Kipp Harris was born and raised in Kenmare, North Dakota - a small town 17 miles south of the Canadian border. After spending five years in undergraduate school at Dana College, he started pharmacy school at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Life, however, had a different road planned and so he left graduate school and found his way to a pharmacy software company. After working his way up the corporate ladder from trainer to sales rep to regional manager, he found himself in California where he oversaw operations at three regional offices on the west coast for an east coast-based company. Additionally, he managed to travel and see the world and discover the diversity which had seemed lacking in his small hometown. In 2004, after a day of mountain biking in Northern California, he suddenly ended up in an emergency room and later a post-surgical hospital bed only to get news of his first cancer diagnosis. That moment -- and the years that would follow -- are the well-spring of this book. Since 2004, Kipp has endured three surgeries, three successive bouts of chemotherapy and three surprising journeys with cancer. His message is simple. Joy occurs in the most unexpected places if you are intentional and look for it. He also believes that every person has an amazing ability to everyday touch and change other's lives. Being cancer-free since December 2007, he now works as a real estate agent in Fargo. He looks for the moments of connection with clients and loves sharing this emotional part of the transaction. Deeply connecting with people is his life's journey now.

Noah Dingley is the host of Across The County, interviewing guests that impact the San Diego community as a whole; sometimes these issues are local non-profits doing good throughout the county and other times they are national issues that also can directly impact our fine city. Noah has a passion for kids, being a father himself. He loves to talk about anything that can benefit the life of a child. He often likes to use the phrase, “It’s about what matters locally to you”.

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