion is helping others who need relief from anxiety, fears, health issues, or living a purposeful life.

Listen today to learn why "funny is the honey that makes your stories stick." Ray Engan was a shy little boy who used to avoid talking to strangers by walking inside the safety of his Mom's wrap around skirts. He went on to a career in stand-up comedy, performing with and writing for some of America's best comedians. He left comedy for corporate America, and immediately found failure in the business world... until he added the skill of connecting through comedy to the business world. He became a decorated leader in several large companies and wound up as the sales manager of America's most award-winning small business. Ray has testified before a presidential task force, and appeared on MSNBC, as The Voice of Small Business in America. After reading a London Business School study on the value of humor and storytelling in the workplace, Ray went back and uncovered the processes he had used to create more productivity, increased sales with increased staff retention, and a faster training program. He reverse-engineered his success and uncovered a repeatable business success formula. Today he gives workshops around the country teaching America's business leaders how to create better, happier, more productive workers through humorous storytelling in the workplace, with his program, Leadership Through Laughter. Ray Engan is an award-winning motivational speaker, coach, and storyteller. He is the current President and CEO of Leadership Through Laughter.

What does your road to success look like? Is it straight and narrow? A smooth and easy drive where your car can coast on cruise control? Or is it like Erin’s road: long, winding, and full of potholes, construction, and roadblocks? Don’t be afraid of those roadblocks, and don’t worry if you haven’t finished your journey. Ultimately you will still get to the place you are supposed to be. It just might be different than what you had originally imagined—perhaps even better. And you will arrive at your destination a stronger person than you would have been had you never encountered those hardships. Dr. Erin L. Kelley is a professor, speaker, author, and advocate for women’s rights. Erin enjoys writing and speaking to groups about a variety of topics, including finding success through sorrow, overcoming fears and struggles, transforming blame into bravery, and becoming your best self. Her TEDx Talk, “How Law Stigmatizes Rape Victims,” also embodies Erin’s specialty topics such as sexual assault awareness, violence against women, and gender equality. For more, please visit her website: www.drerinkelley.com

Imagine what your life would be like if you lived on the other side of fear! Christie Moore is an Amazon Best Selling Author, Speaker, and Breakthrough Coach. She teaches women how to break free from limiting beliefs and live on the other side of fear. Imagine turning fear to focus, pain to power, and difficulty to determination. It was through her own personal turbulent time of devastation, shame, and feeling like a complete failure, that she discovered her limiting beliefs and gained clarity. Her coaching programs and workshops teach women how to change the trajectory in their lives so they may begin breaking up with limiting beliefs, ditch negative self-talk, stop self-sabotage, and begin living life on their terms by unblocking their pathway to joy. Christie’s magnetic and energetic personality is infectious. She creates light bulb moments of clarity for her clients who are ready to reclaim control, take their power back, and experience the same transformation that changed her life.

Lourdes Ortiz created her podcast Unveil the Leader to help you prepare for your strenuous, long-distance journey to success. Lourdes is a Human Resources specialist, corporate trainer, triathlete, and bi-lingual motivational speaker. She helps companies and individuals prepare for the strenuous, long-distance journey of business and personal success. As a young woman, she came to this country with high hopes of pursuing the American dream. But after an unexpected turn of events, she soon found herself a single mom on her own in a new land knowing but a few basic words of English. Calling upon her faith and determination to provide for her son, she learned how to communicate through home study and began to challenge herself through public speaking organizations. She continued her education and obtained a Master’s degree in Business Administration. She has worked for 27 years as the Human Resources and Safety Director for a successful plating company in Whittier, California, where she actively participates in legal hearings, employment negotiations, Workman’s Compensation issues as well as recruitment and training. She is also a Dale Carnegie Instructor and Qualified Speaker with the Toastmasters Founder’s District Speakers Bureau. Her biggest joy is to inspire and help individuals pursue their own vision of the American dream from the lessons she has learned from her surprising journey. For this reason, she created her podcast, Unveil the Leader.

Do you consider yourself spiritual? Are you afraid of what others may say if you share your spiritual experiences? Well, Robin Cotè is not. She has decided to share her spiritual experience in her new book, “Soul Stirrings.” Robin is a muscle car enthusiast, radio and show business personality, author, tranformational soul coach and speaker. She is a Studio Director for Dave Pratt’s Star Worldwide Networks and currently produces over 25 shows, along with hosting her own show, Get Real With Robin. Robin Cotè is also the author of “Victim No More!” It is her journey through the morass of abuse and loss, ultimately revealing her self-worth, preservation, and accountability. Her message, “It’s up to you to have a better life,” rings true not only in the pages of her book but also in her daily life. “VICTIM” will never be a word used to describe Robin. Robin’s smile is contagious. Her ability to inject hard truth into any situation is her calling card! For more information on Robin Cotè, go to her website, www.robincote.com

Laurel Felt, Ph.D., is the founder and CEO of HeartFelt Speaking. She helps purpose-driven women and allies, like entrepreneurs and activists, to translate their big ideas into powerful stories and easy-to-understand messages that they can confidently deliver on TEDx stages, in coffee shops, and everywhere in between. In addition to coaching one-on-one, Laurel also teaches online courses and facilitates workshops for many notable organizations. Laurel also donates her time to amplify marginalized voices. She coaches non-native English speakers who have experienced refugee resettlement and has advised a grassroots campaign for the Los Angeles Council. Before launching her private practice, Laurel joyfully taught public speaking at the University of Southern California (USC). Her over 250 beloved students grew into skilled and enthusiastic public speakers. She continues to teach several courses in business communication at USC. She also serves as a Senior Fellow with UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers. Laurel earned a Ph.D. in Communication from USC, a master’s degree in Child Development from Tufts University, and a bachelor’s degree in Social Policy from Northwestern University. Perhaps equally dazzling as these academic accolades, she is a former star of community children’s theater (debuting at age 8 in a memorable turn as Zoompa the Oompa Loompa), champion of high school public speaking, a darling of collegiate improv, and maverick Toastmaster.

Failure can equal success. No matter how many times you fail, use the lessons from your failures, double down in your efforts, and you eventually will end up ahead of where you started. Anthony Michael Russo is a Dallas based speaker and emcee who has hosted events all over the country, large and small. He's the official on-field host for several of the NCAA championships, including College World Series in Omaha and the men's Final Four. Anthony assists in several charity events as a host and emcee. He is also a motivational and keynote speaker who helps audiences get past failure and turn it into a positive. He preaches that failure is part of the process, and that pushing to failure is where growth and greatness occurs. He started a social movement in 2016 called #BETHECHANGE where he spreads the message of positivity and taking action to make the world a better place.

If you don’t like the results you are getting in life, make different choices. Sarah Ordo did, and she is living her best life. Sarah Ordo is your not so typical millennial girl, just craving to make moves and leave her mark on the world! She is a bit of a do-it-all kind of girl and seriously does ALL the things. She is an entrepreneur and the owner of 24Luxe Hair & Makeup here in Detroit, an on-location hair and makeup team for weddings and events. She is also a licensed makeup artist, self-published author, podcast host, YouTuber, life coach, workshop creator, and most recently has begun organizing live local events!

Sometimes, when you need to make significant changes, you need to get away from your daily routine. Businesses do it regularly by holding off-site meetings. Time spent away allows you to focus on what matters most and make the necessary changes to achieve your goals. Frankly Coaching is about improving work-life balance by reducing the impact of stress and increasing vitality to help clients achieve their goals. Puja’s techniques are a comfortable balance between the scientific and the spiritual, with a conscious connection to mind, body, and soul. Having had depression to the point of suicide, Puja’s techniques ensure mental health is managed so that burnout may be prevented. Puja offers open and honest coaching and mentoring in partnership with clients, identifying the situation, going deep into reasons for being stuck, and finding solutions to help them manage the daily challenges and stresses of life, clarify and reach their life goals. Puja’s coaching and mentoring style is kind, real, authentic, and challenging, helping clients find confidence and gain more control of their lives.