Join Email List
Who We Are
About Us
The Women's Leadership Institute started in 2008 is a division of Speak for Success Inc., a company founded by Dana Bristol-Smith in 2001. Speak for Success works with companies to help their people communicate with confidence and credibility. They provide Presentation Skills and Business Writing workshops at client's companies and public workshops in their San Diego office.
The Women's Leadership Institute is a group of women trainers, coaches, professional speakers and authors who love empowering women to succeed. We each bring a wealth of experience to share with our program participants.
Our Faculty
Dana Bristol-Smith founded Speak for Success in 2001 and has had the good fortune to work with some of Southern California's top companies. In January 2008 she started the Women's Leadership Institute as a volunteer pilot program to test an innovative program with domestic violence survivors. Because of the success of the program and the thrill of seeing women transform themselves and their lives, Dana is seeking donors and sponsors to bring the women's leadership program to more women in San Diego and eventually across the country.
Dana is the author of Overcome Your Fear of Public Speaking, a powerful guide to successfully speaking to groups. Since 2001, she has worked with executives, managers, sales and technical professionals, helping even the most fearful become good speakers. She got her public speaking start in 1992 and has delivered presentations and training to more than 100,000 people. Some of her clients include Allianz Global Investors, County of San Diego, Gen-Probe, Mission Federal Credit Union, and Qualcomm.
With a dynamic and nurturing facilitation and coaching style, Dana inspires and assists others to greater self-confidence and skill. Believing that people learn from acknowledgement of what they do right, Dana provides positive and motivating feedback to the individuals with whom she works.
She has been on the faculties of UCSD Extension, Cal State San Marcos, and San Diego State University. She is a member of the Society of Human Resource Management and the American Society for Training and Development. Dana is a recipient of the Golden Gavel and Competent Toastmaster awards and is a past Toastmasters chapter president. She holds a B.S. in Business Management from University of Phoenix.
Helice “Sparky” Bridges
Helice Bridges is the creator of the world famous Who I Am Makes A Difference® Blue Ribbon Acknowledgement System. She is the founder and CEO of Difference Makers International, a nonprofit educational organization impacting the lives of over 30 million people worldwide. Helice is also the president of Helice Bridges Communications, Inc., helping leaders of leaders in their personal, professional, and spiritual lives.
Her work has been featured in Women’s World Magazine, ABC’s 20/20, The Los Angeles Times and has been heard on 1100 radio stations. Her Who I Am Makes A Difference® signature story was made into a television movie that aired nation-wide on PAX TV. In 2007, her Standing Strong Together leadership training program was approved by the Secretary of Education for Mexico and is slated to impact children and educators throughout the country.
Helice is the winner of the 2005 Gandhi Non Violence Award and the 2009 Speak for Success Women Changing the World Award. She is a globally recognized author, trainer, consultant and dynamic keynote speaker. Helice has been recognized along with First Lady Barbara Bush, Kareem Abdul Jabaar and the late Norman Cousins for her work in raising the self-esteem of children of all ages. She has spoken along with Vice President Al Gore, the Dalai Lama and other global leaders. Her stories appear in Chicken Soup for the Soul, Chicken Soup for the Soul at Work, Heart at Work and The Aladdin Factor.
Donna Lange Thomas M.C.
Donna Lange Thomas is one of our founding faculty of the Women's Leadership Institute. She has relocated to Houston, Texas and will one day start the the Houston Women's Leadership Institute. Donna provides solution-focused coaching to individuals and families who want to develop tools, techniques, and strategies to help them be more successful in their lives.
For over seven years, Donna has provided counseling and coaching in areas ranging from business, career, family life, and personal success. She has worked in corporate, government, and non-profit sectors. Donna’s approach is insightful, straightforward, and solution-focused. She understands the needs, demands, and frustrations that we all face in fast-paced, demanding situations.
As a career coach, Donna helps her clients focus on priorities, overcome roadblocks to success, and learn to accept, acknowledge, and appreciate themselves and others. When asked what motivates her coaching practice, Donna’s response is “I feel successful if I’ve helped people develop the confidence and skills to achieve their goals and move their lives in a positive direction.”
Donna earned a Bachelor’s of Science degree in psychology and a Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Counseling. Donna is certified as both a life coach and a business coach.
Debbie Lousberg is a certified Career Coach, specializing in career transitions. She works with individual clients to plan and then manage their career paths in order to find more passion and meaning in their work lives. She leads workshops with groups of employees who are preparing to leave an organization through downsizing or retirement, and those moving into different roles because of restructure and promotion.
Clients desiring a career change, being affected by a corporate restructure, and those retiring from or re-entering the workforce have benefited from her positive, supportive, step-by-step approach.
Debbie is an author whose career related articles are featured in the San Diego Job Giant and California Job Network.com. She writes a weekly “workplace wisdom” mini-newsletter, the Monday Morning Stretch™ and the Smart Career Moves blog.
She has worked and led teams in large and small companies alike and gained valued experience from the Staffing Industry where she spent many years recruiting, hiring, and matching employees with organizations and jobs. Debbie has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Speech Communication from the University of Arizona and is the past president of the San Diego Professional Coaches Alliance.
Beth Thorp is a certified Image Consultant, sought-after speaker and trainer who has worked with thousands of men, women, and teens through her Powerful Impression seminars and private coaching sessions. She helps people achieve their fullest potential and personal style.
Beth has been recognized for her outstanding work and achievements through the Association of Image Consultants International and is currently their Western Regional Advisor. Beth is an active member of American Society for Training and Development and FGI Fashion Group International.
She is a graduate of Ray Vogue School of Design, Chicago Illinois. Beth’s past roles include being a fashion director and department head of Fashion Merchandising for Patricia Stevens College in Atlanta Georgia, a regional trainer for Bullock’s Department Stores, and director for wardrobe consultants for Tanner Brands. Beth is currently the fashion and image expert for Butterfly Life, a Fitness and weight loss company and she is an expert with Partners in Beauty, La Jolla California.
Beth’s work has been featured on The Learning Channel, Oxygen TV, KUSI Channel 9 San Diego, KDCI Headline News, The San Diego Union Tribune, The San Diego Business Journal, National Magazine for Parents, on No Bodies Perfect, FM 90.9 talk radio on The Power of Color and the North County Times for her self development and etiquette program for corporations and young children.
Deborah is an organizational behavior consultant with over 20 years experience designing and implementing leadership development, performance management, talent management and employee engagement programs for Fortune 500 companies, organizations and individuals.
With a Ph.D. in Psychology, the scope of her consulting work includes the transpersonal dimension; who we are beyond our personalities and behaviors.
Deborah is the co-author of Executive Excellence’s “Psychology of Winning for Women,” and has traveled on the international lecture circuit. She has been featured on numerous cable-TV and radio programs for her expertise in personal and professional development. Her mission is to help others, not just survive, but THRIVE in all aspects of their lives.
Lana Zakary Culliver
Lana is a 2008 Women’s Leadership Institute graduate and 2009 Mentor and Director of the Graduate Speaker's Bureau. Since graduation Lana has demonstrated what a powerful and courageous woman can accomplish. She has taken on greater responsibility and received a promotion at her employer and has made great strides in increasing public awareness of domestic violence through her various activities. She was the recent Chair of the National Family Justice Center Alliance VOICES Committee.
As a survivor, Lana has had the courage and conviction to share her story through speaking in the community, writing, and being interviewed on television. Lana was recently featured with the Women’s Leadership Institute by Fox5 News San Diego. She has also stood on stage and spoken to a crowd of more than 500 people at the YWCA Centennial Celebration and most recently performed as a cast member of The Vagina Monologues at the Lyceum Theatre.
Lana is a single mom raising four kids ages 7, 9, 13, and 17 while working full-time. She came to California via a one way bus ticket from Pensacola, Florida to escape a life of domestic violence and attempt to build a better future for her children. Today, Lana is far away from her abuser and has successfully started her life over. The road hasn’t been easy. She’s fought addiction and homelessness. What is remarkable about Lana is that she hasn’t let her past dictate her future. She is a true inspiration to others because of her strength and leadership.