Backstage Pass: Ep. 36 - Leveraging Stress to Your Advantage with Dr. Rebecca Heiss

Backstage Pass: Ep. 36 - Leveraging Stress to Your Advantage with Dr. Rebecca Heiss

Dr. Rebecca Heiss Bio

Dr. Heiss is a stress expert dedicated to transforming our fears into fuel we can use through her Fear(less) Stress Formula. Her research has been designated “transformative” by the National Science Foundation.

As a 2x author (Springboard, and Instinct), founder and CEO of the leadership 360-review mobile application, icueity, and highly sought-after professional speaker, Rebecca has found her calling in helping others recognize the power of using stress as a springboard to reach our highest performance, purpose and passion.

A former educator, Dr. Heiss spent much of her earlier career in the classroom at both the high school and college levels and was recruited to be a founding member of an innovative charter school with a focus on entrepreneurial thinking and impact-based learning. Today she shares her Fear(less) Stress Formula to transform fear to fuel from stages around the world as a full-time speaker and facilitator of her Fearless Masterclass. She continues her research on how we can turn trauma into Post Traumatic Growth (PTG) rather than PTSD.

Rebecca’s “fear(less)” message inspires hope and actionable insights to train our brains to work for us, rather than against us in times of change and uncertainty. With surprising humor and palpable energy, no matter if Dr. Heiss is delivering virtually or on stage, she wins over her audiences with interactive, inspiring, and timely takeaways.

When she’s not on a stage, she is happiest when hiking or surfing with her two spoiled rotten dogs Guinness and Murphy.

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis sits down with Dr. Rebecca Heiss — stress expert and researcher whose work has been recognized as “transformative” by the National Science Foundation — to challenge the way we think about stress and explore how it can be used as a performance advantage.

Key topics in this episode include:

• Why stress isn’t something to eliminate — and how trying to get rid of it can actually make it worse

• The difference between stressors and the stress response — and why that distinction matters

• How stress, when properly directed, sharpens focus, decision-making, and performance

• Simple, practical tools like “it’s not a tiger” to stop spiraling and regain control in high-pressure moments

• Why taking action — even small steps — is key to breaking cycles of overwhelm and inaction

• How high-performing teams use stress to fuel innovation instead of fear

• The role of stress as a signal for what we care about most — and how to use that insight to drive purpose and growth

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Dr. Rebecca Heiss to your next event!

Backstage Pass: Ep. 35 - The Secret to Influence from a Las Vegas Headliner with Jeff Civillico

Backstage Pass: Ep. 35 - The Secret to Influence from a Las Vegas Headliner with Jeff Civillico

jeff civillico bio

From a 10-year-old kid doing shows in the kitchen for his “Gram” to becoming a 3-time “Best of Las Vegas” winner, Jeff Civillico has always had a heart to connect with people. He wants to make you laugh, to make you smile, to make you cheer! Jeff wants you to leave lighter and brighter, taking a ripple of happiness with you. Jeff’s genuine love for performing, his business savvy and his signature grit proved to be a winning combination— heralded as the youngest Producer/Headliner in Las Vegas, named “Entertainer of the Year” and voted “Best of Las Vegas” 3 years in a row.

After a decade’s success with his Vegas residency, Jeff knew it was time to expand his platform, reach, and impact. He felt the need to move beyond performing 6 nights a week (for 10 years!) to focus more on developing his connection and communication skills as a host personality, facilitator, and keynote speaker.

And as one of the busiest speakers on the circuit today, his message and approach are clearly resonating! Jeff was recently conferred by the National Speakers Association with the “Certified Speaking Professional” (CSP) credential, a designation held by only 1.5% of speakers worldwide. And he is one of the youngest ever inductees into the National Speakers Association’s "Speaker Hall of Fame." The Council of Peers Award for Excellence (CPAE) is a lifetime award for speaking excellence and professionalism.

Jeff believes in maximizing one’s utility through action, and he lives by example. He consistently creates and develops projects to help others, which as a byproduct gives his life deeper purpose and meaning. His nonprofit Win Win Charity, his Cisko Sound scholarships, and his most recent venture "Laughter without Borders,” a philanthropic travel show, are all shining examples of his impact in action.

Jeff believes that we all put positive ripples out into the world that expand well beyond our knowledge and awareness…and he’s on a mission to help you see that too!

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis sits down with Jeff Civillico — Las Vegas headliner, Hall of Fame speaker, and one of GDA’s most rebooked talents — to explore what makes audiences connect, laugh, and come back for more.

Key topics in this episode include:

• Jeff’s journey from juggling in his grandmother’s kitchen to producing his own Las Vegas residency

• The behind-the-scenes business mindset that helped him thrive as an entrepreneur in Vegas

• Why authenticity is what audiences crave most — no matter the room size

• The release of his new comedy special, Comedy in Action, now streaming on Prime Video, Apple TV, YouTube, and more

• How his TEDx talk sparked a research study on “everyday influence” — and the three factors that truly drive it: consistency, proximity, and presence

• The mission behind Win Win Charity and how it brings smiles to children in hospitals nationwide

• How Care Kits for Kids transforms corporate CSR into a high-impact, meaningful team experience

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Jeff Civillico to your next event!

Backstage Pass: Ep. 34 - The Quiet Edge Leaders Are Missing with Jesse Israel

Backstage Pass: Ep. 34 - The Quiet Edge Leaders Are Missing with Jesse Israel

Jesse israel bio

Jesse Israel is a 5X Audible worldwide bestseller, a renowned keynote speaker and a visionary entrepreneur known for founding The Big Quiet movement and leading some of the largest meditations on earth, including in sold-out arenas on tour with Oprah Winfrey and in global broadcasts with Deepak Chopra. An expert in human performance and wellbeing, Jesse is a leadership coach to elite performers – from top CEOs and senior White House advisors to Academy and Grammy Award Winning actors and musicians.

Formerly a record label and tech fund founder who signed multi-platinum bands and oversaw an industry-leading music tech investment fund, Jesse blends his entrepreneurial experience with his expertise in wellbeing to help millions cultivate calm, clarity, and resilience in the face of life’s demands.

After experiencing debilitating anxiety and panic attacks during his career in the music industry, Jesse founded The Big Quiet mass meditation movement, which would go on to fill arenas with people in silence and introduce meditation to millions around the world. Globally recognized as a pioneering force in the explosive health and wellness industry, The Big Quiet played an integral role in bringing mindfulness and meditation into mainstream culture and the corporate workplace in the US.

Today, Jesse is one of the world’s leading voices in mindful leadership, with his work featured in over 200+ media publications including Forbes, the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Ad Week and Fast Company. Through a worldwide distribution deal with Audible, Jesse released a series of Audible Originals designed to support better sleep, build vitality and enhance personal performance – 5 of which became top 10 bestsellers.

As a keynote speaker, Jesse delivers presentations for companies like Google, American Express, Aetna, Ford and Charles Schwab, and was personally invited by Oprah Winfrey to keynote each stop of her most recent arena tour with WW. In his talks, Jesse shares his Amplified Quiet Framework – a three step system to help leaders, teams, and organizations navigate uncertainty, break through performance barriers and realize their full potential by mastering the art of quieting noise.

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis sits down with Jesse Israel, founder of The Big Quiet, to explore how quiet can become a competitive advantage in a noisy, high-pressure world.

Key topics in this episode include:

• How Jesse’s early success in the music industry (including signing MGMT) led to anxiety and panic attacks behind the scenes

•  Why “solitude deprivation” is making it harder to think clearly, feel grounded, and access creativity

•  How Jesse discovered that moments of quiet gave him an edge in decision-making and performance

•  The origin story of The Big Quiet and how it grew from small meetups into mass meditations in iconic venues

•  How Jesse landed a spot on Oprah’s arena tour

•  The three types of noise Jesse sees in every industry: the noise of the world, the noise in our heads, and the noise in our bodies

•  What event planners should know about Jesse’s Amplified Quiet framework and where it fits best

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Jesse Israel to your next event!

Backstage Pass: Ep. 33 - Why the Five Love Languages Matter at Work with Dr. Gary Chapman

Backstage Pass: Ep. 33 - Why the Five Love Languages Matter at Work with Dr. Gary Chapman

Dr. gary chapman bio

Dr. Gary Chapman is an experienced and well-respected family counselor, and a well-known author having written more than forty books. He hosts a nationally syndicated radio program, A Love Language Minute, and a Saturday morning program, Building Relationships with Dr. Gary Chapman, that air on more than 400 stations.

The 5 Love Languages, one of Chapman’s most popular titles, topped various bestseller charts for years. It has been published in more than 50 languages, sold more than 14 million copies and is currently on the New York Times best-seller list. Dr. Chapman has been directly involved in real-life family counseling for more than 40 years.

Dr. Chapman holds B.A. and M.A. degrees in anthropology from Wheaton College and Wake Forest University, respectively. He received his Ph.D. degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary and has taken postgraduate work at the University of North Carolina and Duke University.

Dr. Chapman and his wife, Karolyn, have been married for more than 45 years and reside in Winston- Salem, N.C. The Chapmans have two grown children, Shelley and Derek.

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis sits down with Dr. Gary Chapman, bestselling author of The Five Love Languages and one of the most trusted voices on relationships, to explore why feeling valued is at the heart of both healthy relationships and healthy workplaces — and why good intentions alone aren’t enough.

Drawing from decades of counseling experience and real-world research, Dr. Chapman shares how the Five Love Languages framework came to life, why it resonated across cultures, and how the same principles now help organizations address disengagement, morale, and retention.

Key topics in this episode include:

• The true origin story behind The Five Love Languages

• Why people can feel unloved or unappreciated even when effort is present

• The five love languages and how they shape emotional connection

• Why most people naturally give love the way they want to receive it

• How the Love Languages framework translates into the workplace

• Research showing why lack of appreciation drives employee turnover

• Why appreciation is not one-size-fits-all at work

• A simple, brave question leaders can ask to help people feel valued

• How Dr. Chapman structures his keynote presentations to engage diverse audiences

• Why organizations that prioritize appreciation create healthier, more productive cultures

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Dr. Gary Chapman to your next event.

Backstage Pass: Ep. 32 - The Wellness Myth That's Burning Teams Out with Todd Whitthorne

Backstage Pass: Ep. 32 - The Wellness Myth That's Burning Teams Out with Todd Whitthorne

Todd whitthorne bio

Todd Whitthorne’s unique combination of experience, education, and passion for life, has led many to describe him as, "The Ted Lasso of Wellness!"

Todd’s other descriptors include speaker, author, investor, advisor, and mentor.

Leveraging an educational background in exercise physiology, two decades as an Emmy award-winning broadcaster, and emersion within the ever-changing corporate wellness environment, Whitthorne’s message has motivated thousands of individuals to take charge of their personal health, and…to positively impact the communities they serve.

After graduating, with honors from UCLA, Todd worked as a television reporter, anchor and host in several top-20 markets including Phoenix, Washington, D.C., and Dallas/Ft. Worth.

For eight years, he produced and hosted “Healthy Living,”…a nationally syndicated radio program…while also serving as a senior executive at The Cooper Aerobics Center…considered by many to be the “Mecca of Preventive Medicine and Lifestyle.”

Since 2000, Todd has combined his experience in population health, along with a deep understanding of employee benefits, to help develop solutions which have measurably improved the lives of over one million Americans.

Identifying, building, and growing scalable solutions rank among his top priorities. Todd currently is invested in companies focused on improving metabolic health, virtual checkups, early cancer detection, and pet telemedicine.

Whitthorne’s true gift may be his ability to “connect the dots” as it relates to helping individuals, and organizations, find ways to maximize both physical and emotional health, in the midst of today’s incredibly challenging environment. In particular, Todd enjoys working with leaders who are in a position to influence, especially those who serve in public education, healthcare, and business.

In addition to his professional experience, Todd has run the Boston Marathon, rafted “Class Five’s” in Costa Rica, hiked extensively throughout Patagonia, and summited Mt. Kilimanjaro with his son.

Todd and his wife Kathy live just outside of Dallas. They have two grown children and six amazing grandchildren…all who live within a 30-minute bike ride.

show notes

On this episode of Backstage Pass, Gail Davis sits down with Todd Whitthorne, Emmy Award–winning broadcaster and former senior executive at the Cooper Aerobic Center, to explore why health isn’t a mystery — it’s a puzzle — and how small, intentional habits can lead to meaningful, lasting change.

Key topics in this episode include:

• Why health is a puzzle, not a mystery — and why most people already have the pieces

• The role priorities play in burnout, exhaustion, and overwhelm

• How the most important conversation you have each day is the one you have with yourself

• Todd’s 1% rule: why 14 minutes a day can reset energy, focus, and mindset

• The 14/90 framework: committing to 14 minutes a day for 90 days

• How small, consistent habits create sustainable change

• The connection between physical health and emotional resilience

• Why strength training is essential for long-term health and confidence

• Simple ways to improve sleep, nutrition, and daily movement

• Why investing in yourself allows you to better support and serve others

Visit gdaspeakers.com to learn more about bringing Todd Whitthorne to your next event!