Eila Mell is one of the book industry’s go-to fashion authors.  She recently worked with Heidi Klum and Harvey Weinstein on the official book of the hit television series Project Runway titled Project Runway: The Show That Changed Fashion (2012, Weinstein Books).  She is also the author of How to Win at Shopping: 297 Insider Secrets for Getting the Style You Want at the Price You Want to Pay, New York Fashion Week: The Designers, the Models, the Fashions of the Bryant Park Era (2011, Running Press).  The fashion world was so behind New York Fashion Week that the legendary Bergdorf Goodman not only stocked their shelves with the book, but launched it with a champagne reception in their couture section.  Many A-list designers participated, including Narciso Rodriguez and Thakoon Panichgul.  It was a huge event, with press and paparazzi, and was featured in the film Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf Goodman.

Eila has worked with many of the top names in fashion including Michael Kors, Tommy Hilfiger, Donna Karan, Naomi Campbell, Fern Mallis, Ralph Rucci, Heidi Klum, Rachel Roy, Kenneth Cole, Narciso Rodriguez, Nina Garcia, Ariel Foxman, Glenda Bailey and Andre Leon Talley.

Eila has been tapped for her expertise on the fashion industry by The New York Times, Marie Claire Magazine, Glamour, People StyleWatch, The Huffington Post, ELLE Canada, Zink Magazine and many more.  She has been featured on over 100 television and radios shows including CBS’ The Insider, The Better Show, Hollywood 411, The Mark and Brian Show and The Morning Jolt.  Eila has been a contributor for many of the top rated fashion websites including Tyra Banks’ typef.com. Eila is a contributor to Runway magazine, as well as the on-camera correspondent for Runway TV.

Eila Mell is a writer who has interviewed the likes of Neil Patrick Harris, Carol Burnett, Donna Karan, Michael Kors, Bryan Cranston, Martha Stewart, and Tommy Hilfiger. Her book credits include Designing Broadway, Project Runway: The Show That Changed Fashion and New York Fashion Week: The Designers, the Models, the Fashions of the Bryant Park Era. She has been featured on CBS’s The Insider, in the New York Times, Marie Claire, Glamour, People StyleWatch, Page Six, and in the documentary Scatter My Ashes at Bergdorf’s. She is the co-host of the podcast Jiffy Pop Culture with Frank Liotti.

Dr. Renee Thornton holds a Doctorate of Crisis Intervention and a Master’s in Clinical Mental Health Counseling, an MBA in International Business, as well as a dual Psychology and Communications degree. She has served as a guest lecturer for the Indiana University Vera Dwyer College of Health Studies, the John Jay School of Criminal Justice, and the John Jay School of Law and Police Science. Dr. Thornton is a visiting lecturer in the Communication and Business Schools in Arkansas Tech University and has served as an adjunct professor for Indiana University in the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts and the Kelley School of Business.

Brian C. Joondeph completed his training as a retina surgeon in 1990 and since then has worked both in private practice and full-time academic ophthalmology. He practiced in Michigan for ten years before taking his family on a once-in-a-lifetime adventure to work and live in Auckland, New Zealand for several years. He has been in Denver for the past 15 years after returning from his academic retina position down under. Denver was a great fit for his family after New Zealand given the opportunity for outdoor adventure and sports.

Dr. Joondeph grew up in northern New Jersey with his entire family in medicine or allied professions, making medical school an easy choice. Ophthalmology provided a high-tech blend of medicine and surgery, with retina further exemplifying these features. There is little in medicine more satisfying than saving or restoring eyesight, arguably the most precious of our senses.

Dr. Joondeph has more than 80 academic publications and is a current and past investigator in multiple clinical trials. He enjoys clinical research as it links scientific inquiry with eventual new treatments he can offer to his patients. He is also an examiner for the American Board of Ophthalmology, helping develop the next generation of ophthalmologists. Dr. Joondeph is widowed and has three adult children.

When not working, he enjoys spending time with his family. His hobbies include golfing, skiing, fitness, and travel. When not in clinic, you will find Dr. J in the mountains or visiting a foreign country

Bill Crawford has been a leader and visionary in fitness since 1977. In 2012, Bill was inducted into the National Fitness Hall of Fame for his life’s work and was elected to chair the board from 2015 - 2017.In 2016& 2017,Bill represented the NFHOF in Washington D.C. at the Surgeon General's Call to Action for the "Step it Up" Program in collaboration with the American College of Sports Medicine, CDC, ACE, MFA, and others. This historic event featured Regina Benjamin, the 18th U.S. Surgeon General and Vivek Murthy, the 19^thU.S. Surgeon General, along with leadership from Congress, the health care system, and the fitness industry. In 2019, I received the Arthur Jones Lifetime Achievement Award from the Resistance Exercise Conference.

Bill was certified for musculoskeletal evaluation and rehabilitation at the Exercise Science Center, University of Florida in Gainesville,Florida and was personally trained and endorsed by the late Arthur Jones, the inventor of Nautilus and MedX.In the 1970’s, Bill pioneered some of the first Nautilus clubs in the Los Angeles area implementing high intensity training principles and was one of the key players in the ignition of the fitness boom. Over the past 42 years, Bill has provided strength and fitness training for thousands, exercising muscles in isolation to muscle failure with equalized resistance through the full range of motion using a safe and effective protocol. You may have seen his national TV ads for the Resistance Chair, his features on CNN and Fox News, or read his stories and articles in countless publications. Bill is a recognized fitness columnist, consultant, lecturer, and educator.He worked with the U.S. Navy which led to the development of his Gym To Go programs featured in Men’s Fitness magazine. Bill has trained major sports teams, athletes, Hollywood celebrities and developed the careers of many fitness professionals.

Bill was born and raised in the Rocky Mountain town of Ouray, Colorado where being fit is incidental to the environment. He spent his youth competitive skiing, hiking and climbing fourteen thousand foot mountains. Bill has received numerous accolades as a longtime community leader in municipalities across the country investing valuable time serving in law enforcement, public safety, search and rescue, boards, committees, and volunteer organizations.

Bill has owned and developed fitness centers around the world. Since 1997, Basic Training Med X has been located in Scottsdale, Arizona and is owned and operated by Bill and his wife Debbie. Today,the Crawford’s clients enjoy their dedication to personal service, state-of-the-art Med X and Nautilus equipment and evidence-based weight resistance and cardiovascular exercise programs for strength, balance, mobility, weight loss, enhanced quality of life and good health. Their knowledge and motivational skills help clients attain their fitness goals by tailoring a program for everyone’s individual needs. People travel from around the world to train at their elite strength training and fitness center. There is no substitute for the decades of Bill’s practical experience and expertise. As a world-renowned strength trainer and fitness expert, Bill continues to passionately promote the benefits of weight resistance exercise and fitness worldwide.

Signe has over 15 years of experience coaching beginner to senior level skaters at the Granite Club, East York Skating Club and Richmond Training Centre in Toronto.

Signe is the founder/head coach of FLEXAFIT, a sport specific fitness program. As the industry leader in sport specific off-ice conditioning, Signe's mission is to train, educate, motivate and equip athletes of all levels with the right tools for achieving on-ice success. Signe's program is recognized globally; she travels across North America and Europe hosting seminars and workshops for skaters and coaches. Signe's program is run across Ontario at various figure skating clubs, where she has implemented a structured workout program for figure skaters of all ages and levels. Signe's goal is to help skaters build a solid foundation off the ice at the grassroots. She is a key player in club off ice development, consulting with directors and providing strategies on budget, scheduling and implementation of the FLEXAFIT program. Signe has developed fitness testing specific to figure skater needs, which she tracks throughout the season and establishes consistent results with skaters improvements. In addition to working with club directors, Signe is actively involved with the board of directors at club level to promote coach feedback days, parent seminars, club development seminars and more. In 2017, Signe launched the very first licensing program, where she licensed the FLEXAFIT program to South Africa. 

Signe presented at the Strength in Unity conference in 2018 to a group of 100+ coaches, where she spoke about the importance of off ice training and how best to implement into clubs. 

Signe presented numerous workshops for skaters through Skate Ontario, Skate Newfoundland and Patinage Quebec. 

In 2017, Signe was the key note speaker at the World Figure Skating Championships in Finland. Her presentation was well received and took the interest of the Olympic Training Centre in Finland, where she has now joined in collaboration to help develop testing assessments, programming and coach education sessions specific to figure skating. Signe also presented at the 2018 Skate Canada Ice Summit General Meeting, amongst top Canadian Olympic Level Coaches, on sport specific training off the ice. 

Signe also produces products for skaters and coaches to help support on and off ice training. In 2010, Signe released a DVD "Reach New Heights", which incorporated sport specific off-ice training, off-ice jump exercises and conditioning drills. In 2017, she published "Plan, Skate, Track- The Ultimate Figure Skater Guidebook", which is designed for skaters to periodize their season, set SMART goals, track on and off ice sessions, and track nutrition/sleep. Signe has recently released a more global educational approach to training. 

She launched a weekly show called: The FLEXAFIT Show, which provides educational topics each week with various guest speakers as well. In addition, she has opened up her services to allow more skaters from across the world to train with FLEXAFIT via online training. Signe also offers full package consulting plans online for skaters who are interested to see the bigger picture of their training year, where she breaks down each month and cycle of training with proper prescription of exercises. 

Signe is the Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of Figure Skater Fitness, a quarterly magazine that takes a scientific approach to sport specific training on topics of fitness, nutrition, injury prevention, mental training, glamour and more. 

Young Ashaninka leader Raine Piyãko has been accompanying his father, world-renowned spiritual and environmental leader Benki Piyãko, in his works since early childhood.

Raine began his pajé (master shaman) apprenticeship a decade ago under his father’s and grandfather’s auspices. His maternal grandfather Aricemi is also one of Benki’s teachers and one of the highest regarded Sheripiari (tobacco shaman) in the Western Amazon.

Raine is a composer of traditional Ashaninka songs and a talented musician. He is the Vice President of the healing and reforestation center, Institute Yorenka Tasorentsi, in the Brazilian Amazon. 

Coming from a lineage of ‘Antaviari’ (direct messenger of God in Ashaninka culture), Raine is steeped in the most profound shamanic traditions of the Amazon.

BENKI PIYÂKO

Benki has been referred to as a leading spiritual leader from the Amazon. He comes from an Antaviari lineage in Ashaninka culture, a term meaning “a direct Messenger of God “. Benki has embraced the struggle for the rights of his community since his teens, replanting over 2.5 million trees. In 2007, as a Secretary of Environment Acre, Brazil, he inaugurated the Yorenka Ãtame agroforestry center, where he began to rehabilitate drug and alcohol addicted youth by teaching them to work with Nature.

He thus brought people and endangered animal/plant species together again. He also created the world’s first eco-market which exchanges plastic for food in Amazonia. Benki has helped many indigenous groups to recover their culture. He is a recipient of the UN Equator Prize alongside his community, Apiwtxa. More recently, he has created the Yorenka Tasorentsi Educational and Spiritual Institute to pursue his environmental and spiritual work.