JULIE POTIKER

Author and mindfulness expert Julie Potiker is an attorney who began her serious study and investigation of mindfulness after graduating from the Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction program at the University of California, San Diego.

She was trained by Kristin Neff, Christopher Germer and UCSD as a Mindful Self-Compassion Teacher. She went on to study with Rick Hanson, becoming a graduate of his Positive Neuroplasticity Training Professional Course.

Potiker also completed Brené Brown’s Living Brave Semester. Now, she shares these and other mindfulness techniques with the world through her Mindful Methods for Life trainings and her new book: “Life Falls Apart, but You Don’t Have To: Mindful Methods for Staying Calm In the Midst of Chaos.”

She holds a B.G.S. from the University of Michigan and a J.D. from George Washington University.

DOLLY RAMIREZ and JJ SCHOCH as COOLHOUSE

CoolHouse is an L.A. based indie folk duo, Dolly Ramirez and JJ Schoch.

Dolly Ramirez is a vocalist/songwriter and Owner/operator of Divine Rebel Music, a music promotion company.  Jean-Jacques (JJ) Schoch is a composer/multi-instrumentalist.  Together, they are the Americana duo, CoolHouse.

Though born in Mexico, Dolly grew up in Los Angeles, raised on the passionate sounds of Ranchera ballads and other Spanish music. From the time she was a little girl, she loved to sing and knew that was all she wanted to do. 

She eventually found her way to Aretha Franklin, Etta James, Led Zeppelin, Janis Joplin, Whitney Houston, Patsy Cline. Determined to hit every note, she had no idea she was working out and developing those muscles. In time, she got over her debilitating stage-fright when her partner JJ encouraged her to attend and perform Open Mics and local music jams.  

Dolly’s voice has been described as having the power of Linda Ronstadt, the soul of Aretha Franklin, and the vulnerability of Brandi Carlile.  She now performs all over Los Angeles with CoolHouse, and as a vocalist in multiple music projects. Dolly loves supporting the music community through Divine Rebel Music, creating intimate and fun opportunities and venues for local musical artists.  

An accomplished composer producer, arranger, and songwriter, Jean-Jacques (JJ) Schoch has been involved with music, in one way or another, since he was very young. Raised by musical parents from Switzerland, Jean-Jacques grew up in Bethesda, Maryland outside of Washington D.C., where he studied cello, piano, bass and music composition. While living in the Washington area, he played in traditional orchestras and string quartets, as well as bands playing eclectic blends of jazz, funk, rock and bluegrass.

A modern-day Renaissance man… musician, writer and inventor, Jean-Jacques is at his core a passionate, gifted composer. Blessed with European charm and a wonderful sense of melody, he is fluent on piano, electric & upright bass and guitar. As a singer/songwriter, Jean-Jacques paints offbeat stories delivered in his distinctive vocal style.

JJ has recorded with the Gap Band (on Bass) co-written music with Maurice White of Earth, Wind and Fire, and performed live opening up for Stevie Nicks, Crosby, Stills and Nash, Jackson Browne, Stevie Wonder, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Taj Mahal, and Gil Scott Heron.

“I have been drawn to the beauty of music since I was a young boy learning to play piano and cello, and started composing and songwriting since I was 12.

CoolHouse plays all over Los Angeles, and performs in a monthly residency called Roadhouse Series Presents at the infamous Coffee Gallery Backstage in Alta Dena, CA.

MATTY B WOOOO

We all need a Guardian Angel at some point in our lives, but we never know when our Guardian Angel will show up. In my case, she showed up just in the nick of time.

NO CASUALITIES

If you happen to be standing at the FUBAR CROSSROAD of your life, not knowing which direction to go, you can either have a drunk driver hit you head-on at sixty miles an hour or come along with me on my journey from loser to embarking on the road to recovery. If I could do it, you can do it.

A NEW OPPORTUNITY

It took a sixty-mile-an-hour, head-on collision with a drunk driver, when I was twenty-five and waking up ten days later from a coma, massive memory loss, debilitating paralysis and excruciating pain to find myself standing at my FUBAR CROSSROAD. Fortunately, God gave me a do-over.

VOLKAN CAN CANBOLAT, Ph.D., aka “VOLKAN THE VIOLINIST”

Volkan Can Canbolat hails from Izmir, Turkey, where he began his violin studies at the age of ten at the Dokuz Eylul State Music Conservatory, continuing his studies at the Conservatory until his graduation in 2011. 

Can’s concert performances have taken him around the world, from his original Turkey to Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, Pakistan, Israel, Italy, Portugal and the United States. His worldwide performances have included solo recitals, chamber music and appearances as a soloist with orchestras. Can Canbolat holds Masters and Doctorate degrees from the University of Minnesota School of Music.

He currently serves on the violin faculty at the renowned music conservatory in Los Angeles, the Colburn School. 

ELAINE T. SILVER, ESQ.

Elaine Silver is a peaceful divorce attorney and mediator.  She helps families heal.  She practices yoga and gardens to maintain her own balance.

Elaine is a “holistic” Collaborative lawyer and mediator, a peacemaker.  She advises clients to be at their best while moving through divorce. 

She is President of the Florida Academy of Collaborative Professionals.  FACP is the umbrella organization of Collaborative divorce attorneys, counselors and financial experts in 16 Collaborative divorce communities throughout the state of Florida.

She has represented some “rich and famous”, including Carl Icahn’s first wife.  In Connecticut, where she practiced for the first half of her career, she tried and won the case that awarded the highest alimony and support award given to that time.

Elaine graduated with honors from New York University School of Law.  Elaine has been a visiting professor in family law at law schools in China, Connecticut and Florida. 

Knowing the devastation of a litigated divorce, even when her client “wins”,  Elaine encourages all families to take the route that Jeff Bezos just followed—peaceful, private Collaborative divorce.  Elaine speaks frequently to professional and lay audiences on “How To Have a Good Divorce.”