May 11, 2017–Dr. Ruth Carmichael–Senior Marine Scientist / Dauphin Island Sea Lab

Biography
Dr. Ruth H. Carmichael is a Senior Marine Scientist at the Dauphin Island Sea Lab and an Associate Professor of Marine Sciences at the University of South Alabama. She came to Alabama from Maine, where she was Assistant Professor of Marine Science at the University of Maine-Machias. Carmichael holds an MA (1998) and PhD (2004) from Boston University at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA. She is Director of DISL’s Manatee Sighting Network and operates the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network. She is an Editor for two scientific journals, Past President of the Gulf Estuarine Research Society, Co-chair of the Mobile Bay National Estuary Program’s Science Advisory Committee, and Member-At-Large for the Coastal and Estuarine Research Federation.
DISL’s Manatee Sighting Network
Founded in 2007, the Dauphin Island Sea Lab’s Manatee Sighting Network is the only formal manatee sighting network in the U.S. The Network receives and maps sightings from all along the Gulf of Mexico coast. The program is committed to sharing data with other researchers, managers, and the public. The Network provides valuable information regarding where manatees live and what they do while in Alabama and Mississippi waters. The Network is housed at DISL on Dauphin Island, AL.
DISL’s Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Founded in 2011, the Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network is a cooperative regional stranding network partner, which works with NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service to respond to dolphin and whale strandings and with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to respond to manatee strandings in Alabama, Mississippi, and the Florida panhandle.
For more information, to make a donation, or to report a sighting or stranding visit us at:
DISL’s Manatee Sighting Network
Phone: 1-866-493-5803
Web: http://manatee.disl.org
Email: manatee@disl.org
Facebook: Mobile Manatees Sighting Network
DISL’s Alabama Marine Mammal Stranding Network
Phone: 1-877-WHALE-HELP
Web: http://almmsn.disl.org
Email: ALMMSN@disl.org

May 4, 2017–Elizabeth Stevens–Pres. & CEO Downtown Mobile Alliance

Elizabeth P. Stevens
President and Chief Executive Officer
Downtown Mobile Alliance
Elizabeth P. Stevens has served as the President and CEO of the Downtown Mobile Alliance since its formation in 2005. The Downtown Mobile Alliance is a consortium of three not-for-profits working to support the development of Downtown Mobile. The Business Improvement District, or “BID,” is a property owner-funded special assessment district that provides enhanced services to the property owners within the district’s 75 block area. The BID provides intensive cleaning, hospitality, and beautification services along the property owners’ sidewalks and economic development and promotion activities for the district’s property owners. The Alliance also operates a business membership organization charged with promoting downtown business expansion through marketing and policy work, and the philanthropic Main Street Mobile to raise grants and donations for special projects including a newly launched land bank and revolving fund for affordable housing.
Ms. Stevens has worked in downtown development since 1985 in her native South Carolina as well as Alabama. She started the Main Street Program in Conway, SC and then in 1990 at the City of Mobile.
She currently serves as one of Governor Bentley’s appointees to the Alabama Historic Commission. Ms. Stevens was recently appointed as a Trustee to the Alabama Department of Archives and History. She serves on the board of directors of the Barton Academy Foundation, Springboard to Success, Mobile Bay Convention & Visitors Bureau, Mobile Rotary, and Innovation PortAL. Ms. Stevens is a graduate of the 2014-15 class of Leadership Alabama.
Ms. Stevens is a native of Charleston, SC, a graduate of the College of Charleston.

Apr. 27, 2017–Joe Cuhaj Author “Hiking Alabama”

Bio of Joe Cuhaj:
Joe Cuhaj hails from Mahwah, N.J. (yes, he’s one of “those” Yankees – one that didn’t go home: a “damn Yankee”) and is a former radio announcer, newscaster, and radio program director for radio stations in New Jersey and in Mobile including the old WUNI, WMML, WBCA, and 92Zew to name a few. Today he is a software programmer for the SSI Group, Inc., in Mobile by day.
In his free time he is a freelance writer and author. Joe has written many articles for magazines and online content for websites on a wide variety of topics, everything from shortwave radio listening to home DIY projects for home improvement guru Danny Lipford, the environment, and everything in between. He is most famous for his books including a brief history of baseball in the Port City, Baseball in Mobile and a collection of humorous short stories titled Living in a Banana Dream. Joe has also written several outdoor recreation books including Best Tent Camping Alabama (Menasha Ridge Press), Paddling Alabama (Falcon Books), Hiking the Gulf Coast (Falcon Books), Hiking Through History Alabama (Falcon Books) and Hiking Alabama (Falcon Books) which is now in its fourth edition.
Currently Joe is beginning work on his latest book, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama” for Falcon.
Joe lives in Daphne with his wife (a Mobile native) Maggie, and has one daughter, Kellie, and two grandchildren.

Apr. 13, 2017–Aaron Beam Former Chief Financial Officer of Health South

Aaron Beam
Bio
Aaron Beam was a founder and the first Chief Financial Officer of Healthsouth from 1984 until 1997. Today he lives in Loxley, Alabama with his wife of 45 years, Phyllis. In 1996 he took part in the accounting fraud at Healthsouth. In 2003 he pled guilty to the fraud and spent time in a federal prison for his crime.
He began his public speaking career in 2009 and as of January 2017 has spoken to over 325 different groups. These include universities, associations, companies and civic groups. His primary message is about corporate fraud: Who is actually responsible for these frauds, how they take place, and what can be done to prevent frauds such as Enron and Healthsouth.
Mr. Beam is also an author. His first book “Healthsoth:The Wagon to Disaster” was published in 2009. His second book was published in January 2015 and is titled “Ethics Playbook:Winning Ethically in Business”

Apr. 6, 2017–Dr. Terry Ellis Author, Professional Interventionist & Speaker

Dr. Terry Ellis served as pastor of six churches in his 34-year career. He holds a doctorate in Greek, a Masters in biblical studies, and a B.A. in Psychology. He has authored numerous commentaries and articles on biblical and spiritual topics. GraceWaves, the title of his recent book and his weekly blog, is widely read and distributed.
And he nearly lost his life to alcoholism.
For more than three decades Dr. Ellis has stepped into the chaos of people’s lives to bring direction and peace. Through addiction he entered his own chaos. His recovery began when someone said “we need to get you well.” After treatment for alcoholism he returned to the pastorate but soon felt led to devote his life to helping alcoholics/addicts and their families find hope and peace. Today he is a professional, certified interventionist, speaks in churches and civic organizations on the topics of addiction and recovery, and works with treatment facilities on the spiritual component of recovery. His goal is to help people and their families escape the shadows of addiction, and help a wider audience understand addiction and the hope of recovery.
http://videomicloud.com/?c=140&k=dbfd633796

Mar. 30, 2017–Cart Blackwell / The Alabama Bicentennial

Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III
Cartledge Weeden Blackwell, III was born in Selma. Blackwell serves as the Assistant Director of the Mobile Historic Development Commission. His scholarly focus is on the architecture and decorative arts of the American South. Blackwell obtained undergraduate degrees in art history and historic preservation from the College of Charleston He received his MA in Architectural History from the University’s School of Architecture in 2008. Cart is currently working on two monographs. One focuses on Alabama artist-designer Clara Weaver Parrish. A second on architect George B. Rogers is the beginning stages of development. In addition to his work with the Mobile Historic Development Commission and research endeavors, Cart also serves as the Alabama representative to the Southeast Chapter of the Society of Architectural Historians, a board member of the Cahaba Foundation, a board member of the Friends of the Magnolia Cemetery, and a board member of the Friends of the Alabama Department of Archives & History.

Mar. 23, 2017–Scott Tindle / Duck Boat Tours

Scott is a native of Mobile, Alabama and graduated from Baker High School. After attending Auburn University and receiving a B.S. in Secondary Education, Scott earned a J.D. at the University of Alabama School of Law. Upon graduation from law school, Scott entered into the private practice of law having worked at both a civil defense firm as well as in-house counsel and Chief Operating Officer for an international security firm. Scott has served as a personal aide to President George W. Bush and has appeared on the ABC reality show “Shark Tank.”
Before founding Gulf Coast Ducks Scott was the Executive Director of The Grounds. During Scott’s tenure the organization was awarded Community Partner of the Year Award by the Mobile County Public School System and the Rebranding Campaign of the Year by the American Advertising Federation for its transformation of the Greater Gulf State Fair into the “cleanest most family-friendly event in America.”
Currently Scott serves as a Partner of Gulf Coast Ducks and Activation Management as they seek to continue to grow the tourism scene in Mobile. As a graduate of the Disney Institute Scott focuses on using the fundamentals and effort based techniques used by Disney Parks and Resorts in his businesses.
Scott and his wife, Beth, have three daughters Mary Scott, Julia, and Ann Gibson and are active members of Dauphin Way United Methodist Church

Mar, 16, 2017–Jason Mckenzie, Executive Director / Joe Jefferson Players

Jason McKenzie was recently named Executive Director of the Joe Jefferson Players. He first got involved with the group in 2001 and has since performed in over 16 shows. He also served as the Vice President of Marketing since 2012 until accepting this role as the Executive Director. Many of you know Jason from his banking days in the past and more recently, as the associate director of development for the Mitchell Cancer Institute. Jason holds a BS from Louisiana Tech University and an MBA from Auburn University

Mar. 9, 2017–Ofir Rozenberg / Mobile Area Jewish Federation

Ofir Rozenberg is a 27 year old female from Israel. She recently graduated with a degree in Social Work from Tel-Hai Academic College in Northern Israel. Prior to her academic studies, she travelled to different countries in Asia, Central America and Europe. Like every Israeli woman, she served in the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) for two years, where she was a squad commander of Intelligence soldiers.
Ofir worked as a counselor at an American High School right outside of Jerusalem. Her family resides in a small community in the Galilee, where she was born and raised. She arrived in Mobile on August 19th to be an emissary at the Mobile Area Jewish Federation. Her goal is to spread love and truth about Israel and show its beauty and different sides. She speaks to different groups; synagogues, schools, civic organizations and churches around the city about Israel-related topics, such as history, culture, technology etc. and shares her life story about growing up in Israel.