About the Authors

Russ Charvonia

Russ Charvonia served as Grand Master of Masons of California in 2014-15, serving more than 50,000 members. President of the Worldwide Civility Council, he heads the Masonic Family Civility Project. He has worked in the financial services industry since 1980. Co-founder of Channel Islands Group, he provides financial and wealth management advice to individual and business clients. He holds several professional designations, earning his Juris doctor degree from Ventura College of Law in 2003. He was admitted to the California Bar in 2004. He is the founder of Channel Islands Law Group in Ventura, which specializes in estate and charitable gift planning. Russ also has a mediation practice, where he helps parties identify and craft creative solutions to difficult problems. Russ volunteers his professional services to several non-profits in his community, including serving as president of the Alisa Ann Ruch Burn Foundation board. Previously, he was director on the board of The Midnight Mission for two years. Active in Temple Beth Torah in Ventura, he once served as its president. He also volunteers for Channel Islands Restoration, helping to restore the Channel Islands to their native condition. He also serves as treasurer for the Conflict Resolution Institute of Ventura County. Russ lives in Ventura with his wife, Linda. He has a daughter, Alissa; son and daughter-in-law, Keith and Kendall; and grandsons, Tanner and Hudson.

Michael Ashley

Michael Ashley is a former Disney screenwriter and the author of more than 25 books on numerous subjects, including four bestsellers. Coming on the heels of coauthoring Own the A.I. Revolution (McGraw Hill) in 2019, Skyhorse Publishing will publish his newest book: The Art of Routine: Discover How Routineology Can Transform Your Life in Q2 of 2021. A regular contributor to Forbes and Entrepreneur, Michael writes about AI and big data from his vantage point of the United Nations’ AI For Good. Also an ambassador to City.AI, an international organization for the ethical use of tech, he is an in-demand professional speaker who keynotes on average 3–4 times a month at various organizations. (During COVID, these appearances have continued virtually.) Prior to starting his creative content agency, Michael began his career as a playwright and a newspaper reporter. A former screenwriting professor at Chapman University, he has been featured in KTLA, Entertainment Weekly, The National Examiner, the UN’s ITU News, The Orange County Business Journal, Fox Sports Radio, and The Orange County Register. The co-host of Changing the Story Podcast and UN’s Artistic Intelligence series, Michael serves as a story consultant for companies on how to best convey their messaging and currently resides in Hayden, Idaho with his wife, two young children and their dog.