World’s Disruptive Women Leaders Making a Mark in Business, 2023.pdf

Driven by the
Perspective on
Creating New
Solutions for
Businesses and
Consumers
www.worldsleaders.com Vol. 07 | Issue 05 | July 2023
Dessie
Zaharieva
Driven by the
Perspective on
Creating New
Solutions for
Businesses and
Consumers
World’s Disruptive
WOMEN
LEADERS
Making a Mark in Business

World’s Disruptive Women Leaders
Making a Mark in Business, 2023
Women are increasingly praised because of their
compassion, sensitivity, and dedication to inclusiveness
as purpose-driven businesses. The accomplishments of
women in the business world have unequivocally
demonstrated their ability to succeed on par with their
male counterparts. Female CEOs have emerged as
fearless fighters, challenged conventional standards and
reshaped global enterprises. The consensus is clear:
women thrive in leadership, which raises the issue of
why they aren't in positions of authority.
Women's vital contributions extend beyond their
professional accomplishments. They bring distinct
perspectives and innovative approaches to problem-
solving, decision-making, and leadership. Because of
their great interpersonal abilities, empathy, and
emotional intelligence, they frequently generate stronger
cooperation, team dynamics, and customer connections.
In today's business landscape, where organizations strive
to cultivate inclusive and diverse workplaces, these
qualities hold immense value.
World's Leaders latest edition “World's Disruptive
Women Leaders Making a Mark in Business, 2023” has
featured women business leaders who are pushing the
boundaries of what is possible, revolutionizing business
processes and leaving an indelible legacy for generations
to come.
The cover has Dessie Zaharieva, Vice President of
Engineering at Prime Holding, is a tech enthusiast who
turned her childhood hobby into a thriving career. Dessie
finds creating something new using technology to be
extremely fulfilling and enjoyable, taking pride in
overcoming complex challenges and solving technical
problems. She has a particular interest in experimenting
with new software, exploring different programming
languages, and building innovative applications.
One aspect of the technology field that Dessie
appreciates is the need for continuous learning. She stays
up-to-date with the latest trends and advancements by
attending conferences and events, reading books, and
networking with fellow tech enthusiasts.
Also, while you flip through the pages, don't forget to
read the articles created by our in-house editorial staff
and industry experts.
Disrupting Old
Workplace Practices
Have a lovely read!

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JULY 2023

COVER
STORY
08
Dessie Zaharieva
Driven by the Perspective on Creating New
Solutions for Businesses and Consumers

Arthi Rabikrisson
Bette Hochberger
Lori S. Colwell Jones
Victoria Pelletier
Shanesha Scott
Rita Elrod Pintavalle
Jan E. Patterson
Pauline Chau
Armineh Keshishian
58
52
48
42
38
34
28
24
18

Dessie
Zaharieva
D
essie Zaharieva, Vice President of Engineering at Prime
Holding, is a tech enthusiast who turned her childhood hobby
into a thriving career. Dessie finds creating something new
using technology to be extremely fulfilling and enjoyable, taking pride
in overcoming complex challenges and solving technical problems. She
has a particular interest in experimenting with new software, exploring
different programming languages, and building innovative
applications.
One aspect of the technology field that Dessie appreciates is the need
for continuous learning. She stays up-to-date with the latest trends and
advancements by attending conferences and events, reading books,
and networking with fellow tech enthusiasts.
Innovation is another crucial aspect of the IT field that Dessie values
highly. It involves developing new technologies, applications, and
solutions to meet the evolving needs of businesses and consumers. For
Dessie, innovation requires a blend of creativity, technical knowledge,
and an understanding of market trends and consumer needs.
Ultimately, innovation in the IT sector can lead to new business
opportunities, increased productivity, and improved quality of life for
people worldwide. She finds the potential of innovation in the IT field to
be captivating and highly motivating. As a woman leader in technology,
Dessie is a role model for emerging women leaders, advising them to
have faith in their abilities and invest in education and professional
development continually.
VP,
Engineering
|
Prime
Holding
Driven by the Perspective on Creating New Solutions
for Businesses and Consumers
08 | JULY 2023

COVER STORY
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worldsleaders.com | 09

First Step Towards the Tech World
Dessie hails from the charming city of Plovdiv, which
happens to be one of Europe's oldest cities. Growing up,
her parents had strong mathematical backgrounds, and
her mother was a software engineer. Despite this, Dessie
showed a great interest in art, poetry, and foreign
languages from a young age. She speaks five languages
apart from her native Bulgarian. Nonetheless, her
parents' expertise influenced her interests, leading her to
attend Plovdiv's high school of mathematics, where she
discovered her passion for computer science. With
access to her own computer at home, she spent countless
hours developing programs, sometimes encountering
unexpected setbacks. Her dedication was such that she
would stay up at night trying to solve coding problems,
sometimes even waking up in the middle of the night
with a solution. These experiences ultimately paved the
way for her to pursue a career in computer science. In
summary, her upbringing played a crucial role in shaping
her professional trajectory.
Joining Prime Holding JSC
Dessie held a managerial position at a sports betting
company when her friend, who had been working at
Prime Holding for more than a year, contacted her. They
were looking to form a team of highly skilled IT
professionals in Plovdiv. Initially, Dessie turned down
the offer because she had a great team and felt she could
still contribute to their success. However, upon further
reflection, she decided that she was ready to move
forward in her career and explore new opportunities. As
a result, she accepted the challenge and joined the
organization as a solution architect, which required
frequent travel.
About the Company
Prime Holding, a professional services company, offers a
wide range of services, including product design and
prototyping, which is one of their areas of expertise.
They utilize software engineering principles and
practices to create and refine new software products or
applications. This involves essential steps such as
discovery, understanding, ideation, strategy, UX concept,
user validation, and UI prototyping. This process is
critical as it allows teams to test and refine software
products or applications before the team goes into
production, ensuring that the final product meets user
requirements, functions correctly, and can be scaled and
maintained as necessary.
In addition to product design and prototyping, Prime
Holding offers end-to-end product development services,
which begin with needs and requirements analysis and
end with implementing and adopting the new software
solution. It uses its extensive experience and follows best
practices in core software development, QA, DevOps,
and professional services while adopting agile delivery
and tailored Scrum development practices.
The team at Prime Holding places great importance on
their cloud strategy and DevOps practices, which are
utilized in the creation of cloud solutions from scratch or
the migration of existing on-premises solutions. Its
expertise also extends to Salesforce solutions, digital
transformation, and data science and analytics.
Meeting Client's Expectations
Dessie believes that defining standard processes and
procedures is the first step in establishing a successful
company that meets client expectations. These
procedures should cover all aspects of service delivery,
from onboarding clients to billing and reporting. It is
essential to communicate clearly with clients from the
beginning about the company's services, including the
scope of services, timelines, deliverables, and potential
challenges that may arise. At Prime Holding, open
communication with clients is a priority, and the team
encourages them to provide feedback and suggestions for
improvement. The team listens to clients' concerns and
works with them to find solutions that meet their needs.
Another critical aspect of the business is setting realistic
expectations. Being honest and transparent about what
the company can deliver, including timelines, service
quality, and pricing, is crucial in maintaining client
satisfaction.
Dessie stresses the importance of monitoring progress
against defined processes and procedures, which includes
tracking service delivery metrics and key performance
indicators. Regular monitoring helps identify areas for
improvement, avoid delays, and ensure that clients'
expectations are being met.

Keys of
Transformation
Dessie believes that fostering
innovation within an organization
requires encouraging
experimentation, promoting
collaboration, and supporting
continuous learning. This will create a
culture of innovation that facilitates
the development of new and exciting
solutions that improve people's lives.
To promote digital literacy, it is
important to provide access to
technology, offer training and support,
encourage critical thinking, and
partner with schools and community
organizations.
Sustainability should also be a priority
by implementing sustainable
practices in business operations,
encouraging sustainable behaviors
among employees, investing in green
technologies, and promoting
environmental awareness. These steps
will help protect the planet and
ensure a better future for generations
yet to come.

At Prime Holding, the team
continuously reviews and improves
its processes and procedures based
on feedback and industry best
practices. This approach allows the
company to maintain a high level of
service quality and exceed clients
expectations consistently. "This
approach allows us to deliver
exceptional service consistently and
build lasting relationships with our
clients," says Dessie.
Encouraging Responsibility and
Accountability Among Team
Members
At Prime Holding, Dessie holds the
responsibility of creating and
overseeing the technology strategies
and ensuring the smooth running of
the day-to-day and long-term
operations of the engineering
department. This includes
collaborating with other senior
executives and business leaders to
align technology initiatives with the
organization's goals and objectives,
ensuring efficiency in the company's
operations, and keeping up with
emerging technologies and industry
trends to identify opportunities for
innovation and growth.
In addition, Dessie is responsible for
managing a team of technology
professionals, including recruiting
and developing talent and building a
culture of innovation, agility, and
continuous improvement. Dessie is
passionate about both technology
excellence and people development
and strives to create a work
environment that fosters both.
Dessie places high importance on
fostering a culture that embodies
integrity, transparency, and
inclusivity in communication and
collaboration. She believes in
recognizing and respecting diversity
and different perspectives to ensure
that all voices are heard and valued.
Dessie also prioritizes ethics,
accountability, and responsibility in
the use and development of
technology to ensure that it benefits
society as a whole.
Keeping the Responsibility
towards Society
Prime Holding has formulated a
corporate responsibility strategy that
aligns with its values and mission
and aims to create positive impacts
on the social, environmental, and
economic aspects. This includes
reducing the carbon footprint,
promoting diversity and inclusion,
adhering to ethical business
practices, and contributing to the
local communities where the
company operates. The organization
is deeply committed to upholding its
values of authenticity, benevolence,
and competence and strives to pursue
excellence boldly.
To effectively execute this strategy,
Prime Holding conducts a
comprehensive evaluation of its
resources and people to identify
feasible initiatives. The company
employs an iterative approach that
involves engaging with all
stakeholders, continuously
monitoring, and collecting feedback.
This method allows Prime Holding to
continuously refine and improve its
efforts toward achieving its goals.
The ultimate objective is to create a
positive impact on the world and
make a meaningful contribution to
society.
Keys of Transformation
Dessie believes that fostering
innovation within an organization
requires encouraging
experimentation, promoting
collaboration, and supporting
continuous learning. This will create
a culture of innovation that facilitates
the development of new and exciting
solutions that improve people's lives.
To promote digital literacy, it is
important to provide access to
technology, offer training and
support, encourage critical thinking,
and partner with schools and
community organizations.
Sustainability should also be a
priority by implementing sustainable
practices in business operations,
encouraging sustainable behaviors
among employees, investing in green
technologies, and promoting
environmental awareness. These
steps will help protect the planet and
ensure a better future for generations
yet to come.
Never Been Afraid of Challenges
Dessie is always seeking new
opportunities to expand her skill set
and take on new responsibilities.
Although she cannot recall a
significant risk she has taken in her
career, she understands the
importance of pushing herself
outside her comfort zone to avoid
complacency and stagnation. She has
actively pursued projects or roles that
were unfamiliar to her, requiring her
to learn new skills and collaborate
with new teams. This approach has
helped her broaden her knowledge
and expertise, as well as build
stronger relationships with
colleagues across the organization.

In addition, Dessie has been
proactive in seeking out training and
development opportunities to stay
up-to-date with the latest trends and
best practices in her field.
Based on her experience, Dessie
believes that taking on new
challenges and stepping outside of
one's comfort zone can result in
personal and professional growth, as
well as create new opportunities for
career advancement. Although there
is always some risk involved in
trying something new, she believes
that the potential rewards are worth
it.
Dessie is always open to exploring
new paths and taking on new
challenges, even if they may appear
daunting or outside of her area of
expertise. This mindset has allowed
her to broaden her skill set, gain
valuable experience, and develop a
unique perspective that can be
applied to future opportunities.
Improvements to Bring in the
Future
According to Dessie, Prime Holding
has achieved impressive growth as a
company while maintaining a unique
and special company culture. The
organization places a great emphasis
on creating a positive and supportive
work environment, which has
enabled it to attract and retain
talented employees who share the
company's vision and values.
In addition to its cultural success,
Prime Holding has made significant
advancements in its IT products. The
company has developed innovative
solutions that help clients to
streamline their processes, reduce
costs, and increase efficiency. By
continuously improving its products
and services, Prime Holding has been
able to stay ahead of the competition
and provide real value to its
customers.
Prime Holding is proud of the growth
that it has achieved while
maintaining its culture and advancing
its products. The company remains
committed to building on its success
and striving for excellence in all its
endeavors.
Message for Emerging Women
Leaders
Dessie's message for emerging
women leaders is to have faith in
their abilities and be willing to take
on new challenges. Confidence in
their skills and judgment is essential
for becoming successful leaders. It is
also important to invest continually
in education and professional
development, stay up-to-date with
industry trends, and seek
opportunities to learn new things.
Creating an inclusive and respectful
environment is crucial for emerging
women leaders. Appreciating diverse
perspectives and experiences can
foster a collaborative and supportive
workplace culture. Dessie also
encourages women to seek
mentorship and support. A mentor
can serve as a role model and provide
guidance to navigate the challenges
that come with leadership positions.
Finally, Dessie adds, emerging
women leaders should have
confidence in their abilities, invest in
their education and professional
development, create an inclusive
workplace culture, and seek
mentorship and support to become
successful leaders.
16 | JULY 2023

Armineh
Keshishian
Armineh Keshishian is the founder and artistic director of Evolution
Dance Theatre, and has created and produced a number of
multidisciplinary dance theatre productions. Armineh is a multi-faceted
entrepreneur who believes in abundant living, and that anything is
possible if you truly desire it. She brings to her role as the creative force
behind these productions of this extraordinary company the discipline
and abilities she has developed over the course of her more than 25
years as a Certiﬁed Financial Planner/Wealth Manager. Many have been
inspired by her because of her business education, passion, and
creativity, but most of all because she believes that "we always have a
choice." "I strive to create cultural fusion through art. I am inspired by
concepts of women's empowerment, diversity & inclusion,
multiculturalism and breaking down outdated archetypal traditions. My
aim is to bring people and cultures together by focusing on our
commonalities vs. our differences," says Armineh.
Armineh is an award-winning author and #1 best seller of "Joyous
Wealth – 56 Secrets to Riches and Wellness". Armineh is an
international speaker and a media personality featured on TV, radio and
magazines. In addition, she has contributed to Universal Womens
Network – 100 Women of Inspiration 2021 Book "Women of Inspiration:
Women Driving Change.”
Armineh is the recipient of the "Top Female Entrepreneur of the Year",
"Most Inﬂuential Female Entrepreneur", "Top 10 Unstoppable Women
Entrepreneurs" and "Women of Inspiration - Cultural Ambassador"
awards just to name a few.
A Brilliant Entrepreneur who brings people and cultures together and
focuses on our commonalities and embraces our differences

Below are highlights of the interview
conducted between World's Leaders
and Armineh Keshishian:
Tell us about the inception of the
company. How did it all start?
As a teenager, I came to North America
from the Middle East. It was a difficult
time as I was homesick and couldn't
speak English! However, I pressed on,
went to school, adapted quickly, joined
our community, and made new friends.
In my 20s, I started in financial
consulting/wealth management, a
male-dominated industry. While I was
immersed in the financial industry, the
love of dance and music was still
deeply rooted in me. I started taking
Middle Eastern, jazz, and modern
dance classes as my passion for dance
and performance had begun as a young
child. However, belly dancing in the
Middle East is taboo. I decided that no
society or culture could tell me what I
could or could not do and decided to
perform in public.It was an exciting
and creative time for me, and as a
result, I started writing stories. The
stories were revealed through
choreography, movement, and music. I
had two beautiful dances in mind; one
was 'Pharaonic' an old Egyptian story,
and the other was the 'Black Cobra'. In
ancient mythology, it was perceived
that a human could transform into a
serpent and back again. It is the
fascination with the duality of the
serpent; the wisdom and the
temptation, a parallel to human
relationships. I had these two stories in
mind. However, I decided to start the
production without a specific time
frame for the performance. Soon after,
I started casting and rehearsing. During
the rehearsals, the rest of the story
revealed itself. I created Evolution
Dance Theatre – a not for profit
company, and we debuted our first
production, “Evolution ...of the Human
Kind.”
What has made you successful?
What do you value?
The company has evolved since its
inception in 2006. As it began with
Middle Eastern dancing, we gradually
added dance fusion and cultural fusion
through stories emphasizing
multiculturalism, diversity, and
inclusion, and women's empowerment
has always been at the forefront of
Evolution Dance Theatre. Repeated
audiences, media attention, and all the
feedback we have received have given
us the assurance that our messaging
resonates with many.
Our full-length productions have
universal appeal, and through the
stories we tell, we aim to spark social
change. The Middle Eastern dance
forms, in combination with a variety of
other dance genres, are a canvas to
create spectacles that incorporate
gorgeous costumes, live and recorded
music, performances, digital media, set
décor, special effects, and beautiful
imagery to transport the audience on a
wondrous journey into the depths of
the human spirit.
20 | JULY 2023

What are the major services of your
company and how do you get ahead
of the competition? What value
added services does your company
provide?
We develop, promote, and perform
original Middle Eastern-inspired
stories through unique, one-of-a-kind
performances that are visceral, visually
captivating, and have broad universal
appeal. Evolution Dance Theatre tells
stories that cross boundaries of gender
and generations, bridges the global
cultural gap, and reinforces the
universality of the human condition.
We bring people and cultures together
with the core values of unity,
universality, and integrity. Evolution
Dance Theatre emphasizes
multiculturalism, women's
empowerment, diversity, and inclusion
through stories that are rich and
colorful displays of the Middle Eastern
culture that is so mysterious to the
Western world.
What are the most important aspects
of a company's culture? What
principles do you believe in and how
do you build this culture?
Our company's mandate is to entertain,
educate, and inspire. Everyone
involved in the company, from the
board of directors to the personnel and
the cast, believes in our message.
Collectively, we work towards the idea
that there is hope, and we aim to spark
social change through our productions.
What is the significance of
innovative ideas in Your company?
The most significance is that We are
One Human Race. In addition there is
no other production company that units
the whole Middle Eastern countries as
one and tell stories with broad appeal
showcasing on main stages.
Give us your opinion on; do
organizations rely heavily on
individual heroics or team
processes?
In our company, each person brings
their unique skills and energy to the
whole. Each individual is valued, and
there is an open door policy where
each person is seen, heard, and
appreciated. Furthermore, there is
always an emphasis on working as a
team and on the productions.
What are your responsibilities as the
Artistic & Executive Director of the
company? What is the happiest part
of your daily routine?
I create art, the messaging, and the
vision. I am fortunate to have a team of
inspired, skilled, and beautiful people
to execute the vision. We all work
together as one unit.
What advice would you give
someone going into a leadership
position for the first time?
I share with you my 3D philosophy:
Desire, Determination, and Dedication.
You must have a desire level of 100%
in order to start your dream, decide that
you are going to do it, and then commit
to it no matter what challenges you are
faced with. To be a leader, you must
have a clear vision, be willing to do the
work, walk the front row with courage,
and lead your team with inspiration,
appreciation, love, and respect.
For more Information visit our
website:
EvolutionDanceTheatre.com

Arthi
Rabikrisson
Champion in Effecting Growth, Development and Consciousness in
Individuals and Organizations
Arthi Rabikrisson is the founder and managing director of Prerna Advisory,
where she plays multiple roles as a solopreneur. She not only delivers services
as the key individual, she also undertakes administrative and operational
tasks while continuing to think strategically about the business's purpose. As
a small startup, this is all part of the process, but as Prerna Advisory scales up,
Arthi has begun to outsource certain tasks to external providers, especially
those that require specialized expertise or those she doesn't necessarily need
to undertake herself.
Arthi is driven by the freedom to make choices and the agility to adapt to the
market context as needed. As a business development professional, she
enjoys building and advancing relationships, and excels in creating networks
from scratch. Her natural intelligence preferences include interpersonal skills,
which she uses purposefully to fulﬁll her mission and that of Prerna Advisory.
24 | JULY 2023

Bette
Bette
Hochberger
Specializing in Wealth-Building for Business Owners through Strategic
Tax Planning, Fractional CFO Services, and the Profit First Program
Be e Hochberger, a graduate of MIT, breaks
away from the typical CPA stereotype by
leveraging her technical proficiency, innova ve
mindset, and business acumen to cater to clients all
over the country. She embraced the CGMA
designa on from the AICPA in its first year and is an
early adopter in the accoun ng industry. In addi on,
Be e holds reputable cer fica ons from Intuit for
Quickbooks, Quickbooks Online, Xero, and other
favored tools that clients use.
With a diverse educa onal background in materials
engineering, music, and accoun ng, Be e persistently
seeks to merge science and art in all aspects of her
life. Her unique approach has made her the preferred
financial consultant for astute business proprietors.
Be e takes pleasure in assis ng clients, friends, and
family members in achieving success in their
endeavors and businesses. Her passion lies in
suppor ng her community and broadening the scope
of opportuni es for women in leadership, STEM, and
entrepreneurship. Moreover, Be e harbors a
fondness for music fes vals and occasionally engages
in ac ng and singing with the Royal Chessmen.

Stepping into the Business World
After completing her undergraduate
studies at MIT, Bette went on to obtain
her degree from Nova Southeastern
University. She began her career in
public accounting, where smaller
owner-operated firms were often
disregarded as mere "Quickbooks
Accounts." Bette initially concentrated
on serving the underserved market of
female entrepreneurs and providing
part-time CFO assistance to small
business owners. However, her firm
and interests soon grew to encompass a
broader range of clients, including law
firms, consultants, and real estate firms.
With prior experience in the startup
scenes of Miami and Boston, Bette
subsequently delved into the world of
venture capital-backed startups. During
the acquisition of the regional firm
Bette was working at by a larger
national firm, she witnessed how small
business owners were being treated
and realized that there had to be a
better way. Driven by her conviction
and determination, Bette founded her
own accounting firm from a spare
bedroom in her home. Over time, her
firm has grown steadily, with the
support of loyal clients who value her
commitment to running an ethical
accounting firm that prioritizes the best
interests of its clients.
The Firm
The emergence of Web3 technologies,
such as blockchain, is revolutionizing
web development and presenting
fascinating new infrastructure options.
Investors in Bitcoin and other
cryptocurrencies have been forced to
quickly learn new compliance issues,
which Bette and her team have been
working with since 2014, when they
wrote their first blog post as a Bitcoin
CPA. Although understanding the
compliance issues is not complicated,
most CPAs are not familiar with
generating documents for financial
instruments without regulated
brokerage statements. Bette, as a
Bitcoin accountant, was ahead of the
curve in creating proprietary systems
to manage her clients' Schedule D
filings before the need for a dedicated
cryptocurrency CPA arose. As a result,
the firm is now well-positioned to
assist clients in navigating this exciting
new investment and wealth-building
landscape.
The firm has developed an array of
high-value service offerings to assist
businesses of all sizes. By
standardizing its offerings, the team
can provide an extremely affordable
level of service. These services are
divided into three levels: starter,
fractional controller, and fractional
CFO.
The starter package is designed to
alleviate small business owners' tax
compliance and accounting headaches.
It provides comprehensive
management of state and federal filing
compliance, monthly book updates,
handling of payroll and quarterly tax
compliance, and twice-yearly meetings
for tax planning. Furthermore, the team
takes care of annual tax returns on
behalf of its clients.
Advance Finance Management
System
Fractional Controller is a virtual
accounting department where we help
small businesses that have grown to the
point where managers are starting to
make financial decisions. At this stage,
Bette's team does weekly bookkeeping,
monthly financials, and quarterly
business reviews. If something
unexpected happens, the team is
reviewing things with clients regularly
so it can nip problems in the bud.
Fractional CFO is a full-virtual finance
department for small and medium-
sized businesses. This is how we help
you compete with your larger
competitors. At this level, your books
need to be managed daily and reviewed
weekly, but more important than these
accounting measures is working with
you to develop and monitor the KPIs -
Key Performance Indicators - that you
need to run your business. With
Fractional CFO, we'll help you turn
into the data-driven company you need
to be to succeed at this next level.
Making values foundation of the
Firm
Transparency and respect are the
fundamental pillars of the firm's
culture, and clear communication
about expectations right from the onset
of our client relationships makes it
easier for the team to uphold these
values and maintain strong bonds with
the clients. Furthermore, the team's
keen interest in the Miami tech scene
and blockchain technology keeps us
abreast of the latest technological
developments, enabling us to harness
them to the firm's clients' advantage.
Following a Collaborative
Leadership Perspective
Bette firmly believes that prioritizing
team processes over individual heroics
is crucial for long-term success and
sustained performance within an
30 | JULY 2023

organization. While individual contributions are important, relying
too heavily on individual heroics can lead to burnout, high turnover
rates, and an unsustainable work culture. In contrast, prioritizing
team processes can foster a more collaborative, innovative, and
supportive work environment that benefits both the organization and
its employees.
As the leader of her accounting firm, Bette's responsibilities include
meeting with clients, managing staff, reviewing financial reports,
and developing business strategies. However, the part of her day that
brings her the most joy is meeting with potential and current clients
and providing them with advisory services that help them make and
save more money. Bette takes great pride in her staff and loves
nurturing their talents and watching them grow professionally.
Advising on Continuous Learning and Improving
Bette places a high value on her family, staff, and clients,
considering them integral to her success. She takes pride in being a
reliable, innovative, and one-of-a-kind professional who treats
everyone with respect, honesty, and integrity. Bette believes that her
ethical approach to her work and her commitment to building strong
relationships with those around her are the foundation of her
accomplishments in business.
Bette suggests that emerging leaders should focus on developing a
clear and compelling vision for their business, while also
prioritizing effective communication and active listening. Building
strong relationships with stakeholders is also essential, as is a
commitment to continuous learning and improvement. Bette
believes that taking the time to get to know team members and their
individual strengths and development areas is critical, as is leading
by example and modeling the desired values and behaviors.
Delegating tasks and responsibilities to team members based on
their unique strengths, interests, and development needs is also
crucial for fostering a positive and productive work environment.

An Esteemed Medical Expert and Professor Specialized in
Infectious Diseases and Integrative Medicine
34 | JULY 2023

Expertise in Healthcare
With many years of experience in health care infection
prevention as well as quality improvement and patient safety,
Jan continues to be active in clinical research and author of
more than 150 scientific articles and reviews.
Jan's leadership skills were evident in her roles at the medical
center and infectious diseases positions at the regional and
national levels. Through her experiences in these roles, she
recognized the need for healthcare improvement and took
action by implementing a course to train healthcare
professionals in leading such efforts at their medical center.
Since its inception twelve years ago, this program has
successfully trained over 800 healthcare professionals who
have led nearly 300 improvement projects. Furthermore, Jan
recognized the importance of interprofessional teamwork in
these healthcare improvement efforts. Her passion for
healthcare improvement also led her to pursue a Masters in
Health Care Management at Harvard School of Public Health.
Jan's extensive experience in healthcare improvement and
interprofessional teamwork eventually led to her appointment
as Associate Dean for Quality & Lifelong Learning at the
medical school. In this role, she oversees the continuing
medical education program and continues to champion
healthcare improvement efforts.
Humble Beginnings
Jan's upbringing in Fort Worth, Texas exposed her to a rural
lifestyle despite being a city girl. She learned how to milk
goats and grow vegetables in her family's garden, which
sparked her interest in natural therapies. Jan's siblings'
experiences with inadequate medical care influenced her
decision to pursue Medicine as a career.
After attending medical school in Texas, Jan completed her
internal medicine training at Vanderbilt University Medical
Center. She found infectious diseases fascinating and pursued
further training at Yale University School of Medicine. Jan's
particular area of interest was preventing healthcare-associated
infections and multi-drug resistant bacteria. She and her
husband, also an infectious diseases physician, were both
faculty members at Yale for a few years after fellowship. They
later returned to Texas about thirty years ago.
Jan and her husband found the Joe R. and Teresa Lozano Long
School of Medicine at UT Health San Antonio to be a perfect
fit for them, as it was close to family. She became the medical
director for the hospital infection prevention program at
University Health, which is affiliated with the medical school.
Jan has thrived in San Antonio, rising to the rank of full
professor. She has had many opportunities for patient care,
research, teaching, administration, and exploring new areas.
Jan E. Patterson MD MS.
Dr. Patterson is a
distinguished physician
and professor of
medicine who has
extensive training in
infectious diseases,
integrative medicine,
healthcare improvement,
and internal medicine.
As the Associate Dean for
Quality & Lifelong
Learning at UT Health San
Antonio, Dr. Patterson is
committed to advancing
the quality of healthcare
through education. She is
a passionate educator
who imparts her
knowledge to practicing
professionals and medical
trainees, sharing her
expertise at various
venues across the country
and around the world.

Enjoying in Living in Healthy
Environment
San Antonio has provided a wonderful
environment for Jan to raise her family,
and she considers it her greatest
achievement to have raised two
exceptional sons. While Jan and her
husband pursued their respective
careers and shared their research and
medical education around the world,
their family enjoyed numerous travels
and developed international
friendships.
Jan and her family have maintained a
healthy and balanced lifestyle through
their involvement with family and
friends, regular exercise, and spiritual
practices. San Antonio has been a
welcoming and supportive community
that has enabled Jan and her family to
thrive both personally and
professionally.
Finding way Out of Crisis
Ten years ago, Jan faced a personal
tragedy when her younger son passed
away. This loss was incredibly
challenging and caused Jan immense
pain. To make matters worse, Jan was
diagnosed with uterine cancer only six
Integrative Medicine
Integrative Medicine is a patient-
centered approach that considers the
whole person, including their physical,
mental, and emotional well-being, as
well as their spiritual beliefs. This
approach utilizes evidence-based
holistic therapies that are often natural
and less invasive than conventional
medical treatments, when appropriate.
Integrative Medicine does not seek to
replace conventional medicine but
rather to complement it. Instead of
being viewed as an alternative or
parallel approach, integrative
modalities are fully integrated into the
patient's care plan, in collaboration
with conventional medical treatments.
Sharing Significance of Self Care
Jan uses breath work, essential oils,
movement, nutrition, and spirit for her
wellbeing. She shared these techniques
with friends and family, resulting in a
book with Phyllis Clark Nichols.
"Breath for the Soul: Self-Care Steps
to Wellness" has four sections: stress,
anxiety, depression, and grief. In each
section, empowering self-care
strategies of breath work, movement,
nutrition, and spirit are reviewed. It
provides evidence of the effectiveness
of integrative modalities and spiritual
prompts to cope. Mental health is
crucial, especially for healthcare
professionals experiencing burnout.
Renewing physical, mental, and
spiritual selves is vital for a fulfilling
life amidst negativity.
In today's world, where healthcare
professionals are leaving the field due
to burnout, prioritizing mental health
and wellness has become more crucial
than ever before. This message of self-
care is vital not only for personal
success but also for professional
success. With the constant
bombardment of negative news and
uncivil behavior in society, it's easy to
lose one's peace and focus. Therefore,
intentional renewal of own physical,
mental, and spiritual selves is essential
weeks after her son's death. However,
she drew strength from her faith,
family, and friends during this difficult
time.
Jan was also able to find solace in her
meaningful work, which played a vital
role in her healing process. Luckily, the
cancer was detected early, and after
undergoing surgery and hormone
therapy, Jan is now cancer-free.
Despite the difficult challenges she
faced, Jan's resilience and ability to
draw on her support systems allowed
her to overcome these difficult
circumstances.
After practicing and teaching medicine
for thirty years, as well as facing
personal challenges such as the loss of
a child and a battle with cancer, Jan
came to the realization that
conventional medicine, while effective,
did not always address the whole
patient. This realization led Jan to seek
training in integrative medicine at The
Andrew Weil Center for Integrative
Medicine at the University of Arizona,
which has since become one of her
primary interests.
36 | JULY 2023

for a healthy and fulfilling life.
Planning to Practice Infectious Diseases
Throughout her journey, Jan has placed a high
value on her ability to innovate and create new
programs during her time at UT Health San
Antonio. Her career has spanned various fields,
including infectious diseases, healthcare
epidemiology, healthcare improvement,
leadership, and integrative medicine. Throughout
all of these areas, Jan has enjoyed patient care,
education, and research, benefiting from the
opportunity to be part of an environment that
encourages innovation.
Jan has continued to practice in both infectious
diseases and integrative medicine, remaining
engaged with the infectious diseases specialty due
to its continued relevance, especially given the
ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emergence
of other infectious diseases. Throughout her
career, Jan has also prioritized writing, having
authored over 150 scientific articles and reviews.
Now Jan is enjoying writing personal essays and
planning the next book. Check out her website
https://www.drjanpatterson.com to learn more
about Jan and her book.
Leadership Advice; Lead with Kindness
Jan came to realize the importance of continuous
learning and teamwork in her career
advancement. For aspiring leaders, she advises
actively listening to colleagues and stakeholders,
collaborating with them to establish programs,
and maintaining an open mind. Leadership,
especially in medicine, can be a humbling journey
that offers ongoing learning opportunities. Jan
emphasizes the significance of gaining expertise
in improvement methodologies and staying
committed to implementing and teaching them to
others. She believes that being authentic in one's
leadership style is crucial to making a distinctive
contribution.
Jan strongly believes that being knowledgeable
alone is not enough; kindness is equally vital. She
finds resonance with Wayne Teasdale's quote,
"Kindness is the highest form of intelligence,"
which suggests that true intelligence entails not
just possessing knowledge but also using it to
serve the best interests of others, while
considering their perspectives and needs.

Lori S.
Colwell Jones,
RN, BSN, NHA
Lori S. Colwell Jones is an accomplished Senior Living
Operator, with an impressive track record spanning over
25 years in Regional, Vice President, and Executive
positions. She is currently the Chief Operating Officer at
12 Oaks Senior Living. Her extensive experience in the
senior care industry encompasses 27 years, during which
she has worked in various operational and clinical
leadership roles. These include skilled nursing, assisted
living, independent living, and the establishment of a
home care company for Holiday retirement.
Initially starting her career in Pediatrics after graduating
from nursing school, Lori transitioned into the realm of
senior care, embarking on her journey as a Staff
Development Director in a Nursing Home at a
remarkably young age. In this role, she played a pivotal
role in setting up the Nursing Assistant certification
program approved by the state of Washington at the
facility where she worked. Within a year, her exceptional
performance led to a promotion to the Director of
Nursing position.
Following several years of successful clinical leadership,
Lori relocated to Hawaii, where she served as a Director
of Nursing for two years. She obtained her Nursing
Home Administrator license in Hawaii and subsequently
worked as a Nursing Home Administrator for three
years, achieving two deficiency-free surveys in the state
of Washington. Recognizing her exemplary capabilities,
she was then promoted to a Regional Director role,
overseeing operations in skilled nursing, assisted living,
and independent living settings. She also has held
Regional and Vice President roles in various senior care
sectors, demonstrating her versatility and expertise in
driving success across different areas of the industry.
Lori spent two years working in Hawaii during her late
20s, a period in which she obtained her Nursing Home
Administrator License. She is also a Licensed Nursing
Home Administrator, highlighting her qualifications in
overseeing the management and operations of nursing
homes which carried over to Assisted Living and the
development of a Home Care company.
Impressively, Lori assumed the role of Director of
Nursing at the young age of 21, demonstrating her
exceptional talent and leadership abilities at an early
stage of her career. Furthermore, she holds the
distinction of being an Eden Associate, indicating her
commitment to promoting person-centered care and
enhancing the quality of life for seniors.
Lori's work philosophy revolves around a strong
emphasis on culture, particularly emphasizing the core
values of 12 Oaks: character, competency, stewardship,
and servanthood. She passionately upholds and
embodies these values, and appreciates how 12 Oaks
actively lives out its principles.
In addition to her dedication to fostering a positive
culture, Lori is highly focused on efficiency and
continuous quality improvement. She employs principles
of CQI (Continuous Quality Improvement) and LEAN
work methodologies to streamline processes, optimize
operations, and enhance overall efficiency within the
senior care settings she manages.
Committed to Excellence and Well-being
Lori, a driven and visionary individual, demonstrates
unwavering dedication to the well-being of her staff and
38 | JULY 2023

Accomplished Senior
Living Operator with 25+
Years of progressing
Leadership Experience in
Senior Care
the seniors under 12 Oaks Senior
Living. She strives to foster an
environment brimming with
enthusiasm, momentum, and positivity,
all while upholding a practical and
highly efficient work approach. Lori
deeply values both her personal and
professional principles, exhibiting
remarkable loyalty and holding herself
and her teams to the highest standards
of commitment and devotion.
On a personal note, Lori has a profound
affection for her husband and two
Pomeranians, who hold a special place
in her heart. She is an avid food
enthusiast and take pleasure in dining at
exceptional restaurants with a
captivating ambiance. Golfing and
exploring new destinations are among
her cherished hobbies. She says, “We
are fortunate to own homes in Maui,
Seattle, and Palm Desert.”
Elevating Senior Living with Passion
and Expertise
Ÿ 12 Oaks Senior Living appears to be
a well-established company with
extensive experience in the senior
living industry. Based in Dallas,
Texas, they offer third-party
management and consulting services
to senior living communities. With
over 30 years of experience, they
bring a wealth of knowledge and
expertise to their clients.
Ÿ One of the key advantages they
emphasize is their passion, core
values, and proven performance.
This suggests that they prioritize
quality, commitment, and excellence
in their services. By combining the
customary services provided by
traditional third-party managers with
their unique approach, they aim to
deliver exceptional results to their
ownership groups.
Inspiring Momentum and Upholding
Ethical Standards
Ÿ Lori places a high value on ethics
and prioritizes the well-being of
individuals. She is dedicated to
40 | JULY 2023

helping others grow, develop, and
succeed by providing coaching,
teaching, and support. She firmly
believes in the potential of people
and strives to create an
environment where they can thrive.
Lori is also highly focused on
efficiency and process
improvement, possessing the ability
to both troubleshoot and innovate.
She understands that process
improvement is an ongoing effort,
similar to consistently lubricating a
squeaky wheel. She emphasizes a
team approach and embraces
continuous quality improvement
(CQI), involving those directly
involved in the process to fine-tune
and enhance outcomes. Her
attention is centered around
development of four key areas:
people (ensuring the right
individuals are in suitable positions,
readiness, and succession
planning), process (clarity,
communication, comprehension,
and implementation), product
(customer perspective), and pricing
(considering competition and
exposure).
Lori adopts a coaching approach,
fostering a shared vision and
generating momentum. She builds
upon achievements, celebrates
successes, and acknowledges the
accomplishments of others. In all
her endeavors, she upholds ethical
standards and motivates those
around her. Lori sets high
expectations and maintains
directness, while remaining loyal
and forgiving.
Building a Culture of Excellence
12 Oaks Senior Living is deeply rooted
in its core values, which include
Character, Competency, Stewardship,
and Servanthood. These values serve
as the foundation for the company's
operations and guide its actions. The
leadership team at 12 Oaks prioritizes
continuous development and provides
ongoing training and coaching for
Executive Directors, Resident Care
Directors, and the entire executive
team. They have partnered with the
Townsend Leadership Program to offer
professional Leadership Coaches to
their executives.
To foster a supportive culture aligned
with their core values, 12 Oaks has
obtained Great Place to Work
certification. Each team within the
organization creates action plans that
reinforce the company's values and
contribute to the overall culture.
One notable initiative is the Leadership
IMPACT training program, developed
in collaboration with the Capacity
Leadership Center. This program
specifically targets Executive Directors
and Resident Care Directors, focusing
on two key core values: Competency
and Character. The training aims to
enhance leadership skills and promote
these important values among the
participants.
12 Oaks follows a high touch
management model that emphasizes
personalized attention. They limit the
number of communities within a local
geographic area of 4-6 on average
which allows for a more concentrated
and individualized approach to
management of Senior Living
communities. To support these
communities, each one is assigned a
dedicated Regional Vice President of
Operations. This approach ensures that
the Regional Vice President has ample
time to spend with each community,
becoming intimately familiar with their
day-to-day operations and the local
area. It also enables them to develop
personal relationships with the leaders
in each community. Additionally, the
communities receive support from 12
Oaks Solutions-Consultants and the 12
Oaks Office staff members, further
enhancing the personalized focus and
expertise provided to each community.
Leading with Vision and
Empowerment
Lori's primary responsibility is to take
care of her team and ensure that they
have a clear vision, set goals, and feel
motivated and energized while they
work together to promote excellence
for their teams and the residents and
families that they serve. She is
committed to providing coaching,
development, and support to her team
members, while also holding them
accountable to the expectations of our
stakeholders. These stakeholders
include our residents, their families,
our staff, and ownership groups.
Lori is dedicated to promoting and
upholding the core values of the
organization, and she works hard to
ensure that they are practiced and
demonstrated throughout the company.
She understands that her team
members need the right tools and
systems to streamline their workflows
and processes so that they can spend
more time interacting with the
community leaders, staff, and
residents. By empowering her team
and fostering a culture of
accountability, Lori aims to ensure that
the organization is meeting the needs
of all stakeholders and fulfilling its
mission.
Guidance for Emerging Leaders
Lori's guidance for individuals
stepping into a leadership role for the
first time is as follows:
Ÿ Trust your instincts and have faith
in your abilities.
Ÿ Persevere even in the face of
challenges and difficulties.
Ÿ Embrace the negative experiences
and use them as opportunities for
growth.
Ÿ Never lose hope and keep pushing
forward. Look back only to learn.
Ÿ Prioritize people and invest time in
building relationships, as they hold
greater significance than mere
numbers on a spreadsheet.
She shares that “remember that as you
develop as a leader, it's not solely
about performance; your ability to
influence and gain exposure also stems
from the relationships you cultivate.”

Pauline
Chau
Below are highlights of the interview conducted between
World's Leaders and Pauline Chau:
Describe your background and what did you do before
you joined the company?
I started my career as a corporate lawyer in a tier-1 law firm,
advising VCs on the legal part of their investments. I loved
being in an expert position but I somehow missed a project of
my own, since the lawyers' job ends at closing one deal. After
5 years of practice, I have been recruited by one of them to
serve both its legal and financial needs, at a time when
Breega managed only 45M€. I was the third employee of an
early stage VC co-founded by 3 entrepreneurs who I happen
to share some strong values with, operating like a startup, but
with very high financial expectations.
Now, after 6 successful years and 90+ companies financed,
Breega manages 500 million euros split across 5 vehicles and
operates across 5 offices. I am truly happy to monitor our
financial performance and be in charge of operations, both on
the finance part and on the legal and regulatory part. This
double expertise is complementary, and I am convinced that
Pauline Chau, who had
been employed as a
corporate lawyer in a
leading French law rm for
a period of 5 years,
subsequently joined
Breega. Her role at Breega
involves overseeing all
legal, regulatory, and
nancial affairs pertaining
to the management
company, its funds, its
portfolio, and its
subscribers. At present,
she serves as the
company's chief nancial
o cer.
An Expert in Investment Transac ons,
Fund Management, and Resolving Startup
Financing Challenges

having the legal and regulatory
knowledge is not only a cost-saving
feature, it is also helpful to setup
funds, measure the technical
constraints of some operations,
implement divestments, distributions,
etc.
My role in the success of this
organization has been to act like the
linchpin of this hypergrowth, being
very pragmatic in the processes and
execution that needed to be put in
place and making them constantly
evolve according to our needs and
staffing. I see myself as a facilitator
for the investment teams, and believe
my job is done greatly when it is
paradoxically not felt by the business
teams or when I bring technical
solutions to the table.
What are your responsibilities as
the Broker / Principal of the
company? What is the happiest
part of your daily routine?
I don't have a daily routine; I am
lucky that my days are not the same.
I like to start my day by checking my
mailbox for new requests I have to
handle and therefore reprioritize my
day.
One of my great strengths is that I
am naturally organized and in
control, which is key for a CFO role.
My other core values are reliability,
transparency, consistency, and
always going the extra mile—values
that I instill within my team. I often
say that it is not because we have
never done something that we will
not do it. I like to meet new
challenges and build innovative
setups that have never been tried
before.
processes?
In my opinion, early-stage
individual heroics to build the first
milestones, but when an organization
reaches scale, it needs to rely on
team processes to have sustainable
growth. That is exactly the turning
point at which we are at Breega.
Which are the major services of
the company and how do the
company to get ahead in the
competition? What value-added
services does the company
provide?
Breega stands out among its
competitors with a very
entrepreneurial approach to the VC
mission, all members of the
investment team being former
founders themselves. This
entrepreneurial mindset has also
pushed us to create, years ago, a
scaling team, gathering experts in
recruitment, marketing, growth, and
business development, fully working
for our portfolio and paid by our
management company, without
charging any fee to our portfolio.
This positioning was very unique
when Breega was launched 8 years
ago, and now we see the benefits of
this investment in the growth of our
portfolio.
What are the most important
aspects of a company's culture?
What principles do you believe in
and how do you build this culture?
Our company's culture is all about
being very demanding, but with true
care. All our investor actions derive
from that: being founder-friendly,
acting like a team and with
transparency, being agile, and being
solutions-oriented. We care a lot
about these values when recruiting
and promoting people, and try to
illustrate them in every internal
communication.
My advice to someone going into a
leadership position for the first time
is: don't be afraid, and don't feel like
an impostor. We all started
somewhere. Just try your best, be
humble, and always learn and
improve. And try to attract talents,
including people who can be better
than you at what they do, because
they are the ones that will build your
company's success for tomorrow!
44 | JULY 2023

Rita Elrod
Pintavalle
48 | JULY 2023

Side Passion: Lead Up mentoring and
consulting
I have been in Public Education since
1991. I originally started my college
journey intending to be a child
psychologist, and ended up with a BSEd
from Baylor University. I started teaching
English and Coaching sports, and never
thought of doing anything else outside of
the schoolroom doors. Once you begin to
see the impact through education, it is
difficult to step away for any amount of
money or enticing offer. Students matter,
teachers matter, education matters.
I grew up playing sports, and that was a
great bonding piece with my father Sonny
Elrod. I played volleyball and softball at
Oklahoma Baptist University in
Shawnee, OK my freshman year, but then
transferred to Baylor my sophomore year
to play softball only. My older sister,
Lana, was already attending Baylor and
was an Education major, so I just kind of
followed her. We even ended up getting
our Masters in Education together as well
through the University of North Texas a
decade later. Our mother Martha Elrod
had taught us to care about other people
before ourselves, and that servant
leadership followed us into education.
Connections to others is what makes any
workplace or business successful. As a
High School Principal, it is important to
keep your staffulty informed and find
ways to connect them together. People
enjoy being in a workplace where they
feel connected to the mission and the
vision while enjoying days with people
they consider friends. I enjoy watching
others have a good time in a nurturing
environment.
As the Principal of a large campus (2400
students and 200+ staffulty) I oversee the
day-to-day operations, budgets,
discipline, academic achievement and
climate/culture of the campus as a whole.
I am the constant that keeps the campus
Rita Elrod Pintavalle, the principal of
Brazoswood High School, has a diverse
professional background which includes
teaching, coaching, serving as an assistant
principal, campus principal, and director of
discipline and grants. In her view, an effective
administrator should possess both strong
organizational skills and excellent leadership
abilities. To manage the administrative aspects of
the job, it's crucial to have a thorough
understanding of the relevant laws, policies, and
procedures. On the other hand, to lead a team
successfully, one must possess an innate talent
for guiding and motivating individuals to discover
and utilize their unique strengths and talents,
thereby enhancing the collective strength of the
team.

anchored, but I do it with a vision of
connectedness. It is important to
have the input of student voice,
teacher ingenuity and administrative
oversight. We use rewards and
awards to keep us going, and that in
turn leads to positive influence in our
daily operations.
I am a firm believer in strength-based
leadership. Let those that are strong
in an area, take control and use those
gifts in a positive way. The happiest
parts of my job as a High School
Principal are seeing others succeed. I
prefer to put the spotlight on the
areas where people shine so they
understand their worth. Nothing
compares to seeing smiling, happy
people. Brazoswood has an
incredible set of Administrators
functioning together with strong
teachers, counselors, classroom
aides, office staff, custodial and
cafeteria management that come
together to offer a caring atmosphere
that allows students to grow in their
education and their creativity.
Which are the major offerings of
Brazoswood High School? What
value-added services does the
school provide?
Brazoswood High School is a part of
Brazosport ISD. We offer a wide
curriculum that focuses on the whole
student in preparation to be future
ready. Students can choose multiple
academic focus areas of the
educational environment and
extracurricular experiences. We have
a vast array of Athletics, Fine Arts,
Clubs and Organizations. We have
incredible Career and Technical
Education (CTE) pathways as well
that provide them with practical
experience to enter the workforce
right after high school or prepare
them for future careers.
Our campus has been a Capturing
Kids Hearts National Showcase
Campus multiple times as well as a
Jostens Renaissance Platinum level
school. These programs validate that
we are doing what is good for
children. Utilizing the pieces of both
of these organizations (CKH and
Renaissance) we have been able to
build a positive campus culture of
kindness, inclusivity and community
spirit of pride. Through these
organizations, I have done many
public speaking engagements to
foster collaboration and provide
roadmaps to other schools to be
effective stewards of kindness and
culture. These experiences have led
me to recently create a framework
for LEAD UP LLC to provide my
experience to schools or
organizations on how to lead with a
positive focus.
LEAD UP focuses on the things that
I believe should matter most to an
organization. I utilize the mindset of
“you have to LIVE UP to LEAD
UP”. You must Live Up to the
expectations you seek for others in
order to ask them to Lead Up daily. It
is important to teach Students and
Staff how to STAND UP for what
they believe is right and provide the
tools to SPEAK UP for those things
correctly in order to STAY UP and
not back down. Finally they must be
able to STEP UP and volunteer or
take the lead when needed. These are
skills that can be taught and focused
to keep a positive atmosphere that
others have collaborated to build.
Being informed takes research and
time to be connected to your campus
or your business organization. The
framework for LEAD UP focuses on
the belief that you should Lead to lift
others Up not Lead in a way that
brings others Down. It is all about
bringing others up to high
expectations, not taking others down
to meet an average existence.
Positive is always better than
negative, but many times is more
difficult to achieve in today's society
of negativity and social media
microscopes. Connecting people so
they focus on building each other up
rather than tearing each other down
is a task in itself, but a mission that is
admirable. This framework is what I
work off of daily to seek motivation.
What are some of the best things in
your personal life?
I have served on the Executive Board
and as the President of the Texas
Association of Secondary School
Principals (TASSP), the Nation's
largest School Principal
Organization. That experience
afforded me the opportunity to visit
many campuses and to mentor
Principals and Assistant Principals
across the state of Texas. I have also
served on steering committees for the
Texas Education Agency and been
50 | JULY 2023

named one of the top 50 Female Leaders in Houston
by The Women We Admire Organization. I have been
honored as the Principal of the Year for Region XI,
Secondary Principal of the Year for Brazosport ISD,
Top 25 Educator for HEB Excellence in Education,
and received a Lifetime Award of Achievement for
Texas PTA.
In my spare time, I also work at MLSBC as a cruise
port agent at the Port of Galveston. I assist in
debarkation and embarkation of guests for Carnival
Cruise Ships. This is a positive atmosphere where you
are helping others go on vacation with family and
friends. It is a rewarding customer service experience.
I enjoy reading mystery novels, watching true crime
shows and traveling with my husband Joe Pintavalle. I
also enjoy helping my husband with his passion of
growing hot peppers. We make spicy treats and spice
blends using home grown hot peppers under the name
Pintapeppers for competition and gifts. I have one
daughter, Carson Campbell (a Medical Terminology
teacher and High School Coach), and 3 bonus children
Lauren Pintavalle Story (a Nurse Practitioner in
Neurology Oncology), Brianne Pintavalle Burton (an
RN and Medical Billing Associate) and Joe Pintavalle
(a Regional Flooring specialist). We also have a
delightful pet Tortoise named Lucy.

Victoria
Pelletier
Victoria
Victoria
Victoria
Pelletier
Pelletier
Pelletier
An exceptionally driven individual and founder
of Unstoppable You, Victoria Pelletier has
overcome signiﬁcant adversity, which has made
her very resilient, focused, and goal oriented. She
is extremely passionate and loyal to her family,
friends, and the teams she is fortunate to
support. Victoria often describes herself as a
"multi-potentialite," as she has so many different
interests.
A
Creating Value for others
58 | JULY 2023

Below are highlights of the interview conducted
between World's Leaders and Victoria Pelletier:
Describe your background and what did you
do before you started/joined the company?
As someone who does not subscribe to the status
quo, I am always ready for new challenges; I left
a ﬁnancial services career to become one of the
youngest Chief Operating Oﬃcers at the age of
24, a president by 35, and a CEO by age 41. I've
spent the last 20 years or so focusing on leading
B2B professional services organizations.
Tell us about the inception of the company.
How did it all start?
I have been a corporate executive for
decades and have also built and bought
businesses over the years. I started
speaking 20+ years ago, primarily
focused on industry or functional
subject matter, and shifted to more
personal and motivational topics. I
co-authored a book called
Unstoppable, which is my personal
philosophy or life motto and the
title of my signature keynote. As
my professional speaking
appearances grew more frequent
with increasing demand, I created
a company to encompass all
aspects of this work, called
Unstoppable You.
What has made you successful?
What do you value?
I attribute my career success to my
strong work ethic, focus on
delivering exceptional
performance, voracious learning,
and continual challenge. I also
attribute it to a maniacal focus on
developing high-performing,
diverse, and inclusive human-
centered leadership teams and a highly
engaged workforce. I would also say
that my focus on building a strong
personal brand and highly connected network
and learning to create healthy boundaries in my
life have allowed me to achieve many of my
personal and professional goals. I value
companies and leaders with a strong purpose and
60 | JULY 2023

mission aligned to my personal
values and a high degree of integrity
and ethics.
Which are the major services of the
company and how do the company
to get ahead in the competition?
What value-added services does the
company provide?
My company provides primarily
public and media appearances;
keynote speeches, conference
emcees, panel moderators, podcasts,
and media guest appearances. Other
services include executive coaching,
personal brand coaching.
What are the most important
aspects of a company's culture?
What principles do you believe in
and how do you build this culture?
My experience and focus on
company culture have been in my
large-scale corporate roles, where I
have been fortunate to lead very large
teams. I believe that culture is the
outcome of the organization's and
leadership's purpose/mission, the
policies and procedures, and the
human-centered, authentic, and
empathetic leadership that leads from
the front.
What is the significance of
innovative ideas in the company?
I have been focused on innovating in
every company that I've worked for
or led. It's the cornerstone to long
term business growth and prosperity.
I ADORE upsetting the status quo
and driving business and cultural
change.
processes?
I think that most companies have a
mix of both, but the focus should be
on team success and holistic
organizational performance across a
multi-faceted set of performance guidelines (financial, of
course, but other metrics like customer and employee
satisfaction, diversity and inclusion, and other ESG
metrics, etc.).
What are your responsibilities at your company? What
is the happiest part of your daily routine?
I have been a corporate executive for large global firms for
my entire career, where I led large operations or divisions
in a general management capacity. I have also built,
bought, and/or invested in businesses and focused on the
strategy and growth of startups or small businesses. At
Unstoppable, I am focused on providing highly engaging
keynote speeches to audiences around the
world on a variety of topics, including
resilience, diversity, equity, and
inclusion, leadership, and culture,
among others. I enjoy variety in my
day; I am not a status quo individual
and love facing new challenges
every day!
There are many pieces of advice I
would give to a new leader: learn from
your team, trust and delegate, be clear
with success outcomes and
performance, be incredibly
human and
empathetic, and build
trusted, authentic
relationships, to
name a few.

World’s Disruptive Women Leaders Making a Mark in Business, 2023.pdf

World’s Disruptive Women Leaders Making a Mark in Business, 2023.pdf

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