Sharon Ray is the owner of The Body Holiday Spa and the new Health and Wellness Center. She is a Nationally Certified and Registered Massage Therapist. Following the losses of her husband and mother, Sharon first experienced therapeutic massage at the suggestion of her daughter and son-in-law. A 20-minute backrub at a Miami, Florida spa gave Sharon such a connection with the therapeutic process that it changed her life. It helped her let go of the bad, the hurt, and let in a new beginning. That same day she went on-line to research schools of massage and how to become a licensed massage therapist. In 2003 Sharon retired from 28 years of managing large business accounts at Verizon and just over a year later she embarked on her new career. She enrolled in the Baltimore School of Massage, and graduated in July 2004. Her first job as a massage therapist was at the Elizabeth Arden Red Door Salon and Spa in the Village of Cross Keys in Baltimore. In January, 2007 she opened her own spa, and named it Body Holiday - a private, special getaway from daily activities and stress. Sharon designed the spa with five themed treatment rooms, including Oasis and Utopia, and decorated it in shades of off-white, blue and yellow to represent sun, sand and sea. In addition to offering a relaxing environment, Body Holiday offers accessibility so the elderly, injured or physically disabled may enjoy therapeutic treatments. Body Holiday draws both women, and men who make up about 30 percent of the repeat customers.

Maria Wall is a Certified Fitness Specialist and president of CM Wall Company, Inc. At a very early age, Maria knew from peer pressure and social stigma that she would not be known for being beautiful so she decided to be successful. She and a partner started a home decorating business that dissolved. Never one to abandon her dreams, Maria entered the realm of fashion design and was selected as one of three featured designers for the fashion show of the annual Congressional Black Caucus Weekend. That experience gave her special insight on how things worked behind the scenes, and, coupled with her love of gizmos and gadgets, Maria soon directed her interest to media. She became a successful producer of made-for-TV media, a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences and a recipient of two prestigious Telly Awards. Even in her success Maria realized that her true calling was to help others, so she developed a program for at-risk youth. Her Youth Media and Professional program won a national award. Her desire to further the healing process for younger minds while promoting family and togetherness led her to earn credentials as a Fitness Specialist and develop the *YOU*th Fitness Program with emphasis on young people and their families. Her program for ADHD diagnosed children and their families outlines how fitness, discipline, goal setting and increasing self esteem can be incorporated into their daily regimens along with the use of prescription medication. She applies a similar approach in designing customized fitness plans for adults. Maria says, “I am still learning and growing but I know I have to take time to nurture others and guide them along the path to a healthy heart, mind, body, spirit and soul. It is my belief that when much is given, much is expected, therefore I pay it forward. When one succeeds we all succeed, and there is plenty of room at the top!”

Joan Lipscomb Boone is a management consultant with experience in organizational development, project management and instructional systems design (ISD). She has managed projects in upward mobility for youth and adults; designed and conducted training for women in management; led a Kellogg funded grant to increase skills of community organization leaders; and evaluated federally funded projects to improve systems and performance. She managed a cost center for a management consulting firm adding over $7 million in new business; was vice president for strategic planning for a computer systems firm; and was Associate Vice President of Student Affairs for a public university. In 1982 Joan started her own management consulting business, CODES, Inc., and performed on contracts for the U.S. Department of Transportation, Federal Aviation Administration, Department of Education, Food and Drug Administration, and Department of Defense in records management, workflow analysis, project management and organizational development. Dr. Lipscomb most recently edited and revised manuscripts translated into English from Russian, Chinese and Spanish for publication in military documents. She is currently Executive Director of the National Insurance Association. She holds the M.A. in Adult Education, and the Ed.D. in Higher Education Administration.