Opening Eyes, LLC Personal + Professional Coach Author/Speaker Author/Speaker In 2002 Dana learned about the power of microfinance and was so inspired by how it transforms people's lives—self-employment; improved health, nutrition, schooling and housing; family stability; dignity, self-esteem and hope for a future—that she had to get involved. In order to share with others what is proving to be the most effective way to alleviate world poverty, Dana decided to tell the story of those most affected by microfinance—the microentrepreneurs themselves. She took a leave of absence from her 17-year teaching career in the San Francisco Bay Area—in which she taught English and Social Sciences to inner-city and alternative high school students, and trained/coached teachers—and became an international photojournalism entrepreneur herself. In 2007, after three and one-half years of travel to thirteen countries on five continents—where she had the privilege to meet, photograph and interview some of the world's poorest yet most determined individuals—Dana published Transforming Lives $40 at a Time, Women + Microfinance: Upending the Status Quo. Her book of photographs and personal stories brings readers face-to-face with the dreams, fears and successes of women (and a few like-minded men) who use microfinance to open businesses of their own, grow them and, as a result, transform their own lives—inside and out, their families' lives, and entire communities. Using Transforming Lives as a backdrop, Dana speaks at businesses, universities, bookstores and schools, to women's, business and philanthropy groups, as well as in people's homes and religious institutions teaching people about the power of microfinance, and sharing her own inspirational passion-to-publish-to-coaching story. Coach While researching and writing her book, Dana witnessed and experienced first-hand the internal and external transformation that is possible when a person is devoted and supported to reach desired goals. As a result, Dana became motivated to turn her professional compass towards coaching so that she could assist others to make profound shifts in their lives just as she and the microentrepreneurs she met were doing. In early 2008, she graduated from Newfield Network, an International Coach Federation-certified program, and launched her coaching career with a focus on ontological coaching. Rather than depend on your thoughts alone to devise a linear problem-to-solution path (the most common process used in the western world), ontological coaching focuses on engaging in and navigating your life from your entire being—thoughts, emotions and body. Coming from this all-encompassing vantage point provides you with an ever-greater sense of yourself, who you are and who you want to be - your core values, beliefs, desires and needs. Thus, rather than living your life, forging relationships, and planning and pursuing goals while wearing blinders, basing your choices on the world's expectations, or relying too much on input from others, you learn to deeply sense, trust and follow your authentic self. Dana will embolden you to explore who you are as you define and pursue achievements you set for yourself. You will discover and fine-tune the: language you use about yourself and your circumstances, and what you say about and to others that helps or hinders you from being the person and attaining the goals or having the relationships you desire moods and emotions that drive or inhibit your ability and/or desire to perceive, thus act on new possibilities for your life body you inhabit and how effectively you sense your own physical cues and messages, send physical messages to others, and to what degree you live moment by moment (which direct sensing of and by your body allows) Dana's coaching is grounded in helping you expand your self-awareness. As exciting, challenging, even scary as it may be—both to delve into your core being and to make life changes—being supporting by and working with Dana will provide you with the invaluable opportunity to better know yourself and as a result, courageously, authentically and effectively move forward in your life, both personally and professionally. Expert Ezine Author Dana has been designated an Expert Author by ezine.com. Her articles on effective strategies for personal and professional growth and change may be found at ezine.com Articles. More about Dana Dana serves on the board of Women's Initiative for Self Employment, Alameda County, CA, and is a member of Women Advancing Microfinance, Northern California (WAM NorCal). She holds M.A. degrees in Education from Stanford University, and in College Student Development from The George Washington University. She received her teaching credential in English and Social Sciences from San Francisco State University, and earned a B.A. degree from the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies at the University of California, Berkeley. Dana lives in Berkeley, CA with her husband and son.