This document provides instructions for responding to 10 scenarios based on a textbook on motivation and performance. For each scenario, the respondent must write a paragraph of at least 3 sentences and between 100-200 words analyzing a person or situation related to motivation based on details provided from the textbook. The responses must be formatted as a term paper with a title page and double spacing.

1. Respond to ten scenarios based on the principles of motivation
and performance as presented in the textbook. Please DO NOT
USE SHORT ANSWERS. Your answers must be in paragraph
form. Please demonstrate your writing expertise.
Write a paragraph of at least three sentences that contain
between 100 and 200 words for each answer to the following ten
scenarios. Please format the scenarios as if it were a term paper.
Make sure to add a title page to your paper and to double-space
your responses.
1. Design an explanation for what motivates Alexis Dixon to
struggle to be “normal like everyone else” (See pages 53-54 in
our textbook).
2. Compose a paragraph to explain how both Rebecca and
Cheryl Hines are “both risk-takers” (See pages 84-86 in our
textbook).
3. Create a list of reasons that LaSonya Moore did not allow the
acceptance or rejection of her ethnic identity to influence her
beliefs about learning and school (See page 117 of our
textbook).
4. Plan how you would explain to a high school class how
Nicholas Formato (aka Nick Holes) is the personification of
integrated task orientation. You will need to explain what that
means as well. See pages 148-149 of our textbook).
5. Combine Principle #36 – “Past performance guide future
motivation” with the story of Nick Lowery found on pages 188-
189 in our textbook.

2. 6. Formulate a theory of Jessi Colter’s possible egoistic or
altruistic motives (See pages 221-222 in our textbook).
7. Invent a description of how Alec Torelli is the type of person
described by the “broken and build” view of motivation (See
page 251 in our textbook).
8. Hypothesize how Darren Soto became a motivational leader
(See pages 288-289 in our textbook).
9. Examine Robert Knowling, Jr.’s example of how core values,
candid communication, and organizational alignment
contributed to his work motivation (See page 317 in our
textbook).
10. Write a paragraph using Amanda Boxtel as an example of an
evolution of someone’s behavior that occurred through belief
change (See pages 358-359 in our textbook).
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Pg. 53 and 54 question 1
The biopsychology of motivation 53 Motivational Leader—
Alexis Dixon Alexis (Alex) Paige Dixon contracted pneumonia
halfway through fourth grade. Prior to that, she was a bright,
kind, and sometimes socially awkward child. Academics came
easily to her. She loved animals, playing the piano, art, and
being outside. The pneumonia triggered a glitch in her central
nervous system (CNS), and she would never fully recover from
her illness. The glitch caused her body to contort, and she
experienced considerable pain. She missed a great deal of
school and spent many of her days in hospitals seeking a cure
for her illness. By the time she began sixth grade, she was
painfully confined to a wheelchair. Despite her illness, Alex
began sixth grade in the gifted program. She continued to excel

3. academically as well as in art and piano. However, her
condition worsened halfway through sixth grade, 2 years after
the initial onset. Her body began contorting in terrible ways,
causing hundreds of dislocations daily. It seemed that she would
not survive. She was flown to a hospital in the Midwest and
placed in a coma in an attempt to buy time as new medications
were introduced, but to no avail. On February 23, 2010, Alex
underwent brain surgery as a last effort to save her life. It was
her sister’s 10th birthday and Alex was just 12 years old. The
surgery did not go as planned, although it did resolve her
original problems. A mishap caused a massive stroke to the left
hemisphere of Alex’s brain. She was placed in a coma for weeks
in order to increase her likelihood of survival. Her classmates
were behind her and folded a thousand paper cranes so that she
might get her wish and find motivation to live. Alex survived.
She emerged from the coma and slowly recovered the memories
of her life experiences, but not of her academics. She knew her
family, but not their names. When I spoke with Alex, she told
me, “I only really have half a brain, my left hemisphere was
destroyed. My motor skills were intact, but everything else was
gone” (A. Dixon, personal communication, March 23, 2014).
She did not even know her own name. She came home from the
hospital in June, 4 months after the surgery, and was determined
to enter seventh grade with her peers in August. More motivated
to succeed than ever before, Alex met her goal. Now, 5 years
after her stroke, Alex struggles to be “normal like everyone
else” (A. Dixon, personal communication, March 23, 2014). She
devotes her time to relearning how to eat, walk, care for herself,
speak, read, write, and do math. She has more determination
than can be imagined. She is in regular classes with a one on-
one aide. She works nonstop. Although her right hand is no
longer very useful, she has learned to write better than many
with her left hand. She has not given up on her right hand and
spends countless hours in therapy trying to regain use. During
her recovery, she discarded first the wheelchair and, eventually,
her cane, and now she is walking unassisted (and playing a

4. mean game of tennis as well)! At the end of ninth grade, Alex
passed both her state algebra and reading tests, achieving a five-
out-of-five score in algebra. She is liked by her peers and
adored by her teachers. She has a “Yes I Can” attitude that is
nothing less than contagious. Alex has certainly encountered
roadblocks and hardship resulting in significant disabilities over
the past 5 years. However, her resilience, strength, and
determination are unmatched, and her future is wide open.
When asked why she did not give up, Alex replied, “Obstacles
make me want to work harder. I am going to do something
great, it’s easier to give up than to keep on going” (A. Dixon,
personal communication, March 23, 2014). Alex has decided to
take her experiences and put them to good use by providing
motivational presentations to teachers, parents, and medical
professionals. At the tender age of 17, she has given keynote
speeches at several educational and psychology research
conferences. A marvel of perseverance and energy, Alex has
found her “MO,” albeit in the most unorthodox way, through the
massive biological upheaval brought about by her stroke. Alex
feels that by sharing her story and how she overcame such
immense hardships, she can motivate others to do the same.
Every day, she gets one step closer toward her intended career
as a rehabilitation specialist, specializing in motivating others
to reach personal goals, regardless of the obstacles.
Question 2 pg. 84-86
Motivational Leaders—Rebecca and Cheryl Hines Based upon
the interaction between Rebecca and Cheryl Hines, the bond
between sisters in arguably incomparable. On the surface, the
two appear radically different in profession and demeanor;
however, a unique and enduring cerebral connection transcends
the superficial differences that often dominate the evaluation of
someone you just met. Rebecca (Becky) Hines is a PhD
Professor at the University of Central Florida (UCF) in Orlando,
Florida, where she teaches preservice teachers how to teach,

5. specializing in the instruction of exceptional children. Prior to
her university position, she was a language arts teacher, a
teacher of students with severe emotional challenges, and a
middle school co-teacher. Her rich experiences working in and
researching inclusive settings have led Rebecca to speak at
seminars and conferences globally about her research and
classroom experiences. She is the co-author of Co-Teaching in
Secondary Schools , a guide book of evidence-based strategies
supporting the challenges of co-teaching for educators. When
not developing future teachers, Rebecca spends time with her
family attending to her twin children. Cheryl Hines is a world-
renowned actress, writer, director, and social activist. Cheryl is
best known for her twice-nominated Emmy Award role as the
irreverent and anguished wife of Larry David in the hit HBO
show Curb Your Enthusiasm , as well as from the television
show Suburgatory starring Jane Levy. As a Hollywood staple
since 2000, Cheryl has appeared in many hit movies, including
RV , in which she starred opposite Robin Williams, and
Waitress . Her 2009 directorial debut of Serious Moonlight
starred Meg Ryan and Timothy Hutton. Cheryl has recently
attracted tabloid attention due to her 2014 marriage to Bobby
Kennedy Jr., the third son of the late Senator Bobby Kennedy,
brother of US President John F. Kennedy. When not acting or
championing the Robert F. Kennedy Center for Justice and
Human Rights, Cheryl lives in Malibu, California, with her
husband and their combined families. Could the two sisters be
so dramatically different on face value? Cheryl went to West
Virginia University for a year before returning home to
Tallahassee, where she earned a cosmetology degree and worked
to pay her way through school. Rebecca worked her way
through school at Florida State University as a paraprofessional
at a school for special-needs children. Both ended up in Central
Florida because of their brother who moved to the Orlando area.
Cheryl landed a job at the Universal theme park in Orlando, and
Becky followed to complete her teaching internship. The
siblings were very close and roomed together in various

6. configurations throughout their long college careers. Cheryl
graduated from UCF and moved to Los Angeles a few years
later, as Rebecca moved to the Tampa area to continue her
education. The two sisters, who are obviously different in
vocation, social circles, and interests, surprisingly have a lot in
common, possibly leading the practitioner to conclude that
similar motives can manifest into dramatically different
behaviors. Motivationally, Rebecca and Cheryl are closely
aligned. Resilience, perseverance, and the realization that
failure is a distinct possibility define the sisters’ outlook on
success. When asked to account for their mutual success, the
sisters uniformly agreed they were both “bold risk takers.”
Cheryl stated, “Things aren’t always going to go right; if you
recognize this, you will succeed. Part of being an actor is not
getting the job, but if I don’t feel I can get the part, I am
wasting everyone’s time. There is a confidence factor.” (C.
Hines, personal communication, May 22, 2014). Summarizing
what leads to a fulfilling and satisfying life, Becky added, “It’s
not about being motivated to achieve some abstract thing that
someone else has defined, it’s about waking up and looking
forward to every day, and going to bed every night feeling good
about my day.” Cheryl added, “It’s all about your potential,
asking yourself, did I reach my potential today? Did I challenge
myself intellectually? Did I step outside of my comfort zone?”
(Cheryl and Rebecca Hines, personal communications, May 22,
2014). Clearly, Rebecca and Cheryl realize that a combination
of optimistic self-beliefs and the expectation of success are two
critical factors that spark initiative as well as define motivated
behavior.
3) PG. 117
Motivational Leader—LaSonya Moore LaSonya Moore is a 39-
year-old African American female, who for many is regarded as

7. an exceptional role model. However, based on Phinney’s (1990)
model of identity formation, others may perceive LaSonya as an
ethnic anomaly. LaSonya dispels the cultural stereotype often
erroneously ascribed to people from a particular ethnic group.
She grew up in an inner-city urban environment, or in what
LaSonya and most other people call “the ghetto.” As a young
girl growing up in the projects, it was difficult for LaSonya to
have big dreams because she claimed her life appeared so small.
She had the first of her two sons while still in high school, but
motherhood did not temper her drive and ambition. LaSonya
refused to become what society considered “another statistic”
because of the color of her skin or because of what she did not
have (L. Moore, personal communication, February 19, 2014).
Seeking challenge and overcoming adversity are routine for
LaSonya. After high school, while raising her son, she worked
full-time to pay for school, earning a Child Development
Associate certificate that allowed her to become a Head Start
teacher in Pinellas County, Florida. Challenging herself even
more, she continued to finance her own education, earning a
Bachelor of Science degree. She then became a high school
teacher and worked with emotionally and behaviorally disturbed
students who were extremely challenging— you know the kind,
the ones they call “deviant”; however, LaSonya never saw them
that way. Her passion for helping the disadvantaged continued
as she opened the first alternative school in Pinellas County,
Florida, where she helped agedout students and juvenile
offenders increase their possibilities of earning a high school
diploma. Along the way, LaSonya completed her graduate
studies in Educational Leadership and Administration at the
University of South Florida. Today, LaSonya is a proud mother
of two sons and a devoted wife. She has been an educator since
1995 and is currently employed with Pinellas County Schools
on Florida’s gulf coast as an Assistant Principal and she
supervises a variety of faculty and staff, as well as providing
support to over 1000 students. She regularly coordinates
training and meetings for programs, such as Response to

8. Intervention (RTI), Positive Behavior Support (PBS), Pinellas
County Girlfriends, Character Education, and Safe Schools. In
addition to organizational training, she oversees and conducts
extracurricular mentoring and tutoring programs, as well as
business and community partnerships. Oh yes, one more thing,
LaSonya is now studying for her Ed.D in Educational
Leadership at the University of Central Florida, which she will
complete in 2015.
4) PG. 148-149
Motivational Leader—Nick Holes Nicholas Formato (aka Nick
Holes) is the personification of integrated task orientation. Nick
was born and raised in Elmont, New York, a sleepy bedroom
community about 30 miles east of New York City. Nick
graduated from high school in 2001 and went on to earn a
Business Management degree from Five Towns College in 2005.
In February 2005, a few months before he graduated college,
Nick received a fantastic opportunity, a piercing apprenticeship.
Piercing involves “puncturing or cutting a part of the human
body and creating an opening in which jewelry may be worn”
(FloridaHealth, 2015, para 1). Piercing is a regulated and
licensed occupation in many states. Minimally, a piercing career
requires completion of a certification course verifying ability,
including knowledge of safe and sanitary procedures. Nick
dreamed of becoming a piercer since he was 16. At the time, he
thought it would be an interesting and fun profession. Today, he
realizes his passion is much more rewarding than he ever
imagined because Nick is highly content with his career choice,
having few regrets in what some people might despise as an
“alternative lifestyle.” In addition to his professional skill, Nick
has over 20 piercings and has endured hundreds of hours of
intricate tattooing, but for him, piercing is not just about
making money, passing time, or doing something he likes. Nick
sees his work as meaning much more than just piercing people.

9. Nick explained, “I help transform them.” He added, “There are
many people out there who get piercings for purely aesthetic
reasons. Then there are people who are doing it for a deeper
meaning” (N. Holes, personal communication, December 28,
2013). For nearly as long as he can remember, Nick felt reticent
about his life. For Nick, being pierced or tattooed was a
metaphysical catharsis, akin to solving a mystery by recovering
some of the pieces he thought were missing in his life. As he
became more accomplished in his craft, his views of personal
satisfaction and contentment significantly increased. Nick also
engages in body suspensions and flesh pulls, along with a
scarification. For a moment, visualize Nick dangling from the
ceiling with four hooks his back. He knows for most people,
these rituals all sound painful and weird, but according to Nick,
“once you realize that you are in charge of what your body is
going through, that changes everything. You never really know
what you are capable of until you challenge yourself.” “These
marks (referring to his scarification),” he says, “you have to
earn them” (N. Holes, personal communication, December 28,
2013). As of 2015, Nick has been piercing for 10 years. Even
now, he explained, “I still get a big rush when I pierce someone.
I can’t think of any other profession that could give me that
same feeling” (N. Holes, personal communication, December
28, 2013). Nick also loves animals and the outdoors. In his
spare time, he enjoys running, hiking, camping, and practicing
outdoor skills. He has competed in several marathons and
obstacle courses and plans on taking his physical abilities to the
limits even more in the near future. Don’t let Nick scare you.
He is one of the most genuine, gentle, and congenial individuals
you could ever hope to meet. When asked about his eventual
goal, Nick responded he wanted to “live off the land and do as
much for myself as I can, without depending on other people”
(N. Holes, personal communication, December 28, 2013). Nick
currently lives in in Brunswick, Maine, and pierces at Vibes
Tattoo. Stop in and see him for a stabbing sometime.

10. 5) PG. 188-189
Motivational Leader—Nick Lowery There is so much more to
the Nick Lowery story than just football. Nick transcends any
simple category. He is a Kansas City Hall of Fame athlete, Ivy-
League scholar, a former presidential aide, poet, teacher,
motivational speaker, and philanthropist. Nick’s life is about
persistence, focus, and passion, regardless of where he
dedicates his energy. He is the only person to work for both
Presidents George H. W. Bush and Bill Clinton in the White
House Office of National Service. In 2002, Lowery became the
first pro athlete with both a Master’s degree and a fellowship
from the Harvard University Kennedy School of Government.
He founded Champions for the Homeless in 2006, giving food
and gifts to the less fortunate on Thanksgiving, Christmas, and
Easter each year. Nick’s Champions Against Bullying program
may be the next major program adopted by the NFL, and the
program is currently helping 81 schools across the country
combat bullying. His latest national philanthropic program
Taking Control: Safe Healthy and Empowered Campuses is
designed to counter sexual assault and domestic abuse on
campus, with an expected kickoff during fall 2015 at Arizona
State University. Nick’s lifetime of work is about giving power
and voice to the youth and to all people looking to find their
true purpose. According to Nick, “We live in a post-
governmental era where government cannot fully solve any of
the crucial problems of our day. In this vacuum, youth are not
our future; they are our PRESENT!” (N. Lowery, personal
communication, November 7, 2014). Lowery was instrumental
in the passage of AmeriCorps in 1993 for President Bill Clinton
and was recently recognized by the five living Presidents at the
White House for the 20th anniversary of the AmeriCorps
program. In addition, the Nick Lowery Youth Foundation
(www.nickloweryfoundation.org), founded and managed by
Nick, thrives by supporting many national and community-based
programs, including creating the Adult Role Models for Youth

11. (ARMY) program, now called Youthfriends , celebrating its
24th year with over 5,000 volunteers working to help 20,000 at-
risk youth! The foundation also supports the Native Vision
program along with the Johns Hopkins Center for American
Indian Health and the NFL Players Association. Nick was also
instrumental in creating the Nation Building for Native Youth
(NBNY) program, now in its 14th year, featured on PBS in the
documentary “Hungry Minds,” a Motivational Leader—Nick
Lowery There is so much more to the Nick Lowery story than
just football. Nick transcends any simple category. He is a
Kansas City Hall of Fame athlete, Ivy-League scholar, a former
presidential aide, poet, teacher, motivational speaker, and
philanthropist. Nick’s life is about persistence, focus, and
passion, regardless of where he dedicates his energy. He is the
only person to work for both Presidents George H. W. Bush and
Bill Clinton in the White House Office of National Service. In
2002, Lowery became the first pro athlete with both a Master’s
degree and a fellowship from the Harvard University Kennedy
School of Government. He founded Champions for the
Homeless in 2006, giving food and gifts to the less fortunate on
Thanksgiving, Christmas, and Easter each year. Nick’s
Champions Against Bullying program may be the next major
program adopted by the NFL, and the program is currently
helping 81 schools across the country combat bullying. His
latest national philanthropic program Taking Control: Safe
Healthy and Empowered Campuses is designed to counter
sexual assault and domestic abuse on campus, with an expected
kickoff during fall 2015 at Arizona State University. Nick’s
lifetime of work is about giving power and voice to the youth
and to all people looking to find their true purpose. According
to Nick, “We live in a post-governmental era where government
cannot fully solve any of the crucial problems of our day. In
this vacuum, youth are not our future; they are our PRESENT!”
(N. Lowery, personal communication, November 7, 2014).
Lowery was instrumental in the passage of AmeriCorps in 1993
for President Bill Clinton and was recently recognized by the

12. five living Presidents at the White House for the 20th
anniversary of the AmeriCorps program. In addition, the Nick
Lowery Youth Foundation (www.nickloweryfoundation.org),
founded and managed by Nick, thrives by supporting many
national and community-based programs, including creating the
Adult Role Models for Youth (ARMY) program, now called
Youth friends , celebrating its 24th year with over 5,000
volunteers working to help 20,000 at-risk youth! The foundation
also supports the Native Vision program along with the Johns
Hopkins Center for American Indian Health and the NFL
Players Association. Nick was also instrumental in creating the
Nation Building for Native Youth (NBNY) program, now in its
14th year, featured on PBS in the documentary “Hungry
Minds,” a
6) PG. 221-222
Motivational Leader—Jessi Colter One might not figure how a
lovely girl from a strict Pentecostal family would become a
leading lady “Outlaw,” but Jessi Colter is not your average
woman. Born Mirriam Johnson in Phoenix, Arizona, to a race
car builder father and a preacher mother, Jessi Colter was
anything but ordinary, starting her career as a church pianist at
the age of 11 years. Soon after, Jessi was in demand to play her
piano and sing at talent shows, local television shows, school
assemblies, school dances, and weddings. At 18 years, she
appeared on Dick Clark’s American Bandstand singing
Lonesome Road . It did not take long for Mirriam Johnson, as
she was called back then, to be noticed, and she caught the eye
of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame guitarist Duane Eddy, who she
married in 1963 in lavish ceremony in Las Vegas with Dick
Clark serving as best man! After 6 years of marriage, the two
separated and eventually divorced, but for this talented, young
singer-songwriter, the best was yet to come. After her divorce

13. Jessi returned to Phoenix and met Waylon Jennings, who was so
taken with her voice that he invited her to record a duet with
him. Waylon helped Jessi secure an RCA record deal and co-
produced the tracks for her first album titled A Country Star Is
Born. By the time the record was released, thecouple were
married. At the suggestion of RCA’s Chet Atkins, Mirriam
changed her stage name to Jessi Colter in honor of her great
grandfather, Jesse Colter, who was rumored to be a member of
the Jesse James’ outlaw gang. In 1975, Jessi recorded her debut
single, I’m Not Lisa The song was an instant success and
reached #1 on the Billboard Country Chart and the song peaked
at #4 on Billboard’s US Pop Chart. In 1976, she recorded
another hit What’s Happened to Blue Eyes , and soon after
completed two more highly successful albums, Jessi and
Diamond in the Rough . The beautiful singer-songwriter
continued to enjoy burgeoning fame and charting singles, but
she also found success working with her husband Waylon.
Colter appeared on the double-platinum album Wanted! The
Outlaws along with Jennings, Tompall Glaser, and Willie
Nelson. Colter and Jennings released their first formal duets
album, Leather and Lace , in February 1981. After taking many
years off to raise her son, in 1996, Jessi recorded a children’s
album entitled, Jessi Colter Sings Songs for Kids: Songs from
Around the World. This album also included a video, which she
starred in, along with her husband Waylon Jennings and her old
songwriting partner, Basil McDavid. This album had 21 tracks,
which include children’s music from different parts of the
world, including Europe and Latin America. Jessi Colter
continued to record and perform after Waylon’s death in
February 2002. She has done many tribute compilations to her
late husband’s career. She frequently performs around the
country, often on the same stage as her countrymusic star son,
Shooter, appearing at major venues and music festivals such as
Austin’s annual SXSW event. Jessi and Steven Van Zandt,
famed member of the Bruce Springsteen band and star of HBO
drama, The Sopranos , launched Sirius Radio’s, Outlaw Country

14. , station during 2004 in Scottsdale Arizona. In 2006, Jessi
released her most recent Grammy-nominated album Out of the
Ashes to wide critical acclaim. Jessi continues to perform,
frequently appearing at major philanthropic and charity events.
Soon you will see and hear Jessi tell the behind-the-scenes story
of the Outlaw Era , when she appears on Ken Burns’
documentary, Study of Country Music , to be aired on PBS. The
award-winning director/writer is chronicling country music
history from the 1920s to the present and appropriately includes
Jessi for her lifetime of industry contributions and musical
achievement.
7) PG 251
Motivational Leader—Alec Torelli On the surface, Alec Torelli
seems just like any other friendly guy; he is bright, talkative,
and sincere, with a cheery disposition and an affable approach
to life’s challenges and obstacles. In other words, in many ways
he exemplifies the type of person described by the “broaden and
build” view of motivation. However, Alec Torelli is no
“ordinary” guy. Hailing from Orange County, California, he
attended Southern Methodist University, but at the age of only
19 years, he decided to change his life and pursue his dream of
financial and personal independence by becoming a professional
poker player. Alec has played over 2,000,000 hands of poker,
winning tournaments around the world while cashed out at nine
final tables, including twice at the World Series of Poker and
twice at the World Poker Tournament. Today, he is considered a
world-class poker champion, who, by age of 27 years, had
collected over $3,000,000 in tournament winnings. Alec,
however, is not like the slick, commercialized, and animated
characters portrayed on television; instead, he is an anomaly—
he does not play poker for fame or notoriety. Alec’s goals are

15. far greater than being a top-notch player. For Alec success is
not just about being a winner in poker but being a winner in
life. Winning means feeling adequate, loved, healthy, and
financially free to live the life he wants— a life filled with
freedom, excitement, and choices. Alec craves the independence
of being his own boss, free to follow his passions and dreams.
At the apex of his poker career, when he was cashing in on
every tournament, he had a catharsis; there is more to one’s
success than what happens at the poker table. He took a hiatus
from poker and started to work toward realizing some of his
dreams. He gave speeches at universities, competed in an
Olympic triathlon, visited 30 countries, learned Italian, trained
in yoga in Bali, studied at the Gelato University, met his future
wife, and began coaching other poker players. He now thrives
on sharing what he has learned with others through his coaching
activities, and ironically, helping others allowed Alec to
increase his own motivation to play and challenge himself to
reach new heights. He has been a coach for over 6 years now
and is taking on bigger challenges every day, playing against
the heavy hitters at Macau, China, where the best global
contenders compete in the largest cash games on the planet.
When asked if he had a message for readers, Alec replied,
“Don’t choose a job and try to adjust it around the life you
want. Choose a lifestyle and then pick the job that will allow
you to make it a reality. Don’t listen to what anyone else wants
for you and your future. Trust yourself, and follow your dreams.
Life’s too short for anything else.” (A. Torelli, personal
communication, October 13, 2014). When not at the poker
tables, Alec attains happiness through fitness, tennis, writing,
reading, speaking, personal development, health, online
marketing, and, of course, traveling the globe pursing his
dreams with his adorable wife, Ambra..
8) PG 288-289
Motivational Leader—Darren Soto Florida State Senator Darren

16. Soto was born and raised in Ringwood, New Jersey, to a Puerto
Rican father and an Italian American mother. From 1998 to
2001, Darren worked for the Prudential Insurance Company in
finance while he attended Rutgers University, where he
graduated with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics in 2000.
He continued his education at George Washington University
earning a Juris Doctor degree in 2004, opening his law practice
the following year. However, unlike many politicians or
lawyers, Senator Soto is measurably different from many of his
political and legal peers. Evidence shows that he is truly a man
of the people, devoting his professional life to improve the
well-being of others. Darren is a commercial and civil rights
attorney and an ardent defender of civil rights. He is committed
to rendering legal services pro bono (no charge) to benefit the
underprivileged in the central Florida community. In 2006, he
was named counsel in the federal class action brought on behalf
of Hispanic voters against the City of Kissimmee. Soto is also a
former member of the Civil Service Board for the City of
Orlando and was Treasurer of the Orange County Democrats and
Vice President of Communications and Co-host for the Orange
County Young Democrats, all positions where he volunteered
his discretionary time to help the community. Darren’s foray
into politics began in 2006, when he unsuccessfully challenged
incumbent Andy Gardiner for the Florida House of
Representatives 40th District house seat. Undeterred by this
defeat, Soto persevered, and in April 2007, he emerged
victorious from a crowded Democratic primary in a special
election to replace John Quinones, who had resigned. In the
general election, Soto narrowly defeated former State
Representative Tony Suarez, the Republican nominee, by 285
votes to win the election. Soto’s election was no fluke, as he
was overwhelmingly re-elected in 2008 and 2010. During his
Florida House terms Soto passed legislation, to curb illegal
street racing, protect families of fallen firefighters, and
maintain school safety. He also protected homeowners’ access
to the courts in foreclosure proceedings as well as assured

17. adequate funding for courts to deal with the unprecedented
housing crisis in Florida. Soto was also a key voice in the
passage of Sunrail, bringing the first commuter rail service to
Central Florida. He played a critical role bridging the split of
the Florida Supreme Court and preventing a highly restrictive,
profiling-type immigration law from being passed in Florida. In
2012, following redistricting, Soto opted to run for the newly
created 14th District Senate seat rather than seek re-election in
the House. He won his party’s nomination uncontested and
faced Republican Will McBride, who had previously run for the
United States Senate in 2006. Although the contest was
predicted to be an extremely tight race, Soto overwhelmingly
defeated McBride, winning over 70% of the vote. In his first
term in the Senate in 2013, Soto passed legislation expediting
the time for immigrant children to acquire a driver’s license,
which was ultimately vetoed by Governor Rick Scott, setting off
statewide protests. He also played a critical role in reducing the
statute of limitations from 5 years to 1 year for banks to collect
foreclosure debt, as well as helping to start Florida’s Principal
Reduction Program to assist struggling homeowners. In 2014,
Soto passed historic legislation giving authority to admit
immigrant lawyers to the Florida Bar while being a strong
advocate for successful passage of legislation giving immigrants
in-state tuition. Soto secured funding to start the Poinciana
Valencia Campus and the Lake Toho Restoration project, which
will keep clean water flowing through Florida’s Northern
Everglades. Looking to the future, Soto has proposed legislation
to promote economic growth in emerging businesses, including
the solar, space, biotech, film, and software industries. He also
is an advocate to ban fracking in Florida and has proposed a bill
to boost minimum teacher pay to $50,000 per year. For Senator
Soto, the fight to improve the lives of his fellow Floridians does
not stop!

18. 9) Pg 317
Motivational Leader—Robert Knowling, Jr. Robert E. Knowling
Jr., also known as Bob, has over 30 years of experience in the
telecommunications and technology sectors, leading companies
through periods of high growth and organizational turnaround.
Currently, Knowling is Chairman of Eagles Landing Partners
(ELP). ELP specializes in helping senior management formulate
strategy, lead organizational transformations, and re-engineer
businesses. As such, ELP serves as an advisor to company
officials across multiple industries. Previously, Bob served as
CEO of Telwares, a JP Morgan Chase/One Equity Partners
Private Equity owned company from 2005 to 2009. Prior to
joining Telwares, from 2001 to 2005, Knowling was CEO of the
NYC Leadership Academy, an independent nonprofit
corporation created by NYC Chancellor Joel I. Klein and Mayor
Michael R. Bloomberg that was chartered with developing the
next generation of principals in the New York City public
school system. From 2001 to 2003, Knowling was Chairman and
Chief Executive Officer of SimDesk Technologies, Inc. During
his time at SimDesk, he defined the company’s go-to-market
strategy, developed numerous strategic partnerships, and
managed the successful launch of the company’s software. Prior
to this, Knowling was Chairman, President and Chief Executive
Officer of Covad Communications; a Private Equity/ Venture
Capital backed startup company located in Silicon Valley.
Knowling led the company through its rapid growth and Initial
Public Offering to become the largest and most recognizable
brand in the high-speed Internet access industry. In 2011,
Knowling published his autobiography titled You Can Get There
from Here: My Journey from Struggle to Success . Knowling
was awarded the Wall Street Project’s Reginald Lewis
Trailblazers Award by President Clinton and the Reverend Jesse
Jackson in 1999. In presenting the award to Knowling, President
Clinton commended Knowling’s efforts in developing a national

19. agenda for the spirit and mission of inclusion, opportunity,
expansion, advocacy and success in the workplace for women
and people of color in the high-tech industry. Knowling
received a Bachelor of Arts degree in theology from Wabash
College and a Masters of Business Administration from the
Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University.
Currently, Knowling serves on the board of directors for
Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. in Chicago, Illinois;
Bartech in Livonia, Michigan; and Roper Industries in Sarasota,
Florida. Knowling has been a YMCA volunteer for more than 20
years and served as Chair of the National Services group for the
YMCA in 1993. He maintains an active nationwide corporate
and public speaking schedule.
10) PG 328-359
Motivational Leader—Amanda Boxtel A measurable
transformation of mind, body, and motivation is Amanda
Boxtel. At age 24, Amanda felt invincible. Her unstoppable and
charismatic personality not only brought her often to the ski
slopes as way to relax but also to display her exceptional talent.
In 1992, a skiing accident shattered four of her vertebrae, along
with her dreams of immortality. Amanda sustained a permanent
spinal cord injury, immobilizing her from the pelvis down, but a
broken back did not break her spirit. Her indomitable will and
positive attitude have contributed to her reputation today as an
internationally renowned and inspiring motivational speaker.
After her injury, through sheer will and determination, she
pursued her love of skiing by teaching skiing while sitting down
! “But on the inside I still ached to walk,” she remembers (A.
Boxtel, personal communication, December 3, 2014). While
adaptive sports equipment helped her to live a rich and
adventurous lifestyle, nothing enabled her to walk again until
the invention of a bionic exoskeleton suit. The wearable
technology provides a means to advance human mobility beyond
wheelchairs and unpowered orthotics and mobilizes those

20. unable to walk unassisted. As the world’s first exoskeleton
recipient, Amanda serves as the founding Executive Director for
Bridging Bionics Foundation, demonstrating how bionic
technology changes lives. In November 2013, she displayed the
first partially 3D-printed exoskeleton in the world for
Singularity University’s European Summit in Budapest,
Hungary, and then again in July 2014 at the Aspen Ideas
Festival in Colorado. She continues to appear at venues
globally, displaying her robotic suit, remarkable abilities, and
competitive spirit. Amanda’s achievements include serving for
10 years as a professional ski instructor for Aspen Skiing
Company; being named the Colorado Ski Country. USA
Adaptive Athlete of the Year in 1999; carrying the Olympic
Torch in 2002 on her mono-ski; orchestrating the first disability
whitewater rafting trip down the Grand Canyon, and co-
founding the Challenge Aspen, which has grown into a
successful nonprofit organization. What is her greatest life
lesson? “It’s taken 22 years of paralysis for me to understand
that acceptance and hope must coexist. I accept who I am this
moment, which frees me to be hopeful for what the next moment
might bring” (A. Boxtel, personal communication, December 3,
2014). As a dynamic, passionate speaker she has shared the
stage with high-profile figures, such as Deepak Chopra, Les
Brown, President Jimmy Carter, Ali Velshi, Michael York, and
Florence GriffithJoyner. Amanda has been featured as a speaker
at numerous conferences and venues around the world,
including TEDCity2.0 Salon in Chengdu, China, TED (2011),
TEDx San Antonio, TEDxDU, TEDxSF, The Wall Street Journal
’s NewFronts 2014, and the USA Science and Engineering
Festival 2014. Amanda lives near Aspen, Colorado, in the
quaint town of Basalt with her loveable golden retriever Benson
(pictured above). Everyone in town knows Amanda, as she is
involved in many community and outreach projects that aim to
improve the lives of individuals with disabilities. In her spare
time, and when she’s not walking in her wearable robot suit,
Amanda enjoys writing, painting and drawing.