Kidnapped By Her Paranoid Schizophrenic Mother; One Woman's Story of Turning A Life Of Tragedy Into a Life of Endless Impact Intv. Avail.

I wanted to reach out about a story almost too crazy to believe, a story that challenges those who hear it to ask themselves if she went through all of that and still has hope, what does that mean for me?

Eliza VanCort has lived a life that feels as though it were scripted for a made-for-tv movie. Her mother suffered immensely from mental health struggles and was diagnosed as paranoid schizophrenic. In an exclusive story with People Magazine, Eliza describes being kidnapped by her mother, who, before her diagnosis, was described as “devoted and loving.” A scheduled visitation with her mother suddenly took a turn for the worst when the visit turned into a case of kidnapping. This ordeal included tragic accounts of not having enough food, hitchhiking, and Eliza witnessing the rape of her mother. During the rape, Eliza recalls her mother saying "'Eliza, whatever you do, do not come back here. Whatever you hear, do not come back here.' During the extensive kidnapping, Eliza said she learned many lessons, including the idea that "You have to be as quiet and small as you possibly can, if you want to survive," a situation like this.

It would be easy to condemn her mother’s actions, but through kindness and forgiveness, Eliza healed her generational wounds. 

Eliza was eventually reunited with her father, who, upon settling in New York, enlisted the help of women in the community to raise his young daughter. It would have been easy for these women to ignore the little girl with the tragic backstory or shun the family wanting to stay away from issues of mental instability and domestic disputes. Still, these women chose to engage in acts of kindness and compassion. 

In an interview, Eliza can recount the order of events that lead to her once idyllic childhood turning into a string of traumatizing events at the hands of an unstable mother suffering from untreated mental illness, and how she learned to turn this time of trauma into a catalyst for changing the lives of others. 

Now as an author and speaker, and widely popular Tik Tok star, Eliza strives to empower others to claim the space waiting to be filled by their talent and challenges people to respond to others with kindness, compassion, and genuine care. 

If you are interested in scheduling an interview, please let me know, as I am happy to coordinate. Please see more about Eliza below. 

-Jillian 

Lead Publicist 

KT Media Strategies 
 

Eliza VanCort is a professor at Antioch University, a Fellow at Cornell, consultant, speaker, and writer. She is an advisory board member of the Performing Arts for Social Change, a Diversity Crew partner, and a member of Govern For America’s League of Innovators. Her book, A Woman’s Guide to Claiming Space, is now available. She has also given a TEDx talk on Women, Power, and Revolutionizing Speech. Her significant presence and engagement on Tik Tok allow men and women from all backgrounds to claim their space and regain control of the trajectory of their lives. 

She has more than 200K followers on Tik Tok.

Eliza VanCort is a professor at Antioch University, a Fellow at Cornell, consultant, speaker, and writer. She is an advisory board member of the Performing Arts for Social Change, a Diversity Crew partner, and a member of Govern For America’s League of Innovators. Her book, A Woman’s Guide to Claiming Space, is now available. She has also given a TEDx talk on Women, Power, and Revolutionizing Speech. Her significant presence and engagement on Tik Tok allow men and women from all backgrounds to claim their space and regain control of the trajectory of their lives. 

She has more than 200K followers on Tik Tok.

April is Financial Literacy Month and I wanted to send over some expert tips from my client Tatiana Tsoir, CPA/MBA and certified finance coach. Like it or not, finances are something we all have to contend with and for many people, the concepts of financial success are not easy to grasp.

A recent survey found that 30% of Americans have between $1,001 and $5,000 in credit card debt, 15% have $5,001 or more in credit card debt and about 6% have more than $10,000 in credit card debt. Although 6% may seem like a small amount, that means that based on the survey results, 14 million Americans have over $10,000 of credit card debt.

Tatiana says that financial success often begins with a firm foundation of financial understanding. She has the following tips for Money Skills Everyone Should Know By Age 30. 

-Know The Terms: Many people do not understand the terms of their credit cards, bank accounts, loans, or cash advances. Know what you are getting yourself into and whether it is going to help or hurt your financial situation. 

- Check Your Attitude: Knowing your own attitude toward money is essential in understanding how you approach your finances and whether or not an attitude adjustment is needed. Maybe you grew up in a family where money was openly discussed. Or, maybe you grew up in a family where budgeting was unheard of and money was spent like you had an unlimited supply. Whatever it is, take the time to know yourself and your habits. 

- Know The Flow: It is imperative to know how much money you are bringing in each month, and how much and where you are spending it. If the former is bigger than the latter - you’re good. If it’s the opposite - you’re screwed. Understand the priorities of your budget, things like rent, utilities, healthcare, and credit card debt should come before things like dining out, entertainment, or other items that are wants over needs. Maybe you don't realize just how much money you are spending on Starbucks and fast food. Maybe you have subscriptions services you really aren't using. 

- Stash It: Start setting aside a little bit of money for no reason whatsoever. Just 50-100 bucks a month can make a drastic difference in your safety net. If possible, consider investing even a small amount of savings and you will enjoy the side effects of the power of compounding, let your money work for you as hard as you are working for it. Make sure you are putting money away for your retirement. If you are working for a company with 401K benefits are you maximizing the potential?

-Use Your Resources: Use software or programs like Mint or Truebill to track expenses. Check out things like digit.co to help you save painlessly.

Financial literacy isn’t just a superficial concept. It’s a must-do or must-have for everyone. Can you afford your current lifestyle? Are you digging yourself into a hole of insurmountable debt? You need to know if you can afford to have a dignified retirement or if you will be working until you die. You need to know if you can pay your medical bills and living expenses. Do you have money available in the case of an emergency or job loss? You have to know that you have confidence in tomorrow, no matter what’s thrown at you. 

Please let me know if you would like to schedule an interview for financial literacy month! I am happy to coordinate. 

KT Media Strategies

443-254-4319

Jillian@KTMediaStrategies.com

Tatiana Tsoir, CPA, MBA, is a Transformative Business & Finance Coach, Certified Life Coach, Author, Speaker, and Podcast Host. A fervent believer that the key to freedom lies in entrepreneurship, Tatiana specializes in helping individuals prepare and transition from the antiquated 9-5, to starting and running their own companies.



Over the last 16+ years, Tatiana has used her expertise in tax planning and price psychology to help hundreds of businesses become more profitable, stabilize cash flow, and pay less in taxes through a combination of tax strategies, operational planning, and commitment to excellence.



In her signature mastermind program ” Something That’s Yours,” she supports women in learning to color outside of the lines and go after their bold dreams so that they can be their own boss and make money doing what they love.



Tatiana is a frequent speaker at conferences, is the author of "Dream Bold, Start Smart: Be Your Own Boss & Make Money Doing What You Love" and host of the podcast Talk to Tatiana in which she has conversations with world experts about their entrepreneurial journey. Tatiana has been featured in Parents Magazine Business Insider, GoBankingRates, Bankrate, CBS, The List, The Daily CPA, NTD, Thrive Insider, Forbes, US News Money, and National Speaker Association.



IG: @tatianatsoir.author

Companies are Moving from Great Resignation to Great Retention: How to Motivate Remote Workers By Building A Culture Worth Staying For, Interview with Leadership Expert and Ph.D.

According to the 2021 People Management Report, 48% of employees have thought about quitting in the past 12 months. Companies are trying to avoid falling prey to The Great Resignation by morphing it into The Great Retention. One way companies are striving to keep employees is by offering more flexibility either through job sharing (two part-time employees doing a full-time job) or allowing employees to continue remote work. A recent survey suggested that over 60% of remote workers view working from home as a positive experience. Yet as with most good things there are downsides as well. A separate study listed the following struggles that remote workers find themselves facing including:

-Saying they are unable to separate work life from personal life

-Battling loneliness 

-Struggling with communication between colleagues

-Not understanding workplace culture

-Working longer hours and feeling undervalued

Dr. Wayne Pernell, a leadership expert with a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology devotes his career to helping leaders achieve not only personal success, but to motivate those they lead as well. A good leader is nothing without the support of those they influence. He says that “It is more important than ever for leaders to recognize why people lose motivation and how leaders can get them re-engaged.” While a remote position may offer the flexibility many employees crave it can cause fear of missing out on opportunities for promotion, collaboration, workplace politics, and even workplace fun.

“Dr. P” was just named one of The Top Motivational Speakers To Follow in 2022 In an interview Dr. Pernell can share the following tips to help ensure equal engagement for remote and in-office employees:

-Equity: All means all. It can be easy for people who are out of sight to be out of mind as well. Remote workers must be included in group communication. This solidifies them as important members of the team regardless of where their work is being done.

-Equal Consideration: When positions open and employees are considered for promotion, leaders must ensure equal consideration is given to both in-office and remote workers. Consideration should be based on a variety of factors, not just location. 

-Inclusive Social Events: Team-building events and opportunities should include a variety of in-person and virtual options. Plan get-togethers - annually, semi-annually, or quarterly. Build travel and lodging back into your budget so as to be fully inclusive.

-Encourage Equally: Take time each week to publicly acknowledge people's achievements within the organization. Recognition is important for morale.

-Balance autonomy with attention: Giving employees the freedom to work on projects on their own time and that fuel their own interests is a great way to keep up morale. Balance this with checking in to ensure that employees have what they need to complete their tasks and assign specific tasks with intention. Telling someone why you chose them for a specific task gives them a sense of ownership.

-Values-Based Vision: Let your employees know what your company stands for and ensure that these values are put into action daily. Being part of something bigger than themselves helps give people a reason to stay.

If you are interested in hearing more please let me know, as I am happy to coordinate. More about Dr. Pernell can be seen in his bio below. 

Jillian

-KT Media Strategies 

Jillian@KTMediaStrategies.com

“Dr. P” was named one of The Top Motivational Speakers To Follow in 2022, is a member of the Forbes Business Council and has appeared on KTLA, KPIX, KRON, KCTV, KGET, KMIR, NPR and has been quoted in the New York Times, FastCompany, MSN Money, Forbes and published in Entrepreneur magazine. He is known as the exponential success coach and seasoned leadership advisor. He is a #1 international best selling author and a noted relationship expert, as well as an international speaker. He also holds a PhD in clinical psychology. His website has resources related to his weekly podcast, blog, books, online courses, and free downloads (like his PowerfulPresenceMasterclass), in addition to information on his signature retreats and 1:1 advising. Please visit www.waynepernell.com for more.

www.WaynePernell.com/PowerfulPresenceMasterclass

​​Why Hiring BIPOC Employees Is Not The Same As Valuing Their Contributions

While many companies are striving to diversify their employee pool, by hiring BIPOC, LGBTQ, and other historically oppressed or ignored populations, it is what happens after employment that matters. Simply hiring a diverse workforce does not mean the opinions, ideas, talents, and strengths of each employee are equally valued. Checking a box to ensure diversity does not equate to equal workforce representation or practices. DEI strategies in the workplace go beyond the idea of diversity, teaching companies to build in policies and frameworks within their operational procedures to ensure equity and inclusion as well.

When we break this concept of diverse hiring and how it lacks widespread corporate inclusion down further by specific populations, we see the deeper nuanced indications that these historically ignored populations are still not seen as equals in the workplace. For instance, Black women make up 7.4% of the U.S. population, yet hold less than 2% of VP roles and just over 1% of C-suite roles. Data also shows that one in four transgender people have lost a job due to discrimination, and three-fourths have experienced discrimination or bias in the workplace.

Employers and companies must look beyond merely employing people from marginalized populations, and must begin to truly see them as valuable contributors to their company's mission and success.

Managers need to know what it takes to create a culture of acceptance, equality, and equal opportunity. This culture comes from the top down and needs to be matriculated into the company's policies and procedures.

While some advancements have been made, the work has just begun to illuminate the discrepancies but has yet to offer remediation. Historically, Affirmative Action has not eliminated gaps in equity in either education or the workforce. There is still work to be done. DEI workplace diversity training first emerged in the mid-1960s following the introduction of equal employment laws and affirmative action, this does not mean that change is not still needed.

If you would like to hear more from Kim on this topic please let me know as I am happy to coordinate

-Jillian 

Lead Publicist 

KT Media Strategies 

Jillian@KTMediaStrategies.com 

Kim Crowder, Founder & CEO of Kim Crowder Consulting, is one of the country’s leading Anti-Racism, Diversity, Inclusion, and Equity Speakers, Coaches, Trainers, and Consultants.  Kim and her team work across industries serving U.S. and international markets, from retailers to insurers to governmental agencies and the social sector. From Adobe to Good Catch Foods to Target, the American Library Association, Receipt-Bank, HarperCollins Publishers, and on, Kim and her team provide leaders and companies actionable tools to move initiatives forward long term. Kim has been named by Forbes as one of the “Top Anti-Racism Educators Companies Need Now,” A Top 10 Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Expert by All American, and Top Influential African-American Business Women To Follow by LinkedIn. She is also a member of the MIT Technology Review Global Panel and For(bes) The Culture.

She has been featured for her expertise by The New York Times, Business Insider, Cheddar News, The Tammi Mac Late Show, CBS, NBC, FOX, Katie Couric Media, regularly by Forbes, on Hubspot’s podcast, The Growth Show, Workology, and As Told By Nomads.

In a thought-provoking and deeply authentic trek to truth, Becky Tahel (content creator with over 40 million views across social & actress, Mixology, and Jdate’s Matzo Ball Commercial) wrestles with religion, love, and identity after her sister’s interfaith marriage. Becky journeys to carve out her identity as an Israeli immigrant in Los Angeles by consulting a handful of Rabbis (including LA’s own Rabbi Wolpe and Rabbi Susan Goldberg), religious experts (including Reza Aslan), mentors (including the former boss, Eric Andre), and her family around her initial question, "should I marry Jewish?" What she finds changes her initial question to "why be Jewish?" & shifts the very course of her life. ‘American Birthright’ isn't a solely Jewish story — Becky gives an authentic voice to those struggling to fit in, find their purpose and identity, and own their individuality in a world that begs assimilation.

'American Birthright' is a significant film that follows an honest and complex search for truth and religious identity. - Judy Gruen, Aish

By including so many diverse voices and celebrating the decisions by both sisters, the documentary refrains from dogmatically pushing a single message about Jewish faith and intermarriage. Rather, audiences see the sisters’ unique personal journeys and are given questions to help them reflect on their own lives. - Sophie Panzer, The Jewish Exponent

For a woman who was making her first documentary film, this effort is amazing. I had a wonderful time watching this film, self-examining my own life as it related to hers.  And thinking of others in my life who live on both sides of this idea/question of interfaith marriages and, at its core, faith as you as a person see and experience it. - John Strange, Selig Film News

It is so easy to deflect our own personal truths just so we don't have to face those questions in the mirror. ‘American Birthright’ isn't just a film about Jewish discovery. It's about the personal discovery that anyone, from any religion, can relate to. A must-see. - Mark Sugiyama, Eclectic Arts Media

Winner — Best Documentary Director, Idyllwild International Festival of Cinema; Best Documentary (Audience Choice), Seattle Jewish Film Festival.

As a writer & producer, Becky has worked with some of the most influential content creators — from Jake Paul and Eric Andre, to Jay Shetty and Gabby Bernstein. She has produced content for countless brands worldwide, generating over 30 million views across social media. Her award-winning documentary, American Birthright, has garnered international acclaim, and she was invited to speak at the Israeli President's Residence about her creative work. She currently speaks globally about the power of content creation & continues to copywrite, ghost-write, produce, and create for brands, influencers, and organizations worldwide.

Brea Elles of Atelier Honnete, is a design and construction professional with 10+ years of experience, a Master of Interior Architecture and International Real Estates, and a certificate in Project Management. Atelier Honnete helps homeowners with renovation project planning such as setting a reasonable budget, vetting general contractors, reviewing construction estimates, and offering design services. Brea is on the upcoming HGTV show, “Buy It or Build It”, creating and shaping interiors empathetic to each families’ lifestyles.

She can comment on the following hot topics:

Focusing on healthcare design, overseeing the construction of hospitals, clinics, and academic facilities, she has also taught interior design topics (collegiate level) from creative design, design research, building materials, and space planning.

Brea says, “The emotional well-being and physical space are interrelated; and because of that, we create intentional interiors. We are experts at maintaining the practicality of the design with a cost-efficient approach without sacrificing aesthetics. Strengthening simplicity, subtracting noise, and adding meaning is the heart of our practice”.

Lively, vibrant Caribbean woman, as many as described Brea Elles. Her laughter is a signature marker of her personality. Brea discovered her passion for creating and shaping functional and effective user experience in interiors while obtaining her master’s in interior architecture at Florida International University. Her keen interest in user experience led her to obtain a certification in Evidence-based Design Accreditation.

Brea Elles is a design and construction professional with over ten years of experience with also a Master of International Real Estates, and a certificate in Project Management. Her primary design focus has been healthcare design overseeing the design and construction of hospitals, clinics, and academic facilities. Concurrently, Brea has assisted homeowners to design custom homes and guide them through the construction process.

Brea is fluent in French and Creole. You can find Brea in her spare time roaming the halls of art museums and dancing to the beat of her favorite genres of music.

Meet The Mum That’s Helping Everyday American Women Share Their Powerful Stories and Become Published Authors In 48 Hours

I started Ultimate 48 Hour Author after having written my very first book called The Seven Ultimate Secrets to Weight Loss. This book was written because I wanted to get a life coaching business off the ground, and I had no clients and no ability to generate leads or
prospects. So I thought my big marketing idea was to come out with a book which I did. I wrote the first book in a matter of 80 days and had it published within six months. So that was also a fast way of getting a book out. And ever since that book came out, I became a six figure business owner within the next 12 months. I got speaking opportunities, media coverage, and grew through the business to a sustainable level where I could quit my part time job.

After that I wrote two more books and one of the books that I co-authored, I suggested to my author to go away on a weekend and write this book, over that weekend. Um, Iworked out that if we were to speak out our chapters, that we would be able to get the content done really quickly. And we actually only took three hours each of speaking to speak out that particular book. And that book came out in less than 72 days after the whole publishing process. And then a few months later, the idea was born that if I could write half a book in just three hours, then others could do a whole book over a 48 hour retreat. And I announced that I would run the first retreat in October, 2013. And that's where it all began. I had the pilot group of people who already liked me, and trusted me. And my whole idea was to come up with something that was end to end and not just a book mentoring or coaching. I wanted to include absolutely everything which meant taking people away, feeding them and having the whole publishing and all the details sorted out from start to finish for them and that where it all came about. 

Bob has retired 5 times so far from 5 different occupations, but is going strong as a Professional Grandfather. Job specification is to strive for a future for the youngsters of today, and a future worth surviving in. They are “Generation Z,” and if business as usual continues, that label is prophetic. Going back to the invention of agriculture and animal husbandry some 10,000 years ago, every generation has stolen from its future. This is it: there is no more future to steal from. We need to change or we’ll join the dodo. According to best predictions, we still have a chance of saving a future, but it is a SMALL window.

All our current problems are symptoms of a global culture that rewards and encourages the worst in human nature: greed, fear-and-hate of others (which is the one monster), short term thinking. Our one hope is a miraculous transformation into a global culture of empathy, decency, cooperation, examining the long-term implications of our actions.

The second part, building a future worth surviving in, is to aim for a global culture that rewards and encourages the best in human nature: empathy, decency, cooperation, examining the long-term implications of our actions.

Even if it didn’t save the world, wouldn’t it be better to live in such a society?

How to achieve it? Every sentient being is an apprentice Buddha, an apprentice Jesus. You are not here to gain wealth, power, status, admiration, even happiness, but to progress toward enlightenment. We are caterpillars feeding on the green leaves of experience, until we can graduate as butterflies and can get off the wheel of life.

If most people realized this, we’d be there. Because, how does an apprentice learn? In two ways: By learning from a master, and by making mistakes and learning from them. Many enlightened spirits have shown us how. You can certainly think of several examples, but it is enough quote one. The Dalai Lama has said, “My religion is kindness. The purpose of enlightenment is to be of service.”

Part of Bob’s expertise is in positive psychology: research-based tools for rising way above “normal,” which is the walking wounded. Interestingly, these tools are identical to the recommendations of Buddhism, Christianity, Islam, Confucianism, and every other great religion, but an atheist can use them, and gain enlightenment.

All of Bob’s 19 published books carry this message, but without preaching, because he runs the other way when someone preaches at him. The aim of all writing, even instructional books, is to entertain. One reviewer of “From Depression to Contentment: A self-therapy guide” has written, “All of Bob’s novels I’ve read are full of therapeutic lessons. Here is a book designed as a set of therapeutic lessons that is as enjoyable to read as any novel.”

His writing includes science fiction, historical fiction, and whatever else his characters tell him to write, a biography that has won several awards, and self-help books in varied fields including psychology, woodcraft, owner-building, and dealing with cancer. Five books, and over 40 short stories have won awards.

Bob is an experienced interviewee, and his responses to questions follow his dictum: “Life is too short for the seriousness it deserves.” He is a grumpy old man with no sense of humor, but he easily shows that his audience has a sense of humor: they tend to laugh at what he says or writes.

Dr Bob Rich is an Australian storyteller who started writing in 1980 because a bunch of teenagers kidnapped him. He was making adobe bricks for the house he was building with his own hot little hands when they descended on him, because they needed one more male for a boys vs. girls soccer game. Who was he to disobey? Naturally, he soon slipped on the mud he’d carried with him, and ended up in hospital with torn cartilage in his knee. His advice: don’t tear the cartilage in your knee!

Bored out of his mind, he borrowed the office typewriter (remember those?) and wrote his first article on building, something he was an expert on, given his Ph.D. in psychology. His words took flight, and his first book, on how to build your house, sold hundreds of thousands of copies. It went through 4 editions between 1986 and 2018.

Later, he trained as a nurse, which toughened him enough to be able to transition into psychotherapy despite his all-too-overdeveloped empathy. The first lesson of nursing is, “It’s not your pain. You are not there to share it, but to relieve it.” Therapy is even better: you’re there to empower your client to relieve it.

However, while in nursing school, he was surrounded by gorgeous 18-year-olds, and had the choice of making a fool of himself or doing something creative. So, he wrote short stories. The first one he submitted to a contest won a prize, and he was hooked.

All his life, Bob has been a secular Buddhist. He discovered this when wanting to get married. The girl asked to marry in her church, and the minister interviewed Bob to see if he would admit a nonbeliever into the hallowed precincts. After an afternoon of chatting, he said, “You’re a Buddhist, did you know that? Now, let’s set the date.”

Given the handicap of a scientific training, Bob doesn’t believe anything but goes with the evidence. To check on this claim, he needed to spend a day at the University library, not having  a time machine to access the internet. He found his belief system there, and since then has considered Siddhartha Gautama his favorite teacher, though there are many others, including a Jewish carpenter.

Bob’s major passion is being a Professional Grandfather. He has hundreds of grandkids all around Earth (none in Antarctica presently). They track him down with emails of despair, and having the gift of healing words, he almost invariably leads them to a good life. Some cease contact once they are OK. Others stay in touch for years from friendship, from having joined his team and needing advice on how to help others, and often for needing their hand held after a backslide. There is no greater joy than being of service, so despite his busy schedule, mentoring and supporting them is top priority.

7,630 miles. 12,279 kilometers. That is the physical distance between California and Iran. Culturally the differences span thousands of years, passed down through a rich history of dance, music, theater, food, and language. What happens when we are born into a culture that is both home and also 7,630 miles away from our deeply-rooted heritage?

Niosha Nafei Jamali created a home for Persian heritage of the past and the heritage yet to be created with her organization, NICA (the Niosha International Conservatory of Arts). She could see the longing for a distant homeland within her community and feel the desire to preserve Iranian culture, heritage, and traditions in this new home. The NICA Foundation presents modern and traditional art forms that bridge time and space, connecting people from all cultures and walks of life through art. She must be doing something right - 357K followers on Instagram cannot get enough of her content about NICA, her dance academy, and Persian culture.

Niosha's dreams almost ended before they began. In 2002, at the age of 31, she was diagnosed with Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma and given a less than 40% chance of survival. Never one to be afraid of the odds, Niosha rallied her optimism, refusal to quit, and pure grit to recover from this disease. Her family and the Iranian Bay community drew in tight around her, and she miraculously recovered. Niosha and her dream lived on. Not the same as she was before, she was stronger and even more determined to preserve and promote her culture while championing her fellow survivors and becoming a leading fundraiser for the American Cancer Society.

Now, stronger than ever, Niosha creates programming for NICA along with the Niosha Dance Academy. On March 19 and March 20, NICA will present the Story of Nowruz, a 3,000 year-old tradition combining food, wine, art, and nature. Nowruz heralds the Persian New Year and is celebrated by more than 350M people in 17 countries worldwide. The show promotes love and unity through the universal language of movement and music. People from all walks of life are invited to attend live or remotely via livestream.

In this time of war, isolation, and divisiveness, Niosha welcomes the opportunity to share her story, promote unity, and invite others to join a growing community of people from around the globe in embracing a celebration of unity and love.

Comedian Maz Jobrani said about Niosha and NICA, "NICA is doing an incredible job telling the story of Nowruz to all. It's a special time of year celebrated by this very special kind of show."

When Niosha came to the United States as a teenager, she brought her love and talent for dance and innate curiosity to her new home. A dancer since she was two, Niosha remained immersed in her Persian heritage after coming to the U.S. In 1992 she won the Miss Iran pageant in Los Angeles, while completing her degree in psychology at the University of California at Santa Cruz. She went on to found the Niosha Dance Academy, an elite, prolific Iranian dance school, and the Niosha International Conservatory of Arts Foundation (NICA). Niosha lives in the Bay Area with her husband and children, among the community she loves.