Wanda Montemayor is an Austin-based art therapist and founder of the Uvalde Love Project. Through the Uvalde Love Project, Wanda is providing community healing in the wake of the tragedy, the shooting at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas. 

Tune in to this episode as Wanda shares insights into:

 * How Wanda’s life work prepared her for her work with the Uvalde community 

 * What is TBRI (Trust-Based Relational Intervention) and how Wanda uses it

 * How Wanda connected with the close-knit, guarded community of Uvalde

 * The difference in how children and adults experience and process trauma

 * What’s the next phase of Wanda’s work with the community and how you can help!

About The Uvalde Love Project:

Uvalde Love Project is a community project to promote community healing through a combination of workshops and art. The final part of the project is a mosaic mural of hand made tiles by workshop participants and other members of the community.

* Learn more about the The Uvalde Love Project: https://www.uvaldelove.com/

* Consider making a donation: https://checkout.stripe.com/c/pay/cs_live_a1wtgGNIktTfJYfEFhzl73KahhjL0CybnmpGYnqsBCXgsL6ZStaghNWC2s#fidkdWxOYHwnPyd1blppbHNgWjA0SW48d3xJT0NdQk1CRkB3UkBhNV9EVzM9YW5dRjNPQ1NUb0E8dklgX0JKbTBPRmxWamtdbnFhd09ONH9OaFNqbGs0XERdaUtgfFBnc0dgVUQ1dGRfSlBxNTVhVVY9TH9LQycpJ3VpbGtuQH11anZgYUxhJz8nZks3MG5qNWhzNTBLNWwxY1xcJ3gl

* View the mural in person at El Jardin De Los Heroes (The Garden of Heroes) at 801 W. Main Street in Uvalde. 

More on Wanda Montemayor:

In addition to her traditional counseling and therapy (talk therapy) methods, she integrates art therapy for her middle-school students, as well as in community art projects with children throughout her community. Wanda is also MARI certified as well as a Trust-Based Relational Intervention practitioner.

* Email Wanda: [email protected]

* Connect with Wanda on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/wanda-montemayor-4aba567/

* Follow Wanda and her community art work on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/communityarttherapy/

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About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/ 

* Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile 

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Nadia Valliani is Director of Community Philanthropy at the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

Tune in to this episode as Nadia shares insights into:

 * How Nadia helps donors fulfill their philanthropic impact and their donor intent, supporting them as they make gifts and donations to causes and organizations that they care about

 * Learn about the Understanding Houston Initiative and how it is informing the public about the region's strengths and challenges, enabling them to make targeted investments in the areas where Houston is struggling the most

 * The equity and racial challenges that are entwined in the environmental issues that Houston faces

 * Staggering statistics that illustrate how climate change is impacting the Houston area

 * The Finder Institute and Houston Community Data Connections

About the Greater Houston Community Foundation:

Greater Houston Community Foundation inspires and creates meaningful and positive change with our donors and for the community. They are in the business of helping donors create lasting legacies, through impactful and effective philanthropy.

Learn more about the Greater Houston Community Foundation: https://ghcf.org/

Consider making a donation: https://ghcf.org/donate/

About Understanding Houston:

Understanding Houston is a collaborative initiative led by the Greater Houston Community Foundation to empower us all with the information we need to act — individually and collectively — to build a Houston region that provides everyone the opportunity to reach their full potential.

Learn more about Understanding Houston: https://www.understandinghouston.org/ 

Consider making a donation: https://ghcf.kimbia.com/understandinghoustondonation

About the Kinder Institute: 

* Learn more about the Kinder Institute: https://kinder.rice.edu/

* Make a donation: https://riceconnect.rice.edu/donation/kinder-institute

More on Nadia Valliani:

* Email Nadia: [email protected]

* Connect with Nadia on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/nadiavalliani/   

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About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/ 

* Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile 

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Madeleine is a Global Communications Executive from Sweden though she travels abroad extensively.  Tune in to this episode as Madeleine shares ways the Swedish address societal issues that forward the aims of protecting the environment, promoting education and balancing parental childcare rights, including:

*  commuting by bicycle and rail

*  free college education with a stipend

*  parental leave for both parents, with mandatory requirements for fathers 

Also hear us talk about Sweden’s choices for getting through the pandemic, requirements for military training, and view of marijuana. 

About the World Childhood Foundation 

Queen Silvia of Sweden founded World Childhood in 1999 to safeguard the right of children to a safe and loving childhood, and to work in particular to improve the living conditions for children at risk of becoming victims of violence or sexual abuse.

Get Involved/volunteer: https://childhood.org/ 

Donate/buy a childhood bracelet/become a corporate sponsor: https://childhood.org/support-us/ 

About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/ 

Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile 

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Natasha Draycott is a barrister in London and one of the most highly regarded and sought-after juniors of the UK Bar. Her practice is focused on Extradition and International Crime and Public Law. She is recognized as a leader in her field by both Chambers and Partners and the Legal 500. She was appointed to the prestigious Attorney General Panel in 2021.

Natasha Draycott has been nominated as Crime and Extradition junior of the year (2022), at the Legal 500, UK Bar Awards.

Tune in to this episode on modern slavery/human trafficking and hear Natasha and Cynthia discuss:

* Misconceptions about human trafficking

* How to spot the signs of modern slavery

* Locations with heightened incidence of human trafficking (and why)

* Industries most susceptible to modern slavery and human trafficking

Connect with Natasha on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natasha-draycott-769ab1251/

Resources mentioned during this episode:

* National Human Trafficking Hotline (24 hours, 7 days a week, multi-lingual) 888-373-7888 or Text HELP to 233733

* Report suspected trafficking to Federal law enforcement at (866) 347-2423

To learn more about, volunteer with and/or donate to the organizations highlighted in this episode in the fight against human trafficking, go to:

* Amnesty International https://www.amnesty.org/

* The Deliver Fund https://deliverfund.org/

* Safe Horizon https://www.safehorizon.org/

* TraffickCam App: http://traffickcam.com/about

* The Stop App: https://www.stopthetraffik.org/what-we-do/stopapp/

* Truckers Against Trafficking (TAT): https://truckersagainsttrafficking.org/

About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/

Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Heidi Howard is an executive in IT software sales. She also volunteers with Food on Foot, a non-profit that assists the unhoused and low income neighbors in the Hollywood and Greater Los Angeles area.

Tune in to this episode to hear about actions you can take to impact food insecurity, locally and abroad. The nonprofit organizations featured are Food on Foot, as well as Feeding America and The World Central Kitchen.

In addition, Heidi shares insights into:

* Why she volunteers with her family with Food on Foot

* Programs and resources available through Food on Foot

* How working with Food on Foot has impacted her

* Viktor Frankl’s book, Man’s Search for Meaning

* Mindfulness practices

* Choosing love over fear

Connect with Heidi on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/heidi-howard-8200173b/

To learn more about Food on Foot, visit https://www.foodonfoot.org/

Volunteer: https://www.foodonfoot.org/volunteer

Get Involved: https://www.foodonfoot.org/ways-to-give/

To participate with organizations nationally and globally, go to:

Feeding America https://www.feedingamerica.org/

The World Central Kitchen https://wck.org/

About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/

Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Malene Davis is a national healthcare expert in the post acute field known for institutional financial and quality turnaround - utilizing Quality as a Business Strategy. She has more than 30 years of leading and educating clinicians on the Business of Healthcare resulting in outcomes of achieving key quality metrics.

Malene is the Founding President & Chief Visionary Officer of West Virginia Caring, serving the state of West Virginia with hospice and palliative care services. 

Tune in to this episode as Malene shares insights into:

*   what hospice means and how it includes families and communities

*   why not enough people are getting hospice care as early as they need it

*   how hospice care is tailored to patients’ and their families’ needs, as those needs ebb and flow 

*   applicability of Medicare Part A and other financial issues regarding hospice care – in homes and nursing facilities 

*   West Virginia Caring’s 360-degree approach to care

Connect with Malene:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/malene-davis-mba-msn-chpn-6ab51749/ 

To learn more about West Virginia Caring, visit https://www.wvcaring.org/.

Support West Virginia Caring

Donate: https://www.wvcaring.org/donate-to-wv-caring/ 

Volunteer: https://www.wvcaring.org/volunteer-opportunities/

About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/ 

Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile 

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Dr. Fine is an anesthesiologist with subspecialty certifications in pain medicine, hospice, and palliative care. He is a professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at the University of Utah’s School of Medicine, where he serves on the faculty in the Pain Research Center, and is an attending physician in the Pain Management Center. 

Much of Dr. Fine’s time over the past two decades has been spent developing sustainable models of advanced illness coordinated care in community settings, as an integrative component of comprehensive advanced illness care. He is Past President of the American Academy of Pain Medicine, and represented the Academy on the Steering Committee of the Pain Care Coalition, Washington, DC through 2017.

Dr. Fine is a physician with 40 years of practical experience caring for people with serious, advanced illness. And, wait for it … he’s an accomplished musician! The world premier of Dr. Fine’s rock musical, Fate? will be showcased at the Grand Theatre in Salt Lake City, Utah, in the Spring of 2024. 

Tune in to this episode as Dr. Fine shares insights into:

*  the evolution of hospice care and how grossly underutilized it is  

*  the importance of word of mouth referrals when selecting hospice care programs in your community

*  how the opioid crisis has affected the pain management system

*  the power of creativity to bring more joy – and health – into your life

Connect with Dr. Perry Fine:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/perry-fine-md-349a7a7/ 

Learn more about the Anesthesiology Department of the University of Utah’s School of Medicine at https://medicine.utah.edu/anesthesiology. 

Visit, volunteer or donate to Salt Lake City’s community Grand Theatre at http://grandtheatrecompany.com/. 

Learn more and participate with leading hospice care provider West Virginia Caring in Arthurdale, West Virginia at https://www.wvcaring.org/. 

About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-ribas-64a02930/ 

Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at:https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_WorthYourWhile

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

Frost Murphy is an entrepreneur with broad business experience including real estate, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, oil and gas, and custom furniture/upholstery. In addition to his many for-profit endeavors, Frost makes time to support nonprofits Heart Gift, as well as the Greater Houston Community Foundation, among others. 

HeartGift is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that provides life-saving congenital heart defect surgery to children worldwide. Established in 2000, HeartGift began its work in Austin, Texas, and now has chapters in multiple cities. Through partnerships with children’s hospitals around the globe and thanks to generous donors, more than 600 children from 35 countries have received life-saving care at no cost to their families. Learn more about the HeartGift Foundation at https://heartgift.org/

Since 1995, the Greater Houston Community Foundation has been engaged in helping its donors create lasting legacies through impactful and effective philanthropy. As one of Houston’s largest grantmakers, the GHCF supports humanitarian initiatives that extend throughout the region, including efforts for schools, parks, health care systems, underprivileged communities, and so much more. Contact the Greater Houston Community Foundation at https://ghcf.org/.

Tune in to this episode as Frost shares insights into:

* His journey in philanthropy. 

* How he's worked with HeartGift's global initiatives, including fundraising and volunteering.

* His work with the Greater Houston Community Foundation.

About your host, Cynthia Ribas:

Cynthia is a corporate lawyer and trial attorney with over 30 years experience representing people and businesses in both domestic and international matters. She currently serves as outside general counsel to small and medium-sized companies, representing them in a broad range of transactional and dispute resolution concerns.

Learn more and connect with/follow Cynthia:

* At website: https://www.ribaslegal.com

* On LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-r...

Subscribe to Vale la Pena's YouTube Channel at: https://www.youtube.com/@ValelaPena_W...

Vale la Pena is the philanthropic arm of Cynthia's law practice, Ribas Legal. This podcast is committed to grassroots philanthropy in support of humanitarian causes for people, animals and the environment. We thank you for listening, watching and taking such action with the spotlit nonprofit organizations as we hope you will find truly Worth Your While.

In this episode of Vale la Pena, Cynthia interviews Mary Schanz, President & Co-Founder of the Ironwood Pig Sanctuary.

In this episode of Vale la Pena, Cynthia interviews Sara Britt, Manager of PETA's Corporate Responsibility Department.