The Brain Surgeon's Take

Allison DiPalo is an author, educator, and founder working at the intersection of neuroscience, mental health, ethics, and meaning. With over two decades of experience in direct patient care, trauma-informed practice, and program development, her work bridges rigorous scientific inquiry with deep respect for the human experience. Her writing focuses on responsible approaches to altered states, integration, nervous system regulation, and the ethical considerations surrounding psychedelic science and mental-health innovation. She is known for translating complex neurobiological and psychological concepts into grounded, accessible language without oversimplifying their depth. Allison is the founder of Community of Compassion Church and Compassion Campus, where she develops education, facilitator training programs, and curriculum grounded in safety, evidence-based practice, and integrity. Her work is guided by a commitment to discernment over hype, structure over bypassing, and care over performance.

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Jaclyn Sklaver is an internationally recognized sports nutritionist who works with gym enthusiasts and the world’s top professional athletes to optimize performance, body composition and metabolic health. She is the former Head of Performance nutrition for the Orlando Magic NBA team.
Jaclyn’s practice, Athleats Nutrition is operated with the combined philosophy of both performance nutrition and functional medicine. Jaclyn uses her years of experience to optimize health and correct existing obstacles which improve immediate and long-term performance.  Her philosophy is that each individual requires their own tailored plan and approach.  Jaclyn’s attention to detail, extensive knowledge and years of experience educating and coaching clients set her apart from the rest.  Jaclyn is a Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS), a Licensed Dietitian Nutritionist in both Florida and New York State, a NASM-certified personal trainer and a USAW-L1 weightlifting coach. Jaclyn holds a Masters of Science in Human Nutrition from The University of Bridgeport. She is a recipient of the 2020 Atlanta Women in Sports Trailblazer Award. Her work can be found in Muscle & Fitness Hers, Men’s Fitness, Muscle & Fitness, Shape, Fitness Magazine and CBS Sports.

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Dr. Grettel Garcia, MD, is a board-certified internist based in Miami, FL, affiliated with UHealth - University of Miami Health System and Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center. She graduated from the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine in 2017 and completed her residency at Jackson Memorial Hospital. She specializes in internal medicine, treating conditions like hypertension, diabetes, and kidney disease, and is fluent in Spanish. 

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Dr. Earl J. Campazzi is board certified and has trained and practiced at some of the finest medical institutions in the country. At the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, Dr. Campazzi spent several years on staff providing medical care and teaching resident physicians. He completed his medical training at The Johns Hopkins University and served as chief resident. He earned his medical doctorate from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine. Dr. Campazzi holds additional postgraduate degrees including a Master of Public Health with emphasis in Health Care Policy and Management and a Master of Health Sciences with emphasis in Immunology and Infectious Diseases, both from The Johns Hopkins University Bloomberg School of Public Health. In 2020, he completed The Stanford Genetics and Genomics Certificate program at Stanford University. Dr. Campazzi also earned his Master of Business Administration with Health Services Management concentration from Duke University Fuqua School of Business. He completed his Bachelor of Arts at The Johns Hopkins University.

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Fitomics provides data-driven, personalized health & fitness solutions using advanced testing (VO₂ max, body composition, metabolism) and expert coaching (exercise, nutrition, primary care) to create individualized, science-backed plans, moving beyond generic advice with precise biometric insights for better results in fitness, body composition, and overall wellness. They offer mobile labs, online coaching, apps with expert workouts, and deep-dive reports to support long-term health and performance goals. 

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Nancy Jill Sundberg is a writer and teacher of self-knowledge. Her passion for communication began as an actor and stand-up comedian and evolved into the creation of Stand Up Express—an adult and youth program to facilitate artistic self-expression. Nancy spent over 20 years in spiritual contemplation, meditation, and service alongside her mother Ngeton, a wisdom teacher in the spiritual lineage of the Navnath Sampradaya. As Ngeton’s successor, Nancy’s teachings are rooted in love, wisdom, joy, and clarity. Nancy has recently published her debut work, “The Art Of Awakening True Communication,” which offers foundational elements of Nancy’s teachings on expanding self-knowledge through observation, honesty, and willingness to an ever-growing audience.

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Jordan Amadio, M.D., is a board-certified neurosurgeon, and his clinical practice focuses on minimally invasive spine surgery, surgical neuro-oncology and neurotrauma. Amadio received his medical education at Harvard Medical School and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before completing a neurosurgery residency at Emory University. At Emory, he pursued research fellowships as a Council of State Neurosurgical Societies socioeconomic fellow and a Congress of Neurological Surgeons innovation fellow. He also earned an MBA from Harvard Business School, with emphasis on medical technology innovation. As affiliated faculty and a National Institutes of Health-funded investigator within Texas Robotics, he works with robotics experts to build next-generation tools and implants for spine surgery. Previously, he co-founded the NeuroLaunch incubator for neurotechnology startups and has since advised dozens of medical technology ventures. Outside his academic work, Amadio is closely involved with the development of brain-computer interface technology as a director of neurosurgery at Neuralink. Amadio is deeply committed to mentoring the next generation of physicians and enjoys teaching students and residents. As a way of giving back, he has also been active in providing neurosurgical care to socioeconomically challenged populations, from Texas to Mirebalais, Haiti.

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Jake Paul rose to prominence through his entertaining videos on Vine and YouTube. Paul’s career took a surprising turn in 2018 when he ventured into the world of professional boxing. He has fought against a range of opponents, including Nate Robinson, Ben Askren, and Tyron Woodley, among others. Despite his loss to Tommy Fury in 2023, Paul has demonstrated his prowess as a boxer, earning him recognition such as the ESPN Ringside Award for “Knockout of the Year’ over his victory on Woodley. In 2024, Paul boxed legend Mike Tyson in a highly anticipated Netflix live event, defeating Tyson in an eight-round unanimous decision and drawing in 108 million viewers.

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EJ Manuel, a former first-round NFL Draft pick, joined ACC Network in 2019 and is a studio analyst on The Huddle, ACCN’s signature football show that airs Saturday mornings throughout the fall. He also makes regular appearances across ESPN’s studio shows including SportsCenter and College Football Live during the college football season. Along with his ESPN duties, Manuel co-hosts Off Campus on SiriusXM with Jimbo Fisher and Jacob Hester. One of the most productive quarterbacks in Florida State history, Manuel led the Seminoles to a 25-6 record as a starter during the 2009-12 seasons, and the fourth-most wins in program history. The Virginia Beach, Virginia, native also helped Florida State to notable victories including the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl, 2012 Dr Pepper ACC Football Championship Game and 2009 Gator Bowl – the final game of legendary coach Bobby Bowden’s career. He is the second quarterback in FBS history to win four straight bowl games, and also went 15-3 in his career against ACC opponents. Manuel is FSU’s all-time leader in completion percentage (66.9), which is tied for third in ACC history, and ranks among the top five Seminole quarterbacks all-time for passing yards (7,736, 4th), total offense (8,563, 3rd), completions (600, 3rd) and attempts (897, 5th), despite only two seasons as the full-time starter. He earned second team All-ACC honors for the 2012 season and was named the 2013 Senior Bowl MVP. Following his career at FSU, Manuel was a first-round draft pick by the Buffalo Bills in 2013.

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Christian Ponder is a former American football quarterback who played six seasons in the NFL, most notably with the Minnesota Vikings, who drafted him 12th overall in the first round of the 2011 draft. He played college football at Florida State, where he was a three-year starter and won the 2010 Bobby Bowden Award. After his NFL career, which also included stints with the Denver Broncos and San Francisco 49ers, he has been involved in business ventures and works on a platform for athletes transitioning to the business world.  The Post by Christian Ponder is an invite-only leadership network for athletes who have transitioned into business careers. It provides a community, professional coaching, exclusive content, and physical clubhouses for members to connect, learn, and grow their professional lives after sports.

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