Final 10th Anniversary PDF For Printer

FRAN
DRESCHER
America's Favorite
Nanny Saves Lives
10 th Anniversary
Special Edition

CONTENTS
18
Christopher Walton, Esq. Helping the Little Guy 7
Dr. Mimi Guarneri’s Pearls of Wisdom 9
Rauni Prittinen King, RN, MIH Healing Through Touch 13
Maria Burns 16
Dr. Elisa Magill Envision This! 18
Maha’s Home Staging Company 21
Dr. Tess Mauricio. Feeling Young Again
with Vaginal Rejuvenation 22
The Talent Behind Laurenn Barker 24
Fran Drescher. America’s Favorite Nanny 26
Mom, I think God made a mistake 28
ChicExecs. Kailynn Bowling & Nikki Carlson 30
47
Ruth A. Gillis, LMFT EMDR Certified Therapist 33
“Taking Care of YOU” 38
Sewing To Make Children’s Dreams Come True 39
Dr. Kristine Reese 40
Making Aging in Place Possible 42
Susan Kuruvilla, CEO 43
26
Sohaila Handelsman. The Star in the Sky 44
Beauty and The Beast Review 47
Fran Drescher
Stefanie Bales: Tapping into the Psyche Through Art 48
Melanie Trehan. Love the Skin You’re In 50
Nancy and The Nice Guys 53
A Sedona Adventure 54
Fabulous Finds
Oh Baby!
34
Would You Be A Sugar Baby? 55
Safe Browsing Online 56
Dr. Shivali Gohel 58
36
30
28
48
MOM, I THINK
God made a mistake

Letter From the Editor
Dear Readers,
As I sit down to write this letter, I think
back to our very first issue ten years ago.
We had great excitement and expectations
at the thought of bringing a women’s
magazine to San Diego. We understood the
need for a publication celebrating women,
and we wanted to make the women proud
of this publication that they could call their
own.
The journey has not always been an
easy one, but it has been one that I am so
glad to have experienced. Coming from
New York and starting a magazine in San
Diego brought with it some unexpected revelations. Many that
caused me to rethink my editorial choices from time to time.
Well, ten years have passed, and our editorial board has
decided to open up and lighten up. So, you will find that this issue
touches upon topics you may never have thought you would find in
the old, “San Diego Woman.”
So please, if you have never read an issue of our magazine before,
please sit down kick up your feet and learn about the women
of San Diego Woman the Magazine. For those of you who are regular
readers you will notice we have increased our page count, we
have an entirely new design and a modern new attitude. Women
change with time, so should their magazine!
Thank you for your loyalty, your letters, your stories and your
love! We are devoted to working toward the next ten years growing
bigger and better with every single issue.
Remember, this is your magazine, and we would love to hear
from you. If you want to share your story or the story of a woman
you know, send me an email to editor@sdwomanmagazine.com. I
can’t wait to hear from you!
Thank you for ten years of support.
With Love,
Judith A. Habert
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
San Diego Woman Magazine
San Diego Woman Magazine’s Editors,
Staff, and Freelancers Would Like to
Extend Heartfelt Thanks to All of Our
Readers, Supporters, and Advertisers
Who Have Made it Possible for Us to
Celebrate Ten Years Doing What We
Love to Do, Being the Voice of the
Women of San Diego. We Love You All!
Letters to the Editor
San Diego Woman, once again you
have provided some very important
information through your articles. I have
suffered with the shame of terribly bad
varicose veins, and have been too embarrassed
to do anything about them. Now
that I know how easy the procedure is now
I have the courage to set up an appointment.
ჸჸ
Lilly from Fallbrook
My husband and I loved the article
about Sheri and her guy packing up and
moving to Puerto Rico. My husband and I
have dreamed of a retirement like that for
years. It is so hard to leave it all behind, but
one of these days we will. Thanks for the
inspiration!
ჸჸ
Connie from San Diego
I really enjoyed the article “When You’re
Italian” It brought me back to my childhood.
Keep sharing those type of stories
with your readers. It is nice to know someone
else had similar experiences.
ჸჸ
Lucy from Vista
The article A Four-Letter Word was such
a good one and it hopefully let some of
the readers understand how hard it is to
have hearing problems. I was born with a
congenital hearing issue that has gotten
worse over the years and there is truly no
outward sign to let others know that I can’t
hear what they are saying to me. Some
people are so mean sometimes, because
they think I am ignoring them or being
rude, when the only problem is I didn’t
hear them. Be tolerant, and don’t assume
the worse. Being hearing impaired is a real
disability, and it is time it was recognized
as such.
ჸჸ
Constance from San Diego
What a brave young woman you highlighted
in the article, “Her Middle Name
Should be Never Give Up” It kind of makes
me feel bad for all the times I’ve complained
about little inconveniences. Way to
go Alexis!
ჸჸ
Margie from Hillcrest
I love your product reviews. I always
find something in there that I want to
buy. My husband isn’t too thrilled with it
though, but he will get over it!
ჸჸ
Barbara from La Jolla

Robert Tussey
Robert has been a
published writer for
over thirty years and
has been providing
editing services for
the past twenty-five.
As a musician, he has
written scores of songs.
His life has revolved
around his music and
writing, often melding
the two into articles
and interviews.
Jane Baxley
Jane Baxley is a freelance
writer who enjoys
traveling, reading,
cooking, and gardening.
Writing has been
her passion for many
years. Life experience
has taught her to step
back and enjoy today.
at Point Loma. A busy
woman with 9 grandchildren,
she combines
teaching with her love
of writing.
Gerald Neff
With more than 40
years living and working
in South America
in the agriculture and
forestry business.
topped off with 25
years in the U.S. Embassy
and Peace Corps.
His writing experience
includes local publicalions
and years of U.S.
Embassy reports; so
sit back and enjoy the
ride. Gerald Neff can be
contacted at 760 796
4877
Debbie Storms
Contributors
Carol Heath
Carol is a Certified Clinical
Master/Teacher; she
is certified in a myriad
of alternative modalities
including Color and
Sound therapy, Chakra
therapy,Reflexology,
Cranial and Lomi lomi
massage and developed
her own hands on
healing method.
Janice Carter-Booth
Janice is a massage
therapist who loves
spending time with
any amount of her 15
grandchildren. Her
favorite activities are
swimming and writing.
creates art based on self
experiences and from
experiences of those
around her or strangers
that she encounters.
Maggie is grateful
and very fortunate for
meeting good people
in her life; often finding
a mentor or an awsome
supporter where or
when least expected.
Dawn Nicoli
For over 20 years Dawn
has owned and operated
Nicoli Productions,
an environmental portrait
studio, run out of
her two-acre property
in Escondido.
Starting a new chapter
of her life, when serenity
has become so important,
Dawn spends
her time in her palapa
tree house with her
dog, Karma. exploring
the world of writing.
murals as far away as
Indonesia and flown to
places like Wyoming
and Hawaii for Decorative
Painting.
Patrick Moreno
Patrick resides in Fort
Collins, Colorado and is
the father of a ten-year
old boy, Domanic; and
his faithful dog, Missy.
Patrick has been a part
of the cybersecurity
realm and computing
arena for over a decade.
Not only is he an industry
veteran, Patrick
has single-handedly
steered multi paradigm
projects enabling
network and web security
mitigation across
variable domains. His
primary motto is to
make web browsing a
seamless experience
while ensuring data
privacy. Patrick can be
contacted directly at
970 541 4887 and is
available for consultation
upon request.
Sharon Hightower
Sharon is a native of
California, and has
lived in Chicago and
Guadalajara, MX. She
earned an MA in Teaehing
English as a Second
Language (TESOL)
from CSULA some 20
years ago, but recently
completed her MBA
Debbie has enjoyed
many careers from
accountant to air traffic
controller.
She believes life is an
adventure to be lived
to its fullest. Growing
up in New Jersey, she
learned life skills to
help her practice that
credo. Her passion
for travel has taken
her to many parts of
the world. She is now
focusing on writing
about her travels and
interviewing entertainers,
which is a great
combo!
Maggie Ramos
Maggie Ramos is a
student at MiraCosta
College and is artistically
multi talented. She is
a great writer, painter
and a skilled photographer
thanks to several
recent courses. She puts
her soul and heart in
every piece she creates.
Her art and writing
pieces tend to be very
emotional. Maggie
Deeba Van
Overberghe
Daughter of an artist,
Deeba grew up with
the influence of art
all around her. Deeba
has dedicated the last
14 years to refining
her artistic talents and
abilities in Fine and
Decorative Arts and
Illustration. She has
illustrated books here
in San Diego, painted
Mimi Cook Hall
Mimi Cook Hall is
an entrepreneur, a
marketing and sales
director, and a writer.
Ms. Hall is currently
working on her first
novel, a historical romance
that takes place
during the Yukon gold
rush of 1896.

INFORMING, ENTERTAINING, AND FEATURING THE WOMEN OF SAN DIEGO
Behind the Pages
Judith A. Habert
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
Sonali Soni
Creative Director
Judith A. Habert
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
editor@sdwomanmagazine.com
Carol Heath
Assistant Editor
Jaime V. Habert
Entertainment Editor/ Copyeditor
Dawn Nicoli
Photographer
Lisa K Miller
Photographer
11835 Carmel Mountain Road
Suite 1304-346
San Diego, CA 92128
Sonali Soni
Creative Director
creativedirector@sdwomanmagazine.com
888 275 7125
858 735 5301
www.sdwomanmagazine.com
Facebook.com/SanDiegoWoman
Carol Heath
Assistant Editor
twitter.com/SanDiegoWoman
Jaime V. Habert
Entertainment Editor/Copyeditor
SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION
Annual subscriptions available
on request Please send name,
mailing address, and check for
$25.00 payable to San Diego
Woman. Subscriptions can also be
purchased online at
www.sdwomanmagazine.com
Disclaimer: Products, services,
practices, websites or informational
packets mentioned within our pages
are in no way an endorsement by San
Diego Woman, but are provided to our
readers for informational purposes
only.
Privacy Advisory: Personal information
provided by our readers will
be used solely for the purposes of
providing requested information and
will not be shared.

Christopher Walton, Esq.
HELPING THE LITTLE GUY
By Judith A. Habert
Photos by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions
WHEN WE ARE YOUNG AND
think about what we want to
be when we grow up our reasons are
honest and true to our hearts. It's only
when we get older that we think about
things like the salary or the amount
of schooling involved in our decision.
That is why it is easy to spot those in
just about every profession who felt it
in their hearts before they contemplated
the choice in the minds. Chris Walton
knew from a very early age that he
wanted to be a lawyer, not for the prestige
or the standard of living it would
allow, but for one very simple reason,
he wanted to speak up for the little guy
who wasn't being heard. He wanted to
right the wrongs that were taking place
around him. Today Chris does exactly
what he dreamed of doing, and as a
result, has helped right many wrongs
often for those who have too soft a
voice to speak for themselves. He is a
personal injury attorney who specializes
in elder abuse and neglect issues
and often finds himself facing large
nursing home corporations in a battle
to bring justice for his clients.
Chris was born in Boston and
moved to New Mexico as a young
child. He wasn't the son of a lawyer,
nor did he have any immediate family
members in the field, but he knew it
was his calling. At the young age of
11, the future lawyer actually won his
first case. It was over a dining room
table, not in a courtroom but it was a
well-fought victory none the less. "I
was about 11 when my friend Jeremy
got into a little trouble at home, and
after discussing it, we both felt that
his punishment was harsher than it
should have been. So, I offered to represent
him, since he was too afraid to
speak up to his parents. I interviewed
his siblings to find out if they had received
similar punishment when they
had committed the same, or a similar
infraction. I then put together a chart
showing how they had been punished
for similar crimes. Then we found a
way that I would be invited to dinner
so I could present my case. I'm sure
Jeremy's parents thought it was pretty
funny at the time, but they ended up
lessening his punishment, as a result of
my presentation. Word got out quickly,
and I was called upon to share dinners
at other friend's homes, when they
needed similar help. I became known
as the neighborhood attorney." For
Chris, this was just the beginning of
defending the little guy.
When the time came for Chris to
attend college he knew that he wanted
to be as far away from the desert as
possible, so he chose to attend Washington
State. Chris worked through
college, and it was his job at Olive
Garden that would affect his life more
than he thought a part time job would.
"It was at this job that I met my wife,
Shauna. She actually trained me, and a
few years later we began dating,"
It was a joint decision for Shauna
and Chris to move to San Diego, because
they felt it would be the perfect
place to raise a family. Chris applied
and was accepted at California Western
School of Law. When he headed to
law school, he planned to be a Sports
Agent, but soon realized that there was
another area of law that was more in
line with the very reason he wanted to
be a lawyer.
Upon graduation, Chris was
recruited for a position as a defense
attorney protecting the interests of insurance
companies and professionals,
primarily doctors. "Although I enjoyed
it, there was something in me that
wanted to have that feeling again of
standing up for the little guy and being
on the side of the plaintiff and not the
large corporation."
In 2010, Chris took a major leap
and decided to become the type of
lawyer he wanted to be. “ I opened
my own firm, Walton Law, and began
working as a plaintiff ’s attorney. Instead
of representing big corporations,
I could now get back to standing up
for the little guy." The decision to go
out on his own was not an easy one. "I
was married, had a wife, we just had
our first child, we had bought a home,
the economy was tanking, I had school
loans to pay back, but I knew it was
time for me to venture out on my own.
My wife was extremely supportive as
she always is, so that helped with my
decision."
Chris today can tell you that this
was the best decision he ever made.
“One of my major concerns was being
there to be an active participant in
my daughter’s life. I did not want to
look back years from now and wonder
where the time went.”
Chris, now the father of two,
Kayla, nine and Caden, six, has found
a way to be a very involved Dad. “With
today's technology, I can work from
home. I can move my schedule around
to be there for dinner. I can attend
their practices and games. When I
7

worked at the previous law firm, I
never saw my daughter. I would leave
in the morning when she was asleep
and return home 30 minutes before
her bedtime. I didn't want to raise
my children that way. Family is very
important to me."
Chris’ clients are like family to him
as well. He is very selective in which
cases he takes and is not looking to
have a huge law firm. "When you run a
low volume practice like I have chosen
to do, you can pick your clients, and so
I love my clients, they are like family
to me. I feel for them and the pain and
suffering they are experiencing. I am
available to them, and they know they
can call me whenever they need to. In
a large law firm, you cannot possibly
give your clients this level of attention."
"When someone hires me to say
I take it seriously would be an understatement.
I know that this person
could have hired anyone and they
chose me, so I feel a real responsibility
to do everything I can for them to
make sure they get the absolute best
lawyer that they deserve."
Chris’ clients will attest to this.
When describing Chris words like
caring, compassionate, and empathetic
are often heard, but the comment that
says it all was from one of his recent
clients who simply said. “Chris Walton
is a truly amazing attorney.”
Chris, who has spent the majority
of his professional life operating his
firm out of an office in downtown San
Diego recently made a move to the
Carmel Valley/Del Mar area. Their
beautiful new office makes it easier
for clients to visit them, and allows
Chris more time with his family and
less time in downtown traffic. “I see
more clients in three weeks at our
Carmel Valley location than I saw in
a full year at our downtown location.”
With easily accessible free parking and
a simple commute from most areas
getting to Chris’ office is much easier
for his clients. Along with making
the move, Chris also hired their first
8
associate. “Having another attorney in
the office allows us to be available to
answer every call that comes in. Even
if a potential client calls in with a case
that isn’t the right fit for our firm, we
will answer any questions and provide
information to point the potential
client in the right direction.”
With a reputation as a "nice guy"
fighting for the little guy, how does
Chris make the transition to tough guy
when going head to head with these
big corporate attorneys. "I tell young
lawyers all the time just be yourself
when you litigate. You don't have to
yell and scream or become a total jerk.
If you have a great client and build
your case the right way to make sure
the opposing counsel knows you are
never going away, so they have only
one choice to pay or take the ultimate
risk and put the choice in the hands of
a jury.”
Walton Law handles all types of
personal injury cases, anyone injured
due to someone else’s negligence, or
intentional behavior. These include
car accidents, premises accidents, or
product liability. Chris’ niche area is
nursing home and elder abuse work
including financial elder abuse.
The favorite part of being a lawyer
for Chris is similar to his 11-year-old
self. "My favorite part of what I do
is standing up for what I believe in.
Helping people through very difficult
times and having them know that I am
there to hold people accountable when
they make purely financial decisions
which negatively affect those they are
there to protect and watch over."
I asked Chris if he could share
with our readers some tips or insight
on how they can be sure these type of
negative events don’t end up affecting
them or their loved ones. He shared
the following:
• “If you suspect abuse or neglect at
a nursing home where, a relative lives,
your first step would be to talk to the
facilities administrator. If this does
not help then talk to the department
of public health, there is always an
ombudsman who can jump in and
find out what’s going on. If that gets
you nowhere go to the police.”
• “We don’t charge people to call
into the firm. You should always understand
your legal rights. We don’t
push people into signing on with our
firm, so call in if you are concerned
with things going on in a nursing
home. Also, keep in mind that if you
are involved in a car accident, call
us before you speak to anyone either
involved in the accident or any of
their insurance or legal representatives.
Do not settle. No one need be
afraid to speak to someone at this
firm. Even if we can't take the case,
we will give you some important
information to help. By the end of
the phone conversation, you will be
more informed and able to deal with
your situation.”.

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Dr. Mimi Guarneri’s
PEARLS OF WISDOM
IN THE TEN YEARS THAT I HAVE
been publishing San Diego Woman
Magazine, I can honestly say that I
have never come across anyone quite
like Mimi Guarneri, MD, FACC,
ABOIM, who is board-certified in
Cardiovascular Disease, Internal Medicine,
Nuclear Cardiology and Integrative
Holistic Medicine. I had spoken to
colleagues of hers, patients who swore
by her, and nurses who had worked
with her. Even their songs of praise did
not affect me quite as much as the 60
minutes or so that I spent a few weeks
ago talking with her and getting to
know not only the physician, but the
woman behind the title.
Within just a few moments of
meeting, we had ascertained that there
was a common bond in that we were
both native New Yorkers and of Italian
decent, but that wasn't it. That was but
an added plus in that we almost immediately
understood each other and
communicated as perhaps only two
New Yorkers can, but there was still
something so special and so unique
that it took a while for me to figure out
what it was.
Here I was sitting across from a renowned
doctor who has accomplished
so much throughout her life. Dr.
Guarneri speaks at conferences with
thousands of attendees. She has written
wonderful books, published many
articles, appeared as an expert source
on radio and TV programs and is even
slated to be a speaker at the Vatican
this coming November at an event
sponsored by the World Health Organization,
UCSD and Miraglo Foundation.
There she sat across from me
when I realized what it was…she cares
from such a profound place, for each
By Judith A. Habert
and every patient she sees. She listens,
but more importantly, she hears. As an
Integrative Cardiologist, Dr. Guarneri
is often faced with critical and acute
care scenarios. She is called upon to
make tough decisions, life, and death
choices, with little room for error.
What she has learned, and very well I
might add, is that more goes into her
profession than just treating patients
in an acute care condition. She has
applied many years of clinical study
and research on the mind-body-spirit
connection for creating optimal
heath, wellness and healing outcome
and has incorporated these elements
into her practice to make a difference,
and most importantly, to save lives.
The term “Integrative Cardiologist”
was coined by Dr. Guarneri when her
practice began to change to an Integrative
approach.
Dr. Guarneri came to San Diego
in 1994 to work at Scripps Clinic as
an Interventional Cardiologist. This
specialty focuses on acute care, such as
placing stents in arteries. Dr. Guarneri
was often faced with very sick patients;
some whom had basically received a
death sentence due to the severity of
their health condition. Dr. Guarneri
didn’t believe these sentences to be
true. She learned that by incorporating
some healthy habits into their everyday
life, the likelihood of developing
heart disease could be significantly
deterred.
“I would put in about 750 stents
per year while at Scripps. I’d see many
repeat patients. I just knew there
had to be a better way to treat these
patients so that they wouldn’t continue
to be in need of my services --and
possibly never need to be in the care
of a cardiologist in an acute situation,”
explains Dr. Guarneri.
"I became interested in the work
that Dr. Dean Ornish was doing. I
would put stents in and then run
across the parking lot to Dr. Ornish’s
Program for Reversing Heart Disease,
a lifestyle change program, and
studied the work he was doing. Rauni
Prittinen King, RN was the Nurse Case
Manager for the research study, and
we were both realizing the huge differences
made by the lifestyle change program
for the patients. Rauni had been
an intensive care nurse for more than
20 years. She, too, was aware of the
rising population of "frequent fliers"
that she would see as return patients
with cardiac incidents to the ICU. Dr.
Guarneri remarked, "We would put
these patients on vegetarian diets,
teach them yoga and meditation, place
them into support groups and get
them up and moving and doing some
exercise. The results were phenomenal.
With these lifestyle changes, we saw
a 91% decrease in chest pain, cholesterol
levels went down, triglycerides
went down, and they lost significant
amounts of weight. Most importantly,
by and large, their coronary disease
had been reversed.”
This proved to Dr. Guarneri exactly
what she had believed for a very
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Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
long time, which was that you could
not just treat the symptom without
attacking the underlying problem. She
said, “Certainly, as a cardiologist when
you are faced with a patient suffering
from an acute event, such as a stroke
or a heart attack, Conventional Medicine’s
approach is the only way to go.
You need to get the patient to a trauma
center like Scripps, Sharp, UCSD
and others where they are trained in
critical care, and can immediately deal
with the current crisis.” Dr. Guarneri
felt that part of the problem was that
medical schools trained doctors in
the acute care model, but little to no
emphasis was placed on training for
prevention of coronary disease.
One of the other issues which Dr.
Guarneri was witnessing more regularly
was that when a patient went to
a physician with a medical complaint
that resulted in a diagnosis such as
diabetes or high blood pressure, the
answer was always the “ill to the pill”
approach. Each diagnosis resulted in a
prescription for medicine to treat the
problem, with physicians not asking
the question ‘why does this patient
have high blood pressure and what
can we do to reverse it?’ In defense
of physicians, this was not a fault of
your doctor, but more the fault of the
system, which required that a physician
sees a minimum number of
patients per day for them to operate
in the black. So, what took more time:
writing a prescription for medication
or discussing the basics of nutrition
and how it applies to the disease they
developed and what they would have
to do to correct the problem? Dr.
Guarneri shares, "The minute that
became really clear to me, I realized
that it was necessary for us to teach
health providers differently. Not to say
that what we learned in school is bad,
it is great for acute care, but we need a
model that really embraces the best of
acute care and then how do we prevent
disease and get to underlying cause so
we can start to reverse the process."
Dr. Guarneri saw that a way to fix
the system was to recognize that our
method of healing was not the only
way to improve the health of our population.
She explained, “Of course, we
prided our medical schools for teaching
our new doctors state of the art
heart technology which we knew was
critical to our patients, but part of their
healing process might also include the
many wonders we could learn from
other global traditions. Conventional
Medicine is just one of many global
healing traditions. There is Traditional
Chinese Medicine, Ayurvedic Medicine
from India and Homeopathy and
Naturopathic Medicine, which have
their own healing properties.”
After seeing the amazing results
that could be achieved through
non-traditional modalities, Dr.
Guarneri knew that she owed it to the
medical profession, and particularly
to heart disease sufferers everywhere
to bring this education to the medical
community. She and Rauni decided
through their own experiences and
those of Dr. Ornish --and others they
followed, that it was time for them to
make a proposal to Scripps Hospital
to create an innovative and groundbreaking
program. Shortly thereafter,
with some generous benefactors and
the blessings of Scripps, their dream
became a reality, and Scripps Center
for Integrative Medicine was born.
As the medical director of the center,
Dr. Guarneri saw the importance of
bringing education to physicians, as
well as the public who were yearning
for something besides a prescription
drug solution to every health
problem. The Scripps Center for
Integrative Medicine offered the best
of Conventional and Complementary
Medicine. This is based upon the
belief that there exist many paths to
healing and that holistic health is a
cohesive balance of mind, body, and
spirit. They recognized the wisdom of
all healing traditions and incorporated
them as appropriate into individualized
care plans. Dr. Guarneri notes,
“We realized one of the problems was
that physicians needed to be educated
in Integrative approaches. They need-
10

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
ed to think differently, so we started to
create large conferences such as ‘Natural
Supplements: An Evidence-Based
Approach,' which is going into its 15th
year. We have people from all over
who attend. This is now considered
one of the biggest Integrative Health
and Medicine conferences in the
world, hosting over 1,000 people from
around the world."
The Scripps Center for Integrative
Medicine grew tremendously over
the years, but Dr. Guarneri's desire to
bring Integrative Medicine to the forefront
of the medical community was
even greater than this center. Her desire
was to make San Diego a hub for
Integrative Health and Medicine. She
was instrumental in the decision made
by Bastyr University to open their new
site in San Diego. Bastyr University
is a pioneer in science-based natural
medicine and one of the leading health
arts and sciences universities in the
world, with programs for Naturopathic
Medicine, Nutrition, Public Health,
Herbal Sciences and more.
Dr. Guarneri realized one of her
dreams when she founded The Academy
of Integrative Health and Medicine
(AIHM) in 2013. A great way to
describe the AIHM is with the mission
statement, which reads, “The Academy
provides critical resources to support
collaboration between practitioners
working to transform our disease care
model into one that serves the whole
person—body, mind, spirit—and
beyond to include community and the
planet.” The AIHM is an innovative
educational organization dedicated to
engaging a global community of health
professionals and health seekers in
training, leadership, interprofessional
collaboration, research, and advocacy.
She currently serves as President of the
AIHM.
Integrative Medicine did not earn
its board certification from the American
Board of Physician Specialties
(ABPS) until 2014. Dr. Guarneri sits
on the founding board. I asked how
the climate has changed with traditional
doctors’ views of Integrative
Medicine since the certification efforts
began in 1996. She said, “By in large
physicians are really disenchanted
now. They are unhappy with 10-minute
appointments, and they don't feel
they can provide the care they want
to provide. Look at the statistics of
physician depression, alcoholism, suicide.
It is really scary. There is a lot of
discontent. I wrote a book a few years
ago dealing with this problem entitled
Total Engagement – The Healthcare
Practitioner’s Guide to Heal Yourself,
Your Patients and Your Practice. It is a
book that teaches them how to reinvent
themselves.”
Four years ago, Dr. Guarneri took
an even bigger leap toward her total
belief in the importance of Integrative
Medicine. She and Rauni founded
both Guarneri Integrative Health, Inc.
and Pacific Pearl La Jolla. Dr. Guarneri,
who serves as Medical Director,
explains, “I wanted to build an Integrative
health and wellness facility
to provide excellent healthcare in
the middle of La Jolla. I also wanted
to blend things that Conventional
Medicine doesn’t always understand.
Here at The Pearl, you see not only a
Medical Doctor, but a Naturopathic
Doctor during your 90-minute first
visit. We don't do 10-minute appointments
at Pacific Pearl. We need to get
to know our patients before we can
treat them. One of our first questions
to a new patient is, ’What is your idea
of success?' One patient's response was
simply ‘to wake up in the morning and
not feel pain,' but the answers vary.
In the current 10-minutes per patient
traditional medical care model, it is
very easy to label people, and give
them drugs. It’s not so easy to get people
motivated and get them started on
creating health. We need to get people
back in charge of their lives. That is
why I wanted to create a center where
I could continue to practice medicine,
continue to teach doctors, and have
doctors from all areas work together
under one roof. We do not have to
send our patients all over town for the
different needs they may have. We give
each patient our personal email and
cell phone, so we are always close by to
help our patients, no matter what they
need."
At Guarneri Integrative Health,
Inc., local patients are joined by those
traveling from across the globe to be
assessed and treated by Dr. Guarneri
and her team of experts in cutting
edge Conventional, Integrative and
Natural Medicine. Pacific Pearl La Jolla
is also home to several organizations,
in addition to Guarneri Integrative
Health, Inc. They include the Academy
of Integrative Health and Medicine
(AIHM), Holistic and Integrative
Medicine Resources, Inc. (HIMR),
Miraglo Foundation, Consciousness
and Healing Initiative (CHI) and a
fully-equipped video/live-streaming
space for education, workshops and
conferences.
To help patients get back in charge
of their own lives, Dr. Guarneri recently
released her latest book entitled,
108 Pearls to Awaken Your Healing
Potential. In it, she blends modern
science and ancient wisdom to offer
her own guide of 108 pearls—steps
you can take to awaken the healing
potential of your body, mind, and
spirit. Her new book, published by
Hay House, is broken up into sections
focusing on the body, mind, emotions
and spirit. It covers topics such as how
to effectively follow the elimination
diet, how to turn stress into strength,
the impact of stress and depression on
the body, what you can do naturally
for diabetes and high cholesterol, and
11

how our health and the choices we
make can affect the planet. Her weekly
website blogs reflect the wisdom from
her book.
Before ending our time together, I
took advantage of sitting across from
this internationally-renowned cardiologist,
scholar, author and leading
proponent of Integrative Medicine. I
asked her to share with our readers
some of her "pearls of wisdom." These
were the top two she shared with us.
• As an Integrative Cardiologist,
she wanted to remind women that
the number one cause of death to
women is cardiovascular disease.
“Each year we lose approximately
250,000 women to heart disease. So,
women must be aware that just getting
a pap smear and a mammogram
isn’t enough. About 40,000 women
die from breast cancer every year.
So, cardiovascular health needs to be
taken seriously. I don't want women
burying their head in the sand. Everything
that goes into heart disease
is entirely preventable and reversible.
Women need to get rid of the
cigarettes, start exercising, be aware
of proper nutrition, and realize that
stress relief is important.”
• “Everyone should know their
numbers – numbers such as their
cholesterol, blood pressure, and BMI
(body mass index). Since women
usually are the head of the household
and make most of the choices
about food and healthcare, they can
make a major positive change for
their families. They can decide to
make one night per week a meatless
night, and the family will go along
with it. Their family members might
complain in the beginning, but eventually,
they will acquiesce. Eventually,
the entire family will realize there
are other healthier options besides
eating meat every day.”
Learn more at www.PacificPearl-
LaJolla.com and www.MimiGuarneriMD.com.
12
Miraglo Foundation
has accomplished many
amazing feats in the
short time it has been in
existence. It was founded
by Rauni Prittinen
King, RN and Mimi Guarneri,
MD, FACC in 2011.
Its vision is “Healing
people and transforming
lives through education,
health and research.”
Their goal is to promote
love, dignity and healing
to those in need and the
undeserved around the
world. They also support
innovative Integrative
Medicine education and
research.
A major project supported
by Miraglo Foundation
is the Academy of
Integrative Health and
Medicine, an innovative
educational organization
dedicated to engaging
a global community of
health professionals and
health seekers in training,
leadership, interprofessional
collaboration,
research, and advocacy.
It is unifying the voice
WHAT DOES MIRAGLO FOUNDATION DO TO HELP?
of Integrative Health
and Medicine. Another
major project has been
Sri Narayani Hospital and
Research Center in the
Tamil Nadu region in rural-Southern
India. When
Miraglo Foundation
first became involved in
helping the hospital, it
was a one-room clinic,
and, now, it is a 250-bed
multi-specialty hospital
serving thousands of
patients monthly. It provides
diagnostics, imaging
services, surgical procedures,
complimentary
food and medicines and
aftercare. In 2016, thanks
to generous donations,
they opened a 150-bed
Specialty Hospital but are
still in need of a cardiac
catheterization laboratory
and an open heart
surgical suite, which is an
$800,000 project. Miraglo
Foundation is currently
raising funds for this
project.
Miraglo Foundation
also helped Shantipuri
Friends Foundation in India
by providing funding
to schools for children
who are shunned or
orphaned. They provide
education, school supplies,
food, clothing, and
medical care.
In addition to the
work they do in India,
the Foundation has
helped organizations
in other places in the
world, as well as right
here in San Diego. In
Nepal, they work with
an organization called
Friends of Maiti Nepal
to gather resources
in the U.S. to assist its
battle against human
rights violations, such as
human sex trafficking.
Miraglo Foundation provides
funds for rescued
women and children to
receive healthcare and
education. In Uganda,
they work with Mari
Kelly Cows’ Project by
providing funding to
purchase cows as a
means of enhancing nutrition
for this vulnerable
population.
In San Diego, Miraglo Foundation works with the following organizations:
• Feeding San Diego, Feeding America: feeding local children, families, seniors
weekly
• Monarch School: a local school that is exclusively for students who are homeless.
• Welcome Home International: an organization providing holistic, peer-driven
support services for women in transition from incarceration.
• Big Animals for Little Kids: an all-volunteer organization in San Diego that
extends love through visits to hospitalized and ill children by entertainment
volunteers in animal costumes.
• The San Diego Book Project: providing books and educational materials freeof-charge
to teachers, schools and organizations with the assistance of Rotary
Clubs.
These are but a few of the wonderful causes that Miraglo has gotten behind.
Check out their site www.miraglofoundation.org to find out more.
Join Miraglo Foundation to Help Make a Difference.
Visit www.miraglofoundation.org (and click the DONATE button)
(858) 459-2114

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Rauni Prittinen King, RN, MIH
HEALING THROUGH TOUCH
By Judith A. Habert
WHEN YOU HAVE SPENT OVER
20 years in critical care nursing,
there isn't much you haven't seen. There
are certain events in life that bring us
to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). For
anyone who has spent any time in an
ICU, whether as a patient or a visitor,
you know that the majority of what is
found is not like the TV medical show
ailments like train and airplane wrecks,
gunshot wounds or impalement. What
brings most of us to the intensive care
unit are diseases that finally get to the
point where our body can no longer
handle what we have been doing to it for
the past 10, 20 or 30 years.
Rauni Prittinen King, RN, an accomplished
business woman and foundation
president, a highly-sought consultant in
healthcare and the co-founder and executive
director of the Integrative health
and wellness center, Pacific Pearl La Jolla,
had seen it all as an ICU nurse. She loved
her profession but was bothered with a
feeling that something was missing in
her early days. She would watch patients
come in and out of her unit, and many
more, not as lucky wouldn't make it out.
She felt deeply for the suffering she saw,
but especially when she would see ‘repeat
offenders,’ those who came in regularly
with heart problems, strokes and other
ailments. It wasn't until she attended
a workshop in energy healing that she
finally felt as if she had found help for the
suffering.
This workshop was just the beginning
for Rauni. It was the beginning of a
new life focus that wasn’t fully clear at the
beginning but ultimately brought her to a
global stage. She explains, "After attending
that first energy healing seminar I
knew I had discovered what was missing.
In every study done on the subject, there
are similar findings. Compassion and
intentional touch help to heal."
Rauni was ecstatic when she found
the missing piece to the puzzle. She
knew her patients were getting the best
that conventional medicine had to offer,
but now, she realized there was more
to getting better than medical care and
prescription drugs. She says, “I knew
what they were missing – healing. When
people are ill, they are in physical crisis,
but they also are in an emotional, mental
and spiritual crisis. We don't have a cure
for misery, so we give patients drugs like
Valium to get over anxiety and emotional
pain. Once the patient is taken off the
drug, they end up back in the same place.
They are afraid of dying, they are afraid of
disability, and they are most likely afraid
of the medical procedures they are about
to endure."
“The practice of Healing Touch® and
energy healing was what I believed was
missing from the nursing practice,” Rauni
says. “Once I realized this, I could not
get enough education on the subject. I
became a certified practitioner, and now I
teach on all five levels of the curriculum.
This was how I started on the path of
holistic and Integrative Medicine."
Rauni continued learning more
and more about Holistic Nursing and
went on with her education, earning her
certification as a Holistic Nurse through
the American Holistic Nurse Association,
and a Masters Degree in Integrative
Health. She also became a Certified Healing
Touch® Practitioner and Instructor.
Rauni adds, " I knew I was on the right
track and watched the significant effect I
was having on patients.”
A coordinator and instructor of
Healing Touch® workshops at Scripps
Hospitals since 1993, Rauni also provides
classes at Pacific Pearl La Jolla and is the
lead instructor for the Greater Los Angeles
VA Healthcare System. After creating
Healing Touch® of Finland in 1998, she
has been teaching Healing Touch in Europe
and India as well as North America.
In 1995, she was intrigued to follow
up after hearing rumors that Scripps was
going to do a Holistic lifestyle research
study for cardiac patients. She applied
for the job and was hired since they were
looking for someone with a strong cardiac
background.
The program, Dr. Dean Ornish’s Program
for Reversing Heart Disease trial,
was exciting and groundbreaking. The
plan was to take very sick heart patients
and place them in this new research
program of lifestyle changes instead of
treating them with a stent, angioplasty, or
open-heart surgery. It included a specific
diet, yoga, meditation, exercise and
support groups. Rauni says, “This was
when I met Dr. Mimi Guarneri, who was
an Interventional Cardiologist at Scripps
Clinic and Scripps Green Hospital. In
the spring of 1996, our first task was to
interview patients for the program."
It didn't take long for Rauni and Dr.
Guarneri to realize that this program
needed to be put in place for all patients.
So, after much discussion, planning and
great determination, they wrote the proposal
for what is now known as Scripps
Center for Integrative Medicine. “External
funding came from grateful patients
and donors, and Scripps gave us the
go-ahead. This is how it all began, and it
13

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
still remains a part of the Scripps Health
System,” she adds.
She moved into management and
teaching at the new center while also
treating patients. After 25 years of full
time employment at Scripps Health, Rauni
had touched many lives.
In 2013, Rauni and Dr. Guarneri
achieved their dream of co-founding a
private Integrative health and wellness
center that featured a team of experts in
Conventional, Integrative and Natural
Medicine. She is both co-founder and
executive director of Guarneri Integrative
Health, Inc. at Pacific Pearl La Jolla, a
center where state-of-the-art Conventional
Medicine meets the best of global
HIMR provide programs for Integrative
Medicine to help transform or develop
professional practices and healthcare
systems. Rauni is president of HIMR, and
her other roles at The Pearl include director,
healthcare provider and instructor.
She adds, “It was fun to use the knowledge
from my Interior Design degree to
create a healing environment.”
Her reach has moved beyond Pacific
Pearl La Jolla. Her experience as Nurse
Case Manager in the Dean Ornish
program, her development and management
of Integrative Medicine centers
and her career in critical care nursing has
given her an incredible background. This
made her an obvious choice to direct and
coordinate national and international
holistic and integrative medicine conferences
for physicians, nurses and other
healthcare providers. These annual conferences
include ‘Natural Supplements:
An Evidence-Based Approach’ conference
and the ‘Integrative and Holistic
Nursing Conference,’ both of which are
held in San Diego and bring thousands
of healthcare professionals to the area.
She also launched a not-for-profit public
charity, Miraglo Foundation, which supports
projects and people in the U.S. and
around the world.
Rauni, who spent a good portion
of her life caring for others, was always
searching for ways that she could do
more. When she was working towards
her Master's Degree in Integrative Health
from National University, it was a program
she helped to create. In one course,
she was assigned a project in which she
had to interview a subject she admired
greatly. There was a man who fit the bill –
someone who had been running charitable
foundations for many years. After
conducting the interview, Rauni was
greatly inspired to create a foundation.
In 2011, Rauni founded Miraglo
Foundation, along with Dr. Mimi
Guarneri. Miraglo Foundation’s vision is
‘Healing people and transforming lives
through education, health and research.’
She serves as its dynamic president, and
both are equally involved and dedicated
to the needs of the many thousands of
people that Miraglo Foundation serves
healing traditions for a personalized
whole-person approach that addresses
mind, body and spirit – and where a
wellness assessment lasts 90 minutes and
includes both a Medical Doctor and a
Naturopathic Doctor. Spa and wellness
services like acupuncture, massage,
herbal tub baths and facials are also offered.
She designed the center to include
a space for conferences, workshops and
community lectures that has full video/
live streaming capacities. Pacific Pearl La
Jolla is also home to the Academy of Integrative
Health and Medicine (AIHM),
Miraglo Foundation, Consciousness and
Healing Initiative (CHI) and Holistic
and Integrative Medicine Resources Inc.
(HIMR), a business and consulting unit
they both founded. Among other initiatives,
Rauni and Dr. Guarneri through
14
today. Having interviewed the charitable
foundation expert and also having
worked with the Scripps Foundation,
Rauni was familiar with restrictions that
often were caused by how a foundation
was created. She wanted to be certain
that Miraglo Foundation would have a
broad reach. She explains, "It was critical
that I learned how to create a foundation
that allowed us to accomplish all that we
wanted – supporting Integrative Medicine
and education, research, and service
to the underserved globally. We didn't
want limits. We had a long list of what
should be included, and we knew that we
wanted it to be local, national, and global.
It was a blessing to spend this time creating
what we wanted, because we can do a
lot of work not only in San Diego but in
developing nations."

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Miraglo Foundation has accomplished
many remarkable feats in the short time it
has been in existence. Their work is global.
A major project has been the support of
the Academy of Integrative Health and
Medicine (AIHM), which Dr. Guarneri
founded and where Rauni serves as a
member of the Board of Directors. A focus
of Miraglo Foundation is serving the under-served,
and they support several San
Diego initiatives, among others. Internationally,
their support of the Sri Narayani
Hospital and Research Center in the Tamil
Nadu region in rural-Southern India has
helped it grow from a one-room clinic to
a 250-bed multi-specialty hospital serving
thousands of patients monthly. Rauni says,
“Currently, on average, five people each
day who come into the hospital will lose
their lives because the center does not have
the ability to perform angioplasty, stenting
and open-heart surgery. Now, we are
raising funds for a much needed cardiac
catheterization laboratory and open heart
surgical suite.”
It is difficult for Rauni and the other
foundation members to bear this distress
when they travel to the hospital because
the staff members are doing all they can.
Even with great doctors and nurses, they
can't save lives without the necessary
equipment. "Unfortunately," Rauni adds,
“All the equipment comes from the same
manufacturers used around the globe,
so the cost in developing countries is the
same as in wealthy metropolitan parts
of the world. It is simply unaffordable.
The people in this region of India have
a hard time feeding their families…and
losing one of their family members to a
curable ailment is impossible to accept.”
The list of organizations and projects
Miraglo Foundation works with is growing
every day. Check the article on page
12 to see some of the other wonderful
causes taken on by the Foundation.
Constantly traveling around the
world, Rauni is spreading the important
messages of Integrative Medicine, education,
compassion and service to improve
global health. She says, “I went to Geneva
last year to the World Health Organization’s
World Health Assembly representing
Miraglo Foundation, as part of the
delegation of the Global Health Council.
This coming October, I will present in
Brazil at a large healthcare conference,
and in November of 2017, we will be
going to the Vatican for a World Health
Organization event where Dr. Guarneri
will be presenting. That event is sponsored
by the World Health Organization,
UCSD and Miraglo Foundation."
Rauni loves what she does, even
when asked if her time as a critical nurse
was a difficult period for her. She responds,
"All of my experiences have led
me to where I am today. Because of my
background, I have a lot of credibility
in several areas of healthcare. My range
has allowed me to enjoy many different
experiences."
Her VA teaching opportunity came
about due to a study of Post-Traumatic
Stress Disorder (PTSD) that Dr. Guarneri
and Rauni did while they were
at Scripps. Active duty Marines with
PTSD at Camp Pendleton in California
were returning from Iraq and Afghanistan.
Rauni explains, “We used Healing
Touch® to help with the PTSD symptoms.
In September of 2012, our findings
were published in the publication,
‘Military Medicine.’ The study had to be
short, since the Marines were moving
from place to place. We provided six
treatments in a 3-week period, but even
in that time, depression dropped, there
was an overall reduction of symptoms,
and hostility levels significantly decreased.”
After seeing their positive results, she
was invited to teach Healing Touch® to
healthcare providers at the Greater Los
Angeles VA. The VA is the biggest health
care system in the country with 153 hospitals,
773 outpatient centers and 260 Vet
Counseling Centers.
Thanks to the teachings of Rauni and
others in the medical profession, Integrative
Medicine has moved to the forefront
of a previously conventional medical
model. I asked Rauni if the climate has
changed with traditional physicians and
if there existed an increased acceptance of
Integrative Medicine?
She says, "Yes, the tide has turned,
and we are seeing more traditional doctors
willing to add Integrative Medicine
to their practices. We are in the process
of creating the healthcare that we would
want for ourselves and our loved ones.
That is why we wanted Pacific Pearl La
Jolla, our Integrative health and wellness
center, to be a place where our patients
would feel comfortable. It is designed to
be more like home and less like a medical
center. That is why we don't have a waiting
room. We have a living room. Some
of our patients will just drop by to sit in
our living room to relax, and we love that.
Things have changed with traditional
healthcare. We have over 70 medical
schools in this country that now teach
Integrative Medicine. When I left Scripps,
it was only 35, so Integrative Medicine is
the way of the future.”
I asked Rauni what her tidbits of
advice would be for our readers and she
shared the following:
• I ask patients, “Where would you
be if there were no obstacles? What
would you do if nothing stood in your
way?”
• Go deep within and see what you
really want to do with your life. Often,
we live our lives according to other
peoples’ desires. We don't listen to our
intuition; we don't listen to our own
heart; we listen to other people who
tell us what we should do. Intuition is
the heart. Logical thinking is the head,
and although there are only 18 inches
between the two, this is often the longest
distance we have to go. When you
follow your heart, you don't determine
your outcome, but you have a vision
of where you want to go. Often people
will think of every obstacle between
where they are and where they want
to be. So, I ask, ‘What is your passion?
Follow it.’
• There was a study done on patients
with cancer, and the aim was to find
out what happened to cancer patients
given the news that they had a limited
time remaining in their life. The purpose
was to see why the outcome was
different for two patients who were
both told they had five weeks to live.
Some died exactly in five weeks, yet
others lived 20 years. This shows that
when we get passed the restrictions
we place on ourselves, we can achieve
great things.
Learn more at http://pacificpearllajolla.com
and http://miraglofoundation.
org.
15

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Maria Burns
Helping to Make Life Easier
IN THE YEAR 2000, A YEAR
filled with trepidation for many of
us, a young woman with two boys
decided to pack up herself and her
boys and make a journey from Mexico
to Oregon. For anyone, this is a scary
endeavor, but especially for someone
who at the time had little command of
the English language and no family to
run to if things did not go as planned.
This is exactly what Maria Burns did.
She registered in school so she could
learn the language that was so foreign
to her and took the first job she could
get cleaning homes. She enrolled her
boys in school and started working
long hours to provide for herself and
her children. "I wanted to have a career
based on honesty and integrity, but
I didn't know quite what that would
be, so I searched around and explored
many job opportunities. I always loved
to learn, so learning new skills in all
of these jobs was fun for me. I always
believed that when you are looking for
opportunities, they will come to you."
One of her jobs finally proved to
be the right one. Maria was hired as
a receptionist in an income tax office.
"This job was so interesting to me that
I decide to obtain my license as a tax
preparation professional” Soon Maria
Maria soon learned how much her
services were needed especially for the
Hispanic population. Being fluent in
16
both Spanish and English was of great
help to the large number of Oregonians
who still struggled with learning and
understanding the English language.
"The horror was that because some
of these individuals could not comprehend
what they were being told,
many professionals viewed them as
easy targets. One woman came to me
extremely upset. She signed on with a
law firm who told her she owed the IRS
five thousand dollars, which included
their fee. She scrambled to get the money
together to pay them, but couldn't
understand how she could owe this
much money. She came to see me, and I
told her I would check with the IRS and
the woman wanted to know the cost for
me to do so. I told her there was no cost
for me to check, apparently, the other
firm had charged her several hundred
dollars, just to tell her what she owed.
The reality was when I researched her
files she owed nothing to the IRS. This
is only one of the many stories I started
hearing from those who came to me
and were not fluent in English."
Realizing how great the need was
for the non-English speaking community,
she decided that she needed to be
able to help them in additional areas
besides tax preparation. Maria went on
to become licensed in Insurance, Real
Estate, and as a Notary Public.
Maria decided she needed a
change of scenery so she moved to
San Diego and into her current office
in Vista in 2013. She has several
professionals who specialize in insurance,
tax, and real estate, so they help
her provide excellent service to her
customers. With specialists working
with her, she can focus on each client’s
needs and be certain that they are covered
in each and every area without
the chance of being taken advantage of
due to language issues.
Maria’s two boys are now grown.
One lives in Mexico, while the other
is in Oregon, the state Maria and her
boys moved to when she came here
from Mexico 17 years ago. The boys
remain very close to their mom.
I asked Maria what it was that she
liked most about the career she finally
chose and her answer was simple.
“I am really happy with what I do. I
am really happy to come to my office

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
every day. The best part of my job
is being able to help people. I am a
people person, and I take a personal
interest in every one of my customers.
I care, and they know I care."
Maria can help in a variety of areas
including Tax planning, insurance,
real estate and immigration paperwork
filing, Although Maria cannot handle
the entire filing because she is not an
attorney she can, however, help you be
certain that you have correctly filled
out the application before seeing an
attorney. If Maria believes you require
the services of an attorney, she will
help you to find one who is honorable
and understands that there may be a
communication issue.
I asked Maria what she envisions
for her business moving forward. She
responded, "I want to grow. I want to
have franchises; however, I never want
to get too big because then you cannot
give the proper attention to everyone
who desperately needs it.
I asked Maria what advice she
would share with our readers and she
shared the following:
• If you don’t understand something
of importance like a tax form
or immigration paperwork, do not
fill it out without the assistance of
an English-speaking individual who
can help you to understand it.
• Be wary of phone calls where the
caller presents himself as an IRS employee
and ask for personal information
from you like your social security
number, address, date of birth, etc.
The IRS does not make phone calls;
they send letters. There have been a
lot of people tricked by this current
scam that is going around. If you
suspect that you might owe money to
the IRS come into my office and let
me check it out for you. There is no
cost for me to do this for you and it
will give you peace of mind.
To Contact Maria:
• www.usalatinoservices.com
• maria@usalatinoservices.com
• 760.407.6500 760.407.6914
• 800 Civic Center
Dr. Ste H, Vista, CA 92084
Her services include:
• Business & Personal Income Tax
Preparation
• Insurance Services
• Notary Public
• Translation & Apostille
• Form Filing Immigration Services
• Real Estate
Her Licenses include:
• California Registered Tax
Preparer, CTEC #A260489
• Insurance License #0J16894
• Real Estate, CA BRE #01952419
• Notary Public, Commission
#2049347
• California Immigration
Consultant, Bond #41369208
17

Dr. Elisa Magill
ENVISION THIS!
By Sharon Hightower
Photo by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions
IT WAS LATE AT NIGHT, AND AN
entrepreneur was busy preparing
things for her adventures the next day.
However, on this evening, she decided
to check her emails one last time. When
she did, a notice for a contest caught
her eye. She wondered… “what if?”
Although she figured it was a long shot,
she opened the email. The challenge was
to name who the “mystery figure” was
in the picture. To her surprise, the name
came right to her! “I know who this
is!!!” Excitedly, she entered the name
and was completely surprised when she
found out she was the winner!!! The entrepreneur?
Dr. Elisa Magill of Murrieta,
CA! Let’s start with a bio…
Dr. Elisa Magill is the founder of
Envision This! a company specializing
in improving performance, managing
change, and avoiding burnout. At the
foundation of her coaching and training
is understanding the individual and
engaging the brain for optimized performance.
Dr. Magill has over 25 years
of professional experience in both the
corporate and academic environments.
During her career, she observed her clients
and found the effects of being overwhelmed
combined with a lack of focus
limited their personal and professional
growth. These realizations fueled Elisa’s
passion for helping busy people realize
their dreams while staying energetic and
motivated enough to enjoy them!
I met with Elisa in a quaint, Old
Towne Temecula restaurant that served
organic and unique foods, coffee and
biscuits. I wanted to find out how she
got started in her chosen niche. In her
own words… “I wasn’t 100% sure what I
wanted to do when I decided to go back
to college as a single parent. I started
out as a Broadcast Journalism major,
but when I realized I had to move a lot
to follow the opportunities in that field,
I changed majors. My son was still very
young at the time, and I did not want
to leave my family. As a single mom, it
was important to have my parents near
to watch him while I was in school or
at work. I decided to switch to Journalism
as a major and Psychology as a
minor, but ended up falling in love with
Psychology! That became my major as
an undergrad, but for graduate school, I
took another twist into Industrial/Organizational
Psychology which is the study
of how people work both on their own
and with others in the workplace. It also
includes the design/structure aspect of
the workplace, so a nice mix of people
and processes. I loved the fact that as an
I/O Psychologist, I could truly put the
pieces of the puzzle together, looking to
create a beautiful picture!”
“Before I ever decided to go back
to school though, I did a few other
things. I worked in a clothing store and
waitress to start. Then, when I became
pregnant with my son, I figured I had
to get a job where I could work from
home or at least have some flexibility
as I was a single mother. I ended up
working as a medical transcriptionist
and a marketing rep for a sales company,
but neither were my dream jobs.
However, during this time, my son
was diagnosed with ADHD at a very
young age. Although we never had any
real problems at home, he could not
sit still long enough to focus in class. I
was getting called almost daily. I ended
up pulling him out of school half way
through 7th grade and home schooling
him in a charter school. He did so
much better there! He flourished. With
this situation in my face daily, I started
conducting a lot of research on ADHD/
ADD. This also opened my eyes to how
many just have different learning styles
and ‘ways of being’ so to speak, including
how to keep one focused. It became
my passion to help others both live the
life that they were meant to live and live
it the way they were designed to live it.
Forget trying to shove a square peg into
a round hole. Enjoy the differences and
appreciate them!”
And now? “Fast-forward, several
years later after graduating with my
doctorate, I fell into coaching, consulting,
and training. I loved and found it
very rewarding. However, any ‘me time’
slowly disappeared as somehow I found
myself working day and night. Then,
while working as a leader in academia,
I found myself working 80-100 hour
weeks (days and nights and weekends),
driving 3-4 hours on the freeway almost
every day. I can still remember nights
where my husband, son, and step-son
(and dogs) were all in the living room,
watching TV and having fun, but I had
to be in my home office working on
a project or deadline. It was so hard
missing out on all of the fun, family
time. And then… my health started to
suffer: I gained 25 pounds, always ate
lunch over my computer while working,
no longer had time to exercise, and just
didn’t feel ‘myself ’ anymore. I’d have to
say that one of my turning points hap-
18

pened when I was visiting the town in
which I grew up. I ran into two men that
I had known well… they had been regulars
at the restaurant I worked in previously.
Interestingly, they BOTH said the
SAME thing when I ran into them (and
this was at different times, so they did
not know what the other had said). They
said, ‘Are you okay? What happened?
The ‘spark’ has left your eyes!’ What a
wakeup call! That was when I realized I
had to make a change. Hence… my real
journey began!”
I noticed that Dr. Magill also dabbled
in health and wellness, so I asked
her to elaborate a bit on this. She stated,
“I have always loved the health field!
In fact, when I was in high school I ran
cross country and track all four years.
Then, when I graduated, I kept competing.
I loved the outdoors which is why
it was so crazy that I ended up sitting all
the time in my work. When I decided
to make a change, I remember walking
down the boardwalk at the beach with
my husband saying, ‘I wish I had a life
where I helped other women to BE
THEMSELVES again; to feel free, happy,
healthy, to feel a connection with the
person they see in the mirror. To love
what they do, to have time to be free,
and to feel good about their life…’ and
four years later, that is what I’m doing
with Envision This!”
“I also earned three health coach
certifications from Dr. Sears Wellness
Institute to add to my formal education
- just some extra ‘ah has!’ But my
main passion is educating women to
understand how to really engage their
brain and find their focus - to manage
their distractions, be less busy and more
productive, while still increasing their
free time and profits! Avoiding Entrepreneurial
ADD and stop ‘spinning their
wheels.’ Being truly free to live the life
that they love! This is where true mental
and physical health can be attained
through intentional work-life balance.”
“Let me elaborate on that just a
bit… it’s so important to think about
and really dig deep to discover what it is
that truly makes your heart glad. What
energizes your soul? Not to sound too
‘foo-foo,’ but if you are not connecting
your daily activities with something
that, as I like to say, ‘Feeds the Spirit,’
then you are starving your soul, and (as
I was told a few years back), the spark in
your eyes will die. That said, we can live
a life of work that we’re good at and like,
but how much better if we can work
at something we love and are great at!
When this happens, as others have said,
we’re not really working anymore - we’re
living!”
When asked how all this has influenced
her business as it stands today, Dr.
Magill shared, “Besides 1:1 coaching, I
created a virtual program called Distraction-to-Action
(D2A), which addresses
all of the key factors I found vital to
success for business owners. If we do not
address these issues, our ‘wheel spinning’
can lead to overwhelm, frustration,
reduced funds, reduced energy,
and poor health. If unmanaged, all lead
to burnout, which is where 90% of new
businesses fail! I say… let’s be that 10%
that succeeds! This philosophy is also
what inspired my new #1 Amazon Best
Seller, Harness Your Entrepreneurial
ADD: How to Move from Distraction to
Action in the Age of Information Overload
to Supercharge Your Profits, ASIN:
B0722N5RK4W. I’m so excited about
this book! I also designed a blueprint
called ‘The Optimal You’ formula, outlining
steps I share in D2A which I offer
for free on my website, www.Envision-
ThisLife.com.”
When asked where she came up
with the formula for D2A, Dr. Magill
stated, “I have to admit, I learned the
hard way. You know, it would seem that
with my education and experience, it
would be easy for me to see it happening
to myself, but NOOOOOOO. I didn’t
recognize it. Here I was, teaching and
coaching these concepts, but when I put
on my personal business ‘hat,’ I found
myself spinning my wheels, not being
productive, and circling back to the
same place I had been before. Then, one
day it hit me. Why was I not practicing
the same steps I had been teaching?
That’s when I created D2A. I also add in
my educational research regarding brain
science, emotional intelligence, ADHD,
individual differences, health, and wellness.
It’s what’s personally helped me to
finally stay on track and succeed!
So as the waitress came and cleared
away our table, I followed that move
with my final question. So what would
you like to leave our readers with today?
Elisa looked off to the hillside, tilted her
head and smiled. Then she said, “Live
life to be you. Be yourself. You never
know what tomorrow will bring, so we
can only live for today. Me - I’m a big
picture person by nature. I like to think
of the past and future and connect that
to the present. I tend to analyze, theorize,
and dream a lot! But I’ve had to
learn to stop and smell the roses along
the way. To take time out, not just look
for free time to happen, but to take it to
spend with family and friends, or to do
what really makes us happy. That doesn’t
mean I live my whole life like this or I’m
suggesting others live this 24/7, but find
balance in your schedule the best you
can. Even if it’s 2 hours per week, take
some time for you. Relax and breathe.
At least remember to take care of you
while you’re taking care of others. We
only have one of us! In closing, I’d just
say, believe in yourself. This is the first
step in making our dreams a reality!
Then dream it, believe it and when all is
said and done… you can truly… Envision
This! for yourself!”
19

Bitchin & Moaning
SIGNS
of Our Time
By Guest Columnist Sharon Hightower
WHILE DRIVING HOME THIS
morning after dropping off my
grandson at school, I saw a sign on my
street that I’d noticed some weeks ago.
It reads New Residential Homes with
an arrow underneath. And I’m left
wondering what other kind of homes
are there? I thought by definition or
at least implication a home was a residence.
Am I confused here? Residential
Home. Well, ok.
Signs often amuse me. Or
maybe they just confuse me.
At the end of our street where
it intersects at a dead-end
with a rather busy street, there are
two-speed limit signs as you turn onto
my street going west. The first is your
typical black and white speed limit
sign and reads 35 in big letters. OK.
But not five feet away is another sign,
the yellow kind of caution sign that
reads 20 mph and shows a very curvy
arrow cautioning that the road is
indeed curved. And almost every time
I drive by I wonder: which is it? Can
I drive 35 or do I need to go only 20?
Help. Also, I wonder who put up the
signs. Was it CalTrans? Did they put
up both? Is it a joke? Or maybe an insider
gag as most streets in Fallbrook
are curved.
When I lived in Oceanside, there
were a couple of signs I really loved.
One shows a wave and above it the
word BEACH with an arrow pointing
up indicating straight ahead. And as
you can almost see the water from the
sign’s location, it strikes me as funny.
Do people really need a sign pointing
them to the ocean less than a block
away? Really?
The other sign was scary. It read
TSUNAMI route. I'm sure it didn't
mean that's where the tsunami would
go, but rather that is the way one
should go in the event of a tidal wave.
But the really scary thing is that I've
only ever seen one sign. No further
direction. It's like those detour signs
that take you off your familiar route,
but don't tell you where to go nor how
to get back on the street from which
you were being detoured.
I work at Palomar College, and
it has gotten into unisex bathrooms.
And the sign on the facility nearest
my office reads "men, women, and
shows a handicapped drawing." It's
as if folks in a wheelchair are a third
gender.
I don't like the signs one often
sees inside public bathrooms that say
employees must wash their hands before
returning to work. Gosh. I hope
so. Especially if I’m in McDonald’s or
Jack-in-the-Box; anywhere you eat.
Do you remember pay toilets? I
don’t see them anymore, but I remember
returning from a long road
trip back from Vegas and all four
women piled out of the car and into
the bathroom. I guess we’d spent all
our money in Vegas because no one
had a dime, so we had to get change.
Meanwhile, my feisty friend said she
was just going to crawl under while
my Mom cussed at the closed doors.
My mother’s cursing consisted of
“darn” and “hell and damnation,” so
when she said “damn,” I about peed
my pants. The sign? It read insert $.10.
And that story reminds me of
another road trip when I was about
seven. We were going east this time
and had gotten out to stretch our legs
somewhere outside of Albuquerque,
New Mexico. And we were standing
in a dirt area near the car, and my aunt
apparently disturbed a hill of red ants
which quite quickly began crawling up
her legs. I may never forget her jumping
around, yelling "my privates, my
privates." Sign? No there was no sign,
but perhaps there should have been.
I was in the hospital last
week – the pretty new one on
the hill in Escondido – and
as I prepared to leave I was
following the exit signs having gotten
thoroughly lost in my visits first to
the lab and then the x-ray department
within- between stops in the examining
area. A security gal must have
read my face, and she pointed to a set
of double doors. "The exit is through
there," she said. And as I passed her,
added, "It would help to have a sign
on the doors.” As I walked further on,
she remarked to the guard standing
on the other side of the hallway, that
when the hospital was first opened,
they objected to any signage. Hmmm?
There’s an interesting sign in the
laundromat that I use in town. It reads
DO NOT put any person in this washer.
Well darn. I thought I was going to
scrub up my husband. He works outside
and is often so dirty I don’t like
him to come into the house.
Guess that plan is out.
20

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Maha’s Home
STAGING COMPANY
by Mimi C. Hall
where the owner is still living on the premises; the second,
is a vacated empty home; and the third, is a new construction
home being showed for the first time.
Her clients’ first step is to have an onsite personal
consultation, where Maha carefully examines the home
and makes recommendations. If the owner is living on site
Maha’s first mission is to work with the owner to sort out
which items should stay in the home, and which should
be removed. “I know you have heard this saying before,
“Less is more”, but it really is true for interior design.” For
live-in clients, the process of staging includes removing
most personal items, like photographs and collectibles, and
IT’S LIKE MAGIC. ONE DAY A HOUSE IS COMpletely
empty and looking lifeless, and a week later it
looks like the glamorous home of the rich and famous. As a
home buyer looking at homes, which would you buy? That
type of physical transformation is performed by Maha’s
Home Staging for lucky clients here in San Diego.
Maha’s Home Staging is owned by the dynamic and
beautiful Maha Paulus, whose gracious and vibrant personality
resonates in all of her home design projects. Last year
alone she staged homes for sellers, construction developers,
and realtors who understood that her kind of magical touch
can transform the mundane house into a beautiful home
that will sell quickly and for a higher price.
“I fell in love with the idea of staging by watching TV
shows like “Fixer-Upper”. Then one day I had an opportunity
to attend a 3 day seminar on house staging and realized
that I wanted to do this professionally. The ball started
rolling when a friend asked me to advise a neighbor about
fixing up their home for sale. I volunteered to help for free
so I could determine if this was the right career for me. I
instantly loved working with the neighbor on staging her
home. The best part was that she was very pleased with the
results. I was hooked.”
Maha explained to me, “Home staging is the process of
preparing your home and giving it the best look you can to
potential buyers, so you can have a competitive advantage
against other homes that are for sale. The buyers to consider
buying the home they have to instantly love your home
when they walk in the door, and to picture their family
living there.”
Maha explained there are typically three scenarios in
which her services are employed: the first is for a home
some furniture to make a home look more spacious to the
potential buyers. Many homeowners will paint walls more
neutral colors to create a fresh look.
For a vacated home or new construction, a complete
home approach creates a “lived-in” feeling. This entails providing
each room with its own ensemble of furniture, rugs,
lamps, and décor items, including dining rooms tables that
are set with dishes, napkins, and glasses, to kitchens that
have food décor items that portray a friendly place to gather
and eat. “My design aesthetic is to create a “light and elegant
feeling” when they step through the door.” Maha said.
21

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
“I created Maha’s Home Staging in 2011, growing
it from the ground up. At first I rented furniture, but I
found that it was not cost effective. Now I own a warehouse
full of furniture and décor items, plus three delivery
trucks.” she laughs. Her own success even surprises
her, as she started with three homes the first year, and
last year she staged 95 homes. Maha adds, “Many people
think Home Staging is an expensive endeavor, but it is
extremely reasonable and often greatly increases the sale
price of your home.”
I asked Maha, “What is your secret to success?” She
explained, “I think my success comes from caring very
deeply about my clients and facilitating the successful
sale of their homes. I also think networking every week
at realtor meetings for the past five years and referrals
helped me build up my business. Ultimately I have a
passion for staging homes, to make them look pretty.
The truth is, my greatest reward is watching the faces of
the owners and potential buyers go “Wow!” when they
step through the door. Only then do I know that I did
my job.”
If you or anyone you know might benefit from home
staging, please contact:
Maha Paulus (619)200-6448
MahaHomeStaging.com
MahaPaulus@aol.com
More Than Just Bridal Gowns
Come in & Check Out Our New Full Line of Size 14 & Up
Special Occasion & Mother of the Bride/Groom Dresses
Call or Log On to Our
Site to Set Up a Private
One-on-One Appointment
www.unveiledbrides.com
(442) 999-5588
205 W 5th Ave, Ste 202
Escondido, CA 92025
info@unveiledbrides.com
Dr. Tess Mauricio
FEELING YOUNG AGAIN
WITH VAGINAL REJUVENATION
ALL WOMEN ARE
concerned with the
element of time. Even as
young women we are forced
to face that horrible fact of
our biological clock ticking
away, and this reference
comes to us before we even
turn 30. Rarely do men receive
the same warnings or
are they faced with the same
levels of limitations placed
upon them by society.
Rarely does the crowd at the
club or a local establishment
whisper when 65-year-old
John walks in with a twenty-something
beauty on
his arm, but can the same
be said if 45-year-old Jill
walked in with a handsome
thirty-something gentleman
holding her hand. For as
much as we like to say that
society has changed its mores
and we are now much
more progressive in our
thinking, women do still
worry about that younger
woman stealing their husbands
or boyfriends away.
So, what do we do? We
work out, we eat right, we
visit the plastic surgeon for
the occasional nip and tuck
as needed, but let's face it,
in some ways it is easier to
fix the packaging than it
is to change the contents.
Your body may look 35,
but your insides have been
through all of the trauma of
giving birth to three children,
working long hours at
jobs that required standing
on our feet, and of course
the unforgiving effects of
gravity.
Well, worry no more!
Dr. Tess has come to the rescue
once again to help in our
fight to combat these problems
that women face every
day. Do you worry when
someone at a cocktail party
or your networking meeting
makes a really funny joke
for the fear that you may literally
"wet your pants?" Do
you struggle when out on a
date to a comedy club, or at
a funny movie, with similar
worries? Perhaps, it is even
worse, and this spontaneous
flow may occur unprovoked,
and you don't know what
to do. Should a 42-year-old
woman or even a 50-yearold
woman consider joining
the "Depends Generations?"
Certainly not!
The answer is a simple
and relatively painless procedure
called vConfidence.
This procedure was designed
to end these worries and
even better, to improve
confidence and yes, even
sensation for women during
sex. So, not only do we get
to forget about urinary incontinence,
we get renewed
sensation in the vaginal area
during intercourse, and as a
super bonus this treatment
gives a sort of facelift to the
22
0)

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
vagina, so guess what ladies,
our private parts look years
younger as well.
Besides wanting to sing
the praises of Dr. Tess regarding
this new treatment,
I decided to take some time
learning about how the
procedure was done, and
then speak to some women
who have already had the
procedure so that I could
get some first-hand opinions
of vConfidence and its
results.
The procedure itself is
done in the office and starts
with a topical numbing
cream. An oral sedative is
optional if patients need
something extra to relax. A
CO2 laser applicator is then
inserted into the vaginal
canal for a period of fewer
than ten minutes during
which time Dr. Tess does a
resurfacing of the vaginal
canal. This resurfacing will
build new collagen, rejuvenate
the vaginal mucosa,
restore normal ph and flora.
For most patients, this internal
treatment is completely
painless! A small amount
of blood is drawn from the
patient for the Platelet Rich
Plasma (PRP) which Dr.
Tess will inject in different
areas (after the areas have
been numbed) as needed
to improve the vagina
functionally and aesthetically.
The result can be life
changing even after a single
treatment! Women report
improvement in stress urinary
incontinence, dryness,
vaginal laxity, pain, loss of
sensation and recurrent infections.
After a few weeks,
sometimes sooner, most
report that sexual relations
is noticeably more enjoyable
for both partners.
I spoke with two of Dr.
Tess’ patients. The first was
Liza, a 42-year-old female
who had her daughter at
the young age of 20 and
due to a difficult birth, she
has found that the trauma
to her vaginal canal was
now causing her to have
occasional incidents of
incontinence. Although she
regularly exercised, she was
forced to stay away from
exercises such as jumping
jacks or running because of
incontinence. She thought
that this was just how it had
to be until she learned of Dr.
Tess’ procedure. “Immediately
after the procedure was
done I felt the density of the
tissue in the vaginal canal.
I didn't try jumping jacks
until about a month later,
but when I did, there was no
problem." This was a great
relief for Liza, but there was
another added benefit that
she had not even expected.
"Sensation is greatly
improved during sex and
lubrication issues change.
Not only was I impressed
with the change, but so was
my husband. I was waiting
for him to send Dr. Tess
Flowers," she joked.
Veronica was the second
patient I interviewed. Her
situation, though somewhat
similar was wrought with
a bit more of a confidence
issue. “I had just turned fifty
years old, and I found myself
recently single after a longterm
marriage. I thought my
romantic life was over. How
could I ever fall in love and
be intimate with someone
when I had such a negative
self-image? In addition to
my vaginal-vanity concerns,
one evening while
watching a movie with one
of my daughters, I experienced
for the first time the
ever-dreaded "leaking." I
was not laughing, coughing,
sneezing or anything
that I could honestly give
myself an excuse for why
this was happening to me.
This leaking continued
to happen about every 20
minutes during the movie.
There was absolutely no
control. Realizing that if I
didn't do something soon, I
would end up wearing those
adult panties that closely
resembled children's pull-up
diapers, I started fanatically
doing Kegels, but they didn't
help. Knowing Dr. Tess both
professionally and personally,
she introduced me to
this new concept. Once she
explained the procedure,
I was eager to give it a try.
After all, there was no surgery
involved, no chance of
nerve damage, I had nothing
to lose and a lot to gain.
It was the best decision I
ever made. The results were
great. It’s no longer goodbye
50's...it's hello 50 and counting
up!”
Both women claimed
of a painless procedure
with only mild discomfort
during the shot, and use of
the laser feeling no more severe
than an internal exam,
both women say they highly
recommend this solution to
the problem and feel it will
totally change your life.
For more information
on the vConfidence procedure
or to schedule an appointment
Contact Dr. Tess
at 833 4MBEAUTY or go to
www.mbeautyclinic.com.
-Tess Mauricio, MD,
FAAD
23

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
The Talent Behind
Laurenn Barker
By Deeba Van Overberghe
Reprint from Project
Archives
Her face was exciting
and happy. His was
experienced yet also happy.
The little boy on his bicycle
was infatuating, even
though he was from a different
era. When one looks
upon the work of Laurenn
Barker, they are struck by
the accuracy of her rendering
as well as her ability to
convey the emotion and
spirit of the individuals she
sculpts.
Laurenn Barker is an accomplished,
well-educated,
international sculptor with
degrees from two different
universities: SMU in Texas
and the Institute for American
Universities in Southern
France. She has studied
sculpture in Italy, Quebec,
and Colorado and has been
invited to study under some
of the greatest artists in her
industry such as Victor Issa,
John Coleman, Jill Burkee,
and the renowned Richard
McDonald. And, her work
has been archived in the National
Museum of Women
in the Arts as well as being
listed in the “Who’s Who of
American Women” for her
contribution to the arts. Her
commissions can be found
around the world.
The breath of her work
spans not only private
commissions but also public
commissions. She is well
known for her portraiture of
children. She also enjoys the
challenges associated with
commemorative sculptures
of icons, leaders and loved
ones since passed. With
over twenty years of experience
in sculpting, Laurenn
Barker is also an awarded
children's book author and
illustrator with her Lae Lae
series of books.
I would imagine if you
were to experience a sculpture
by Laurenn, you would
first and foremost observe
the sturdy yet energetic
representation of her subject
as if it were grounded but
in motion. How does one
capture a moment frozen
in time and then translate
it through their eyes, then
their mind and then heart
and finally into the clay?
Laurenn could tell you it
involves extensive research
and that this helps her identify
with her subject and
allows her to define the figure.
But when I look at her
work, I see an energy that I
know does not come from
research or perhaps even
from the stories shared by
those who commission her
work of or for their loved
ones. No. It goes beyond
this. She can tap into the
spirit of the individual and
transfer that to the clay. Her
style is unique, and I would
say represents a sense of
belonging versus the typical
ethereal representation we
see in so much sculpture
today. Her work is honest
and holds respect for the
subject she is representing.
It's also fun. Each piece I've
reviewed has held some element
of joy, and I find this
commendable.
The amount of coordination
going into the
installation of a garden
24

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
sculpture can be a logistical
nightmare if you don’t know
what you are doing. However,
Laurenn’s extensive
experience supports great
installations as she uses
the best bronze foundries
for casting her sculptures,
a great crew of contractors
for moving a piece from her
studio or foundry to location
and she understands
the needs of the landscapers
for the placement of her
work in gardens, courtyards,
businesses or homes.
Great efforts are involved
in planning each phase of
her project. Success for her
begins in the studio, but it
ends on the client's face.
When it all comes together,
and Laurenn can see their
satisfaction, this is when she
is satisfied with her work.
Her talent in sculpting
transfers to her passion
for writing and illustrating
children's stories, as
well. Her award-winning
Lae Lae series of books for
children ages two through
six is a collection of stories
designed to support child
development with fun facts
and moments within the
stories as well as a section
where the child can participate
by sharing their own
experience through story
telling. These most loveable
and fun stories with
engaging renderings attract
the wee-ones while helping
them belong to and participate
within the family unit.
If you are interested
in seeing the diversity of
Laurenn Barker’s work, you
need to check out her website
at www.ExpressionsStudio.net.
It is here you can
review her education and
awards in detail. She has
two beautiful studios; one
Located in Carlsbad and
one in Sedona, Arizona. If
you are interested in booking
a commission or have
questions about Laurenn
Barker’s work, you may contact
her at artlark17@yahoo.
com. And, you can find her
award-winning books in
the Lae Lae series at www.
LaeLae.com.
Reprint from Project
Archives
Reprint from Project
Archives
25

Our 10th Anniversary Special Feature
Fran Drescher
America’s Favorite Nanny Saves Lives
After her misdiagnosis,
she wanted to be certain
that no other woman
ever went through this
same situation again.
The time that it took for
the misdiagnosis could
have caused somebody
their life. This was what
made Fran write her
book entitled "Cancer
Schmancer” and follow
it up with a movement
to help assure that
women received testing
for early detection of
disease.
26
THE YEAR WAS 1993, AND A
quirky character named Fran Fine
showed up on our TV screens, instantly
catching our hearts. Her Flushing,
New York accent, short tight sequin
skirts, nasal voice, and unsophisticated
ways, suddenly made more obvious
when she found herself in the home of
a high class, high net worth, Broadway
Producer, Mr. Maxwell Sheffield.
For seven seasons we cheered her
on in the hopes that this modern Cinderella
story would come to fruition
and the handsome prince, or in this
case Broadway producer, would end
up falling in love with and marrying
the Poor little girl from Queens. With
several near misses, viewers do get
what they want, and Mr. Sheffield and
Ms. Fine get married and even have
twins.
Although this is what Fran Drescher
is most remembered for, it was
not her first dalliance with fame. Fran’s
first big break came when she was
offered, the role of Connie in Saturday
Night Fever, her first major speaking
role. Saturday Night Fever went on to
be a major icon, and so did Fran.
Fran starred in several movies,
but when she came up with the concept
of "The Nanny," she knew it was
the role that she was meant to play.
This was not to be her most challenging
role, that would be in 2000 when
she finally received the diagnosis that
she was suffering from uterine cancer.
The road to her final diagnosis would
not be an easy one, in fact, it took
over two years before Fran would find
out what the many symptoms she was
experiencing actually meant. She was
not the usual candidate for Uterine
cancer; She wasn't over 40, wasn't
overweight, and did not have a family
history of cancer. So, when she was
finally told, she was lucky enough to
find out that the cancer had not progressed
past stage 1. Her treatment
was successful, and she has been in
remission since.
After her misdiagnosis, she wanted
to be certain that no other woman
ever went through this same situation
again. The time that it took for the
misdiagnosis could have caused somebody
their life. This was what made
Fran write her book entitled "Cancer
Schmancer” and follow it up with a
movement to help assure that women
received testing for early detection of
disease.
Although finding out that Fran
had uterine cancer was a shocking moment,
She does explain that it has had
a profound effect on her life. "It has
given me a purpose that I might not
have otherwise had and it has deepened
me as a person who is empathetic
to other people’s pain and struggles.
And has taught me invaluable life
lessons.”
The main focus of Fran’s Cancer
Schmancer campaign is to make
women aware of how important early
detection is to surviving a diagnosis of
cancer. She has helped provide mobile
mammography vans in underserved
areas. As Fran explains, “All odds are
better for the patient when the cancer
is detected early. ‘Catch it on arrival
95% survival.’ Once you learn what
the early warning whispers are of the
cancers that might affect you there is a

Our 10th Anniversary Special Feature
much better chance of surviving cancer.
It isn’t always easy because most
cancer’s early warning signs can easily
be ignored or misdiagnosed for a more
benign problem which can often waste
precious time.”
Another huge part of the Cancer
Schmancer campaign is doing what
ever we can to detox our homes. “The
home is often the most toxic place
we can be in, and we spend the most
time in this environment, which is
often more toxic than living across the
street from an oil refinery. Kids today,
for the first time in US history are
not predicted to live longer than their
parents. Babies are born pre-polluted
with 200-300 chemicals found in the
umbilical cord, and we want to turn
this situation around so as to not make
that prediction a self-fulfilling prophecy.
We want to educate families, as well
as teens, about what they are putting
in their mouth, on their skin, and in
their living environment. Once you
Catch it on arrival
95% survival
begin to see the level of toxins you are
surrounding yourself with, just in your
daily lifestyle, you can better equate
how compromised your immune
system becomes and how that is the
biggest component for why we are
experiencing disease.”
Although, Fran has been actively
working as an actress with two additional
sitcoms, which followed “The
Nanny,” and a number of movies, she
has also taken on numerous responsibilities
to help educate and inform
women. Fran Drescher is currently a
US State Department public diplomacy
envoy for Women’s health issues
and has championed the passage of
laws such as Joanna’s Law.
Looking back at the trajectory of
Fran’s career in show business Fran
would never have expected that she
would hold such a serious and life
changing position as she currently
does. “I never realized it would be
this active or involved or effective on
the general public, but I feel like, I got
famous, I got cancer and I lived to talk
about it, so I am talking. I am also an
actress, writer, producer, and director.
I like to keep active and current
in these areas, so I have a platform to
speak about what I am most passionate
about. Health advocacy, ecology,
and civil liberties.”
Thank you, Fran Drescher for the
many lives you have saved by helping
to provide early cancer detection for
women and teaching women to slow
down, take a breath and be aware of
their surroundings, their health and
their lives.
27

ALWAYS CONSIDERED
I myself pretty cosmopolitan
and somewhat
educated when it comes
to most things. I thought
I knew what transgender
was WRONG; I just knew
the tip of the iceberg. After
researching the subject, I
hope to share and enlighten
you so you will have a better
appreciation of the term
Transgender.
On April 14 2014, The
Supreme Court of India
recognized the transgender
community as a third gender,
which led human rights
groups to ensure their equal
rights and equal treatment.
Some say that India leads
the way for the LGBT community
in many ways. India,
Indonesia and Thailand, all
seem to be more accepting
of this community. I personally
can attest to this fact
as in 2007 and 2008, I was
teaching English as a second
language in Thailand.
I can remember on a
number of occasions when
Peter was seating in the first
seat on the third row right
on a Monday, and Paulina
would take his place on
Wednesday. No one seemed
to think it was odd; except
me. In the two years I taught
there, I would say this was
a weekly practice. Once
Peter became Paulina, she
never went back to Peter.
My Teaching Assistant
explained that many boys
would wait until they were
13 to change their appearance,
as a sort of coming of
age ceremony if you will.
Hey, Jews have Bar/
Bat Mitzvah, Mexican girls
have a Quinceanera, Native
Americans have Vision
Quests, and Thailand have
28
one day your Peter and the
next day you are Paulina. As
a caveat to my experience
in Thailand, I can also attest
to the fact that these young
men were called “girlie
boys” and they were gorgeous.
I don’t mean beautiful
or nice looking, I mean
knock out breath takingly
gorgeous.
Transgender is often
used as an umbrella term for
people whose gender identity
doesn’t conform with
the sex which they were
assigned at birth. Gender
identity refers to a person’s
gut feeling about being
male, female, or something
else. Gender expression is
the way a person communicates
how they feel about
their sexuality assigned at
birth. And gender identity
is how a person establishes
through how they dress,
hairstyles, voice etc.
There is no single reason
why some people are transgender.
Experts believe a biological
factor is at play and
prenatal hormone levels or
early experiences later in life
contribute to this behavior.
MOM, I THINK
God made a mistake
By Carol Heath
Sex is something assigned at
birth, while gender refers to
what society considers appropriate
behavior for boys,
girls, men and woman. I
hope this information helps
you understand a little about
the transgender community.
I interviewed a transgender
parent recently and
was mostly interested in
finding out how a parent
would feel if their child,
boy or girl, came to them
and said, Mom, I think God
made a mistake, I feel like a
girl, but I’m a boy. This particular
mother never noticed
anything that indicated her
child was struggling with
the gender assigned at birth.
When her child, now in
high school, announced this
fact, the very first thought
that came into her mind was
‘what did I do wrong?’
This Mom, was a very
active member of her
church. She had known
these fellow parishioners for
years, yet when she shared
her child’s announcement,
she and her family was
shunned. She had always
considered her church
members to be part of her
family, and was shocked
at how judgmental these
‘Christians’ really were. She
struggled with trying to explain
to her child the actions
of her extended family.
The family moved to
another state, because Dad
got a promotion. This Mom
sought out what she hoped
would be her safe place, another
church; same religious
sect. After what she felt
was enough time and had
bonded with this church,
the family was shunned
once she shared with them
her child’s struggling gender
identity.
A third family move
ended up with the same results.
Now this Mom began
to question her reason for
living as she put it. She had
devoted her whole life to her
husband and children. She
identified herself as a mother
first. She never worked
at a job that took her away
from her home. She drove
to all the school activities

and field trips. She drove to
all the sports activities her
children were involved with
and always supported all her
children’s activities. And she
was always very involved in
all the church activities that
involved her children and
her family.
This Mom spent hours
blaming herself and she
continues to do just that,
even after hours in therapy
where she was assured
it was not her fault. She
almost began to forgive herself,
when she learned that
her child tried to commit
suicide while attending college.
Again, she questioned,
what did I do wrong? She
began to look back; was it
the mineral oil she administered
to both her children?
Was it too many video
games her children played?
Was it too many rules? Not
enough rules?
It’s hard to rationalize
one person’s actions to
another, especially when
that person is your child.
Although her child is now
an adult, living happily with
another transgender, with a
good job, and a home, this
mother still searches for
the answers and continues
to ask herself what she did
wrong.
Maybe this mother was
over protective, maybe she
was too permissive, maybe
she acquiesced to everything
her children wanted, maybe
she was too strict, maybe
she fed her children too
many apples, not enough
oranges, or maybe she didn’t
do anything wrong. Maybe
she was just a devoted mom
with a child who was never
comfortable in the body
they were born with.
Blue Veins Bleed Deep Maroon
©Maggie Ramos
I don't wish to be Mexican,
as it is obvious that the bronze, tan tone represents it
thru my outer thin layer.
Passively with pride, life surrounds me in a
multicultural world. I undergo heavy, steady bridges.
I overcome with a leap fragile, fake barriers that
intend to hold me stranded.
I don't ask to be white, despite the fact that I am a
true American. I can't regret not being Asian nor
African American. There are not many things in life
I regret.
I am a true Native in this world, and those are strong
blue veins that compose my family from any part of
the globe.
Passively with pride, life surrounds me in a
multicultural world.
Blue veins bleed in a deep maroon, whether we
march wearing white collars, golden crowns or silky
fancy wardrobes.
Our pains and sorrows all feel and bleed from the
heart. Silky white gloves don't hold me back from
stretching out a hand to those who trip and fall on a
deep maroon carpet.
Poetry Corner

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
CHICEXECS
Kailynn Bowling
&Nikki Carlson
Photos by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions
IT WAS A CHANCE INTRODUCtion
through friends that brought
powerhouse entrepreneurs, Kailynn
Bowling and Nikki Carlson, together.
Kailynn had started a lucrative business
buying items wholesale and selling
them on eBay. Her method of traveling
down to Los Angeles to secure
inventory for her business was of great
interest to one of her friends who had
brought a girlfriend along with her on
this fact finding mission. The friend
turned out to be Nikki Carlson, and
this would start more than a decade
long friendship and business partnership
between Kailynn and Nikki. "I
was in the mortgage industry at the
time," explains Kailynn, "but I knew it
was not what I wanted to do as a career."
Nikki had spent the last ten years
working in marketing and advertising,
but she too felt the need to branch
out and do something different and
exciting. After a subsequent foray to
LA, an email arrived at Kailynn’s desk
asking very succinctly "Do you want
to go into business together?" 13 years
later they are not only working in their
own thriving business, but currently
have over 200 beginning entrepreneurs
who they are directly responsible
for launching their way to business
ownership success. In addition, they
represent successful brands who have
already gained success on their own
and rely on Chic Execs to either move
them to the next level or help keep
them at the top of the market.
30
After that initial phone call from
Nikki, they were both so excited about
their new endeavor except for one
small problem…they had no idea what
this new business would be. The final
decision was that they would start an
online magazine and would position
themselves as the "Modern Day Martha
Stewart." "Our Magazine Chic Blvd
was created before the advent of social
media, but we used it similarly" shared
Nikki, " We would send out marketing
emails to women, and they would go to
the suggested website review products
and services found on the sites and
share with us what their thoughts were.
We would get 300 or more emails with
each mailing and women would share
not only their responses to the product,
and suggestions for improvements,
but they often shared their life stories
with us. We never let one of these
emails go unanswered." This opinion
portion of their magazine soon evolved
to include a request from readers for
their suggestions as to what products
they liked or didn't like. At about the
same time the iPod was growing in
popularity, but with one problem that
Nikki and Kailynn quickly noticed, all
of the accessories for this trendy new
item were geared to male consumers
and women were not being recognized
as significant consumers. Armed with
plain ear buds, glue guns, and a variety
of crystals, Kailynn and Nikki worked
in their living rooms creating electronic
accessories that were not only geared
towards fashion but function as well.
In less than six months, thanks to their
background in marketing and advertising,
they received requests from
over 50 magazines. This wasn't all; the
purchase orders started rolling in with
requests for their hot new product,
Chic Buds, from major retailers such
as Best Buy, Neiman Marcus, Nordstroms,
Lord and Taylors, Bed Bath
and Beyond, Target, and Barnes and
Noble. The reality was that Kailynn and
Nikki were on the pulse of what these
electronic retailers wanted to know and
that was "How do we reach the women's
market in electronics?"
After receiving a $150,000 purchase
order from Mary Kay, the
women decided that they desperately
needed to learn about manufacturing
so they could cost-effectively, design
and patent their products.
In 2006 they ventured to China to
examine their options, a brave move
for two pretty young blond women
from California. The trip was a
success, they learned a lot, and their
business continued to grow. They had
no competition at this point. Nikki
shared, "We came in from the perspective
of producing a product that we
loved and needed because we felt if we
loved it, so would other women. We
also went out of our way to make our
earbud packaging very pretty and elegant,
so that you could give this special
item as a gift and it would make the
woman receiving it feel special. We

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
utation for putting new entrepreneurs
on the map, by getting their brands
into stores quickly and efficiently. "We
know most of the retail markets from
our experience with our company,
so we know what they are looking
for and how we can present them
with products that they know we will
continue to draw consumers to from
our promotions," added Kailynn.
One of the biggest attractions for
their customers was the fact that with
ChicExecs behind them customers
were able to get their products onto
store shelves on average, five years
earlier than attempting to do so on
their own.
Nikki shares, "We believe that PR
and Social Media are major components
in making a product successful.
We like to see that a company has
actively worked on both for at least six
months. So, if they came to us before
doing so, we would work in these two
areas for at least six months." This
along with proof that the client has
sufficient working capital to produce
the orders, which they know will soon
come flooding in, are requirements for
new customers of ChicExecs.
After 12 years in business, their
network of about 40,000 buyers,
respect the products that Nikki and
Kailynn bring to them. Not only are
Kailynn and Nikki amazing entrepreneurs
who have created their successful
businesses and helped successfully
wanted a product that fit a need, so
we created earbuds with a retractable
cord, so it would nicely fit in our purses
and not get tangled. Every item we
created had a purpose. When bigger
companies tried to target women, their
answer was simply, let’s put pink on
it and women will come. For us, we
came from a place of, what is going to
make our life easier. We wanted it to
be pretty and serve a purpose”.
All of this notoriety made other
brands around us ask, “how did you
get on the Today Show? How did you
get that article in People magazine?”
With so many inquiries, we decided we
would open our new firm ChicExecs, a
branding agency to help other brands
with Marketing and Retail Growth
"While we set our new firm in
motion, our electronic products continued
to grow. With over $400,000
in back orders, we decided to bring
on some financial backing to help get
these orders out the door." Kailynn explains,
"We brought in a partner with
an extensive electronics background.
We soon realized that we were having
a lot more fun helping people promote
their brands, then we were in the manufacturing
business. So, we stepped
back from our original company and
went full speed ahead with ChicExecs.
Before very long they built a network
of 40,000 entrepreneurial brands.
ChicExecs is growing by leaps and
bounds due to their well-earned replaunch
over 200 entrepreneurs, and increase
the bottom line for well known
and respected businesses, but they are
alway searching for ways to give back
"We do something called give back
stock, which allows manufacturers to
donate their products to many worthwhile
causes. Our clients are happy
to participate in this program and
generously offer their products for free
to be used for fundraising efforts as
silent auction items, and for homeless
centers where their products are most
needed. If you have a product that you
would like to donate, visit their site at
www.givebackstock.com.
"Success is great, and we are happy
that our business is thriving, but it
doesn't mean as much unless we can
give back, that is very important to us."
Tips for women starting a new
business
• Be authentic to who you are. If
you are a mom and find a product
you need that doesn't exist, then
other moms probably feel the same
way. Be aware that along the journey
there might be those who will
discourage you, but just stick with it.
• Find a mentor. Reach out to people
you will be surprised how many
people are willing to help you. Don’t
be afraid to ask for help
• Always uphold your morals and
values. Don’t compromise. It will
help you in the long run. Never work
for just the success or money.
31

Puerto Rico
The Amazing Beauty
The Unique Visions
The Wonderful People
Welcome to Our Newest Staff Member
Our Publisher/Editor-in-Chief Judith
Habert, proudly introduces her granddaughter
Adelaide Francesca Springer, born February
23rd 2017. At the tender age of 5 months her
grandmother already has her in attendance at
staff meetings, and she has even been sighted
on the knee of her Grandma assisting with
final edits. Welcome to San Diego Woman
Magazine Addy!
32

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Ruth A. Gillis, LMFT
EMDR Certified Therapist
By Mimi C. Hall
FROM THE OUTSIDE, YOU
would never know the amazing
transformation that is happening
within the Balanced Life Therapy
Center in El Cajon. Inside, Ruth Gillis
LMFT, Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist, and four other therapists,
plus interns, help clients reprogram
their lives, reducing stress, improving
relationships, and most impressively,
overcoming PTSD (Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder).
Ruth Gillis is an expert in this
type of therapy winning awards for
her work with her clients. She specializes
in a clinically proven procedure
that has been used for 25 years called
EMDR, an acronym for Eye Movement
Desensitization Reprocessing.
Amazingly, the EMDR treatments
actually transform bad memories from
a dysfunctional anxiety that affects
a person’s everyday life and relationships,
to a bearable dull recollection.
Ruth was convinced that EMDR
worked when she was having trouble
with test anxiety, preventing her from
moving to the next level of her education.
Every time she sat down to take
an exam her anxiety level went up so
high that she could not complete it.
She told me it only took four EMDR
sessions with a certified therapist to
overcome her fears, and she never
experienced this type of anxiety again.
She was able to take all exams without
feeling anxious. “I knew at that moment
that this form of healing was not
only effective, but would give relief to
so many people. I immediately started
my EMDR training to get certified to
help my clients get relief from trauma
they experienced in their lives. For six
years this has been my specialty.”
I asked her to give an example
of a patient that benefitted from this
type of treatment. She recounted an
experience she had with a teenage girl,
named Lydia (not real name), who
would not let anyone touch her except
her mother. Her self-esteem was very
low, primarily due to a violent event
that happened to her when she was
six years old. She had been visiting
her family and an eight-year-old boy,
a relative, tried to strangle her. Although
she got away from the boy in
time, the trauma of the event stayed
with her, affecting her current relationships,
trust in others, and making
her feel powerless. After a series of
EMDR treatments and therapy, Lydia
proclaimed to Ruth, “I am cured. I am
free of carrying this emotional burden.
I no longer feel fear when I think
about that horrible incident. I can let
go now, and live my life the way I want
to.” The effect is usually permanent.
Most of her clients get to that point
after a series of EMDR treatments.
I asked Ruth how the treatment
works. Ruth explained that the EMDR
treatments are based a scientific
process of reprogramming the brain.
It’s a process of disconnecting the fear
and anxiety from the nervous system,
thereby reducing or eliminating the
effect of those feelings connected to
the bad memory. This is achieved by
engaging the senses in one of three
ways: one way is by watching a horizontal
bar of green LED lights that
light up from left to right and go back
and forth, which the client follows
with their eyes. The second way is using
headphones and listening to beeps
that go from one ear to the next. The
third way uses a dual pulse generator
that provides tactile stimulation that
alternates from one hand to the other.
Ruth let me try out the pulse
generator, which looked like two small
plastic egg shapes with electric cords
coming out of them connected to small
pulse generator. When I held them in
each of my hands, I felt a short burst of
vibration, first one hand then the other
hand, over and over. My brain was
forced to shift focus from one hemisphere
to the other. If I were a client,
I would be visualizing and feeling the
effects of a bad memory, while going
through this bilateral brain exercise.
This is especially effective for veterans,
rape, and victims of violence.
Ruth is passionate about this
revolutionary treatment. Ms. Gillis
told me, “My passion is to see progress
and relief from a client’s struggles as
quickly as they want to heal.”
Perhaps you or someone you
know, could benefit from this type of
treatment, please check out the Balanced
Life Therapy Center website for
their services, or contact Ruth Gillis:
Balanced Life Therapy Center
127 E. Lexington Avenue
El Cajon, CA 92020
619.341.4737
BalancedLifeTherapyCenter.com
RuthGillisMFT@gmail.com
33

Oh Baby!
Waterpura Chemical-Free Natural Baby Wipes
Our Mom’s group had the
pleasure of testing the Waterpura
baby wipes and perhaps
the best findings of all
was that nothing happened.
Yes, in the case of newborns
and new moms it is always
best when there is nothing
to have to call the doctor
up at two am to report. No
strange rashes or irritations.
The Waterpura wipes are
completely chemical-free,
soft and strong. 99.9% Water
& 0.1% Citrus Extract. Our
moms had no fear as to their
babies being allergic and
felt as comfortable using
Waterpura on their little faces
as they did on their baby
bottoms. If your child has
sensitive skin this is the wipe
for you, Actually, even if he
doesn’t why introduce him
to the harsh world of chemicals
before you have to. Buy
Waterpura Wipes today. Go
to https://waterpuracare.
com/ for more information
and to find a store near you.
Abiie Beyond Junior Y
The chair that grows with
your child
When a company creates
a product that is meant to
grow with your child from sixmonths
into adulthood you
know how certain they must
be of the quality of their product.
If any piece of furniture
can survive an active infant,
toddler and then even a teen,
you know it must be durable
and well made. Our Moms applauded
Abiie Beyond Junior
Y for taking the needs of their
customers into account when
creating a product. This product
starts out as a high chair
for a six month old that can
be quickly adjusted as needed
in less than 20 seconds. It has
an adjustment for 5 point or
3-point harness to secure your
child. A one hand removable
tray cover which is dishwasher
safe and cushions that are waterproof
and will stay dry with
a quick wipe. This seat meets
and complies with ASTM F404
& HR 4040 standards and contains
No harmful substances,
such as BPA, Phthalate, PVC.
If you are looking for an
item that will grow with your
child and do not want to go
out and buy several versions
of the same item, pick up an
Abiie Beyond Junior Y. Go to
http://www.abiie.com/ for
more information.
Diono radian® rXT car seat
We had the opportunity
to test the radian® rXT car seat
and I must say our Moms were
extremely impressed with the
lengths to which this company
went to be certain their end
result was the safest car seat
possible. Not only is it safe, but
it is a single purchase car seat
that can grow with your child.
It is the only car seat your child
will need from birth to 120 lbs.
This is a company that knows
what parents want and with
premium, innovative features
like a steel alloy frame, aluminum
reinforced sidewalls,
energy absorbing EPS foam
and a reinforced adjustable
head support it promises to
keep your little one protected
and comfortable.The radian®
rXT keeps children comfortably
rear-facing from 5-45 pounds
for the safest possible position.
Premium, plush head and body
support cushions are included
for newborns and infants.The
greatest part is that its usefulness
does not stop there. It
accommodates forward-facing
children up to 80 pounds in a
5-point harness and converts
to booster mode for kids 50-
120 pounds. There is a machine
washable cover, so those
sticky hands or unexpected
spills can be washed away.
One of the coolest elements
of this car seat is its unique
SuperLATCH system, which
provides both an audible and
visual assurance that the seat is
properly locked in place. If you
are looking for the ultimate car
seat and plan to never have
to buy a second seat because
your baby outgrows the first
one, this is the car seat for you.
It also comes with a ten year
warranty to give you added
peace of mind. Go to https://
us.diono.com/product/radian-rxt/
for more information.
34

Rockin’ Baby Sling
Oh Baby!
Boppy® Luxe Feeding & Infant Support Pillow
There is nothing more
important to a new mom or
dad than having the ability
to bond with their newborn.
Keeping your baby close
is one of the best ways to
accomplish this. Rockin Baby
Slings frees up your hands
so you can keep the baby
close no matter what you
need to do. Rockin’ Baby was
founded in 2002 to provide
stylish baby slings to fashionable
moms, primarily
on America’s West Coast.
Kathryn Wiley saw a reputable
brand delivering a high
quality baby product, and in
it the opportunity to start a
movement. She purchased
Rockin’ Baby in 2011, and
transformed it into a one-forone
philanthropic business
model. For every baby sling
sold, one would be donated
to an earthquake-stricken
mother in Haiti.
You can not only wear
one of these stylish slings
to carry your baby, but you
know that by choosing this
brand you are helping give
another mother the chance
to bond with her baby.
Rockin Baby has been so
successful in this endeavor
that they have added childrenswear
to their line and
offer the same one for one
guarantee.
Go to https://rockinbaby.
com/ for more information.
You know that an item
is good when it can stand
the test of time. The Boppy®
Nursing Pillow and
positioner has been supporting
new moms and
their infants for over 25
years. Our team of Moms
found the Boppy® to be
an extremely useful tool
for comfortable breastfeeding.
It helped them
to bond more easily with
their newborns, and then
as they grew they were
able to use the Boppy® to
prop up their infants in a
sitting position or to give
them tummy time. One
of the Moms said, “The
Boppy® gave me the only
freedom in the first four
months to not end up
holding my baby 24/7 because
he was happy to be
sitting by himself." One of
the other Moms shared, "If
you are a plus size mom,
or still haven't lost the
baby weight the Boppy®
doesn’t work as well for
breastfeeding, but when
it came to using it for my
baby’s sitting up and tummy
time, it was a lifesaver.”
If you want a product
that will make your first
months with your new
baby easier, Boppy® is the
way to go. Go to http://
www.boppy.com/ for
more information.
e-Clip
We have all heard those
nightmare stories of babies
left in cars by accident and
succumbing to the heat.
Since 1998, when records
started being kept, over
700 young children have
unnecessarily died due to
this event. Fortunately, this
is a tragedy that can now be
avoided eClip is an innovative
device that has found a
way to put an end to this. It
is easily attached inside the
car to help remind parents to
remove their baby from the
car seat. It is the first low-cost
device that helps prevent
parents and caregivers from
accidentally leaving a young
child in the back seat of the
car.
Using low energy Bluetooth
and advance patent
pending technology, eClip is
able to detect when you walk
more than 15 feet from your
car by alerting you through
an interactive app on your
Smartphone. The eClip also
monitors the temperature in
the back of your car to keep
it safe and comfortable at all
times for your baby.
For more information and
to pre-order this lifesaving
device visit the company
website: http://elepho.com/
eclip
35

Fabulous Finds
3
1 2
1. Review of the “MIRACLE
COPPER” Compression Socks
By Gerald M. Neff
Do your feet and legs feel like a
couple of deflated balloons or even flat
tires? Especially after a long night or day
of standing, stooping and walking at
various speeds back and forth? Mine did
and worse but not anymore; this aching
problem has been resolved. The miracle
copper anti-fatigue compression socks
are a magically delightful solution.
Seriously, the anti-fatigue compression
socks really work!!! I have yet to find
any large or shining quantity of copper
in either stocking as quoted on the label,
but as a support hosiery, they are the
finest that I have ever found or worn, as
comes true with the claims on the label.
I tested this particular brand for several
weeks on a full shift of trotting back and
forth in a large company. I must say that I
am forty percent more rested at the end
of the shift because after working and
walking an eight hour night under similar
circumstances, these patented support
stockings have convinced me that
they really do soothe and massage my
achy legs and feet. The only downside
is that you need to allow several extra
minutes to carefully pull these uptight
on your feet and legs, smooth out the
wrinkles and "VOILA" instant relief, you
are now ready to begin your shift. So...
for relief and a pleasant walking change
36
I recommend you to use the “Miracle
Copper” Anti-Fatigue Compression
Socks. They are unisex, and many offers
are found online, but my example can be
found in several leading pharmacies or
large retail stores in the “AS SEEN ON TV"
section beginning for around $15.00.
The comments online of these socks
are limited, and the brands and offers are
practically unlimited, but the demand
is very real. What about nurses, sales
persons, constructor workers, and many
other people who spend their long
hours standing, walking, or stooping,
etc.? Their legs are a constant gamete
of aches and pains, plus varicose veins
for an extra added ugly side. "Miracle
Copper" is the solution.
Same as I, some female workers with
whom I spoke said that they wouldn't
trade them for anything. “I have more
bounce in my step, and I can almost
skip with these compared to normal
stockings, or other similar compression
hosiery."
Skip, Skip to my Lou … my Darling !!!
2. Robert Matthews Aria 2 4K
Gold Wristlet
The ladies at work decide to have
a spontaneous night on the town, and
you have your big clunky sack of a purse
that can fit just about everything you
own. Of course, it won’t look good with
your outfit, which is easily converted to
a sexier version of your office attire, by
taking the blazer off and undoing a few
buttons. Thankfully, you have your Robert
Matthews "Aria 24 K Gold Wristlet" in
a beautiful shade called Dark Sapphire
in that huge handbag. Voila! You grab
your iPhone a few credit cards your car
keys and some cash, and you are set to
go. With this beautiful Genuine Saffiano
Leather Wristlet, you will be the envy
of all your friends who find themselves
shackled to a large burdensome bag.
Slip the detachable wristlet strap over
your hand, and you have nothing to
worry about except dancing the night
away. Visit www.robertmatthew.com to
view all of their latest styles and colors,
because let’s face it a girl can never have
too many bags.
3. Maggies
It is rare that a new idea emerges
from the fashion industry that is both
beautiful and utilitarian. There is no
other way to describe Maggies. Margaret
Sinclair, Designer & Inventor with
numerous patents to her name, most
in the medical industry, came upon this
invention when she left the medical
field to pursue a fashion career. Maggies
are two part magnets that can revamp
any clothing allowing you to drape a
new front to an old dress, create sleeves
that previously didn't exist, add buttons
to a jacket without any and never will

Fabulous Finds
4
5 6
you need a sewing machine or fastener
that will leave any permanent marks on
your beautiful clothing. These American
made magnets are designed to hold
several layers of your favorite fabric
together allowing you to do amazingly
creative things with scarves, shawls, and
sarongs that will bring out the fashion
designer in all of us. Visit their site at
www.mymaggies.com and order a set of
Maggies, you won’t know how you lived
without them. Visit https://www.mymaggies.com/
for more information.
4. Hex Clad Hybrid Cookware
We had the pleasure of testing the
new product suite introduced by Hexclad,a
leader in innovative cookware,
and if I said we were impressed it would
be a huge understatement. This is one
time that I believe that the promises
made of the product were not only met,
but well exceeded. The non-stick surface
remained non-stick through some of the
toughest tests, the even cooking surface
ensured that all dishes were evenly
cooked and the cleanup was so quick
and easy that despite the fact that it is
dishwasher safe, I never felt the need to
put it into the dishwasher. It wiped clean
so easily.
This new patented surface of tri-ply
stainless steel will allow faster heating,
greater heat retention and lower energy
use. It has a stay cool handle and can
even be used in the oven up to 500
degrees. If you are looking for a product
that you will be the center of your kitchen
and one that you will not want to be
without once you try it. Buy one today
Visit http://hexclad.com/ for more
information.
5. Honeywell True HEPA Air
Purifier
Many of us suffer from allergies, and
after a while, you just get used to living
with the symptoms. I did not realize how
much better life could be until I brought
the Honeywell True HEPA Air Purifier into
my home. I had read the claims of other
units in the past and had even gone as
far as purchasing them, and systematically
returning them, since they did not
do as promised. The day I turned on the
Honeywell, I did not quite believe the
results. I could breathe again, and all
allergy symptoms seemed to systematically
disappear.
It was refreshing that the promise
from their advertising that Honeywell
was recommended by 9 out of 10
allergists because it was affordable and
effective was not an exaggeration. The
fact that they claimed that the Honeywell
True HEPA air purifier captured up to
99.97% of microscopic airborne particles
(0.3 microns and larger) from the air
that passes through the filters, including
pollens, dust, smoke, pet dander, mold
spores, and bacteria, was obviously
based on truth. Over the years, I had
found that these were the elements that
were responsible for my severe allergy
symptoms.
If you are an allergy sufferer, you
need to purchase this air purifier. You will
be amazed at the difference it will make
in your life. Visit www.honeywellpluggedin.com
for more information.
6. THE WORLD’S FIRST
BREATHABLE SILICONE ACTIVE
RING
Do you love letting the world know
that you are happily married, but have a
job or have an active lifestyle making it
impossible to keep your wedding band
on all the time? The solution is easy now.
The Groove Ring is a Liquid injected
Silicone band that fits snugly on your
hand, but is breathable so it won’t snag
on objects you come in contact with or
become uncomfortably warm regardless
of the time of year. It comes in a wide
variety of colors including classics like
Midnight Black, Moss Green, Lilac Purple,
and Storm Grey or new hues including
Snow, Glacier Blue, Blaze, and Raspberry
Red. Get one today and never worry
again about damaging, losing or snagging
your ring again, because these rings
have a lifetime warranty. Give them try,
you will never take it off. Visit their site at:
https://grovelife.co
37

What I Really Want Is.........................
Real, natural, strong and
powerful beauty comes
from within your heart.
A magnificent way to
balance your beauty is by
meditating. Meditation is like
a seed that helps you blossom.
Your mind, body, and
soul become fresh, delicate
and beautiful with a regular
practice of meditation. It is a
fabulous source in creating
a change in every cell in the
body. There are many books,
online downloads and meditation
guides available. The
world is your oyster.
Which door will you open
to add beauty and value to
your life through meditation?
It is no secret that beauty
on the outside comes at a
price. I like to think of it as
one more way of taking care
of myself. Let's first consider
that your skin is your largest
organ. Let's not ignore it.
Experts recommend wearing
sunscreen whenever we are
in the sun. Let's protect it and
choose a sunscreen that will
offer you all the benefits. And
just because of its price, the
more expensive the sunscreen
does not make the benefit
greater. Research shows a
valuable comparison by active
ingredients. Here are a few
examples of three products
that have near or exactly the
same concentration of active
ingredients when researched
by a consumer research group.
Coppertone Water Babies SPF
50 and Vichy Capital Soleil 50
Light Weight Foaming Lotion
were $1.31 per ounce for the
Coppertone and $5.94 per
ounce for the Vichy! Equate
Ultra Protection Sunscreen
SPF 50, which is a Walmart
store brand lotion, costs only
56 cents an ounce at the time
of the comparison. Active
ingredients include Avobenzone
(3%), Homosalate (13%),
Octisalate (5%), Octocrylene
“Taking Care
of YOU”
(7%), and Oxybenzone (4%).
Both have near or exactly the
same concentration of active
ingredients as the Equate. The
NO-AD Sport SPF 50 cost per
ounce is 63 cents. Active ingredients
include Avobenzone
(2.%), Homosalate (15.%), Octisalate
(5.%), and Oxybenzone
(5.%). There are other factors
that make some sunscreens a
personal favorite, and that is
the sensory aspects and ingredient
preference of sunscreen.
The products outlined here
offer a range of price and help
protect you from potential
By Debbie Storms
health risks. There are other
factors, and they need to be
considered, but this is a price
point platform. A great source
to selecting sunscreens is
'Guide to Sunscreens' at ewg.
org/sunscreens. Stay cool!
Time spent outside
walking definitely deserves
a good pair of shoes. Today,
the options for comfortable
shoes has grown. Our walking
shoes are not the best
place to save a few dollars
that in the long run may end
up being spent on injuries
and medical bills. A starting
point for your purchase needs
a basic guideline, starting
with shopping for shoes late
in the day. Feet swell slightly
throughout the course of the
day, so that's when they are
at their largest. Wear the type
of socks you expect to wear
while walking. Be sure to
have the salesperson measure
both of your feet there
may be a slight difference in
size between them. Measurements
should be taken
while you're standing, as feet
expand when they bear body
weight. Try on both shoes
and walk around the store.
Don't make the mistake of
thinking that the shoes will
be comfortable once they've
been broken in. As with any
other purchase, check the
store's return policy at the
time of your purchase. Seal
your deal with a calm and
positive attitude with walking
after your meditation. This
healing and preventive care is
out there waiting for you!
Ready to enhance your
natural beauty? There are as
many articles as there are
lines of cosmetics. To save
yourself time and money go
right to a great read “Don't Go
to the Cosmetic Counter Without
Me” by 'The Cosmetic Cop'
Paula Begoun. A helpful way
through the maze of beauty
products is given to you in
Paula's book. The perfect
formula for looking fabulous
without breaking the bank.
The book offers guidelines
that will help you look great
and leave you plenty of time
to do the things you really
enjoy in life.
Find a few affirmations
that will help build your
self-esteem and take good
care of YOU!
What I really want is.............
Let me know what you
have in mind.
dstorms88@gmail.com
38

HER NAME IS BONNIE
Bowe and she surely can
sew! She is truly an inspiration!
I wasn't kidding about
the way she sews, it is simply
impeccable. She sews mostly
for babies and small children.
Everything from bibs, burps
cloths, bedding, to toy animals.
She also make stunning aprons
for all ages. She will customize
any item for anyone, washing
and ironing each item. The
most astonishing thing about
this woman…every bit of her
profits go to the “Make A Wish
Foundation”!
I asked her when and how
she learned her craft? She said.
“It was really to do with economics.”
First, she sewed maternity
clothes for herself, then
crafting some for her children
in an effort to save money.
The idea to sew for children
came about when she returned
to her love of sewing for
her great-grandchildren about
6 years ago. Then she thought,
Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
SEWING TO MAKE
Children's Dreams Come True
By Janice Carter-Booth
“How can I make sewing into
something more productive, for
more children”? She told me, “I
know I can't cure them, but I
can put a smile on their faces”.
This tells me her petite size has
nothing to do with her very big
and generous heart!
She told me she wanted
to show that one individual
on their own can make a real
difference. Bonnie also said, “It
has not only benefited the children,
but gives my life more
meaning and purpose in retirement.”
Besides the “Make-
A-Wish Foundation”, Bonnie
has made and donated her
beautiful work to a non-profit
organization named, “Hearts
& Hooves”. “Hearts & Hooves”
provides therapy miniature
horses which provide relief for
autistic children.
Not only concentrated on
not-for-profits, Bonnie made
a personal contribution when
she designed a boys' apron to
wear and display his fathers
military patch. She even made
a bib for a fire captain who
delivered a baby in his fire
truck. These are only a few of
the many wonderful, selfless
acts that Bonnie has contributed
through out our many
communities.
When Bonnie was a child
herself, it was her dad that was
the nurturing parent. She came
from humble beginnings living
in a small apartment in Chicago.
As a child, she felt Chicago
was a great, vibrant city to grow
up in the 50's and 60's. Her dad
was an accountant during the
week but, on the weekends, he
took her to museums, art galleries,
and parks of all sizes. He
also once took her and some of
her beautiful art work into the
Chicago Tribune when she was
only eight years old. The visit
was a success when the newspaper
actually published her
cut out dolls at the bottom of a
comic strip known as “Mopsy
Modes”.
Bonnie's profession, however,
was very different from
her creative passion of sewing.
At first, she worked as a secretary
/ office manager, for an
electronics company in Utah.
When the boss was at the
home office in Denver, Bonnie,
would be out in the field,
taking samples of electronic
components to engineers and
purchasing agents in order for
them to make PC boards. So
she bought a brief case and
jazzed up her outfits in an
effort to have her image match
her sales ability. She promoted
the components, and considerably
increased sales for the
company; therefore bringing
home a healthy commission.
As a result of her personal
investment in her career, she
brought about more sales for
the company. Bonnie attributes
the majority of this success to
reading a book in 1985 that
changed her life, entitled, The
Best Way For A Woman To
Make Money, by David King
and Karen Levine. That book
advocated that being in sales
was the way for this to happen
for women.
So a few years later, with
her daughters now grown, she
made a bold move. With just
a high school education she
trekked off to Silicon Valley,
where the electronic business
was booming. She started
working at first for small companies
as a sales rep. She eventually
started her own company
selling to big companies
like, Apple, Hewlett Packard,
and a number of others.
When Bonnie and her
Aerospace engineer husband
decided to retire, they wanted
to come to a warmer climate,
so they looked at a map and
saw a little red dot that caught
their eye. This dot would soon
be known as Ramona and enticed
Bonnie and her husband
to come down for a look before
making such a big move.
Instantly, they were hooked. It
had everything they wanted;
quiet, sprawling, countryside,
but with town within driving
distance. Bonnie has her beautiful
sewing displayed at The
Poway Boardwalk every other
Sat. starting July 1st. from 8
until 2 and also at the Rancho
Bernardo market every Friday
from 9 to 1.
Bonnie is on facebook at
SweetDreams4kids/Bonnie
Bowe. Check this page out to
see her beautiful work. She
welcomes orders through
messages and comments on
her page. Also her e-mail is
sweetdreams4kids@cox.net.,
cell phone 760 525 0561.
39

IF YOU ARE AT ALL
like me, the mention of IV
brings images of hospitals
with sick patients too ill to
receive proper nourishment
on their own. You think of
those patients who need
quick doses of antibiotic
to cure a possibly deadly
disease. Not many of us
consider the many other
positive uses for IVs. At
least I didn’t until I had the
pleasure of sitting down and
talking with Dr. Kristine
Reese, Naturopathic Doctor
and Medical Director of
Lotus Rain Naturopathic
Clinic.
Dr. Reese started administering
IVs as a treatment
for various ailments back
in medical school. “It was a
couple of decades ago when
I was first introduced to the
great benefits that could be
derived from IV treatments.
I did a lot of my integrative
oncology training in Canada
and Europe, so these treatments
were commonly being
done outside of this country
for quite some time.”
Dr. Reese had me very
interested when I heard that
they were supporting cancer
patients with IVs. Dr. Reese
added, "I have had many patients
come to me who were
told there was nothing else
that could be done for them.
That it was time for them to
get their affairs in order, as
they would probably have
only a few more months to
live. One of these patients I
have now been supporting
for 10 years."
With this amazing fact,
I had to ask what is it that
IV treatments do that other
treatments can’t accomplish.
Dr. Reese explains, “With
IVs we can put all nutrients
in the body except for fat
40
Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Dr. Kristine Reese
Photo by Dawn Nicoli/Nicoli Productions
soluble ones like vitamin
D, K or E. These nutrients
include all the B's, minerals,
vitamin C, and amino acids.
By doing so, we can rebuild
the adrenal glands, and
bypass digestion which gets
us immediate results. We
also do hydrogen peroxide,
which is anti-microbial, so
it hits candida, staph, strep,
plus it alkalizes the whole
system and enhances our
overall health. It crosses
the blood-brain barrier, so
it creates clearer thinking,
less congestion and pressure
on the sinuses, and can
help decrease tinnitus. I've
had people reverse years
of polyp growth due to
overproduction of mucus
and overgrowth of candida.
These patients previously
had surgery but the polyps
regrew. The IV treatments
helped shrink the polyps
and prevent their regrowth.
I probed a little deeper
to gather an understanding
of why IVs work when oral
supplements sometimes will
not. Dr. Reese explained that
IVs cross ‘the blood-brain
barrier.'
I found out that we have
a barrier that protects our
brain from a lot of medications
we take like anti-microbial
or anti-inflammatory
medication to assure that
they don't pass the barrier
and do damage. When the
natural ingredients contained
in the IV cross the
blood-brain barrier, only
beneficial effects occur leading
to clearing out of mucus
and relieving pressure and
congestion.
Dr. Reese also mentioned
that another great
goal of IV infusions is to
bypass digestion altogether,
which is a wonderful
thing. The nutrients then
go straight into the blood
stream and into cells. We
tend to lose many of the
nutrients going through our
digestive system even if we
are taking the highest quality
supplements.
So what types of maladies
can IV treatments help?
Dr. Reese explained: “We
use IV infusions for many
different ailments, as well
as preventative treatments.
In addition IVs are an
integral part of the weight
loss protocol we offer. We
also provide sports IVs to
athletes including triathletes,
bicyclists, the Olympic
Club and many more, with
Children benefiting greatly
too.” These IVs enhance
performance and endurance
and shorten recovery
time. This is accomplished
with the infusion of amino
acids to benefit the adrenal
glands, and minerals
to avoid cramping, along
with whatever else might be
indicated, depending on the
patient and their sport.
The protocol for a
runner participating in a big
race would be two infusions
per week in the weeks
leading up to the race, and
in the week after that for
recovery. When an IV is put
into your system the average
time it remains in your body
is 48-72 hours, with the peak
being at 24-48 hours. Therefore,
runners time their
treatments to best optimize
it for the race day.
Although this treatment
may be unfamiliar to many
of us, sports IVs have been
utilized by athletes for a long
time. It was locally started
with the actors and actresses
in Hollywood who spoke
highly of the benefits.
As Dr. Reese adds
“Many people might not be
aware of the many benefits
of IV infusions. One of the
infusions offered at Lotus-
Rain is the immune IV. Due
to increasing resistance to
antibiotics, upper respiratory
infections are more
aggressive and tenacious and
lead to residual coughs lasting
for months. Following
an immune IV, the cough
typically resolves within
forty-eight hours.

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Another major use of
IVs is for Detox purposes.
“We take people off of all
kinds of medications and
street drugs through this
detox process. I am currently
working with a patient to
get him off of meth. He is
two weeks in and doing fantastic.
The IV eliminates all
of the nausea, shaking, and
basically all the symptoms
of withdrawal, making it an
easier process for someone
to quit whatever drugs to
which they are addicted.”
This treatment is also
useful in treating Alcoholics.
They are given daily IVs,
and the Lotus Rain protocol
requires that they are also
in a support group, so they
have a plan. Approaching
it this way results in the
greatest likelihood that they
will attain sobriety. It works
so well because it has been
found that people who have
addictive situations are not
absorbing their nutrients.
The IV gives them the
nutrition they are missing
and they immediately start
to feel better, and they can
then take care of themselves
and become more motivated.
Over the years Dr. Reese
has worked at treatment
facilities providing this service
to recovering addicts.
One of Dr. Reese’s most
popular programs are her
weight loss programs. “So
what we have is called the
Cadillac version and the
Simple and Easy. When
people are really serious
about it we put them on
a 6-week program and it
begins by letting your family
and friends know that this
is what your goal is, this
is what and how you are
going to do it. Participants
are advised to get some key
people that will help or even
go through it with them or
be on the phone with them.
Then go through the house
and clean out all the junk
food. We come home from
work, and we're tired, and
it's easy to go for that junk
food and making those
salads seems so hard. And
the next step is to set up
appointments for massages,
acupuncture and facials because
if you are taking away
all these things you have to
give yourself back something
to replace them.
So those are the preparatory
pieces and then there
are options like what we call
the master cleanse, which is
a lemonade and maple syrup
fast which puts us into
ketosis which is wonderful.
We then follow that with
only a protein shake for a
week. If the pure fast is too
hard, they can add salads
and vegetables.
We also incorporate
hydrogen peroxide IVs and
infrared saunas, which are a
part of the package together
with B12 injections. We
tier it out based on what
the budget is, and then we
strategize on what is realistic.
For example, if you
are going to fast it is best
to head into a weekend so
by Saturday, when you are
feeling shaky and don't want
to do anything, you can just
relax.
With all of the success
Dr. Reese has had in this
area, I had to ask why more
doctors don't rely on this
treatment to help their
patients. "I think if they had
the knowledge, they would
willingly share it. Traditional
medical schools do not
offer training in this, whereas
naturopathic medical
schools devote many hours
to nutritional infusion training
and to understanding
how nutrients are absorbed.”
When discussing healthy
eating with Dr. Reese and
what changes we can make
to improve our overall
health, Dr. Reese suggests, "I
put my patients on a ketogenic
anti-inflammatory diet
which emphasizes the good
fats, like avocado, white
fish, and coconut oil. It is
a whole food diet without
any of the processed foods
and we also advise avoiding
dairy products. Our society
is fat phobic, but we need
beneficial fats - it is fat that
makes every one of our hormones.
So, if we lose our fats
we have lost our hormone
balance, which includes
our happy hormones like
serotonin.”
The doctors at Lotus
Rain Naturopathic Clinic
don't believe in popping
pills for every ailment. They
give each patient a 45-minute
appointment so they
can get to know them and
understand their problems
and work together to put a
plan in place. "We are honest
and tell them upfront that
this is going to be a lifestyle
change, and it won't be easy
at first. It will probably be
a drastic change. There is
nothing off limits. We talk
about sleep and what they
are eating. We discuss how
they are urinating, and what
kind of bowel movements
they are having. These are all
things that don’t get discussed
in a typical 10-minute
doctor’s appointment.
Since we spend more time
with them, we delve deeply
into their lives, including
their spiritual side as well
as what gives them joy and
laughter and what they are
grateful for and what they
41

do to just have fun. We treat
the whole person."
Dr. Reese states that one
of the main goals is to educate
the patient as to the side
effects of prescription medications,
and where appropriate,
to be able to eventually
replace the medication with
natural substances together
with life style counseling.
Unfortunately, what most
people don’t realize is generally
when a patient is placed
on a single medication down
the line there may be two or
more new ones needed to
fight off the side effects of
the original medication.
Dr, Reese believes in
giving back to the community.
She currently is
deeply involved with her
local Rotary and offers a
Veteran's Detox program.
Dr. Reese also does a weekly
radio show called Optimal
Health Hour, on Tuesdays
at 2 pm. It is a live show on
Voice America, and is also
offered as a podcast so that
it can be listened to anytime.
"I interview people from all
over the world, and we have
been fortunate enough to
have some well-renowned
experts on the show.” You
can find out who by visiting
Dr. Reese's site at http://lotusrainclinic.com
where you
can also access The Optimal
Health Hour to listen live or
on demand.
Lotus Rain Naturopathic
Clinic just recently expanded
and more healing professionals
are now available
on site. If you would like to
make an appointment or
find out more information
contact (619) 239 - LIFE
(5433)
42
Making Aging in Place
POSSIBLE
THE NEED FOR SENIOR
care services can come
up suddenly or as a result of
persistent, declining health.
Regardless of why you now
require senior care services,
the need for it is somewhat
of a shock. In your mind,
your parents, are the strong,
reliable leaders of the family.
You looked at them in times
of need and to share your
joys. It can be heart wrenching
to realize they now need
you as much as you need
them.
When a loved one needs
home senior care, the mind
spins with questions and
concerns. From understanding
how to find a caregiver,
to understanding how a
caregiver can help, it is natural
to feel overwhelmed by
this new stage of life. Visiting
Angels in southern San
Diego County understands
how difficult this time is and
is here to help. We’ve helped
thousands of families across
the country navigate this
new terrain and find peace
of mind.
At home senior care
from Visiting Angels makes
aging in place possible.
What is aging in place? It is
the desire that most seniors
have to continue living in
their own home; the desire
to live at home as long as
possible before moving to
a care facility. At Visiting
Angels, our compassionate
caregivers provide assistance
with the activities of
daily living that allows aging
in place possible. With
our at home client care
services, seniors receive the
one-on-one support they
need to remain independent
and live safely at
home.
How can one of our
Angel companions help
your loved one? The options
are almost unlimited. When
you choose Visiting Angels
for at home senior care, we’ll
work with you to create a
plan for care that addresses
your loved one’s individual
needs. Care is always
scheduled for the times you
need it and can be modified
as needed to adjust to
changing needs. The senior
care services we provide can
accommodate a wide range
of needs including:
• Companion Care
• Personal Care
• Palliative Care
• Post-Hospital Stay Care
• Social Care
• Dementia and Alzheimer’s
Care
• 24-hour Care
• Some of the most common
activities we assist
with include:
• Diet monitoring including
planning for and
preparing meals
• Light housekeeping
including help with laundry,
making beds, and
vacuuming
• Assistance with shopping,
running errands,
and transportation to
doctor’s appointments or
activities
• Assistance with bathing,
dressing, grooming, and
toileting
• Reminders to take medications,
drink fluids, and
eat regularly
• Going for walks, engaging
in favorite activities,
and friendly companionship
Our caregivers are
scheduled at your convenience.
Weekday, weekend,
holiday, and overnight visits
are available as needed.
From hourly visits to 24-
hour care, a Visiting Angels
caregiver will be there when
you need them.
Welcoming a caregiver
into your home and life
can be difficult. At Visiting
Angels, we try to make this
transition as easy as possible
for you and your loved
one. Our initial assessment
includes a complimentary
home safety and falls assessment.
When you choose
at home senior care from
Visiting Angels, you will find
a partner who can answer
questions, and help you find
peace of mind.
Visiting Angels
(619) 401-2040

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Susan Kuruvilla, CEO
By Mimi H. Cook
AS CEO of Managed Solution, Susan
Kuruvilla, is running a successful IT
Service business in the exploding Southern
California marketplace. Speaking
with this vivacious, intelligent, and confident
executive, you can easily learn why
Ms. Kuruvilla is admired by her peers,
respected by her employees, and has
reached the pinnacle of her career. Ms.
Kuruvilla was born outside New York
City and grew up in Racine, Wisconsin;
on the edge of Lake Michigan. Family
skiing trips to Colorado and college summers
in the mountains planted the seed
for how to create a life whereby you love
what you do and live where you love. She
was intentional with living and working
in larger cities to gather skills and
experiences to parlay later in her career
to positions that did not require living
in a major city. After she had earned
an MBA in General Management from
Dartmouth, as another way to create
more employment options – she moved
to Dallas, Texas to work in Finance for
American Airlines. She would spend the
next seven years in several senior roles
before moving to the Security & Distribution
Industry in San Diego.
For ten years, she served as CFO
of Clark Security Products, skillfully
ascending to become President; growing
a $100+M business and garnering awards
for Healthiest San Diego Company. She
helped to sell the business and then ran it
for five years for the public company that
purchased it. Her position was eliminated
last year which gave her time to pause in
her career and refocus. “I wanted a new
position that inspired me to grow every
day. I didn’t want to be in the passenger
seat of my career”, she explained. Her
positive solution to this dilemma was,
“I hired a Career Counselor to help me
clarify what I wanted to do next so that I
would not get distracted by job offers that
were not a match.”
Ms. Kuruvilla had to find out what
would make her excited to go to work
every day. In the process of discovery, she
realized, "I am extremely curious to learn
Photo by : Adriana Zuniga
new things, so I need a position that challenges
me every day." Six months into the
job, she is exceeding expectations while
learning and growing professionally. Managed
Solution is poised for tremendous
growth, and she is tasked with balancing
the incline of rapid development combined
with spearheading swift changes in
processes. "I love my job. Working with
Sean Ferrel, Chairman and Founder of
Managed Solution has been an extremely
rewarding experience, and he has been a
great partner."
As Managed Solution’s CEO, she
works with many different types of
companies to help reduce the burden of
day-to-day IT management. The company
provides managed and professional
services and technology forecasting, empowering
companies to grow their businesses.
“The depth of focus on customer
care, social responsibility, and security is
at the core of company values, attributing
to flourishing proliferation.”
I asked her what advice she would
give to other women who might feel their
careers are languishing. "First, don't be
afraid to reconsider your path," Susan
told me that she personally went through
a transformative process of discovery
about what aspects of a job were important
to her with her career counselor. She
said that most people spend 50% of their
time and energy trying to look good in
their lives and 50% of their time trying
not to look bad. "That's such a waste of
time. No one is really paying that close
attention to you. Just show up each day
and focus on what needs to be done at
that moment, in that day, and channel
your energy on improving your skills and
relationships at work."
The second piece of advice she gave is
that networking is important. She met the
Founder of Managed Solution through
networking. "You never know when you
will meet that person who could help you
step into a new career." She told me that
networking doesn't just mean going to
the office or industry gatherings, it means
getting out into the community too. "Too
many people think networking is about
grandstanding or an opportunity to sell
their services. That doesn't always work
with people. It's better to be natural and
authentic in your intent to establish a
friendship or professional relationship."
She is a member of VISTAGE, which is
an organization of professionals who are
in upper management positions. She told
me that there is a subgroup in VISTAGE
for service professionals as well, so you do
not have to be a CEO or President of a
corporation to join.
Third, she said in addition to networking;
it was important to give back.
Ms. Kuruvilla is on the Management
Board for the YMCA Camping Branch.
“Working with the YMCA’S year-round
camping program, I have met all types of
great people from different walks of life
and professions.” The YMCA Camping
Branch includes three camps here in San
Diego County: Raintree Ranch horseback
riding camp, Camp Marston located in
the Julian mountains and a child favorite,
Camp Surf. "As a member of the management
board, I get to oversee a program
that I am passionate about – kids and
outdoor fun."
I found talking to Susan Kuruvilla
very encouraging and incredibly inspiring.
Every job is just a stepping-stone, not
something that defines a woman’s career
path. It’s a perspective that gives a lot of
hope to those of us who might be afraid
to reinvent ourselves.
43

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Sohaila Handelsman
THE STAR IN THE SKY
AS THE MUSIC PLAYS
tunes of faraway places
Sohaila closes her eyes and
moves as she has a thousand
times before. The moves are
natural to Sohaila; she has
been doing them since the
age of 12 when she accompanied
her mom to her first
belly dancing class. “The
minute I picked up the veil I
was hooked.” Four decades
later Sohaila is still moving
with the music.
Sohaila's original career
goal was to become a police
officer, and she was on her
way to do so, but school was
expensive, and she needed
a way to pay for it. She
decided to utilize her love of
belly dancing to subsidize her
tuition. In 1984, at the age of
18, she had become so well
known for her dancing skills
that she was offered a job in
Mexico City to open the first
Lebanese Restaurant there.
"So, I thought to myself at the
time, do I want to stay in college,
become a cop, and get
shot at, or do I want to dance
all over the world." As you can
see Sohaila made her choice,
and she has been professionally
dancing ever since.
Sohaila remained at the
restaurant for close to 10
years. During this time, she
was asked to go to Egypt
to dance with a group of
musicians. She quickly fell in
love with the Middle East, and
in 1993 she got the offer that
would make her dream come
true. She started her dancing
By Judith A. Habert
journey in Greece where she
spent five years; she worked
on the original Love Boat
(minus Captain Stubing)
and danced all over Turkey,
Istanbul, Egypt, Jordan, the
Greek Islands, and Syria. "Syria
was breathtaking she adds,
nothing like what we see on
TV today, it was a magnificent
place back then."
While dancing in these
exotic locations, she would
take the time to incorporate
local dance moves into her
repertoire growing her skills
by taking dance lessons from
the top dance instructors in
every country.
In 1997 Sohaila returned
to San Diego and brought her
knowledge of dance to Palomar
College and Poway Adult
Education and soon after that
opened her own studio adjacent
to her home in a beautiful
part of Escondido. "I loved
watching women metamorphize
from shy introverted
and often insecure women to
proud secure and sensuous
dancers. As I watched them,
I knew that if I added the five
senses into the movements,
then I could connect with the
women on an even deeper
level. I was reconnecting
them to their body, minds,
and soul through their own
five senses and ancient belly
dance movements. I watched
as they broke out of the
monotony of their everyday
life, and were transported to
a beautiful memory that they
could relive through their
movements."
Sohaila loves watching
how much her students
change from week to week.
“We have mirrors completely
around the studio. My reason
for this is that some women
don’t like their bodies, but
women have to love themselves,
above anything else.”
Sohaila teaches a ten-week
program called the
Sense-ual Woman® Woman’s
Luxurious Lifestyle.
Sohaila soon realized that
she could create a fitness inspired
program which would
be more fun than any other
program out there. “I developed
NewVo® Fitness which
is a multi-cultural inspired
fitness system that incorporates
music from around the
world in 45 min. I've traveled
around the world and made
44

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
a point of taking classes in all
of these countries. I learned
very specific moves, from all
of the best instructors. I now
incorporate these movements
in my NewVo® fitness
program.”
I asked Sohaila if NewVo®
Fitness was similar to Zumba®
and she responded with
the following. “Zumba® was
made by a man thinking how
a woman should be moving
I’m a woman knowing how a
woman should be moving.”
There is one thing that
this woman does not lack
and that is energy. You could
feel it bouncing off the walls
of her studio. Her husband
of three years, Angel, was
nearby in his office during
our meeting, and she pulled
him into the discussion a few
times and when you put the
two of them together, look
out world. They are one of the
most dynamic couples I have
ever been around.
This is the first marriage
for Sohaila, who was introduced
to Angel by way of
her Mom. Angel runs an
International Entertainment
company, and he was looking
for dancers. Mom gave him
her daughter's number, and
they became friends, and it
slowly grew to more. When he
was at Sohaila's home helping
on the property, he fell off a
ladder while trimming a tree,
and had a severe brain injury.
Doctors were shocked that
he survived." His skull was
cracked open it was horrible.
When he came to, I asked
him to marry me because I
wanted to take care of him
for the rest of his life" Being
around them it is clear to see
they definitely take care of
each other.
One of her latest endeavors
was the brainchild
of Angel’s. It is a Multicultural
Woman’s Networking
group. Sohaila lights up as
she explains the concept
to their new networking
group. “Our Multicultural
Woman’s Networking group
is awesome. Some groups
just don’t treat members as if
they are important enough.
A networking group should
be about the members. Our
group includes members
from all walks of life. We have
learned that every culture
has something different and
unique to offer. Right now,
we have members from
Mexico, Hawaii, Colombia,
and Peru, just to name of
few. The concept is to have a
minimum of 50 women from
different places so that we
can learn about the different
cultures. Our motto is ‘World
class vision, ultimate success’
We also make a point of not
calling our businesses small
businesses we refer to them
as ‘Expandable Businesses.'
We believe that if you have
the small business mindset,
you will always be a small
business. Upcoming events
for this group include a “girl's
night in” where members
will show up in the pajamas,
watch movies, eat popcorn
and then mastermind. The
goal is not only to improve
your business but to have
fun doing it. On top of all of
the fun events like this that
are planned they have some
world class speakers scheduled
to present before the
group" I was so impressed
with her concept that I joined
right on the spot.
With a name like Sohaila
you would think she was
from the Middle East, born to
dance, but no, she was born
in Hartford Connecticut.” I was
a Marine brat; we traveled
some when I was a baby. My
parents divorced when I was
four. One day my dad was
there, the next thing I knew
he was gone. I've always been
very close to my mom. She is
Italian, and my father is German.”
So, of course, I couldn't
resist asking where the name
Sohaila came from. "Jo Ellen is
my real name. When I got on
stage for the first time to perform
the drummer turned to
my teacher and asked for my
name so he could introduce
me. I said my name is Jojo
and the drummer just shook
his head, my teacher who was
Persian blurted out 'Sohaila.' I
have had this name for some
40 odd years.” Sohalia means
the star in the sky, which most
definitely defines Sohaila.
She even has her own dance
group “The Sohaila Shining
Stars, who perform all over
San Diego.
If you can’t make it to a
live class with Sohaila, you
can sign up for one of her
many online belly dance and
fitness classes.
I asked Sohaila what advice
she had for our readers?
She quickly responded,
”Stop listening to everyone
else. We are inundated with
so much information, and a
lot of it is bad information.
You don't know what you
don't know. So, sit back
and think about what you
really want to do. Not what
others want you to do.
Just be authentic. Every
woman can do this. Just
give yourself credit and
hang around people who
empower you, not around
those who bring you down.
Stick to what you believe in
and be strong. Last but not
least, Sohaila left me with
the following words. "Women
need to make things
happen. It's great to have a
team, but if you can't find
the team you want, then
just go do it yourself."
To learn more or sign up
for one of her classes visit
Sohaila at:
Website: www.SohailaInternational.com
Senseual Womans' Luxury
Lifestyle
http://sohailainternational.
com/senseualwomanprogram/
MultiCultural Women's Network
Group:
http://www.multiculturalbusinessassociation.com/womens--network.html
Youtube: Sohaila International
Belly Dance Instructor
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohailazyba
Facebook: https://www.
facebook.com/sohailainternational/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/
Sohaila01
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/sohailazyba
Phone: 760-519-9615 (Cell)
45

He Said
She Said
Robert
Tussey
Judith A.
Habert
This is not about politics. This is not about who is right or wrong. This is
about recognizing that the battles we fight (in life) are always made stronger
with allies. There are no social issues facing us today that are not made
better by acknowledging our allies and our supporters and embracing their
part in a growing history of breaking boundaries and stretching the mores
of our social fabric. I have talked (at length) in this column about strong,
supportive men who have stepped up to the challenges of becoming better
fathers and men. I have talked about surrounding myself with men who
represent the good father, husband, and family dynamic that is so necessary
today: How we’ve stepped up to the plate. As a man, I must lead by example
of what a man’s place is in the home, workplace, and in public. I don’t
tolerate men who mistreat women nor will I count them as friends. These
are core beliefs of so many men today.
Women, for generations, have grown their place in society from the
subservient secretary/mother/wife to positions of power and leadership,
both at home and in public/social life: And your growth is continuing
exponentially every day. You are proudly representing yourself and your
sisters and growing your voice in the world community. Believe me when I
say that we support you. No, not all men feel this way but I am confident
in saying the majority of us do. Old standards and walls are being broken
down, but where do we go from here?
The Pendulum Effect affects everyone. Simply put, when an issue in your
life needs to change and there is opposition, you must start from where you
are – a pendulum swung to the upper left (no political statement meant)
and decide what you want/need as the end product – a pendulum at center.
To get there you often must push the pendulum to the upper right of the
arch, an extreme position, to force the issue back to the middle thus gaining
the change you desire. In women’s issues this has been as true as in any
other social dynamic. And there are always hurt feelings along the way. But
societal change is accomplished within this paradigm.
In the current climate of women’s issues and the changes that need to be
accomplished, men are being marginalized as part of the problem (of which
many are). The difficulty here is that there are so many men who support
this movement, are vocal about it, and are integral in creating the change,
but are being left on the sidelines. We are allies in this revolution. I have
seen so many divisive statements in the media/press/FB that take the men
who care out of the equation. I know women have been marginalized for far
too long, but to use that as a tool to eliminate the support of so many good
men, would be missing the point of progress. We are here, we stand strong,
and we will always support you. Let us.
I do believe that you make a very good point. A close
friend once told me that no statement of fact should
include the words never, always, ever, or none, and I
do feel this is a very good point. Not every man feels
that women are inferior, nor does every woman wish
to male bash on every possible occasion. If we do, then
we are no better than the men out there who continue
to believe that women should not make the same
wages for the same jobs or, perhaps to take it even
further, believe that a woman’s only role in life is to be
barefoot and pregnant.
Generalizing is dangerous, and in past years this is
what has kept prejudice thriving in our country. The
stereotypes about sex, race, physical appearance, or
nationality have kept people from getting top jobs,
advancing in current jobs or even being allowed into
some social events or venues.
It seems that it often does take going to an extreme
to get even small changes, but there has to be a
balancing out in the end. People need to understand
the consequences of their actions and realize that
people can change.
Here is one thought that may not be taken well by
male readers - especially the younger ones: I do feel
like a lot of what one would consider “Gentlemen
Qualities” are no longer practiced by the younger
generation. Perhaps, the women’s movement is
responsible for the change. We wanted to be equal
so therefore men don’t believe in opening doors for
women, or paying for dinner when they are out on
a date, or driving them home and walking them to
the door to be sure they are safe instead of meeting
them at the restaurant or bar? There was a time there
(I think in the 60’s) when a man would be chastised
for doing any of these things by the feminist women,
but when was the last time you yelled at a man for
holding a door, paying a bill or seeing you safely to
the door. This may in fact be a prime example of the
pendulum swinging too far and men not realizing
that we wanted it to swing back some.
46

As part of our new format, we will be reviewing movies at the theater, in Redbox, streaming on Netflix, Hulu, and
Amazon. Not all the movies reviewed will be current, we will throw in some oldies but goodies from time to time. These
reviews will include credits, rated, length, genre, story line, awards (if any), and little tid bits relating to the movie, its’
director or actors. We will also have a rating system with stars; 5 being outstanding and 1, don’t waste your time.
Beauty and The Beast Review
By Carol Heath
BEAUTY AND THE BEAST **** PG
129 Mins. Family
Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Kevin
Kline, Luke Evans, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor,
Emma Thompson, and Stanley Tucci.
Director: Bill Condon
Okay, I’ll admit it, I was not really expecting
anything special with this latest rendition of this
production. I just went along to help my cousin
take her 4-year-old grandchildren to see it. Boy,
was I wrong. I’d watched the old tv show many
years ago and loved it. I’ve also seen the first Disney
animated version several times. I knew what
to expect, or so I thought. This new production
blew me away.
The story hasn’t changed Belle, sung by Emma
Watson, is imprisoned by the Beast, played by Dan
Stevens. Gaston deliciously played by Luke Evans
has a great voice and truly is in love with himself.
My personal live favorite was Josh Gad playing
the role of LeFou, Gaston’s faithful servant. Mrs.
Potts is animated with Emma Thompson’s voice.
The animated tea cup, Chip, was my personal favorite
character. The candelabra danced while the
china cabinet sang with an operatic voice.
The musical numbers are staged and performed
with gusto by the ensemble cast and they
will blow your socks off. The animation characters
come alive and add a special touch to this truly
enchanted new version of Beauty and the Beast.
If you don’t have a little one to accompany
you, borrow one, it is worth it and you’ll both
have a great time.
Way to go Disney, you’ve done it again!
47

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
EMERGENCE IS THE BEST WORD
one can find to describe the current
work of artist Stefanie Bales. Her paintings
inspire the mystical and yet are
rather cerebral. Upon viewing her work,
one will experience an other-worldliness.
Upon further inspection, one
might identify with the imagery and its
story. It is truly mystical.
An accomplished artist, Stefanie is
an Instructor at Platt College where she
teaches her students to use traditional
2D and 3D mediums to create their
artistic visions, despite the rest of their
coursework being software focused.
Her educational background is impressive
with a BFA from the University of
Delaware’s honor program and an M.S.
in Educational Counseling with a focus
on Art Therapy. It was through her
educational goals that she transferred
her interests and experience in Gestalt
therapy into her artwork.
Following is a discussion I had with
this fascinating artist about her work:
Deeba: “How would you describe the
approach and technique you take when
creating a piece or a series of work?”
Stefanie: “I love to work with all
mediums and use everything from oils
to watercolors, but for the past five years
or so I've been working primarily with
an acrylic and mixed media process
which is really where I have found my
voice."
Golden Hour
Deeba: “I really appreciate the use
of light in your paintings. As any artist
knows, the manipulation of light is
essential in conveying feeling, shape, and
mood in a painting. I've also noticed the
balance between light and textures in
your work. Can you expand on this?"
Stefanie Bales:
TAPPING INTO THE
PSYCHE THROUGH ART
By Deeba Van Overberghe
Stefanie: “My work is rather intuitive
as I start with one inspiration and
respond instinctively to color, texture,
and form. I don’t follow a visual map
or have a specific frame of reference
allowing for a certain freedom to just let
each painting evolve as I work. I spent
years experimenting with an ink transfer
process until I was able to hone the
technique into something that was really
individual to my work and aesthetic. My
method is similar to collage work, but
instead of cut and paste, I'm transferring
bits of texture and imagery amidst the
painted areas. This allows for moments
of hyperrealism and really changes the
voice of an otherwise traditional painterly
composition."
Deeba: “When I view your work I
can actually feel the heat of the day, smell
the salt in the beach air or experience the
popping and snapping of electricity when
looking at those telephone poles! Can
you elaborate on how you use imagery to
evoke those feelings in the viewer? As well,
can you talk about the emotions a viewer
might have while experiencing your work.
Perhaps what I’m asking is, do you create
with intention to stimulate the viewer in
a certain way? “
Stefanie: “Throughout my career
and my transition through mediums,
there were always a few things that have
been the hallmarks of my work- the
study of light, the soft color palette, and
the poignant atmospheric qualities that
emanate from it. I’m very much inspired
by color relationships, especially those
derived from the sun. Regarding the
emotional response, while creating my
series Waking Life, I was really interested
in and focused on the idea of a priori
and the collective subconscious. I composed
landscapes that weren't geograph-
ically specific but were supposed to feel
universally familiar. Collectively, the
works in the series have been described
as depictions of universal daydreams,
which as an afterthought, was feedback I
really enjoyed."
Deeba: “I happen to be dyslexic. At
times, and for brief moments, I cannot
discern what the shapes are that I am
seeing and this causes an uneasiness even
though the image is beautiful. In some
of your paintings, I feel as if this is the
case. Can you explain why I feel uneasy
when looking at some of your work, even
though it is beautiful?"
Stefanie: “This is fascinating. I’ve
never been told that my work causes
a feeling of unease, but I understand
what you’re referring to. This goes back
to my process allowing for moments
of hyperrealism amidst the painterly
elements, resulting in a landscape that
is both surreal and juxtaposed. Because
I’m uniting elements that weren’t
intended to be combined, the overall
image becomes a montage of varying
perspectives, timeframes, and topographies,
which in turn creates secondary
contradictions or illusions in figure,
form, and atmosphere.”
‘Gestalt psychology is an attempt to
understand the laws behind the ability
to acquire and maintain meaningful
perceptions in an apparently chaotic
world. The central principle of gestalt
psychology is that the mind forms
a global whole with self-organizing
tendencies. This principle maintains
that when the human mind forms a
percept or "gestalt," the whole has a
reality of its own, independent of the
parts.'
48

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Deeba: “One of your recent pieces is
from the Waking Life Collection titled,
The Sun Also Rises. Can you explain the
process and your intention behind this
painting?”
Stefanie: “The Sun Also Rises is one
of my favorite paintings in its series as it
best represents the synthesis of all of my
inspirations in one work. In my Waking
Life Collection, each work reveals some
sort of visual or contextual phenomenon.
The multiple suns are meant to reference
the way that time moves in our
dream state, or exists in our memories.
I aspire to create pictorial conversations
that are an aggregate of past and present-
that elicit feelings of both nostalgia
and possibility.”
The Sun Also Rises
Deeba: “And let’s look at one of your
architectural paintings. How about your
Power Line Series? One can literally hear
the smacking of electricity coming off
those lines, and yet the images are painted
with light and warmth of color which
creates contrasting interest.
Stefanie: This series was actually
completed quite some years ago. In
college I studied light and vacancy in
architecture- the power lines were an
offshoot of this and a way to expand
upon my exploration of the juxtaposition
of perspective and atmosphere.
Deeba: “Have you participated in
any public installations of your work?
One could see ‘Castles in the Sky’ as an
installation at a library or university.”
Stefanie: “Not as of yet, but as I
progress in my career this is definitely
something that interests me. Being an
artist is, in its essence, a solo venture,
but I’d love to connect with other creatives
and become more active within
the collaborative community. Participating
in public and or charitable works is
definitely a goal of mine for the shortterm
future.”
Deeba: “After reading your profile
online, I discovered your involvement in
charitable acts for your community. Can
you elaborate on this a bit? What are you
currently doing to ‘give back’?”
Stefanie: “This is something I’ve
been building upon. Besides donating
works to local nonprofit or charitable
foundations for fundraisers or auctions
(The San Diego Mission, AIGA, Home
Aid, FAB Authority), I’m also a co-leader
of the San Diego Chapter of the
Yellow Collective- a creative group of
female entrepreneurs and small business
owners.”
Deeba: “As busy as you are, do you
accept commissions and if so, what is the
process one would go through in commissioning
a piece from you?”
Stefanie: “As you know, often people
see art-buying as a daunting or financially
impractical experience, but personally
commissioned work is the most affordable
avenue for acquiring art that is both
original and personal to the buyer. I love
commissions because they enable me to
work outside of my academic mold and
to create a product that’s both reflective
of my own style and an interpretation of
the client’s vision. It’s a really fun experience
making other people’s ideas come
to life. Anyway, contacting me through
my website or social media is the easiest
way to touch base about a potential commission
or partnership.”
Deeba: “Where do you see yourself in
five years?”
Stefanie: “My goal is to become a
vital part of the local creative community
through collaboration, charity, and
teaching. Despite it seeming secondary
to my fine art career, teaching has always
been a strength of mine and working
with youth or novice artists in some
capacity, whether through formal education,
sharing my craft, or just encouraging
young creatives to pursue their
passions, is definitely something I see
myself continually engaging in. My own
family and two-year-old son are truly
what I value above all else, so I hope to
encourage this passion for creativity and
exploration in my own home as much as
possible, too.”
In conclusion, I find the work of
this established artist fascinating as she
uses threads of psychology to evoke
impressions in her work. Her mastery of
technique goes without saying and plays
a concrete role in creating a mystical
dialogue in her paintings. Her imagery
is anchored in reality while her brush
evokes an ethereal point of view. The approach
she takes stems from an educated
life and taps into the flow of the divine,
while playing with our unconscious.
What else can I say, except you have
to see her work and experience it for
yourselves? And if you like the experience,
commission one for your home.
Truly, every artist lives to create and
loves commissions! For more on Stefanie’s
work and process or to see more
of her beautiful art, visit her website at
www.stefaniebales.com or find her on
social media at @stefaniebalesfineart
Stefanie is currently being represented
by both Adelman Fine Art in Little
Italy, and Sparks Gallery in downtown
San Diego, and her work is in
numerous private collections across
the country and internationally. She
has been published extensively, with
recent features on the TLC network, in
Southern California Homes, Fine Art
Connoisseur, Art Ltd, KUSI, Pacific
San Diego Magazine, and the Santa
Barbara Sentinel.
Castles in the Sky
49

TO SAY that Melanie
Trehan’s love of skin
care goes back to her
childhood would not be an
exaggeration. How many
six-year old girls do you
know who regularly applied
rose toner and moisturizer?
“I was probably the only
one,” Melanie laughs. “This
was my grandmother's daily
routine, and I just loved
doing it with her."
This should have been
a clue to the direction in
which Melanie's career
would go. "I started out in
nursing school, but soon
realized that this was not
my true calling. Luckily my
parents were cool enough
to let me switch focus and
choose a career that would
allow me to truly do what I
loved."
Melanie started
modeling and acting when
she was a child and was
soon introduced to the art
of makeup. It was during
her time preparing to be a
nurse that she realized this
field was not for her. What
made her happy was when
she was making women
look beautiful with her
natural makeup artistry
skills. So, at the young age
of 17, Melanie landed a
position with Clinique, the
top cosmetic and skincare
company at the time.
She loved what she was
doing, but there was still
something that bothered
her. Melanie started to
feel that instead of just
covering up skin issues for
her clients, what she really
wanted to do was fix their
problems, so the makeup
applications could be done
to enhance a client's beauty
and not just to cover up
unsightly skin issues.
Melanie decided that
50
Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
she wanted to learn as much
as she could about skin care
so that when women needed
help with their skin, she
would be fully prepared and
knowledgeable. She went to
school to obtain her certification
as a Medical Esthetician,
working in this field
Melanie Trehan
LOVE THE SKIN
YOU’RE IN
in North Carolina for seven
years. When she moved to
California, a state that does
not recognize the Medical
Esthetician certification,
Melanie went on to earn the
title of Master Esthetician,
which is recognized everywhere,
(this accreditation
is granted by the NCEA
National Coalition of Estheticians
Association). This
certification is the highest
accreditation that can be
held in her field. Melanie
has worked in the aesthetics
industry for over 19 years,
and has held the certification
of Master Esthetician
for over 6 years. She also
serves as a trainer for other
estheticians who wish to
further their career by earning
this accreditation.
However, Melanie did
not stop there she went on
to develop her own line of
Clinical skincare products.
Her line has grown to 60
different products, which
are all dermatologist tested
and approved and competitively
priced, so all women
can have this level of skin
care products within their
budget. Although Clinical
skincare products are more
pricey than department
store brands, Melanie
adds "This higher level
of skin care products are
well worth the price. They
contain a higher amount of
the ingredients necessary
to produce the results you
require and can be used in
smaller quantities making
them last longer and in
the end are a much better
value."
Melanie has been
called upon regularly by
FOX News as an educator
for the beauty industry.
She has done segments on
various trends in skin care
and demonstrated different
methods to create overall
skin health. She has also
served as a celebrity beauty
consultant and advanced
makeup artist.
Always wanting to
improve her knowledge,
Melanie gained training in
oncology skin care, which
was an area I was not
familiar with, so I asked if
she could explain what this
training entailed. "When
you are treating individuals
who are diagnosed with
cancer, there are certain
factors that have to be
considered regarding skin
care. You must be sure that
you are using the right
products that will neither
interfere or cause adverse
reactions to the cancer
patient during surgery and
treatment and also during
their post cancer period.
Certain combinations of
chemicals that would work
on a patient who is not
going through this health
challenge will not be helpful
to someone who is receiving
Chemotherapy or other
treatments for their disease.
Because of this knowledge,
I have added a separate skin
care line catering to cancer
patients.”
Getting to know Melanie
I was certain of one
thing, she is a perfectionist
in everything she does. For
the past seven years, she
has been the owner of HD
Beauty Skincare Boutique,
which is located in a lovely

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
salon in Rancho Bernardo,
where she has been for the
past three years.
At the HD Beauty Skincare
Boutique, you will find
services that are not available
anywhere else in San
Diego. I asked Melanie to
share with us her top four
most popular procedures.
1. Nonsurgical face
lift “This is one of my most
popular procedures, and it
really is amazing. I am the
only one with this specific
device in all of Southern
California. It can take the
place of a regular facelift
and is great for someone
who does not want to do
injectables or surgery. This
procedure is great for anyone
30 and over. You will
leave our Boutique looking
years younger. The nonsurgical
facelift is a revolutionary
new skin rejuvenation
system that effectively
stimulates new collagen
growth in the deeper skin
layers, replacing aged and
sun damaged collagen,
plumping the skin, smoothing
wrinkles, tightening
skin and muscles.”
2. Derma Sweep. “Our
proprietary bristle treatment
tips gently lift away
the top layer of skin and
increase circulation to
enhance lymphatic drainage,
oxygenation, and the
delivery of key skin nutrients.
Exclusive infusion
solutions formulated with
cutting-edge ingredients
are added to target specific
skincare concerns, for
visible results in just one
treatment.”
3. Signature HD Beauty
Facial - “This is a customized
60-minute facial tailored
to each person based
on whatever your concerns
are with your skin. You can
only get this facial at my office
because I create it. This
facial treatment will address
the six signs of aging: reduce
the appearance of fine lines
and pores, improve skin
tone and texture, and reveal
softer brighter skin.”
4. 24 karat liquid Gold
Facial. “This facial can be
summed up in two words
‘Pretty luxurious.’ This is
a very special and unique
treatment because no one
in our area offers it. Our
gold leaf facial is great for
people going to an event.
This treatment gives you an
immediate glow and hydration
boost to the skin. The
24K Gold Facial lifts and
firms your skin to reduce
the appearance of fine lines,
wrinkles and brightens the
skin. A potent anti-aging
formulation using pure
24K gold. rejuvenates and
nourishes the skin, giving it
a long lasting youthful glow.
Cleopatra slept in a mask
of gold every night. The
Queen of the Ching Dynasty
had gold rolled on her
face every day. This is pretty
good company to be in”
In addition to these four
listed above, HD Beauty
Skincare Boutique offers a
total of about 12 different
facials, most of which can
be found on their website at
https://theskincareboutique.
com/. I don’t know about
you, but as soon as I’m
done writing this article, I
am booking a visit at HD
Beauty Skincare Boutique
for one of these decadent
facials, because after all,
don’t we deserve it?
HD Beauty Skincare
Boutique is located at 16486
Bernardo Center Drive
Suite 120 San Diego CA
92128. Call 619.838.5353
for an appointment
Welcome Sohaila Handelsman to The San Diego
PINK PAGES. Sohaila is our newest member
of the PINK PAGES. Our complete Directory is
generally included in the pages of San Diego Woman
Magazine. However, with the amount of material
we needed to cover in our 10th Anniversary Issue,
we did not include it in this issue. Join us today and
for one VERY LOW PRICE you can be in our online
directory and in each issue of our magazine for a
full 12 months.
Tell the World About Your Woman Owned Business
Today! And Let Them Say… I Saw You In the PINK
PAGES!
Sohaila Handelsman
Sohaila is the founder of Sohaila
International, the umbrella company
for The Sense-ual Woman®
retreats and programs, Belly
Dance and NewVo® fitness
classes. She has over 40 years
of performing worldwide and instructing
women of all ages in
Belly Dance and Personal Image.
Sohaila works with women of all
body types and fitness levels,
teaching them how to rediscover
their feminine power thru using
their five sacred senses and ancient Middle Eastern movement.
She is the producer of more than 450 online classes, 12
Signature dance dvd’s, and has authored three books. Sohaila
has been been featured in commercials, music videos and
movies and currently hosts her own webcast, Sohaila TV. She
and her husband, Angel, recently founded and launched the
Global Multicultural Women’s Network Group, bringing together
business women of all cultures and ethnic backgrounds
to help each other succeed in the local and Global
marketplaces.
Website:www.SohailaInternational.com
51

52

Our 10th Anniversary Women of Distinction
Nancy and The Nice Guys
By Janice C. Booth
IT SOUNDS LIKE A
band, but they don’t ever
toot their own horn. That’s
what I’m going to do in this
article.
The Nice Guys of San
Diego, were founded in
1979, and have given over
$20 million to needy San
Diegans, including our military
families stationed here.
There are approximately 135
active members in the Nice
Guys and they all work on a
completely voluntary basis.
The group has no offices or
paid staff. The Nice Guys
do all the research on their
charity cases to make sure
the donations are placed
with people truly in need.
These are individuals and
families that cannot get help
within the ‘system’. For example,
they might help with
food, house bills, bus passes
or clothing just to get these
people back on their feet. So
one might say the Nice Guys
pick up the slack.
Nancy Hamzey, a native
of Michigan, came out to
California in 1984, on the insistence
of her brother, Bob.
She took a sabbatical from
her teaching job of 12 years
to check out this wondrous
place we call San Diego.
She fell in love with the
area and began a career in
real estate, 1st as a realtor,
then as a title representative.
Even though Nancy
pored herself into her work,
I know because Nancy only
does things with a 110% effort,
she still wanted to give
back to the community.
Nancy explored different
charitable organizations, but
it wasn’t until 1989, when
she found the Nice Guys
she felt they were a perfect
fit! When inquiring about
the group her 1st question
was “Are girls allowed?”
when they said yes, she was
onboard.
On down the road in
1998, Nancy became the
1st woman president of the
group. On the topic of first,
she was also the 1st female
in her extended family to
graduate from college.
Nancy’s support came
from a close knit family. She
is the eldest of 5 children.
Dad was a door to door insurance
salesman and mom
stayed home to care for not
only Nancy, her brother Bob,
but also, triplets Paul, Paula
and Pamela! Nancy graduated
from Eastern Michigan
University with a Masters of
Arts, she then taught grades
2-9 in Taylor, Michigan, in a
HUD housing development
area. She proclaimed “That
was quite an eye-opener.”
On her adventure out in
the west, Nancy also found
not just a charity group,
but a wonderful man that
captured her heart, Zach
Zacharias. Zach and Nancy
were married in 2004, built
a beautiful home and a great
life together.
Zach also became a
member of the Nice Guys
and he became president of
the group in 2009! Nancy
and Zach are now retired,
but still pursue their charity
work and they love to travel.
One of their frequent destinations
is Australia, where
Zach’s daughter and family
reside. Nancy’s life felt complete
now that she inherited
a fabulous daughter, a
wonderful son-in-law, and
now two awesome Aussie
grandsons!
Back to the Nice Guys…
not only do they have
monthly charity meetings,
but they also have a massive
event during the holidays.
‘Christmas at the Q’ is their
opportunity to give back
in an even bigger way. In
December, the Nice Guys
invite over 700 disadvantaged
families to a day of fun
events that culminates in the
check-out line where each
family gets bags of groceries(including
a turkey), and
a Walmart gift card to help
with clothing and other
household items.
The main task of the
Nice Guys is to obtain donations
to help San Diego’s
needy. Keeping in mind that
because the organization has
no overhead, for every $1
that is donated to the club,
$1 goes back out into the
community.
The Nice Guys host 2
annual events a spring auction
and the fall event honoring
a leading San Diegan,
called the Nice Guy of the
Year. This October 28th, the
Nice Guys will honor Padre
Co-owner, Peter Seidler.
Peter Seidler is one of the
leading local philanthropists
in San Diego. His main
focus is working with the
community to help alleviate
homelessness. For tickets or
to make a donation, contact:
sdniceguys@cox.net
If you want to learn
more about the Nice Guys
or would like to donate to
this worthy cause, you can
contact their email or send a
note to:
Nice Guys of San Diego
PO BOX 881456
San Diego, CA 92108
53

IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR A
breath of fresh air, look no further
than Sedona, Arizona. Gazing upon all
of the glowing red rock formations and
feeling the warmth of the area makes
you relax. The positive energy in this Arizona
town can be felt everywhere you
go. There is a magical quality about it.
The landscape is fascinating with pinetree
lined forests to the north in Flagstaff
and the desert city life of Phoenix to the
south. The sky at night is mesmerizing
as it is lit up with countless stars.
There are many activities available
for you. If you like communing with
nature, there is an offering of hiking adventures
to Cathedral Rock, Bell Rock,
Bear Mountain and Courthouse Rock.
You may also partake in a Pink Jeep
Tour. There are eight different tours
available ranging from one to three
hours. Five of the tours are via jeep and
three are hiking. An adventure guide
will accompany you and point out
points of interest including the geology
of the cliffs, wildlife and plant life. There
is also a four wheeling tour that will
make you hang on tight as you go up
and down steep arroyos zipping through
desert growth of shrubs and small trees.
There are ancient ruins of a 700-year-old
Native American cliff dwelling to view
and learn about the customs, myths,
and legends of the native people. I really
enjoyed this tour, and you will too if you
have a love of history. It is also a great
way to soak up the serene environment.
Prices vary from $59.00 to $110.00 for
adults and $54.00 to $99.00 for children.
Should you be of the more artistic
type, Tlaquepaque Village in the heart of
Sedona might be more to your liking. It
A Sedona Adventure
By Jane Baxley
54
Cathedral Rock Sedona, Arizona
is named for an artsy suburb of Guadalajara,
Mexico and is made up of a collection
of art galleries, craft shops, and
restaurants. I love to shop so this kept
us busy for hours. The builder set out
to replicate a colonial Mexican village
and he did just that. The architecture is
beautiful. The bell tower at Tlaquepaque
is a Sedona landmark. If you happen to
be there in December, as we were, snow,
Christmas lights and decorations adorn
the village and will most definitely put
you in the spirit. Bundle up because it
can be quite chilly in the winter.
There is also Slide Rock Natural
Park. Slide Rock is a natural water chute
in Oak Creek just above Sedona. Warning!
If you do decide to join in, wear old
jeans because the seat of your pants will
be worn out as you go down the slide
and are dumped into a natural pool. It
is a great way to cool down when the
weather is hot. Kids of all ages love it.
Peak times to visit Sedona are in
Spring and Fall with temperatures in the
mid-60s to low 80s. Summer can be just
plain hot with highs in the mid to high
90s. Winter – mid November through
January can bring occasional snow and
cold temperatures.
For me, Sedona is the ultimate
relaxing get-away. You can do as little
or as much as you want. It is up to you.
Star-gazing is a wonderful past-time.
We stayed for two nights at the
Poco Diablo Resort in Sedona. The staff
was very friendly and professional. The
room was spacious and clean and felt
very cozy. The bed was very comfortable
and the linens were of great quality. We
loved having a fireplace in our room
since the nights were cool. Not all rooms
have fireplaces, so be sure to ask for one
that does. There was an outdoor heated
pool and hot tub that looked very inviting.
We did enjoy a wonderful massage
at The Spa of Poco Diablo. Bikes are
available to rent as well so you can take
a bike tour of Sedona. They also offer
wedding planning services. There are
tennis courts and a 9-hole golf course
plus a fitness center. I did not find anything
lacking as far as amenities were
concerned. We were very pleased.
The resort itself was very clean and
the staff was polite and professional.
Making sure you enjoyed yourself was
their top priority. The resort is centrally
located and the grounds are well kept. A
full service concierge is available to take
care of any requests you may have.
T Carl’s restaurant located at the
resort was very nice. We ate there on
our first night. The service was friendly
and the food was tasty, but a little pricey.
Our second night we went to El Rincon
Restaurante Mexicano in Tlaquepaque.
The food was great – traditional Mexican
food and the prices were good.
For two nights at the resort we paid
$166 per night. The value was great and
well worth the price. We would definitely
stay there again when our wanderlust
takes us back to Sedona.

Would You Be A Sugar Baby?
DATING AND FINDING
that perfect someone
isn't always easy. Many
women have been searching
and searching, but yet some
always seem to keep coming
up empty. Society mores have
changed, and choices are not
so black and white anymore.
There are many young
women out there who are
tired of meeting the same
men, many of whom may be
immature and though they
may give them pleasure in
the bedroom, they fail them
in the remaining areas of their
life.
So what is a beautiful
young girl to do these days?
Well a large number of them
have clicked their way over
to a site called Arrangements.
com, a new dating site that
lets couples decide on the
terms of their relationship
upfront.
What woman wouldn’t
want romantic getaways, lavish
gifts and a generous allowance
set forth as part of their
dating relationship? So it is no
wonder that women may now
be treating their relationships
like any other business deal,
and making their needs and
desires known right up front.
In the old days, they used
to call a woman who was
involved in a relationship
like this a "kept woman," and
they were almost always
May- December relationships,
with the woman being young
and beautiful while the only
requirement for the man was
wealth. This type of relationship
was only spoken of in
whispers or expressed with
rolls of the eyes when mentioned
as a serious relationship.
This type of relationship
which openly suggested sex
for money or gifts was one
that usually left the female
labeled as a less than moral
individual.
Today many women think;
differently, they feel that
when you get right down to
it, how different was this from
dating. "When a guy takes me
out to an expensive restaurant
or a show, he almost always
expects to be paid back for
his investment. So why can't a
woman do the same." explains
a young 20 something
woman.
To the right are some of
the statistics that Arrangements.com
shared with us.
This information made us
stand up and take notice
of the growing number of
young women who threw the
image of Prince Charming
out the window. Instead, they
chose going out, having a
good time, providing sex if
required, it isn't always, and
at the end of the day they
weren't looking for a ring
on their finger, but instead,
an apartment rent free or a
brand new Lexus right off the
showroom floor.
One of the "Sugar Babies,"
marveled at how well this
arrangement worked. "I can
finish law school now without
waiting tables. I am taken
out on extraordinary dates,
and the sex is damn good, so
why would I feel bad about
the relationship I have with
my "Sugar Daddy? It suits my
needs perfectly."
Here is some information
that we found very enlightening
and thought you might as
well. This survey was done by
Arrangement.com, which will
give you some insight into the
lives of sugar daddies and the
women they spoil.
Arrangement.com
SURVEY RESULTS:
ጎጎ
34% of users escaped to one
of these destinations with their
partner in the last six months:
• Dubai
• Honolulu
• Morocco
• Saint Tropez
• Fiji
• Bora Bora
ጎጎ
Less than 20% of men
were seeking an arrangement
with a woman under
the age of 22, while 36%
of men sought women
between the ages of 25
and 32
ጎጎ
Surprisingly, only 13%
of male users on the site
admitted to being married
ጎጎ
Almost 80% of men
are seeking an arrangement
for 2+ years, while
less than 20% of men are
looking for short-term
companionship for less
than six months
ጎጎ
27% of users live in one
of the following cities:
• Miami
• New York
• Los Angeles
• Denver
• Atlanta
ጎጎ
Almost 75% percent of men
identifying as sugar daddies
work in one of the following
professions:
• Lawyer
• Realtor
• Surgeon
• Politician
• Corporate executive
• The average age range
between sugar babies and
daddies: 13-21 years
ጎጎ
18% of arrangements have
resulted in traditional marriages,
while nearly 25% have resulted
in a relationship lasting
more than three years
ጎጎ
55% of men report that
one of these three items were
requested from sugar babies:
• Chanel bag
• Car
• Plastic surgery
ጎጎ
Breakdown of allowances
that men allow their partner in
the arrangement:
• 52%: $2K - $4K
• 32%: $5K - $7K
• 13%: $8K - $10K+
ጎጎ
83% of men said they
would pay for rent over $1,500/
month
ጎጎ
Almost 10% of users have
signed a contract, agreeing to
the terms and duration of their
arrangement
So, after reading these
statistics and examining
your own set of acceptable
and unacceptable behavior,
would you be a Sugar Baby?
55

SAFE
Browsing
ONLINE
By Patrick Moreno
AS OF 2015 ALMOST HALF OF
our population, approximately
3.2 billion people, browse online.
This entails research, online banking,
shopping, social media, as well as
email communications. With half of
our World Population online, hackers
are preying on consumers and strategically
placing pop-ups and programs
(referred to as PUP's [Potentially Unwanted
Programs]). When we click on
ads that we believe to be informative
or even a link that alleges it contains
a story that piques our interest, we
frequently find ourselves at the liberty
of malware that hijacks our settings
on our browser, and now we are at the
hackers.
There are numerous methods that
can be implemented to prevent the
average consumer from downloading
and installing malicious software that
causes us grief. One of the most obvious
is that we need to pay attention
to the prompts our computer gives
us. If you receive a “pop-up,” notice
the name of the publisher asking for
permission to “make changes” to your
computer. If you do not know who or
what it is, DO NOT allow it to make
changes.
The second most common mistake
consumers make is relying on an antivirus
to protect your computer from
everything online.
An antivirus is exactly what it says.
It prevents viruses. However, what
56
most consumers don't understand is
that there were only a handful of new
viruses originated in 2016. This clearly
shows "viruses" effectively instill
fear into the mind of the consumer.
Frequently, I have customers contact
me because they have an issue with
their Antivirus; they've spent $150 or
more, and they haven't successfully
installed the product on their computer,
much less made any use of it.
This is because the anti-virus industry
does not care if you have protection
on your computer – or even if that
antivirus program is working properly.
Quite the contrary, they give you
a “Key” that is supposed to activate
your antivirus note. What they don't
tell you is that if you install an antivirus
on top of an already infected
computer, you are compounding the
problem. Therefore, it is absolutely
necessary to ensure your computer is
cleaned of malware and viruses before
installing any sort of antivirus or malware
protection.
The biggest Antivirus misconception:
“An antivirus will protect me
against malware.”
This is incorrect. An Antivirus
protects you against "viruses." People
are amazed when I tell them this;
however, viruses are short of being
obsolete. Malware is preferred by
the hacking community because it is
cheap and efficient.
Many people believe that they can
merely run an antivirus, malware, or
cleaning program and their problems
will be solved. WRONG! To do the
job right, you need to have a Certified
Technician who can handle the job;
including, but not limited to, compatibility
issues, networking issues, live
hacks, rootkits, etc.
In effect, viruses are in the same
family as Malware containing multiple
tiers. These "tiers" include, but are
not limited to, the following: Adware,
spyware, ransomware, system keys,
worms, and rootkits. There are so
many variations and possible combinations
of problems that it is absolutely
necessary to have the proper
diagnosis before working on a system.
When you need help for your computer
in distress, do look for a credible
organization that has zero negative
COMMENTS feedback online
(simply “Google” the organization
and their phone number) and ensure
they're prepared ready to answer the
following questions:
1. Do you work on a no-fix/no-pay
basis? If they don't guarantee their
work, do not allow them access to
the system to begin.
2. Do you guarantee your work? If
they don't guarantee to fix all of the
problems on the computer, don't
allow them access.
3. When do I get my computer back?
DO NOT EVER DROP OFF YOUR
COMPUTER WITH A TECHNI-
CIAN!!! You have personal information
on the computer and, unless
you are prepared to give them your
purse and wallet and the keys to
your car, your Social Security Number,
etc., etc., etc., then don't leave
them the computer. You should
work with a reputable company
and, if possible, watch the work
they do to ensure you are getting
quality work. If they just go in and
change a couple of settings, they
could be scamming you. Further,
you should get your computer back
the same day (in most cases) or, at
the latest, the next day. Depending
on the condition of your system,
there may be an occasion when the
corrective action requires more
than 8 hours of work by the most
qualified of technicians.
4. Do you offer ongoing support for
me? A reputable firm will offer
an annual plan that allows you
unfettered access to a technician.
In our organization, we offer 24/7
help with a direct line to a technician.
Hackers don't take breaks or
lunches.
When in doubt, call someone you
trust. After your experience with our
technical support, we encourage you
to share it with others you care about.
The sooner we can get your personal
information protected, whether it
be by encryption or cyber security,
the better off and safer you and your
family will be.

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57

GROWING UP IN A MICHIgan
suburb, just outside
of Detroit, Dr. Shivali Gohel
was destined to get into the
healthcare profession. "My
father was a general surgeon
and would bring home video
tapes of gallbladder surgeries
for my sisters and I to watch,
in hopes that the love of
medicine would rub off on
his children. I would watch
it almost like a scary movie,
peeking through my fingers,
because I was curious." Dr.
Gohel didn't end up becoming
a general surgeon, but
she did go into a surgical field
of dentistry.
Initially, she thought she
would specialize in pediatric
dentistry, as a result of her
first dental experience shadowing
a pediatric dentist.
"The experience was amazing.
On the first day in the office,
they were working with
a special needs child who was
very nervous, and everyone
around her was doing all they
could to calm her. When her
nerves got the best of her,
and she started getting ill,
the dentist and her assistants
were right there to help her
get through this experience
and had her smiling again. I
thought how wonderful they
were and how great it was to
be able to take care of a child
who was so frightened. So,
I entered into dental school
with my mind set on pediatric
dentistry.”
As time passed in dental
school, Dr. Gohel realized
that there was another area
of dentistry that she found
intriguing. "Half way through
dental school I did my first
periodontal surgical assist. I
was working on a 17-year-old
girl who was previously in a
car accident and lost her front
tooth. We had to wait until
she was fully grown to provide
a long term solution for
her. Our plan was to build up
bone so we could then place
an implant. We did not want
this young girl to deal with a
denture or flipper for the rest
of her life. It was amazing to
me when I realized that you
Dr. Shivali Gohel
58
could grow bone and that as
a periodontist I could help a
patient such as this young girl
get her smile back.”
This was the changing
moment for Dr. Gohel. She
had made up her mind that
her true love of dentistry was
in the periodontal specialty.
However, it did mean three
additional years of training,
and she had been involved in
a long distance relationship
with the man who would
become her husband. “He
wasn’t really thrilled about
us being apart for an additional
three years, but he was
then, and has always been,
extremely supportive. By the
time I completed my dental
training we had been in a
long distance relationship for
ten years, including the first
three years of our marriage."
During Dr. Gohel’s residency,
she also shadowed a local
periodontist. “I absorbed as
much as possible during my
time shadowing. Everything I
learned from him I took back
to school and worked hard to
master." She started working
full time in San Diego upon
graduation, and she and her
husband could finally end
their long distance relationship.
Dr. Gohel loves to travel
and has dreams of one day
traveling to every continent.
She and her husband have a
good start with recent trips
to India, Dubai, New Zealand,
and Croatia. Their newest addition
to the family, a poodle/
terrier mix puppy that they
adopted at the Helen Woodward
Animal Shelter, might
curtail their travels for the
time being.
Perhaps one of the most
outstanding facts about Dr.
Gohel is her desire to give
back. She has graciously
donated much of her time
working in conjunction
with the Veterans Administration
in what is called the
"Choice Program." This is a
program in which Veterans
who require dental care but
cannot get appointments
quickly through the VA, can
choose a local dentist who
participates in the program
to take care of their dental
needs, thus speeding up
their wait time and getting
quality dental care at no cost
to them. Dr. Gohel adds, "It’s
been so rewarding being able
to help Veterans, especially in
situations where they might
not get the care they need. I
am also on the committee for
the San Diego Dental Health
Foundation Gala. All proceeds
from this event go to the
John Geis, DDS Dental Clinic
at Veteran’s Village. There will
be a live and silent auction
to raise money as part of this
event.”
San Diego Woman Magazine
applauds all of the Dentists
and Doctors out there
who step up to help Veterans
with their health care needs.
After all these men and women
have done for us and our
freedom, it is good to know
that there are people in our
medical community who are
doing all they can to look out
for them.
I asked Dr. Gohel for
advice she could give to our
readers regarding the path
for those who might want to
go into the dental field:
“The field of Dentistry
is wide open for women.
Some years back dental
schools only had a student
body of about 20% female.
Today about 50% of dental
students are female. Dental
school is a lot of work, but
it all pays off. Work hard,
shadow people, figure out
what your passion is, and it is
easy after that. Dentistry is a
wonderful field especially for
women who want flexibility
in their work life. You can
have a family and a career
as a dentist. I am currently
organizing the Women’s
Dental Connection with another
orthodontist colleague
and friend, Laura. We want
to grow it to include panel
discussions and professional
topics, but perhaps most
importantly to discuss the
work/family balance and
how it can be successfully
achieved. This also allows
for networking among the
female dentists in the area.”
Along with these positions
she holds at the San Diego
County Dental Society, Dr.
Gohel is involved with the
California Society of Periodontists.
She is excited to announce
her next adventure
of buying into a periodontal
practice.
For more information
contact Dr. Gohel at dr.shivali.
gohel@gmail.com

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