I'm Rene...

Lover of all things personal development, with a good dose of Spirit mixed in!

For much of my life, I've been studying and practicing personal development, growth, and leadership, and along the way I've learned many practices that lead to emotional healing and personal transformation. 

These tools have come in very handy for me personally, and I love sharing what's worked for me.

Those who know me well appreciate my caring and inclusive nature and, most of all, for really listening.

I hope you'll trust in me to be your guide and share with you what I've learned in my decades of study, practice, and... well, life.

If you're interested in learning a few personal things about me, scroll on down the page. I also have a free gift for you there.

Thanks so much for being here!

A little bit of street cred...

Life coaching...

I've always loved learning how to help people, whether it was via recruiting, training them for a job, or sitting down with them to work through personal roadblocks.

I decided to become  certified in various methods of life coaching, first certifying through the Center for Strategic Intervention, a division of Robbins-Madanes Training (pictured here with founders Mark and Magali Peysha), and more recently through The Life Coach School, an act of love from the brilliant Brooke Castillo.

Acting...

I've had the privilege of taking part in some pretty cool films here in Arizona with some incredibly talented artists. This scene was one of several that took place at an old jail above a courthouse in Phoenix. It was a pretty creepy place. Dank and donned with lime green walls, an old toilet in each cell, and extremely narrow hallways, it was more than just a little claustrophobic. Talk about working through anxiety... an example of how the tools we learn can help us in any area of life. Here's also where a little bit of managed anxiety comes in handy. I received several shout-outs from the directors. Little did they know, it was "extra" easy to remain in character.

Voiceover...

I've really enjoyed my opportunities to do voice work over the years: singing on albums and jingles, voicing audiobooks, industrials, TV & radio spots, and more. Pictured with me are director Kevin Phipps (center) and producer Ruben Angelo during a quick ADR session for one of those awesome films I mentioned above. 

I recall the moments in my car while waiting to go in for this session. Normally, VO sessions wouldn't cause me anxiety. But something else had me a little revved up that day, not to mention the fact that I never really liked seeing myself on camera. I did some simple exercises before walking in, and by the time my feet crossed the studio threshold, I was relaxed, present, and finished in one take. 

A few not-so-guilty pleasures...

New York Italian...

New York born and raised, I love my Italian heritage. Pictured here are my beautiful grandparents, Italian immigrants and the subjects of Life Magazine's October 5, 1953 cover story.

Titled "From Italians Into Americans: A Photo Essay On Three Generations," the story included their nine boys, two girls, grandchildren to date, and some of their closest friends and extended family. 

Eventually, there'd be 39 of us cousins in my generation alone, just on my father's side. I'm the youngest. The eldest was 27 years older than me. Backyard family gatherings were impressive!

Confession:  Grimaldi's Pizza... OMG. Have you tried it?

Family fun...

I love the ocean. There's nothing like the tranquility of the sea. Here, we're enjoying the stunning mica-sand beach on Coronado Island. I love watching the ships in the distance and all the different types of planes flying overhead from NAS North Island. (Sand castle courtesy of the very talented Bill Pavlacka, aka "The Sandcastle Man.")

My son Nick (in the picture above) is everything to me. He's loving, sensitive, so smart, and has an amazing soul. He's going to be a world-changer. He's already changed mine!

Arizona hikes...

Hiking and nature walks here in Arizona are our jam. If you follow me on social, you'll often see me posting about it. The Sonoran Desert is breathtaking. This photo was taken at Papago Park, a great popular hike, located across from the Phoenix Zoo and Desert Botanical Garden.

My favorite season is springtime. It doesn't matter where I am. I love the temps, the perfect breezes, and the colorful and fragrant flowers.

Adventure...

I'm married to Karl, a USAF F-16 instructor pilot and lieutenant colonel turned author and Boeing 757-767 pilot. (Can you say that 10 times, fast?) Shortly after we were married, I got to take a high-speed taxi ride in an F-16 for his squadron's Spouse's Day at Luke AFB. What a rush... and a major tease!

On my very first professional hosting spot, I was asked to address the camera while a hawk swooped down from a treetop far behind me to land on my hand. What a cool experience! For another scene, I held a huge python named Xena. What was scary to anticipate turned out to be one of my favorite, most adventurous gigs.

Performing...

As an actress and voiceover talent for about 14 years, I had the pleasure of being part of an award-winning comedy filmed in Arizona. This photo was taken on set with actor Charlie Baker. I really enjoyed being part of the film's pre-production and production teams as well.