The Next Chapter

"Charm, communication and respect — showing people respect —  just changes the atmosphere so dramatically," says Debora Black, Chief of Police in Glendale, Arizona. Black defied the odds to get where she is today.  She came up in a male dominated industry and rose up the ranks in a way that was unexpected — at least to her. "When I was in fourth grade this didn't exist," Black says.  "You did not...

"If you truly want to be successful and be a leader, own it," says Kathi Miller-Miller, author, blogger and career coach. Recently, Miller wrote a blog reviewing an online course for Concordia University titled  "How To Function Above Entry Level." The course, she says, focuses on positive self talk and creating a plan for advancement. "Some of us are great about speaking confidently and projectin...

"It was the first time I had been knocked down so hard by life I wondered if I would ever be able to get up again," says Eileen Laird of waking up in excruciating pain. It was 2012.  Laird, age 43 at the time, was hit almost overnight with the sudden onset of rheumatoid arthritis and saw her whole world turn upside down.  One day she was out hiking and enjoying the outdoors, the next she could bar...

"Being able to have energy freedom is something I have always supported.  We should be able to control our own destiny," says Meghaen Dell'Artino, a Phoenix based lobbyist for SolarCity. Dell'Artino was selected by Elon Musk's company to fight a big battle in Arizona  — a battle that is on hold.  For now. SolarCity, the state's largest solar installer and APS, the state's largest utility agreed to...

"We gotta figure it out otherwise the Republican Party might be going away.  Who knows?  Either this election or next election," says former Congressman and lifelong Republican Ben Quayle. Quayle, who now runs a DC based consulting Firm, HHQ Ventures , joins a growing list of high profile Republicans who are either waiting to endorse Trump or who flat out refuse.   Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush...

"It's going to get better, hang in there, it is going to get better," says Naketa Ross.  She has seen first hand how life can turn around. Ross is the founder of a Phoenix based nonprofit called "Resilient Me".  She became fascinated with the concept of resiliency when it manifested in her life.   Tragedy was all she knew at a young age.  Ross' mother was a drug addict.  She was raped and murdered...

"By the time this election rolls around in November we are going to be so disgusted by these two that nobody will care to vote and it could be the world's lowest turnout when we are done."  That is one scenario Republican political strategist Marcus Dell'Artino from the Phoenix, Arizona based firm First Strategic sees as a very real possibility if (as it seems likely) Donald Trump and Hillary Clin...

"10 million lives were impacted for good and I think that is really what we need to focus on." Darleen Santore is the U.S. Ambassador for Pay It Forward Day, which is celebrated worldwide on April 28th.  It's a mission that started 10 years ago by Blake Beattie in Australia. "I am very blessed to be able to help represent our country, with 79 other countries, and today we all unite for Pay It Forw...

"I can tell you from the standpoint of the healthcare field, we have never seen this type of epidemic at the numbers we see with opiate addiction and heroine," says Bob Vickrey, Director of the Las Vegas Community Triage Center. Vickrey has worked with recovering addicts for decades.  In fact, he is a recovered addict himself. "When I found heroine it changed my life forever — I lost all resemblan...

"At some point I threatened to kill my partner and myself.  I was put in the psych ward and  diagnosed with PTSD." Cleo DeLoner has a very powerful story to share. She is an Army Veteran and former police officer who sunk so deep into depression and PTSD, that she tried to take her own life.   "I took a long rifle and a loaded magazine, drove out to a river (… ) held the rifle to my face and pulle...

"You really have to understand the steps and what you want to do.  Stay focused on the steps you need to take to get there." Brian Burns has mastered the art of sales.  He wrote the book, "The Maverick Selling Method: Simplifying The Complex Sale" to teach people how to build habits instead of looking for a "eureka moment". "I'm more focused on trying to teach people to understand how companies ma...

"It's a public health epidemic because it is linked to child welfare.   Millions of dollars are lost to this issue.  We haven't uncovered the real impact, the trauma to men, women, children, and pets." Dr. Maria Garay-Serratos is the CEO of Sojourner Center, a domestic violence shelter in Phoenix, Arizona that is breaking new ground both in principal and in practice. "I believe a world can be crea...

"He still leads by a couple hundred delegates and he has the home court advantage coming up, so it should be a good couple of weeks for Donald Trump." Barry Dill, a Democratic strategist from the political strategy firm First Strategic in Phoenix, Arizona says a brokered convention is all but certain for the GOP. Still, Dill says he has a hard time understanding the appeal that brought Mr. Trump t...

"At 9 years old I was still sleeping in bed with mom and dad for fear that dad was going to kill mom."   Addison Brown lived the first 9 years of her life in fear.  Although, she didn't realize it at the time.  "I didn't know it wasn't normal that a dad drank 24 cans of beer a night.  I didn't know that all kids weren't spanked with wire hangers.  It's not something you talk about as a child – tha...

Sunny Wright was a busy wife and mother, a highly educated PR pro married to a doctor. But her life was, in her words, a full catastrophe. For 35 years, Wright lived as "society wanted her to live."  She was a high achiever in every aspect.  Until it all came crashing down.   In 2009, Wright had a stress induced breakdown.  She looked in the mirror and saw legions in her hairline.  Wright had deve...

"I am waiting for Ashton Kutcher to jump out and say you've been punked." Sean Noble , a Republican Strategist with the firm Axiom Public Affairs , believes that there is almost a guarantee at this point that there will be an open GOP convention. "It can't be Trump, he will destroy the brand.  It is much better to have a brutal process than nominate Trump." Noble was an early backer of Marco Rubio...

"I always wanted to be that voice for the people without voices.  I had that foundation of love that said you are special. Walk with your head up.  You have so much to offer the world." Dr. Kellie Warren grew up in Ohio.  Her family was loving, but not all of her experiences were easy.  Warren was bused across town to school where she was one of the only African Americans.  She was frequently the...

"I think these guys see the demise of the republican party and we are watching it right before our eyes." Marcus Dell'Artino, a Republican strategist from the firm First Strategic in Phoenix, Arizona says this is the most politically bizarre string of events he's ever seen. "If Rubio loses Florida, if Kasich loses Ohio and Michigan, katy bar the door, Trumps on a run and it's over." Republicans ar...

"Even if no one says you can do it, God believes in you.  He has given you that faith and vision." Fitness Expert, Author and Speaker Kim Dolan Leto has walked what some might say is an improbable path.  At the age of 30, Leto found herself overworked and out of shape.  She was, like so many Americans, exhausted both mentally and physically.  "They say sitting is the new smoking," she says.  "I wa...

"Back in 1994 I was arrested for possession of marijuana with intent to distribute and conspiracy, and I was sentenced to 55 years.  All was suspended but six years." Carolyn LeCroy is the CEO of The Messages Project, a nonprofit organization that enables children of incarcerated parents to maintain and rebuild relationships with their mothers and fathers.   LeCroy has two sons, and says she reali...

"Being able to be vulnerable and authentic makes you more desirable." Joelle Hadley, Founder of The Culture Coaches and Co-Founder, Southwest Institute for Emotional Intelligence, has found tremendous success teaching people how to show up and work well together. On her website, www.theculturecoaches.com Hadley and her team list their "5 Keys To Culture" as values, legacy, structure, relationships...

"When I let go of the package that I thought things had to show up in, the dreams came true in ways bigger than I could have even dreamed for myself." Former CNN News Anchor Daryn Kagan found herself on a journey that was not of her own doing.  After 12 years as one of the main faces of CNN, she was told her contract was not being renewed.  A shock for Kagan who had excelled in the world of sports...

(Image courtesy of JayBaer.com) "Customer service is now a spectator sport and most businesses are not prepared for it." Jay Baer is the Founder of Convince & Convert , a strategy consulting firm that helps companies gain and keep more customers through technology, social media, and customer service.  He is also a New York Times best selling author whose most recent book is all about the haters. L...

"We are not looking to change church policy. What we want is to create an atmosphere in the church where gay people no longer feel that they would be better off dead." Bryce Cook, by his own admission, used to be homophobic.  He was brought up in a conservative LDS family in Mesa, Arizona, and fully embraced traditional church policy. And then he and his wife Sara received an email that changed th...

"If you don't push yourself, you aren't aware what you are capable of." Tiffany Lee Gaston is an internationally recognized fitness model, elite athlete, author and philanthropist.  She pushed herself outside of her comfort zone to document the painful experiences in her life that led to where she is today. In her upcoming book, "From Broken To Badass" Gaston opens up about the anorexia she suffer...