Category: Heroes

  • Simon Sinek

    Simon Sinek is one of my heroes because he has given solid TED talks, written more than one influential book, and helped many people find more meaning in their lives. Part of me aspires to do something similar. Part of me wants to make more movies. And part of me wants to continue putting the…

  • Robert Reich

    Regarding politics, I value Robert Reich’s perspective more than most. His deep experience includes being a professor and serving as Secretary of Labor under President Clinton. He became one of my heroes as I read these books. He’s written other books that I look forward to reading. He’s also the face of Inequality Media, a…

  • The Magic of Live Theatre

    While I love that musicals and plays can be adapted to the screen, live theatre holds a special place in my heart. There is something magical about an audience gathering in person to watch a production in real-time. Happy mistakes and accidents lend an ephemeral quality to live theatre. Each performance is unique. Each audience…

  • Ayn Rand

    The reason Ayn Rand is one of my heroes has nothing to do with her personal philosophy, Objectivism. While I agree that an objective reality exists, I do not think this implies that we should selfishly act exclusively in our self-interest. My life has taught me otherwise. I like Ayn Rand’s novels because she is…

  • Karilyn T. Starks

    Tonight, I’m excited to see one of my heroes, and the love of my life, perform the role of Helen Bonfils in a one-woman show. Karilyn T. Starks has recently appeared in these two articles. It’s an understatement to say that I’m very proud of her and her amazing work. Doing theater together is how…

  • Adam Grant

    Adam Grant is a fairly recent addition to my list of heroes. He’s written the following excellent books. I like that his books include ideas backed by research. I also like that he presents his ideas using fascinating stories written in a conversational tone. He makes the ideas approachable without stripping them of their significance.…

  • Stephen Spielberg

    I don’t think much needs to be said about Stephen Spielberg, given that his work is so well known. It should come as no surprise that he’s one of my heroes. The Indiana Jones movies impacted me most as I was growing up. While I’m not a huge fan of shark movies, Jaws remains a…

  • Richard Feynman

    For a long time, Richard Feynman has been one of my heroes. I probably first learned about Richard Feynman when I read a couple of his wonderful books. What I love about these books is that you get to know the man. He shares wonderful stories, not just about physics, but also about his life.…

  • Esther Perel

    I became aware of Esther Perel when I saw her first book in the Boulder Bookstore. In 2017 and 2018, I worked at the Galvanize offices on Walnut Street. I enjoyed walking up and down Pearl Street during my lunch hour. As an aside, the Boulder Bookstore is one of my favorites. It houses three…

  • Frank Oz

    Frank Oz is more than a great director. He’s the genius who brought Yoda to life in The Empire Strikes Back. He’s worked closely with Jim Henson on many projects. And he’s one of my heroes. He directed one of my favorite comedies of all time, Bowfinger. Karilyn and I love this movie, partly because…