2023: UNITY

UNITY: THE STATE OF BEING UNITED OR TOGETHER AS A WHOLE

SPEAKERS OF UNITY:

BROOKE NICOLE

Brooke Nicole holds a Master of Public Health degree and is the bestselling author of The Power Lies in You: an epic guide to regenerative self-care. While working with moms to live a regenerative life, Brooke also is a stay-at-home mom that has a secret obsession for triathlons, loves spending every moment with her family, and chooses every day to smile BIG while she still has teeth. 

DR. DAN TOMASULO

Dr. Tomasulo is the Academic Director and core faculty at the Spirituality Mind Body Institute (SMBI), Teachers College, Columbia University, and is on the teaching staff at the University of Pennsylvania, where he works with Martin Seligman. He holds a Ph.D. in psychology, an MFA in writing, and a Master of Applied Positive Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania. He is a Review Editor for Frontiers in Psychology, a special section on Positive Psychology, and has been honored by Teachers College, Columbia University, with their 2021 Teaching Award.


His most recent book, Learned Hopefulness, The Power of Positivity To Overcome Depression, Is hailed as: “…the perfect recipe for fulfillment, joy, peace, and expansion of awareness” by Deepak Chopra, MD.


Martin Seligman, Ph.D., adds: “This is the best go-to book on how to use hope to relieve your depression,” and Medical News Today, identified it as the 2021 best book for coping. VeryWellMind.com selected it as one of the best books by an expert on depression in 2022.  His new book, The Positivity Effect, will be released in the spring of 2023.

HEGE JACOBSEN

Hege Jacobsen is a career military officer of 20 years, a veteran, and has a master’s degree in social science from Nord University in Tromsø, Norway. Growing up in the countryside in Norway, she spent her childhood in a quiet village focusing on school, gymnastics, and dancing. After joining the army at age 19, her service has taken her to various conflict areas in the world throughout her career, and she has more than 10 deployments and 5 years in total working in high-risk areas. In 2019, she decided to leave the army and became a full-time traveler, writer, and travel blogger. Hege has always loved traveling, often solo, and when she decided to change her path, she made her passion her job. During the last 15 years of service, Hege worked extensively with communication across boundaries, as a mentor, liaison, teacher, and leader. As a result, she is passionate about sharing her idea about how our mindset determines how we communicate!  

MEL Z

Mel Z is a first-generation student and will be the first in my family to attend a four-year college. She is of Mexican decent and attends Poudre High School in Fort Collins, CO. She plans to pursue a career in engineering after she graduates from high school this Spring. She is dedicated to bringing light to the Latina community. 

MILANA SCHAAL

Milana Schaal, a bestselling author at 11, is a multicultural kid (American, Ukrainian, and Armenian) who inspires the world to contribute their skills and talents and help one another go after their dreams.   Her dream is to open "Smoothie Shop," an excellent place for families to gather and enjoy.  And her passion is to help animals find their home by opening an animal shelter. Out of her unwavering love for animals, Milana's dream is to have a pug and hedgehog as a pet. 

STARR HILL

Starr Hill has been involved in education from an early age, beginning her teaching career in Poudre School District in 2001. Growing up off the grid in the mountains of central Colorado lent a unique lens to her curriculum and classroom designs throughout the years. She graduated from high school in Leadville, Colorado and trekked to Gunnison, earning her BA and teaching license there before moving to Fort Collins for a MA program in Rhetoric and Comp. While earning her MA, she taught full time for PSD. After spending six years with PSD at Cache la Poudre Middle School and Fossil Ridge High School, Starr moved to Denver so her husband could pursue a medical degree. It was while working at Cresthill Middle School she discovered her passion for instructional coaching and decided to work on her administrative license. In the years following, she served as an educational director and coach at both the school-site and district levels throughout central Colorado. Upon returning to Fort Collins a decade ago, she discovered Polaris Expeditionary Learning School, the perfect fit for her passions and experiences. When the opportunity arose, she was able to join the Polaris Crew, where she looks forward to going to work every single day. Starr still spends as much time as possible in the mountains, relishing time with her husband and two children, while also enjoying the city-life of Fort Collins. 

TIM SEELIG

Tim Seelig is a conductor, speaker, author and educator. He is the Conductor Laureate of the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus and Conductor Emeritus of the Turtle Creek Chorale in Dallas, Texas.


Dr. Seelig holds four degrees, including a Diploma from the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria and Doctor of Musical Arts from the University of North Texas. He has seven books and DVDs on choral technique and his memoir, Tale of Two Tims, was published in 2020. He made is operatic debut in St. Gallen, Switzerland and had been conducting at Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center for 30 years.


He has conducted over 50 recordings which have been on Billboard Top Ten and iTunes Top Ten classical charts. His choruses have been the topic of three documentaries. The first PBS documentary was awarded the national Emmy for best documentary. The most recent had its world premiere at the Tribecca Film Festival, won the Audience Favorite and is streaming on Paramount +.


He has commissioned major choral works for 35 years. Some of these include the first AIDS Requiem, When We No Longer Touch; Sing for the Cure for the Komen Foundation featuring Dr. Maya Angelou; “Testimony,” by Stephen Schwartz and the 2022 “Songs of the Phoenix” by Andrew Lippa, Stephen Schwartz and Stephen Sondheim.


Aside from guest-conducting, he has now traded in his podium for the speaking stage. From Moth to TEDx, University convocations to keynotes, he is enjoying facing the audience for a change.


Fun facts: he conducted the Guinness Book of World Record's Longest Choral Concert and carried the Olympic torch as a community Hero.  He has not run since.


He is the proud grandfather of the amazing Clara Skye, Eden Mae, Cora Rose, Ivy Hope.