Media & Press Archives
by Jennifer Drake Simmons
Jennifer Drake Simmons is a devoted mom to sons Will and Blake and wife to her high school sweetheart, Brian. She graduated with honors from Virginia Tech where she received a B.S. in nutrition and exercise science. Jennifer pursued a career in event planning and fundraising with The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society in Washington D.C. before she moved home to Pittsburgh, Penn.
Today, she stays busy making jewelry and volunteering on multiple boards and with booster clubs. Jennifer offers support, encouragement, and resources to families living with epilepsy.
- Interview with Cori Wamsley
- That’s Good Parenting, 064 How a Journey with Epilepsy and a Mom’s Instincts Created Hope with Jennifer Simmons, November 2023
- 123: I Am… A Mom’s Will! Doom to Bloom Podcast, May 2024
The Unraveling: A Story of Faith, Forgiveness and a Family Restored
by Judi Logan
Judi Logan is a mother of five amazingly talented children. She lives in Bethel Park, PA with her husband, kids, and sweet Asha, their Aussiedoodle. Judi is a credentialed minister, serving at her church, revival meetings, and community outreaches throughout Pittsburgh and the surrounding areas. She uses her story of overcoming the challenges in her life to inspire others to love themselves, forgive others, and come to God.
Judi loves spending time with her family and friends. Going out to eat and discovering new restaurants is her favorite pastime. She loves taking pictures of food that makes your mouth salivate just looking at it and she especially loves to capture every moment and every person in her life that she encounters. Judi loves people, and once you meet her, you’ve made a friend for a lifetime.
- Interview with Cori Wamsley
- Seek First CEO: Mindset, Heartset, Biblical Principles & Brain Science for High Achieving Christian Women, 185: Your Story Matters, So Tell It with Judi Logan, November 2023
Program Management Redefined
by James F. Carilli
Over his 30-year career in project, program, and portfolio management, Jim Carilli has had the pleasure of working with teams in a variety of organizations, allowing him to hone his skills and develop fresh ideas about the way that organizations can run more efficiently and effectively, leading teams to create a productive environment with a positive work culture. Jim has led teams at Aetna, KPMG, Deloitte, Computer Sciences Corporation, and PricewaterhouseCoopers, among others. Currently, he is an associate partner/senior program manager at IBM.
This book was inspired not only by his career in project and program management but also by his work outside the office in developing literature on management, including the research he performed for his doctoral dissertation, “The perceived effectiveness of the Scaled Agile Framework® in software development organizations: A mixed methods exploratory case study.”
Jim’s expertise in the management arena has been utilized in his role as a subject matter expert reviewer for two of PMI’s ANSI-accredited peer-reviewed foundational standards, including The Standard for Program Management, fourth edition, PMI (2017), and A Guide to the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK Guide), sixth edition (2017). Jim helped lead the development of the first edition of PMI’s Requirements Management: A Practice Guide (2016) as the vice chairperson and a contributing author. Earlier, in 2013, Jim served as a core team member and contributing author for a significant update to the third edition of The Standard for Program Management. He also served as a reviewer for The PMBOK Guide, fifth edition (2013), and The Standard for Portfolio Management, third edition, PMI (2012).
Jim has been a contributing author for multiple peer-reviewed publications, including those published by the Academy of Human Resource Development, Scrum Alliance, and Project Management Institute’s Annual Global Congress. As a guest lecturer at the American University, Kogod School of Management, Jim has addressed MBA students on program management, project management, and agile methods and practices.
A retired Army Medical Service Corps officer for the U.S. Army National Guard, Jim holds a Ph.D. in technology management from Indiana State University, an M.B.A. from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, and a B.S. in management information systems from Central Connecticut State University.
Jim also holds a variety of certifications, including the Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), and Project Management Professional (PMP) from the Project Management Institute; Agile certifications, including Certified Scrum Master (CSM) from the Scrum Alliance; and Scaled Agilist (SA) and Lean Portfolio Manager (LPM) certifications from Scaled Agile, Inc. He also holds several technical certifications including the Information Technology Infrastructure Library Foundation certificate in Service Management, and several certifications and badges provided by Atlassian, AWS, PwC, and IBM.
Jim resides in Florida with his wife Debi and three dogs who focus on a different type of agility.
Connect with Jim at www.programagility.com.
The Prescription for a Happy and Healthy Child
by Dr. Daniela Atanassova-Lineva & Dr. Shellie Hipsky
Daniela Atanassova-Lineva, MD, is dedicated to the health of children and families at Peds For Kids in Rego Park, New York. A board-certified pediatrician and a fellow of the Academy of Pediatrics’ section of adolescent medicine, she was named among America’s top pediatricians for 13 years running. Born in Bulgaria, she showed an interest in medicine at an early age and pursued it with dedication and perseverance.
Dr. Shellie Hipsky is the CEO of Inspiring Lives International, the executive director of the Global Sisterhood (which helps women and children around the world), and the editor-in-chief of Inspiring Lives Magazine. Dr. Shellie Hipsky’s doctorate is an Ed.D. in educational leadership from Duquesne University.
The Prescription for a Happy and Healthy Child was lauded as a 2023 American Book Awards Finalist in the category of Parenting and Family by American Book Fest.
- Q&A with Dr. Daniela and Dr. Shellie of The Prescription for a Happy and Healthy Child, Littsburgh, June 2023
- Educating Kids and Equipping Families: The Christine Furman Show. (June, 2023)
- The Prescription for a Happy and Healthy Child. I’m Loving Me Project with Gloria Ward. (June, 2023).
- Cori Wamsley Interviews Authors Dr. Daniela Atanassova-Lineva and Dr. Shellie Hipsky. (June, 2023).
Mindset Moves with Marta Greca with Dr. Shellie Hipsky: How do you raise a happy and healthy child?
Dr. Daniela Atanassova-Lineva & Dr. Shellie Hipsky On How to Raise Children Who Feel Loved and Connected, Interview by Pirie Jones Grossman. Authority Magazine. (June, 2023).
Pediatrician Answers New Parents’ Pressing Questions in New Book, EIN News, June 2023
Unleashing Your Soul-Level Magic
Stories Collected by Cori Wamsley
Have you ever been knocked down, wondering how you could possibly move on, only to harness some small, nearly invisible part of yourself that leads you to rise again from the ashes?
Much like the mythical phoenix, the women of Unleashing Your Soul-Level Magic: Tales of Transition to Help Unwrap Your Special Gifts have done just that!
Unleashing Your Soul-Level Magic features 12 authors sharing stories of overcoming challenges in their lives that led them to their deepest gifts, their soul-level magic. These stories of transformation will inspire you as you discover amazing things about these women … and yourself.
Enjoy learning how these women unlocked their superpowers in various parts of their lives from career to charity to personal gifts. Each one shares deeply the hope that their gifts gave them through their challenges so they could come out on the other side changed but braver, brighter, and more themselves than they had ever been.
Part of the proceeds from this book will benefit Young Adult Survivors United, an organization in Southwestern Pennsylvania that supports young adults on their cancer journeys.
Stories by Kim Adley, Samantha Bauer, Elizabeth Craig, Sue Fattibene, Kelly Frost, Denise Ann Galloni, Priscilla Green, Darlene Barruso Kruth, Amanda Kunkel, Marta Mazzoni, Racquelle Pakutz, and Maryann Udel
Where the Lost Socks Go
by Michelle Vivona
When Michelle Vivona is not doing laundry and losing socks, she’s a wedding and event florist who loves being creative and making people happy with flowers. She also loves cooking, traveling, collecting milk glass, and spending time with her family.
Michelle lives in New Jersey with her husband, their three children, and their dog.
Falling Lessons
by Stacey Elza
A West Virginia native, Stacey Elza earned her B.A. in English from McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., and her M.F.A. in creative writing from West Virginia University in Morgantown, W.Va. Her writing has appeared in The Lion and the Unicorn, Iron Horse Literary Review, the Unitarian Universalist WorshipWeb Library, and ADDitude Magazine. She has a second-degree black belt in hapkido—a Korean martial art—which she earned at the American Judo-Hapkido Institute. She lives in Morgantown with her husband, two daughters, and two cats.
Connect with Stacey at www.staceyelza.com.
- Interview with Cori Wamsley
- 124 I Am … Laziness, Doom to Bloom Podcast, June 2024
Step into Your Spotlight: Inspiring Women to Play BIGGER
by Heidi Parr-Kerner
Heidi Parr Kerner, M.A. is a speaker, coach and former psychotherapist, networking queen, mastermind host, and founder of Coffee Club Divas.
Heidi has positioned herself as a leader in the arena of women’s empowerment, business networking, motivational speaking, sales training, and transformational change. Her coast-to-coast career spans 25 + years and includes roles as a career coach, group facilitator, certified seminar leader, radio host, actress/producer, marketing consultant, author, and keynote speaker.
She provides step-by-step guidance to assist others to get out of their comfort zone so they can live boldly and confidently in their business and personal lives.
Connect with Heidi at www.heidiinspired.com.
Building Puzzles Under Water
by Carrie P. Holzer
Carrie, her husband Justin, and their two children, Cam and Gabby, live in the suburbs of Pittsburgh, Pa. Although the family’s commitment to help Cam along the winding road of autism is ever present, recent years have allowed them to slow down a bit. With therapies falling away as Cam reaches goal after goal, the family has more time for weekend trips to their favorite lake spot, hitting golf balls at the local driving range, and Sunday afternoon video game matches.
Connect with Carrie at www.carriepholzer.com or on Facebook or Instagram.
Blue is the Color of Heaven
by Dana Ziemniak
After losing her son, Evan, in 2016 Dana Ziemniak has made it her mission to educate others and spread awareness about the deadly internet challenge that took her son’s life and continues to take the lives of other children.
Because her son had ADHD, anxiety, and high-functioning autism, she is passionate about advocating for better support for children with disabilities in schools. Dana lives in Pittsburgh, Pa., with her husband Matt and daughter Ava.
- Interview with Author Dana Ziemniak, November 2022
- Shedding Light on the Blackout Challenge, Dr. Phil, January 2023
- Teaser clip for Shedding Light on the Blackout Challenge, Dr. Phil, January 2023
- Pittsburgh Author Shares her Family’s Story with Dr. Phil, Pittsburgh Newswire, January 2023
- Q&A with Dana Ziemniak, Warrior Mom and Author of Blue is the Color of Heaven: The Story of a Boy’s Love, Strength, & Beyond, Littsburgh, January 2023
For She Who Grieves
by Amy Hooper Hanna and Holly McIlwain
Ms. Amy Hooper Hanna serves as a coach, trainer, and consultant in employee communication and engagement and leadership effectiveness. She consulted with Fortune 500 and Fortune 1000 companies in organization effectiveness and communications for more than a decade in a leading human capital firm in Washington D.C., then spent another decade with a leading talent management firm, assessing corporate client leadership behavior and providing developmental feedback.
Ms. Holly McIlwain, M.S., is the founder and chief cheerleader of the Brave Women Project. As an author, Holly dreams of telling stories that matter. Her first book, For She Who Leads: Practical Wisdom from a Woman Who Serves, was published in 2020. She also is a contributing author in the anthology Twenty Won: 21 Female Entrepreneurs Share Their Stories of Business Resilience During a Global Crisis, which is an Amazon bestseller and was published in April of 2021.
For She Who Grieves: The Transformative Power Of Grief With Holly Mcllwain And Amy Hooper Hanna, Alicia Dunhams’ Authoring Life Podcast, June 2023
- Red Carpet Superstar Spotlight LIVE, Interview with Amy Hooper Hanna & Holly Joy McIlwain, December 2022
- Interview with Authors Amy Hooper Hanna and Holly Joy McIlwain, Littsburgh, December 2022
- Coffee & Kindness
King Kindness of Kandu
by Fran Cain
Author Fran Cain’s first children’s book, King Kindness of Kandu, was inspired by kindness in her own life, as well as a need she was excited to fill. When she was reading to her grandson, Cain was underwhelmed by the messaging for learning behaviors. She wanted to read books that teach children important qualities like kindness, being nice, being helpful, graciousness, and gratitude. King Kindness wants to teach his people what they can do to spread kindness because Cain believes in the mantra “teach them young, teach them love!”
In her own life, Cain experienced firsthand the kindness, empathy, and compassion of total strangers when her husband was terminally ill in 2014. While in and out of hospitals and hospice for the last six months of his life, she was blessed with kindness from the nurses, doctors, and nurses’ aides she encountered, who were exceptionally compassionate to her and her husband. She’s never forgotten their kindness. It has taught her to “be a kind stranger.”
Cain intends to donate part of the proceeds from King Kindness to children’s hunger nonprofits. Giving back to her community in many ways is her favorite act of kindness.
The Rings that Sing
by Christine Smart
Christine Smart is an English teacher who loves music and helping children understand that there is power in using their gifts. She was lauded as Texas’s 2022 Teacher of the Year.
“The Rings That Sing is an inspiring story allowing children to dream big and reach for the stars! Knowing that their greatest gifts lie within, they just need to believe in themselves and do their best!”
– Christine Furman, CEO of Momspiration412 Worldwide & Founder of EduPlay®️ Learning
- Interview with Cori Wamsley for ACP, May 2022
- Advocate Magazine, May 2022
- Believing in Myself Podcast, Interview with Author Christine Smart, July 2022
- Living the Next Chapter Podcast, Interview with Christine Smart, August 2022
German History Conveyed through Coins
by Slava Martyn and German Martyn
Slava Martyn was born in 1966 in western Siberia, studied medicine in St. Petersburg, Russia, and received his M.D. in pediatrics in 1989. After the Soviet Union collapsed, he moved to Ukraine with his family and worked at a children’s hospital as a physician-endoscopist. In 1996, Slava immigrated to the United States and settled in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Now, Slava is a clinical assistant professor of pediatric anesthesia at UPMS School of Medicine and medical director of the Surgical Satellite Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh, UPMC.
Slava’s hobbies include coin collecting, music, and Russian and German History. He is a long-time German coin collector who became fascinated with German coinage because of their artistic beauty and the historical value.
German Martyn, Slava’s son, translated this book from Russian to English, and Slava could not have completed this project without him. German holds a bachelor’s of science in neuroscience from the University of Pittsburgh and is pursuing graduate studies in medicine or medical research. He is also an accomplished classical musician and is interested in art, language, and sports.