Highlighting Local Gems

Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.

Janelle Manzano

Haha, I often reflect back on how I was raised and look at what I do now in my career then think ‘yeah, this makes sense.’ I was raised in my grandpa’s backyard and kitchen. I would help him water his garden and harvest things like eggplant, onions, tomatoes, string beans, and more. Then I would do my homework while he cooked dinner. Read more>>

Tamer A.

I can say with full confidence that the public version of me is absolutely and undeniably 100% me. When I started this business I told myself one thing – and that was that I would never stray away from being my genuine and authentic self. Read more>>

Astrid Montalvo

YES!!! 2020! 2020 was the worst time of my life! I went thru every emotion in the book. I lost my entire career that I worked so hard to build. I lost it all and I did not know what to do. My life coach died and I felt so lost. Read more>>

Christina Rios

Wow, that’s kind of hard to answer. Let’s see, I would hope they tell people about how my life wasn’t just lived; it was crafted. That I never saw ‘stay-at-home’ as ‘stay-put.’ That I saw it as ‘stay-inspired,’ and my greatest canvas was my home and family. That it wasn’t just the beautiful things I created or how I kept my home or family. Read more>>

Sally & Shawn Weimer

After we are gone, we hope people will talk about how we never gave up, even when life became extremely painful and difficult. In fact, we did the opposite of giving up – we pursued many different avocations after tragedy hit us in 2008. We led teams of families and adults to Jamaica, Guatemala, Cambodia, and Thailand for cross-cultural education and humanitarian aid. Read more>>

Brandon S. Johnson

It’s hard to point to just one moment that shaped how I see the world — it was really a series of moments that built on each other. Losing my mom in my teens changed everything. Later, I found myself at rock bottom — jobless, homeless, sleeping in my grandmother’s back room, trying to figure out what was next. Read more>>

Kate Allen Fox

I believe that all people are shaped by play, myself included, which is one of the reasons I felt called to write my latest book,<i> Go Play: How Parents Can Empower Kids to Build Their Own Worlds</i> (co-authored with Gennie Gorback). As a child, I was naturally drawn toward dramatic play, which is why improv feels like play to the adult version of me. Read more>>

Monica Challingsworth

Before the world told me who I had to be, I was a girl who loved creating joy out of simple moments. I hosted dinners for friends, made spaces feel warm, and dreamed of ideas larger than the world around me. I was playful, curious, and endlessly creative. Over time, the business world asked me to be sharper, more polished, and more professional. Read more>>

Leonardo Machuca Larios

Totally. I do it every single day — whether as a parent, a friend, or a DJ. Giving your best isn’t about who’s watching or clapping, it’s about the pride you take in what you do. That’s the beauty of the entertainment industry — it takes a whole team to make one event, one concert, one night come to life. Read more>>

Michael Ravenwood

I wake up around 5:30 in the morning, sometimes earlier, and have a routine that is designed to cultivate a Flow State. For reference, this is the state of mind studied by neuroscientists in which people report being both happiest &amp; most productive… and who doesn’t want that right?!? Read more>>