Claudia Lynch , Documentation Services Manager, Computing and Information Technology Center, University of North Texas.

Claudia has been at UNT for 30 years. Her academic background in Sociology lends itself to helping students and faculty alike navigate an ever-changing digital landscape.

Gerard Hannon , Managing Editor, Texas Blaze of Keller, Community Newspaper & Calendar.

Texas Blaze is a new venture for Gerard, but one he took on because he foresaw the community benefit. Like others in Positive Connections, his professional life has ties to being a good friend and neighbor.  

Iris Pellino , Writer

Iris does not make her living at writing. What she's doing is creating a life. Writing was to be a tool guiding her to self-discovery. What she discovered was a natural talent for spinning thought-provoking tales of her life as a child, young mother, and middle-aged business woman. 

Her stories acquire even greater richness when told in her deep, South Carolinan, Low Country accent. 

Joan Harkenrider, Senior Business Analyst, Sabre Holdings

Joan has enjoyed a variety of roles within the air transportation industry. The work has afforded frequent opportunities to travel around the world. While many colleagues do their work and quickly return home, Joan takes an active interest in every culture she visits, getting to know the people and delving into the local community. The budding friendships that result from this interest facilitate communication and relationships within an otherwise faceless corporate environment.  

Kweethai Neill , Clinical Hypnotherapist; Founder & President , iHealth Center for Integrated Wellness and iHealth Hypnotherapy School

Dr. Kweethai left a career as Health Promotion Professor to become a much more effective Health Educator. The Professor in her could see that information was having very little impact on healthy behaviors. What she practices today would amaze the Professor; but the results speak for themselves.

Having studied and become proficient at Clinical Hypnotherapy and Feng Shui, Dr. Kweethai's approach is evidence that if you can change your mind, you can change your life.

Laura Blackburn , Retired Childcare Owner/Administrator.

Laura recently sold a successful childcare business and began looking for new challenges.  

Nancy Humphreys-Moore , Director of Security Services, Sabre Holdings.

Nancy is proof that someone with a keen interest and expertise in technology can still be highly personable and balanced.   

Ren Knight , Community Education , Central Market

Ren combined a background in marketing with a love of healthy eating to create the occupation of her dreams. Her Central Market tours are not just about the store; she helps people make educated food choices that contribute to good health.

Her efforts extend beyond the store as well. She takes her message throughout the community, and also coordinates Central Market's annual Health Fair and other special events.  

Scott McEachron , Software Designer/Consultant.

Scott is an authority on Autodesk software, whose clients range from municipalities to countries. His consulting requires considerable travel, which affords opportunities for his interest in photography.   

Sheila Jackson , Founder, Jackson Mock Code Readiness Training (JAMCRET)

Simply stated, Sheila saves lives. As the third shift Administrator in charge of all nursing staff at a major medical center, many people would term her work Crisis Management. But she sees her role simply as creating optimal conditions for lives to be saved, and to handle inevitable mortality with grace and compassion.

Part of her responsibility has been  ensuring that her nursing staff are as highly trained and prepared to deal with necessary procedures as is possible. Over time it occurred to her  that there are systematic weaknesses in hospital procedures related to emergency conditions (called 'codes'). She developed training specific to those weaknesses, JAMCRET, and is now making that training available to other medical centers.  

Steve Stork , Clinical Hypnotherapist ; Director of Technical Support for iHealth Center for Integrated Wellness; Faculty  member for iHealth Hypnotherapy School

Dr. Stork left a career as a Physical Education Pedagogist to join Dr. Kweethai Neill in iHealth Center. As a Certified Health Education Specialist, he shares Dr. Kweethai's passion for promoting wellness in a way that leads to real change toward health and happiness.

Dr. Stork was senior editor of a professional journal and enjoys writing. Which is good, since he is the iHealth webmaster and either composes or edits most of the materials coming out of iHealth Center.

Susan French , Attorney , Gibbs & French

Childhood in South America and a career as a flight attendant were important developmental experiences for Susan French. A strong advocate for children and families, Susan's work in wills and probate acknowledges the cycle of life, with one generation flowing into the next.

In practice for over 20 years, Susan participates in Collaborative Law, helping divorcing couples and their families make their own decisions instead of engaging in battles and entrusting their futures to the Court system.

Terri Schrobilgen, Founder/President , OurGreatCity.com

Terri turned corporate experience into an enterprise that greatly benefits the community. OurGreatCity.com is a local news outlet with sites specific to Keller, Southlake and Grapevine/Colleyville. The directory of local businesses and service providers supports the local economy. A new approach to journalism is evident in articles reporting local events and school happenings.