A big part of making decisions is determining what our actions and choices have been inspired by. So we asked decision makers from the community to tell us about what they are inspired by.

Alee Gleiberman | Wedding Photographer

I have always been so inspired by other photographers work. Mostly the classic black and white film photographers I learned about when I first picked up my camera many many years ago. I am inspired at how each photographer saw and captured light. All in different ways and all telling a different story. Even still when I am feeling uninspired I’ll pull out a Cartier-Bresson book or a Lee Friedlander book and flip through the pages and get transported back in time to question why they pointed their viewfinder at that specific subject. Read more>>

Brownie Serra | Portrait Photographer

I am inspired by my mom Silvia. As a single parent she has always been my biggest cheerleader and advisor. She was seriously blessed with the most amazing patience and wisest words. Her determination to and perseverance motivated me to be the same. Throughout my photography adventure I have encountered many obstacles that made me think twice if this was the path to go. But, no matter what my mother’s advice and love have reminded me that no task is ever too hard or impossible. As long as we go into the world with a kind heart and work hard no one can take that energy away from you. Read more>>

Dani Montoya | Dancewear, Activewear & Costume Designer

Nature; cliche I know. But I look at the color combinations and the way certain shapes interact and make it pleasing the the eyes. After all, nature is the best designer… why not take a few lessons away from just observing it. Music…. especially for what I do. Designing a garment for someone to express themselves. Sometimes it’s as simple as wanting to feel your best and other times it’s bringing a story to life. Music, the highs, the lows, the pause, all plays a role in the shape, color, and aesthetic for our designs. Read more>>

Jeanne Albaugh | CEO

What inspires me is knowing that hope and forward action really work. I’ve been to the lowest of lows and I’ve experienced major struggles. What got me to where I am today is being willing to accept help from others. I have a deep longing to support anyone who is less fortunate and struggling because I know what’s possible. What inspired me to start a non-profit was the idea of building a team of compassionate, caring people with the drive to be changemakers. I have witnessed the goodness that exists within people and I want to shine a light on it so it expands. Read more>>

Veronica Gobin | Creative Director

I’m inspired by beauty, art and unusual surroundings. I love natural and animals. The Tea Room is a representation of these elements within the surrounding gardens, habitual life and interior decor. Read more>>

Sid Daniels | Illustrator & Fine Artist

Ever since I was a kid growing up in Toronto, during the 1950s and throughout my adolescence and into the 1970s, the visual impact that black and white photographs of fashion models from the 1920s, ’30s, and ’40s resonated with me in a very big way, and during these early years, I worked on strengthening and evolving my creativity and creative process based on nostalgia from old Hollywood, the Art Deco era, Hollywood films, and the stars, singers, musicians, technicolor movie musicals, music from the Swing Big Bands Era of the 1940s, the Latin sounds of Xavier Cugat, Tito Puente, and the visual impact of Carmen Miranda, Busby Berkeley choreography, Artie Shaw, Benny Goodman, and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestras, just to name a few examples, that all had an impact on my drawings and paintings. Read more>>