ALI!!!  Her name makes me smile and want to shout because this crazy girl has a laugh and sense of humor that is contagious and makes your day–every time! I know that many of you miss “Thursdays with Ali” on the SOAR! blog.  Her writing had us in tears and laughter every week.  Can you […]

Charisse…where do I start with Charisse?  So many memories come to mind.  The first time I saw Charisse’s beautiful smile was when she applied for the SOAR! Scholarship in 2009.  She did not win that year, but she didn’t give up.  Months later, she attended our San Fransisco CONFIDENCE Workshop.  I still remember her raising […]

This week is a special week for our community.  Together, we get to celebrate and launch our SOAR! Recipients to SOAR!  The SOAR! Scholarship is a program that Brian and I founded over two years ago.  With the generous help of SOAR! Partners like SONY, Adobe, The Wisdom Connection, Fastline Media, Smug Mug, Shoot Dot […]

Watching The Nate Berkus Show last week and seeing how photography brought healing to a family with Special Needs, reminded me of how important it is to keep empowering women to build their photography dreams so that this kind of transformation only multiplies. We have reached for this with our SOAR! Scholarship Program the last […]

Meet  Fabulous Photographer and Amazing Mom Wendy Zippwald from Oahu, Hawaii! (Above image by Brenda Van Valkenburg of Brenda Van Photos) This is our last Amazing Mom interview for 2011, and it is a complete honor to have it be Wendy Zippwald!!  Some of you know Wendy as an amazing photographer, but she is many, […]

Today is going to be special for us.  I’m not sure how, but I’m going to look for it in small things–while being open to big things too.  I mean, it’s 11-11-11 today!  The date alone is pretty crazy and fun!  Right?! We are getting things prepped for our Dallas CONFIDENCE Workshop this weekend with […]