Bob Ramirez, DBA, MBA, DACFP | Faculty Chair, Academic Excellence/Professor of Business and Management, Author and Speaker

Dr. Robert Ramirez is an investing and business expert, author, educator, and speaker. He has dedicated his career to helping people achieve financial security. 

Through his books, speeches, and podcast interviews, Dr. Ramirez shares valuable insights on investment options and discusses important topics in today's financial marketplace. 

His commitment to financial education has helped many people take control of their financial futures.

Alan H McGowan, selected as 2019’s Top Science and Technical Expert by the International Association of Top Professionals, also received a Lifetime Achievement Award from Marquis Who’s Who that same year. Now a Lecturer at The New School, he served first as chair of the Science, Technology, and Society Program (now called the Interdisciplinary Science Program) then as chair of the Environmental Studies Program, where he developed several new initiatives, including a newsletter going to four hundred leaders in global environmental studies, and an internal “Friday Letter” going to interested staff and faculty.

After graduating Yale University with an engineering degree, and a two-year stint at American Electric Power, a public utility, Mr. McGowan left to pursue graduate work in physics, then taught science and mathematics at private schools for ten years, winning the Teacher Recognition Award from the American Association of Physics Teachers in 1968. Following that, after serving for five years as Scientific Administrator of the Center for the Biology of Natural Systems, an interdisciplinary environmental research, and training program at Washington University in St. Louis, he became president of the Scientists’ Institute for Public Information (SIPI), which under his leadership became a major bridge between the scientific and journalist communities. Board Chairs of SIPI included such people as Margaret Mead, Lewis Thomas, and David Baltimore. SIPI’s Media Resource Service, its signature program of which Walter Cronkite was the Honorary Chair, fielded up to fifty calls a day from journalists connecting them to expert sources. Another important program was “TV News: The Cutting Edge,” weekend gatherings of local and national television news directors and leading scientists, including Nobel Laureates.

When changing foundation priorities forced SIPI to close, he founded and ran The Gene Media Forum, part of the Newhouse School of Journalism of Syracuse University, which served as a bridge among geneticists, ethicists, and journalists. Highlights of the program included a major conference in South Africa on genetically modified organisms funded by the Rockefeller Foundation, a session on race, genes, and intelligence which aired on ABC News, and a session on genetics and injuries featuring Christopher Reeves.

Mr. McGowan was a member of both the New York State and the New York City Advisory Committees on Energy Policy and was for twenty years the scientist member of the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority. He has served on many boards and advisory committees, including the Center for the Advancement of Health, the Organization of Tropical Studies, and the Metcalf Institute of the Oceanography School of the University of Rhode Island. He chaired the board of Student Pugwash, USA, an offshoot of the Pugwash Conference on Science and Public Affairs; the organization focuses on ethical issues in science and technology. He currently serves on the board and executive committee of the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences, where he chairs the Legal and Governance Committee. He is also one of six Executive Editors of Environment magazine, now published by Taylor and Francis.

He is the author of over one hundred articles focusing on the interconnections among science, society, and technology, both in peer-reviewed journals and the popular press. They have appeared in Jewish Currents, Christian Science Monitor, PTA Magazine, Think magazine, World Book Encyclopedia, and many others. He has presented his research on Franz Boas, ethical issues in science and innovative course in science at scientific and education conferences around the world, and in seminars at Columbia and Princeton Universities as well as at The New School. In addition, he has written over one hundred editorials for Environment magazine over a forty-year period, including one in 1978 warning of the perils of global climate change.

My guest, Freddy Silva is a bestselling author, and leading researcher of ancient civilizations, restricted history, sacred sites and their interaction with consciousness. He has published nine books in six languages and produced fifteen documentaries. Freddy’s most recent book is Portals: Energetic Doorways to Mystical Experiences Between Worlds. Described by one CEO as "perhaps the best metaphysical speaker in the world right now,” he leads sell-out tours to sacred sites worldwide, and for two decades he has been an international keynote speaker, in addition to appearances on Gaia TV, History Channel, BBC, and countless radio shows. 

Freddy Silva

Freddy Silva is a bestselling author, and leading researcher of ancient civilizations, restricted history, sacred sites and their interaction with consciousness. He has published nine books in six languages and produced fifteen documentaries. Freddy’s most recent book is Portals: Energetic Doorways to Mystical Experiences Between Worlds.

Described by one CEO as "perhaps the best metaphysical speaker in the world right now,” he leads sell-out tours to sacred sites worldwide, and for two decades he has been an international keynote speaker, in addition to appearances on Gaia TV, History Channel, BBC, and countless radio shows. Website invisibletemple.com

Freddy Silva does a brilliant job of taking us into the mysterious world of portals and breaking down how these powerful energy centers interact with our bodies and consciousness, enhancing our awareness and connection to Self and the infinite.

- Regina Meredith, award-winning documentarian and host of Gaia.com's Open Minds
 

Brimming with personal experiences, Portals is a fascinating exploration of these enigmatic doorways. Traversing the globe, scouring folklore and historical record alike, Freddy leaves no rock unturned in his search for answers. A highly readable guide from one of our most gifted and eloquent researchers!

- Stephen Gawtry, Managing Editor, Watkins Mind Body Spirit Magazine

lCuneyt Dil is a co-author of the daily Axios DC local newsletter. Dil reports a weekly column on local politics and power called Town Talker. Previously, Cuneyt was covering California and West Virginia state government for The Associated Press. He has also reported on DC politics and government for the Washington City Paper, TheDCLine.org, The Current Newspapers, DCist.com and Capital Community News. In 2015, Dil founded District Links, the local DC politics newsletter.
 

In 2018, I lost my husband to suicide. It shattered our family, sending us into a spiral of desperation and grief.

In the wake of this tragedy, I uncovered a shocking truth: Every year, over 30,000 American children lose a parent to suicide, and tragically, they are 3x more likely to die by suicide themselves.

That’s why I founded Project Unbroken, I saw a huge need for support of the surviving family. We’re a nonprofit dedicated to supporting survivors of suicide loss with vital resources – financial, emotional, and spiritual.

Picture a mother, determined to help her children heal, but financially, they are trapped in the home where their father took his life. Or a promising young man setting aside his dreams of college to support his grieving family. These stories fuel our mission.

But thanks to our donors, we have hope. Project Unbroken provides grants for things like counseling, education and keeping kids in their activities.

As my family and I journey towards our own light, I ask you to join us. Together, we cannot change the past, but we can shape a brighter future.

My guest, Angell Deer is the founder of The Sanctuary, a revered Shamanic Healing Center nestled in the heart of the Catskill Mountains, New York. He is the author of the book, "The Sacred Web: The Magical Craft of Your Sacred Shamanic Space." Angell creates a haven for individuals seeking connection with nature and ancient wisdom teachings. Additionally, he serves as the Founder and Executive Director of The New York Bee Sanctuary. Through his advocacy, research, and education initiatives, he has championed the cause of bee conservation on local and global scales. Angell's career, however, began in the corporate world - with over two decades of experience in leadership roles within the luxury retail and sustainability industries. Angell reached the pinnacle of corporate success which was accompanied by a profound realization that the life he had built was lacking meaning. He embarked on a deeper exploration of spirituality and holistic wellness. Drawn to the ancient wisdom of Andean Cosmology and Norse Shamanism, Angell immersed himself and embraced his purpose as a shaman, mystic, and healer.

His unique journey has led him to become a sought-after international speaker, sharing his insights on spirituality, wellness, and environmental stewardship. Additionally, his leading program, "The Sacred Purpose Blueprint," helps women step into their power & purpose and escape the achievement trap. Angell has spoken in front of global audiences at the French Embassy in New York, at Harvard Business School, and at Parson School of Design in NYC.

Thoryn is a prominent business and web analytics professional with expertise in complex data problem-solving, data architecture, consumer insights, testing/personalization/recommendations, and systems development. With fifteen years of management experience, he is responsible for growth and strategic development within companies such as Amgen, Unilever, American Apparel, and Fox Networks (Fox Broadcasting, FX Networks, and Fox Sports). His documented skill in analyzing user behavior data produces actionable results across a wide variety of platforms and applications.

Thoryn has a degree in molecular and cell biology, with multiple scientific publications. His work has led efforts in cardiovascular and infectious disease drug development programs.

When he isn’t synthesizing information, Thoryn enjoys backcountry snowboarding, composing music, and competing as an Ironman distance triathlete.

Since the release of his Human LP, Folk-Pop artist Joseph Eid has been garnering
considerable buzz. He has been featured in American Songwriter Magazine’s “Best New
Music” column and was named as one of the 100 Hottest Live Unsigned Artists by Music
Connection Magazine.

His song, It’s Only Love, was featured in a Universal Pictures film starring Sharon Stone called “All I Wish.” His EP, Watch It Fall, was released in Spring 2017. No Depression music journal called it “mesmerizing and empowering.” His single Listening to Madonna was spun in department stores nationwide. It also earned a semi-finalist spot in the annual International Songwriting Competition.

His latest album, “Back to the Living,” enjoyed airplay by college radio stations across the country. Thank You (a song from his latest album) is featured in the critically acclaimed independent film The Outwaters.

Joseph’s childhood and exposure to different cultures has shaped and colored his writing,
perspective, and voice as an American artist. He was born in West Africa to Lebanese parents. At the young age of 11, Joseph’s family immigrated to the US where they made the suburbs of New York City their new home. The arts at home were only supported as a hobby and highly discouraged as a career. While he wished for a life in music, young Joseph’s artistic endeavors were limited to high school musicals and plays.

During his college years, Eid studied psychology and pre-med. After his first semester at medical
school, his dream got too big to hold and Eid made the bold choice of dropping out to move to New York City to pursue music. While back in New York, Joseph Eid picked up a guitar, joined a band, and the songs poured out like rain. His journey then led him to Los Angeles where he started playing regularly at music showcases and hosted several of his own weekly music nights. During those first years in Los Angeles, he wrote dozens of new songs and recorded his first full-length LP, Human.

Known as a dynamic solo performer, Joseph Eid has brought his one-man live show to many of Los Angeles’ premiere music venues. He also plays regularly at private homes, restaurants, hotels, wineries, and clubs all over Southern California. His greatest passion is split equally between songwriting and playing live. There isn’t a day that goes by where he isn’t grateful for the moment he decided to answer his calling. To be able to follow one’s heart is one of life’s greatest gifts.

I’m a Florida boy. Didn’t see snow till I was a junior in college at Michigan State University. I graduated in 1957 (Dick Nixon gave the commencement address) and came to New York and Allied Stores hired me as an executive sales Promotion trainee—for $3400 a year—I took home $200 a month after taxes.

Yes, I remember those days. They didn’t hurt. A few years later, married by then, we had our first child—in Syracuse. I was up to $6,000 a year as a copywriter. When my second daughter came along 19 months later, I was working in NYC for a small ad agency for $9,000 a year. Overnight (it seems) I was a creative copy supervisor in a giant agency, and we were richer than Croesus—I was earning $30,000 a year. We lived in Larchmont, NY, as pretty and nice a town as you can find for raising children. Then one day, because I always knew there were other trees to climb, I accepted a big job as Creative Director of the largest advertising office in South America—J. Walter Thompson’s Buenos Aires, Argentina office. They moved the four of us plus all our furnishings of a nine room house.

It was exciting. The girls were 11 and 9, and we were there for some politically circus-worthy years—Peron, who had raped Argentina in earlier years with his killer wife, Evita at his side, returned to Argentina, and the Argentines did the impossible—re-elected Juan Peron as President, and he named his new wife, Isabellita, as Vice-President. Then Juan died, and She, yes, that one, became La Presidente! What else happened those years? Oh yes, Nixon resigned, whenever I was in NYC on business all people could talk about was Watergate, but all that mattered to me were The Peronistas in Argentina; the Junta in Chile; and the Tupamaros in Uruguay. I learned back then you can’t live on two continents. And besides, I had Ford, Pan Am, Kodak and Lever Brothers, depending on my creative leadership, plus a staff of 40 Creativos. My secretary was a young Communist. He didn't speak one word of English. Working overseas puts a lot of demands on you.
 

In 2013, by divine intervention, I ended up at a Master Hypnotist Society, Hypnosis Boot Camp.  I knew no one and to this day I really don’t know how I ended up there. But, it was meant to be and I have been with the Master Hypnotist Society and under Scott McFall’s mentorship ever since.  2015 is when The Canadian Hypnosis Academy, a division of the Master Hypnotist Society Canada was created.

Sarah Kendzior is the author of three books: THE VIEW FROM FLYOVER COUNTRY: Dispatches from the Forgotten America (2018), HIDING IN PLAIN SIGHT: The Invention of Donald Trump and the Erosion of America (2020), and THEY KNEW: How a Culture of Conspiracy Keeps America Complacent (2022).

Sarah wrote op-eds for The Globe and Mail (2016-2020) and for Al Jazeera English (2012-2014) and contributed to dozens of other academic and mainstream publications. She co-hosted the podcast Gaslit Nation (2018-2023). You can view her latest writing (as well as her original photography) in Sarah Kendzior's Newsletter.

Kendzior has a PhD in anthropology from Washington University in St. Louis, where she researched politics and digital media in authoritarian states of the former Soviet Union. Dr. Kendzior applied the skills she gained studying Uzbekistan to cover the autocratic rise of the host of THE CELEBRITY APPRENTICE.
 

Chris Lombard works with people and their horses to help them connect with each other. Through his one-on-one work and his clinics he works with many different people and horses across America.

There is joy, challenge, and much opportunity for growth when learning alongside a horse, and Chris’s goal is to help people get a feel for their own unique path in that journey.

Chris has written two horse related books: Land of the Horses, which chronicles his two years traveling the American West discovering his connection to horses, and The Horses In Our Stars, which looks at our journey within and the love and fear we experience both in life and with horses. He lives in Maine.

Cloe is a singer/songwriter and angelic frequency channeler. She loves to use her voice as medicine, transmitting codes of healing as she performs in both live and studio environments. Her music is infused with messages of unconditional love, self-love and inner child healing.

Cloe previously ran a successful YouTube channel garnering 6.5 million subscribers, but took a step away from her role as an influencer to submerge herself in the world of songwriting and develop her skills as a vocalist and musician.  She still uses her YouTube channel to share content related to music, such as her “Story of a Song” series, which are in-depth short documentaries about the process of creating each of her songs.

She also loves to produce and direct music videos and bring her music to life visually. As much as the world of video creation will forever be a passion, music has always been her greatest joy and she’s so excited to finally be stepping into this artistic expression. 

Bastiaan is the founder of ZAMBEZI ZERØ, established to put super intelligence in the hands of everyone in biosphere sustainability.

Bastiaan had the vision to use the best of the world’s technologies, combined with entrepreneurship and investment to combat African wildlife poaching as part of his 20+ year journey. He first began doing safaris in Africa in 2003 and became a FGASA Level 1 trained Field Guide in 2009. He formally devoted his life to re-establish symbiosis between humanity and our planet through founding ZAMBEZI ZERØ, a for-profit and infinitely scalable solution to a $900B market need by 2030.

Bastiaan spent 15-years with Capgemini Consulting helping executives with digital strategy, innovation, redefining operating models, institutionalizing consumer-centric design, and improving commercial performance. Most recently he helped South African clients find multi-billion USD market opportunities.

Using these tools he built SAMO, a venture capital backed start-up that drives revenue in virtual and augmented reality by helping music industry companies define, finance, and deliver their emerging tech strategy. His corporate and operator experience lead to advising a €100M SDG-centric Dutch venture capital fund LUMO Labs, based in Eindhoven, Netherlands. His experience makes him a desired team member for high growth startups like StarNews Mobile where he advised them as Head of Corporate & Business Development, and as Director of Operations for the Spatial Web Foundation where the new spatial internet standards are being developed.

He studied engineering and received his Masters in management from Nyenrode University in The Netherlands, followed by several certificate programs at tier-1 institutions like Wharton and MIT.

Jimmy Pearson is a unique and soulful artist, vocalist, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and actor. He brings an unparalleled energy to his music and to the stage, which will leave you dancing for days. His music is a place where he can speak fully about his experiences in life and the growth that comes from them.

Originally from Oberlin, Ohio, Jimmy has been rocking the west coast since 2013. His style is a healthy mix of soul, funk, alternative, and unintentional pop. He also has scored multiple films, bringing his unique flavor to the screen, and has even composed original music for these films, as well as appeared on screen in some of them.

KD

Highly talented Rap Artist with extensive experience in entertaining live audiences.  Deep background in recording and production studios.  Experience in live stage plays.

Demi Demaree

Singer/songwriter for Villiebillies, a former Universal/Motown group. Demi’s unique versatility has landed him on stage with industry superstars such as Jelly Roll, Hank Williams Jr., Sublime & more.

While with Villebillies, Demi co-wrote “Holy Water,” a song later covered by Alice Cooper on his album ‘Paranormal.’ Demi is currently a solo artist still performing today under the stage name Ipcus Pinecone.

Over the past 25 years I have worked in front of camera as an actor, built several businesses as an aspiring entrepreneur, and invested in real estate across the country which allowed me the freedom to keep growing and exploring.  

Over the past decade of my life I made a significant shift, and dedicated myself to discovering what kind of artist I want to be in life, and what it is I would create if profit wasn’t the motivating purpose. That is when Re/creation Cafe was born. I discovered that people and places are my art, and I wanted to create spaces where people can connect more authentically through creative social experiences that encourage adults to play more. I spent the next several years curating events around this idea, and eventually decided to dedicate everything I have to building a space for people to share in these types of creative social experiences on a regular basis.

Construction on Re/creation Cafe started in 2017, and lasted until March of 2024. Re/creation Cafe is now open to the public, and offers the community breakfast, lunch, and dinner as well as live music, live painting, and many more experiences that remind us all to keep playing.