Mike‘s Search For Meaning

For more than a decade, Valerie Livesay, Ph.D. has been thinking about and inquiring into the phenomenon of fallback — when despite our optimal developmental capacities, what we often refer to as our developmental center-of-gravity, we make meaning, feel, and act from a smaller, less complex, less capable form of mind.

As Chief Illuminator at Ghost Light Leadership, Valerie accompanies individuals through their discovery of self using the analogy of theater to set the stage for their historical and unfolding story. She serves as documentarian, bringing to light the lesser known, lesser loved, and occasionally forgotten roles and scenes that make up one’s full ensemble and storyline.

Valerie is the author of Leaving the Ghost Light Burning: Illuminating Fallback in Embrace of the Fullness of You in which she reveals both the despair and ecstasy that accompany a knowing of the fullness of one’s self through the stories of four individuals and their experiences of fallback. This longitudinal study (which was actually never intended to be a longitudinal study) allows the reader to find the fullness of themselves in the journey of development and the experience of being human.  

Valerie holds a Bachelor’s degree from Indiana University and earned her Master’s in Nonprofit Leadership and Management and a Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego. She lives in San Diego, California with her two cats, husband, and two children, with the latter three serving simultaneously as the most frequent protagonists of and audience to her experiences of fallback and the greatest source of her desire to do better.

You can connect with Valerie on:

• Website 

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Leaving the Ghost Light Burning: Illuminating Fallback in Embrace of the Fullness of You

Leslie Schrock is an author and angel investor working at the convergence of health and technology. Her breakout hit, Bumpin’: The Modern Guide to Pregnancy mixes the latest clinical research with practical advice for working families.

Her second book, Fertility Rules, (Simon Element, Spring 2023) was published on June 6 and addresses male and female fertility. Leslie is an investor in Caribou, Roon, Pangea, Tonal, Perchwell, Legacy, Kinfield, and dbt Labs (and others), and an advisor to Maven, Alife, Origin, Oath, and Reverance. She is also on Gameto’s bioethics board, and the board of advisors at the Moody School of Communication at her alma mater, The University of Texas at Austin.

Leslie was named one of Fast Company’s Most Creative People in Business, and her work has been featured in The Economist, Fortune, NPR, Time, GQ, CNBC, Forbes, Wired, and The New York Times.

You can connect with Leslie on:

• Website 

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Bumpin' - Leslie Schrock

Ingrid Edstrom is the Chief Empowerment Officer at the award winning consulting firm, Priestess Of Profits, LLC. She is a Woodard Certified Business Coach, a certified Positive Intelligence Mental Fitness Coach, and a certified Offers and Needs Market Facilitator.

You can connect with Ingrid on:

• Website

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Man's Search for Meaning - Viktor E. Frankl

Danny Miranda is the host of the popular podcast, The Danny Miranda Podcast, where he interviews the happiest, healthiest, and wisest people in the world (entrepreneurs, creators, and thinkers).

You can connect with Danny on:

• YouTube

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• The Surrender Experiment - Michael A. Singer

Janet spent her career as a highly accomplished human resources executive with over 30 years of experience in the entertainment industry. Her passion for empowering creative individuals to reach their full potential both personally and professionally has been a driving force throughout her career.

Throughout her tenure, Janet has held a variety of leadership roles, including corporate training, executive coaching, and troubleshooting for the C-suite. She also served as an Instructor at the Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising in Los Angeles, where she shared her expertise with the next generation of industry professionals.

Janet's dedication to giving back is evident in her extensive volunteer work in the non-profit sector. She focused on helping women and children in need, including working with orphans, training abused and battered women to re-enter the workforce, and coaching troubled youth for higher Education.

Currently, Janet is making a tremendous impact as part of The Unstoppable Foundation team. She is thrilled to be working every day to bring sustainable solutions to poverty and improve the lives of families in Kenya.

Janet has embedded a commitment to a healthy lifestyle throughout all her achievements and takes great joy in living clean. Above all, Janet lives by her mantra of "family first." Her greatest joy comes from being a loving wife, mother, and grandmother.

You can connect with Janet on:

• LinkedIn

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• 15th Anniversary Giving/US

Ben Bergon (he/him) is deeply passionate about helping others. He is currently a Sr. Manager of Learning & Development at Chobani, where he focuses on providing challenging and fulfilling career journeys through an employee driven, robust career growth and development framework.

Ben is also the Chairmen of the Board of Compassion Animal Project, a nationwide 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides financial assistance for life-saving treatments for pets and helps keep families together. 

You can connect with Ben on:

• Instagram 

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Compassion Animal Project

Justin Scott Campbell (he/him) is an ICF-certified ACC executive coach and diversity consultant & facilitator based in Los Angeles, CA. His work seeks to bring healing practices to organizations so that the people who work there can daily experience Love, Safety, Kindness, and Belonging, unfettered by bias and prejudice. 

You can connect with Justin on:

• Website

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Jerry Colonna

Mike Slavin is a magician and poet telling tales from the intersection of attention, deception, and wonder.

You can connect with Mike on:

• Website

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• The Taboo Against Knowing Who You Are - Alan Watts

Mike Smith is the founder of Huddle Advisory, a firm that guides leaders and teams to peak performance. When organizations maximize the potential of their "Leadership Athletes", they consistently deliver better results.

Having been both a CHRO and CFO, Mike has a special lens to align business and talent strategy. He guides leaders and teams through skilled inquiry, objective data analysis, and practical counsel. Mike’s diversified background allows him to work effectively with public company CEO’s, startup founders, and rising talent across consumer-facing and B2B industries.

Mike founded Huddle after 25+ years in sports and entertainment working with the National Football League, NBC, and Deloitte. His unique background includes leadership roles in Human Resources, Finance, Technology, and Administration. Mike has been repeatedly tapped to lead the most important initiatives ranging from creating a coaching culture at the NFL to Super Bowl weather planning to NBC’s acquisition of Universal.

Mike’s 16-season career at the NFL culminated as the Chief Human Resources Officer. He worked closely with Commissioner Goodell and Owners on compensation governance and executive succession planning. Previously, Mike was the NFL’s first SVP - Talent Management with oversight for the entire talent lifecycle. He spearheaded a leadership development process, a new compensation mechanism, and an engaged workforce with a more diverse leadership team.

Previously, Mike was the SVP – Finance and Administration, where he upgraded the League Office’s reporting and analytic capabilities. Mike also led an office relocation and served as Interim Chief Information Officer. Mike began his NFL career as the VP - Finance for the Media Group, where he played an important role in television rights negotiations and the launch of the NFL Network and Digital Media properties. Mike also co-led the project to create the current Flexible Game Scheduling Process.

Prior to joining the NFL, Mike worked for NBC in both Los Angeles and Philadelphia. He began his career with Deloitte in Philadelphia, working with the office’s largest client, Comcast Corporation.

Mike is enrolled in Vanderbilt University’s Doctoral Program in Leadership and Learning. He received his MBA from Villanova University and completed Stanford University’s Executive Program for Talent Leaders and Columbia University’s Coaching Program. Mike is certified in several leadership assessments, including Emotional Intelligence, NBI Thinking Preferences, and DISC.

You can connect with Mike on:

• Website - Huddle Advisory

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• Grit - Angela Duckworth

Meet Julie Peláez, the intuitive, heart-centered master coach behind Just Jules Nutrition. As a Board-Certified Holistic Health Coach and certified yoga instructor, Jules has spent the past several decades guiding her clients towards vibrant health and wellbeing. She co-founded the Conscious Cleanse, a 14-day clean eating program that has helped thousands of people break free from lifelong food struggles. With Jules’ guidance, you too can experience a life filled with energy, vitality, and joy. Book a free 30-minute discovery call today at justjulesnutrition.com and take the first step towards your future self.

You can connect with Jules on:

• Website

To connect with me:

• Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here.

Resources/People Mentioned:

• The Artist's Way - Julia Cameron