ojai speakers

Storytelling that smuggles the truth

eric goode

Eric Goode is an American entrepreneur, naturalist, and conservationist. He is known as the founder of the Turtle Conservancy, a global conservation organization whose mission is to preserve and protect natural ecosystems, focusing on turtles and tortoises. Goode is also the co-creator and co-owner of the nightclub Area, B Bar restaurant, Hotel El Roblar, Lafayette House, and the Bowery Hotel.

katie hendricks

Kathlyn Hendricks, Ph.D., is an evolutionary catalyst, contextual disruptor and freelance mentor who has been a pioneer in the field of body intelligence and conscious loving for over fifty years. Katie is the co-author of twelve books, including the best-selling Conscious Loving, At The Speed of Life and Conscious Loving Ever After: How to Create Thriving Relationship at Midlife and Beyond. Passionate about the power of embodied integrity and full-spectrum presence, her work explores the how of consciousness and the structures and practices that befriend and transform fear into presence, relational authenticity and resonant collaboration.

She specializes in translating concepts such as commitment into directly felt experiences that lead to new choices and creative engagement. Katie has developed a unique coaching and leadership program that has trained hundreds of leaders in the U.S. and Europe. She co-founded the Spiritual Cinema Circle and the virtual Body Intelligence Summit. She has appeared on over 500 radio and television programs and traveled well over one million air miles as the ambassador for the work that she and her husband Gay Hendricks have developed.

vyana novus

Vyana is an ecological artist & educator based in Ojai, California. Before joining the Rise Literary team as Chief Creative Officer, Vyana spent over a decade working as a freelance designer, brand strategist, creative director, and facilitator. Their studies spread wide across various art media, somatics, and relational skills. They use earth pigment paint making & color science alongside interpersonal relational skills to explore how creativity sustains & heals us as people. Their work & facilitation is heavily inspired by their near death experience, guiding their use of multimedia storytelling as a tool for intergenerational healing & legacy making.

Lynnette ramirez

Lynnette Ramirez is the President of Bassett Vance Productions. Named to Multichannel News’ 40 Under 40 Class, Lynnette is a visionary leader with over 20 years of experience in the entertainment industry. She has held senior creative roles across film, television, and digital, successfully championing diverse voices and stories. In addition to her producer work, Lynnette is an adjunct professor in the MFA Film and Television program at Loyola Marymount University, and also leads personal storytelling workshops that empower the next generation of creators.

daniel roselle

Daniel is a strategic leader with more than 20 years of experience in both Fortune 500 companies and nonprofits. Over the course of his career, he has helped organizations grow stronger, adapt to change, and serve their communities more effectively. In animal welfare, this approach led to expanded lifesaving efforts and new programs that support people and pets. At the Humane Society of Ventura County, Daniel is working with the board, staff, volunteers, and supporters to expand access to care and build on the organization’s role as a trusted community resource.

Aine Rock

Aine Rock is an Erotic Leadership & Embodiment Coach, with a broad background in the healing arts and personal development. She works with women to reclaim their pleasure, their sovereignty, and their full expression. Her intuitive approach and passion for awakening the Divine Feminine make her a powerful force in both business and spirituality.

carmine sabatella

Carmine is a global design leader and host of HGTV’s Inside Out and House Hunters with a background in interior design and landscape architecture. In his first year, he was in the top 1 percent of his previous agency's 57,000 agents nationwide for sales volume. Most recently, he's obtained Top 100 in Production and Sales, Top 1% of the Berkshire Hathaway Network, and ranked number 3 in the Pasadena office. After just three short years, he already feels as though he is a veteran agent.

dr. kamin samuel

Kamin Samuel, PhD, began her professional career as the U.S. Navy’s first African American woman helicopter pilot. Today, she works at the intersection of neuroscience and inner authority, guiding high-achieving leaders, coaches, and entrepreneurs beyond performance and into deeper alignment and sustainable success. She is also the filmmaker behind Courage to Thrive, amplifying the voices of underserved and underestimated women and women veterans and reminding us that it is never too late to thrive.

betsy stix

Betsy is a lifelong teacher of human development, yoga, English, French, and former mayor of Ojai, California. Also a lifelong animal advocate and dedicated vegan, she has volunteered over the years for humane societies, PETA, the World Wildlife Fund, and animal rights activist Henry Spira. She was also the first paid employee of Best Friends Animal Sanctuary in Kanab, Utah, where she and her sister opened a cafe to benefit the Sanctuary.

Krista Vernoff

Krista Vernoff is an Emmy-nominated television writer best known for her Golden Globe-winning work on Grey’s Anatomy and the dark comedy Shameless. She also worked on Charmed, Wonderfalls, Law & Order, Private Practice, and Station19 and created Rebel for ABC. She won the Gracie Award for Best Showrunner in 2023. She’s a writer of songs, plays, screenplays, essays, and will publish her first novel in 2026. Krista also teaches writing workshops online and at Omega Institute in New York.