Ed Rholl, Managing Director

A former practicing attorney, investment banker, entrepreneur and educator, Ed Rholl has worked with early-stage companies in more than fifteen industries to achieve formation, growth, funding and expansion. From his work with hundreds of people for nearly two decades, Ed has learned to identify the barriers entrepreneurs face--internally and externally--and how to overcome those barriers in order to turn a powerful vision into a profitable company. As Executive Director of the Internet Bar Organization, Ed was responsible for forming and structuring programs related to human rights and economic development opportunities for people on several continents. He was also a key founding strategist for the I AM Magic Foundation and Intelliversity. Driven by a strong passion for education and coaching, Ed was Director of Business Development for INET Legal Network and founder of Transformative Law. In these positions, Ed developed some of the first live Internet-based continuing education programs for the legal profession. Ed is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin (B.A.), Marquette Law School (J.D.) and Georgetown University Law School (LL.M. International Law).

Michael Assum, Business Consultant – Implementation Strategies, Co-Founder and Board Member

Michael Assum, Senior Consultant, is a successful entrepreneur and businessman with a strong background in startups, mergers and acquisitions, organizational development, continuous improvement, rapid sustained growth, and improved competitive effectiveness. Mike's background includes management positions with Procter & Gamble, Raychem, and as an officer in the US Navy Nuclear Power Submarine Program. Mike has served on the Board of Directors of five different companies, and taught graduate courses in Management of Productive Operations. He holds an undergraduate degree focus in Math and Physics, with additional graduate education in nuclear engineering, organization development, and business.

Hermia Nelson, Co-Founder, Executive Coach

Hermia is a successful entrepreneur and executive coach. She holds a BA in Economics from Columbia University and an MBA in Management from Fordham Business School. She achieved a million dollar direct sales in 18 months at age 19 as the top sales and trainer of Rena Ware Distributors Pte Ltd. in Hong Kong. She started her first real estate investment at the age of 20 in Hong Kong. Upon leaving HK for New York City at the height of her career, Hermia was a Personal Financial Consultant with Standard Chartered Bank. In the past 7 years she has founded and managed two real estate development companies specializing in historic brownstone restoration in Harlem, NYC. She is also a certified Passion Test facilitator as part of her coaching practice. She has dedicated many years to humanitarian work and has been a board member of the Chelsea Piers Scholarship Fund for 8 years. Hermia is also an Executive Producer of the inspirational feature film "Indelible".

Jim Farren, Co-Founder, Board Member and Conscious Business Consultant

Jim Farren is Co-Founder & Director of Compassion Happens, a cause related company supporting conscious business.  Jim is a successful entrepreneur, businessman, speaker, and former sales and marketing executive for Honeywell. In the early 1980’s Jim was the marketing director for EWTN, the global Catholic network, and served as liaison to the US cable companies and the US Catholic dioceses. Jim is currently on the selection committee for the International Faith & Spirituality at Work Award given by the Tyson Center for Faith & Spirituality in the Workplace at the University of Arkansas Sam M. Walton Business College and serves on the advisory committee for the Center. Jim currently teaches and speaks on integral conscious business. Jim's experience is anchored in his graduate studies in spiritual psychology from USM and organizational change and leadership management studies through the Adizes Graduate School in Santa Barbara.

Sylva Dvorak, MS, PhD, Director of Product Development & Cause Marketing Consultant

Sylva Dvorak's expertise is in social and cause-related marketing. She holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan, is a Certified Health Education Specialist and holds a PhD in Psychoneurology and Integrative Health. Sylva has had numerous Fortune 100-500 clients including: Bristol-Myers Squibb, Unocal, Arco, Deloitte & Touche, Pfizer, Blue Cross, Blue Shield, Prudential, Herbalife, Amway, and cause-motivated clients such as Spirituality for Kids, DKT do Brasil, and One World Projects.

Currently, her business clients are organizations that are dedicated to humanitarian efforts and she has a private practice based in Pacific Palisades, California and Hawaii. She has published numerous articles, contributed chapters to books and is completing her first solo authored book. Sylva has dedicated her life to spiritual pursuits, has spent 20 years studying health, healing and the inner workings of the mind.

Sylva is originally from the Czech Republic; her passion is to help others find their personal freedom, which forms the foundation of all her work.

Donna Freher-Lyons, Director of Business & Community Development

Donna Freher-Lyons has more than 20 years expertise in business administration and conference management; in both corporate and non-profit cultures. Managing an 850-member scientific educational association, she directed administrative and operational activities, overseeing all logistical and sponsorship details for conferences featuring over 100 speakers and 1000 attendees. Additionally, she developed and conducted educational seminars, directed the training of staff, and provided oversight and guidance in areas directly related to growing a business; such as advertising, newsletters, membership campaigns and media relations. As assistant to Dr. Jean Houston, one of the principle founders of the human potentials movement, Donna assisted in the creation and development of workshops of cross-cultural, mythic and spiritual studies. Her present work is additionally supported by her graduate studies in spiritual psychology at USM, as well as her interest in business ethics, corporate social responsibility, and visionary entrepreneurship. A long-held desire to utilize perennial wisdom and universal success principles to facilitate personal and professional growth in individuals, companies, and the broader community, continues to propel her forward.