The Voice on Fire Interview Series

Gauri Das is a Possibilitarian, a ardent speaker, and Founder of Lean-in circle.   

Passionate about women empowerment, Gauri leads the Lean-in Circle called Leaders Lifting Leaders.   She was recently recognised in the top 10 powerful women in HR, and has spoken in multiple national and international forums including TEDx.  Gauri is the Lead Membership for Professional Speakers Associations of India, Mumbai chapter (PSAI).  

Some of her achievements are  • HR 100 under 40  • Top HR Mind (India)  • TAPAI and Economic Times Young HR Leader – top 70  • Growth-Oriented Women in Corporate WICA  • LinkedIn person of the year 2020  

Gauri is an engineer turned HR Professional who has a keen interest in Human Psychology. She is a strategic HR leader with 15+ years of experience in crafting and aligning HR strategy with business goals.   She supports business leaders and individuals in driving performance and improving capabilities.  

Gauri carries a wealth of experience with both start-ups and well-established organizations. She loves high energy and a growth-focused environment.  She is a passionate speaker and has spoken in multiple national and international forums including TEDx. She is the Lead Membership for Professional Speakers Associations of India, Mumbai chapter (PSAI).  She mentors students and professionals and guides them on being future-ready with a Possibilitarian attitude.   She is passionate about women empowerment and has founded a Lean-in Circle called Leaders Lifting Leaders.  She loves networking and knowing people beyond their profiles brings her happiness and therefore she is a core committee member of Navi Mumbai LinkedIn Local.  

Founder- Lean-in circle TEDx Speaker HR leader Mentor Possibilitarian 

Passion with Compassion is her mantra.   

If you would like to reach to Gauri, you can find her on these social media platforms: 

LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/feed/update/urn:li:activity:6830368131400126464  

Facebook https://www.facebook.com/humancapitalmag/posts/4472355849487077

Twitter https://twitter.com/HumanCapitalOnl/status/1424603372443758594   

Contact Terri terri(at)terrimitchell.com.au 

www.terrimitchell.com.au

During a period of rapid change and deep pain in 2004, Michelle Marchan Webb discovered Yoga. Self healing and self discovery soon emerged and in recent years, Michelle immersed herself in Yoga teachings, with a focus upon Trauma Release, Breathwork, and Transformative heart space healings through offerings to bring deep lasting inner peace.  

Michelle has undertaken considerable Yoga education including her first 200-hour training as a Lifepower Yoga certified teacher in Ashtanga Vinyasa in the lineage of Johnny Kest, and her second 200-hour teacher training at Momentom Yoga with Buck Lewis. Along with this Michelle has further education in hands-on assisting and children's yoga through Zuda Yoga.   

Her mission is to share Yoga with marginalised people, across all diversity so that Yoga is offered to all representations of humanity.  This includes having Yoga teachers who come from the marginalised communities, as well as presenting Yoga as an inclusive practice, for all people, across gender, culture, race, ability, circumstance.   

Given her extensive trainings, Michelle offers Power Vinyasa, Slow Flow, Yin, Yoga Nidra, Meditation, Healing Circles and Sound Healing. There are faster paced classes, where breath and movement are flowing more quickly together, and there are slower classes where the focus is on the unity of mind, breath, soul, and body.   

For anyone struggling with issues of self worth, embodiment or past trauma, Michelle shows you that you are your own healer, teaching you how to take control of your healing journey, one yoga pose at a time.  

To connect with Michelle:

To connect with Terri:

Dr Bunmi Aboaba is a Recovery Coach specialising in Food Addiction, helping clients to achieve a healthy relationship with food to meet long-term health goals.   

Dr Bunmi’s work covers the full spectrum of disordered eating, including overeating, compulsive eating, emotional eating, addicted eating and other associated patterns.   

Dr Bunmi is also creator of the first Certified Food Addiction Certification to support nutritionists, personal trainers, dieticians and clinicians to help their clients achieve long-lasting results.  

In December, her first book will be released and Dr Bunmi also aims to create a Hub for Food Addiction coaches to help make the services more accessible so that people can receive expert support, care, and advice on managing the challenges of addiction -- whether it be to sugar, coffee, carbs, or other foods and drinks that can have lasting negative impact on the body.   

With a passion for helping children to understand the importance of eating well, to assisting in the support to bariatric surgery patients, through to encouraging people to reconnect with mind-body awareness, you will find this interview truly fascinating.   

If you would like to contact Dr Bunmi to learn more: 

www.therecoverycoach.co.uk   

To contact Terri: 

www.terrimitchell.com.au 

terri(at)terrimitchell.com.au 

https://www.facebook.com/groups/theflamingmicrophonepresents 

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Jessie Liew is Founder of Digital Parenting Coaching.  

As a mother of young pre-teen children ranging in age from 5yo twins to an 11yo, and as a cybersecurity expert, she also has to face the same task as all parents; that of rearing safe and responsible digital children.  

We are living in a digital era, and hence we need new skills to parent our children. Parents in the era of Google can no longer simply rely on the way their parents raised them as the only example of parenting. 

Today's parents must be across the whole landscape of the internet, screen time management, online stranger danger, secret behaviour when using devices, chat sites, and the many apps, not to mention the Dark Web.   

Jessie has been working in Cybersecurity for more than 14 years, shaping employee's Internet habits in corporation. With such extensive exposure to the threats of the online world, and now as a mother, Jessie saw the necessity to provide guidance to her own children and soon expanded this as she invited other parents to be part of her digital parenting journey.   

She has been able to help parents to become confident digital parents, having better relationships with their children while empowering their children to use electronic devices in a responsible way while staying safe online.  

Jessie is also an Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine, part of an elite group who are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.  

If you would like to connect with Jessie, and find out more about her programs: 

The links: 

A free diagnostic call about children's screen habits and the link to the free coaching call:  

https://bit.ly/JLSPCal. 

A free Facebook group with Jessie offering free training.  

https://bit.ly/FBGRPDPC  

Facebook profile:  

https://www.facebook.com/jessieliewsp/ 

Reach out to Terri: 

www.terrimitchell.com.au 

terri(at)terrimitchell.com.au  

** Become a #GlobalCitizen and support the #globalcitizen movement Donate to put an end to #poverty and #climatechange, and know that your contribution could make the difference in a child's life.

Evelyn is a powerful voice on the Nigerian social and community landscape.  

Evelyn's mission is to be The Voice for the Voiceless, in a country that has known corruption, political fraud and military rule. Nigerian people have endured incredible hardship, and Evelyn works hard to ensure a 'Do No Harm" approach is taken when she brings parties to the table to engage in essential conversations around change, for Women, Girls, and Young People.    

Evelyn works across many important areas, including as an experienced Drug Prevention, Treatment and Care Implementer,  a Drug Sensitization Master Trainer under UNODC Nigeria #DPTC project; a Human Rights Advocate on Ending Gender-Based Violence and conducts many educational programs and forums to ensure these conversations are had.   

Evelyn is also an HIV/AIDS Prevention Officer for key populations, and very importantly, she is a Menstrual Hygiene Management Education Advocate, ensuring young girls do not miss vital education due to lack of menstrual care products, and by helping young girls to learn how to make their own reusable and safely hygienic products.    

This amazing young woman features regularly in podcasts, interviews, and has set a huge goal to deliver 1000 care packages to young rural girls.   Her project has helped over 10000 young girls through menstrual education and product support and Evelyn is already looking to approach Government to discuss making menstrual products more affordable, to ensure girls maintain education and be engaged in the school and community system, which in reduces likelihood of child marriage and other cultural practices.   

If you want to learn more, to see how you can help Evelyn to reach more young girls, or if you want to ask Evelyn how to set up the same programs in your area: 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/evelyn-chioma-joseph-18870914b/

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

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Everlovly

website: https://www.sirpnigeria.org/

On the streets of South Los Angeles one day, Elvis Summers encountered and eventually befriended a homeless woman named Smokie who collected recyclables in the area. To Elvis, Smokie represented a living example of the inequity in greater Los Angeles, a hugely populated city.  To provide her with safety, security, and basic comfort, Elvis built her a mobile emergency tiny shelter.   

Soon after, Elvis was receiving hundreds of e-mails and messages on social media. Many homeless people began asking for help, so he quit his job to devote 100% of his time to building shelters for the unsheltered population in his area. It started with simply replacing tents with the small, safe, and sturdy emergency tiny shelters.   

Despite coverage via social and news media, which revealed a divide between the general compassion of the public and the unwillingness of the City to accommodate the shelters, Elvis discovered that the Los Angeles City lawmakers did not approve.  Within a year, two laws had been changed to prevent the shelters from being placed in public spaces and several tiny homes were illegally confiscated, but Elvis continued to pursue legal avenues to erect the shelters - preferably in a village model on any of the 8,000 empty, unused lots within the City limits.  

In 2017, new City officials invited Elvis to submit a formal bid to build the first pilot emergency shelter village. The bid was verbally accepted, but the City unexpectedly pulled out of the agreement.  To date, Elvis Summers has built many dozens of emergency tiny house shelters, and has sheltered nearly fifty people with them, though few with the approval of authorities. 

He has inspired countless people all over the globe and instructed hundreds of people on how they, too, can get started building tiny emergency shelters.   

Local humanitarian groups also sequester the shelters from Elvis, as all continue the uphill battle of: 

To contact Elvis, to donate, to help build, or to help challenge the City of Los Angeles and gain approval for this great cause: 

Website: https://www.thetinyhouse.org/index.html

​LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/elvis-summers-77550359/

​Twitter: https://twitter.com/ElvisSummers 

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

​ #subscribetomychannel​

Contact Terri: terri (at) terrimitchell.com.au

In 1998 Leif Cocks founded and became President of The Orangutan Project. 

His journey into the world of the critically endangered Orangutans followed his formal Masters of Science academic qualification, and he now lectures at Universities, sharing valuable messages with youth to encourage them to seek within to find self-love, and experience the power of working together to achieve positive conservative efforts.   

He also publishes research papers in peer-reviewed journals, has produced videos, received awards, and authored three books that focus on his personal and professional experience with the Orangutan.   Leif is a leading figure in the conservation field with a 30 year career, where he is instrumental in developing conservation plans for Orangutan survival and environmental and social sustainability.   He believes in the power of Win-Win, where environmental and conservation problems are perceived as solvable with a Collectivist approach, where all humans can make a difference when they see themselves as connected not just to each other but to all living beings.   

Leif Cocks is dedicated, compassionate, and committed, and the world needs more people like him. 

If you would like to volunteer, contribute your expertise, or help with funds through donations, these are the links to find out more: 

Websites: https://leifcocks.org/ 

https://www.orangutan.org.au/get-involved/ 

https://www.orangutan.org.au/get-involved/orangutan-adventure-tours/ 

https://www.internationaltigerproject.org/ 

https://www.internationalelephantproject.org/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leif-cocks-852b2249/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leif.orangutan  

Contact Terri: www.terrimitchell.com.au 

Email: terri (at) terrimitchell.com.au

Some of the darkest moments in life can be turning points for people. 

For Sizol Fuyana, that was definitely the case. Facing the fear and emerging through it, Sizol soon realised that being of service to others was her focus, and by asking the right questions of herself, she turned her life around. 

Sizol is now the Executive Director of Fuyana Support, a youth-oriented consultancy firm, offering unique consultancy options when working with youth, with a focus on social and emotional wellbeing.   

Not only does she work with local Government Departments, Detention Centres, and Organisations with a focus on helping Youth Detainees to re-imagine a more optimistic future for themselves, Sizol is also the founder of "The Reality Change" podcast where she discusses how to face adversity and find the strength from within to change your reality. She interviews locals and speaks openly and honestly about resilience and hope.  

Studying Law and Psychology, Sizol is a young entrepreneur who is dedicated to supporting the young people in her community, especially those entering the justice system or who are disadvantaged in any way.  She has worked with many organisations in the Northern Territory, running youth programs and working on projects.  

Sizol is a strong advocate for Youth Enterprise and Youth-Led Initiatives as a way to help guide, inspire, and motivate young people to actively and positively participate in society.  

With big plans for the future, including a Community School for helping youth to re-engage with less traditional education, Sizol is a true Leader, Change Agent and Difference Maker.  

Want to reach out to Fuyana Support? 

Email: [email protected] 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sizol-f-6ba70a139/

Facebook: Fuyana Support https://www.facebook.com/FuyanaS

Podcast: The Reality Change https://www.podbean.com/media/share/pb-64h8v-ee85d7

Dr David Vaughan, the Founder of "Plant a Million Corals" is an active aquaculture scientist with a Ph.D in Botany and Plant Physiology, based in the Florida Keys, in the United States of America.  

With his extensive involvement in oceanic research, including various sea creatures, David has also worked alongside the great Cousteau family - Jacques Cousteau's grandson.   

In this interview you will hear David speak about his long-standing career in Marine and Aquatic Sciences.  Along with discovering how to help coral regenerate, he is proactively tackling Coral Reef Restoration, while also ensuring Aquaculture training through the world's only Aquaculture Development Park.   

With over 60 publications, presentations and abstracts to his credit, David is also a speaker, author, researcher, board member, and leading advocate for ocean health.  

There is also a new book being released in April that David edited and contributed to, with details of how you can purchase the book available soon.  

Link to new book:

Dr Vaughan is on a mission to plant 1,000,000 corals to help bring coral life back to the oceans. 

Find out more about David's work and how you can become involved or learn about the importance of Coral Regeneration: 

Website: http://plantamillioncorals.org/donation/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-vaughan-84aa4a170/ 

TEDx talk: https://youtu.be/DoqrfprmYA8 

AARP video: https://youtu.be/_0F5cQfke64 

Article: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0925857418303094

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

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

Email: [email protected]

Robert was born on the boarder of Bwindi Impenetrable National Park, in Uganda, to an impoverished family where hunting and poaching were considered normal. Attempting to survive alongside the forest, their crops were often eaten and destroyed by wild animals, and killing these animals and hunting for food was part of daily life.

To protect crops, children often stayed home from school to guard them. Robert’s schooling was affected, and he was initiated into hunting and poaching, as were his brothers and sisters.

In 1991, the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest was Gazetted as a National Park. Robert saw opportunity to pursue more formal education, gaining his Diploma in Tourism Management, also becoming a birdwatching guide gaining work in the National Park. Education became important to him and he was soon helping parents to see the value in letting children go to school, to learn and have an education, so the children could understand the value of conservation and learning other skills to help protect the Forest, the animals, and their communities.

Robert was also inspired to create Poaching Reform – to stop the killing of wild animals and forest burning during honey harvest. He founded the Poachers Reformers Initiative, an important project offering information, support, education, and sustainable projects for the Ugandan Forest people. Now, Robert invests his time in teaching people in his community to grow vegetables, manage apiaries, do recycling, look after pigs and goats, and many other important and valuable projects. Going forward, Robert also aims to develop the tourism aspect of the community with an educational vision to expose people to life within the Bwindi border communities.

Robert's website is:

https://www.greenmountaininitiative.org/

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