PHILIPPO FRANCHINI

Also known as “The Musical Alchemist”, Franchini began his study of music at eight years old; yoga and meditation soon followed at age fourteen.

The son of an Italian father and American mother, Franchini always loved music and fell in love with the guitar as a young boy listening to folk tunes and cowboy songs. He began studying classical guitar with a passion when he was eight years old. With this strong foundation, he began exploring a wide range of musical genres, with interests as far and as wide as Indian classical and chant, Brazilian pop, Reggae, Rock n’ Roll, Blues and Gospel. Amazingly, Philippo weaves it all together in a beautiful, uplifting Musical Alchemy – and his exploration continues!

Philippo was fascinated by the power of music to evoke and transform emotions and states of consciousness, and began studying Nada Yoga and Sound Healing with noted teachers such as Dr. John Beaulieu and Sylvia Nakkach. Many of his compositions are infused with compelling tones and sonic healing energy and are beneficial for yoga practice, meditation and, of course, dancing!

“I wanted to create music that would be a doorway for others to enter into meditation, healing energy, a sense of the sublime… perhaps to accompany yoga practice or comfort someone who felt out of balance. I also wanted to express a sense of gratitude, wonder, and openness.”

–Philippo Franchini

A longtime bandmate of sacred music artist, David Newman, Philippo has toured around the world, playing festivals, yoga retreats and teaching workshops. He has five albums available, both solo and with his ensemble Blues Divine, and has contributed to dozens of other artists work as well. Currently Philippo lives in both California and Europe.

CARMEL RIVELLO MAGUIRE

Carmel Rivello Maguire had been influencing the design world for twenty-five years. As founder of Carmelot Interiors, Inc., and then as Executive Vice President of Strategic Planning and Business Development for two major interior design firms specializing in hotel and resort/hospitality design in California and Florida.

One of the first women to be invited to join Rotary International in the San Fernando Valley area of California, she is the recipient of a Paul Harris Fellow award, as well as one of the first women in the country to be elected “Rotarian of the Year”.

Carmel wrote and produced her own 12-segment interior design show for local cable viewing.

During her time as Executive Vice President for the hospitality design firms, she became a much sought-after industry speaker, taking her knowledge and enthusiasm into the professional community throughout the United States, Mexico, Canada the Bahamas and Hawaii.

She has spoken at the American Resort Development (ARDA) conventions and to the timeshare industry across the country. Carmel is also a member of ARDA, a Registered Resort Professional (RRP), and held membership in the International Society of Interior Designs (ISID), as well as being a frequent contributor to “Developments Magazine”, one of the resort industry’s premiere international publications.

Carmel is the mother of four grown daughters and four amazing grandchildren.

After 48 years, Carmel returned to complete her university studies At Cal Lutheran University. She earned her degree, a triple Major in Art, Drama and Women’s studies, completing this work with Dean’s Lists honors, twice and spoke as the Valedictorian for the commencement at age 70!

She and her late husband traveled the world, bringing hope and valuable information to thousands of clients, from Dubai to Kuwait, Buenos Aires, to Rio, China to Ireland, London to Paris, and many local cities throughout the United States!

Her workshops and seminars, filled with humorous stories enable Carmel to bring her wisdom to many who value her work.

Most recently, Carmel has been honored as the International Ambassador of PEACE for the Rainbow Bridge, bridge to Inner Peace and to World Peace.

One of Carmel’s speaking topics to Women’s groups is titled:

MEMORIES, MOTHERHOOD AND MARINARA.

Giving back is important to Ms. Rivello-Maguire; her work with “Support for the Kids,” distributing food, clothing and toys to the needy in many communities  in Southern California, is part of her generous spirit! And, speaking Donald Duck in Spanish to the little ones evokes squeals of laughter.

As Docent in the “Gardens of the World”, she thrills to meeting people from all over the world welcoming them in their native language, as well as greeting close neighbors.

Her love of plants and horticulture found her donating her time for over seven years at a women’s center in Ventura, CA., working with women and their children in recovery from drug, alcohol and spousal abuse, teaching the clients to plant, grow their food, and cook a great Italian dinner!

She and her partner Jerry reside in Ojai, CA.

Below are her most requested topics where she will inspire and delight your audience.

Memories, Motherhood & Marinara

Creating Serenity Through Adversity

Using the metaphor of cooking in my NY Italian family’s kitchen I take your audience on a journey with stories of adversity and triumph, heartbreak and unconditional love. They will be deeply moved and inspired as they discover:

• How to look for the gift in the dysfunction.
• Laughter is the shortest distance between two souls
• How to find strength from early childhood trauma

What You Put Into The Sauce Of Your Life Makes All The Difference!

DAVID NEWMAN

David Newman is a renowned sacred mantra artist, singer-songwriter, author, and inspirational teacher. David, also known as Durga Das, travels extensively sharing his music, and teachings on the path of love as a vehicle for spiritual awakening. He has released numerous chart-topping world music albums, and is the author of the #1 Amazon bestseller The Timebound Traveler. David is also the founder of the Stay Strong Project and Yoga On Main. He has been featured on NPR, and in The Washington Post and Yoga Journal among many others.

“David Newman is reminiscent of George Harrison, Dylan and Paul Simon when they are in soul mode.”

LA Yoga Magazine

“At David Newman’s concert, the event’s volume knob seemed to go from low-level joy to full-on bliss, the kind you feel after climbing a gorgeous mountain or ending a tough run on a strong sprint.”

The Washington Post

I am Mike Partain, a co-founder and public spokesman for an organization called "The Few, The Proud, the Forgotten."  From 1953 until 1987, the base water supply for Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was highly contaminated with industrial chemicals. For the past decade I have served as a community representative to the estimated one million Sailors, Marines and their families potentially affected by the Camp Lejeune contamination. I have testified twice in Congress and I am recognized as an expert on those issues.  I was invited as a special guest to the White House in 2012, for the signing of the Janey Ensminger Act into law. Much of our fight for justice was chronicled in the award winning documentary "Semper Fi: Always Faithful."

JP SOTTILE is a freelance journalist, published historian, radio co-host and documentary filmmaker. His credits include a stint on the NewsHour news desk, C-SPAN, and as a newsmagazine producer for ABC affiliate WJLA in Washington. Joseph “JP” Sottile is a two-time Washington Regional Emmy Award Winner. Documentary film credits include: writer, director, producer of The Warning and various production and photography credits on other public interest films. His weekly show, Inside the Headlines w/ The Newsvandal, co-hosted by James Moore, airs every Friday on KRUU-FM in Fairfield, Iowa. He is the Newsvandal.

As Chief Economist at a major international consulting firm, John Perkins advised the World Bank, United Nations, IMF, U.S. Treasury Department, Fortune 500 corporations, and leaders of countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. He is a founder and board member of Dream Change and The Pachamama Alliance, non-profit organizations devoted to establishing a world that future generations will want to inherit and the author of the New York Times bestseller, Confessions Of An Economic Hitman. John has been featured on ABC, NBC, CNN, CNBC, NPR, A&E, the History Channel, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Der Spiegel, as well as in numerous documentaries including The End Of Poverty, Zeitgeist Addendum, and Apology Of An Economic Hit Man. He was awarded the Lennon Ono Grant for Peace in 2012, and the Rainforest Action Network Challenging Business as Usual Award:

As Chief Economist at a major international consulting firm, John Perkins advised the World Bank, United Nations, IMF, U.S. Treasury Department, Fortune 500 corporations, and countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East. He worked directly with heads of state and CEOs of major companies. His books on economics and geo-politics have sold more than 1 million copies, spent many months on the New York Times and other bestseller lists, and are published in over 30 languages.

John’s Confessions of an Economic Hit Man (70 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list) is a startling exposé of international corruption. His The Secret History of the American Empire, also a New York Times bestseller, details the clandestine operations that created the world’s first truly global empire. His Hoodwinked is a blueprint for a new form of global economics. The solutions are not “return to normal” ones. Instead, John challenges us to soar to new heights, away from predatory capitalism and into an era more transformative than the Agricultural and Industrial Revolutions. His writings detail specific steps each of us can take to create a sustainable, just, and peaceful world.

John is a founder and board member of Dream Change and The Pachamama Alliance, nonprofit organizations devoted to establishing a world our children will want to inherit, has lectured at more than 50 universities around the world, and is the author of  books on indigenous cultures and transformation, including Shapeshifting, The World Is As You Dream It, Psychonavigation, Spirit of the Shuar, and The Stress-Free Habit. He has been featured on ABC, NBC, CNN, NPR, A&E, the History Channel, Time, The New York Times, The Washington Post, Cosmopolitan, Elle, Der Spiegel, and many other publications, as well as in numerous documentaries including The End of Poverty?, Zeitgeist Addendum, and Apology of an Economic Hit Man.

ABOUT The New Confessions of an Economic Hit Man...

P.J. Thomas is the founding editor and co publisher of Pathfinders Travel Magazine, a unique publication that speaks to the lifestyles and values of people of color and others who enjoy heritage and cultural tourism. She is responsible for the editorial planning and direction of the publication and the on line and digital components.

In addition, Ms. Thomas hosts ThePerfectBeachblog.com where she writes about all things beach related including U.S. and international destinations, accommodations, and beach-related product reviews.

Ms. Thomas is a frequent speaker on topics such as, African American Family Reunions, Magazine Publishing, African American Travel, Heritage and Cultural Tourism and “The Best Beaches You Never Saw” and has been honored as one of the most influential women in travel. 

Pathfinders Travel Magazine received tributes from then First Lady Hilary Rodham Clinton and Richard Moe, President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation for the company’s two-year campaign for the preservation of African American Historic Sites and Cultural Institutions. She received a B.A. in journalism from Temple University and has completed Master’s course work at the University of Pennsylvania in Organizational Dynamics. When she is not traveling the world, she lives and works in Philadelphia with her husband, co publisher, Weller R. Thomas

Penny Kelly is an author, teacher, speaker, publisher, personal and spiritual consultant, and Naturopathic physician. In 1979, while working as a tool and process engineer for Chrysler Corp, she experienced a full, spontaneous awakening of kundalini that completely changed her life. She left Chrysler and returned to school to study the brain, consciousness, perception, cognition, intelligence and intuition. This was followed by over a dozen years of work as an educational consultant specializing in the brain-compatible and accelerative teaching techniques of Dr. George Lozanov. 

In 1987, she moved to southwest Michigan and for 25 years has operated Lily Hill Farm and Learning Center. Today she travels, lectures, and teaches a variety of classes and workshops including Developing the Gift of Intuition, Organic Gardening, and Getting Well Again Naturally. She maintains a large consulting practice,writes books and poetry, raises chickens, beef cows, and grows organic vegetables and small fruits.

For some years she has been involved in scientific research and investigations into consciousness at Pinelandia Laboratory near Ann Arbor, MI and has been the subject of some research as well.

She holds a degree in Humanistic Studies from Wayne State University, and a degree in Naturopathic Medicine from Clayton College of Natural Health. Penny is the mother of four children and has written six books.

The Evolving Human - A True Story of Awakening Kundalini

The Elves of Lily Hill Farm – A Partnership With Nature

Robes - A Book of Coming Changes

Getting Well Again, Naturally – From the Soil to the Stomach

Consciousness and Energy, Vol. 1 – Multi-dimensionality and a Theory of Consciousness, and

Consciousness and Energy, Vol. 2 – New Worlds of Energy

Penny lives, works, and writes in Lawton, MI, the far southwest corner of Michigan.