{"id":210348,"date":"2026-03-29T06:33:47","date_gmt":"2026-03-29T06:33:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/210348\/"},"modified":"2026-03-29T06:33:47","modified_gmt":"2026-03-29T06:33:47","slug":"jacksonvilles-most-inspiring-stories-voyage-jacksonville-magazine-19","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/210348\/","title":{"rendered":"Jacksonville’s Most Inspiring Stories – Voyage Jacksonville Magazine"},"content":{"rendered":"

The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In the recent weeks, we\u2019ve had the privilege to connect with some incredible artists, creatives, entrepreneurs and rabble rousers and we can\u2019t begin to express how impressed we are with the incredible group below.<\/p>\n

Sarah Ballard
<\/p>\n

Growing up surrounded by the arts, I always knew I loved creating \u2014 I just didn\u2019t realize how many possibilities existed. As a child, I spent my days singing, dancing, drawing and painting. In elementary school, I designed fashionable pieces on paper, and by my senior year of high school, I was bringing those designs to life on dress-down Fridays. Creativity wasn\u2019t just something I did \u2014 it was a part of who I was. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Rebecca Thomson
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My story began in Pittsburgh PA, but I have lived all around the US. PA, NC, VA, CO, CA, FL, back to PA then back to FL. I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a BA in Political Communication and a minor in Natural Science and then attended Chatham University where I completed an MBA program. I did all if this while working, raising my two groovy daughters and maintaining a large property in PA. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Dearick Milton
<\/p>\n

My story is really one of survival, reinvention, and learning to become an \u2018Overcomer.\u2019
I was born in Canton, Ohio, but my story truly took root in Columbus, Georgia, where I was raised by my great-grandmother and the \u2018village\u2019 of that era. My early childhood was marked by severe trauma; I survived abuse and often felt like an outcast who just didn\u2019t \u2018fit in\u2019 anywhere. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Nic Vaillette
<\/p>\n

My brother gave me his old espresso machine when I was in college, and the seed was planted. As an outside sales rep my entire career, I saw a glaring disconnect between sales and service. I soon realized the quickest way to bridge that gap was to control both sides. As I started researching the breakroom management industry, I saw some gaps in the level of service being provided by the competition. The two main areas of focus for us were communication and service. The rest will work itself out. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Brain Tumor Network
<\/p>\n

Brain Tumor Network exists because of a love story. Our founders, Rick and Susan Sontag, met in 9th grade in Long Beach, California. Susan was class salutatorian, a gifted athlete, and brilliantly driven. They started dating in college in Claremont, married in 1965 right after graduation, and were true partners in every sense of the word. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Mauricio Belgrano
<\/p>\n

When I was four, I\u2019d sit surrounded by neighbors, reading Disney stories from cassette tapes, giving each character a voice. That love for storytelling never left me. But in 2023, I faced my darkest season, my mom was battling cancer, and my wife\u2019s pregnancy became life-threatening. Those moments weighed heavily on me. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Penny Dickerson
<\/p>\n

Jacksonville became my home in 1977 following my father\u2019s military retirement. My mother\u2019s water broke in El Paso, Texas and I was born on Ft. Bliss Army Base and the youngest of three girls. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Avery Hatfield
<\/p>\n

I was born and raised in Jacksonville, Florida, where I spent my entire childhood. After graduating high school, I left home to attend college, living in both South and Central Florida. Following my time at UCF (Go Knights!), I felt a strong pull to return home; I was eager to be close to my family and pursue a career in the research field. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Danny Nguyen
<\/p>\n

My name is Danny Nguyen and I\u2019m the founder of Anaba. I come from a background in digital media and design, and I\u2019ve always been drawn to building things that bring people together. For a long time that showed up through creative work \u2014 design, music, and community events. Anaba is where all of those interests came together. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Marc Nettleton
<\/p>\n

2nd Mile Ministries started in 2003 with an intentional choice by a small group of individuals to center their lives on the Brentwood neighborhood-living, working, and playing alongside neighbors in community together. One member of the team started coaching football at the high school, another began teaching down the road, and others got involved in civic volunteer work within the City. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Taylor Allen
<\/p>\n

After years spent serving clients behind a desk in marketing and advocating for my city on the field with the Roar of the Jaguars, I felt called to make a greater impact in the community I love. Real estate became that path, blending relationship-building with strategy: understanding the market, knowing every corner of Jacksonville and St. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Nelly Mitchell
<\/p>\n

I believe that behind every brand or business, there is always a personal story. Mine began with a love for creating and a natural curiosity about the world of sales. Growing up, I watched my mother travel to different countries to buy clothing, shoes, and other products. She would bring them back and build her own system to sell them. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Tanya Cole
<\/p>\n

My journey into transportation started from a deeply personal and life-changing experience. There was a situation where a hospital was unable to secure transportation for a patient who needed an earlier departure for a transfer related to a scheduled heart surgery. The plan was to move her the night before, but transportation could not be arranged in time. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Ashlee Marie
<\/p>\n

Long before my leadership title reflected \u2018life coach\u2019 I grew up learning resilience early by navigating life experiences that forced me to question my identity, purpose, and the connection between pain and possibility. Growing up in a family of strong women, I spent years trying to hold everything together while quietly rebuilding myself at the same time. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Tammy Badida
<\/p>\n

I have stood at the doorstep of grief more times than I ever wished to. And yet, with each encounter, I have grown in ways I never could have imagined. Grief has a way of reshaping us\u2014slowly, quietly\u2014teaching us lessons about love, resilience, and the depth of the human spirit. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Frances McMiller
<\/p>\n

I was born and raised in the historic city of Gainesville, Florida, and from early on I felt called to live a life that reflected the meaning of my name\u2014\u201cFree One.\u201d That sense of purpose has guided every step of my personal, academic, and professional journey. My path began in the helping professions. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Michael \u2018Piano Mike\u2019 Gonzalez
<\/p>\n

Michael Gonzalez was born in Tampa, Florida, and graduated from the University of Florida with a BA in music this past winter. He began taking weekly piano lessons at age seven at the home of his teacher, Karta Iglesias. A year later, he began learning guitar. With a prior foundation on the piano, the transition to guitar came very naturally. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Jessica Castro<\/p>\n

In early 2020 an acquaintance recommended a couple of books to me by Dolores Cannon. At the time, I wasn\u2019t very interested in the content however, I followed the suggestion and after reading them I was not only intrigued but eager for more. I read every Dolores Cannon book I could get my hands on. Later that year, I decided it was time. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Nancy Schlager
<\/p>\n

I have been creative for as long as I can remember. My father was an artist and creativity runs deep in our family. Over the past 40 years, I\u2019ve experimented with just about every type of art imaginable, some purely for fun and others that eventually grew into businesses. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Rose White
<\/p>\n

My journey has been shaped by faith, resilience, and a deep desire to help people discover purpose and build meaningful lives. From an early age, I felt called to serve others through teaching, encouragement, and leadership. Over time, that calling expanded into multiple areas, including ministry, education, coaching, and business consulting. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Alex Kearson
<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve been in the water damage and mold industry for over 24 years now. I got started early on working hands-on in the field, learning the technical side of drying structures, identifying moisture issues, and understanding how mold actually develops in buildings. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Sara Cearnel
<\/p>\n

My photography journey started like many other moms in the middle of motherhood. I had a Nikon DSLR camera and my three kids who taught me everything I know about patience and light. What began as a deeply personal hobby soon rippled outward to friends and neighbors, fueled by a desire to document more than just a pose\u2014I wanted to capture the feelings and memories. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Laura Schwalm
<\/p>\n

My journey into becoming a master psychic, prophetic healer, and spiritual teacher really began with my own search for healing. I grew up in a household where illness and trauma were very present. My father struggled with severe physical health challenges throughout my life. Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Rabbi Levi Katz
<\/p>\n

We were deeply inspired by the teachings of the Lubavitcher Rebbe, Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson, who taught that every Jew matters and that no community is too small or too far to deserve vibrant Jewish life. We knew we wanted to move to a place that needed it.\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n

Amber Holmes
<\/p>\n

My journey began at a very young age. I loved playing with my Easy Bake oven and coming up with my own dessert creations as a child. In middle school, I started baking desserts and cakes for my classmates, teachers and church members. At the time it was just kind of a hobby and something I liked to do, but little did I know that it would be my ultimate passion and career.\u00a0\u00a0Read more>><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The heart of our mission is to find the amazing souls that breathe life into our communities. In…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":180549,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[8],"tags":[589,116,118,117,64045,670],"class_list":{"0":"post-210348","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-jacksonville","8":"tag-featured","9":"tag-jacksonville","10":"tag-jacksonville-headlines","11":"tag-jacksonville-news","12":"tag-localguide","13":"tag-other"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210348","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=210348"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/210348\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/180549"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=210348"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=210348"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=210348"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}