According to science, we are the product of a set of genes and their interaction with myriad external influences, including one of life’s most influential factors—our vocation. The way in which we use our special gifts and talents shapes us as do the many ways we view our world and interact with it.

When we meet strangers, our first question is generally, “What do you do?” We are less quick to ask about their non-work activities simply because we seek to satisfy a deeper need to understand one of the most important ways we define others and ourselves—what we do and they do as “work”.

Magazines are challenging work. The magnitude of teamwork and talent that it takes to put the Naples/Fort Myers edition together every month for 20-plus years, and now for our 95 franchises throughout the country, is beyond the imaginings of most people outside of the industry. This month we felt that readers might enjoy meeting the people behind our pages and learning not only about what they do, but also about how what they do has shaped their lives and is rippling out into our community.

S. Alison Chabonais, national editor, who celebrates her 15 years with Natural Awakenings (NA), orchestrates, assigns and edits all national editorial content that the headquarters team supplies to its 95 franchise publishers around the country.

The lifelong environmentalist taps the expertise offered in the magazine for practical steps she can act on. A serious advocate of indoor and outdoor water conservation, she relies on native plants, has no water-hungry lawn and uses rain barrel capture.

Chabonais has successfully lobbied Home Team Pest Defense and Accent Cleaning Services to include the option of nontoxic natural products and spearheaded their availability for hundreds of other clients. “It’s lovely to introduce Clorox-oriented cleaners to a healthier way of working,” she says.

She favors organic foods, avoids GMOs and relies on the organic hair care products she buys from Raw Hair by Melanie. “Whole Foods, Publix and Fresh Market make shopping for organic more convenient. This winter I also shopped Farmer Mike’s every week and picked strawberries from the field for the first time since I was a young girl,” she comments.

“I like that we’ve embraced more spirit-oriented content to balance the emphasis on body and mind and am ever grateful to be part of our community-hearted readership,” she says.

Martin Miron and Randy Kambic, freelance editors and writers have been essential to the success of the editorial team—Miron for eight years and Kambic for six. As story artists, they are experts in finessing finished copy and adjusting  grammar and punctuation to our house style. Both feel that working for NA makes them part of the solution rather than part of the problem.

“The information I glean from reading and writing this magazine makes me think about everyday choices regarding my diet, exercise and carbon footprint more than I ever did in the past,” remarks Miron, who is happy that he gets to apply his prior

experience as a professional journalist to more positive topics and viewpoints than those carried by mainstream media. “I believe that our attitude matters and what we think about most is likely to occur. That’s why I am a hard core optimist,” he quips.

Kambic values working with a dedicated and conscientious team of professionals. “I enjoy learning about and helping inform readers regarding our area’s many beneficial healthy living programs and services,” says Kambic, an outdoor enthusiast who likes to play tennis and follow the local tennis and golf scene. “I also enjoy swimming and visiting eco-friendly places such as the Happehatchee Center, where I can observe wildlife.”

C. Michele Rose, our talented graphic artist, has a multitude of gifts that she has been pouring into the aesthetically pleasing magazine’s layouts for 12 years. “I completely believe in the NA mission and have been very happy to align my energies with the purpose and passion of the magazine. When I found NA, I was already on the path of natural and healthy living and was looking for a company and people of like mind. Working with people that are consciously striving to live life to its fullest and “lovingest” is where I choose to be,” avers Rose.  

Stephen Blancett, national art and production manager, has been applying his artistic perspective to NA covers for nearly seven years. He eats smart and healthy thanks to the healthy eating and fitness articles that he reads in NA. “I haven’t been to a fast-food restaurant in years. After going on a diet and achieving my goal of losing 50 pounds in six months I ran into an old friend at an art gallery. He looked at me and said, ‘Wow you look so healthy and happy’. I smiled and replied, ‘I am.’”

Blancett’s kitchen pantry was once full of “convenient boxes” of “bakes in 20 minutes” faux foods. “I used to grocery shop once a week and stock up on foods that lasted a week or longer. NA introduced me to the harmful ingredients in processed foods and the philosophy of ‘If your food can go bad, it’s good for you. If it can’t go bad, it’s bad for you.’ Today, I mostly shop daily for only fresh foods at farmers’ markets. Buckingham Farms and 31 Produce are my favorite haunts,” he says.

Blancett loves to cook and has been working on a cookbook for more than six years. After becoming enlightened regarding healthier food choices, he started reworking many of his original recipes.

Steve Hagewood, senior graphic designer for in-house advertising and marketing has used his talents to help promote the magazine for more than four years. He cites NA’s single most significant impact on his life as the connection to a national network of individuals that are making a profound difference in the well-being of humanity, animals and the planet.

Hagewood notes that he’s learned much about healthy eating and green living from NA. “The magazine’s positive influence has led me to be more conscious of what I eat and wear as well as how I treat the planet. Thanks to NA, I practice yoga, visit a chiropractor and shop at Whole Foods and Trader Joe’s, whose house brands are organic and GMO-free,” he says.

Wildlife and animal welfare are Hagewood’s personal interests, evident in his contributions to the Sierra Club, Audubon Society, Defenders of Wildlife and National Resources Defense Council. He also actively participates in petition signing, contacting congressmen and tweeting issues that are not only related to animal welfare, but most all environmental and food regulation.

Sharing the knowledge he gains with family and friends is a natural side effect of his work that he considers beneficial for the nation and world. “I’m making up for all of the years of creating advertising campaigns for unhealthy products,” he quips.

Lisa Avery, graphic designer/ad builder, was thrilled to receive an offer to join the NA team in 2014. She thoroughly enjoys assisting advertisers in marketing their business or service and supporting them in achieving their vision for their brand. “In my opinion, there is no better choice for a company with a conscience when it comes to investing advertising dollars,” she advises.

Avery finds the entire staff at NA is a delight to work with. “Each of them shines a bright light and together they share a vision of making the world a better place. And because of them, it is,” says Avery.

Amie Delozier has been finance manager in charge of day-to-day financial operations for six years. A reader of NA during the earliest years of its publication, she found the calendar and the advertisers a priceless resource. “Connecting each day with a group of likeminded individuals in the workplace is not the typical scenario for most people. These many years later, I feel very fortunate to work here and be part of such a great team,” notes Delozier.

A vegetarian for most of her life, Delozier credits her exposure to the publication’s well researched and written content for sparking her desire to move to an even cleaner way of nourishing her body with more local organic options. “I’ve become hyper-aware of GMO foods and avoid them if possible,” she says.

Heather Gibbs is our three-year veteran franchise support manager. A multitalented individual, she juggles a multitude of job responsibilities and does them all exceptionally well. As a member of the NA family, she explains that her life has been impacted in several ways from her first day to the present and beyond. “NA opened me up to new and different things and brought me back to some of my ideals and values. Most importantly, working here led me to begin my yoga journey. If it wasn’t for CEO Sharon Bruckman’s encouragement and support, I wouldn’t have attended my first yoga class in 2013 and I wouldn’t now be in the process of obtaining my yoga teacher certification through Love Yoga Center’s teacher training program. If someone had told me three years ago that someday I’d be practicing yoga and studying to become a teacher, I’d have laughed and said, ‘Oh, no, you’re confusing me with someone else,’” she says.  

Kara Scofield, administrative assistant and the voice that greets callers, is responsible for billing and payables, in addition to processing/shipping NA webstore orders. She splits her time between local magazine tasks and the corporate franchise side of publishing.

A new resident in 2001, Scofield, who has been teaching and performing belly dancing for more than 10 years, found her first belly dance class here in the NA calendar. She still prefers perusing our magazine for local service providers, fitness classes, organic food and interesting events before searching Google.

Scofield worked as a biologist in the environmental permitting field for several years before moving to dance full-time. After many happy years there, she wanted to return to a more traditional full-time job, but determined that her work needed to be in alignment with her values and lifestyle.

“Unexpected ‘perks’ such as positive working relationships, a healthy office space, and constant exposure to new and exciting information and ideas have become springboards for growth in my own personal life, which is something I never considered might come from my work,” enthuses Scofield.  

Scofield appreciates being part of a company that has a bigger purpose and is in the business of helping others. “Since the environment is also on our action agenda, I feel I’ve not left that part of me behind,” she notes.  

Sara Peterson, calendar/classified editor and news brief coordinator has been using her organizational, administrative and customer service skills in Naples for two years. Previously, she and husband Bill owned Natural Awakenings of West Michigan franchise for two years.

“The magazine’s editorial, calendar and advertisers have been with me on my 16-year healing journey, inspiring me to be conscientious of my eating habits and the environment; to take care of my body, mind and spirit in ways that nourish and sustain me, to raise my children with awareness and to be the change I would like to see in the world. Working for NA a portion of this time has been a true blessing. I enjoy working with like-minded people and for a company that shares my outlook on life and supports my lifestyle,” explains Peterson.

She says that NA even helped her meet her soul mate and husband. “After answering a help wanted ad for employment at For Goodness Sake, in Naples, we became colleagues and fell in love. We have three beautiful children, who I birthed naturally at home with a midwife. I chose to breastfeed my children for an extended amount of time, fed them natural and/or organic foods and applied a Waldorf-inspired lifestyle to my kids in their younger years. I also relied on the principles of Rudolf Steiner as I homeschooled them as preschoolers and into kindergarten for my oldest son,” advises Peterson.

Christine Miller is the Collier County sales executive. Before joining NA in 2009, she was a total believer in alternative health, choosing to heal her tennis elbow with myofascial release rather than the surgery. Miller knows for certain that we are what we eat and that food is our best medicine. Exercise is a big part of her life. She lifts weights three times a week and does cardio regularly. “I eat organic, real food and avoid sugar, wheat and gluten as much as possible,” she advises.

Being in nature is a favorite pastime, which is why Miller finds Sanibel Island so captivating. “Renting a bike and rollerblading throughout the island brings me joy. The Everglades, Six Mile Cypress Slough, in Fort Myers, and the Naples Zoo are my other favorite places If it’s anything to do with nature, I am in,” enthuses Miller.

“Reading and working for NA opened my eyes to meditating and the teachings of Buddha, as well as full moon and drum circles,” Miller shares and advises that her clients enrich her life in many ways. “I love to hear about what everyone has to offer,” she says.

Lisa Doyle, Lee County sales account executive, joined NA in late 2012.  The fan of NA, since relocating to SWFL from New York in 2001, is grateful to work with a company aligned with her values. “NA was the first publication I picked up to learn about what my community had to offer. I am such a believer in this product that the concept of supporting the magazine in Lee County was a no-brainer,” says Doyle, who prefers to shop at local merchants.

 Since joining NA, Doyle eats 90 percent raw/cooked veggies, no red meat and only wild caught fish and organic chicken. “Before NA, I was a fast-tracker who didn’t take care of myself. After NA, I fell in love with massage, skincare, acupuncture and learning about new and exciting modalities through the magazine,” she notes.

Doyle and the other members of our publishing family are in agreement that working for Natural Awakenings allows us to feel that we’re helping the world to be a better place and leaving behind a meaningful legacy. As company cultures go, this one is rare—so is a remarkable staff that thrives and strives at work and beyond to uphold the vision and values of their leadership.

While few of our local readers will ever get the opportunity to meet our growing family of franchise-publishers, rest assured that each of the 95 offices is equally as distinctive and devoted as our Southwest Florida headquarters, which published the start-up edition for the entire operation. As the home base and support system for our franchise operation, we can confidently and proudly say that each of our publishers upholds the same ideal of making a difference and leaving a legacy of good work.