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Best Ever You's 2020 Thought Leaders


Our selection committee is proud to present Best Ever You's 2020 Thought Leaders! From authors to musicians to entrepreneurs and more - these individuals have been selected to be thought leaders on Best Ever You for 2020. Each will provide at least one article or vlog each month to support the 5 founding principles on Best Ever You: Core of You, Art of You, Heart of You, Humanity of You and Sport of You. They are leading thinkers in the world on the topics that support these principles. For more information on each of our thought leaders, please visit https://www.besteveryou.com/2020thoughtleaders


With Gratitude, Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino and our selection committee.





Simon Daniels is a singer, songwriter, multi instrumentalist most known as the lead singer, guitarist of the multi platinum band Autograph. After many years of internal and external struggle Simon became a observant and student of life incorporating a philosophy for well-being through living in a fully conscience state of mind based in the importance of prioritizing all decisions and choices from moment to moment from thoughts, feelings, words and actions. Simon resides in Los Angeles when not on tour.

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Michelle Phillips is a leading authority in the beauty industry and one of the most influential makeup artists in the entertainment industry working with national television networks, on movie sets, with top photographers, and magazines in the business including Swiss Vogue and Maxim Magazine. A beauty herself, Michelle was destined to be on camera. Michelle has appeared as a host, guest host, and correspondent on TV shows and Networks such as; HGTV, HSN, QVC, CW, Oxygen, WeTV,  The Daily Buzz, and Daytime. ​


 Her  popular weekly Beauty Segment on The Morning Blend (ABC Tampa) focuses on improving a woman's appearance, anti-aging tips, the latest in skincare, and the newest and best makeup products. Michelle is a well known self-confidence coach and best selling author of “The Beauty Blueprint”.  The book's success catapulted her into the motivational keynote speaking arena.  Michelle speaks at colleges, universities, and some of the biggest venues in the country. Michelle continues to touch the lives of thousands of women with her inspiring and dynamic wisdom providing them with powerful self-esteem tools of transformation; a transformation to not just Look amazing but to BE amazing! MichellePhillips.com


Sheri Salata is a writer/producer, co founder of thepillarlife.com and co host of the podcast The Sheri + Nancy Show. Her current ventures are the evolution of her 20-year career with Oprah Winfrey. Her action-packed days as Executive Producer of The Oprah Winfrey Show were chronicled in the acclaimed docuseries Season 25: Oprah Behind the Scenes. Sheri also served as Co-President of Harpo Studios and OWN, the Oprah Winfrey Network. She has been named one of Fast Company’s 100 Most Creative People in Business, The Hollywood Reporter’s Women in Entertainment Power 100 and the 2017 Feminist Press Power Award winners. Sheri is a proud Iowa Hawkeye. Pillarlife.com


Anne is a psychotherapist with over 25 years of experience working with children, families and adults. Trained as a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, LCSW and a Registered Play Therapist – Supervisor, RPT-S. She is also an Access Consciousness® Certified Facilitator. ​ In addition to her therapy practice, she travels across the country and around the world, facilitating workshops and speaking to groups of parents, school staffs, and medical and mental health professionals, to create awareness and change for kids, families and adults. She co-authored, with Gary Douglas and Dr. Dain Heer, co-creators of Access Consciousness, the international best selling book, Would You Teach a Fish to Climb a Tree? A Different Take on Kids with ADD, ADHD, OCD and Autism.

She is the author of The Keys to the Magic: A Play Therapist’s Handbook of Family Centered Play Therapy (the handbook she wishes she had been given when she first started working with kids as a play therapist!) Anne has hosted a couple of radio shows, including one called the Magic of Being, a weekly show she did with Ricky Williams, former NFL player, and another that ran for two years on VoiceAmerica. She has also been a guest on numerous other syndicated shows. Contact Anne at: Anne@annemaxwelllcsw.com






Natalie Pace is the co-creator of the Earth Gratitude project and the author of the Amazon bestsellers The Gratitude Game, The ABCs of Money and Put Your Money Where Your Heart Is (aka You Vs. Wall Street in paperback). She has been ranked as a No. 1 stock picker, above over 835 A-list pundits, by an independent tracking agency (TipsTraders). The ABCs of Money remained at or near the #1 Investing Basics e-book on Amazon for over 3 years (in its vertical), with over 120,000 downloads and a mean 5-star ranking. The 2nd edition of The ABCs of Money was released in 2018. Natalie's new book is called The ABC's of Money for College.


Called the “father of modern networking” by CNN, Dr. Ivan Misner is a New York Times bestselling author. He is also the Founder & Chief Visionary Officer of BNI , the world’s largest business networking organization.

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Dr. Misner is also an author, a humanitarian and expert in the field of business networking. Dr. Misner travels the world discussing referral networking and personal and professional development. He has been featured in the New York Times, the L.A. Times, the Wall Street Journal and on networks such as CNN and MSNBC. Named “One of the Top Networkers to Follow” by Forbes Magazine, Dr. Misner has written over 21 books and has taught business management at several universities. In 2016, Dr. Misner was awarded the John C. Maxwell Leadership Award. He is also the past recipient of the Red Cross “Humanitarian of the Year” award and is the co-founder of the BNI Foundation. Dr. Misner also sits on the University of LeVerne Board of Trustees. When Dr. Misner isn’t traveling or giving speeches, he enjoys spending time with his wife Elisabeth on Lake Austin and exploring vineyards across the globe.His bestselling new book, Who's In Your Room, is available wherever books are sold.


A former Consulting Actuary to Fortune 100 companies – including Sony Music, Chanel, and Exxon – David left his cushy Park Avenue job 20 years ago to build the world’s largest coaching business. He became #1 on Google for “life coaching”, serving an audience of 150,000 coaches, and coaching thousands of hours across 12 countries.

Alongside his clients’ successes, David is no stranger to overcoming challenges himself, having overcome a full collapse of his paraglider and a fractured spine, witnessing the death of his sister at age seven, severe anxiety and depression, and a national Gong Show!  

He is the author of “Get Paid For Who You Are,” with foreword by Jack Canfield. He was nominated to the exclusive Transformational Leadership Council alongside such thought leaders as Don Miguel Ruiz, John Gray, and Marianne Williamson.

David believes that the tough conversations we avoid, are our doorways to confidence, success, and love. They become the defining moments which shape our world. He coaches high performing entrepreneurs, executives and teams – and now prison inmates –  to create amazing results and deep connection. One tough conversation at a time.


Fred Cuellar has distinguished himself in various fields. He is one of the world's top diamond experts, a three time Guinness Book record holder in jewelry design, a consultant to investment and financial firms, and a best-selling author. His clients include the Dallas Cowboys, the Denver Broncos, the Detroit Redwings, plus celebrities associated with Lionsgate and the Rubik's Brand. His personal commitment to making a difference in people's lives has taken him on a journey into the world of obesity, and his discoveries not only saved his life but can save yours. DiamondCuttersIntl.com







Nancy Levin is a Master Life Coach, radio host and best-selling author of five books including her latest, Setting Boundaries Will Set You Free: The Ultimate Guide to Telling the Truth, Creating Connection and Finding Freedom. She has coached thousands of people to live life on their own terms by making themselves a priority and setting boundaries that stick.

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Formerly the Event Director at Hay House from 2002-2014, Nancy now teaches regularly at Kripalu, 1440 Multiversity and the Hay House Writer’s Workshop and she also recently launched Levin Life Coach Academy – a premier life coach training & certification program designed to revolutionize the industry. She received her MFA in Creative Writing and Poetics from Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado and she continues to live in the Rocky Mountains. Visit NancyLevin.com


CO-CREATOR OF INNER BONDING

Dr. Paul is the author/co-author of several best-selling books, including Do I Have To Give Up Me to Be Loved By You?, Inner Bonding, Healing Your Aloneness, The Healing Your Aloneness Workbook, Do I Have To Give Up Me to Be Loved By My Kids?, Do I Have To Give Up Me To Be Loved By God?, and her recent books, Diet for Divine Connection: Beyond Junk Foods and Junk Thoughts to At-Will Spiritual Connection, and The Inner Bonding Workbook: Six Steps to Heallng Yourself and Connecting with Your Divine Guidance. 

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Dr. Paul's books have been distributed around the world and have been translated into eleven languages.

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Margaret holds a Ph.D. in psychology and is a relationship expert, noted public speaker, workshop leader, educator, chaplain, consultant and artist. She has appeared on many radio and TV shows, including the Oprah show. She has successfully worked with thousands of individuals, couples and business relationships and taught classes and seminars since 1967.

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Margaret continues to work with individuals and couples throughout the world on phone and Skype. She is able to access spiritual guidance during her sessions, which enables her to work with people wherever they are in the world. Her current passion is bringing the Inner Bonding process to people throughout the world through her courses, books and SelfQuest®, the online program that teaches Inner Bonding® and is offered to prisons and schools, as well as sold to the general public.

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Margaret is passionate about helping people rapidly heal the root cause of their pain and learn the path to joy and loving relationships.

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In her spare time, Margaret loves to paint, make pottery, take photos, watch birds, read, ride horses, and spend time with her grandchildren.

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Dain Heer is an internationally renowned author, speaker and facilitator of consciousness and change. For over 17 years, he has been inviting people to embrace their true greatness—people from every culture, country, age and social strata of society. Originally trained as a chiropractor, he has a completely different approach to healing by facilitating people to tap into and recognise their own abilities and knowing.

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In his talks and workshops, he uses a unique set of tools and provides step by step energetic processes to get people out of the answers, conclusions and judgments that are keeping them stuck in a cycle of no choice and no change – leading them into the moments of awe that have the power to change anything.

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For Dain, judgment is the biggest killer on the planet, especially the judgment of ourselves. Based on his own life experience, he asks: “What if we could get out of the wrongness of ourselves and see every wrongness, the places where judge ourselves the most,  as a strongness? What would be possible then?”

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Every year, Dain receives thousands of emails from readers who say that his most recent book, ‘Being You Changing the World’, inspired them to live. Somehow he is able to lead people out of their self-criticism and innate feeling of never being enough into a sense of question and wonder and gratitude for being alive.

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Dain Heer comes from a broken family, growing up with his mother in a ghetto area of Los Angeles. During these years, he was exposed to mental, physical, emotional, sexual and monetary abuse. Everything he chose and wanted was taken from him. Very early on, he learned that he didn’t own anything.

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Yet, Dain never chose to be a victim. Instead he discovered the power of total allowance, courage, and resilience. He learned to transform life’s challenges into a gift of strength, awareness and continuous questions. Along the way, what came forward in him was a true kindness of being, and a phenomenal knowing that has made him an agent of change rarely seen in this world.  

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Today he is acknowledged worldwide for his unique perspectives on consciousness and personal transformation, that are unlike anything else out there. He is best known for his powerful energetic transformation process, called The Energetic Synthesis of Being and for being the co-creator of Access Consciousness, along with  the founder, Gary Douglas.

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Reaching far beyond what people say with words, Dain looks at the energy of what is being presented, inviting change at the core of each being he comes across. He invites people to truly live. To live without apology, with total presence, no longer needing to hide their differences and unique capacities from the world.

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Sherianna Boyle is the author of Emotional Detox: 7 Steps to Releasing Toxicity & Energizing Joy, Emotional Detox for Anxiety and six other books. She is an adjunct Psychology Professor, seasoned yoga instructor and founder of Emotional Detox Coaching, the C.L.E.A.N.S.E Method™ and C.L.E.A.N.S.E Yoga.™ Sherianna has been featured expert in over eighty articles including Psychology Today, Yoga Journal, Prevention, Parade Magazine, First Women. Her Emotional Detox retreats and workshops have been featured at renowned centers such as Kripalu Health & Yoga and 1440 Multiversity. Her resources can be found at www.sheriannaboyle.com





Carl Studna is a world-renowned photographer, an inspirational speaker and teacher, and the author of the multi-award winning book, CLICK! Choosing Love: One Frame at a Time, which following its 2012 release became a #6 best-seller among titles in the Self-Help genre. Carl's intimate portraits of influential people - including luminaries such as Ram Dass, Tom Robbins, Paul McCartney, James Brown, Eric Clapton, Elton John, Marianne Williamson and Deepak Chopra - have become known worldwide and have graced countless publications from Time Magazine to Rolling Stone.  Carl also had the honor of photographing His Holiness the Dalai Lama at the first Synthesis Dialogues in Dharmasala, India.

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Cynthia James is a transformational specialist and one of today’s brightest and best loved inspirational leaders and teachers guiding thousands of people to make changes at a deep level for lasting healing in their lives. Whether coaching, speaking or teaching Cynthia invites participants into INQUIRY, INTROSPECTION AND INTEGRATION. Her newest program, Advanced Awareness Coaching offers depth, focus and results for high level business creatives.

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Cynthia has appeared in the movies, Sacred Journey of the Heart and Leap! She has facilitated hundreds of workshops, seminars and keynotes; including Celebrate Your Life, Omega Institute, Woman Arising, the Gift in Shift, Colorado Behavior Healthcare Council, Women’s Success Forum, the Children’s Hospital and many others. Cynthia has co-hosted a radio talk show, a television talk show in Los Angeles and is a sought-after radio guest. Visit CarlStudna.com and CynthiaJames.net


Olympia Snowe’s personal and professional journey has inspired young women throughout Maine and America. Her resilience and accomplishments, despite many obstacles, have made her a role model for all the right reasons.

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Orphaned at the age of nine and widowed at 26, Olympia, with the support of family and friends, overcame tragedy to embark on a remarkable political career which took her from the State House in Maine to the halls of Congress, where in 2006, TIME Magazine named her one of the top ten U.S. Senators.

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After serving terms in both the Maine House and Maine Senate, Olympia was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1978 and served eight terms before being elected to the U.S. Senate in 1994. In addition to her Congressional duties, she also served for six years as Maine’s First Lady, following her marriage to then-Governor John McKernan in 1989.

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Throughout her career, Olympia has led with an approach that values a thorough studying of the issues, listening to and respecting other points of view, and building consensus and finding solutions. She earned a national reputation and respect across the country for forging policy solutions based on what was best for the common good, not political partisanship.

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Since leaving the Senate in 2013 at the end of her third 6-year term, Olympia continues her public service by speaking out nationally on the need for bipartisanship. She also has committed herself to helping future generations of young women become leaders by raising their confidence and aspirations through the establishment of the Olympia Snowe Women’s Leadership Institute.

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Creator & Executive Producer of The Lucky Ones

Joseph created The Lucky Ones with fellow widower Matt Zoller-Seitz as a web based video platform for people to celebrate the continuing bonds shared with those who’ve passed away. In short interviews, people from all walks of life share their stories about someone special who has touched their lives. In his book, I’m One of The Lucky Ones, Joseph shares the joy of his relationship with his wife; celebrating the love they had for one another.

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Joseph’s prior work includes the music video, Take Me to Your Reader for Grammy nominee Judy Pancoast along with the 5 minute short; Do Not Remove, a Halloween spoof that ran before blockbuster films such as Blue Velvet, Aliens, and Stand by Me. His direction of Creeps was awarded one of the Year's Best Plays by Jay Carr of the Boston Globe. Joseph staged a regional production of The Elephant Man and in NYC, productions of Buddies for the Ensemble Studio Theatre and Doing the Numbers at The Sanford Meisner Theatre. He has produced or directed numerous high profile TV commercials for such clients as Estee Lauder, Visine and JVC.

To see more visit LuckyOnesTV.com


Winston Ben Clements was predicted to live a life of isolation and pain due to a rare bone disorder that stunted his growth, and caused his bones to be extremely fragile (fracturing more than 150 times by age 12). Despite his small stature (3 feet tall) and use of a wheelchair, Winston has taken a stand for a quality of life that knows no limits.

Nowadays he is a speaker and trainer, empowering audiences worldwide to break through their own barriers. Winston’s mission is to inspire 1 BILLION people to unleash their full human potential. In 2018 he delivered a TEDx talk titled “Your Limitations Are An Illusion” that has had a massive impact online. Learn more about his work at winstonclements.com





Wendie Pett, a nationally recognized name in the fitness industry, is passionate about motivating and encouraging people to make fitness and nutrition part of their daily routine. She enthusiastically teaches the care of mind, body and spirit, assisting others to learn the importance of reaching their full God-given potential through her Visibly Fit™ program—a total wellness and body weight resistance exercise program. Wendie has helped countless numbers of people reach their fitness goals without ever compromising their joint health, tendons, or ligaments by teaching simple and easy to do exercises that use your body as your gym. A great way to workout anytime, anywhere—no excuses allowed!

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Wendie has her own television show that airs nationally every week on the NRB network. Her Visibly Fit™ TV show also airs on several other networks in local markets across the country, including SkyAngel, Parables, and SmartLiveStyle.TV. The show received the Exceptional Service Award in 2011 from Christian Women in Media Association. She speaks at large corporations, churches and universities promoting her Visibly Fit™ health and fitness philosophies. Wendie is the Midwest Regional Director and on the Advisory Board for Christian Women in Media held in Minneapolis. She has a degree in Natural Medicine and works as a fitness coach and consultant with individuals across the country. In addition, she contributes as a featured contributor for Diet.com, Best Ever You Magazine, BetterSelf, Total Wellness Newsletter, Your Excellency Magazine, iBelieve, and many others. She has authored several books including Every Woman’s Guide to Personal Power.

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Wendie’s mission is to help get children and adults of all ages practicing and living the results and benefits of her Visibly Fit™ total wellness and fitness program. She attributes her success to the balance she’s achieved in her life by putting God first, her family second and her business third. The mission of getting families healthy mind, body, and spirit placed Grace ‘n Action on her heart… a non-profit ministry to assist single moms and children in need. She believes that when single moms are equipped with proper tools and education then they are more motivated to become and stay healthy in order to live out the bright future ahead.

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Wendy Hilliard is a USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member. She was the first African -American to represent the US in rhythmic gymnastics and coached a 1996 Olympian. She was the first African -American President of the Women’s Sports Foundation. Wendy was an Olympic Sportscaster and Broadway performer. She also was the Director of Sports for the NYC 2012 Olympic Bid. In 1996, she founded the Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF) which has provided free and low-cost gymnastics for over 17,000 urban youth in NYC. Wendy’s gymnastics training was through the Detroit Recreation Department. In 2017, Wendy expanded her gymnastics foundation program to include Detroit. Wendy lives in Harlem with her husband, Bobby Mensah and 2 sons, Kennedy “KC” and Bailey “BJ”. For more information, visit www.wendyhilliard.org.


Ellen Barrett is a well-known exercise video creator, with best-selling titles like Crunch: Fat Burning Pilates, Prevention Magazine’sFlat Belly Diet Workout & The Yogini Workout. From 2006 – 20011, she starred in Fit TV’s All-Star Workouts. She’s the author of four wellness books, including her latest, The 28Days Lighter Diet (Skirt!, 2014). Ellen holds certifications in yoga, Pilates, nutrition & group exercise as well as a master's degree in Education. Combining mind/body methods with empowering self-help concepts is her forte. She lives in Connecticut with her family.  Visit EllenBarrett.com




STEVE & BONNIE – as seen on Fit To Fat To Fit on A&E, Bridal Boot Camp on VH1, Fat March on ABC and on LifeTime.

As Certified Personal Trainers, Steve & Bonnie Pfiester have been featured in Fitness Magazine, Shape, Women’s Health Magazine, Us Weekly,  OK! Magazine, Oxygen, US Today, LA Times, Travel Channel, and Club Solutions Magazine, and have worked in the fitness industry for most of their 22 years of marriage.

Coined “The Dynamic Duo” by fitness industry leaders, the Pfiesters run Max Fitness and BCx Boot Camp™ in Vero Beach, Florida. The Pfiesters work with some of the top fitness brands in the country, providing workouts, tips and motivation for GNC, Reebok, LiveExercise, Designer Whey, Detour, LiveWell360 and many others. Whether you are looking for a new workout or you just need some encouragement, PfitBlog.com will inspire you to be the best you possible – and get ‘pfit’! www.pfitblog.com & www.liftvero.com


About Best Ever You

The Best Ever You Network is a multi-media company that provides personal development to individuals and organizations around the world.

Founded in 2008 by Elizabeth Hamilton-Guarino, The Best Ever You Network’s mission is to raise awareness - to inspire you to embrace the inner love, gifts, and talents that create the essence of who you really are - and to challenge you to share this uniqueness with the world. The Best Ever You Network is a trusted place to discover or re-discover your authentic, best self, to create a vision and practice that vision, and to really live – rooted in gratitude, where each moment in your life matters.

Our goal is to assist you to connect and reconnect with your true self, to others around you, and to the world as a whole, in peace - for peace. Our founding 5 Principles are: Core of You, Art of You, Heart of You, Humanity of You and Sport of You.




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