Over the past decade we have had the chance to learn about so many incredible folks from a wide range of industries and backgrounds and our highlighter series is designed to give us an opportunity to go deeper into their stories with to goal of understanding them, their thought process, how their values formed and the foundations of their stories. Check out some incredible folks below – many of whom you may have read about already and a few new names as well.
McKenze Ocampo
For me, it’s less about one single moment and more about a lesson I’ve had to learn over time. I’ve always been the researcher, the leader, the one who can’t just take an answer at surface level—I naturally want to guide, explain, and give people everything I think they need. Call it the Virgo in me! Read more>>
Macie Torres
Some of the most meaningful moments I’ve experienced recently in my photography business have come through launching my Strength in Every Frame sessions. This project is especially close to my heart, as it is an application-based photography experience created to honor and support individuals within the cancer community. Read more>>
Laura Fontenot
If I could speak to my younger self, I’d simply say, “This too shall pass.” I’ve lost many family and friends over the years, faced health challenges, and built a business from scratch as a solopreneur. There were moments that felt unbearable, but each one eventually passed. Those struggles quietly shaped the person I am today. Read more>>
Kimberly Howard
If I laid down my name, role, and possessions, what would remain is my respect and love for everyone. Scripture says, “love covers a multitude,” and to me that means it doesn’t matter what title you hold, what role you serve in, or what you have—every person deserves respect, kindness, and compassion. Read more>>
Shelby Stephens
Yes, in the very beginning I definitely had moments where I felt like giving up. I was working multiple jobs, including a full-time career as a chemist, and trying to build the venue on top of that was overwhelming. At the time, it felt like the responsible and stable choice would be to keep my career and let go of the venue. Read more>>
Chrisshele Griffin
I’ve always been the kind of person who’s more comfortable behind the scenes, making sure everything runs smoothly while everyone else takes the spotlight. My career as an administrative assistant has really shaped that, I’ve always loved taking care of the little details that most people overlook. Read more>>
Shay Trendy
Suffering shaped me in ways that success alone never could. It taught me resilience, discipline, and empathy, revealing strengths I didn’t know I had. Through challenges, I learned to adapt, to find meaning in difficulty, and to appreciate growth as much as achievement. While success celebrates results, suffering refined my character and gave me the perseverance and perspective necessary to sustain future success. Read more>>
Crystal Bateman
Suffering taught me that you never truly know what anyone is going through in their life. You can’t judge a book by its cover because we all handle obstacles and suffering in different ways. Life can be hard sometimes and what matters is how you choose to react to the cards you were dealt. Read more>>
Jessica Solis
Growing up, I didn’t really think photography or anything art-related could be a real career. When you tell people you are interested in art, it often gets treated like a hobby or something that you cannot make a career. I believed that for a long time. Read more>>
Almighty Lord Wrecka
I believed I was shy and not that important to what’s going on in the world. I know know that I have a gift that can uplift and motivate people when they hear my music. Read more>>
Beth Derrick
Each item is handmade, and I do mean handmade. Each piece is cut by me. Each stitch is hand sewn by my hands. Each rivet is hammered by my hands and maul. Each item is mindfully and intentionally designed, built and finished with the plan for it to be used for years, if not decades ahead. Read more>>
Matt Yigit
The fear that held me back the most was the fear of failure. For years, I stayed in the safety of a corporate career because it felt predictable and secure, even though I knew it was not where my heart was. Walking away from a stable paycheck to build something completely new was terrifying. Read more>>
Jill K. Sayre
In 2021. I retired from teaching middle school English, or so I thought, but an opportunity arose for me in late August. I now spend my days with four- and five-year-olds in a PreK classroom, assisting in math, language arts, crafts, and play. My students are a lot of fun, and they keep me on my toes. Read more>>
Laura Christian
Any traveling, near or far! I get so much inspiration from seeing new places; whether it be a different style of architecture, new take on an interior, different design style, or even finding landscaping ideas. I’m always mentally filing notes away for elements that I would like to incorporate in future design projects. Read more>>
Ginger Curtis
When my daughter Avery was just five months old, she was diagnosed with leukemia. Overnight, our world turned upside down — filled with fear, stress, and the heaviness of hospital life. The sterile lighting, cold walls, and blank spaces around us only deepened that sense of despair. But then we were transferred to the Ronald McDonald House, and everything shifted. Suddenly, my senses came alive. Read more>>
Norma Nelson
Integrity is one of my personal core values, as well as an organizational value for Readers 2 Leaders, the nonprofit where I serve as President & CEO. Staying consistent to my beliefs and values matters, and I try to be both honest and inclusive in all my endeavors. Read more>>
Ekaterina Ilina
I feel most at peace in the simplest rituals of my daily life. I love taking long baths, sometimes sitting for hours just letting the world slow down. I love curling up in my bed, surrounded by cozy blankets and natural linen fabrics that make me feel grounded. Read more>>
Anais Avilez
Before I conformed to what was expected of me as a Latina woman, I was a quirky dreamer with a big imagination and bigger dreams. Growing up I wanted to be a ‘mad singing-scientist’, although the scientist part didn’t exactly play out, I reconnected with that inner child when I decided I was no longer going to conform. Read more>>
