Anthony J. Piccione is an award-winning playwright, independent theatre producer, screenwriter, critic, essayist, poet and occasional actor based in New York City. Born in Rochester, New York and raised in Connecticut, Piccione’s eclectic canon of one-acts have been produced at NYC venues such as the Hudson Guild Theatre, Planet Connections Theatre Festivity, Midtown International Theatre Festival, and Manhattan Repertory Theatre, as well as regional venues such as Playhouse on Park, Hole in the Wall Theatre, the Windsor Art Center, and Windham Theatre Guild.

Amy Grantham is an artist who lives and works in Manhattan. She likes to work in various mediums which include: collage, photography, painting, political art, writing, album design, and whatever else she feels like creating in the moment. She doesn’t like to be limited to only one way of expressing herself because art is all about using whatever means she has available to her to share how she is feeling or how she feels about a certain subject.

A member of the Akwesasne Kenien’kehá:ka (St. Regis Mohawk Tribe), Aaron John Curtis is an author, blogger, bookseller, and avid reader. He wrote a monthly column called “Book Junky” for Moxxi Magazine and also wrote essays and reviews for Miami blog collective The Heat Lightning.  His essay “Past the Flesh” appeared in The Sun Sentinel’s City Link Magazine, and his love letter to Florida – “It Grows on You” – was published in World Book Night’s first ebook.

Mallory Gothelf was diagnosed with general anxiety and major depressive disorder at age fifteen after her parents brought her to the emergency room on Christmas day. At that age, Mallory didn’t realize that managing and recovering from her illness would be a long journey (and not just a brief hospital stay) or that it would ignite her passion for giving back and being a voice for others.

Margie Strauss is a recognized industry expert in the fields of advertising, branding, public relations and media. Her passion for staffing, built on her 25 years of experience, makes her an integral part of the founding partnership of CitiStaffing. Prior to her career in staffing, Margie worked in the global public relations firm, Burson Marsteller, in the areas of consumer PR, crisis management, and new business development. Margie’s real passion is working closely with candidates to assist them in developing their career path.

Matt is the Managing Director of Blue Sky Partners. He has spent his entire career in the organization management industry, gaining valuable experience as executive director of the Austin Young Chamber of Commerce and Progress Texas. Beyond his time in the non-profit space, Matt has successfully launched four companies — a regional homes tour (Weird Homes Tour), a statewide advocacy non-profit in Texas (Progress Texas), and an international festival focused on entrepreneurship (Small Business Festival).

Tiffany Dyba is a dedicated Career Coach & Consultant based in New York City. She enjoys helping people recognize their professional calling while helping them to take risks. Tiffany has a strong background in leadership and recruitment from companies such as Tiffany & Co and Burberry. As a Consultant, she works with organizations to help identify and attract top talent so they can effectively grow their business. Tiffany was diagnosed with Stage 1 Breast Cancer in 2018 and has been working to create awareness for women diagnosed under the age of 40.

In this bonus episode, Danielle Diamond shares a powerful essay, Behind Closed Doors, about an early memory of her mom, who had bipolar disorder and depression. This essay is poignant, honest, and punctuated with humor. It provides a window into the challenging role that loved ones navigate when caring for those with invisible illness, as well as the realities experienced by those who have them.

Prior to becoming a certified teacher, Danielle stumbled upon yoga back in 1996 as a producer for MTV. When she turned 40, she realized that while years of practicing Vinyasa had helped her body feel better than ever, her mind and body still needed more. This inspired her to develop her Xen Strength Method, a modern twist on yoga that combines meditation, yoga and strength training.

Phoebe Lapine is a food and health writer, gluten-free chef, wellness expert, culinary instructor, Hashimoto’s advocate and speaker, born and raised in New York City, where she continues to live and eat. On her award-winning blog, Feed Me Phoebe, she shares recipes for healthy comfort food and insights about balanced lifestyle choices beyond what’s on your plate.

Carly Alterman is a recent graduate of Washington University in St. Louis. She grew up in South Salem, New York, and is currently living at home while studying for the MCAT. She plans to apply to medical school after exploring the medical field during her two gap years.  Now here’s Carly.

Christina Blacken is a strategist, storyteller, and founder of TheNewQuo.com, a platform, consultancy, and community on a mission to flip the status quo through storytelling. Christina helps people + organizations transform the soul of their ideas into powerful stories that cause change and move people to action.

I’m so excited to launch the first episode of Made Visible, an idea which has been a long time in the making. I didn’t always know that I wanted to launch a podcast, but I did know that I needed to do something to make people with invisible illnesses feel less alone and more supported. I only came to that realization once I started talking about my own illness, which I hid for many years. Talking about my story was so freeing. I wanted others to have that experience too.