Acknowledgments

This is my first publication—hopefully the first of many—so I would like to acknowledge and thank all those who made it possible. You have no idea how much your effort, mentorship, friendship, and support mean to me.

First, I want to express my deepest gratitude to my parents, Bill and Roseann, who have been by my side as I transitioned from almost failing out of college to graduating from Brown, from studying archaeology to joining the military, from chasing the California dream to battling the Beltway, and, finally, to settling (for now) in Virginia Beach. I may not have always chosen the most successful path, but I always knew that the path would lead me to success, and so did you. I could never say thank you enough for everything you have done for me. You are the best!

I want to thank my biggest fan for always believing in me, and who never once let me stay down in the tough times. You are my pillar, and I hope one day I can be yours when you need it. Nancy Drew?

I want to thank my brother Chris for putting up with my countless demands! And especially for building my Website(s). I owe you, big time.

I want to acknowledge the rest of my awesome, fun, immediate family: Jimmy, Jill, and Katie. Christine, you’ll never need a power pose to build confidence, because you were born with it. Katie and Jill, let’s dance!

A very special thank you to Janine Driver, the lady who made me see it was all possible. Janine had a profound effect on me and it’s because of her and the Body Language Institute that I am where I am today. She always believed in me, sometimes more than I did myself. Thanks for the push; I will always and forever be grateful for your mentorship. Thank you to Kerry Strollo, Janine’s sister; you are a “fire and forget” person, and I appreciate that.

Thank you, Bulldog O’Clair, for being my gorgeous model. But even more, thanks for being real. Your support and energy helped fuel me. Hugs and kisses! And thank you, Gina and Chris, for modeling your beautiful faces. Now, where’s the wine?

Thank you to Nic Smith and the Henley-Putman graduate student for sharing your stories so that I could share them with my readers. You rock!

Thank you, Maryann Karinch. Without you, I wouldn’t be writing any of these thank yous! I love your sincerity and your energy. You let me scratch off an item on my bucket list.

Thank you, Career Press, for picking up my first publication. I am thrilled beyond words that this happened. I look forward to working with you on my next book, which is already in the works.

I want to thank two dear friends who always provided me with words of encouragement and wisdom, Alissa and Kristy. We partied like rock stars; I love you both to the moon and stars!

I want to raise a glass to Diane, to us and making it happen. Cheers!

Thank you to those I served with, especially to my GTMO family back in the day. I’m thankful that I can still keep in touch with some of you. I hope your lives have led you to success. I also want to thank every military member for your honor, courage, and commitment. It may sound clichéd, but there are really no better words to describe what you signed up for and what you do. Thank you, Dave, for the “QC.”

Thank you to all of my family and friends who have inspired me to write in some way that you may not even know of; you may just read about it in this book.

Many thanks to all of you who are reading this, to those of you who have heard me speak, and to those of you I’ve trained. It’s because of you that I can keep sharing my knowledge.

And lastly, I am thankful for my family of furry friends who give me so much joy and who keep me calm and sane.