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Miracle in a Box with John Callahan

Miracle in a Box
John Callahan introduces this 56-minute video, narrated by John Lithgow.  A film by Oscar-winning documentarian, John Korty. The restoration of a Steinway becomes a lyrical meditation on following the heart’s true passion in this beautifully crafted documentary. A wonderful Bay Area tale, the film traces the path of a 1927 grand piano owned by a music teacher who bequeathed her treasure to her alma mater, UC Berkeley, with the stipulation that the university ultimately reward it to “a worthy student of piano.” Before it can be given away, however, it must be restored, and here the essence of the story unfolds, as Korty follows the piano’s rebirth under the masterful care of Oakland’s venerable Callahan Piano Service.

The Secrets of the Steinway Grand Revealed
What makes a Steinway Grand so special that 98% of the pianos in Concert Halls around the world are Steinways? Concert Piano Technician John Callahan will take you inside Rancho’s Steinway Model B and show you why. John and his team have replaced every one of the 10,000+ moving parts in this instrument over the past several years. He will explain how and why – and what makes these fascinating instruments the top choice of so many pianists.

 

John Callahan, the Owner/ Operator of Callahan Piano Service since 1975, is a member of the Piano Technicians Guild and received the highest classification of Registered Piano Technician in 1978. Under his guidance, Callahan Piano Service has grown to be the largest piano service organization in the San Francisco Bay Area with over 11,000 customers including numerous churches, recording studios, recital halls, and musicians.

In Wellness, Progress Over Perfection with Sohailla Digsby

How Calories and Fat Work
What’s more important, calories, macros, or the nutrient profile of foods? Can you make any impact on where fat tissue is lost from? Is weight maintenance really a numbers game, or is there more to it? Are some people just unable to manage their weight? Find out in this session!

How to Eat Sugar
Should you avoid sugar like it’s the devil, or eat as much of it as you want, with plans to just “work it off?” How much is a reasonable amount to allow? What are the consequences if you have too much? Is it possible to eat it strategically, so that it doesn’t control you?

Abs are Made in the Kitchen
What can you do for 10 minutes a day (or an hour each weekend) that would impact what you end up putting in your mouth? Learn from an RD, cookbook author, and Mom of three that it doesn’t have to be so hard: streamline your meal prep, grocery time, and kitchen-set up!

Progress over Perfection
Do you ever find yourself waiting for the perfect time to move forward in your wellness? Perhaps you are letting perfect be the enemy of progress. Knowledge is not (enough) power to make an impact. Learn out-of-the-box approaches to making daily progress that leads to lasting change, vitality and wellness – both inside and out.

 

Sohailla Digsby is a registered dietitian, author, and international speaker. She has been a group exercise instructor since she was a teenager. She is a voice of reason – bringing clarity amidst all the nutrition fads and confusing misinformation that abound in the health and fitness space. She partners with fitness professionals to help them launch 8-week challenges that help their clients get the results that workouts alone won’t deliver. Sohailla is the recipient of several awards, including the 2018 Outstanding Alumnus of the Year for Augusta University’s Dietetic Internship, 2016 SCW Presenter of the Year Award and the Georgia Academy of Nutrition & Dietetics Media Award in 2014. She’s a mom of two boys, now 17 and 20, and a 14-year-old diva she adopted from China. She married the fella that asked her to the Senior Prom: though she said no to Prom, they’ve been married for over 25 years.

Marbled & Collaged Art with Brent Hedstrom

Where creativity and color flows. Step into the peaceful calm of the art studio and check in with your creative self.  When we’re surrounded by quiet, ideas move through us more freely-color seems brighter, and even the simplest materials begin to spark new possibilities. In this hands on workshop, you’’ll explore the magical, meditative process of paper marbling- a playful technique that transforms ink and color into swirling, one-of-a-kind patterns.  The method is unexpected, the results are always surprising, and the experience itself is calming. Once your marbled paper prints are complete, we’ll move into editing, where you’ll layer, reassemble, and mount your designs into expressive notecards and personal works of art.  It’s a beautiful way to let go of perfection and allow your hands and intuition to lead.

What you’ll leave with:
A set of handmade notecards using your marbled papers and a fresh connection to your creative rhythm rooted in stillness and play. Both the process and results will surprise you.

 

Brent Hedstrom, from the bright lights of Broadway to the vibrant chaos of the art studio, Brent’s journey is nothing short of eclectic.  His resume spans theatrical stage makeup for iconic productions like The Lion King, Romeo and Juliet, Terracotta Warriors and Medea, to owning a salon where his mastery of color and form took on new dimensions. A self-proclaimed “art junkie,” Brent Hedstrom channels his creativity into a wide range of visual art.  In his studio he works with acrylics and oils on wood panels, resin finishes, metal and paper weaving, and a special passion: marbling all kinds of paper into mesmerizing patterns.

The Three Levels of Listening with Keith MacPherson

The Three Levels of Listening
Keith’s Brain Week journey uses listening as a pathway to neuroplastic change.

His three sessions move progressively outward:
Internal Listening → Focused Listening → Global Listening

Participants learn to quiet internal noise, develop present-moment awareness, and ultimately expand their perception beyond themselves.

 Rewire – Internal Listening
“Quiet the Noise: Learning to Hear Yourself Again”
Reclaiming Inner Clarity Through Foundational Listening
We often move through life listening primarily to the loudest voice inside our heads—the running commentary, self-criticism, worries, and repetitive thoughts.

  • Participants explore:
    • How internal dialogue influences emotional regulation
    • The difference between supportive inner guidance and unregulated inner noise
    • How mental clutter affects decision-making and well-being
    • How to recognize habitual thought patterns
    • How listening inwardly can create greater clarity and self-awareness

Experiential Practice: Internal Listening
Participants are guided through practices designed to notice internal dialogue without automatically believing or reacting to it.

Key takeaway:
Before we can listen differently to the world, we must learn to hear ourselves.

Renew – Focused Listening
“Tune In: Learning to Be Fully Present”
Strengthening Mind–Body Awareness Through Attentive Listening
Focused listening brings attention into the present moment. It offers a practical pathway from distraction toward awareness, helping participants reconnect mind, body, sensation, and experience.

  • Participants explore:
    • Where attention naturally goes
    • How and why attention drifts
    • The relationship between attention and emotional regulation
    • Mind–body awareness
    • The connection between conscious and unconscious processes
    • How present-moment awareness influences perception, memory, and emotional response

Experiential Practice: Focused Listening
Participants practice bringing sustained attention to sound, sensation, breath, and the present moment.

Key takeaway:
Where attention goes, experience follows.

Reimagine – Global Listening
“Hear the Whole You: Listening With Mind, Body & Spirit”
Expansive Awareness for Navigating Life’s Stress and Possibilities
Global listening expands awareness beyond the individual thought or sound. It invites participants to listen simultaneously to themselves, others, their environment, and their own deeper sense of knowing.

  • Participants explore:
    • Listening beyond the surface
    • The integration of mind, body, and intuition
    • How expanded awareness can support decision-making
    • Cognitive flexibility and creative thinking
    • Listening as a pathway to imagination
    • How a different way of listening can create a different way of seeing life

Experiential Practice: Global Listening
Participants engage in an integrative listening experience designed to expand awareness and encourage curiosity, creativity, and possibility.

Key takeaway:
When we listen differently, we begin to imagine differently.

 

Keith MacPherson
Vocalist • Guitarist • Teacher
Keith Macpherson is a Canadian mindfulness coach, speaker, and author who has spent more than two decades empowering individuals through mindfulness-based practices. His work centers on guiding people toward clarity, presence, and meaningful transformation in their personal and professional lives. In 2018, Keith authored the bestselling book Making Sense of Mindfulness: 5 Principles to Integrate Mindfulness Practice into Your Daily Life, offering a practical framework and thoughtful insights for cultivating awareness in everyday living. A certified professional coach (CPCC) and certified leadership coach with The Leadership Circle, Keith works with individuals and organizations across Canada, the United States, Mexico, Africa, Dubai, and Great Britain. His authenticity and warmth are reflected in his daily intentions shared on social media, his regular column Keith’s Corner in corporate wellness publications, and his one-on-one and team coaching, workshops, and live lectures. At the heart of all his work is a clear vision: to expand access to mindfulness and support mental well-being on a global scale. Music has been a lifelong parallel path for Keith. A top finalist on the television series Canadian Idol, he gained national recognition for his soulful voice and authentic presence. He is also a founding member of the duo Keith and Renee, whose international touring, album releases, and original songwriting have earned a devoted following. Drawing from this rich musical background, Keith brings together music and reflection in a way that mirrors his mindfulness work—creating experiences that are heartfelt, grounding, and deeply human.

Get Strong, Stay Strong: Resistance Training for 40+ with Robert Linkul

Get Strong, Stay Strong: Resistance Training for 40+  

 Join Robert Linkul for a strength training workout that will feature five key lifts that deliver great results for our aging bodies including. This workout will focus on:  

• Building bone density
• Increasing muscle mass
• Improved cardiovascular health
• Improved posture and gait length
• Improving your over all health & wellness  

This high intensity resistance training (HIRT) workout will feature deadlifts, rows, loaded carries, overhead pressing and split stance exercises that deliver great results!  

Do you have physical limitations? Don’t worry, Robert specializes in modifying workouts based on injuries or limitations. If you can walk into the gym, we will be able to modify the workout to fit your needs!  

Come have a great workout with some awesome 80’s action film references leaving you wanting to say “I’ll be back” for more tomorrow!  

———— 

Lecture/Presentation: 
Five Strategies to Improve Life Longevity 

Join Robert Linkul, certified strength and conditioning specialist and owner of TrainingTheOlderAdult.com, for a presentation that features five strategies that you can implement into your daily practice to help improve your health and overall life longevity. Robert will discuss overcoming cancer (twice), three hip replacements, back surgery and 16 total surgeries and everything he has learned over his 26+ year long career working with clients who have had every physical limitation known to mankind. We will deep dive resistance training, cardiovascular health, sleep hygiene, proper nutrition and hydration and cognitive health over this 60 minute presentation that features Robert’s real clients, who experienced real results and how you can use these strategies to improve your quality of life and longevity. Come learn how to live stronger, longer, healthier and happier! 

 

Robert Linkul is the owner of TOA (TrainingTheOlderAdult.com) a personal training studio and online continued education provider for fitness professionals in Shingle Springs, California. Robert is an internationally known continued education provider for fitness professionals with his area of expertise being in resistance training strategies for the Older Adult with physical limitations and/or decreased quality of life. Linkul has his master’s degree in personal training, is the NSCAs 2012 Personal Trainer of the Year award winner, a 2017 NSCA Fellowship inductee, was voted on to the 2021-2024 NSCA Board of Directors (Personal Trainer Position) and is the Director of Education for Fit Body Boot Camp.

Music as a Pathway to Attention, Emotion, Creativity & Connection with Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir

Music as a Pathway to Attention, Emotion, Creativity & Connection
Sæunn’s contribution makes the neuroscience of Brain Week audible and embodied.

Her three musical experiences parallel the Rewire → Renew → Reimagine journey, moving from concentrated listening, to emotional exploration, to collective creation.

Rewire – Bach Cello Suites
Deep Listening: Attention, Pattern & Memory
Three masterpieces from the 1700s by one of the greatest composers in Western music, performed on solo cello.

  • Participants are invited to slow down and experience the extraordinary complexity of Bach’s music through a single instrument.
  • The experience explores:
    • Deep listening — sustaining attention and noticing subtle detail
    • Pattern and memory — recurring themes, variation, anticipation, and resolution
    • Attention and perception — experiencing how focused listening changes what we notice
    • Music and the brain — the widespread neural engagement created by musical experience

Experiential Practice: Deep Listening
Participants listen for patterns, changes, repetition, tension, and resolution—experiencing attention as an active practice.

Key takeaway:
Attention can be trained.

Renew – The Inner Journey
Improvised Cello & The Hero’s Journey
An evening of improvised cello music inspired by mythic storytelling and Joseph Campbell’s Hero’s Journey.

  • Participants encounter universal themes of departure, transformation, challenge, surrender, and return.
  • The experience explores:
    • The inner journey — using story as a framework for personal reflection
    • Music in the moment — spontaneous composition shaped by the story, atmosphere, and people present
    • Emotion through music — experiencing music as a pathway into and through emotion
    • The relationship between music, memory, emotion, and regulation

Experiential Practice: Musical Reflection
Participants are invited to listen inwardly as the music unfolds, connecting sound with memory, emotion, imagery, and personal meaning.

Key takeaway:
Music can help us access, experience, and transform emotion.

Reimagine – Pauline Oliveros & Deep Listening
From Listener to Creator
An interactive musical experience inspired by Pauline Oliveros’ Sonic Meditations.
This session builds directly on Keith’s concept of Global Listening, expanding awareness from individual listening toward a shared sonic environment.

  • Participants explore:
    • Global listening — hearing the larger sonic environment rather than focusing only on one sound
    • From listener to creator — moving from passively receiving music to actively shaping it
    • Vocalization, improvisation, and simple sound-making
    • Creativity and cognitive flexibility
    • Music as a pathway to social connection and shared presence

Experiential Practice: Collective Music-Making
Participants become part of the musical experience through simple exercises in listening, sound, vocalization, and improvisation.

Key takeaway:
When we become creators rather than merely observers, new possibilities emerge.

 

Æunn Thorsteinsdóttir
Cellist • Musician • Educator
Known for her “emotional intensity” (Los Angeles Times), Icelandic cellist Sæunn Thorsteinsdóttir moves fluidly between centuries-old repertoire and spontaneous creation. As a soloist, she has performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic, BBC Symphony, and Iceland Symphony, and appeared at Carnegie Hall, Elbphilharmonie, and Disney Hall.  Her recordings include Marrow, a critically acclaimed interpretation of Bach’s six cello suites (“a front runner among recent recordings” — The Arts Desk); Vernacular, a collection of Icelandic works for solo cello; and Quake, a Grammy-nominated concerto by Páll Ragnar Pálsson. A passionate advocate for new music, she has premiered and recorded works by composers including Daníel Bjarnason and Anna Thorvaldsdóttir.  Sæunn is the founder of The Music Portal, a virtual concert space for her improvisations, and the creator of Soul Resonance, a 1:1 musical experience inspired by each client’s emotional landscape. She has held faculty positions at the University of Washington and the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music, and Artistic Advisor of the Við Djúpið Music Festival as well as the newly appointed Artistic Director of Tertulia, NYC. When not performing, you can find her in her homeland or traveling the world searching for the perfect pain au chocolat.  www.saeunn.com

From Doing to Being with River Morgan

From Doing to Being
Making mindfulness practical, playful, and relevant to real life.

Our lives are increasingly defined by doing: achieving, managing, planning, producing, and moving from one thing to the next. But what happens when we pause long enough to actually experience the life we have created?

In this engaging and accessible introduction to mindfulness, River Morgan invites you to explore the art of moving from constant doing into a more spacious experience of being. Through simple practices, conversation, humor, and experiential exercises, you will discover that mindfulness doesn’t require sitting perfectly still or escaping everyday life; it can be woven into the moments we are already living.

Together, we will explore how to become more present in conversation, more aware of our thoughts and emotions, less reactive under pressure, and more capable of actually enjoying the moments that make up our lives.

This is practical and playful mindfulness designed for real people with full lives.

The Art of the Pause: Creating space between stimulus and response

Mindfulness 101: It’s Not What You Think: A practical introduction for curious skeptics

The Joy of Being Present: Learning to actually experience the life you’re living

Less Reacting, More Responding: Mindfulness for relationships and communication

The Busy Mind: Working skillfully with thoughts, worry, and mental chatter

From Stress to Spaciousness: Simple practices for regulating the pace of daily life

Mindful Aging & Longevity: Presence as an essential part of living well

The Mindful Morning: Beginning the day with intention rather than momentum

Being Here Now: An experiential meditation journey into presence

The Happiness Practice: Why attention may be one of our greatest resources for well-being

Weaving the Practice Into Your Life: Tools for cultivating a home practice

 

River Morgan is a third-generation mindfulness and meditation teacher based in Aspen, Colorado, with more than 29 years of experience guiding individuals toward greater presence, vitality, and well-being. Her work brings together a lifelong study of movement, meditation, mindfulness, and the art of living well. 

For more than 15 years, River has been a sought-after guest lecturer where she presents regularly on the transformative role of mindfulness and meditation in health, longevity, and quality of life. Her work has also taken her to some of the world’s most distinguished wellness destinations, including The Greenhouse Spa and The World Residential Yacht, as well as private retreats, international symposiums, and gatherings devoted to mindfulness, happiness, longevity, and human potential. She is currently the director of Lead With Love- an international organization that creates heart-centered leaders.  

In 2007, River created “From Doing to Being,” a private program designed for newly retired CEOs and accomplished leaders navigating the transition from lives defined by achievement into a new chapter centered on presence, purpose, and deeper fulfillment. Her approach speaks to the increasingly important intersection of longevity and quality of life—inviting people not simply to live longer, but to live more fully. 

River’s perspective and teaching have been featured in Yoga Journal, Forbes Magazine, Elephant Journal, and Aspen Peak Magazine. She has also been featured as a model for Gaiam and Jade, authored a wellness column for The Aspen Daily News, and has had her classes featured on Golf Forever, Healthy Backs Forever, Aspen82, and The Healthy Life channels. 

Known for her warm presence, depth of experience, and ability to make contemplative practices both accessible and profoundly relevant, River creates experiences that invite guests to slow down, reconnect, and cultivate a more meaningful relationship with themselves and the world around them. 

Gyrokinesis with Elizabeth Jackson

Experience the essential joy of living in a moving body with this Gyrokinesis® class. Each session begins with a gentle warm-up that awakens the senses, followed by fluid exercises blending movement, rhythm, and breath. This practice decompresses the spine while strengthening and stabilizing the core. It balances every system and joint, reduces toxins, prevents injury, and inspires natural movement patterns—creating a harmoniously balanced, supple, and functional body.

 

Elizabeth Jackson

Elizabeth Jackson, owner of White Lotus Studio, is a Master Trainer of the GYROTONIC® System and studied directly with its creator, Juliu Horvath. She is also an instructor trainer for GYROKINESIS® classes, GYROTONIC® Specialized Equipment, and is co-author of the Gyrokinesis® Essentials manuals, which offer movement programs focusing on the lumbar, thoracic, and cervical spine.

Her educational background includes degrees from Harvard University and the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology. Her academic journey bridged physics, physiology, and philosophy, and was driven by a deep curiosity about the workings of nature. Personal struggles with scoliosis sparked her passion for alternative therapies and movement systems designed to workout the body the way its designed to move.

Elizabeth holds a Pilates certification from Romana Kryzanowska and Yamuna Body Rolling certification from Yamuna Zake. Her practice is further enhanced by influences from Myofascial Therapist Tom Myers and Cranial Sacral Instructor Gary Strauss.

With over 27 years of hands-on experience, Elizabeth has worked with a diverse clientele, including professional athletes, the handicapped, the elderly, and others seeking improved health and well-being. Her career reflects dedication, skill, and a holistic-somatic understanding of the body.

Pickleball with Michael Brody

Who is the best pickleball player in the world?  The one having the most fun!  And one of the things that makes pickleball so fun is that it’s easy to learn and improvements can come quickly with practice. 

Beginner clinics are designed for first time players. We will learn the rules, dinks, volleys, ground strokes, serving, basic game strategies and progress to play games as the week goes on.  

Intermediate clinics are for more experienced players who want to work on consistency and rate themselves at 2.5-3.5. Drills will focus on cross-court dinking, drops and drives, third and fifth shot strategy, moving through the transition zone, court positioning, and serving.  

Advanced clinics are designed for 3.5+ players. We will drill resets, changing the pace of play, backhand attacking from the kitchen line and other skills that participants request.  

Friday morning I will host a leveled RLP Open Tournament that requires advanced sign-up.

 

Michael’s love for racket sports began when he was five and started learning tennis. He played competitively through high school as a doubles specialist and played ping pong and racquetball with friends on the side. Michael has worked guiding backcountry canoe and backpacking trips for middle school students, is an expert skier (though a beginner on teles), seasoned backpacker and an accomplished rock climber who has taken part in a multipitch first ascent in the southern Sierra and done two routes on El Capitan in Yosemite. A Father’s Day pickleball lesson got him hooked, and now he plays weekly, coaches adult clinics, and gives private lessons in San Francisco and Sonoma.

Away from sports, Michael is a life-long educator who holds a Masters degree in Education and has worked as a teacher and administrator in California Independent Schools for over 30 years. He is the co-author of two blended learning Economics textbooks and he has trained Economics teachers in the western US, China and the Middle East. 

Michael lives in San Francisco with his wife, and sometimes mixed-doubles partner, Ali, and has two sons, neither of whom will play pickleball. 

Pilates for Active Agers: Strength, Mobility & Stability for Life with June Kahn

Pilates for Active Agers: Building Strength, Mobility & Stability for Life
Join specialty instructor June for a progressive week-long Pilates Mat series designed specifically for active adults who want to move with greater strength, confidence, and ease. Through daily 45–60 minute sessions, participants will learn a practical and accessible Pilates-based movement program that can be continued at home long after the week concludes. 

Each class builds upon the previous day’s foundation, introducing progressive mat exercises that enhance functional strength, mobility, balance, postural alignment, and core stability. Participants will discover how Pilates principles can support healthy aging by improving movement efficiency, reducing compensatory patterns, and promoting greater resilience in everyday activities. 

In addition to the physical practice, brief educational discussions will explore the science and theory behind the exercises, including topics such as core function, joint health, balance, mobility, breathing mechanics, and the role of movement in maintaining independence and vitality as we age. 

Whether you are new to Pilates or looking to deepen your understanding of mindful movement, this series offers a supportive and engaging environment to develop skills that translate directly into daily life. 

Participants Will Learn: 

  • Fundamental Pilates principles and movement strategies 
  • Progressive mat exercises designed for active aging 
  • Techniques to improve functional strength and postural support
  • Mobility and flexibility practices for healthy joints
  • Balance and stability exercises to enhance confidence in movement
  • Breathing and core activation techniques for efficient movement
  • A sustainable home practice to support long-term wellness  

Benefits: 

  • Increased strength and stability 
  • Improved mobility and movement quality
  • Enhanced balance and coordination
  • Greater body awareness and confidence
  • Practical tools to support healthy, active aging

Leave the week with a deeper understanding of your body, a repertoire of effective Pilates exercises, and a personalized framework for maintaining strength, mobility, and vitality for years to come.

 

June Kahn is an internationally recognized fitness and Pilates Master Educator, presenter and entrepreneur. A recipient of the prestigious IDEA World Fitness Instructor of the Year Award, she is the founder of June Kahn’s Bodyworks, LLC™ and former owner of Center Your Body Pilates, a 7 time award-winning studio in Boulder, Colorado.

Known for bridging the gap between classical Pilates and the modern fitness industry, June has spent decades training and mentoring fitness & Pilates professionals globally. Her global influence, innovative programming, and dynamic teaching style have made her a sought-after expert in the field.

June serves as an advisor to PhysicalMind Institute Pilates™, former Elite Master Trainer for Body Bar™ Systems, and a key contributor to Barre Above (FitPro Programming). She currently appears as On-Demand Live and Online Talent for ASHN.  A published author & frequent contributor to leading industry publications & media, June serves as a subject matter expert/exam writer for the American Council on Exercise (ACE).

On a personal note, June is a former dancer, loves cooking,  all outdoor activities including hiking, walking, skiing, biking and dancing;  and is the mom of 2 sons, with 4 Grandchildren and 2 Great- Grandchildren that she adores.

The Psychology of Neuroplasticity, Well-Being & Relationships with Randy Kamen

The Psychology of Neuroplasticity, Well-Being & Relationships
Dr. Kamen brings the scientific and psychological foundation for Brain Week. Her sessions translate current understanding of neuroplasticity into practical tools participants can immediately incorporate into their lives.

Rewire
Neuroplasticity & The Power of Ritual
Changing the Brain Through Attention and Repetition
The brain wires and rewires through repetition. What we repeatedly think about, attend to, and practice becomes increasingly accessible.

  • Participants explore:
    • How the brain changes through repetition and experience
    • Why attention is the sculptor of the brain
    • The difference between the stress-reactive brain and a regulated nervous system
    • How everyday habits become neural pathways
    • Why small, consistent practices can create meaningful change

Experiential Practice: The Anchor
Participants learn a simple Morning Anchor Ritual designed to establish intentional attention at the beginning of the day.

Key takeaway:
What you repeatedly practice, your brain strengthens.

Renew
The Gratitude Effect
Training the Brain to Notice What Is Good
Our brains are naturally wired to detect threat, problems, and what needs attention. Gratitude provides a way to deliberately strengthen the neural pathways associated with appreciation, positive emotion, and resilience.

  • Participants explore:
    • The brain’s negativity bias
    • How intentional appreciation changes what we notice
    • The relationship between gratitude, positive emotion, and resilience
    • Research on the neurobiology of positive emotional states
    • How gratitude becomes more powerful when it is practiced rather than simply felt
    • How to fortify the good and build an emotional foundation that supports well-being

Experiential Practice: Gratitude Sculpting
Participants learn a sustainable daily gratitude practice designed to move beyond a simple gratitude list toward actively training attention toward what is meaningful, nourishing, and working.

Key takeaway:
What we repeatedly notice becomes increasingly available to us.

Reimagine
From Relationship to Relationships
Creating More Connected Relationships—Within Ourselves and With Others
Our nervous systems are constantly communicating with one another. Greater emotional regulation creates greater capacity for connection, communication, empathy, and repair.

  • Participants explore:
    • How regulated nervous systems support regulated relationships
    • The relationship between self-awareness and interpersonal connection
    • How stress and emotional reactivity affect communication
    • Tools for mindful communication
    • How to repair relational ruptures
    • How to create greater satisfaction and connection in relationships
    • How the relationship we have with ourselves shapes the relationships we have with others

Experiential Practice: Relationship Reset
Participants practice simple strategies for pausing, regulating, listening, and responding differently during moments of interpersonal stress.

Key takeaway:
When we change how we regulate and communicate, we change the relationships we experience.

 

Randy Kamen, EdD
Psychologist • Educator • Author
Dr. Randy Kamen is a psychologist, life coach, educator, and bestselling author of Behind the Therapy Door and The Gratitude Effect Positivity Journal. A pioneer in mind-body medicine at Boston University and Harvard Medical School, she leads global programs, workshops, and retreats. Her Thera-Coaching approach integrates evidence-based tools for mindset, self-regulation, relationships, and purposeful living. Dr. Kamen divides her time between Martha’s Vineyard and New York City and is delighted to return to Rancho La Puerta.

The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples with Pepper Schwartz

What I Learned about Love and Marriage from “Married at First Sight!”
Join Pepper Schwartz for a candid look at what she’s learned after 19 seasons of hosting the show.

Sex, Intimacy, Health & Happiness
Sex not only feels good, but research also indicates it may actually make you mentally and physically healthier. This talk explores why we may be inhibited and offers some suggestions about how to have a more confident and pleasurable sexual self.

Snap Strategies for Common Relationship Issues
Discover practical guidance and fresh perspectives from relationship expert Pepper Schwartz.

 

Pepper Schwartz, Ph.D, is respected for both her academic and popular work on sexuality and intimate relationships. She received her PhD from Yale University and had a long career as Professor of Sociology at the University of Washington where she received the Pan Hellenic teaching award. She was awarded the honor of Distinguished Alumni by her undergraduate University, Washington University in St Louis and The University of Minnesota School of Family Medicine and the Eli Coleman Institute of Gender and Sexual Health created the Pepper Schwartz Professorship on Sexuality and Aging in her name. She is the author of 26 books including two New York Times best sellers, The Normal Bar: The Surprising Secrets of Happy Couples and Ten Talks Parents Must Have with Their Kids on Sex and Character. Among the many awards she has received for her work she is proudest of the recognition she received from The American Sociological Association for Public Understanding of Sociology. She has been active in public media, appearing multiple times om Oprah, Good Morning America, CBS morning news, CNN, and NBC. She has written columns for the New York Times, was an AARP ambassador and wrote the AARP column on love and relationships for over a decade, presently she writes a monthly column for Seattle Magazine and has been profiled in the Wall Street Journal and other major news outlets. Over the last eleven years, however, she has gained a public following for her work as a relationship expert on Married at First Sight, a popular reality show, now in its 19th season.  First carried on Lifetime television and Net Flix, it is now owned by NBC and Peacock. Her most prized fact about the show is that Michelle Obama has said the Married at First Sight is one of her two favorite shows! She is currently working on projects with AI, a scripted television show about her work, and two books. She is married, living outside of Seattle Washington on a horse ranch, and has two adult children, four grandchildren, two personal horses and two very large and demanding dogs. Her new and fanatic hobby is watching Korean dramas and rom-coms on Netflix. Her most recent book, published by Rowand and Littlefield, is Relationship RX (2023) with Jessica Griffin.

Summer Concert Series with George Lopez & Gulimina Mahamuti

An inspiring week of music unfolds through dynamic performances for solo piano, two pianos, and four hands—spanning continents, styles, and eras. From the vibrant colors of Latin America to the elegance of the classical tradition and the irresistible rhythms of American classics, each concert offers a distinct and memorable musical journey.

New Horizons: A Journey for Two Pianos at Oaktree Pavilion
Elizondo • Bach • Piazzolla
A rich and compelling two-piano program that moves from the vibrant colors of Mexico to the grandeur of Bach’s Passacaglia, and into the fiery rhythms of Argentine tango. Bold, expressive, and deeply engaging.

American Pie: From Gershwin to the Silver Screen (Solo Keyboard) Outdoor at the Bazar
Gershwin • Joplin • Billy Joel
A high-energy, feel-good program full of rhythm, charm, and virtuosity—from jazzy Gershwin preludes and classic ragtime to the iconic sounds of Broadway and film. Bold, stylish, and irresistibly fun.

Around the World in Four Hands (Piano Duet) Outdoor Concert
Mozart • Mahle • Piazzolla
An intimate and joyful four-hand program that travels from the elegance of Mozart to the vibrant colors of Brazil and the passion of tango. Playful, communicative, and perfect for a relaxed evening under the stars.

 

Duo Mundi: George & Gulimina
Duo Mundi captivates audiences worldwide with their dynamic artistry and bold, innovative programming. Praised for performances that “…breathe the same artistic air…with an adrenaline of communication that captivates audiences of every generation,” the duo creates beautifully synchronized experiences that engage both the eye and ear.

Since their inception, they have performed to standing-room-only audiences across Mexico, China, Brazil, Switzerland, and Italy, including a feature on Italian national television (RAI2). Their 2023 debut at Steinway Hall in New York City marked a major milestone, followed by appearances at the Oculus at One World Trade Center, The Village Trip Festival, and Third Street Settlement Music School. They have also presented a groundbreaking Steinway & Sons SpirioCast connecting audiences in Boston and Philadelphia.

On the West Coast, they have appeared at Santa Barbara’s historic Lobero Theatre and performed throughout Seattle and Baja California. Their reach extends beyond the stage through radio broadcasts such as All Classical Portland’s Thursdays @ Three. Dedicated educators and cultural ambassadors, they present masterclasses and lectures internationally and have reached over a thousand students through outreach initiatives in Belize. In 2024, they launched a Klavierfest at Bowdoin College exploring the impact of A.I. on music. With each performance, Duo Mundi continues to redefine the piano duo experience, bridging cultures and generations.

George Lopez
George Lopez is Artist in Residence and Symphony Orchestra Director at Bowdoin College. Known for his “kaleidoscopic colors and clarity of conception” (Los Angeles Times), he is celebrated for his refined and thoughtfully curated performances. His debut at the Concertgebouw in Amsterdam was praised as “authentic and memorable” for his interpretations of Bach and Chopin.

His expansive repertoire includes the complete Mozart sonatas, Beethoven piano concertos, Rachmaninoff’s Etudes-Tableaux, Chopin’s Etudes and Ballades, and Bach’s Klavierübungen, performed across organ, harpsichord, and piano. He has performed internationally throughout Europe, Latin America, Asia, Australia, and the United States, appearing at venues such as Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, Merkin Hall, Benaroya Hall, and Ambassador Hall.

Lopez has been featured at major festivals worldwide and has appeared as a soloist with orchestras including the National Symphony of São Paolo and the Prague Chamber Orchestra. He collaborates regularly with members of leading ensembles such as the New York Philharmonic and Chicago Symphony. He holds top honors from the École Normale de Musique in Paris and the Sweelinck Conservatorium in Amsterdam, and is a dedicated mentor to the next generation of musicians.

Gulimina Mahamuti
Gulimina Mahamuti has performed on international stages from Carnegie Hall to major venues in Montreal, Copenhagen, Beijing, Istanbul, and Budapest. As a soloist, she has appeared with orchestras including the Southeast Kansas Symphony, Mansfield Symphony, and Harbin Philharmonic.

Her performances have been featured on radio and media outlets across the U.S., China, and Turkey, including Maine Public Radio and San Francisco’s classical stations, as well as a two-part television documentary in China.

She earned her Doctor of Musical Arts in Piano Performance from the University of Missouri–Kansas City, becoming the first Uyghur pianist from China to receive this degree in the United States. She also holds two master’s degrees with highest honors. A passionate educator and advocate for diverse musical traditions, she teaches at Bowdoin College and has published in Clavier Companion, along with her acclaimed album Xinjiang Piano Music from Western China.

Planting The Seeds of Wellbeing with Alexander Kopelman

The Sessions:

Encountering the Authentic Self
We begin at the beginning: with ourselves. Through a guided self-portrait activity, participants explore the gap—and the connection—between their innermost private self and the persona they present to the world. Using a deceptively simple series of reflective questions, we begin to map who we are in our most private inner space, and who we are in the world. The distance between those two portraits tells its own story—and opens a rich, often surprising conversation about what authenticity actually feels like, and why it matters.

Participants leave with their first personal definition of authenticity and a concrete practice: the W.H.O.L.E. framework (see Session 4), introduced briefly as a compass for the week ahead.

Examining Our Social Mirrors
Who shaped the story you tell about yourself? In this session, participants create a personal community map—a visual portrait of the relationships and social environments that have influenced how they see themselves. We explore how socialization, the messages we absorbed from the adults in our own childhoods, and the communities we belong to have functioned as mirrors—some clear, some distorted—through which our self-concepts have formed.

Participants reflect on the ways these same forces are at work in the lives of the children they care for, and consider what it means to be a clearer, more honest, more loving mirror for a young person.

Mapping Our Inner Universes
Each of us contains depths we rarely visit—parts of ourselves that shine brightly, parts we keep carefully in shadow, and parts we have barely begun to explore. In this session, participants create a map of their inner universe: a celestial chart of the self that makes visible what is luminous, what is obscured, and what remains unknown.

This activity, drawn directly from For Real, opens a contemplative space for honest self-inquiry. We explore what it means to choose which parts of ourselves to express—and what the consequences are, for ourselves and for the children watching us, when significant parts of who we are remain in the dark.

Practicing Being W.H.O.L.E.
The series culminates in a full introduction to the W.H.O.L.E. framework—the Children’s Arts Guild’s core practice for lifelong authentic living. Participants explore each of the five dimensions:

  • Witness: Being present to your body, mind, and spirit through regular self-check-ins
  • Honest: Seeing yourself clearly—your strengths and your struggles—without distortion
  • Open: Cultivating genuine curiosity about your own growth and possibility
  • Loving: Practicing the kindness and self-compassion that make honest self-examination sustainable
  • Expressive: Finding ways to bring the truth of who you are into the world

Participants learn how to practice W.H.O.L.E. in their own lives and how to introduce it to the children in their care—using age-appropriate language, activities, and questions. We close with participants articulating a personal mission statement and a concrete first step for continuing the practice after the week.

Alexander’s Full Program

 

 

Alexander Kopelman is a writer, social entrepreneur, advocate, and coach who has devoted thirty years to advancing social justice and personal empowerment. As Founding President & CEO of the Children’s Arts Guild, he has led the development of nationally recognized programs in authenticity-based social-emotional learning, serving hundreds of educators and thousands of students across the United States. Alex is the author of For Real: Helping Children Remain Their Authentic Selves in a Limiting World (Page Two Books, June 2026), as well as ten previously authored and co-authored books, including The Empress Has No Clothes: Overcoming Self-Doubt to Embrace Success. He is a member of the Authors’ Guild. The Guild’s programs have been presented at South by Southwest EDU, the National School Boards Association Conference, and the National Art Education Association Conference. The Guild is a recognized New York State CTLE Sponsor and an official ASPDP Partner with the NYC Department of Education.
Websites: authenticityworks.org; forrealbook.org
Email: hello@childrensartsguild.org
Instagram / LinkedIn / Substack: @childrensartsguild

Living with Intention with Jessica Zemple

Join Jessica Zemple for a transformational journey of storytelling, self-discovery, and soul-shining practices. Through playful yet powerful sessions—and vulnerable conversations around grief, forgiveness, and the experiences that shape us—you’ll learn to clarify your dreams, release limiting beliefs, reclaim your energy, and bring your deepest desires to life. Each class invites you to crack open the shell of fear, uncover your inner pearl, and live with more purpose, joy, and connection.

1. Give Yourself Permission to Live Freely
Give yourself permission to step out of your shell, reconnect with what’s truly in your heart, and move toward a life that feels authentically yours.

2. Master Your Mindset
Explore practical ways to shift your mindset, move through fear, and embrace life with greater courage, possibility, and freedom.

3. Make Space for What Matters
Protect your energy, let go of what no longer serves you, and create more space for the people, experiences, and dreams that help you feel alive.

4. Cracked, But Not Broken: A Film and Conversation on Hope and Healing
Watch Jessica Zemple’s award-winning short documentary about love, reconciliation, and healing, followed by a facilitated conversation on forgiveness, compassion, resilience, and hope.

5. Grief as a Companion: A Conversation on Loss and Love
Explore how grief continues to walk beside us after loss and how making space for it can deepen compassion, connection, and meaning.

 

Jessica Zemple helps people shuck open their shells of fear with love to let their pearls shine leading to a more fulfilling life! 

Jessica Zemple, founder of Life Shucker, helps individuals and organizations find their deeper purpose and translate that into authentic success through transformative coaching, workshops, and retreats. Jessica is also a keynote speaker and her life coaching philosophies and techniques have been featured in Entrepreneur, Forbes, Huffington Post, and Inc..  Her book, Shuck This Way, reached #1 on Amazon.  Her award-winning documentary, Cracked, was made to spread more hope and healing in our world.  You can find her at www.lifeshucker.com.

Make Space for More: A Soulful Reset for Joy, Clarity & Inspired Living with Sheila Elaine

Release what no longer serves you, reconnect with your true self, and create space for a vibrant, purpose-filled life.

This rejuvenating series is your invitation to pause, reflect, and realign with what matters most. Through inspiring talks, mind-body practices, and heartfelt connection, you’ll gain clarity on your deepest desires, break free from limiting beliefs, and reignite your joy. Each session builds on the next while standing strong on its own, guiding you to make space for more—more peace, purpose, vitality, and play. Whether you’re navigating transition, craving inspiration, or ready to live life on your terms, this experience will nourish you from the inside out. Come home to yourself… and leave with tools to keep that connection alive.

 

Lesson 1:
Creating What You Want—Even When Your Thoughts Get In Your Way
You know how to do this, you’ve been successful before, yet sometimes your thoughts just won’t cooperate, and you find yourself ruminating and overthinking. This session explores how to get what you truly want.  Learn simple tools to quiet fear, shift your mindset, and reconnect with your inner guidance. Whether you’re stuck in worry or just seeking clarity, this talk will help you align your thoughts with your desires and start creating with more ease.

Lesson 2:
What’s Love (& Gratitude) Got to Do With It? Finding Light When Life Feels Heavy
Gratitude is easy when life flows—but how do we access it when things feel heavy, messy, uncertain, or hard? In this uplifting session, you’ll learn how love and gratitude can become powerful anchors, even in the toughest times. Through gentle mindset shifts and grounding tools, you’ll rediscover your resiliency and capacity to find light in the dark and grow through whatever you’re facing. You’ll leave feeling centered, empowered, and more connected to the good that still surrounds you.

Lesson 3:
Make Space for More: Creating A Life That Feeds Your Soul
You’ve made space for everyone else—now it’s your turn. This talk walks you through 5 core principles to help you reconnect with your true desires, release what no longer serves you, and design a life that brings more joy, fulfillment, and meaning. You’ll gain practical tools for mind-body connection, clarity, and aligned action—so you can expand your impact without sacrificing your well-being. It’s time to make space for you.

Lesson 4:
The Next Chapter: Rewriting the Story of Your Life
Your past may explain where you’ve been, but it doesn’t have to determine where you’re going. In this inspiring and interactive presentation, Sheila Elaine shares how the stories we tell ourselves quietly shape our choices, relationships, confidence, and happiness. Discover how to identify the outdated narratives that no longer serve you, reconnect with your inner wisdom, and intentionally write a new chapter rooted in possibility rather than limitation. You’ll leave with practical tools to release what no longer fits, embrace who you’re becoming, and create a future that reflects your truest self—because the pen has been in your hands all along.

Lesson 5:
You Can Bend But You Won’t Break: Living Your Best Life at Any Age
Does aging equal diminishing? What if it means coming alive in new, playful, and powerful ways? At age 50, Sheila discovered Acro Yoga. At 60, she added fire spinning. This inspiring session blends movement and message to share how discovering play, trust, and community helps us live more fully—with joy and confidence—at any age. You’ll walk away with life-affirming insights on aging boldly, breaking limiting beliefs, and embracing what’s still possible. Be entertained, energized, and reminded: you’re stronger—and more vibrant—than you think.

 

 

Sheila Elaine, aka The Grateful Goddess, is a coach and speaker specializing in transformative topics such as the law of attraction, gratitude, women’s empowerment, and the mind/body connection in health and wellness. With a dozen years of speaking at world-renowned resorts and spas, she has inspired and empowered thousands to cultivate lives filled with meaning, purpose, and joy. Sheila champions the pursuit of one’s deepest desires, encouraging all to embrace the adventure of living authentically and passionately. She fosters leaders in all aspects of your life so you can exponentially expand your impact without sacrificing your health and well-being.

Inner Fitness with Laila Tarraf

Laila Tarraf is a leadership coach and human capital advisor with over 25 years of experience working with founders, owners, and leadership teams at critical moments of transition, growth, and complexity. She has held three Chief People Officer roles, first as a founding member of Walmart.com during the height of the first internet bubble, then at Peet’s Coffee & Tea as it evolved from a regional retail company into a national, multi-channel brand. Most recently, she served as Chief People Officer at Allbirds, where she built the leadership and people infrastructure required to navigate a global pandemic, significant social unrest, and the company’s successful path to becoming a public company.

Ms. Tarraf also spent seven years in private equity, serving as Director of Human Capital at GI Partners and later as a Human Capital Advisor with Altamont Capital. In these roles, she partnered closely with founders, CEOs, and leadership teams across the investment lifecycle, supporting CEO transitions, leadership team alignment, succession planning, and high-stakes conversations where economics, power, and trust intersect.

Today, Ms. Tarraf advises founders, family owners, private-equity-backed CEOs, and management teams navigating inflection points such as founder transitions, ownership and partnership dynamics, and leadership succession. Her work focuses on helping leaders move through complexity by surfacing unspoken dynamics, strengthening decision-making and accountability, and enabling leadership teams to operate with greater cohesion and effectiveness.

Known for her ability to integrate human dynamics, organizational design, and business strategy, Ms. Tarraf helps leaders develop deeper awareness of their motivations and patterns, strengthen their capacity for direct and constructive dialogue, and build leadership teams capable of sustaining both performance and relationship over time.

Ms. Tarraf is a graduate of the Berkeley Haas School of Business and the author of Strong Like Water. She is a sought-after advisor, coach, and speaker.

You can learn more about her at lailatarraf.com and linkedin.com/in/lailatarraf.

Create Your Reality: Strategies for Powerful Everyday Living with Christina Boyd-Smith, PhD

Create Your Reality: Strategies for Powerful Everyday Living 

Where to Start? You Choose!
You craft your life using building blocks. What are those blocks, and how do you apply them to your life for maximum satisfaction and success? 

What Do You Believe?
Much of what you hold “true” is beliefs. When you replace limiting beliefs with expansive ones, your choices and outcomes change with ease.  

What to Do with Your Emotions
Emotions are complicated and often inconvenient or uncontrollable. I will teach you a simple framework to leverage your emotions for greater clarity and purpose.  

Inner Dialogue: Tame Your Inner Critic
Your inner critic says you can’t or aren’t enough. We’ll use a powerful structure to discern which inner voices are trustworthy to bring clarity and certainty to your relationships and decisions.  

5 Steps to Create What You Want
Consciously or not, you create your reality. I will teach you 5 steps to craft your life so the reality you want unfolds in magical and exciting ways.  

 

Christina Boyd-Smith, PhD
Christina Boyd-Smith, PhD teaches you to craft life with strategies grounded in daily reality. In addition to being the Corporate Rebel Coach, she is accredited by the International Coach Federation, works with clients 1:1, in groups, and is a speaker and author. With her no-nonsense and spirited style, she helps leaders and teams in business, non-profit, and educational organizations worldwide. Christina is a Returned Peace Corps volunteer from Pakistan and Nepal, a Moth storyteller, and makes a wonderful peach pie. More info and contact information at: thecorporaterebel.com. 

Inner Fitness with Laila Tarraf

Laila Tarraf is a leadership coach and human capital advisor with over 25 years of experience working with founders, owners, and leadership teams at critical moments of transition, growth, and complexity. She has held three Chief People Officer roles, first as a founding member of Walmart.com during the height of the first internet bubble, then at Peet’s Coffee & Tea as it evolved from a regional retail company into a national, multi-channel brand. Most recently, she served as Chief People Officer at Allbirds, where she built the leadership and people infrastructure required to navigate a global pandemic, significant social unrest, and the company’s successful path to becoming a public company.

Ms. Tarraf also spent seven years in private equity, serving as Director of Human Capital at GI Partners and later as a Human Capital Advisor with Altamont Capital. In these roles, she partnered closely with founders, CEOs, and leadership teams across the investment lifecycle, supporting CEO transitions, leadership team alignment, succession planning, and high-stakes conversations where economics, power, and trust intersect.

Today, Ms. Tarraf advises founders, family owners, private-equity-backed CEOs, and management teams navigating inflection points such as founder transitions, ownership and partnership dynamics, and leadership succession. Her work focuses on helping leaders move through complexity by surfacing unspoken dynamics, strengthening decision-making and accountability, and enabling leadership teams to operate with greater cohesion and effectiveness.

Known for her ability to integrate human dynamics, organizational design, and business strategy, Ms. Tarraf helps leaders develop deeper awareness of their motivations and patterns, strengthen their capacity for direct and constructive dialogue, and build leadership teams capable of sustaining both performance and relationship over time.

Ms. Tarraf is a graduate of the Berkeley Haas School of Business and the author of Strong Like Water. She is a sought-after advisor, coach, and speaker.

You can learn more about her at lailatarraf.com and linkedin.com/in/lailatarraf.

Connecting with your Inner Confidence with Priya Ford

Workshop 1: Turn Down the Doubt, Turn Up the Confidence
We all have an inner voice that can make us question ourselves. In this workshop, you’ll learn to recognize your inner critic, understand the psychology research behind this, reconnect with moments when you felt most confident and capable, with the goal of shifting self-doubt into self-confidence. You’ll leave with the knowledge of how to access your confidence when you need it most!

Workshop 2: Becoming the Person You Trust and Admire
This powerful self-actualization session bridges the gap between who you are now and your dream version of yourself. You’ll become so clear about the version of yourself you’ve always wanted to be: a more courageous, grounded, self-trusting version of who you already are! Through identifying these qualities you’ll also identify smalls shifts you can make to be someone you can always count on and admire.

Workshop 3: Writing your Story of Confidence
The stories we tell ourselves shape the way we see ourselves. In this reflective workshop, you’ll uncover the beliefs and narratives that are holding your confidence back, then explore a more empowering narrative to tell your story. Through journaling and partner reflection, you’ll uncover strengths, resilience, and wisdom from your own life experiences and create a confidence story you can carry forward for the rest of your life.

Workshop 4: Say Yes to Boundaries, Say Yes to Confidence
This workshop centers on boundary-setting as an act of self-confidence and self-care. During this workshop, you’ll explore how healthy boundaries protect your energy, relationships, and sense of self. You give your confidence the power to bloom when you stop abandoning yourself and your needs, and allow those in your life to support a space where your confidence can grow.

Workshop 5: Goal Setting is Confidence Setting
Confidence isn’t something you tap into once, it’s something you practice every day. In this workshop, you’ll learn the psychology behind goal setting and more importantly, goal achievement so you actually follow through with your New Years resolutions in 2027. By building a goal achievement plan you’re motivated by, you continuously build your confidence every day.

 

Priya Ford is a Certified Mental Performance Consultant and founder of Elite Edge LLC, where she helps people build the confidence, resilience, and mental clarity to thrive in high-pressure moments and in everyday life. Her approach brings together psychology, leadership, performance, and well-being to help people feel grounded while pursuing what matters most.

As CEO of Elite Edge, LLC and consultant for Center for Creative Leadership, her career has spanned work with U.S. military personnel, athletes, business and nonprofit leaders. She has supported people navigating demanding environments and meaningful transitions, helping them turn challenges into opportunities for growth. Priya was also honored with a 40 Under 40 award recognizing her impact in leadership and human development.

At the heart of Priya’s work is a simple belief: we all have more capacity than we sometimes realize. She loves helping people quiet self-doubt, reconnect with their strengths, and develop practical habits that support greater confidence, energy, and fulfillment.

Intuitive Ink Painting with Karen Boren Gerstenberger

Intuitive Ink Painting
Explore the joy of painting intuitively and freely with brush markers filled with intensely pigmented, water-based inks. Each day, you’ll learn simple techniques for blending colors and creating beautiful effects with ink brushes, water brushes, and pens, then have plenty of time to create your own work.

Paint greeting cards, or take your creativity further by creating a card-sized travel journal—a beautiful way to record feelings, experiences, and memories, or to create a special gift and “take the Ranch home.”

Each session begins with an introduction to the materials and a brief demonstration, followed by relaxed, open-ended creative time. Join for one session or return throughout the week to build on your work.

No previous art experience is necessary. All supplies will be provided, and there is no pressure or criticism—just luscious colors, creative exploration, and the pleasure of making something uniquely your own.

 

Karen Gerstenberger is an artist who lives and creates along the shores of Puget Sound, Washington. Working in acrylics and mixed media, her art has been exhibited in galleries and is held in collections throughout North America, Europe, and South Africa. Deeply inspired by nature and its healing power, Karen facilitated Strolls for Well-Being for more than six years and taught Meditative Drawing at the Bloedel Reserve on Bainbridge Island. She brings this same spirit of mindful exploration and creative freedom to her teaching. Karen holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Fine Art and a certificate in Forest Therapy Guiding, along with training in Reiki. She is also the author of Because of Katie and the founder and president of Katie’s Comforters Guild and The Katie Gerstenberger Endowment for Cancer Research at Seattle Children’s Hospital.

 

Busy but Fit by Brandee Waite

Tales from the Outdoor Adventure Medical Tent
Brandee Waite, MD shares humorous and harrowing medical tent stories from the world of outdoor adventure: a 7-day, 150-mile trekking/running race across the desert in Egypt, mountains in Nepal, Australian outback, glaciers of Antarctica and other extreme locations.  Includes many pictures of scenic, majestic sites.

Tired and Busy but Fit: Hacks for Health and Physical Function after 40
Want to exercise but don’t have the time? Have time to exercise but hard to motivate yourself to do a workout? Wonder why your body is changing in mid-life? Dr. Brandee shares exercise hacks and strategies while explaining the science behind how your body changes as you age.

An Apple a Day Keeps the Doctor Away in 2025: Eating and Exercising Your Way out of Medical Problems
Wondering how to use food and exercise as medicine? Hoping to extend your “healthspan” not just your lifespan? Many common medical conditions can be reduced, reversed or avoided all together with evidence-based eating and exercise strategies.  Brandee Waite, MD shares medical studies on the exciting and emerging science of food and exercise as medicine.

Ask Me Anything about Sports Medicine, Joint Health, and Lifestyle Medicine 
Far from a dry science lecture, audience participation drives the fun as Dr. Brandee Waite, physician and professor, allows you to pick her brain to incorporate your inquiries into the fabric of the session.  Triple-board certified in Sports Medicine, Neuro Rehabilitation and Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Brandee will give a short introduction to Sports Medicine and anatomy before digging into both standard and cutting-edge treatments for joint and muscle problems.

 

Brandee L. Waite, M.D., is a sports medicine physician who strives to keep her patients active. She has been a medical director for over 20 marathons and ultra-marathons over the past 15 years. With a dynamic personality, Dr. Waite has a passion for educating her patients, other physicians and the public about relevant sports medicine topics. She has served as a team physician for the USA Track and Field program, the Sacramento Kings (NBA) as well as the Sacramento Ballet and now works with Professional Soccer and Division I NCAA teams. Dr. Waite currently sees patients and teaches medical students and residents at the University of California, Davis. Her educational pedigree is impressive, having received her medical training at Stanford, UC San Francisco and Johns Hopkins. However, she credits her pre-medical years as a fitness instructor at Rancho La Puerta in the 1990’s with shaping the inclusion of sports and fitness into her medical practice.

Three Violins in Conversation with Pei-Chun Tsai, Hsin-Lin Tsai, and Miguel Pérez-Espejo

Three Violins in Conversation
An evening of romance and fire, where three violins share stories through songs—sometimes in harmony, sometimes in playful duels. From tender melodies to dazzling exchanges, the music invites you to listen in on a conversation of passion and joy.

 

Pei-Chun Tsai from Tainan, Taiwan, winner of the Taiwan National Violin Competition, made her debut at the Weill Recital Hall in Manhattan, and has enjoyed summers at the Alfred, Encore, Yellow Barn, and Taos festivals as well as the International Holland Music Sessions. Joseph Fuchs, Daniel Phillips, and Harvey Shapiro have been her teachers and mentors in the United States. She is the founding director of the Campanile Music Festival at San Diego State University and has been a member of the San Diego Symphony since 2005 in addition to being violin lecturer at SDSU. She released an album of solo violin works entitled “Chaconne” in 2021 highlighting Baroque and contemporary masterpieces of this form. Pei-Chun holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts degree from City University of New York, with Bachelor and Master’s degrees from The Juilliard School. She performs on a violin by Boston luthier Charline Dequincy, and a bow made by Abe Liebhaber in San Diego.

 

Described as “outstanding” (Melómano) and “sublime” (Augusta Read Thomas), L’Étoile Violin Duo was founded by violinists Hsin-Lin Tsai and Miguel Pérez-Espejo Cárdenas to explore and expand the violin duo repertoire. They perform throughout the United States, Europe, and Taiwan, with appearances at the Instituto Cervantes of New York, European Day of Music celebrations broadcast across Europe, and recordings with RTVE Música, Spain’s National Radio label.  Renowned for their elegant style, superb ensemble technique, and expressive artistry, the Duo performs repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary works, with a strong commitment to new music. They have premiered and commissioned works by leading composers including Augusta Read Thomas, David Lefkowitz, Michael Ippolito, José Zárate, and Kareem Roustom. Recipients of the Granoff Music Fund Grant, they are also creators and Co-Artistic Directors of The Renewal Series, an interdisciplinary concert project uniting music with dance, literature, and visual arts.  Deeply committed to education, L’Étoile presents master classes, residencies, and community programs internationally. Their students are prize winners in national and international competitions, reflecting the Duo’s dedication to artistic excellence and meaningful engagement.

Concerts with Kristen Strom, Scott Sorkin + Friends

Concert: Wild Women of Jazz and Blues Concert

 

Kristen Strom has played alongside many well-known artists, including Manhattan Transfer, Gladys Knight, Natalie Cole, Roberta Flack, Johnny Mathis, Jimmy Heath, Pamela Rose, and the touring company of Blues is a Woman. She also performs in a celebrated duo with husband/guitarist Scott Sorkin. In addition to her albums, Intention, Sojourn and Moving Day: The Music of John Shifflett, she has recorded more than 40 CDs with various jazz and pop artists. Her latest album, Moving Day, was listed as one of Best Jazz Albums of 2018 by The Mercury News and has gotten national and international airplay.

 

Scott Sorkin is a Bay Area guitarist, composer, producer, teacher and recording engineer who performs and records in styles ranging from jazz to Brazilian and Latin styles. His solo CD “Laika” was released in 2017. Performance credits include the Count Basie Orchestra, Mary Wilson (The Supremes), Nnenna Freelon, Paula West, Louie Bellson, Vince Giordano, Tammy Hall, Pamela Rose, Kristen Strom, touring shows “Dream Girls” and Disney’s “Newsies”, Symphony Silicon Valley, Great Performances, PBS Television and SFJAZZ. Sorkin has extensive recording credits as well as film scores (including composer credits). Scott co-leads the international jazz group “Crossing Borders”, featuring Kristen Strom, Jennifer Scott, and Rene Worst. He’s been a featured artist at many festivals.