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Guest Occupation: Program Manager of Edwards-Elmhurst Health & Fitness Center
Guest Biography:

Steve Thurston is the Program Manager at Edward-Elmhurst Health and Fitness.

Guest Category: Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Medicine, Self Help, Variety
Guest Occupation: Intentional Lifestylist and Certified Grief Recovery Specialist
Guest Biography:
Embrace Your Natural and Necessary Grief

With Intentional Lifestylist and Certified Grief Recovery specialist Melody Chardon.

 
You may associate grief with the death of a loved one, but any life change can cause grief. Divorce, relationship breakup, miscarriage, career change, job loss, retirement, caring for aging parents or selling the family home can all trigger the emotions of grief.

 
Grieving is a highly individual experience. How you grieve depends on many factors including your life experience, personality and coping style. While grief is inevitable, most of us have never been taught how to grieve. The coping strategies we use are unnatural, unhelpful and unhealthy.

 
During this interview, Melody will provide safe, healthy and effective strategies to help you:
• Identify and come to terms with past or present grief
• Cope with the lingering pain of loss or change
• Pick up the pieces and move on with your life

 
After a major trauma, many people can live their lives feeling hopeless and heartbroken, disheartened and disenchanted. Instead of moving on from the loss, moving forward with their recovery, they stagnate, endlessly reliving the negative experience, while telling that same story, searching for something, someone to blame. Imagine what could be possible once you Embrace Your Natural and Necessary Grief...



Connect with Melody at:
Guest Category: Education, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Psychology, Self Help
Guest Occupation: Founder of AuraColors.com, author, consultant, radio show host, professional psychic intuitive, and aura expert
Guest Biography:

Pamala has appeared on ABC, CBS, NBC, CNN, FOX, The Dr. Oz Show, The View, The Ricki Lake Show, Coast to Coast with George Noory, Hallmark’s Better TV, Gaiam TV with Lisa Garr, and many other television and radio shows. She has also been featured in many national magazines.

Pam has written four successful and popular books, Life Colors, Love Colors, Infinite You and Make Your Dreams Come True, and has a very extensive clientele, including many celebrities. Pam has spoken at the TEDx Talks 2012, the International Forum on New Science, Fortune 500 companies, and many seminars for professionals in the psychology, education, health fields and more.

Pam is the Founder of www.AuraColors.com a site designed to help you create success, joy and fulfillment in EVERY area of your life. She also developed www.LoveColors.com,  this site is designed to help you find love and friendships by matching you with people who have compatible aura colors.

Guest Category: Literature, Health & Lifestyle, Philosophy, Psychology, Self Help, Spiritual, TV & Film
Guest Occupation: Psychic Medium
Guest Biography:


Psychic Medium Angelina Diana (her born name) had been a popular radio host & newscaster for many years, until the world of connecting to energy came into her life. At first, she studied it privately to make her life better. Then the urge to interview psychics and mediums grew stronger. She then realized that there were those practitioners "in the work to heal and those in it to steal

( your money)!" After Angelina received many personal validations from the energy world, she decided to read other people to see of there was evidence.  Angelina was surprised to receive more requests to do readings because it "helped' them.

 

She decided to leave the world  of broadcasting, to broadcast other information....from the otherside.



As a Psychic Medium, Angelina Diana participated in the prestigious Mediumship Afterlife Tests, The Veritas Research program  under the direction of noted author & scientist, Dr. Gary Schwartz, of the University of Arizona, Tucson. It was during extensive scientific testing by that Ms. Diana’s otherworldly accuracy was scientifically verified to the extent that she received honorable mention in Dr. Schwartz’s book, "The Truth about Medium."



Angelina also has the distinction of being the first medium to be certified by Forever Family Foundation  when they began their program in 2005. After she passed the test the first time She  went through the certification program various time to help them refine the program to open it up to other mediums.



Angelina has also been a host - "Signs of Life" since it's inception  from 2006 -2013. She lent a hand in the programming, production, formatting and creation of their interview show that has noted scientists in the field of survival of death as well as noted authors and other mediums.



Angelina has had the opportunity to use her past media experience and bring her on air readings, messages of hope and spiritual teachings to television and radio. She is  the resident psychic medium on Courtney and Kiss in the morning on 95.7FM since 2005  She has the honor of being on  Better Connecticut WFSB Channel 3 (CBS), FOX 61, WTNH 8 ( ABC) and Channel 30 ( NBC) in Connecticut. She has also made other TV appearances in Massachusetts WGGB Channel 40 ( ABC) and WWLP Mass Appeal Channel 22 ( NBC)  and Arizona.   She also produced and host her Cable Access show on Cox Cable PA15 shown throughout the Connecticut area.



She wishes to be a resource to help clients discover their own natural psychic ability, and if they have experiences a loss, help them understand their ability to connect to their loved ones on the otherside.
Guest Category: Paranormal, Ghosts, Spiritual, Medium & Channeling, Psychic & Intuitive
Guest Occupation: Cardiac Surgeon, Associate Professor of Surgery, Author
Guest Biography:
Brian Lima, MD is Director of the Heart Transplant Program at Sandra Atlas Bass Heart Hospital. He is author of the book Heart to Beat.
 
Dr. Brian Lima is a cardiac surgeon, associate professor of surgery, and recognized authority in advanced heart failure.  He has published nearly 80 articles in peer-reviewed medical journals and presented at numerous national and international medical conferences.  As the surgical director of heart transplantation at North Shore University Hospital, Dr. Lima helped launch the first and only heart transplant program on Long Island.  Dr. Lima completed his undergraduate studies at Cornell University and was awarded a Dean’s Full Tuition scholarship to attend Duke University School of Medicine.  During medical school, Dr. Lima spent a year at Harvard Medical School’s Transplantation Biology Research Center as a Stanley Sarnoff cardiovascular research fellow.  He then completed his general surgery residency training at Duke University Medical Center, and subsequent heart surgery training at The Cleveland Clinic, where he was awarded the prestigious Dr. Charles H. Bryan Annual Clinical Excellence Award in Cardiovascular Surgery.
 
A CARDIAC SURGEON’S LIFE STORY SETS THE STAGE FOR
AN INSPIRATIONAL GUIDE TO UNLEASHING PEOPLE’S FULL POTENTIAL
 
In HEART TO BEAT, Dr. Brian Lima Challenges Readers To 
Strive For Greatness And Never Settle For Second Best 
 
College, medical school, and then ten years of grueling surgical training, that’s what it took for Brian Lima to become a leading heart transplant surgeon – literally able to breathe new life into critical ill patients.  Not only has Lima never shied away from a challenge, he has spent his life actively seeking them in pursuit of seemingly near-impossible goals.  In his insightful new book, HEART TO BEAT:  A Cardiac Surgeon’s Inspiring Story of Success and Overcoming Adversity—The Heart Way (Clovercroft Publishing/February 18, 2020), Dr. Lima shares his story, giving everyone – not just aspiring physicians – the tools and encouragement needed to be their best selves.
 
“We all have free will, and we all have a choice,” he writes.  “You can choose to live aimlessly, halfheartedly going with the flow and suppressing that inner voice, the one beckoning you to unleash your full potential and to grab the world by storm.  Or you can achieve success by committing to hard work and unceasing effort.”
 
In HEART TO BEAT, Dr. Lima candidly shares, often with a wry sense of humor, how this approach enabled him to reach the pinnacle of success in all of his undertakings – whether it was building the strength and skill to become a varsity football player, becoming valedictorian of his high school class, earning a scholarship to Cornell University, or winning coveted residency opportunities as he trained to become a heart surgeon.
 
“You don’t have to be the smartest or most talented person in the room to get ahead, just the one who wants it the most,” he writes.  Indeed, Dr. Lima credits his own achievements purely to his intense effort.  In his eminently readable, down-to-earth book, he breaks down the keys to advancing beyond your comfort zone and perceived limitations to unleash your full potential.  Dr. Lima’s powerful lessons include:
 
Heart Over Matter – “You, and you alone, are responsible for how much or how little you achieve in this life,” he writes.  Only when you realize that you are master of your own destiny, and refuse to allow insecurities, past experiences, and fears to limit your potential, will you realize your dreams.
 
Heart Of War – Complacency is your biggest adversary.  You must never cease working and bettering yourself – if you do, you will surely slide off the top of your game.  “The minute you rest on your laurels and kick your feet up, you’ve settled for defeat,” says Dr. Lima.
 
Kickstart My Heart – Dr. Lima explains that the “propulsive power of ambition” has been one of the most impactful forces of his life.  “Your eagerness to move ahead contributes more to your success than natural talent or being born with a silver spoon.”  Ambition is what enables people to overcome the primary hurdle to success:  self-doubt.
 
Till Death With My Heart – If something is truly your calling – meaningful, bigger than you, and well-intended – it is likely not going to be easy to achieve, says Dr. Lima.  For him, the rule must be “it’s all in or no win.”  Being “well-rounded” is incompatible with true excellence, he contends.
 
Not For the Faint of Heart – Fear of failure can disrupt the pursuit of any goal, and overcoming this fear is a monumental task that requires you to meet it head-on again and again, until you’re desensitized to its paralyzing influence.  Dr. Lima urges readers to see every moment as just that – a moment – whether they’re going for a buzzer beater in basketball or performing heart surgery.  This is what gives people the courage to take their shot at every opportunity.
 
The Heart Sell on Entrepreneurship – “One way or another, you have to get the word out about how great your ‘brand’ is – in other words, how great you are,” says Dr. Lima, contending that the sales mantra “always be closing” is critical to success.  He points to such key fundamentals as avoiding pigeonholes and being open to opportunities; never second-guessing yourself; continuing to invest in yourself; and using your time wisely.
 
In addition to the author’s compelling personal story, HEART TO BEAT also includes a fascinating look at the current technologies and medical care available to treat heart disease, along with the basics about living a heart-healthy life – straight from the mouth of one of the country’s leading heart transplant surgeons.
Guest Category: Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Medicine, Self Help, Variety
Guest Occupation: Recovery Group facilitator, Psychology, Special Education and Literary agent
Guest Biography:

WANDA WEBSTER and CHRISTOPHER MACK

Christopher Mack has been facilitating recovery groups in Los Angeles for the past 16 years. He has been interviewed many times (NPR, LA Times, USA Today, LA Weekly, and Nightline) because he has a unique perspective about the condition of homelessness and our human nature. He is a beloved fixture on Skid Row in downtown Los Angeles, having worked for JWCH as an outreach worker for many years. He is known to many as The Urban Sage. Because Christopher used music and singing to uplift himself from the daily tribulations, he co-founded The Urban Voices Project five years ago, a choir for the urban community and underserved population. 

Wanda Webster graduated from Drake University with a bachelor’s degree in Special Education and Psychology. When she moved to Los Angeles, she accepted opportunities in the entertainment industry working as a development executive and a literary agent. She discovered she had a natural gift at helping writers develop and fine-tune their scripts. Many of her writers won awards in their field. More recently, Wanda obtained a master’s degree in Education and Psychology from Pepperdine University. She created curricula for large non-profits in the areas of spirituality, social-emotional development, and addiction/recovery. Wanda has always been fascinated by human behavior and believes that supporting people to become the best versions of themselves to be her ultimate joy and purpose.

Guest Category: Education, Health & Lifestyle, Kids & Family, Psychology, Mental Health, Personal Development, Self Help, Society and Culture, TV & Film
Guest Occupation: Photographer, Human Rights Activist, Musician, Writer, Performance Coach
Guest Biography:

KENNETH “KAYO” ANDERSON

Kenneth Anderson was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan. After studying Music Education at Jackson State University with a concentration in Voice, Kenneth founded the Mosaic Singers of the Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit.  Ken grew his group from 8 voices to an astounding 100 voices, and they transformed into one of the most acclaimed and sought after youth choirs in the world, and took to world stages to prove it. Under his direction, the student choir performed in 30 states, seven countries, and at such prestigious venues as the White House, The Kennedy Center for Performing Arts, La Salle Sia in Singapore, Le Maison De Sclaves in Senegal and the Millennium Dome in England, among others.  They were invited to give command performances for US Presidents Bill Clinton and Barack Obama and for acclaimed author Maya Angelou, who remarked that the Mosaic Singers were “the most amazing youth troupe I’ve ever seen.”

Kenneth’s work has been featured in “The Wall Street Journal”, “The New York Times”, on Public Radio’s and PBS “All Things Considered” and on NBC ‘s “The Today Show”, and he was also one of the featured subjects of “And They Flew,” an Emmy award winning documentary. 

In 2009, Kenneth left Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit, after serving his final five years as their Artistic Director and Vice President. During his tenure, he and co-founder Rick Sperling nurtured Mosaic into an Internationally acclaimed arts organization. As he moved forward to pursue new passions, he proudly turned the group over to one of his former students, who has since taken the Mosaic Singers to higher heights. His philosophy of legacy is rooted in his belief in sowing seeds and allowing them the sunshine to blossom. Since moving to Los Angeles to work in the Television/Film and music industry, Kenneth has continued his legacy of ushering deep community involvement. He formed the Leimert Park Choir under the umbrella of the Harmony Project, anarts organization that provides free arts training to over 2000 at risk youth in Los Angeles. Since Ken’s founding it, the Leimert Park Choir has grown from 2 members to over 50 young voices from across South L.A., most of whom are African American. Recent performances include The Grammy Museum, the Vision Theatre, and a star studded concert celebrating Jazz Legend Barbara Morrison. The group was featured as the Opening Act for Tavis Smiley at Temple Israel’s King Day Celebration, all developed and organized by Michael Skloff, television composer most noted for composing the theme song to the show “Friends.” Kenneth’s impressive a capella youth choir was featured in “Exagogue”, produced by Jewish Theatre Dybbuk at Temple Israel of  Hollywood, UCLA and as part of Grand Performances in downtown LA.

Kenneth is known also for his voice and performance coaching with adults; having worked with many artists at various levels, including artists for Universal Recording Group and LIVE the Music Group, and an elite Hollywood clientele that include stars from “Glee” and “Grey’s Anatomy”, just to name a few. Kenneth has directed and produced shows in Los Angeles,  as well as in Detroit, Washington, D.C., New York City, Atlanta, Georgia, London, UK, Copenhagen, Denmark, and Dakar, Senegal, and has collaborated with some of the greatest artists in the world on a variety of projects, including Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Amber Riley, B Slade, Sweet Honey in the Rock, and Al Green, just to name a few.

 A multi-talented artist of many mediums, Kenneth’s award-winning photographic work has appeared in several fashion/contemporary magazines, newspapers and global publications, CD/album and LP covers. His striking photography was recently featured in an article in Time magazine. His unique artistic eye and his keen belief in social justice give his images an international appeal. In his occasional spare time, he enjoys singing and performing gospel and Opera. He has appeared in Opera favorites including Verdi’s “Nabucco” and Gazzaniga’s “Don Giovanni” at the Detroit Opera House and also appeared alongside living opera legend Denyce Graves in librettist Toni Morrison’s  “Margaret Garner” at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.

 His current photo exhibit “blaque boi bleu”, which features his coveted images of diverse African American men in America, is actively touring to galleries across the nation. He plans to publish his first book of photography, humor and poetry in 2021.

Kenneth “Kayo” Anderson is currently embarking on his MOST exciting endeavor as the “Minister of Culture” at Los Angeles Community Action Network. This is a dream job! He has already formed the “Freedom Singers”, a multi-dsciplinary performance troupe, based out of LA CAN in downtown’s Skid Row neighborhood. After a personal bout with homelessness, Kayo realizied the immense need for targeted supportive services for the MANY artists who reside in Skid Row. The LA CAN arts and cultured initiative takes a holistic approach to the redevelopment and reintroduction of artists into viability.  

 Ken has received numerous honors, awards and recognition, including Crains Business Top Twenty in Their Twenties in 2007, the Spirit of Detroit, Alpha Kappa Alpha Distinguished Community Leader Award, and he was named as one of the 100 Distinguished Gentlemen of Detroit, by the Detroit Conversation. Most recently Ken was given an award from the National Arts Education Forum for his Creativity and Innovation in arts education.

 Ken has been a continuous advocate for human rights, with a particularly spirited focus on young people, LGBT and women’s rights. He’s written several scholarly articles, including a feature in “Swerv Magazine”, garnering crucial national attention to the Ruth Ellis Center in Detroit, which provides much needed support for homeless and exploited LGBT youth.

Guest Category: Performing Arts, Visual Arts, Entertainment, Health & Lifestyle, Music, Society and Culture, TV & Film
Guest Occupation: Songwriter
Guest Biography:

GIADA VALENTI

Singer and songwriter Giada Valenti is born and raised in Venice, Italy. Her career started in Europe where she was signed as a young singer with record label Sony BMG and had hits climb directly to the top of the charts. She has received critically acclaimed awards such as the prestigious San Remo Giovanni Talenti Nel Mondo and Festival di Castrocaro. 

In the United States she is most known for her stunning music special aired by PBS, entitled “From Venice With Love”. Because of the success of this television special, she has performed at theaters and performing arts centers all over the country. 

In November 2017 she made her debut as a headliner in Las Vegas with a concert at The Smith Center for the Performing Arts. In October 2018 she made her debut at Carnegie Hall in New York City.

One of her recent career highlights is being asked to perform with Andrea Bocelli. She sang several duets with him at a concert benefitting the Andrea Bocelli Foundation. 

For the past eleven years Giada, currently a resident of Las Vegas, has released her CDs “And I Love You So, “Italian Signorina” and “My Lullaby”, “From Venice With Love”, garnering rave reviews. She is currently working on new recordings with multi Grammy-winning producer Cheche Alara and Jorge Calandrelli.

Giada is also a Tiramisu expert. She has been featured on morning shows of ABC, CBS, FOX and NBC television doing cooking demos on how to make this famous Italian dessert. Giada is very passionate about food. She is a longtime member of the Accademia Italiana Della Cucina, a by the Italian government recognized cultural organization that checks out Italian restaurants around the world. Giada loves to go out for dinner with friends but can also be found in her kitchen experimenting with recipes.

Guest Category: Performing Arts, Entertainment, Music