School for Startups Radio

October 20, 2025 – AI Medicare Alex Doonanco and Greatest Hits VC Ann Winblad

Alex Doonaco – Co-founder & CEO of careCycle (YC W25)
I think the technology is going to be commoditized eventually… so in order to build a really generational or defensible business here, we need to find a way to embed very vertical-specific knowledge into it, solve very specific problems, and build a platform around it.
Alex Doonanco is the CEO and Co-founder of careCycle, where he leads the development of AI voice teams that have transformed Medicare agency operations, having over 400,000 conversations with seniors since October 2024. With deep expertise in conversational AI and healthcare technology, Alex previously served as the first U.S. hire and GTM lead at AI Rudder, architecting contact center automation projects across several B2C industries. As an early leader in voice AI application development, he regularly shares insights on the transformative power of well-architected solutions for business interactions with customers. Recognized for pioneering the AI communication layer for medicare distribution, Alex is passionate about democratizing enterprise-grade technology to ensure every senior receives the consistent, high-quality care they deserve. The platform delivers measurable impact, including up to 40 percent lower acquisition costs and 37 percent higher effectuation rates.Ann Winblad – Co-Founder & Managing Director Hummer Winblad Venture Partners 
Our job is not to predict the future, but to purchase it, and I believe that you really got to be very open minded….
Ann Winblad is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Hummer Winblad Venture Partners, the first venture capital firm to focus exclusively on software. A pioneering entrepreneur turned investor, she began her career as a systems programmer at the Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis before co-founding Open Systems, Inc., an accounting software company she later grew and sold successfully. In 1989 she co-launched Hummer Winblad, where she has since helped build and scale more than 160 enterprise software companies across analytics, cloud computing, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. With a background in mathematics and business administration from St. Catherine University and a master’s degree from the University of St. Thomas, Winblad is widely regarded as one of the most influential figures in early enterprise software investment. Beyond venture capital, she serves on educational and nonprofit boards and continues to mentor founders at the intersection of innovation, strategy, and technology.

October 17, 2025 – Afformations Noah St. John, Inflammation Dr. Andrew Freeman, SAS AI Marinela Profi and Anna Fishbeyn Q10

Noah St. John, PhD – Founder of St. John Executive Coaching and the Author of the Book The 7-Figure Life: How to Leverage The 4 Focus Factors for More Wealth and Happiness
My job is to help people so they’re not scared, so that you have those skills that are going to go through this AI revolution so that, so that you can make money, there will always have to be a human touch…
Noah St. John
Noah St John is a communication expert, keynote speaker, and bestselling author of ten books. He is famous for inventing Afformations®, a positive self-talk tool that helps busy people remove mental barriers, build confidence, and make more money. Noah St. John, PhD is recognized as “The Mental Health Coach to the Stars.” Working with Hollywood celebrities, seven- and eight-figure company CEOs, professional athletes, top executives, and elite entrepreneurs, Noah is famous for helping his coaching clients make more in twelve weeks than they did in the previous twelve months, while winning back 1–3 hours per day and 4–8 weeks a year. Noah’s clients are the 0.1% rock stars who love to take action and get amazing results! Noah is also the only author in history to have works published by HarperCollins, Hay House, Simon & Schuster, Mindvalley, Nightingale-Conant, and the Chicken Soup for the Soul publisher. Noah’s mission is to eliminate not-enoughness from the world and he is internationally recognized for his signature coaching services; facilitating workshops at companies and institutions across the globe; and appearing on over 1,000 media outlets including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox, The Hallmark Channel, NPR, Entrepreneur, The Jenny McCarthy Show, Selling Power and SUCCESS Magazine.Dr. Andrew Freeman – Director of Cardiovascular Prevention & Clinical Cardiology, Professor of Medicine at National Jewish Health
If we can switch all those things, we can live the most anti inflammatory lifestyle possible. This makes a lot of disease go away.
Dr. Andrew Freeman is a board-certified cardiologist and the Director of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness at National Jewish Health in Denver. He is part of the leadership of both the local and national American College of Cardiology and leads the regional Walk with a Doc program. Dr. Freeman is nationally recognized for his work in preventive cardiology and lifestyle medicine. Fall is the perfect time for a health reset, and doctors say it’s time to look beyond cholesterol. Inflammation is a hidden risk that could trigger a heart attack, even in people with normal cholesterol levels. Many don’t even know they’re at risk. According to Dr. Andrew Freeman, Director of Cardiovascular Prevention and Wellness at National Jewish Health, inflammation plays a critical role in cardiovascular disease. Inflammation can raise heart attack risk, even when cholesterol levels seem perfectly normal. Fortunately, there are now simple lifestyle changes and therapies that can help reduce inflammation to protect the heart. And making that change now, with the holidays just around the corner, can help people stay ahead of seasonal stressors and indulgences that often derail heart-healthy routines.Marinela Profi – Global Market Strategy Lead for AI Agents and Generative AI – Principal Level at SAS 
The first step is not technical. It’s a mindset. Move from fear to curiosity, test it, question it, learn from it. When you see value in one process, AI is there to amplify you.
Marinela Profi, a leading expert in the field of artificial intelligence, brings a wealth of experience at the intersection of data science, artificial intelligence, and marketing strategy. With advanced degrees in Statistics and AI, along with an MBA, she successfully bridges complex technical concepts with strategic business initiatives. In her role as the Global AI & GenAI Market Strategy Lead at SAS, she has been instrumental in crafting global marketing strategies for cutting-edge solutions in both machine learning and generative AI. She helps organizations worldwide leverage ethical and trustworthy AI technologies to drive innovation, enhance productivity, and achieve significant operational efficiencies. Beyond her role at SAS, Marinela is committed to shaping the future of tech through education and thought leadership. As a member of the Advisory Board for Wake Technical Community College’s Computer Programming and Data Science Program, she plays a crucial role in aligning academic curricula with evolving industry needs. Her dedication ensures that the next generation of data scientists and IT professionals are well-prepared to meet the challenges and demands of the rapidly advancing tech landscape. Marinela is also a respected voice in the global tech community. She shares her insights on data science trends and industry priorities at conferences worldwide. As a published author and contributor to various industry publications, she fosters dialogue on the critical issues and opportunities surrounding data and AI. Marinela Profi is an expert in ethical and trustworthy AI, helping organisations operationalise advanced analytics while also championing women in AI leadership and inclusion.

October 16, 2025 – YouRise Health Jeremy Cotter and Briefcase Effect Vinisha Rathod

Jeremy Cotter – Founder of YouRise Health, Investing in Human Potential,  Former Exec with Google & Meta teams 
AI is the same thing. It’s got two sides to it. What our job is as humans is tomaximize those positive sides and look for how to mitigate the risks of thenegative.
Jeremy Cotter is investing in human potential and lifespan maximization. He is a successful entrepreneur and investor, began his career at the Advisory Board Company, a leading healthcare consulting company, which was later acquired. Following this, he worked at Google. At Google, he won division awards and grew over a dozen high-growth tech companies, as an executive, entrepreneur, and investor. He was on the founding team and  employee #1 at AllTrails. He has won international leadership awards and grants for health research and was then recruited to build new teams at Meta. He has over 20 years of experience with early-stage tech companies, helping them achieve outsized returns. Jeremy’s passion and dedication are now in YouRise which is focused on health technology. YouRise is growing the next generation of companies that are improving human performance and lifelong health. Jeremy is a graduate of Duke University with honors and is a performance athlete and two-time state champion runner.Vinisha Rathod – Managing Director of p3 studio
Lead with your strengths and tenacity. Don’t lead with victimness, because people don’t like that. And so if you develop your skill set very strongly and you’re very clear on what you’re good at, you will become hard to ignore, even in spaces that you may not be traditionally welcomed in.
Vinisha Rathod is the Managing Director of P3 Studio and the creator of the The Briefcase Effect™ methodology. She works with founders, leaders, and teams to bridge the gap between culture, strategy, and performance as organizations scale. Over the course of her 15+-year career, Vinisha has held roles across government, consulting, tech, and enterprise environments — including positions at Ernst & Young, BCG, and in leadership assignments across culture and transformation initiatives. She brings “real-world grit and systems thinking” to help clients navigate complex growth phases (e.g. from 15 to 50 to 250+ team members) with clarity, structure, and sustainable culture. Her signature work is built around The Briefcase Effect, a personal branding and leadership framework that helps individuals and teams lead with identity, intention, and commercial impact. The book and methodology have been used to unblock performance, align culture, and sharpen organizational credibility. Vinisha is also a sought-after speaker, advisor, and thought leader. She frequently speaks on the intersections of leadership, culture design, diversity, economic empowerment, and authenticity in business. Her writing and commentary have been featured in outlets such as Fast Company, CEO World, Women’s Agenda, and more. Under her leadership, P3 Studio uses a practical, partnership-based consulting model that emphasizes removing hidden blockers in leadership teams, organizational structure, and internal alignment – not just delivering strategy but making it executable. In her mission, Vinisha is passionate about breaking ceilings and driving economic empowerment, and she advocates for systems that value merit, capability, and deeper connection over superficial metrics.

October 15, 2025 – Performance Advertising Borja Cuan and Love Yourself First Catherine B. Roy

Borja Cuan – Co-Founder of Four15 Digital
We are being hired as experts, and we are expected to give our veryhonest and direct feedback to clients, which means we’re not sayingwhat they want to hear, but instead saying what we believe is best fortheir business.
Borja Cuan is co-founder of Four15 Digital, a growth marketing and performance advertising agency operating across the U.S. and Mexico. With over two decades of experience in digital marketing, Borja has helped lead Four15 Digital’s strategic expansion and differentiated positioning in a crowded marketplace. Under Borja’s leadership, Four15 emphasizes a consultative, client-first approach: before signing contracts, the agency provides deep audits and tailored strategies to build trust and showcase expertise. He believes that customer experience and strong relationships are among the most critical factors for long-term success. He also champions integrating automation and AI into digital workflows – not to replace human oversight, but to enhance efficiency, creativity, and campaign performance. In terms of organizational culture, Borja supports a hybrid work model (three days in-office, two remote) to balance collaboration, learning, and flexibility. He is also vocal about investing in team development, nurturing retention, and building a business that endures beyond short-term metrics.Catherine B. Roy – Coaches’ Coach
LinkedIn is not a CV. LinkedIn is not a social network and it’s not a webshop. It’s all in one – the most powerful thing about LinkedIn is that ithas the most powerful search engine in the world.
Catherine B. Roy is a Bestselling Author, Personal Growth and Business Coach, Human Potential Thought Leader and award winning artist and scientist whose stimulating, upbeat and inspirational writings have helped countless people in the world. It has helped them solve personal problems, infuse their lives with hope, energy and success, and remarkably improve people’s relationships at work and at home. 1st Edition of Catherine’s “Live from Your Heart and Mind” book reached best selling status on Amazon Kindle in just 3 days. And her viral post “Love Yourself First” reached over 1.2M people in just 7 hours. As the author of published articles on The Huffington Post, Thrive Global, McGill Media, The Simple Reminders, The Wellness Universe, The Spirituality Post and several published books Catherine’s approach to life, growth and all living things is one infused with positive faith, knowledge and conviction. And imbued with the knowledge and experience that exclaims, “Positive change, true progress, growth and greatness lie within everyone’s grasp and capacity to achieve!” As the author and founder of the “Live from Your Heart and Mind” community, Catherine is the guiding force behind the “LHM” system for increasing a person’s emotional and intellectual capacity, and inspiring them to positive change and accomplishment. LHM’s greater mission is to inspire and help people inspire and help other people in this evergreen process. It is one that also prescribes the contagious sharing of satisfaction, happiness and ever growing goodness that unites us as honorable individuals and as a family of rational, mutually respectful human beings. Catherine’s been an award winning participant at international conferences where she has provided knowledge and insight on such subjects as leadership, regional and international cooperation, project management, conference speaking and project representing. Not long ago she enjoyed the distinction of receiving the 30 Under 30 Best Young Leaders award and Top 20 Global Thought Leaders in Future at Work award and is also an experienced linguistics researcher with published scientific works in the fields of pragmatism, communication, speaking and media manipulation, and psycho-linguistics.

October 14, 2025 – Cellular Health Dr Will Hass and Manifesting Patricia Stepler

Dr. Will Haas, MD, MBA – Co-Founder & CEO at Vyve Wellness
I always wanted to build things. I wanted to create things. And you know,one of the things that drove me towards medical school… was thisfascination with the human body and optimizing Health and HumanPerformance.
Dr. Will Haas, MD, MBA, is the Co-Founder and CEO of VYVE Wellness, where he leads a physician-driven practice that emphasizes personalized, integrative medicine to help patients reclaim vitality at the cellular level. With dual training as a board-certified physician in family medicine and integrative medicine, and further credentials as an Institute for Functional Medicine trained practitioner, he brings both clinical and systems insight to his work. His journey into wellness is deeply personal: at age 41 he encountered his own health crisis—despite a healthy lifestyle he developed metabolic and cognitive imbalances—which motivated him to explore advanced therapies such as peptides, hormone optimization, and nutrient modalities. His mission is informed by both his professional background and his lived experience, aiming to redefine how medicine can be practiced: not merely to treat symptoms, but to empower patients to live at their highest potential.Patricia Stepler – High-Performance Mentor, Business Strategist, Mindset Coach, & Owner of Creating Top Producer
When you want to manifest something, it’s a matter of keeping focused.You have to see and visualize what it is that you want, and keep so directlyfocused on that goal that you don’t waver from it. And even when you getdiscouraged, you keep coming back to the goal.
Patricia “Patty” Stepler is the visionary founder behind Creating Top Producers, a high-performance coaching company dedicated to empowering entrepreneurs, business owners, and leaders to break through limiting beliefs and achieve transformational growth. With a foundation built on personal development and mindset mastery, Patty leverages her experience as a private coaching student of Bob Proctor to teach scientific principles of success, manifestation, and mindset reprogramming. She believes that true success is not earned solely by effort, but by learning to think differently and align one’s internal world with external goals. Before launching Creating Top Producers, Patty observed countless individuals working harder but plateauing—unable to reach their highest potential. Her transition from observer to mentor came from her conviction that both mindset and strategy must be developed in tandem for lasting results. Under her guidance, clients receive a holistic blend of mindset coaching, business strategy, productivity training, and leadership development. Patty also hosts Creating Top Producers, a show aimed at inspiring viewers toward entrepreneurial thinking, confidence, and transformative results. Patty’s mission is simple yet powerful: to help people move From Stuck to Unstoppable, guiding them to unlock clarity, confidence, and the momentum needed to create extraordinary lives and businesses.

October 13, 2025 – Customer Experiences Sujay Saha, The Decision Catalyst Linda Henman and Senate Federal Credit Union Tim Anderson

Sujay Saha – Founder & President of Cortico-X
When you’re looking for your first customer, you need to go to a person who actually trusts you. It’s very much similar to how investors give money, not on ideas, but on founders.
Sujay Saha is the Founder & President of Cortico-X, a boutique experience-led Strategy & Transformation firm. With over two decades of leadership experience, Sujay has helped senior leaders across industries drive customer focus as a differentiator to sustainably grow. This is his passion. Since its founding in 2022, Sujay has quickly positioned Cortico-X as a trusted partner in experience strategy and innovation that partners with industry giants and technology trailblazers to incubate and commercialize solutions that propel digital evolution. The results speak for themselves—20 clients within two years in a rather unfavorable economy! Before incubating Cortico-X, Sujay was a Partner at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) – a Big Four consulting firm. As a leader in PwC’s Silicon Valley office, he helped many of the world’s top brands leverage experience as a growth engine and competitive differentiator. A self-described ‘experience activist,’ Sujay is fervently committed to a human-centric approach to business. His career is a testament to his belief that profound customer and employee experiences are the bedrock of sustainable and profitable business models. Sujay has formulated and extensively published inspiring concepts, such as Return On Experience (ROX). He is now channeling his expertise into writing a book that explores innovative strategies for businesses to deliver exceptional experiences that are socially responsible and beneficial to all stakeholders. Sujay’s unwavering dedication to enhancing how businesses interact within their ecosystems inspires those around him, positioning him as an inspirational leader within the Cortico-X family, our clients, and beyondLinda Henman – Owner of Henman Performance Group
If you discipline yourself to appoint a devil’s advocate, and it should be different every meeting, to ask me why five times, that forces me to get to the core of the problem instead of being distracted by the trivial many. I want to zero in on the critical few.
Dr. Linda Henman, the Decision Catalyst ®, is one of those rare experts who advises, speaks, writes, and coaches. As the founder of Henman Performance Group, a leadership consulting firm located in St. Louis, MO, Linda helps C-suite leaders make decisions that they must get right and can’t afford to get wrong. In more than 40 years, none of her projects has failed. Some of her clients include leaders in organizations like Avon, Emerson Electric, Estee Lauder, Kraft, and Tyson Foods. Linda first studied decision-making while working on her Ph.D. in 1994. She conducted long-term original research on138 American POWs (including John McCain) who had survived five or more years of brutal imprisonment. The study, under the direction of the U. S. Navy, uncovered the pivotal decisions the POWs made to stay resilient – decisions about their beliefs, identity, and life’s purpose. These research findings have guided Linda’s work with executives ever since. Today, Linda works predominately with business owners and those in the c-suite to help them make decisions on issues like increasing profitability, mergers & acquisitions, and succession planning. (In fact, Linda was one of eight succession planning experts who worked with John Tyson after his company’s acquisition of International Beef Products – one of the most successful acquisitions of the 21st Century.)
Timothy L. Anderson, MBA – President & CEO of United States Senate Federal Credit Union
We just believe that credit unions, especially here at the United States Senate Federal Credit Union, are here to improve the livelihood of those who are most economically challenged, and we do that through the United States Senate Foundation.
Timothy L. Anderson has a long history with USSFCU, serving as the EVP and Chief Retail Officer before assuming the role of President and CEO in 2019.  He served on the USSFCU Board of Directors for over fifteen years in various capacities, including as Chairman of the Board.  He began his career with USSFCU as the Branch Manager of the flagship Hart Senate location. Tim possesses over 30 years of senior executive and management experience at large banks and credit unions.  He was the CEO of a local credit union in Washington, DC; a position he held for eight years before becoming EVP at USSFCU.  Other positions include VP and COO at American Spirit Federal Credit Union; VP and COO at the Treasury Department Federal Credit Union; VP of Operations at Equitable and Independence Banks; and Assistant VP and Financial Center Manager at BB&T and M&T banks in the Washington, DC area. Tim has expansive professional experience.  He is an Engagement Advisory Member at the Credit Union National Association (CUNA), and a member of the Board of Directors for the Maryland & DC Credit Union Association (MDDCCUA).  He serves as a member of the Board of Directors and past Chairman of the African American Credit Union Coalition (AACUC).  He is past Chairman of USSFCU’s wholly-owned CUSO, Credit Union Strategic Services, which focuses on business loan participations.  Tim received his M.B.A. from the University of Maryland, University College, and serves this institution as an Adjunct Professor in the Finance and Economics Department.

October 10, 2025 – Wealth Elevator Lane Kawaoka and Cellular Health Dr. Will Haas

Lane Kawaoka – Accredited Investor, Podcaster, Developer & Syndicator at The Wealth Elevator
You make your money on the buy, you know, we also come in, renovate theunits, bump the value, you know, which takes time, you know. And that’smore called forced appreciation. Is really our business plan here.
Lane Kawaoka, PE, is an accredited investor, real estate developer, and syndicator best known as the founder of The Wealth Elevator, a platform dedicated to helping professionals and first-generation millionaires achieve financial freedom through passive income and strategic investing. A licensed civil engineer by training, Lane spent over a decade in engineering before shifting full-time into real estate after realizing the wealth potential of owning and managing cash-flowing properties. His journey began with a single rental home, which he purchased while working long hours in corporate America. As he expanded his portfolio, Lane transitioned from small turnkey rentals to managing and syndicating large-scale multifamily and commercial properties across the United States. Today, he controls a real estate portfolio valued at more than $2.1 billion, representing thousands of units across apartments, hotels, mobile home parks, and other commercial assets. In addition to his investment ventures, Lane is the host of The Wealth Elevator Podcast, where he educates listeners on wealth-building strategies, tax-efficient investing, and the path to financial independence through real assets. He also leads the Hui Deal Pipeline Club, a private investor network that provides accredited investors access to vetted syndication opportunities. Lane’s philosophy is built around transparency, diversification, and “skin in the game,” ensuring that his investors’ interests are aligned with his own. His signature “elevator” framework illustrates how individuals can ascend through the stages of wealth – from active income to true financial independence – by leveraging smart, passive investments. Based in Hawaii, Lane has become a recognized voice in the real estate and financial education space, frequently featured on podcasts, webinars, and industry publications. Through The Wealth Elevator, he continues to empower busy professionals to replace their W-2 income with passive cash flow, achieve lifestyle freedom, and build legacies that last for generations.Dr. Will Haas, MD, MBA – Co-Founder & CEO at Vyve Wellness
I always wanted to build things. I wanted to create things. And you know,one of the things that drove me towards medical school… was thisfascination with the human body and optimizing Health and HumanPerformance.
Dr. Will Haas, MD, MBA, is the Co-Founder and CEO of VYVE Wellness, where he leads a physician-driven practice that emphasizes personalized, integrative medicine to help patients reclaim vitality at the cellular level. With dual training as a board-certified physician in family medicine and integrative medicine, and further credentials as an Institute for Functional Medicine trained practitioner, he brings both clinical and systems insight to his work. His journey into wellness is deeply personal: at age 41 he encountered his own health crisis—despite a healthy lifestyle he developed metabolic and cognitive imbalances—which motivated him to explore advanced therapies such as peptides, hormone optimization, and nutrient modalities. His mission is informed by both his professional background and his lived experience, aiming to redefine how medicine can be practiced: not merely to treat symptoms, but to empower patients to live at their highest potential.

October 9, 2025 – Smithsonian Star Lon Safko and No Pain Butch Phelps

Lon Safko – Best Selling Author & CEO at Innovative Thinking and Author of The Social Media Bible: Tactics, Tools, and Strategies for Business Success
You cannot think and communicate the left side of your brain and the rightside of your brain if you’re constantly bombarding it with noise. So you haveto shut it off – shut it off in the car, shut it off when you’re walking – becausethat’s when the ideas come.
Lon Safko is the bestselling author of “The Social Media Bible” which hit #1 on Amazon, and “The Fusion Marketing Bible” which hit #3 on Amazon. He is an acclaimed international keynote speaker and the host of the PBS Television Special “Social Media & You… Communicating In A Digital World.” According to Steve Jobs, Lon created the “First Computer To Save A Human Life!” Lon has 3 patents and has 18 inventions. More than 30,000 of his personal records are part of the permanent collection of the Smithsonian Institution!  Lon was the recipient of the Westinghouse Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and was twice nominated for the Inc. Magazine and Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year Award.Butch Phelps – Founder of The Muscle Repair Shop and Author of Stretch n’ Release: The Missing Piece to a More Pain-Free Life
The body won’t relax until the mind relax. Once you do that, then the muscles will release, and when the muscles release, now you can get better range of motion. Stretching becomes meditative because the purpose of the brain with the muscles is to get the brain to relax, so that the muscles will relax, and once you do, they’ll free up.
Butch Phelps, B.S., L.M.T., is the founder of The Muscle Repair Shop and creator of the Stretch n’ Release Technique, a revolutionary approach to restoring movement and relieving chronic pain by reconnecting the mind, body, and muscles. Based in Sarasota, Florida, Butch is a functional muscle therapist, certified health coach, and movement educator whose philosophy goes beyond traditional massage or stretching. His method emphasizes that muscles “listen” to emotional and neurological cues, meaning lasting relief requires both physical and mental release. By teaching short, mindful stretches, held for only a few seconds, combined with proper breathing and gentle pressure, he helps clients of all ages, even into their 90s, regain flexibility and eliminate chronic stiffness without forcing the body or triggering pain reflexes. Butch’s expertise was forged through personal experience. At 18, he survived a devastating car crash that fractured his pelvis and arm, leaving him with lifelong awareness of how the body compensates for trauma. In his 30s, he lost 105 pounds after reaching over 300 pounds, only to continue suffering from severe back pain. By 40, the pain was so crippling that he had to crawl from his car and roll onto the floor to stand. Determined to find real answers, he began studying how the brain, emotions, and muscles interact, discoveries that ultimately shaped the Stretch n’ Release Technique. He holds a B.S. in Aging Sciences and an A.S. in Advanced Therapeutic Techniques, and is certified by the United States Health Foundation as a health coach. Drawing on mentorships with pioneers like Aaron Mattes, the creator of Active Isolated Stretching, Butch built a system that empowers people to understand their bodies rather than fight against them. Today, he continues to teach and coach clients in person and online, offering personalized programs and video sessions that allow people to take control of their own muscle health. His life and work embody a simple truth: pain is not inevitable, it’s a message the body sends, and learning to listen is the first step to true healing.
 

October 8, 2025 – Noble Studios Jarrod Lopiccolo, Better Way Don Kieffer and Mental Health Dr. Brittany Albright

Jarrod Lopiccolo – CEO/Co-Founder of Noble Studios
Nobility is not a birthright. It’s something you earn every day. You’re toanticipate someone else’s needs, you’re to lean in and do what’s right,even if it means that you don’t end up on top.
With one foot firmly in Reno and the other across the pond at our Bristol, UK office, Jarrod’s globetrotting nature has led him to make meaningful connections with people all over the world. His attention to listening first lets him learn what makes people tick and, admittedly, helps him harness the insights to propel Noble’s success. Over the last two decades, Jarrod has grown our creative digital performance marketing agency from a single-laptop endeavor to an international company. To date, Noble has partnered with brands like Visit Lake Tahoe, Santa Monica, Autodesk, The Islands of Tahiti, Niantic Inc., Beats by Dre, Adobe, Disney, Visa, Google and more. His passion for creating beautiful human experiences (and his architectural background) has helped Noble translate the best of the real world into virtual architecture. Jarrod seeks inspiration from the world around him. An avid photographer and outdoorsman, he’s our original Wild Bear—hungry to see the world and always searching for a way to be better. On any given day, that could mean sharing his experiences at conferences, swapping stories with a client, or hiking with Season in places like Patagonia, Machu Picchu or with friends on Everest. A mentor, father, husband and visionary, Jarrod has held leadership roles with several non-profit and public-private initiatives in Nevada. He previously served as Co-Executive Director of the San Francisco/Silicon Valley Inc. Magazine’s Business Owners Council, was a board member for Northern Nevada Development Authority (NNDA) and an advisory board member for the Nevada Center for Entrepreneurship & Technology (NCET). He’s spoken at industry events worldwide, including Destinations International’s Annual Convention, Social Media Week Bristol, DMA West, and universities across Nevada. At the eTourism Summit, he led a panel of international industry leaders on Think Global, Act Local: Game-Changing Strategies from Leading DMOs Worldwide. Outside of his office in Reno, Nevada, Jarrod likes to keep his hands busy. He prides himself on being an early adopter, trying any interesting technology that comes on the scene and attending conferences that put innovation forward just for the fun of seeing into the future (and how it can be applied to digital marketing, of course). Jarrod’s love of photography led him to form a community of agency photographers, chasing light from Iceland to the ancient California redwoods, with South America on the horizon.Donald Kieffer – Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at MIT Sloan & Co-Author of There’s Got to Be a Better Way: How to Deliver Results and Get Rid of the Stuff That Gets in the Way of Real Work
Once I got the hang of this framework, my entire life changed. Workbecame a cross between solving a jigsaw puzzle and a board game.We’re not just solving the same old problems anymore – we can findinnovation in the oldest technology and make progress.
He is a career operations executive and co-creator of Dynamic Work Design. Kieffer started working running equipment in factories at age 17. He was vp of operational excellence at Harley-Davidson where he worked for 15 years. Since 2007, he has been advising executive teams around the globe in a range of areas including strategy deployment, product development, and operational improvement. Don has worked with industries as diverse as oil/gas, medical, biomedical, and banking. His guidance was instrumental in transforming both the production and technical development areas of a Cambridge-based genomic sequencing organization, now an industry leader, using the techniques of Dynamic Work Design. He is founder of ShiftGear Work Design, LLC and also teaches Operations Management at AVT in Copenhagen. Kieffer holds a BS in electrical engineering from the University of Pittsburgh.Brittany Albright – Founder of Sweetgrass Psychiatry
Mental health deserves a whole year, not just one day. It is every bit as critical as physical health – they are completely intertwined.”
Brittany Albright MD, MPH is a Harvard trained, board certified adult psychiatrist with a long standing interest in the complexities of the human mind and behavior. She began her training in biology and sociology as an undergraduate at one of the top academic undergraduate schools in the country, Emory University. Dr. Albright’s passion for psychiatry further developed as a medical student at the University of New Mexico, where she obtained her medical degree and a master’s degree in public health. She was inducted into the Alpha Omega Alpha Honor Medical Society representing the top 25% of her medical school class. Dr. Albright completed psychiatric training at the number one adult psychiatry residency in the country, Harvard Medical School/Massachusetts General Hospital/McLean Hospital. While in training, her interest in combined psychotherapeutic and psychopharmacologic treatments deepened. Her patients taught her the value of individualized assessment and need for specified treatment based on the uniqueness of the individual’s psychology. As a result, Dr. Albright sought advanced training and supervision in a variety of psychotherapeutic modalities, including psychodynamic psychotherapy, Mentalization Based Psychotherapy, Good Psychiatric Management for Borderline Personality Disorder, and Motivational Interviewing. Moreover, Dr. Albright served as Chief Resident of Addiction Psychiatry at MGH/McLean whereby she pursued training in combined medication and psychotherapy treatment of individuals with substance use disorders. After residency, she completed fellowship training specializing in addiction psychiatry at the Medical University of South Carolina. Dr. Albright completed her Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation certification in May 2022 and earned her psychedelic assisted psychotherapy certification in October 2023. She is committed to staying updated on scientific research and offering the latest, most effective treatments to her patients. Dr. Albright has had a very active research career, presenting 20 different research projects at national scientific meetings and publishing 16 manuscripts in national medical journals. Dr. Albright is also a national speaker and healthcare consultant, giving talks around the country to teach clinicians about new treatment options in psychiatry. She also mentors graduate therapy interns and healthcare graduate students in her role as a Medical University of South Carolina Affiliate Assistant Professor. Dr. Albright’s goal is to provide high quality, collaborative patient-centered care, supporting and advocating for her patients, offering a variety of evidence-based treatment options, and only using medications when necessary. This inspired her to establish Sweetgrass Psychiatry in 2018 because she felt that her patients deserved only the best treatment. She treats a wide range of patients from diverse backgrounds and ages 14+. She believes in treating psychiatric disorders using a multi modal approach based on the biological, psychological, social, and spiritual model.

October 7, 2025 – Wildlife Artist Entrepreneur James Corwin and Book Publishing Steve Kidd

James Corwin – Owner of Corwin Galleries
I can sit down at the easel and create a painting, whether I’m feelinginspired or creative that day or not. It’s like playing a piano – once youknow the notes and how to read music, you can play whether you feellike it or not.
James Corwin is a celebrated American wildlife and nature artist, and the founder of Corwin Galleries, a premier fine art destination showcasing Western, wildlife, and contemporary works. Born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and raised in Kalispell, Montana, James developed a passion for painting early in life, later studying Studio Art and Art Education at Marietta College and Montana State University. His signature oil paintings are known for their vivid realism, emotional depth, and intimate portrayals of wildlife, often inspired by his global travels and deep connection to nature. What began as a love for landscapes evolved into a full-time pursuit of wildlife storytelling through art—depicting the raw beauty and emotion of animals in their natural habitats. With galleries in both Hamilton, Montana, and Aspen, Colorado, Corwin has built a thriving presence in the art world, with his works collected internationally by private, corporate, and celebrity clients. His philosophy centers on capturing the spirit of the wild and preserving its fragility through art that inspires connection, conservation, and appreciation.Steve Kidd – The Ongoing Wealth Guide Guy
You can’t write the book that you need to write until you know who you are.And the problem with any… AI books is they don’t know who you truly are.Most people don’t really know their why behind what they’re passionate about.
Steve Kidd is the founder of Thriving Best Sellers, a proven coaching and publishing company dedicated to helping thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and visionaries write, publish, and market their books to bestseller status. With more than 3,000 clients served, Steve has built a reputation for transforming “wishful writers” into published authors through systems such as turning a 90-minute interview into a polished manuscript. He is himself a multi-international best-selling author and brings decades of experience in writing, publishing, branding, and book marketing. Beyond coaching, he also emphasizes the power of books as key credentials in one’s marketing strategy.