Presentation by – Cait Donovan
Amanda Gore is CEO of The Joy Project, an author, speaker, columnist and business woman. She is a CSP and has won both Educator of the Year and Keynote Speaker of the Year awards from the National Speakers Association. Author of five books and several video and audio training programs, Amanda has a bachelor’s degree in physiotherapy, a major in psychology, and expertise in ergonomics, stress management, group dynamics, neurolinguistics, neuroscience, and occupational health.
For more than 25 years, Amanda has been one of America’s and Australia’s most admired “experience-creating” speakers. She uses proven principles to transform organizational cultures by changing perceptions, improving relationships, connecting people, managing change, and team dynamics.
Amanda is a catalyst for change. For too long business has been paralyzed by its over analysis of data. This presentation will help you re-connect to the energy and emotional layers that really drive leadership, performance, innovation, engagement and creativity in your business and life.
We are in an age of “unlearning”, unlearning the ways we used to work and live, while re-learning new ways to engage and connect with our teams. Creating joyful cultures and actually focusing on joy as a business strategy today is smart, brilliant, necessary, and essential.
During this fun, enlightening and thought-provoking session, Amanda will share strategies, techniques and skills that will allow you to more readily adapt to change, transform attitudes, eradicate fear, and improve relationships, communication, and customer service.
As a communications and performance expert, Amanda uses the science of the heart and the principles of emotional intelligence and neuroscience, to help business leaders achieve the results they want by getting people engaged in, enthusiastic about, and aligned with corporate goals and vision.
With decades of experience speaking in over 20 countries to a wide range of corporations, groups and associations, including dental programs throughout the United States, combined with constant research in scientific discovery, Amanda will entertain, change perceptions, behaviors and attitudes, and move you to action.
Cait Donovan is a dynamic storyteller who specializes in sharing empowering and relatable narratives, featuring laugh-out-loud funny real-life examples. Whether delivering corporate workshops, captivating keynotes, or engaging podcast appearances, Cait inspires audiences to take action. Her unique blend of humor and insight offers a fresh perspective on recovery and well-being, making her a valuable resource for your team’s growth.
Abe Kasbo is Founder and CEO of Verasoni, a marketing communications advisory, consultancy and agency. The firm delivers integrated marketing communications strategies to the dental community including distributors, manufacturers, DSOs and independent dentists across the country.
He was inducted into the Seton Hall University Entrepreneur Hall of Fame in September 2018, and is the founder of OnlyOneToothBrush.com–a philanthropic effort aimed to bring 200,000 toothbrushes to support the oral health of Syrian refugees in Germany, Canada, and the United States. Abe is a board member of the London-based Awareness Foundation, and served as board member of Phi Alpha Delta Law Fraternity International Foundation.
Abe serves as an advisor to C-Suite executives on communications, branding, and public relations strategies. He is a member of the Board of Advisors and immediate past Chair of The Center for Entrepreneurial & Innovation Studies at Seton Hall University.
He has been featured in The New York Times, Forbes, Institutional Investor, PBS, FoxBusiness.com, Bankrate.com, Dental Economics, The American Marketing Association, The National, The Record, The Star-Ledger, FOX, WOR, WCBS, New Jersey Monthly, Becker’s Healthcare Review, as well as international media outlets in Europe and the Middle East.
Abe holds a Master’s Degree in Public Administration with a concentration in Healthcare Policy and Management, and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Seton Hall University.
As Verasoni’s Chief Operating Officer, Rebecca is a driving force behind the growth and exceptional client experience for clients. Her journey with Verasoni began in 2017 as the Director of Key Accounts, where she demonstrated a deep commitment to leading clients’ integrated marketing campaigns with a strategic and creative approach.
In 2018, Rebecca was recognized as an “Innovator to Watch” by the New Jersey Technology Council, celebrating her leadership in the field. Under her guidance, Verasoni’s business strategy moves efficiently and effectively from ideation to implementation, resulting in measurable growth for clients. Rebecca’s leadership is a steady and motivating force, inspiring our teams to work efficiently, meet deadlines, and foster a company culture of honesty and integrity, always with a sprinkle of fun.
With a passion for authentic human interaction, Rebecca firmly believes that clear and open communication is the cornerstone of successful projects. She helps to inject a human touch into all campaigns, eliciting real emotions that resonate with audiences. Her honest and transparent management approach builds trust with both clients and colleagues, fostering strong relationships that go beyond business.
Beyond her role at Verasoni, Rebecca has served as Chair of the Communications Committee for the Lake Mohawk Preservation Foundation Board of Trustees, where she contributed her communication expertise. When she’s not busy with work or community involvement, she can be found exploring the rural areas of New Jersey, practicing yoga, sailing with her family, or experimenting with new baking recipes.
Kate Willeford, CPA, PFS, is a seasoned advocate for dentists and their teams, bringing nearly three decades of expertise to financial management. As the owner of the Willeford Group, she specializes in guiding clients to retain earnings, minimize taxes, and establish a secure retirement. Kate’s impactful leadership includes her past Vice President role at the Academy of Dental CPAs and active participation in dental management organizations. A contributing author for Dental Economics, Kate’s multifaceted commitment extends beyond her professional pursuits to include competitive rowing, sailing, and tennis, reflecting her dedication to the overall well-being of dental professionals.
Amy Morgan joined Spear Education in 2018 as Vice President of Consulting Strategy as part of the acquisition of Pride Institute—the nationally acclaimed, practice management consulting company where she previously served as CEO. Amy teaches practice management online and at the Spear Campus, helping to coach both clients and consultants incorporate Pride content into the Spear ecosystem.
Amy and her teams have revitalized thousands of dental practices using management systems proven to help dentists become more secure, efficient, and profitable. She started working at Pride in 1993 and, through the mentorship with Dr. Pride, advanced from serving as a consultant and trainer to leading the organization as chief executive.
A popular and sought-after speaker and educator, Amy has presented courses throughout North America and Europe and has been featured at every major dental meeting. She also designs and presents customized programs for study groups and dental companies.
Ms. Morgan is also an active writer and contributes regular practice management articles to Spear Digest. She has published a wide variety of columns and whitepapers in major dental publications, in addition to self-guided training manuals. Her books—like “Leadership Lessons From the Road: Why Bother, We’re All Nuckin’ Futz!”—provide real solutions to help doctors and their teams address the daily issues that arise in the evolution of their practices.
Abigail is dedicated to igniting hope, nurturing resilience, and empowering her clients through strengths-based care approaches. With nearly two decades of experience in clinical mental health, she specializes in Trauma-Informed Systems of Care, Solution Focused Brief Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. By blending her clinical expertise with a passion for coaching, Abigail offers a unique and transformative approach. Having personally experienced the life-changing benefits of coaching, she is committed to helping clients identify and overcome obstacles hindering their progress toward holistic life fulfillment.
Eric Vickery leverages his degree in Business Administration and personal success to provide his clients with effective business strategies that lead to success. With over 20 years of experience in dental practice management and extensive training in the field, Eric has helped numerous doctors and their teams achieve success. His areas of expertise include verbal skills, systems and success training, and team development. Eric’s engaging personality, extensive knowledge, and sense of humor make him a highly sought-after presenter and consultant. He coaches dental offices across the United States and holds the position of President of Coaching at All Star Dental Academy.
Jennifer Schultz possesses an exceptional blend of clinical, practice management, and technological expertise with over 25 years in the dental profession. She is also a certified HR consultant with Bent Ericksen & Associates.
With her years of combined experience as a clinical hygienist, HR onboarding specialist, software trainer, practice management, and transition consultant, Jennifer understands and appreciates the multi-faceted, inter-connectedness and unique challenges of getting the clinical side and business side of dentistry to work seamlessly and effortlessly.
She also understands how important communication, goal-setting, and objective productive feedback are in support of effective performance management. Jennifer approaches these managerial and leadership skills proactively (versus reactively) and with a future, solutions-focused orientation (versus a past, punitive-orientation). The results are uniquely positive, constructive, and results-oriented.
Kim Brozovich boasts nearly 25 years of healthcare expertise, specializing in fostering growth within dental practices by implementing effective strategies to enhance productivity and profitability. In 2022, she launched MacLeran & Vaughan to assist dentists in transitioning or selling their practices. With a strong background in business operations and HR leadership, Kim excels in driving transformative management strategies to achieve ambitious business objectives. She leverages her financial acumen to nurture industry partnerships while offering guidance to dental leaders. As a nod to her Scottish heritage, she adopted the Scottish Thistle as the emblem for MacLeran & Vaughan, symbolizing bravery, courage, and loyalty in the face of challenges.