Dr. Marilou Ryder, author, doctoral professor, and women's leadership expert encourages everyone to be their BEST SELF ON A GOOD DAY! Dr. Ryder offers readers and audiences compelling research and simple tools to lead a more confident and empowered life. With over a decade of CEO experience, Dr. Ryder has been on the front line for CHANGING THE CONVERSATION FOR WOMEN and GIRLS in the workplace, at school, and in their personal environments.

She has written ten bold books for women and girls under the Best Selling SISTER TO SISTER umbrella, involving hundreds of interviews throughout the United States. Three inspirational bestsellers, KNOW YOUR WORTH, GIRL, LOVE YOUR AGE, GIRL, and SHOW YOUR WORTH, GIRL, are intimate 6" x 6" motivational support books called INSTAGRAPHICS. In addition, her highly acclaimed RULES OF THE GAME Series has propelled many readers across the job search finish line.

Marilou Ryder galvanizes others to approach life's challenges by accessing their personal power. A sought-after speaker, Ryder has been named Top Ten Business Women of the Year, California Administrator of the Year, Johns Hopkins Leadership Award, and recently, Orange County, California Faculty of the Year. She lives in Huntington Beach, California with her husband, a fine art photographer and Babydoll, her beloved Shih Tzu.

Dr. Tiffáni Thomas is an experienced mental health professional deeply committed to achieving health equity for marginalized communities and empowering women across all spheres of life. As an originating member of the dynamic Solano Commission for Women and Girls, she actively spearheads initiatives aimed at enhancing the status and quality of life for women and girls in Solano County, California. In addition to her to her work on the Commission, Dr. Thomas is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, the first African American Greek-lettered sorority. This esteemed organization's mission, centered on addressing and alleviating challenges faced by girls and women while serving the community at large, strongly resonates with Dr. Thomas's personal and professional values. Utilizing her extensive education, leadership skills, and professional expertise, Dr. Thomas passionately champions causes dedicated to uplifting, healing, and empowering others. Her unwavering commitment to ‘leave things better than when she got there’ continues to inspire individuals and drive lasting change toward a more just and equitable world.

Following a three-year engineering career, Dr. Kristen Miller spent thirteen years in traditional education roles, teaching predominantly high school mathematics, Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) and Career Technical Education (CTE), and serving as a middle school vice principal in Northern California. Seeing a huge need for high-quality social and emotional interventions, systems and supports, Dr. Miller created a youth empowerment organization, With Heart Project (WHP), to work alongside schools and districts promoting Social-Emotional Wellness (SEL), Trauma-Informed Practices (TIP), Restorative Practices (RP), and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS).

In her inaugural year, she partnered with a high-poverty middle school in Northern California to create and implement practices, processes, and procedures to decrease student suspension rates and increase academic achievement. The results were remarkable and yielded a 79% growth in Common Core Mathematics achievement, a reduction in discipline and attendance infractions, an increase in GPA, and an increase in math and reading grade levels among at-risk students. She recently earned her Doctoral of Education degree in Organizational Leadership (with an emphasis in Transformational Leadership), and currently serves CEO of her organization, as well as Adjunct Professor at UMASS Global and National University. Dr. Miller lives in Sacramento, California, with her daughter and pets.

For more information, please visit www.withheartproject.com.

Dr Barbara E. Bartels, Ed.D. is a university administrator and adjunct faculty in the school of business, and is co-founder and co-author of Meaning-Centered Leadership. Dr. Bartels and Dr. Jackson are currently speaking on the topic of incorporating meaning in the workplace.

Dr. Bartels received her Bachelor’s Degree from Illinois State University in Special Education, her Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from St. Mary’s College of California, and her Doctorate of Education in Organizational Leadership (Ed.D.) from Brandman University. Her areas of study and research include education, business, entrepreneurship, and organizational leadership.

Her professional career has included extensive entrepreneurial work in both the education and business arenas. She has a passion for organizational leadership, change management, inspirational speaking, and motivational theory in the workplace. Her dissertation focused on meaning-centered leadership and how exemplary leaders create meaning for themselves and others, thereby increasing productivity and employee engagement.

Dr. Bartels has presented nationally, including at the annual conferences of Association of California Community Colleges, Association of California School Administrators, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the California Association of School Psychologists, Noel Levitz, and more. Dr. Bartels is also a university adjunct professor, focusing on business ethics and business leadership. She has been a dissertation committee member and coach and enjoys helping other students achieve meaning in their work.

Visit our website at www.meaningcenteredleadership.com and follow us on social media from our website.

Dr. Sepideh Yeoh is a faculty and consultant with California School Boards Association. She brings her decades of experience as an executive coach, leadership consultant and author with her focus on promoting practical and simple steps of tapping into emotional intelligence in navigating the many transitions in life. She is a facilitator and leader in several support/networking groups, including GIFT (Gaining Insight For Transitions) for women. GIFT’s primary purpose is to create a psychologically safe environment for women to share lived experiences and strategies for navigating life’s challenges.

Sepideh is a published author. Her most recent book, Bold Brilliance: Personal Power and Possibilities is an anthology with 13 remarkable authors. Her third book, Leading from the Edge of the Box®: It All Begins with You, a collaborative effort with co-author, Dr. Peggy Wozniak. Her second book, Glow: Be the Light of your Journey is a guide for navigating life transitions, focusing on women. Her first book, A Handbook for SIMPLE Living, co-authored with Dr. Anthony Hughes, is a college textbook.

Sepideh holds a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from University of Massachusetts, where her research focused on leadership practices of exemplary leaders. She also holds a Master’s degree in Student Affairs and Higher Education from Canisius University and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from University of Buffalo.