Brent Bauer
Brent Bauer is a dynamic and energetic entrepreneur who loves adventure and taking risks. He’s been paragliding, rock climbing, skiing and scuba diving all over the world. So, it’s ironic that his closest brush with death happened in his own backyard when he fell from his roof, three stories onto a concrete patio. The nearly fatal accident left him shattered. The recovery process was long and filled with lessons on resilience that he is passionate about sharing. Brent has been in National Geographic publications three times following his accident – the first when he appeared as the centerfold in their January 2020 article on Pain. Today Brent is powered by gratitude for his new lease on life and he’s here to inspire us with his perspective on Radical Resilience!
Blake Dorfman '02
Blake Dorfman is the Dean of Students at Laguna Blanca School. After graduating from LBS in 2002, Blake went to USC and continued a love for writing and journalism that started in his Laguna days. His love for sports led to a career as a sportswriter and broadcaster right out of college. In his late twenties, he felt a tug to move into education and went back to USC to obtain a Masters Degree in Education as well as an English teaching credential. He was lucky enough to return to Laguna Blanca after that, starting as the librarian 13 years ago. The journey since has seen him serve the school in a variety of roles: classroom teacher, pep rally emcee, yearbook advisor, volleyball coach, and administrator. He finds it uniquely rewarding to work at the place where he spent some of his most formative years. His wife, Laura, is also a teacher, and they are the proud parents of two daughters and a dog.
Bennett Sullivan
Bennett Sullivan offers his perspective on gratification and goal-setting, drawing from 13 years of competitive swimming experience. He reflects on how the sport has shaped his understanding of discipline, consistency, and long-term growth. Through his journey, Bennett shows that the mindset he developed in the pool applies to challenges of any scale. A senior at Laguna Blanca School and an accomplished swimmer, Bennett trains with both the Santa Barbara Swim Club and the Laguna Blanca team. He practices 6–8 times per week for most of the year and has competed in some of the region’s most selective meets. Swimming is a central part of his life, and today, he hopes to share the lessons it has taught him with others
Carryn Barker
Carryn Barker is a detective, former SWAT operator, and Medal of Honor recipient who speaks on resilience, leadership, and allyship. As a keynote speaker, she draws from her lived experiences to inspire and empower others — helping individuals, teams, and organizations push past barriers and build stronger, more supportive cultures. Her journey led to a landmark legal settlement, but more importantly, it highlighted the power of standing up and standing together. Today, she shares her story to help others navigate challenges, cultivate trust, and lead with courage. Whether in the workplace, in leadership, or in life’s toughest moments, Carryn’s message is clear: resilience is built, allyship is action, and change begins with the courage to speak up.
Kerri Murray
Kerri Murray is a humanitarian leader driven by a simple belief: shelter is the foundation for dignity, safety, and hope. As President of ShelterBox USA, she leads global disaster response efforts for families displaced by conflict, climate disasters, and crisis. Since 2009, Kerri has worked on the front lines of humanitarian emergencies—from war zones to communities devastated by earthquakes, fires, and floods—advocating for people who are too often unseen and unheard.Her path to activism is rooted in a deep commitment to service and justice. Before entering the nonprofit world, Kerri spent 13 years in global healthcare at GlaxoSmithKline, then chose to dedicate her life to helping people rebuild after loss. She is a longtime Rotary member, former Board President of GIRLS ROCK, and a champion for women’s empowerment. She received the Martin Luther King Jr. Vision Award in 2024 and an honorary doctorate from her alma mater, Providence College, in 2025.
Daniel M. Jaffe
Daniel M. Jaffe left the practice of law over 35 years ago to pursue his dream of writing fiction and memoir. When the mood strikes, he also translates contemporary Russian literature. His tenth book, Russian Silhouette: A Memoir of Human Rights Activism and Self-Discovery, will be published in September. Daniel relaxes by studying languages, hiking, swimming, gardening, baking, and watching British baking shows (including reruns!).
Lauren Enright
Lauren Enright is a climate and water resilience leader, serving as CEO of Axiom Climate and Program Manager of Water Services at SCS Global Services. At Axiom Climate—a U.S.–based consultancy rooted in the belief that water change is climate change—she advances innovative, experiential approaches that help the public understand water-related climate risks firsthand. Her work blends ecological economics with strategic insight, balancing the promise of emerging climate and water technologies with the need for human-centered resilience in a post-growth world.At SCS Global Services, Lauren leads the development of the Water Stewardship and Resiliency Standard, advances Water Positive™ verification, and supports clients with comprehensive water risk and adaptation strategies. A swimmer, avid climber, biker, and skier, she draws inspiration from mountain landscapes. She holds an MA in International Relations and Maritime Security, and dual BAs in Political Studies and History.
Dylan Moscovitch
Dylan Moscovitch is a Canadian Olympic Silver Medalist figure skater turned speaker, facilitator, and coach devoted to mindset and personal transformation. After decades shaped by discipline and performance, he faced a deeper question: who are we when achievement no longer defines us? Now based in Costa Rica, Dylan lives a service-oriented life rooted in holistic practices and ancient wisdom traditions. His work focuses on life’s liminal spaces—the in-between moments where certainty dissolves, identities are reshaped, and deeper truth becomes accessible.
As founder of The Liminal Way and co-founder of TIERRA Viviente and Menkind Collective, with ongoing work at Yacumama EcoVillage in Costa Rica and Samati Xobo in Peru, Dylan supports individuals navigating transition—blending lived experience, integrative learning, and practical tools with discipline, humor, and heart.
Mackenna Minehan
Mackenna Minehan, LCSW, is a licensed psychotherapist specializing in treating anxiety and depression. Her work is grounded in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) with the goal of helping clients gain insight and build resilience. Mackenna has worked in direct practice, largely with teens and young adults, for over a decade. Through the years, she has found that most if not all clientele seek support when they are either stuck in the past, and/ or ruminating on the future. By learning to focus on the present, Mackenna helps her clients identify areas within their control, and empower them to challenge their maladaptive thought patterns and beliefs that are interfering with their progress.Mackenna obtained her masters degree in clinical social work from Columbia University and worked in a variety of medical, clinical and academic settings. As a result, she has developed a passion for helping prepare the younger generations by fostering greater self awareness and confidence through intentional reflection and practical skills building.Licensed in both California and New York, Mackenna runs a private practice, works with mothers and parents through Dr. Cassidy & Co., and collaborates with a local nonprofit, the Open Minds Foundation, dedicated to expanding access to mental health care. Her clinical training includes advanced certifications in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Motivational Interviewing, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, and Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing. She also participated in a post-master’s program focused on the psychodynamic treatment of disordered eating.
Mia Xavez '15
Born in Santa Barbara, California, and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Mia Xavez carries the best of both contrasting coasts. Additionally, she is a Leo Sun, Aquarius moon- so if you know anything about astrology, you may note that dancing in duality is a common theme in her life and constitution. Mia is a Los Angeles–based entrepreneur, artist, and a filmmaker in every sense of the word: she works as a producer, director, and actor (and once gaffed a short film that went to Cannes — a fact she willnever let anyone forget).She graduated from NYU Tisch School of the Art in 2020 with a BFA in Film Production and Arts Politics.In 2023, she was a semi-finalist and fellow in the Director’s Guild of America (DGA) Commercial DirectingProgram.Mia Xavez is the founder and an executive producer at Demasiada Productions. She launched thecompany in 2024 to build a home for creatives to “do the most.” Demasiada is a haven for ideas thatexpand beyond any mold. Through Demasiada, Mia has produced award-winning independent shortfilms, music videos for labels like Atlantic Records and Sony Music, and commercial campaigns for clientslike Spotify and Serato Audio.[She is the face of Zomoz Mezcal - a luxury mezcal brand crafted through multi-generational care andancestral wisdom. Last year, she leveraged her role as the hero of the brand’s launch campaign into ashareholding creative partnership.]Parallel to her professional life, she is a mentee curandera studying with maestra Erika Buenaflor andintegrates the wisdom of her Rarámuri and Chicimeca lineages in all her endeavors. She loves birds, oldHollywood glamour and hyperbole.
Sharon Allen
As a recognized leader in international philanthropic telehealth, Sharon seeks to improve the lives of vulnerable populations through projects that address global health equity. Under her leadership, WTI developed an innovative model that leverages remote humanitarian physicians and nurses to provide sustainable medical expertise to resource-constrained communities worldwide. WTI has established remote specialist care and training for onsite clinicians in over 50 under-resourced hospitals and clinics. She is often asked to present at notable global healthcare conferences – including the Forbes Health Summit. Sharon has been selected to serve on the World Health Organization Digital Health Board of Advisors and Roster of Experts. She is currently working with WHO on their Telehealth Roadmap for the Underserved. The United Nations Association awarded Sharon with the Peace Prize in 2023.
Santiago Segovia
"Born and raised in Villa Ramallo, Argentina, Santiago Segovia moved to the United States 13 years ago on a tennis scholarship. After graduating from Texas State University, he and his husband settled in Santa Barbara, where Santiago discovered a passion for expanding access to tennis within underserved communities. Through his volunteer work, he met Katie Kinsella, and together they co-founded Ace Your Dreams, a Santa Barbara–based program dedicated to developing the educational and tennis skills of underserved youth both here and in Latin America. Santiago’s motivation for launching Ace Your Dreams is rooted in a decade-long dream: to provide young people in situations similar to his own with the resources and opportunities he once needed. His work reflects a deep commitment to accessibility, empowerment, and the transformative impact of sports. "