Connect With Us

EXPLORE / FOOD & DRINK / HOMES / HEALTH / ARTS & EVENTS / STYLE / TRAVEL / COMMUNITY / GUIDES & DIRECTORIES

TOP GRAM / Annie Maguire Born and raised in San Anselmo, Annie Maguire has been taking photos of Marin landscapes since she bought her first camera in high school. Now a professional product and portrait photographer, she spends her weekends frolicking around Marin County’s diverse landscapes, camera in hand, eager to capture the area’s overwhelming natural beauty. “I took this photograph one brisk April evening on Mt. Tamalpais when the hills were green and the lupine was blooming,” she says. “The luscious foreground, a faraway surveilling doe, the evergreens and distant hills all kept me to my perch despite the frigid air numbing my fingers.” See more of Annie’s work at anniemaguirephoto.com and follow her on Instagram @anstastuff.

VIRTUAL EVENTS /

What’s on Replay

SPACES Outdoors The past few years have taught us that a sense of connection — to nature and to our community — are central to our sense of well-being. We’ve rediscovered the joy of gathering outdoors, and as we increasingly live, work and entertain at home, we are redefining our outdoor spaces. We were joined by five experts who have elevated the practice to an artform: Jeff Hadley, Hadley General Contractors, Inc.; Todd Vena, Mariani Landscape; Christian Douglas, Christian Douglas Design; Mike Lucas, Lucas and Lucas; and Natalia Ospina, Brushwood Center.

Christian Douglas Design

Make the Most of Your Child’s Education

Child psychology education expert Meryl Lipton, M.D., Ph.D.; Timothy Dohrer, Ph.D.; and Matthew Pietrafetta, Ph.D., discussed how parents can best support their children's education and learning styles. They explored the monumental role of parenting in a student’s socialemotional and academic education, in addition to providing practical tips for parents to help students to be their best selves.

Watch all of our virtual events on demand at better.net/mibtv.

Powerhouse Women

Learn what the panelists at our recent Women of Impact event had to say about overcoming obstacles and finding success.

For women traversing a career in business, it’s a marathon, not a sprint — or so said the panelists at Make It Better Media Group’s May 19 Women of Impact virtual event. Moderated by Cheryl Berman, chief creative and CEO of Unbundled Creative, the event featured an all-women panel: Kathy Roeser, managing director and wealth advisor of Morgan Stanley; Monica Gray-Fong, chief operating officer and cofounder of Nice Guys Delivery; Dr. Jordan Carqueville, founder and medical director of The Derm Institute of Chicago; and Maureen Sedonean, CEO of Habitat for Humanity Greater San Francisco. Industrywise, they come from diverse places, from philanthropy to finance, though all have the same common denominator: They’ve navigated a career in fields that are otherwise predominantly male. Each member of the discussion was given time to recount how her career has unfolded over the years — from setbacks to accomplishments. For Gray-Fong, the first speaker of the event, her marathon began fresh out of college when she landed her first job in the fashion industry after facing the age-old question, “What now?” After shifting between states, relationships and careers, Gray-Fong found herself striking up a cannabis delivery company with her husband — all while raising a young family — but this resting point in her career did not come without difficulty. Similarly, Dr. Carqueville went on to explain the serendipitous nature of the breakthrough in her career that was nurtured by a fellow woman in her field. At the intersection of change in her career and in her personal life, she ran into the CEO of the hospital she had been working for. When Dr. Carqueville relayed her worries, her superior’s response was simple, “I will help you. Email me.” And so she did, which led to an in-person meeting, which led to relief from some of her stressors and an alignment of opportunities she “thought was impossible.” The concept of women supporting each other or being strongholds for support in their families and close circles was echoed by Roeser — who wove into the conversation statistics about women and how they navigate finances. Roeser noted that women who are successful in helming their financial affairs do so with “road-mapping,” or making conscious lists of must-dos and logistics.

Cheryl Berman

The checklist she uses to help “empower” her clients is broken down categorically into a multitude of steps — sometimes even up to 20 — most often covering:

Sign Up Don't miss out on all the fun online. Subscribe to the Marin Magazine Better Letter email newsletter at marinmagazine.com/ newsletters and follow us online.

@marinmagazine @marinmagazine @marinmagazine marinmagazine marinmagazine marinmagazine

Whether you’re looking to be inspired by local leaders or national influencers, our virtual events have something for everyone. Scan at the left for more.

Maureen Sedonean Dr. Jordan Carqueville

Monica Gray-Fong Kathy Roeser

1. Financial planning 2. Retirement planning 3. Education and legacy goals 4. Insurance review 5. Safety and documentation

An overarching theme to Roeser’s pitch was intentionality, specifically being prepared for the uncertain — such as untimely death, illness or other unexpected changes to your financial situation. Intentionality, too, is something Sedonean brings to the table every day. As the CEO of Habitat for Humanity Great San Francisco, she has recognized that without that direct thoughtfulness for the people she and the organization serve, she would be doing them a disservice. “I realized, one of the things that is important to be a leader and to have impact is to be a learner, and to continue to be a life-long learner. I’ve learned so much about…most importantly, that direct connection and impact on families and young people.” Berman brought the conversation to a close by asking each panelist to share what her goals are, either immediate or long term. The consensus was largely that in order to invest in what you do or hope to do, you must first invest in yourself. — MARGARET SMITH