Dream Team

Get to Know Our Team of Experts Sharing Insights on Sleep, Dreams, and Waking Up

Juan Espinoza, MD, FAAP

Pediatrician

Dr. Juan Espinoza brings an innovative vision to his role as Assistant Professor of Pediatrics at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, blending his love of digital media with technology to research their role in medicine and medical education. Juan’s recent discoveries of the various ways children of different ages process sleep or the lack thereof in their daily lives has brought him to some fascinating conclusions about the emotional and physical well-being of kids.

Jessica Hagen

Healthcare Reporter/Writer

Jessica Hagen is a reporter and freelance writer who has worked with medical extended reality (XR) companies, fiction and nonfiction authors, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, international digital health magazines, and government entities. Her work focuses on digital health innovation within the pharmaceutical industry and healthcare ecosystem and happenings within medical XR. She is also co-founder of Psychiatry XR, a podcast that explores the intersection between medicine and immersive technology.

Elissa Goodman, Holistic Nutritionist, profile photo
Elissa Goodman

Holistic Nutritionist

Elissa Goodman is a holistic nutritionist/lifestyle cleanse expert who believes proper nourishment, healing by listening to your gut, and a daily renewal practice are essential for optimal living. With a mission to educate and encourage healthy, mindful living in others, she privately consults with professionals and celebrities to develop personalized wellness programs. Creator of food delivery “S.O.U.P.” Cleanse and online reset plan, “Cleanse Your Body, Cleanse Your Life,” L.A.-based Elissa also collaborates with various Los Angeles health and wellness partners including Erewhon Market, and authored the International Bestseller, CANCER HACKS.

Rose Bridges & Kelsey Searles

Founders of MiliMili

MiliMili, a nursery goods and cribwear line that launched its first product — a wearable blanket for babies — in 2018 started as most brilliant ideas do, by accident. Jane-of-all-trades creative Rose Bridges started sewing sleep sacks as baby shower gifts for friends. When she gifted Kelsey Searles, a former interior designer, a bold, reversible flamingo print sleep sack for her daughter, Remy, it instantly became a key piece of their sleep routine and MiliMili was born. Together, Rose and Kelsey strive to add color and style to the nursery — you’ll love their Instagram and Pinterest shares — while educating new parents on safe-sleep practices and the benefits of the wearable blankets — from their cozy comfort to lowering the risk of SIDS.

Aly Teich, Fitness Guru, The Sweat Life, profile photo
Aly Teich

Fitness Guru, The Sweat Life

Following a ten-year career in media and marketing — Late Show with David Letterman, Conde Nast, and others — Aly Teich switched her focus to health and wellness in 2013 after her mother was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. That autumn, she founded The Sweat Life, a web-based community that focuses, as Aly says, “on helping you live your best life — because there is no best of anything unless it is BEST FOR YOU.” Combining professional experience with personal passion, Aly fulfills her desire to help others live healthier lifestyles while changing the conversation around health and wellness in the media. To discover more about Aly’s passion, follow her on Instagram.

Phil Morris

Actor/Truth Seeker

Actor Phil Morris grew-up watching his father, actor Greg Morris, film his role as electronics expert, “Barney Collier,” for television’s, Mission: IMPOSSIBLE. Now, Phil plays unique and challenging characters himself, both on-screen in roles such as larger than life “Jackie Chiles,”on SEINFELD, and with his voice as the villainous, “Vandal Savage” for the DC Animated Universe and more. 40+ years braving the Hollywood system with a zen-like calm coupled with his three decade devotion to the martial art, Wing Chun, leads Phil to embrace a healthy perspective on life’s ups and downs, and continue seeking, growing and sharing.

Jennifer Salazar

Sleep Doula

Jennifer Salazar is passionate about family growth and development, dedicating her time and efforts to join with families in cultivating a personalized lifestyle that promotes health and wellness with a focus on blissful sleep. Jennifer draws on her vast experience with newborns to provide the insight necessary to show parents and families how to achieve a good night’s rest as well as how to best care for themselves in those early years of parenthood. Enjoy more of Jennifer’s expertise when you visit her website.

Michael Rothbard

Sleep Expert

Michael Rothbard believes in promoting better rest by focusing on the science of slumber and the creation of comfortable, well-made linens and carefully designed mattresses to support our overall well-being. He founded his most recent company, Newton Baby, featuring a brilliant crib bed built to allow for better airflow as a way to help infants sleep more soundly, safely and happily. This 30-year sleep industry vet uses his expertise and knowledge to advocate for a good night’s rest as a means to a healthy, well-lived life, constantly innovating to highlight the benefits and need for a more restful slumber.

Amy Swift Crosby

Writer/Entrepreneur

Amy Swift Crosby is a brand strategist and copywriter who has voiced messaging across the commercial spectrum, from icons like Ford, BVLGARI, and Pottery Barn, to boutique brands like fitness franchise Barre3 and the rebrand of legendary metaphysical bookstore, Bodhi Tree. She has leveraged this expertise to help entrepreneurial women and small businesses owners hone their skills, mission and message, while uncovering their own “voice.” Amy’s blog, smartypeople.com, explores “the human side of business,” and universal themes like uncertainty, anxiety, personal value and most importantly, finding - and hearing - our own voices in our everyday life.

Carla Morris

Lifestyle Specialist

Carla Morris, owner of CARLA MORRIS DESIGN, has mastered the art of building strong, personal relationships with her clients to create lifestyles that transform their living spaces into something that genuinely reflects them and is authentically “theirs.” She designs true “homes”—blissful escapes and havens for rest, relaxation, rejuvenation, or whatever you desire. After 40+ years growing up around and overseeing construction and design, Carla’s just as comfortable getting her hands dirty on a jobsite as she is walking a showroom to create that place the person, couple and/or family would rather be than anywhere else in the world.

Isabelle Bridges, Mother’s Empowerment Coach, profile photo
Isabelle Bridges

Mother’s Empowerment Coach

After years of feeling alone in mothering, Isabelle Bridges created The Mother's Empowerment Circle. This community of mamas committed to becoming their best selves inside and out seek ways to reinvent motherhood, and feel connected to other women in the trenches with them. In her group coaching, Isabelle supports her clients in fulfilling their passions, finding sisterhood with other moms, and encourages them to witness one another as they REALLY are rather than who they think they “should” be. Putting the ME back in "Mommy,” Isabelle lives in the San Francisco Bay area with husband, Brandon, kids, Grace and Benjamin, and good ol’ dog, Bacchus.

John Poss

CBD Expert

John Poss began his career with Arthur Andersen & Co., and spent the next 30 years consulting with companies facing major transitions and transformations. But it’s his experience as a cancer patient facing sure death and finally being accepted into a last-minute life-saving experimental drug trial that led him to his role today. Swearing then to make all forms of aid easily accessible to people suffering from health issues, John joined the world of medical cannabis to focus on the science behind its healing and relaxing properties as Chairman and CEO of GB Sciences. Follow John’s CBD journey via Instagram and the GB Sciences website.

Sarah Brokaw

Relationship Therapist

Therapist Sarah Brokaw believes education is a lifelong pursuit. Calling on her psychotherapy expertise, she wrote the book, FORTYTUDE, highlighting women living life to the fullest in their forties and beyond, who have learned to be true to their essential selves as they embrace the Five Core Values to enhance their mid to later lives. Passionate about helping women harness their power and concerned about social media’s loss of authenticity, Sarah created and hosts the podcast, SHARED SECRETS, where she hopes the “honest and open conversations with my guests will help empower others to share their secret wisdom.” Check out Sarah's website and Instagram to catch up on her latest and greatest.

Jennifer Cunningham, Co-Founder of Bodewell Home Candles, profile photo
Jennifer Cunningham

Co-Founder of Bodewell Home Candles

Jennifer — aka Jen — Cunningham knows beautiful. Born and raised in sunny Malibu, California, she started as a buyer for high-end boutiques before going on to open three shops of her own. One, Angus/Worhol — named for her two bulldogs — becomes a brand featuring gorgeous, eclectic accessories. Jennifer took time off to welcome daughter, Grace, in 2013 then almost four years later while pregnant with son, Leo, she creates Bodewell Home — lush candles filling your senses and transforming your world — and never looks back.

Lauren Duffell, Sleep Expert and Registered Holistic Nutritionist, profile photo
Lauren Duffell

Sleep Expert and Registered Holistic Nutritionist

Lauren Duffell passionately helps people get a better night’s rest through sleep science education, coaching, and sharing how each aspect of our lifestyle — including nutrition — can impact our slumber. She experienced her own 5-year dance with insomnia in her mid-20's and it changed her whole life. As CEO of Coaching for Insomniacs, Lauren guides troubled snoozers to the other side of sleep problems for a more energetic and less stressful future. She is deeply compassionate about helping others come through insomnia faster than she did, taking all she’s learned to — in Lauren’s words — “Spread the sleep!”

Walter Werzowa

Musician/Composer/Musical Healer

The iconic mnemonic — rhyme intentional — of those five magic “bong... bing, bing, bing, bong” of computer giant, Intel, was created by Walter Werzowa, a musician, composer, sound inventor, and music producer. Owner of Musikvergnuegen, an L.A.-based studio providing audio branding for entertainment and advertising, Walter is also the founder of HealthTunes, a non-profit online streaming audio service created to improve one’s physical and mental health by pairing medical research with active music links.

Gina Tolleson

Beauty & Lifestyle

Executive Editor of Santa Barbara Magazine, Gina Tolleson is a former Miss World and model who has gone on to become an accomplished writer and innovative curator of talent and products to enhance a healthy and well-balanced lifestyle. As a contributor to sister publication C Magazine and a beauty, fashion, travel column The A-List, she shares her expertise in the world of luxe and aspirational living. Gina enjoys discovering unique products and ideas that help you make the most of the time you spend sleeping and maximizing your every waking moment with style.

James W. Lee, M.D., Brain Health Expert, Co-Founder, CIO of Liveli, profile photo
James W. Lee, M.D.

Brain Health Expert, Co-Founder/CIO of Liveli

Dr. James W. Lee was attending an operation when the anesthesiologist felt a pop behind his left eye. Half his face went limp followed by immediate collapse and severely diminished speech and physical/mental functionality. Diagnosed with a pituitary tumor, James committed to rebuilding his brain holistically, bio-hacking his way back to health. His experience brought new understanding on improving brain function, and led to founding Liveli with his wife, acclaimed dermatologist, Dr. Tess Mauricio. With passion and purpose, Dr. Lee inspires others to live their best lives through education and encouraging overall health, wellbeing and happiness.

Tess Mauricio M.D., Dermatologist, Founder of M Beauty by Dr. Tess, profile photo
Tess Mauricio, M.D., FAAD

Dermatologist, Founder of M Beauty by Dr. Tess

Dr. Tess Mauricio is a leading expert in regenerative stem cell medicine and women’s intimate health. Founder of M Beauty by Dr. Tess with clinics throughout California, this board certified Dermatologist invented the Time Machine Procedure non-surgical rejuvenation protocol, Timeless MD illuminating skincare and Helioplus skin supplement. Married to Brain Health expert, Dr. James Lee, and a mother of two, Dr. Tess is the author of CALIFORNIA TOTAL BEAUTY, produces and stars in The Dr. Tess Show, and is a medical expert on such programs as the Dr. Oz Show and for various publications around the world.

Carol Allen

Vedic Astrologer

Carol Allen had a sleeping bag decorated with zodiac signs when she was a kid and that was about as close as she got to astrology until a chance meeting with a Vedic astrologer in 1990. These days, Carol is a lifetime member of The American Council of Vedic Astrology and has become something of a relationship expert, studying the works of some of the most famous love gurus in the world. Carol loves the insights Vedic Astrology lend in the area of romance and interpersonal compatibility, blending this information with her years of research to offer invaluable advice on love, life, and calming your spirit to simply be your best self. Visit Carol’s website to discover more about her amazing astrological journey.

Dr. Bee Epstein-Shepherd

Hypnotherapist

“Helping people make things better” is Dr. Bee Epstein-Shepherd’s mission. This former Business Psychology teacher specializing in reducing stress and creating a positive workplace environment researched cancer as a stress-related disease to create her 1983 audio program, 5 DAYS TO LESS STRESS and the 1988 HOW TO CREATE BALANCE AT HOME, AT WORK, IN YOUR LIFE. But it’s her 1992 hypnotherapy training that led to Dr. Bee’s innovation in aiding those with sleep disorders, and athletic performance problems for golfers and other athletes. Nowadays, Dr. Bee also uses hypnosis to slow and sometimes even reverse aging processes.

Richard Shane, Ph.D. Behavioral Sleep Therapist, profile photo
Richard Shane, Ph.D.

Behavioral Sleep Therapist

Richard Shane, Ph.D., is a Behavioral Sleep Therapist and creator of the Sleep Easy Method, based on his clinically-proven methodology of Neurosomatic Therapy for Sleep™. Dr. Shane’s Sleep Easy Method has been featured in 100+ medical journals and publications, including the International Journal of Sleep Disorders. He has worked with large medical groups serving over 300,000 patients, and with companies such as United Airlines, Hewlett-Packard, and more. To learn more about Dr. Shane and the Sleep Easy Method, please visit SleepEasyMethod.com or the App Store.

Teresa Power DeNike, Sleep Educator and Founder of SleepBetterNYC, profile photo
Teresa Power DeNike, BS, CCSH

Sleep Educator and Founder of SleepBetterNYC

Teresa is a registered clinical sleep educator and founder of SleepBetterNYC. Her sleep coaching programs help clients achieve realistic goals for their sleep situation. Having realized the tremendous need for sleep health education after years of working with hundreds of sleep clinicians, she founded SleepBetterNYC for sleep coaching and care coordination. Based in Brooklyn with virtual clients across the country, Teresa works in collaboration with medical, psychological, and dental professionals who share her passion for sleepy people, shares engrossing posts on her Instagram; while indulging her passion for NYC with her hubby, and enjoying a good bourbon or rosé.

Mahnaz Jahangiri, Yoga & Meditation Instructor, Founder of Samadi Yoga, profile photo
Mahnaz Jahangiri

Yoga & Meditation Instructor / Founder of Samadi Yoga

Mahnaz Jahangiri founded Samadi Yoga after turning to the practice for stress-management during her decade-long career in television production. Started as a studio in 2008, it has evolved into an online meditation and yoga platform supporting emotional stability and self-healing. Publishing her first book — Finding Home: A Path to Emotional Stability and Self Healing — in 2020, Mahnaz teaches daily live-streaming yoga and meditation classes to students of every age, level, background, and physical ability. Specializing in helping each individual connect to the body, mind and “deeper self” by finding home within oneself, Mahnaz’s greatest joy is introducing yoga to all people around the world. Discover more ways to “connect” to your deeper self at the Samadi Instagram page.

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