When Abe Gurko packed his bags and moved from New York City to Hollywood, he wasn't leaving a career in the fashion industry to chase the usual dream of becoming a movie star. "I wanted to be a mechanic to the machine called celebrity," Abe said. "I wanted to know how it worked." Over the next few years, he developed his skills as a behind-the-scenes creative force by working on a couple of daily variety-talk shows and worked for several years with arguably the coolest woman in Hollywood, Carrie Fisher. There, he acquired an intimate knowledge of the entertainment industry.
He is the Author of memoir, WON'T BE SILENT-- DON’T STOP ’TIL IT MATTERS. The novel is a candid and humorous retelling of an unconventional life, finally worth living. Abe's madcap journey through seemingly endless obstacles is an insightful story of survival with grace, unshakeable resilience, teachable hullabaloos and found joy.

Ande Lyons is a 4x founder, a former global startup mentor, and currently the host of the popular Don’t Be Caged By Your Age Podcast, where Ande helps folks dissolve internalized ageist beliefs so they can thrive after 65. Through conversations with individuals who have defied societal norms, shattered age-related expectations, and forged new and unexpected pathways that left them feeling enlivened, engaged, and visible, Ande helps listeners reimagine, repurpose and reinvent their lived experiences for a vibrant life at any age.

Vasilios Birlidis is an author, podcast comedian and the creator of Dr. Sebastian Brackenridge: the gayest man in the United Kingdom.

I help individuals who have experienced trauma reclaim their lives. Trauma can take many forms, whether it be witnessing/experiencing domestic violence, sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, community violence, or the tragic loss of a loved one- to name a few. For many, the result is flashbacks, nightmares, dissociation, irritability, low self-esteem, and feeling disconnected from yourself and those around you. My clients have seen and been through some serious stuff. Despite being determined, caring, and hard-working, they feel like they cannot get back to life before what happened- well, happened. 

My primary focus has been treating children, teens, and adults who have experienced trauma in their lives. I find EMDR to be a very effective method for helping my clients work through their past so they can truly be in the present. I strive to create an individual plan to help you confront your fears, ease your sadness, and create and reach new goals.

Kathleen Donnelly Israel has lived her entire life in San Diego CA. She raised 5 children with her husband of 48 years, Ron Israel.  She cared for her husband for the 17 years that he had Parkinson’s disease till he died in 2018. During this time, she studied spiritual healing. She wrote her book about her travels on the Camino Santiago in Spain and about sharing her wisdom with those she met there. 

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Book: Wisdom on the Camino 

How do you create powerful, Intelligent FashionTM? After years of studying the power of communication as a speech-language pathologist, Kimberly Wilkerson launched Token Clothing CompanyTM, a brand that uses analysis of evidenced-based positive psychology to improve and edify mindset and transform outcomes of the wearer and observer.

Kimberly’s personal journey with elevating her mindset and overcoming limitations influenced the transition from clinician to fashion entrepreneur. And she loves sharing how the power of language can impact every person.

Kimberly currently resides in Idaho and loves spending time with family and friends in the great outdoors, except in the dead of winter, at which time she escapes to the tropics for snorkeling and scuba-diving.

My background is military. I was commissioned Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army in 1984, and subsequently retired as a Lieutenant Colonel in 2016. During that time I learned so much about people, the world, how I fit into it, and of course, myself. Naturally, everything I do and have done throughout my life is framed through my military experience. 

My family moved to the Tampa area in early 2017. After we settled, I wanted to start my own business, and Pure Romance fell into my lap. I love what I do, and the first time a woman approached me and told me I “changed her life,” I knew I made the right choice. Pure Romance is more than just toys: We are all about Educating, Empowering, and Entertaining women to enhance their relationships and help them feel better about themselves.

Vanessa L. Hill is the Founder and Executive Director of Project Nana, Inc., a nonprofit focused on the engagement, training, advocacy, and empowerment of post-menopausal women and their overall health. An author, health equity advocate, and Tedx speaker, she has previously served in academia, media, and as a creative services director and producer.  She is a member of the Health Equity Collaborative of Virginia, co-Chair of the Breast and Gynecologic Health Committee for the Regional Cancer Disparities Coalition, and is a member of the National Council of Negro Women-Norfolk Section, Howard University Alumni Association.  She presents on the intersection of aging, women’s health and culture. Her ongoing research with GWU on gynecologic cancers and aging women’s health programs has been published in Older Women & Well Being: A Global Perspective.