Sharon Salzberg is a meditation pioneer, world-renowned teacher, and New York Times bestselling author. She is one of the first to bring mindfulness and lovingkindness meditation to mainstream American culture over 45 years ago, inspiring generations of meditation teachers and wellness influencers. Sharon is co-founder of The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, MA, and the author of twelve books, including the New York Times bestseller, Real Happiness, now in its second edition, and her seminal work, Lovingkindness. Her forthcoming release, Real Life: The Journey from Isolation to Openness and Freedom, is set for release in April of 2023 from Flatiron Books. Her podcast, The Metta Hour, has amassed six million downloads and features interviews with thought leaders from the mindfulness movement and beyond.

Dr. Grossman is a Stanford educated award winning board-certified dermatologist who has practiced in Chicago, IL, Charlotte, NC and now Santa Barbara, CA. She is an expert in medical dermatology for both children and adults including skin cancer, acne, rashes, the aging process, and overall skin health. She recently received her certificate in Integrative Dermatology after completing a year-long intensive program. Her research based approach to natural products, nutrition, herbal medicine, environmental toxins and lifestyle practices merges with her knowledge of western medicine. She has a particular interest in the gut-skin axis and microbiome. DEGREES: Bachelor of Arts from Stanford University; M.D. from The University of Chicago; M.B.A. from The University of Chicago; Internship at The University of Chicago; Dermatology residency at Northwestern University

Allison Pontius MD, is board certified in 3 specialties: Facial Plastic Surgery, Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery (ENT), and Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. She recently relocated to Santa Barbara after living in New York for the past 18 years. She was the top graduate in the Environmental Studies program at UCSB (class of 1993) and obtained her medical degree from Tulane University School of Medicine. She completed her surgical internship at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, and her ENT residency at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. She then completed a fellowship in Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery in Albany, NY, and has practiced in New York since that time. In addition to her clinical work, Dr. Pontius spent over 10 years working on research to bring new aesthetic products to market in the U.S. as well as to obtain new indications for currently available products. She is also actively involved in teaching other medical providers and lecturing on a national level on her techniques to non-surgically enhance the face. She currently works at Turner Medical Arts in Montecito performing non-surgical facial rejuvenation.

Blake Beltram: In 1998 with very little experience, Blake bought a $64 How-To Book and started a fitness business software company in his living room. That calling turned out to be the genesis of MINDBODY, which ultimately became a two-billion dollar market-leading corporation. That same calling let to other spiritual endeavors such as a meditation tour around the country and a MindBody podcast, the wellness revolutionaries. He retired from MindBody in 2019 and returned to his first love-writing. Blake is currently working on a book and contributes to the healthy information economy via his sub stack page-man in the middle.

Jack Rivas is a native Santa Barbarian who attended local public schools, attended SBHS and played several sports. He is married with two children and all of them are graduates of UCSB. Jack completed UCSB’s Graduate School of Education and attended PACIFICA studying Counseling Psychology. After teaching at SBHS, Jack went to work as a counselor and instructor at UCSB where he has been since 1979. He serves or served on the boards of many non-profit organizations, including ADELANTE Dual Language Immersion School, Just Communities Central Coast and PALABRA. He is dedicated to issues of social justice. He works in the Educational Opportunity Program or EOP at UCSB. EOP was a very important in his admission to UCSB. It served as a vital support network and was a great learning environment. He took part in campus cultural and political activism, even though I was a married student who was also working. Jack presently works as an Academic Advisor in the College of L & S. He has a desire to give back to the university for believing in him and assisting him in transitioning to being college student.

Tyler Forbes is an Assistant Vice President at U.S. Bank where she supports small financial institutions in their digital transformation efforts. She has extensive experience in Fintech integration and has presented on cashless business and branded currency on a global scale. Tyler holds a B.A. in Modern Language and Culture with Applied Business and a minor in French, as well as an M.B.A. in International Business. In addition to her professional accomplishments, Tyler is also a well-rounded individual with a passion for the arts and adventure. Her experiences living abroad in different countries and speaking multiple languages have provided her with a global outlook that has been invaluable both personally and professionally. Tyler was Miss Illinois Earth 2021 and is classically trained violist and self-taught guitarist. She has a passion for philanthropy and enjoys giving back through her work as a board member for the Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.

Emmanuel Itier grew up in France and lives in Santa Barbara. He is an experienced feature film Producer and has directed many pictures that have earned over 20 Awards around the World. He has teamed up with Sharon Stone to create a series of humanitarian movies called ‘The Oneness Collection: Documentaries for a conscious Humanity. These include the Peace documentary ‘The Invocation’ (staring Desmond Tutu, HH The Dalai Lama, Deepak Chopra), ‘FEMME-Women healing the World.’ (celebrating Women around the planet), Shamanic Trekker’, (about shamanism in Peru), ‘The Cure: Healing The Mind, Healing The Body, Healing the Planet’ and ‘We The People: A Re-Evolution of Economics and Politics’, ‘Guns, Bombs & War: A Love Story’ and ‘The Secret Physics of Coincidence’ (about quantum physics). Emmanuel is about to complete ‘H2O: The Intelligence of Water’ (how water can be an urgent agent of Peace and transformation). He is now embarking on a re- evolutionary film: ‘The Growth of Men’. He also produced ‘Red Passage’ which won many Awards in the Festival circuit. Emmanuel has been a successful Music and Film journalist for Rock Magazines and French TV networks and been a buyer for many French and American Film distribution companies for the last twenty-five years. He was on the board of directors of the Santa Barbara Film Festival and is very involved with charities and the political world. Emmanuel sits on the board of Directors of ‘Darfur Women Action Group’ in an attempt to bring Peace to Darfur, he is the founding President of the Rotary E-Club of World Peace, part of the U.N Association and the World Council of Wisdom to bring Peace to the World. Emmanuel is a recipient of the Global Citizen Award from the United Nation Association, named President of The Year by the Rotary E-Club of World Peace. Emmanuel ran for President of France in 2022 and French Congress. He is committed as a new political player, to change the world and bring back the Peace and the Love as a necessary agenda for Humanity to thrive.

Shaun is a former World Surfing Champion, has been described as one of the 10 greatest surfers of all time and one of the most influential surfers of the century. During his professional career he won 19 major pro events and is recognized as one of the world’s most innovative tube riders. He is a Business Finance graduate from the University of Natal, holds a Master of Science in Leadership from Northeastern University, and is an inductee in the US, Jewish and South African Sports Halls of Fame. Shaun has lectured across the world and inspired corporations like General Motors, Cisco, Price Waterhouse, Google, Disney and The Gap. He produced and co-wrote the award-winning documentary film Bustin’ down the Door, a dramatic story of how a group of young Australians and South Africans created professional surfing and built a multi-billion-dollar industry.

Glen Phillips has been a touring musician for over 30 years. He is the lead singer/songwriter for the multiplatinum band Toad the Wet Sprocket and has released numerous solo and collaborative projects including Mutual Admiration Society and WPA with members of Nickel Creek. In addition to touring and recording he has been leading community singing circles since 2017. Phillips has created music for the television series Breaking Bad and the soundtrack for the film Imagine That. In 2018 Phillips signed with Compass Records.

Dr. Dan Siegel is a clinical professor of psychiatry at the UCLA School of Medicine and the founding co-director of the Mindful Awareness Research Center at UCLA. He is also the Executive Director of the Mindsight Institute which focuses on the development of mindsight, teaches insight, empathy, and integration in individuals, families and communities.

Dr. Siegel has published extensively for both the professional and lay audiences. His five New York Times bestsellers are: Aware: The Science and Practice of Presence, Mind: A Journey to the Heart of Being Human, Brainstorm: The Power and Purpose of the Teenage Brain, and two books with Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D: The Whole-Brain Child, and No-Drama Discipline.

His other books include: The Developing Mind, The Pocket Guide to Interpersonal Neurobiology, Mindsight, The Mindful Brain, and The Mindful Therapist. He has also written The Yes Brain and The Power of Showing Up with Tina Payne Bryson, Ph.D. Dr. Siegel also serves as the Founding Editor for the Norton Professional Series on Interpersonal Neurobiology which currently contains over seventy textbooks.