Awards and Honors, Business, Education and Schools, NonProfit and Charities, Postdoc of the Year Award

Hokanson, Peterson & Williams Clayton Win 2024 Top Postdoctoral Awards

SEATTLE, Wash. -- During its annual conference, the National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) announced that Sarah Hokanson, Ph.D., Karen Peterson, Ph.D., and Sade Williams Clayton, Ph.D., are the 2024 winners of the organization's three most prestigious awards.

"These three awards represent the top honors that the NPA can bestow on individuals," said Caleb M. McKinney, Ph.D., M.P.S., chair of the NPA board. "We should all pause to reflect on this trio of excellence in mentorship, distinguished service to the postdoctoral community, and impeccable leadership while in one's postdoc position."

The NPA Gallagher Mentor Award recognizes the very best of mentors across the nation who advocate for postdoctoral scholars, celebrate diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging (DEIB) values, and empower their postdoc scholars to succeed. The NPA is dedicated to both recognizing champions and serving as a model for greater DEIB across the postdoctoral community.

Dr. Sarah Hokanson was selected as the 2024 Gallagher Mentor of the Year today to a field of applauding peers. "Mentoring is my most important, fulfilling, and joyful responsibility," she explained. "I am so grateful to be in collaborative learning relationships with such outstanding postdoctoral scholars and to have the opportunity to support them to make an impact through our work." Hokanson is assistant vice president and assistant provost of research development for Ph.D. and postdoctoral affairs at Boston University.

The NPA Distinguished Service Award recognizes the highest appreciation for an individual who has demonstrated a profound, sustained, or leadership contribution to improving the postdoctoral experience. Today, that honor was bestowed on Dr. Karen Peterson, an early advocate and former board member of the NPA.

"I'm very honored to receive this award from the NPA," commented Peterson, "which is leading the way to improve the lives of postdoctoral fellows and has been instrumental to my own career development over the past two decades." Peterson is the scientific ombudsman and director of the Office of Scientific Career Development at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center.

This year, the NPA presented its first Postdoc of the Year Award, bestowing that honor on Sade Williams Clayton, Ph.D., a postdoctoral research fellow at Washington University in St. Louis. The award recognizes a postdoc who has advanced the postdoctoral community in an exceptional manner beyond their work duties and in alignment with the NPA mission and core values.

"I am so humbled by this recognition," said Williams Clayton. "I applaud the National Postdoctoral Association for providing this award as a platform to uplift the hard work that postdocs provide at and away from the bench to better the academic community."

"I'm thrilled that we are able to celebrate the incredible achievements of Dr. Williams Clayton beyond those of her day job," said Tom Kimbis, executive director and chief executive officer of the NPA. "The launch of the NPA Postdoc of the Year Award sends another strong signal that the NPA recognizes the irreplaceable role of postdocs in the greater research environment."

Individuals and organizations can follow the work of Drs. Hokanson, Peterson, and Williams Clayton online while also collaborating with the NPA, which is committed to advancing the skills and careers of our nation's hard-working postdoctoral scholars.

About the National Postdoctoral Association:

The National Postdoctoral Association (NPA) is a nonprofit, 501(c)(3) charitable and educational association headquartered in Bethesda, MD. Founded in 2003, the NPA envisions an inclusive community where all postdocs are empowered, valued, recognized, and supported in their current and future endeavors. The NPA serves the entire postdoctoral community, including its 20,000 individual and 250 organizational members.

Learn more: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/

NPA Annual Conference 2024:

Learn more: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/events/eventdetails.aspx?id=1779542

Related link: https://www.nationalpostdoc.org/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Black Home Initiative, Black Homeownership Symposium, Business, Real Estate, Regional Events

iEmergent CEO Laird Nossuli to present at Seattle’s inaugural Black Homeownership Symposium on January 26

SEATTLE, Wash. -- iEmergent, a forecasting and advisory services firm for the financial services, mortgage and real estate industries, today announced that its CEO Laird Nossuli will present at Seattle's inaugural Black Homeownership Symposium on January 26. Dr. Courtney Johnson Rose, president of the National Association of Real Estate Brokers (NAREB), one of the oldest minority trade associations in the nation and its foremost network of Black real estate professionals, will unveil the findings of the first-ever Washington state edition of the State of Housing in Black America (SHIBA) report. Leveraging data insights from multiple sources the SHIBA report provides an in-depth analysis of Black homeownership in Washington today and the barriers that impede Black families in their pursuit of homeownership. Nossuli will present iEmergent's "Seattle: A Tale of Two Futures" analysis of the comprehensive, positive impact programs like the Black Home Initiative could have on the future of housing equity.

The Black Homeownership Symposium is co-hosted by local NAREB chapter Western Washington Realtists and the Black Home Initiative, a network of community groups, nonprofits, private companies and government agencies working to generate 1,500 new Black homeowners in Seattle by 2027. The free two-and-a-half-hour event kicks off at 5:30 pm Pacific at the historic Langston Hughes Performing Arts Institute in Seattle's Central District.

"The groundbreaking work being done by NAREB and each of the partner organizations who are part of the Black Home Initiative is critical to closing the Black homeownership gap," stated Nossuli. "The SHIBA report consolidates thousands of data points that quantify the indisputable housing inequity that began decades ago and continues to worsen and makes a strong case for why the housing industry needs to move away from the status quo. I'm looking forward to sharing our report, because it describes the key elements of the new paradigm for housing and quantifies the human, business and community benefits of this change."

Nossuli is a recognized expert on local homeownership data and trends who has consulted several municipalities on their diverse lending initiatives, most notably the Mortgage Bankers Association's CONVERGENCE place-based affordable housing initiatives in Columbus, Memphis and Philadelphia. Her firm's data and advisory services are employed by leading banks, credit unions and independent mortgage bankers nationwide to better understand and serve the needs of the markets they serve.

Register to attend the event here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/wwr-black-homeownership-symposium-tickets-780989549767.

About iEmergent:

Founded in 2000, iEmergent provides mortgage lending forecasts and analytics to the lending, housing and real estate industries. The company offers an extensive variety of forecast and market intelligence products, including Mortgage MarketSmart, a visualization tool that helps lenders quantify how mortgage markets will change. For more information, visit https://www.iemergent.com/.

X/Twitter: @iemergent @REALTIST_NAREB #housingfinance #housingequity #housingeconomy #mortgage

Related link: https://www.iemergent.com

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, e-Commerce, Free News Articles, Product Launches, Software

Voc.ai chatbot – a new customer service AI agent – boosts business productivity

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The e-commerce market is one that's rapidly changing and many businesses are struggling to keep up with tracking insight into the market-consumer relationship. Stumbling blocks range from high research costs and closed consumer data to fragmented analysis models. This is where the newly-launched Voc.ai chatbot comes in to play.

Voc.ai, a Hong Kong-based cutting-edge AI SaaS company, has recently secured more than $12 million in funding from top-tier investors to accelerate new market growth and expansion.

Its chat-GPT based approach can help e-commerce, brands, retail, finance and gaming businesses on multiple fronts while building the consumer-brand relationship across the globe. The Voc.ai chatbot consistently communicates across time zones and in multiple languages. It quickly resolves repetitive issues and even identifies solutions for complex issues, freeing up live employees for more complex issues such as refunds and returns.

To date, more than 100,000 e-commerce sellers, including many Amazon super sellers, have chosen to use Voc.ai SaaS products and browser plug-ins.

With the Voc.ai chatbot, customers now have a new and powerful AI tool that can simultaneously handle one thousand plus service tickets for email, chat and other service channels. It can be used for multi-modal and multi-scenario brands too, creating unified service standards and images. It's a simple tool that manages the process and can also analyze customer requirements, implement communication, troubleshoot and resolve problems in the entire chain.

In addition to gathering Internet information, this AI chatbot which provides conversational service, is also trained based on internal enterprise data. Only by combining internal knowledge and external information can the problem closure rate reach 80 percent.

There's also no need for businesses to replace their existing work order system, mail or chat tool. Voc.ai is simply an integrated service to empower the customer service process.

"Businesses that choose to use Voc.ai chatbot will also be more efficient, save money and stay ahead of the curve when it comes to keeping up with innovative e-commerce tools and trends," Hunter Guo, Voc.ai founder, says.

One company, Anker Innovations, one of the largest third-party brand sellers on Amazon, recently implemented the program to solve a multitude of customer service problems that were taking excess time and required a large manpower fleet.

Voc.ai provided Anker with a copilot full-link solution, including underlying data acquisition, enterprise-level AI knowledge base, VOC web-side and plug-in suite, multichannel customer service workbench, and an MI sales forecasting system. The service AI chatbot now covers all products and all countries and the resolve rate is more than 70 percent. Through the email channel, 85 percent of customer complaints are resolved through AI chatbot, and the connection with the internal system is fully automated. And, the company saved 50 percent in manpower.

Voc.ai chatbot is available for personal, team or enterprise use. To learn more or to sign up for a free trial or demo: https://www.voc.ai/

Related link: https://www.voc.ai/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Awards and Honors, Business, Free News Articles

National Pygmy Goat Association Crowns 2023 National Champions

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) is proud to announce the winners of the 2023 Champion Challenge held in Red Bluff, California, June 9, 2023.

Buck Class:

The National Champion Buck is Fair View OhMickeyYourSoFine owned by Laurie Zeise and Kaylee Hettinger. First runner up is Ridgeline Farms Premier Pursuit owned by Niccole Boies and second runner up is Goose Meadow Kayden owned by Niccole Boies and Jerrod Alcaida.

"Kaylee and I are so very grateful to have this piece of the legends before him," said Laurie Zeise. "My deepest appreciation to Diane Keith, Dr. Elaine Krieg, Michelle Fonda, for sharing in the true wealth of these lines. I'm still ridin' cloud nine. Oh Micky yoursofine, your so fine you blow my mind. Hey Mickey!"

Doe Class:

The National Champion Doe is Country Critters Design My Dream owned by Karen Crawford. First runner up is Twilight Valley Zabby owned by Rebecca Zimmerman and second runner up was a tie between "R" Wild West Pygmy's Butterscotch owned by Denise Aragon and Just About Believing Khalea owned by Gemma Kress and Emily Schiffman.

"I was in complete shock and then really emotional," said Karen Crawford. "This means so much to me because she is the daughter of the 2019 National Champion Doe. These wins are very emotional and personal to me because I lost my father at that time and family is so important to me."

Wether Class:

The National Champion Wether is Twilight Valley Zaire owned by Rebecca Zimmerman. First runner up is Country Critters Dayne owned by Lauren Nelson and second runner up is Park's Ark Pygmies Onyx owned by Ian and Shannon Parks.

"I was shocked and that's probably an understatement," said Rebecca Zimmerman. "I never would have thought he would have been chosen National Champion Wether. It was an amazing experience and I'm thrilled his sister was selected first runner up doe; super proud of my babies."

"Congratulations to all the winners," said Darren Watkins, President of the National Pygmy Goat Association. "It was clear, their hard work paid off with beautiful animals deserving of this title."

About National Pygmy Goat Association:

The National Pygmy Goat Association is the official breed registry for Pygmy Goats in the United States. Founded in 1976, the NPGA sets breed standards, provides animal registration, maintains a database of pedigrees, certifies judges, and sanctions pygmy goat shows.

For more information visit https://www.npga-pygmy.com/

Related link: https://www.npga-pygmy.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Free News Articles, General Editorial

National Pygmy Goat Association Declares April 23 as National Pygmy Goat Day

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) has declared April 23 as National Pygmy Goat Day. Members and affiliated clubs are planning events throughout the country to celebrate the day and showcase their pygmy goats.

The National Pygmy Goat Association is the official registry for Pygmy Goats in the United States and the national organization serving Pygmy Goat owners and enthusiasts. Formed in 1976, it works to promote Pygmy Goats as useful livestock and multi-purpose miniature goats that are just plain fun!

"As the official registry for pygmy goats, it is our goal to educate the public about the breed," said Darren Watkins, President of the National Pygmy Goat Association. "What better way to celebrate these wonderful animals than by having a day specifically for them. We couldn't think of a better time than the anniversary of the birth of the NPGA."

Not all little goats are Pygmy Goats. Pygmy Goats are a specific breed derived from the Cameroon's or West African Dwarf Goat. The first Pygmy Goats were brought to the United States in 1959 for use in petting zoos. The Pygmy Goat is hardy, alert and animated, good-natured and gregarious, a docile, responsive pet, a cooperative provider of milk, and an ecologically effective browser.

For more information visit https://www.npga-pygmy.com/

About National Pygmy Goat Association:

The National Pygmy Goat Association is the official breed association of the pygmy goat. The organization was founded April 23, 1976 and promotes pygmy goats by setting official breed standards, provides animal registration, maintains a database of pedigrees, certifies judges, and sanctions pygmy goat shows around the United States. For more information visit https://www.npga-pygmy.com/about.

Related link: https://www.npga-pygmy.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Free News Articles, General Editorial

National Pygmy Goat Association Declares April 23 as National Pygmy Goat Day

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The National Pygmy Goat Association (NPGA) has declared April 23 as National Pygmy Goat Day. Members and affiliated clubs are planning events throughout the country to celebrate the day and showcase their pygmy goats.

The National Pygmy Goat Association is the official registry for Pygmy Goats in the United States and the national organization serving Pygmy Goat owners and enthusiasts. Formed in 1976, it works to promote Pygmy Goats as useful livestock and multi-purpose miniature goats that are just plain fun!

"As the official registry for pygmy goats, it is our goal to educate the public about the breed," said Darren Watkins, President of the National Pygmy Goat Association. "What better way to celebrate these wonderful animals than by having a day specifically for them. We couldn't think of a better time than the anniversary of the birth of the NPGA."

Not all little goats are Pygmy Goats. Pygmy Goats are a specific breed derived from the Cameroon's or West African Dwarf Goat. The first Pygmy Goats were brought to the United States in 1959 for use in petting zoos. The Pygmy Goat is hardy, alert and animated, good-natured and gregarious, a docile, responsive pet, a cooperative provider of milk, and an ecologically effective browser.

For more information visit https://www.npga-pygmy.com/

About National Pygmy Goat Association:

The National Pygmy Goat Association is the official breed association of the pygmy goat. The organization was founded April 23, 1976 and promotes pygmy goats by setting official breed standards, provides animal registration, maintains a database of pedigrees, certifies judges, and sanctions pygmy goat shows around the United States. For more information visit https://www.npga-pygmy.com/about.

Related link: https://www.npga-pygmy.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, Entertainment, Free News Articles

Talent Competition and Charity Event Goes Global!

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Tori Belle Cosmetics announces its second annual Virtual TB's Got Talent Charity Bash, airing Live, March 2, 2023 at 4 p.m. PT on the Tori Belle Cosmetics FB page and Tori Belle Cosmetics YouTube channel. The proceeds will provide grants for people and families in need through the National Organization for Women's Safety Awareness (N.O.W.S.A.).

In an unusual move, Tori Belle will donate all fundraising proceeds, in the form of grants, assuring that assistance goes to underserved people in need, in many communities. Talent entries are open now through February 9 for singers and variety talents by visiting TB Talent Contest Entry Form (jotform.com).

Previously, the competition was open only to Affiliates of the company. This year they have announced a major change to the competition and have expanded the competition globally to include anyone aged 14 and older. Adding additional excitement, the competition is FREE to enter.

Co-founder and CEO of Tori Belle Cosmetics, Laura Hunter, explains: "This year we wanted to truly include everyone. This is our fifth charity bash and we have raised over $100 thousand dollars for families to date. We love that we have an opportunity to directly give to the friends and neighbors of our donators. It is truly an honor to be able to make a positive impact in the lives of our most vulnerable families around the world."

The audience will choose the ultimate winner via online voting. Every vote is a $1 donation benefiting families facing financial hardship. The talent competitors will vie for the ultimate prize of being featured to over 2 million people via Tori Belle Cosmetics social media platforms, a magazine cover and $500 in gifts and prizes. The live event will also include live drawings for viewer prizes, entertainment, and deeply discounted Tori Belle Cosmetics products.

The show will be hosted by actress, model, and former Ms. World, Meghan Buelt. The semi-finalists will be chosen by an esteemed panel of judges, including Film Producer, Director, and Actor, Jason Brooks, Inventor, Actress, and Co-founder and Tori Belle Cosmetics CEO, Laura Hunter, and motivational speaker, Cathie Allen.

The competition is made possible thanks to a strong partnership between NOWSA, the generosity of Tori Belle customers, Sales Affiliates, and Tori Belle Cosmetics corporate donations.

Support families in need here - https://www.toribellecosmetics.com/products/tbs-got-talent-charity-bash-donation-2023?webalias=www

Submit your audition here - https://form.jotform.com/223496244168159

MULTIMEDIA:

Video (YouTube): https://youtube.com/shorts/cV7DNA9sp2E

Related link: https://www.toribellecosmetics.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Alliances and Partnerships, Business, Free News Articles, Taxes and Accounting

Asset Defense Team and Vast Solutions Group Do Joint Venture

SEATTLE, Wash. -- Asset Defense Team and Vast Solutions Group, Inc. (VastSolutionsGroup.com) are pleased to announce their joint venture, AssetDefenseAdv.com. This partnership brings together two leading companies in the asset protection and tax strategy industry, combining their expertise and resources to provide top-quality services to clients around the globe. The advanced platform is called "Einstein" and is currently in Beta 1.0.

Asset Defense Team is a well-respected firm known for its innovative strategies and high success rate in safeguarding assets for individuals and businesses. VastSolutionsGroup.com is a renowned provider of tax and retirement strategies using artificial intelligence with a strong track record in sophisticated tax mitigation strategies.

Together, Asset Defense Team and VastSolutionsGroup.com will offer a full range of asset protection services, including risk assessment, security planning, and crisis management while using advanced proprietary strategies and platforms. Their team of experts will work closely with clients to understand their unique needs and develop customized solutions to help them secure their assets and minimize risk.

Some AI vendor partners will be OpenAi's Chatgpt, Microsoft's Bing, and Google.com's TensorFlow.

"We are excited to partner with VastSolutionsGroup.com and bring our combined expertise to the table," said Bob Bluhm, CEO of Asset Defense Team. "This joint venture will allow us to better serve our clients and provide them with the highest level of protection for their assets."

"Asset Defense Team is a natural fit for us, and we are thrilled to join forces with them," said R. Kenner French, of Vast Solutions Group. "We believe that this partnership will allow us to better serve our clients and help them achieve their asset protection goals."

About Asset Defense Team:

Asset Defense Team is a leading asset protection firm that helps individuals and businesses safeguard their assets through innovative strategies and top-quality services.

About Vast Solutions Group, Inc.:

The pioneer in tax and retirement strategies for entrepreneurs using artificial intelligence™. Vast Solutions Group, Inc. has been in existence since 1969 and has offices throughout the U.S. Learn more: https://vastsolutionsgroup.com/.

MORE INFORMATION:

For more information about AssetDefenseAdv.com, please visit the website at https://assetdefenseadv.com/ or e-mail Kenner@VastSolutionsGroup.com.

Instagram: AssetDefenseAdvisors

Twitter: @AssetDefenseAdv

Related link: https://vastsolutionsgroup.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Books and Publishing, Business, Entertainment, Free News Articles, NonProfit and Charities, Product Launches

New Book, ‘The Power of the Pen,’ Gives Insights into the World of Handwriting Analysis

SEATTLE, Wash. -- With its first-ever published book, "The Power of the Pen: from the unconscious to the conscious" (ISBN: 978-1970181340), The American Handwriting Analysis Foundation (AHAF) showcases 23 unique perspectives on handwriting analysis and its modern uses. Each essay is penned by a respected handwriting analyst and explores topics such as handwriting research in the digital age, human resources, the effects of medication on handwriting, genealogy, deception, signature analysis, psychology, and so much more.

Filled with personal stories and handwriting psychology, "The Power of the Pen" is a rare look into the world of handwriting analysis and highlights how people around the world study and use graphology today.

"AHAF is proud to present 'The Power of the Pen,' an Anthology that captures not just the technical side of graphology, but also the spirit and passion that brings it to life. 'The Power of the Pen' represents decades of dedication, study, practical research and application of graphological principles by widely respected handwriting analysts and graphologists," said Lauren Mooney Bear, AHAF President.

"After working in this field for more than 50 years, it was a great privilege to bring together these professionals and shepherd their work into a one-of-a-kind publication. 'The Power of the Pen' anthology does what no other book on handwriting analysis does: it offers a broad spectrum of topics and perspectives on all levels of interest and expertise," said Sheila Lowe, AHAF Immediate Past President and Editor.

The foreword, contributed by neuroscientist, Dr. Mark Noble, affirms the special effects writing has on the brain and how writing by hand is more effective than the computer when it comes to learning.

"The Power of the Pen: from unconscious to conscious" is 362 pages and is now available through Amazon: https://a.co/d/9DG1JHh.

Intro Video (YouTube): https://youtu.be/vxvxbG9Xn1M

About AHAF:

The Foundation is a 501-(c)6 non-profit organization, chartered and incorporated in California, and are the sponsors of Campaign for Cursive. Visit https://ahafhandwriting.org/.

Related link: https://www.ahafhandwriting.org/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022

Business, Education and Schools, Free News Articles, General Editorial

SparksPlus Brings the College Campus Experience to Senior Living Communities with Some of the Brightest Minds in the Arts, Humanities, and Sciences

SEATTLE, Wash. -- The SparksPlus On-Demand Life Enrichment Program announces the holistic programs and esteemed speakers for the 2023 season. These video-on-demand classes, designed for seniors living in communities, feature top minds from world-class institutions, such as Yale and Pratt Design Institute, and the United Nations, to a Grammy Award musician. Twelve programs are offered, including Creative Memoir Writing, Finding Your Life's Purpose, and How to Outsmart Cyber Criminals. SparksPlus is a division of 3rdPlus.

"Seniors living in communities want more than bingo and crafts. And we want to deliver on that by bringing thought-provoking and enriching programs to the community that engage all of the senses and support positive aging," shared Cynthia Thurlow, Founder and Principal of SparksPlus, a division of 3rdPlus. "We are working with some of the brightest minds in the world to help transform and enhance the lives of today's elders."

One complimentary on-demand class is being offered for senior living communities so they can see how this holistic program can be shared and brought to life for a full sensory experience. Creative Memoir Writing 101 includes:

* A video recording of the writing course featuring Keith Morris, MFA, Professor of Creative Writing at Clemson University.

* An easy-to-follow guide for senior living life enrichment professionals, with ideas for activities to host during the video presentation and for months after.

* Table tent templates to promote upcoming sessions to residents.

* An art project, "Design Your Book Cover," to inspire your writing, and other engaging projects are included.

Thurlow added, "This type of program is so essential for seniors who are often faced with social isolation, even when they move to active adult senior living communities. The life enrichment offerings bring people together over intellectual content and help create meaningful connections."

"At this week's LeadingAge Annual Meeting, life enrichment professionals were very interested in the program and expressed appreciation for quality content and activity modules for a very affordable price," Thurlow shared.

SparksPlus is a division of 3rdPlus, a one-of-a-kind company with enhanced services to help senior living communities transform the resident experience. Founder and Principal Cynthia Thurlow has worked in advertising for 30 years and in the senior living industry for a decade. She has long held a passion to create a socially conscious company committed to positive aging. Her own family elders' aging journeys, coupled with her deep love for healthy, organic food and her foray into restaurant ownership, have only reinforced that mission.

To receive the free on-demand class, call 888-776-5135, 206-262-1999, or email ideas@3rdPlus.com or visit: https://3rdplus.com/sparksplus/.

For more information and an electronic press kit, visit https://3rdplus.com/press-news/.

Related link: https://3rdplus.com/

This news story was published by the Neotrope® News Network - all rights reserved. ID:NEO2022