With over 10 years in the education field, Kai Butler holds a B.A. in English from Old Dominion University. She taught as an English teacher, but after three years, she saw the need to deepen her theory and practice for helping inner city youth in the areas of social-emotional and academic support, as well as career exploration. She obtained her Master's in School Counseling from Howard University in 2011.

She has served as a school counselor in the middle and high school sector in New York and Richmond, VA, including Henrico County Public Schools as Director of School Counseling at The Academy at Virginia Randolph and currently at Varina High School. Serving the underdog and those forgotten is her true passion and she relishes the opportunity to connect real-life practicality with her approach. She is certified in trauma-informed care and restorative practices, with which she will infuse the program.

Today, she is the Executive and Founder of Work of Art, a local nonprofit designed to empower girls 13-18 from underserved communities, focusing specifically on Black youth. The mission of the program is built on three beliefs: lead by example, inspire others, and connect the world through volunteerism and other enriching experiences. She also serves as a trainer for United Way of Greater Richmond, where she trains other organizations using The Weikart Center's Youth for Program Quality. What she enjoys most about her current positions is the ability to assist youth in reaching their unique potential and seeing the determined spark in their eyes. In her spare time, Kai enjoys dancing, hot yoga, and spending time with family, friends, and her dog Paris Rose.

Instagram: @kai_thecounselor and @workofartrva
Website: www.workofartrva.org

Lesley St. James is the author of The Jill Cooksey Mysteries, a cozy mystery series about a public relations professional whose clients never fail to misbehave but whose friends always have her back. In 2020, Lesley's first novel, The Sweet Scent of Death, won Richmond Magazine and James River Writers' Best Unpublished Novel Contest. Lesley then started her own indie publishing business, Madcap Mystery, and released the novel to the world, along with the sequel, Death of a Dolly Waggler. The third Jill Cooksey mystery, Cruising Toward Death, is expected in August of 2022. Lesley began her career in film and television before moving to public relations and then to education. A devoted, lifelong reader of mysteries, she always knew the kind of books she would write. She graduated from Mary Washington College with a degree in English and French literature and went on to study film at Georgia State University. When she’s not writing or teaching writing, Lesley enjoys traveling, movies, and genealogy. She resides in Mechanicsville with her husband Matthew.

You can meet Lesley and purchase signed copies of her books on Saturday, October 22, 2022, between 10:00am and 2:00pm at Books, Beads & More, 8106 Bus US-360, Mechanicsville.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LesleyStJames/

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/20893515.Lesley_St_James

Instagram: @lesleyst.james

Website: lesleystjames.com

Crystal Harrell is a #1 Best Selling author, Les Brown-trained speaker, and certified coach. She is currently pursuing her Ph.D. in Public Health at Yale University and serves part-time as a 1st Lieutenant in the US Army. As an Academic Success Coach, Crystal has helped over 700 students successfully navigate through higher education using her virtual coaching company and education blog.

Over the course of her academic journey, Crystal received over $670,000 in scholarship awards, including the Bill and Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship and the Yale School of Public Health Dean’s Research Award. She shares details of her journey to help other non-traditional students get ahead in her first #1 Best Selling book Crystal Clear: A Journey of Self-Discovery (From Public Housing to Ivy League).

Crystal’s ultimate goal is to raise awareness of the potential we all have as human beings and show that it is possible to rise against all odds and live out your wildest dreams.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/crystalharrell_/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/crystal-harrell-ms-mph-57918aaa/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/crystalharrell_

YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCHRsMsCNrOxrIBOE8vBE8WQ

Lauren McManamay is a Registered Nurse, advocate for mental health and LGBTQ+ issues, and a current Psychiatric Mental Health Nurse Practitioner graduate student at Virginia Commonwealth University. She has presented on Veteran mental health issues at the West Virginia Nurses Association and has been interviewed on the Don't Ask Don't Tell policy for the Richmond Times. Lauren is a 14-year Air Force veteran, with multiple overseas deployments, and currently serves as a Flight Nurse in the Air Force Reserves. Originally from West Virginia, Lauren has settled in Richmond, VA, with her wife Jaysa and her two dogs, Penny and Charlie. She adores spending as much time as she can on the James River, either in a kayak or hanging on the rocks with her pups, and traveling the world with her wife.

Jessica launched Virginia Outdoor Adventures Podcast because she wanted to provide a platform for individuals to tell their stories, to share their connection to the outdoors, and to build a local community where the outdoors are for everyone. She also wanted to tell these stories through a conservation lens to encourage others to be stewards of the outdoors. As a Virginian and outdoor enthusiast, Jessica is passionate about featuring outdoor recreation and ecotourism opportunities close to home while also supporting local businesses and economies.

Jessica is frequently interviewed in local newspapers, magazines and television shows as an expert on Virginia outdoor recreation. Jessica is a public speaker and presenter, a guest blogger for Virginia State Parks, Destination Virginia and RVA On the Cheap, and hosts “take-overs” of Destination Virginia’s social media pages. She is an avid hiker, cyclist, climber, backpacker, kayaker, photographer, and birder and recently earned the Virginia State Parks “Master Hiker” designation.

Website: https://www.virginiaoutdooradventures.com/

Facebook: Virginia Outdoor Adventures

Instagram: @virginia_outdoor_adventures

Twitter:  VirginiaOutdoorAdvetures

Podcast:
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/virginia-outdoor-adventures/id1529766862
https://open.spotify.com/show/0olpreoZWJFmlmsnije1x8

Jessica Chenard is a writer of purposeful adventures, healing and legacy; hiking and writing give her a sense of creativity and purpose. She is a business owner, mother, wife, daughter, sister, community builder, and friend.

Chenard is the founder of Her Hike Collective, an all-women's hiking community. You can find her hosting the group's quarterly hikes in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Chenard was motivated to write here memoir, Her Hike, after spending a decade living it. She hiked to heal from tragedy, and later hiking helped her nurture a beautiful life. She has hiked in many places, from the Blue Ridge in Virginia to the Rocky Mountains in Montana.

People she cared about played a large role in nurturing her love for the mountains, the most significant of these people being her brother. After his tragic death, she was left with only the knowledge of his love for nature and hiking. This enabled and inspired her. His love for the outdoors gave her a direction to go in--her true north--and she made hiking a part of her lifestyle. Ultimately, writing this book became her calling.

Chenard passionately believes that spending time in nature can heal. When you endure a tragedy or even just a hard season, hiking and nature can be a lifeline for you.

Website: www.jessicachenard.com

Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/jessicachenardauthor

Facebook Book Group Launch Page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/jessicachenardbooklaunch

Instagram Profiles: @jessicaryanphoto @herhikecollective

Her Hike Collective Apparel: https://www.bonfire.com/store/her-hike-collective/

Joanna Lee is the author of Dissections (2017), a co-editor of the anthology Lingering in the Margins (2019), and founder of the Richmond, Virginia community River City Poets. Her work has been published in Rattle, Parhelion, Driftwood and elsewhere, and has been nominated for both a Pushcart and multiple Best of the Net prizes. Having earned her MD from the Medical College of Virginia in 2007 and a Master’s in neuroscience from William & Mary in 2010, she currently co-owns (with her husband, John) south-of-the-river coffeeshop and all-day breakfast joint Café Zata. When she’s not slinging espresso or scribbling poems, Joanna is training for her next marathon or hanging out with fellow members of the newly formed Poets Who Run.

Twitter/IG: @la_poetessa

Facebook: J.S. Lee

http://the-tenth-muse.com

Nanea Hoffman is the founder of Sweatpants & Coffee, a social media platform, online community, and lifestyle brand focused on comfort, creativity, inspiration, and fun. She launched SweatpantsAndCoffee.com in 2013 as a place to explore the joys of everyday life and to foster meaningful connections. Nanea has been an avid builder of blanket forts since  childhood, and her goal has been to make Sweatpants & Coffee the coziest corner of the Internet. She is also the creator of the Anxiety Blob, a physical representation of her own anxiety disorder, which has since become a beloved mental health mascot for people around the world. The Anxiety Blob is a reminder that you are not alone, and that you are more than your anxiety.

Trigger ⚠️: This episode discusses the topic of suicide, and may be triggering for some listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweatpantsandcoffee/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SweatpantsAndCoffee

Black Girls Hike RVA was founded in May 2020 by Nicole Boyd and Narshara Cade. These two friends and middle school teachers found joy in hiking and posted their adventures on social media. While on the trails, the two noticed a lack of diversity, especially among people of color.  With a vision and passion for wanting to create a space for women of color to enjoy the outdoors, BGHRVA was born. Based out of Richmond, Virginia, Cade and Boyd lead local and regional hikes for women of color. Recently featured in USA today and CNN stories, Boyd and Cade are working to ensure the outdoors is a safe space for women of color. They hope to grow the business, create a non-profit for underserved youth, and inspire future generations to debunk the stereotype that people of color don't love the outdoors.

Facebook     blackgirlshikeRVA

Instagram    blackgirlshike_rva

Website        www.blackgirlshikerva.com

Lisa Ellison is a writer, speaker, and coach with an Ed.S in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and a background in mindfulness. She regularly presents and teaches courses on the use of mindfulness in writing, writing about trauma, and all things memoir. A regular contributor to the Jane Friedman blog, her essays and short stories have appeared in HuffPost, Hippocampus Literary Magazine, the New Guard Review, Kenyon Review Online, and Brevity, among others. She's currently working on a memoir about how traveling with her husband’s heavy metal band into post-Bosnian-War Yugoslavia soon after her brother's suicide led to a promise that ultimately saved her. 

Find her here:

• Facebook https://www.facebook.com/lisacooperellison/
• Twitter https://twitter.com/LisaEllisonsPen
• Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lisacooperellison/

Trigger ⚠️: This episode discusses the topic of suicide, and may be triggering for some listeners. If you or someone you know is struggling with suicidal thoughts, please text the Crisis Text Line at 741-741, or call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.