Jenny Lisk is the founder of the Widowed Parent Institute. She is an award-winning author and widowed mom dedicated to helping widowed parents increase their family’s well-being.
Jenny’s books, Future Widow and Widowed Parents Unite, along with her show, The Widowed Parent Podcast, guide the journey of solo parenting after loss.
Her work has been featured in The Washington Post, Katie Couric Media, Yahoo Life, ParentMap, and more. She lives in Redmond, Washington, with her two teenagers.
Sari Botton publishes Oldster Magazine, Memoir Land, and Adventures in Journalism. She was the Writer in Residence in the creative writing department at SUNY New Paltz for Spring, 2023. Her Oldster Magazine on Substack has over 67,000 monthly subscribers.
Harry (Rick) Moody, Ph.D. retired as Vice President for Academic Affairs with AARP and is currently Visiting Faculty in the Creative Longevity and Wisdom Program at Fielding Graduate University and Visiting Professor at Tohoku University in Japan.
He is the author of many scholarly articles and books. He is editor of the Human Values in Aging newsletter, with 5,000 subscribers monthly. His new book, Climate Change in an Aging Society, was published this year by Routledge.
Marci Alboher, one of the nation’s leading authorities on career issues and workplace trends, is a vice president at CoGenerate. Marci’s current focus is on the power of connecting, collaborating and innovating across the generations.
A former blogger and columnist for The New York Times, her latest book is The Encore Career Handbook: How to Make a Living and a Difference in the Second Half of Life.
Marci is regularly called upon for commentary in media outlets around the world, and she has been interviewed by countless news organizations, including NBC’s Today and Nightly News, National Public Radio, and USA Today.
She is a Senior Advisor to Girls Write Now, serves as a mentor-editor for The OpEd Project, and is on the faculty of the Modern Elder Academy.
Earlier in her career, she spent a decade practicing law. She lives in New York City with her husband Jay.
You can find her on X (formerly Twitter) @heymarci.
She was tired of the “Damn, you’re old” cards and decided to do something about it.
Jan Golden, a creative entrepreneur and pro-age advocate, created Age-Friendly Vibes. This stationery brand celebrates age with inspiration and humor and highlights the positive aspects of getting older.
Once you’re aware of ageism, you see it everywhere.
Kelly McMasters is an essayist, professor, mother, and former bookshop owner. She is the author of the Zibby Book Club pick The Leaving Season: A Memoir-in-Essays (WW Norton) and co-editor of the ABA national bestseller Wanting: Women Writing About Desire (Catapult). She is currently an Associate Professor of English and Director of Publishing Studies at Hofstra University in NY.
The Leaving Season: A Memoir, a Zibby Book Club Pick & Good Morning America May Books Pick
Wanting: Women Writing About Desire, a Library Journal Best Book of the Year & ABA National Bestseller
This Is the Place: Women Writing About Home, a New York Times Editors' Choice
Welcome to Shirley: A Memoir From an Atomic Town, an Orion Book Award nominee
Mr. Howard Behar's career in business spans over 50 years, all in consumer-oriented businesses covering several industries. He retired from Starbucks Coffee after 21 years, where he led both the domestic business as President of North America and was the founding President of Starbucks International.
During his tenure, he participated in the growth of the company from 28 stores to over 15,000 stores spanning five continents. He served on the Starbucks Board of Directors for 12 years before retiring.
Mr. Behar is currently a Trustee for the Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation and is on the advisory board of Anthos Capital. He formerly served as a board member for: Starbucks, GAP, Shurgard, University of Washington Foundation, and IDTech, to name a few.
Mr. Behar is committed to the development and education of our future leaders and has been a longtime advocate of the Servant Leadership Model. He has also authored two books on leadership titled It's Not About the Coffee and The Magic Cup.
Richard Eisenberg is an "unretired" journalist. He left his job as Managing Editor of Next Avenue, the PBS site for people 50+, in January 2022 at age 65 to begin his next chapter.
He currently writes The View From Unretirement column for MarketWatch, co-hosts the Friends Talk Money personal finance podcast for people 50+, freelances for Fortune and Next Avenue, and is the Digital Media Strategies Director of the NYU Summer Publishing Institute.
He is the former Executive Editor of Money magazine, Front Page Finance Editor for Yahoo!, and Special Projects Director of Good Housekeeping.
He is the author of How to Avoid a Midlife Financial Crisis and The Money Book of Personal Finance.
He lives in New Jersey and is a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism.
Euda K. Best is an engineer turned teacher turned Spiritual Guide, Magnetic Mind and Writing Coach, Yoga and Guided Meditation Instructor, and host of Hella Random Radio, "Where Positive Energy LIVES."
She believes humanity is on the cusp of EVOLution, and her mission is to help as many people as possible believe in their ability to create Heaven on Earth.
David McNally is the author of Even Eagles Need a Push, The Eagle’s Secret, and Be Your Own Brand. He is also the producer of two inspiring documentaries, The Power of Purpose and If I Were Brave.
David has spoken to audiences all over the world and is a member of the Speakers Hall of Fame.
His latest book, If You’re Alive – Your Mission on Earth Isn’t Finished, was released this past October. Aimed at those who, at sixty-plus, are entering a new phase of their lives, If You’re Alive is an inspiring guide for answering the question: How do I make my next years some of my best years?
Carol Orsborn, Ph.D. is a recognized thought leader in the field of conscious aging and author of over 30 books translated into 15 languages, including her forthcoming The Making of an Old Soul: Aging as the Fulfillment of Life’s Promise and Older, Wiser, Fiercer: The Wisdom Collection. Orsborn, who won Gold in the Nautilus Book Awards in the category of Aging Consciously, is chief archivist at Fierce with Age, the Digest of Boomer Wisdom, Inspiration, and Spirituality housed at CarolOrsborn.com. She co-leads the Sage-ing International Book Club for the leading global organization in the field of Conscious Aging, Sage-ing International. For the past forty years, Orsborn has been a compelling voice of her generation, interviewed on Oprah, The Today Show, CBS Morning News, The New York Times, and The Shift Network among many others.
Dr. Orsborn received her Master of Theological Studies and Doctorate in History and Critical Theory of Religion from Vanderbilt University with specialization in the fields of adult and spiritual development. She has done post-graduate work in Spiritual Counseling at the New Seminary in Manhattan, Stillpoint, and the Spirituality Center at Mount St. Mary’s College. A former top marketer helping brands like Ford, Humana, and Prudential build relationships with the Boomer generation, she is now committed to both living and expanding awareness of aging as a spiritual path.
She lives in Madison, Tennessee, on the banks of the Cumberland River, with her husband of over 50 years, Dan Orsborn. They have two adult children, two grandchildren, and foster dogs for the Old Friends Senior Dog Sanctuary.
Laura Stone works with executives, teams, and high-potential leaders to increase their strategic and stakeholder impact, helping them achieve the careers and lives they desire.
A partial list of her clients includes Danone, TJX, Bacardi, Unilever, CVS, Iron Mountain, IBM, Pfizer, Fidelity Investments, Toyota, and Kimberly-Clark.
Laura is also the author of the Pocket Guide to Purpose Series. The third installment in the series, Team Purpose to Performance: The Catalytic Process for Legacy-Making Lasting Change, was released in January 2024.
You can learn more about Laura and her work by visiting laurastone.com or binge-watch her valuable insights on TikTok: @LauraStoneLeadership.
The greatest breakthroughs in life don’t come from finding the right answers, but from asking the right questions.
For years, Sahil Bloom has been sharing those questions—and his journey of designing and building a high-performing, healthy, and wealthy life—with millions around the world. What began as a small audience of just 100 people in 2020 has grown into a global community. Today, his weekly newsletter reaches over 800,000 subscribers, and his insights are shared by everyone from young professionals just starting out to industry leaders at the peak of their careers—and even 80-year-olds seeking meaning in their final chapter.
Sahil’s mission is bold: to positively impact one billion lives. Through his podcast, he equips listeners with the questions, principles, tools, and frameworks he has personally tested to help them optimize their own lives.
His name, Sahil, means "the end of the journey"—but he’s just getting started. Purchase his book The 5 Types Of Wealth today.
Dave Ulrich is the Rensis Likert Professor at the Ross School of Business, University of Michigan, and a partner at the RBL Group (http://www.rbl.net), a consulting firm focused on helping organizations and leaders deliver value. He has published over 200 articles and book chapters and over 30 books. He edited Human Resource Management from 1990 to 1999, served on the editorial boards of four other journals, and spent 16 years on the Board of Directors for Herman Miller. Ulrich has spoken to large audiences in 90 countries, conducted workshops for over half of the Fortune 200, and coached successful business leaders. He is also a Distinguished Fellow in the National Academy of Human Resources.
Ulrich is known for continually learning, turning complex ideas into simple solutions, and creating real value for those he works with by defining human capability as the next agenda for people and organizations. He regularly posts weekly updates and comments daily on LinkedIn.
Esteemed for her professionalism by viewers, listeners, and her colleagues, the versatile Pat Miles became one of the Minneapolis region's premier television news anchors and radio talk hosts. After earning her master's degree in journalism at the University of Missouri, Miles worked in both radio and television news in Colorado before joining WCCO TV in 1978 as a reporter and weekend anchor. Her intelligent reporting and authoritative delivery soon brought her to the anchor desk of WCCO's 5:00 PM and 10:00 PM newscasts.
She covered every major news event for WCCO TV but was most proud of A Time to Weep, her documentary on the famine in Africa. In 1990, she moved to KARE TV, where she anchored the 5:00 PM and 6:00 PM newscasts and developed A Pat Miles Special, using her writing and interviewing prowess to tell the stories of notable Minnesotans. When she left TV news in 2001, she fulfilled a lifelong dream by becoming the host of The Pat Miles Show weekday mornings on WCCO Radio.
A role model for women in the industry, she has received numerous honors for her work in broadcasting and in the community, including the National Television Academy's Silver Circle Award.
A message of thanks from Dr. Jann Freed:
"In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I want to thank each of you for listening to 'Becoming a Sage.' My hope is that you find a gem of wisdom in each conversation. I learn something from each guest. Please know that I am grateful."
Mark C. Crowley is the author of Lead From The Heart: Transformational Leadership for the 21st Century and is on a mission to fundamentally change how people are led in workplaces across the globe. A regular columnist for Fast Company Magazine, his work has also been featured in USA Today, Reuters, Forbes, the Stanford Social Innovation Review, The Huffington Post, Gallup, The Financial Times, CEO Magazine (Great Britain), and The Seattle Times. His LinkedIn Pulse articles on inspiring a 21st-century workforce and managing millennials have been read over a million times. The second edition of his book debuted in August 2022 as an "Amazon #1 Release." It has been incorporated into the curriculum of eleven American universities, including the educational Ph.D. program at the University of Massachusetts Global and the University of Iowa’s MBA Program. Crowley's Lead From The Heart podcast ranks in the top 1.5% of all podcasts globally, with an audience spanning 175 countries. Before authoring his book, Mark spent over 20 years in the competitive financial services industry, holding two national-level leadership positions at one of America’s largest financial institutions, where he was named Leader of the Year. In a field often dominated by traditional management styles, Mark demonstrated that deeply caring for and supporting people—positively affecting their hearts—profoundly boosts sustained engagement, loyalty, and productivity. His book draws on groundbreaking medical research that reveals the heart’s pivotal role in driving optimal human performance. As a leadership pioneer, Mark shows that leading from the heart is not weak or soft management but rather the most informed and enlightened approach a manager or organization can adopt. Mark is a graduate of the University of California, San Diego, and the University of Washington’s Pacific Coast Banking School. He resides in La Jolla, California.
Dr. John Izzo is a globally renowned bestselling author, professional speaker, and business advisor. He has authored nine books, including Awakening Corporate Soul, Values Shift, Stepping Up, and The Purpose Revolution. Over his career, he has spoken to over one million people, taught at three major universities, and advised over 700 top companies on corporate social responsibility and purpose worldwide.
John was a founder of Blueprint at the University of British Columbia, an NGO dedicated to thought leadership on masculinity and its impact on society. He has been deeply involved in helping organizations and leaders foster purpose-driven strategies and cultures. His contributions have significantly shaped the conversation around social impact in the corporate world.
Currently, John serves as a Distinguished Fellow at the Stimson Centre in Washington, DC, and hosts The Way Forward: Regenerative Conversations podcast. He also serves on the boards of Sustainable Brands and the Elders Action Network, continuing his work to inspire positive change across various sectors.
Dr. Nash is Founder & CEO of Jennifer Nash Coaching & Consulting, a global leadership advisory and consulting firm that connects people and performance to deliver exceptional results. She was invited to join Marshall Goldsmith’s 100 Coaches organization as one of the world’s top executive coaches. Jennifer is the author of the 2023 award-winning book Be Human, Lead Human: How to Connect People and Performance.
Jennifer’s resume includes serving in executive and leadership roles at Deloitte Consulting and Ford Motor Company. She served as adjunct professor at the University of Michigan, where she earned her MBA, and taught hundreds of rising leaders at Deloitte University. Jennifer earned her PhD in management from Case Western Reserve University—during which she conducted multiyear empirical research on coaching and leadership as a research fellow at the Weatherhead School of Business. She is also a Harvard/McLean Institute of Coaching Fellow.
Jennifer contributes leadership perspectives to Harvard Business Review and select academic journals, and has presented her groundbreaking leadership and coaching research at Harvard/McLean Institute of Coaching and Columbia University. A sought after speaker, she regularly presents to groups and organizations on topics related to the human element of business. She or her work have been featured in Harvard Business Review, Forbes, Inc., LinkedIn, Investor’s Business Daily, BBC Online, Deloitte, and other notable media outlets.
Warren Berger developed his inquiry skills as a journalist for The New York Times, but he first declared himself a “questionologist” with the publication of his best-selling book, A More Beautiful Question (Bloomsbury, 2014). The book illustrates how questioning has been the starting point for innovations ranging from the cell phone to Netflix to the International Red Cross. In it, Berger introduces an original framework—the “Why/What If/How” cycle of inquiry—that can be applied to all kinds of challenges and problems.
A More Beautiful Question has been embraced by organizations such as NASA, the U.S. Army, the National Science Foundation, and companies like Starbucks, Chanel, Pfizer, Oracle, Microsoft, Disney, and Pepsi. The book is also widely used in major universities across the country. Mr. Berger has conducted questioning workshops at NASA and the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, and he designed and hosted a filmed employee-training program on questioning for PepsiCo. He also regularly visits elementary and high schools, urging teachers to encourage more student questioning and critical thinking in the classroom.
In the fall of 2018, Berger released a follow-up book on questioning, The Book of Beautiful Questions: The Powerful Questions That Will Help You Decide, Create, Connect, and Lead. In 2020, he published Beautiful Questions in the Classroom, which offers strategies and exercises to help teachers inspire more curiosity and inquiry among their students.
Overall, Berger has authored or co-authored 10 books, including the acclaimed Glimmer, one of the first books on “design thinking.” He has appeared on NPR’s All Things Considered, CNN, and NBC’s Today Show. He also contributes regularly to Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Psychology Today, where he writes the “Questionologist” column.
His general website about questioning is www.amorebeautifulquestion.com, and his author/speaker site is www.warrenberger.com.
As an award-winning keynote speaker, business leadership coach, a twelve-time New York Times Best-selling author, host of the top-rated Corporate Competitor Podcast, National Geographic’s “Storyteller in Residence,” and longtime Associate Editor for Sports Illustrated, Don Yaeger has fashioned a career as one of America’s most provocative thought leaders. As a speaker, he has worked with audiences as diverse as Fortune 500 companies and cancer survivor groups, where he shares his personal story.
He is primarily sought to discuss lessons on achieving greatness, learned from first-hand experiences with some of the greatest sports and business legends in the world. Additionally, Don has been retained by companies and organizations to coach their leaders on building a culture of greatness by looking at Great Teams in sports and discerning the business lessons we can learn from them. In 2023, Real Leaders magazine acknowledged Don as a “Speaker to Watch” because of his success on stage. Throughout his writing career, Don has developed a reputation as a world-class storyteller and has been invited as a guest to every major talk show – from Oprah to Nightline, from CNN to Good Morning America. Few journalists can lay claim to as exciting and colorful a career as Don Yaeger.