Meet Our AmaZing Writers
Our team are not only speakers, but have written books and frequently contribute articles and quotes for magazine publications. For the past 15 years, members of the Amaze team have been THE leaders shaping the plus-size industry. These recognizable faces have represented the curvy community on every major talk show including ABC/Oprah, NBC/The Today Show, ABC/The View, The CBS Early Show, E!/Fashion Emergency 911, Lifetime Television and Oxygen Networks as well as numerous local affiliations of the top 5 networks across the country.
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Michele Weston, author of Learning Curves: Living Your Life in Full and with Style (Crown) and co-founder of Selling Style is one of the world's leading industry experts and speakers on fashion and style. You may have seen her on Oprah, The Today Show, The View, The CBS Early Show, E!/Fashion Emergency 911, Lifetime Television and Oxygen Networks as well as numerous regional morning show appearances across the country. She is the former founding fashion & style director for Mode magazine and has also served as senior fashion editor for Mademoiselle, and special projects editing for Vanity Fair, Cosmopolitan and In Style magazines. Michele continues to lecture on positive body image and also is called upon for expert quotes in various women's magazines.
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Catherine Schuller Catherine Schuller of CurveStyle, has been an actress, model, spokesperson, author and now promoter and marketer. Her quest to find opportunities to change the world’s perception of full figured woman continues to forge new projects and endeavors. Her desire and ambition is constantly rekindled as she finds ways to create new venues to help solidify the full figured femme as the image of the new fashion and real life woman icon.
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Wendy Shanker's first book, “The Fat Girl’s Guide to Life,” was published by Bloomsbury USA. You may have seen Wendy discussing it on “The View,” “Good Morning America,” “CBS Sunday Morning,” “The Jane Pauley Show,” “Life & Style,” “Tucker Carlson: Unfiltered,” and “CNN Saturday Night.” Wendy co-hosted Oxygen’s “She-Commerce,” a show about shopping and style. She also appeared on Oxygen as an entertainment correspondent for “Pure Oxygen,” and a movie reviewer for “Girls On.” Her byline has appeared in Glamour, Self, Shape, Cosmopolitan, Marie-Claire, Seventeen, Mode and Grace and on MTV, as well as underground women’s magazines like Bust and Bitch. She is a contributor to the anthology Body Outlaws: Rewriting the Rules of Beauty and Body Image (Seal Press, 2004), and The Modern Jewish Girl’s Guide To Guilt (Dutton, September 2005). Wendy is honored to be a national spokesperson for NOW’s Love Your Body Day. She is also one of Us Weekly’s Fashion Police – so she is constantly expecting a B-list celebrity to kick her ass. Find out more about her at www.wendyshanker.com.
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Jude Milner is a psychotherapist and personal fitness trainer who has a practice, Fitness Therapy™ in New York City. Her book, Fat Free, The All True Adventures of a Super Fat Woman will be published this August by Tarcher/Penguin.
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Whitney Dineen is the "cookie maker to the stars" in Hollywood, as well as being a plus size model with the Ford Agency. Her delicious treats have been features on NBC's celebrity show, "Extra" as well as "The Other Half" and HGTV's "Smart Solutions." She is currently putting the final touches on her first cookbook, "Sweet Things" so you'll soon be able to make her favorite goodies for yourselves.
Visit her websites, www.WhitneysCookies.com and www.TrapHimFeedHimKeepHim.com.
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Maddy Figueroa hails from a close-knit NYC family and started her plus size modeling career in BBW Magazine. In early 2003 Figueroa was selected to appear as the spokesmodel for the "Hips, Heels & Curves" Fashion Show, continuing on to casting director for the Dangerous Curves 2003/2004 Tour. She most recently appeared on a fashion segment for Aqui Y Ahora for Univision and currently serves as a modeling moderator for the www.VenusDivas.com community. Maddy also wears the hat of stylist for up and coming models in the New York City area and resides in Battery Park, NYC with her husband & photographer, Luke, and their cat.
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Josh Max and Julie James met through a personal ad, shared a coffee date in 1996 and have been together since. Married in October 2001, they bring their unique and fun perspective on relationships to the readers of AmaZe.
Josh Max is a freelance writer whose auto and motorcycle reviews, travel articles, feature columns and first-person pieces can be seen in Newsweek, The New York Times, NY Daily News, Rides, Elite Traveler, Forbes.com and other publications. Josh is also a musician/songwriter/performer in The Maxes, a Manhattan-based groovy, poppy, happy, peppy, bluesy outfit, sharing vocal stylings with wife Julie.
Julie is not only a performer and talk show host, but has been actively promoting diverse body types in national media since 1995. She was one of several Fashion Retail Editors for MODE magazine as well as the exclusive host for the launch of the Tommy Hilfiger Woman Fashion line. She has performed in opera and musical theater productions across the country. You can catch Julie weeknights during her own show on SIRIUS Satellite Radio. She stars as the "Retro Redhead" on Outlaw Country, channel 36, M-F from 8 PM to midnight. Then explores the other side of her split personality by hosting the Late Evening Opera on Classical Voices, channel 85, M-F at 12 midnight.
Both Julie and Josh enjoy exploring new and exotic destinations in the U.S.A. When not making music together, they journey to such places as Maui, West Palm Beach, Santa Cruz, Boston, Nashville, Memphis as well as dozens of getaways on the East Coast.
Check out their blog at www.TheMaxes.blogspot.com
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Barbara Brickner has been a working plus size model for over 10 years. She made her start in Seattle and has moved to the NY and European markets. She holds a degree in communications from Washington State University. She is a frequent speaker to students about body image and her role as a model in breaking unhealthy thinking about the ultra-thin images in our society today. Inspired by her pregnancy, Barbara created BB Maternity, a collection of pieces that take the curvy Mom from the beginning to the end of her pregnancy and beyond! For more information, please log onto barbarabrickner.com or bbmaternity.com.
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Rida Allen wrote the Venus Diva online serial romance titled, My Brother’s Wife and is the author of several romance novels that feature full-figured heroines including Great Love, The Legacy Tree, Truth and Lies, and her latest novel, You Have Been Disconnected. She is co-owner of Draumr Publishing, a small publishing company, where she helps other romance novel authors get their BBW books out into the world.
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Jalyn Webb has been an advocate for curvy women since she began being curvy -- which we think was around age 6! She spent a fantastic year as a marketing and tour director for the Just My Size west coast tour where she met thousands of curvy women who inspire her still. She currently is the District Manager for Brighton Collectibles in Colorado, and she also sings with the acapella group "Simplicated" (formerly eLeMeNO-P) and as a guest singer with the classic rock and blues band, Blues Planet.
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Anne Baird is a freelance writer and the Artist and owner of Goddess Cards . Her line grew from a birthday card she created for her daughter, Amanda, who was disheartened at being Rubenesque in the "Land of Thin" (LA). That seminal card evolved into a long line of love notes and affirmations for ALL women. Goddess Cards have been endorsed by 5 centers specializing in treating women with body and self-esteem issues. The respected Renfrew Center Foundation, based in California, has listed her as one of 3 artists "promoting healthy body images."
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Jennifer Bennett has over 10 years of diverse responsibilities in the educational arena. From teacher to translator to trainer, she has crossed the cultural divide by learning Spanish, French, Italian and Portuguese. Well traveled and well read, Jennifer is living proof that a Diva can be beautiful AND brilliant!
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Alexandra Boos has been a plus size model and spokesperson for over ten years. She holds a BA from the University of Michigan and currently resides between NYC and VA. She is also a Reiki Master, Light Ascension Therapist, actress and, best of all, a new mom. It has been an honor to invite people to embrace themselves in self acceptance in all areas of her life.
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Jim Canterucci is the author of Personal Brilliance: Mastering the Everyday Habits that Create a Lifetime of Success. To learn more about Jim and his mission, please visit www.mypersonalbrilliance.com.
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Chamein Canton, mother of two and the 2002 Long Island MS Society Mother of the Year, has spent a lifetime dreaming about weddings. Undaunted that today's wedding markets are ignoring the majority of U.S. women, and determined to help women everywhere enjoy that one fabulous day, she wrote Down That Aisle In Style! A Wedding Style Guide for Full Figured Women.
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Wendy Beth Cohen has worked as a Fashion Sales Executive for well-known women's apparel brands. While at Tahari, she turned a childhood dream into reality by managing and growing a plus-size suit division. Currently, she works for DKNY Jean’s Men’s division as a sales analyst. She majored in Entrepreneurship and Marketing at Babson College, MA. And in June 2000, Entrepreneur Magazine named her one of the "Leaders of the next generation of entrepreneurs." Wendy, a lover of good times, good friends and good company, as well as savory New York City meals, lives in Manhattan.
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Krista Colvin is the owner of Organize In Style, a professional organizing company. Krista focuses on creating spaces that function and look fabulous. Before starting her own business, Krista taught others how to conquer the world as high school marketing teacher. During that time she met her soul mate, immediately delved into motherhood and found herself watching HGTV all hours of the day and night. Enjoying motherhood but haunted by creative and entrepreneurial voices that whispered "do something for yourself", Krista decided to create her own opportunity that allows her to balance family and self. She specializes in working with women that are starting their own business ventures and need to organize their home, office, and family.
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Wendy Gist, M.S., Natural Health, concentrates on healthy living. She finds that writing is the best approach in helping others to live healthier lives. She contributes articles to several leading publications.
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Michele Caprio is a decorator, professional seamstress, model, entrepreneur, actress and competitive ballroom dancer, Michele Caprio has quite a full resume. The secret of her success? Creativity, hard work, and tenacity. Michele's eclectic background has helped her become a well-known interior decorator whose innovative designs have made her one of the most sought after decorators in the Greater Philadelphia area. For more information, please visit interiorsbymichele.com.
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Health and nutrition writer Sandra Gordon who has written for Child, Parents, Family Circle, Fit Pregnancy, Woman's Day, and Redbook, among others. She is the author of The Shy Single, Rodale Press, 2004, Consumer Reports Best Baby Products, Consumers Union 2004 and The 30 Secrets of the World's Healthiest Cuisines, John Wiley, 2000. She lives in Weston, CT with her husband and two daughters.
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Judy Gruen, also known as "Whatsfadinner?" by her four children, lives in Los Angeles. When not writing or carpooling, Gruen's main occupation is lobbying the federal government to create a Division of Cellulite Studies at the Department of Health and Human Services. Gruen's first book, Carpool Tunnel Syndrome: Motherhood as Shuttle Diplomacy, catapulted her from complete literary obscurity to only partial literary obscurity. Her latest book is, Till We Eat Again: Confessions of a Diet Dropout. Read more of her columns on www.judygruen.com.
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Angela Howell resides in the “peach” state of Georgia and has been successfully competing in pageants for about four years. Her most recent titles include Ms. All American Woman Plus 2005 and the 2005 Mrs. Georgia Classic Beauty title. She not only competes, but is a judge and pageant director. Angela is also a motivational speaker, owner of Beautiful You Consulting and is the founder of the Delta Nu Service Sorority which does community service projects for various charities throughout the US. In January 2005, Angela was honored with Georgia’s prestigious award, Volunteer of the Year. She also received several national awards from the White House including the President of the United States Achievement Award and the Life Time Achievement.
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Denice Kennedy labels herself a Lifestyle Navigator. She has owned several businesses over the past 25 years and each of them have brought her closer to what she loves to do, that is to mentor individuals in creating the lifestyle of their dreams. She lives in So. California with her husband Ken, she has two daughters and four beautiful grandchildren. Being a successful wife, mother, grandmother and business owner gives Denice fulfillment in all areas of her life: Faith, Fitness, Family, Finance, Friends, Fun, Fashion and Future. She is currently working on her first book.
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Since 1983, Ford R. Myers, MA has been providing professional services in career consulting, executive coaching, assessment and training. After helping thousands of individuals take charge of their careers, create the work they love and earn what they deserve, Ford drew from his diverse experience to create the firm Career Potential based in Haverford Pennsylvania. Before starting Career Potential, Ford had served on the staffs of three prominent career management firms – Right Management Consultants, Manchester, and Lee Hecht Harrison. Ford’s education includes a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications, and a Master’s Degree in Adult and Organization Development. He has studied extensively with The Coaches’ Training Institute and National Training Laboratories. Ford is a qualified career consultant for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, Strong Interest Inventory, Leadership Effectiveness Analysis, Personal Directions and other assessment tools.
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Joy Pape is Registered Nurse, Diabetes Educator and Certified Foot Care Nurse specializing in Weight Management, Diabetes and Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) in New York City. She is also President of her own company - EnJOY Life! Health Consulting, LLC She is the author of the upcoming book, The W Factor: Seven W's That Can Change Your Life and Health Forever. You can read more at her websites: www.joypape.com and www.laughitoff.net
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Brette Sember is the co-author of Your Plus-Size Pregnancy: The Ultimate Guide for the Full-Figured Expectant Mom (Barricade Books) which is endorsed by the State University at New York Medical School Department of Ob/Gyn, and is the owner of the web site www.YourPlusSizePregnancy.com. She is the plus-sized mom of two wonderful children.
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Cynthia Sliwa's passion for jewelry prompted Cynthia, a corporate lawyer, to found Apprecia Fine Jewelry, “fine jewelry with presence specially designed to flatter the generous curves of the full-figured woman"™. Apprecia has been featured in InStyle, Good Housekeeping and Bridal Guide magazines, and on ABC-TV's "The View." As The Jewelry Counselor™, Cynthia consults with designers and retailers, and writes and speaks to the jewelry industry about the previously unmet jewelry needs of curvy women. Her article "How to Sell to the Plus-Size Market" appeared in Professional Jeweler, and she spoke at the AGTA Tucson Gem Fair on "Fashion and the Full-Figured Woman" in 2004 and 2005. As The Image Counselor™, Cynthia is available in the Los Angeles area for personal consultations on color, style, jewelry and wardrobe management. She was awarded the 2005 Rising Star Award from the Association of Image Consultants International for her achievements.
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Dr. Laurie Steelsmith (www.drlauriesteelsmith.com) is the author of Natural Choices for Women's Health:How the Secrets of Natural and Chinese Medicine Can Create a Lifetime of Wellness (Three Rivers Press, 2005). She is a member of the American Association of Naturopathic Physicians, Hawaii Society of Naturopathic Physicians, Hawaii Acupuncture Association and a Diplomate of the National Commission for the Certification of Acupuncturists. Dr. Steelsmith can be reached at her private practive in Honolulu, HI (808) 943-0330.
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