Laura Banks is a writer, actor, and comic who made her debut in Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan, and then went on to star in three films for Roger Corman. She continued to become an accomplished stand-up comic and improvisor with Whoopi Goldberg and was a regular at the famed Improvisation and Comedy Cellar in New York City. Banks is a USA Today Best-Selling Author with over 250,000 books sold.
Diane Simard is a psycho-oncology influencer, a messaging strategist to senior business executives, an award-winning author, a national speaker on women in business and survivorship, and an advocate to bring more attention to the psychological trauma caused by cancer.
Nancy Whiteford is a long time Figure Skating and Power Skating Coach in Ontario. She is a gold medalist in Free Skate, Dance Skills, and Interpretive. Her impressive 40-plus year career in skating also led her to coach hundreds of Gold Medalists – and she was inducted into the Brampton Sports Hall of Fame in 2015. Inspired to share her story, she wrote the new children’s book – My Skating Dream. The heartwarming story shares the journey of a girl named Sassafrass and her pursuit to become the best figure skater she can be.
C.J. Zachary is a bestselling children’s book author who works exclusively with her illustrator husband, Zac. The husband and wife team is from Arkansas and work in elementary education. Zac is an art teacher while CJ is a Dyslexia Interventionist. She also has taught kindergarten, first grade, second grade, and has served as a Literacy Facilitator. Their first book, The Awkward Avocado, teaches the importance of acceptance and self-love. It has been a smash hit since its release in 2022. CJ and Zac just recently released the sequel, Awkward Avocado and the Interrupting Raptor.
Dr. Bruce Piasecki is the founder of a global management consulting firm, AHC Group, Inc., and a New York Times bestselling author on shared value and social response capitalism. Bruce has worked for over a third of the Fortune 500 in change management, including BP, Merck, and Toyota. One of the earliest advocates for climate solutions, he has been an agent for change for over 40 years. He’s also the co-founder of the Creative Force Foundation – which annually awards young authors writing on business and society issues.
Mary Lee Montfort is a successful baker and small business owner. After beginning her culinary career in the kitchen of the Union Bay Café in Seattle, Washington, she went on to open her own successful small baking business in 2004, Mary Lee’s Desserts. Mary Lee believes in passing things forward and has covered all of the costs of designing, producing, distributing, and marketing her cookbook herself so that she can donate all of the profits from each sale to three charities – World Central Kitchen, The Trevor Project, and St. Jude Children’s Research hospital.
Beth Miller is the founder of Wagtown, a charitable organization that helps communities become more dog-friendly. Her new book, Tucker Finds His Forever Home, was written to speak to children about dogs and their effect on our lives. The story is told through the eyes of a young pit bull named Tucker. It brings readers along on a journey filled with many life lessons about self-worth, breed discrimination, safety, emotions, and bullying. 100% of the book’s proceeds benefit animal welfare projects and programs that make the world a better place for dogs.
Raul Ramos is the author of the best-selling autobiography, Ese to Master Jefe. Born and raised in Los Angeles, California, Raul grew up in harsh poverty. Lacking structure, guidance, and searching for purpose, he fell victim to street gang life at an early age. After years as a hardcore gang member, he set out to make a lasting change and turn his life around. He joined the United States Navy and has served for 24 years. Despite his humble beginnings and past, he has earned the highest of the enlisted ranks, E9 Master Chief.
Get to know our featured author for July, Gregg McBride! Gregg is a film and television writer/producer. One of his best known works is the film A Heavenly Christmas, which premiered to the highest ratings in Hallmark Channel history. In addition to film writing, Gregg is also an author of three book, Weightless, Just Stop Eating So Much, and his newest children’s book, Biron the Bee Who Couldn’t.
