Our Team
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Editorial
Myrna Beth Haskell
Executive Editor |
#WheresYourSanctuary: Dance does it for me. Dance feeds my entire being - body, mind and soul. For me, dance is an escape. It's wild abandon and stress relief wrapped into one. If I'm feeling in need of a calming environment...a soaking tub, good book and glass of wine will do.
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"I am forever grateful to have such talented, professional and dedicated women helping me to create a high-quality publication that women can count on to empower, inspire, and educate each and every month. This labor of love is a team effort and one I am so very proud of. I thank you all from the bottom of my heart." ~ Myrna |
Mare Leonard
Section Editor & Literary Advisor |
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#WheresYourSanctuary: Sanctuary comes in various forms, such as the intimacy of sharing time with loved ones (my partner as well as my two cats, who show me love every day). It comes in the form of travel, where the finite and the infinite can fill the same space in extraordinary ways, whether it's a solitary walk at sunset to an old familiar rock on Santorini or the first glimpse of Machu Picchu, an eternal city in Peru on a clear morning…or even facing the beauty and terror of a blank page or canvas and waiting to see what will appear.
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#WheresYourSanctuary: Anytime I land in Italy…the smells…the feel of it…it’s like I’ve landed home. There are times when I need alone time, too – you don’t get that in the restaurant industry. So, in a broader sense, anywhere that I have the time and space to think and to develop ideas and thoughts.
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Amy Beth Acker, LCSW
Regular Contributor (Healthy Mind, Relationships) |
#WheresYourSanctuary: My sanctuary is in my journal. It's both a dear friend and a conduit to my highest self. When I am feeling uncertain about what direction to take, or when I'm feeling stressed, I always turn to my journal and have a conversation with my own inner wisdom in order to get clarity. There's something about putting pen to paper that allows me much-needed distance from the constant chatter going on inside my head. I love to use early mornings with my journal to plan my day, work through life's stresses, and get in a positive frame of mind. In the evening, I often grab my journal after settling into bed to document the gratitude and appreciation I feel for all the positive in my life. I have stacks of finished journals and I truly credit most everything good in my life to my time with them.
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#WheresYourSanctuary: I find sanctuary when I’m baking, particularly for my family. I think combining all the disparate elements and creating something new and delicious is absolute alchemy. The process itself is meditative. And having people, especially my grandchildren, enjoy the result is, as they say, priceless.
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#WheresYourSanctuary: Home is where I find sanctuary - specifically, when cozied up on my plaid club chair. It’s the perfect spot for reading, meditating, chatting with others, sipping a café au lait and taking in outdoor views. It’s my centering spot.
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Emily Dodi
Contributor |
#WheresYourSanctuary: Joy, peace, strength and fulfillment? That's a tall order. They are often elusive, rarely seen together, and sometimes impossible to find. But the best chance I have of basking in their glow is while I'm walking down a tree-lined path. It can be anywhere: my favorite spot in Ojai, a city street, a newly discovered forest trail. The only constant is trees. Misty, gray weather is a plus. My dog, Dara, as my companion goes without saying. Time slows. The world gets quiet. My heart calms. My mind lifts. Any burden is lightened. I can trust in the beauty of the world again.
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#WheresYourSanctuary: I find my Sanctuary inside a bookstore, somewhere in between the memoirs and fiction. There is some type of meditative effect to being surrounded by stories; it brings me to the closest understanding that my story fits somewhere among the vast array of literature. It inspires me to pick up a pen, but also to enjoy my life as it is.
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Marketing and Design
Ariana Dingman
Social Media Assistant |
#WheresYourSanctuary: I find sanctuary when I’m running and when I’m playing music. Running makes me feel strong and enables me to meditate on life. I also like playing music in my earphones way too loud! Playing my acoustic guitar gives me an emotional outlet. I can express joy with a funky tune or lament with melodies more somber. Both truly play a role in keeping me healthy in every way.
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#WheresYourSanctuary: I find sanctuary in my animals. I have two rescue dogs and two cats, and they always bring an element of happiness and peace to my day. They are my escape from the world when I need a break, and they are always there for me. They instantly calm me from daily stresses.
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Rachel Morrison
Masthead Photographer |
#WheresYourSanctuary: Photography is my sanctuary. I see the camera as a tool to communicate and encourage, to examine the world in my search for answers. It’s an expression and joy.
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Advisors
Our advisory board consists of dedicated professionals in various industries – women we have great respect and admiration for. These accomplished individuals suggest creative content, search for talent and contacts in their fields and assist us with promotion.
Nancy Burger
Editorial Advisor #WheresYourSanctuary: Music is my sanctuary because it gives me the freedom to express whatever emotions I’m sitting with at the moment and color them in a way that best serves me. I can speak truth while feeding my soul and celebrating my passion. Music fills in my blanks.
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Lisa Roman
Marketing Advisor #WheresYourSanctuary: For me, sanctuary is an escape from the day to day, a place to surround yourself with "white noise" away from the stress of the day: pups, paddle, sports, connecting with family and friends, adventure, old movies, books.
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Emily Wadsworth
Exercise & Wellness Advisor #WheresYourSanctuary: My sanctuary is exercise - hands down - and strength training is my "go to." There's something about exertion and movement that forces me to be in the moment; and that makes such a difference, even if it's only for an hour. I find that when I miss a few days I tend to be a little...scattered. More recently, I have gotten into climbing, and I must say that it may be my new sanctuary soon because I absolutely love it.
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