Allen R. Kates, BCECR, MFAW, is a trauma expert and author of the book, CopShock (first and second editions): Surviving Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), praised as the definitive survival guide for police PTSD sufferers. A&E Television produced a program based on CopShock's findings.

Allen is Board Certified in Emergency Crisis Response (BCECR) by the American Academy of Experts in Traumatic Stress, and has earned certificates in critical incident stress debriefing and management, suicide intervention, PTSD therapy, resiliency, crisis intervention and victimology.

Three weeks after 9/11, he toured the devastation of the World Trade Center and then gave an 8-hour seminar to Port Authority peer support officers about preventing and managing PTSD symptoms.

Allen has given seminars about PTSD, suicidal thinking, post-shooting trauma, psychological and emotional survival after a critical incident, and resiliency techniques for many organizations.

He is a member of the International Law Enforcement Educators and Trainers Association (ILEETA).

Lou Vickery is a former professional baseball player, stock broker, motivational speaker, radio and TV show host, and author of fifteen (15) books on a variety of topics (books in print can be reviewed at louvickerybooks.com and amazon.com}.

After graduating from Escambia County High School in Atmore, Lou signed a professional baseball contract with the St. Louis Cardinals. Over a ten-year career, Lou also played for the New York Yankees organization and coached in the Cincinnati Reds organization.

 Lou got his B.S. degree from Troy State University (AL), graduating after his baseball career. He coached a year in Troy, then spent four years with Merrill Lynch as an Account Executive. Lou moved into the training and development field with Pat Ryan and Associates of Chicago, Ill. in l974.

After 1980, he did contract training for numerous national organizations and over a thirty (30) year period worked with over 2,800 companies in 44 states and two foreign countries. Lou has spoken in every city in the USA with a population of over 150,000 people. Lou spent almost fifteen years as a radio show host before retiring in 2017.

Lou is the author of fourteen books on a variety of topics. Books in print are available at Amazon and louvickerybooks.com.

Lou resides in Fairhope, Alabama where he plays tennis three to four days a week.

PHOEBE LEONA

Phoebe Leona is a dancer, speaker, author, yoga teacher, and transformational guide who helps us feel more embodied through somatic, movement, and expanded awareness practices to become more empowered in who we are, who we are becoming, and our having a greater sense of belonging. She has been a teacher and guide for most of her life, but it was after a year of extreme loss in 2013 when she found herself in the vast open space in between her old life and a new life, that she dove deeply into her practices and began her company, nOMad to help others through their own transition and the spaces in between.

Throughout that time, Phoebe also developed her movement/somatic practice, Mvt109™ for students to fully embrace the freedom of moving in their bodies, transforming old patterns and reclaiming the vibrations & stories they want to bring to life. Phoebe also finds joy in sharing her story to help others in their healing. 

Phoebe tells her story on her TEDx Talk, her podcast The Space in Between, and her multi-author international bestseller Caged No More. Her newest book, Dear Radiant One, partners with GracePoint Publishing.

ABOUT THE BOOK

Phoebe Leona takes us on her journey as she dances through the twists and turns of life. She guides us from the shadows of fear, anger, grief, shame and loneliness and asks us to step with her into the light of gratitude, trust, confidence, joy and love. Phoebe’s own childhood journey from trauma to radiant spiritual teacher, reminds us that we are all authors of our own stories, and we can rewrite them at any period of our lives. Through her letters In Dear Radiant One, Phoebe shares vulnerable and honest interaction with her own emotions that provide inspiration and access to our own internal landscape. She provides specific practices that are an open invitation to explore our vulnerability and honest experiences of our emotional bodies. Get ready to dance with your radiance.

BRINSON

Brinson is an award-winning Christian hip-hop artist from Jacksonville, Florida. He has dedicated his ministry to serving families and hip-hop fans through his music and unashamed love for God.

He is an ordained minister and has studied music business at Belmont University in Nashville. When his passions and gifts are used together, he creates music that edifies and reaches those who would otherwise be unreachable.

He is the founder of GodChaserz Entertainment (GCE) and with that has been able to facilitate more than 20 Christ-centered hip-hop albums. He has traveled the globe spreading the good news of Jesus Christ. Brinson’s music has been seen and heard on ESPN, NPR, BET, MTV, New York’s Hot 97 and TBN, and he is the host of the GodChaserz Podcast.

More About Brinson

When award-winning hip-hop artist Brinson Wright was just 4 years old, he was given a cassette tape containing the song “Bible Break” by Stephen Wiley (regarded as the godfather of Christian rap), and a seed was planted. Brinson grew up knowing that the spoken rhymes of rap and the spoken words of the gospel were not mutually exclusive, and that music and ministry could be intertwined and used to edify and reach the often unreachable youth audience. 

“Rap, honestly, is motivation music,” Brinson said in a recent interview. “I’m going to motivate people to chase God.”

Brinson’s just-dropped album, Before He Cracks the Sky, is his 11th solo project and 80th overall release from GodChaserz Entertainment, the record label he founded in 2006. On it, he offers a prophetic voice along the lines of Malachi, who fervently attempts to share the good news that his neighbors can indeed be saved.

As with his past projects, Before He Cracks the Sky features top-notch sounds (including contributions from multi-platinum-selling producer Frank Nitty) and guest performances from Christian hip-hop veterans like Corey Red & Precise and Knine, and newcomers Porsha Love, Bri, Lu the Great and TC the Collector.

And like his last two albums, Before He Cracks the Sky is wrapped in a vivid cover designed by notable Marvel/DC/Image comic book artist Ken Lashley (of Black Panther, Star Wars and Spawn fame).

Brinson’s work in other areas has been gaining considerable attention. His GodChaserz documentary has won over 40 awards, and his entrance theme for Serena Deeb was featured on All Elite Wrestling. Plus, his book, 10 Things Every Christian Hip Hop Artist Should Know, provides valuable direction for others who want to enter the music industry without compromising their Christian values.

Using multiple forms of media to share his message comes naturally for Brinson, who is also an avid comic book collector, movie buff and ordained minister. 

“It’s time for listeners to lend their ears to Before He Cracks the Sky,” Brinson said. “This is where it all began — telling stories about God’s good grace.”