KURT A, KRUEGER

A native of Los Angeles, Kurt A. Krueger lives what he teaches and teaches what he lives.  He has won 16 medals in four Senior Olympic swim championships.  Mr. Krueger has taught Peak Performance Practices (PPP) around the world for elite athletes/coaches, performing artists, business people, and others.  His goal is to have everyone physically and mentally fit throughout the 21st Century.  He has been interviewed on Radio/TV and for the print media on four continents. 

Mr. Krueger was an All-American swimmer at Los Angeles Valley College and is a member of their Hall of Fame for Water Polo, and he also coached numerous world-record holders for San Fernando Valley swim schools; he was a member of Glendale College and Cal St. Uni. – Los Angeles faculties of Psychology and/or Physical Education.  He has also coached soccer, football, basketball, and Track & Field. He is an internationally published author, photographer, lecturer and corporate consultant.

Mr. Krueger’s interest in Peak Performance Practices developed when he met a Master of these sciences in 1974.  His integrative learning was tested three years later when he was a passenger on a JAL plane hijacked by the Japanese Red Army terrorists.  Mr. Krueger used a PPP concentration technique he’d been practicing and found his mind relaxed and focused at the height of the crisis – the first coach passenger to speak with hijackers and ultimately the first off the plane.

Returning to America, Mr. Krueger taught history and government at an inner-city ghetto school — Crenshaw High in Los Angeles.  His mental control was again tested there when threatened twice by students carrying either a drawn knife or gun.  He peacefully settled the incidents by verbally demanding the weapons.  His clarity and ease in an intense situation once again amazed Mr. Krueger and others.  Fellow teachers recognized his ability to cope with crisis situations and requested that he instruct them in Stress Management techniques.  This ultimately led to a series of highly successful presentations in Southern California climaxing with programs at the United Nations in New York City, and Oxford Medical School (UK).

Concurrently, Mr. Krueger also began training athletes for Peak Performance.  It developed into a ‘systems’ program to strengthen a person’s body, mind and spirit.  The use of these techniques had enabled him to win numerous medals in the Senior Olympics.  Examples of some high school students improvements after just three months use of Peak Performance Practices: Greg Denby, a high jumper with a personal best of 6’6″, leapt 7’1″; Macarthur Osbourn went from a 2:01 880 yard runner to a 1:54; Anita Sood, of India, set eight National swimming records, and Bejoy Jain, in 14 days, set a National Junior Record then swam the English Channel faster than any other Asian.

Mr. Krueger founded the Institute of Sports Psychology in 1982 in Bombay and ultimately developed into an organization with four more offices in: London, Melbourne, Tokyo and Los Angeles.  The following year he founded Success Systems International to develop programs and practices specific to companies and performing artist needs. Mr. Krueger has trained the Claremont Professional Football Club, W. Australia, which took second in the Grand Final that year. He has trained professionals and athletes of SIX different countries National teams. He has been asked to and did present programs for the United States Military Academy, Young Presidents Organization, IBM and other major corporations. 

Mr. Krueger has presented at major international conferences such as, a keynote speech, Stress Management in Sports and Business at the World Congress on Sports Psychology in Copenhagen; Fitness for the 21st Century at the Olympic Scientific Congress in Seoul; and Technology with a Heart workshop at the International Conference on Technology and Education, Brussels; and Strengthening Character at the Conference of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education Recreation and Dance in San Diego.  He has been published nearly 50 times internationally in magazines and journals. Also, he is a National Board Certified Teacher in ‘secondary’ Physical Education and is a trained Scoutmaster for Boy Scouts. Mr. Krueger had been serving on the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Physical Education Advisory Board from 2000-2014. His book, Winning Ways for Living became a bestseller in its first 3 weeks on Amazon in 2016! See what it will do for you! 

In his spare time, Mr. Krueger has designed a Culturally Transformative annual event to be implemented called, The World Fest, and Character Education/Inclusion (if interested in this send him a note and you will receive several sources and ideas to implement. One of which reduced violence in a large Refugee Camp over 90% within two (2) years!

GUNNAR K. THELANDER, Ed. D

Get an Ergonomic Boost in Your Life and Work…

Gunnar K. Thelander, who earned his Master’s and Doctorate in Exercise & Sports Science and Organizational Leadership, is a dynamic Speaker and Coach helping others to live healthier lives that are “ergonomically-fit” for their lifestyles. Whether you are trying to improve your game at work, home, or while traveling, this book is perfect for you.

Gunnar is also a Certified Life & Wellness Coach through The Professional Coach Academy and A.C.E. and has already helped many reach desired fitness goals quickly and effectively. The practical insights he shares in this book are easy yet effective for total transformation in body, mind and spirit. He has been a school teacher and sports coach for over ten years before becoming a professional speaker and personal coach for thousands of individuals just like you. Nominated “Best Up and Coming Speaker” by Star Marketing Summit in 2019, Gunnar delivers entertaining talks that will keep you laughing and taking notes. Gunnar is also a Rotarian and loves sharing ideas to give back to the community.

Just as your office should be ergonomically designed, so should your body and wellness practices. Your body needs a boost too in what you eat and physical activity. Many of us never “have time” to take care of our own minds and body, but it’s an absolute MUST! Gunnar has designed talks, workshops and a coaching practice centered on just one thing: YOU! Gunnar creates customized programs that are ergonomically-fit for your lifestyle. Let him perform an Ergonomic Assessment of your workplace. Gunnar is certified in OSHA and Humanscale to make it a safe and ergo-friendly environment that can maximize human performance.

THE SWAY

Pulling nostalgia from 90’s and 2k pop rock with stabbing synths, driving guitars, and a littering of contemporary dance hooks, beat-down Los Angeles band The Sway brings you music not meant to be played quietly on iPhone speakers but blasted from your car.

Showcasing double-edged singer Freddy Hale with a sleek yet coarse utterance in your audible focus, Collin Keller’s versatile and dynamic lead guitars, Alex Pitta’s aggressive bass lines and Cadu Costa’s hard hitting drums, the band smashes you over the head with high energy grooves and well-dressed lyrics transforming contemporary pop from its polished, perfected, paradisiac state to a gritty, flaw welcoming, human experience.

CORY PESATURO

Cory Pesaturo (“C Pez”) is on the forefront of the accordion world, pushing the boundaries on multiple fronts of what is possible with the accordion. The only person to ever win the trio of World Championships on Acoustic, Digital & Jazz Accordion, and the only accordion graduate of the prestigious New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, MA. In 2017, Pesaturo became a Guinness World Record Holder, as RedBull® flew him to Austria to break the Marathon Accordion Record, in which Cory played for over 32 hours. Cory’s main contribution is his visionary thinking of how the accordion should be used, played, taught, and presented in modern music. He has given 2 TED Talk’s and 2 Google Talk’s about this, which are currently the only TED or Google talks in the world about the accordion. Pesaturo is also developing his own electric accordion, and already has made the first ever skinned accordion which includes a symmetric lighting system attached to the keys.  

Pesaturo’s extensive resumé includes appearances at the White House for President and Mrs. Clinton on 4 different occasions, starting at age 12, and 8 other appearances for the Clintons since 2000, along with 14 letters from the first family. On one of those occasions, he became the youngest person to ever perform at a State Dinner, performing with the Marine Strolling Strings for the President of Hungary. Some TV appearances include the Late Show with David Letterman, performing with Johnny Depp, and nationally televised programs in New Zealand, Canada, Italy, Tunisia, France, and Finland. On an NYC broadcast, CNBC/FOX host Maria Bartiromo once said “No one is currently doing more for the Accordion than Cory”. He has judged accordion competitions in the US, Canada, and Europe, in addition to other music competitions, and currently gives masterclasses at various universities throughout the US and Europe on Accordion and Improvisation.  

For his Classical side which is lesser known, a win in a concerto competition at 16 years old gave Pesaturo the rare opportunity to perform with the Brockton Symphony Orchestra as a featured soloist, where he became the youngest accordionist to ever solo with a symphony orchestra in the US back in 2003. Concerning his Jazz side, Cory recorded two CD’s with saxophone legend George Garzone and his known band “The Fringe” at age 19, and has become friends with Jazz and Music Legends Quincy Jones and Wynton Marsalis. His performances at all 3 of his World Championships were played on accordions that were not his, and were generally 90% improvised; both aspects are unheard of in the accordion world.  

The instruments most famous legend in the US, Dick Contino, said when Cory was only 15, “Of all the accordionists I’ve seen over the years, Cory is the one to pass the torch to, the only one who has all the tools to bring the accordion back to its former glory.” Guido Deiro’s son, the “Father of Piano Accordion”, has stated “I’ve worried greatly about the future of the accordion since my father died, but not anymore since seeing and hearing Cory.”  

Pesaturo is also heavily involved and respected with the weather and motor sports worlds as well. He composed the Official list of records set by the record-breaking 2005 Atlantic hurricane season and also wrote the lists for the 2007 and 2008 Seasons as well. Moreover, he has put out reports on Winter Seasons for the US which have been featured on Accuweather.com, HurricaneCirty.com, and others. Cory is known for his FreeSledding work, including his own sledding mountain called “CN Mountain”. He has written sports blogs for sites like Bleacher Report, and has collaborated with members of the Red Sox and the Drop Kick Murphy’s on the “Fenway 100″ album released in 2012. His music has been played on Formula 1 broadcasts on NB

DANIELLE CROOK

Danielle is a multi-disciplinary performing artist with diverse professional qualifications.  She acts on-camera in TV, film and commercial productions; and on-stage in musicals, plays and operas. She is also a choral singer and conductor, private voice teacher, and vocal soloist.  

Currently based in Los Angeles, Danielle was born and raised in Santa Cruz, California. Danielle graduated cum laude from UCLA with a BA and highest honors from the musicology department. She then pursued a masters degree from San Jose State University in Voice Performance, where she was privileged to study with mezzo-soprano Layna Chianakas. Danielle was the vocal winner of the 2010 Concerto Competition at San Jose State and the national anthem soloist at commencement.

Film/TV

Danielle co-starred in two episodes of the Hulu original series Chance starring Hugh Laurie, and has appeared on networks such as The Food Network, the Travel Channel, The Fine Living Network, and MTV, as well as in independently produced films and music videos. See IMDB and Resume PDF for additional credits.

Theatre

Favorite theatrical roles include Morticia in The Addams Family Musical, the Governess in The Turn of the Screw (Jeffrey Hatcher), Maria Reiner in The Sound of Music, Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls, Cecily Cardew in The Importance of Being Earnest, Marian Paroo in The Music Man, and Aeneas (a trouser role, with a beard!) in the Bay Area premiere of La Didone, a baroque opera. Danielle has a special interest in premiering new works, and has been involved in five seasons of the annual short play festival “8 Tens at 8” in Santa Cruz, CA, as well as two world premiere operas and a world premiere musical.

Vocal

A classically trained soprano of Norwegian heritage, Danielle has specialized in art song from Nordic countries and she sings in Norwegian, Icelandic, Danish, Finnish, and Swedish. She also enjoys performing standard lyric soprano repertoire in English, German, French, and Italian, as well as less-commonly performed pieces in Spanish, Portuguese, Catalan and Russian. She has received recognition for her art song work by the National Association of Teachers of Singing-Bay Area, and a grant from the Scandinavian Cultural Center of Santa Cruz for her work in Scandinavian song.

She has been a soloist with the San Jose Wind Symphony, Monterey’s Del Monte Brass Band, and San Jose State’s Wind Ensemble, Jazz Orchestra, and Symphony Orchestra. She is available for live performances and special events.

Choral

Danielle has sung in or directed a choir nearly every year of her life since the age of eight. As a choral and ensemble singer, Danielle has performed at Davies Hall in San Francisco; Disney Hall, Royce Hall, and the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles; San Jose City National Civic and St. Joseph’s Basilica in San Jose; and the Santa Cruz Civic and Kuumbwa Jazz in Santa Cruz. She has worked with diverse ensembles such as Areté Singers, Awaken A Capella, Superdevoiche (a Bulgarian women’s choir), and as a choral member and soloist with the UCLA Chorale and Chamber choir, and the SJSU Concert Choir. She served as the choir director at the Congregational Church of Soquel for many years, and has worked with other church, public school and after-school ensembles as a director and voice teacher.