While my name appears as the author of this book, The Drama-Free Workplace would have never come to fruition had I relied solely on my own abilities. It took more than a village to write this book—it took a family of committed and giving people who were always willing to help.

First, my deepest thanks to my friend and colleague Paul Falcone, who recommended me to the Wiley family. His generosity is indescribable and I’ll be forever grateful to him for trusting me enough to recommend me.

Next, my two main points of contact at Wiley have been incredible. Richard Narramore believed in the book concept from the beginning and had a vision for making this book come to life. My editor, Vicki Adang, has been my life raft. From her gentle first message (“That was good, but not quite right”) to the ones that followed (“Yes, you’ve got it!”), I couldn’t have done this without her guidance. Her abundant patience and kindness kept me going when I thought I’d never be able to quite articulate what I was thinking. And her encouraging words helped propel me more than she’ll ever know. Thanks, Vicki!

Writing a book while working full time is no easy feat, so I’d also like to thank my wonderful teammates at Emtrain, especially Janine Yancey, who serves as equal parts mentor and cheerleader. And to the rest of the Emtrain team, thank you for your understanding and unwavering support while I wrote this book!

I need to thank more friends than can be mentioned here, but I’ll start with the guy who has been my brother since freshman year in college. Ray Nieto not only read and edited several versions of the book, but he also helped me with ideas for how to get the word out about the content. Thanks, Ray, for always being there for me! My other BFFs, especially Joyce Magsarili, were, as always, only a phone call away when I was panicked about a deadline or about whether my content would resonate. Joyce, for 30-plus years you’ve been my “ride or die” girlfriend, my third sister, and truly my best friend! And to the rest of my friends, those who helped me flesh out concepts, those who encouraged me in real life and in the virtual world, and those who promised to read and share the book—thank you, thank you, thank you.

While this book is dedicated to my parents, humble immigrants from El Salvador who gave up everything to give their kids a better life, it’s really a tribute to my entire family. My parents, Maria and Francisco Chavarria, taught my sisters, brother, and me that love and family are what it’s all about. They had the most drama-free marriage of any I’ve known, and raised us in a loving environment where each one of us learned to keep our lives as uncomplicated as possible. Thank you, Annie Chavarria, Margie Esquivel, and Edward Chavarria for being the best siblings anyone could ever ask for! And thanks to my brother-in-law Tomas for putting up with us for almost 40 years and for giving me the best niece and nephew I could ever imagine. Tommy and Karlita, I love you and thank God for making me your tia.

I was fortunate enough to have been born into a big, fat Salvadoran family, and became even luckier when I married into an equally crazy and loving Philly Italian family.

My husband, Tom Scutti, has been my rock throughout this process and I thank you, sweetheart, from the bottom of my heart. I know the “I’ll get to that as soon as I finish my book” refrain got old, but you never showed that you were tired of hearing it. Your love and commitment to me and to our kids are inspiring. Thank you for supporting me through this process, and through every other crazy idea I’ve had. My life doesn’t work without you in it.

And thanks, too, to the other Scuttis in my life—my two fabulous bonus kids. Nick, I love your beautiful heart and your dedication to your craft. Thanks to you and Katie for always listening to my crazy rants, about my book and other topics. Christina, your passion—for your family, your work, and your sports teams—is infectious. Thanks for being my test audience for many of my theories about how to live a drama-free life.

And finally, to my baby boy (who isn’t a baby anymore, but . . .), Tony Perez, you are my love, my rock, my passion. God gave me the greatest privilege when He gave me you to raise. Looking at you now, a young man starting his journey into adulthood, I see that the legacy of your abuelito Paco lives in you and I’m grateful for any part I’ve played in making you who you are today. Words aren’t enough to describe the immense love and pride I feel, but I think you know.

To everyone who has heard me advocate for doing all you can to keep your life (including your work life) drama free, thanks. I’m so grateful for everyone’s help along the way. This book couldn’t have happened without each of you touching my life in some way.