Amber Weigand-Buckley is an author, speaker, podcaster, the multi-award-winning founding editor and art director for Leading Hearts magazine (leadinghearts.com, Advanced Writers and Speakers Association (awsa.com) marketing director, Bold Vision Books' creative director, and owner of #barefacedcreativemedia (barefacedcreativemedia.com).

The Springfield, Missouri native navigates bipolar and anxiety disorder while embracing her best life. At its peak, her mental illness almost caused her to take her own life. And her journey through stigma and shame has helped her embrace her role as an advocate for mental health who knows that a diagnosis does not disqualify you from leadership.

“Like many on this round planet, I face the challenge of keeping life focused while battling a bunch of brain activity that doesn't like to play nice,” Weigand-Buckley said. “I want to show the world what the face of mental illness looks like, and it looks a lot like me.

Amber, whose vision birthed leadingladies.life is the author of Leading Ladies: Discover Your God-Grown Strategy for Success with Lisa Burris Burns.

Her debut release, Leading Ladies: Discover Your God-Grown Strategy for Success, hit #1 Bestseller in Christian Leadership three times in its first launch week, #2 Bestseller in Religious Leadership and maintained #1 New Release in both categories for 7 consecutive days.

Amber and Lisa host the weekly Facebook Live and podcast "Coffee Chat with Amber & Lisa" available on Amazon, iTunes, Spotify, iHeart, and Google Podcasts. Amber is energized by helping world-changing women of all hues, backgrounds, and walks of life to find their wings, hone their skills, and take their God-call to the next level.

Growing up in Springfield, Missouri, Amber found her passion for writing from her small start on the Study Junior High newspaper staff. After three years at Central High School on the 'High Times' publication staff, she decided to make journalism her major when continuing her education. “The most influential person in my professional journey was my communications department advisor at Evangel University. Former SPS teacher and Evangel professor Shirley Shedd visited me at Central throughout my high school career, encouraging me in my giftings and the direction it was taking me in." Amber wants for you to know that wherever you are right now, you yield that same kind of power to speak into the lives of individuals, no matter how insignificant you see your impact is, and transform the trajectory of their lives.

Amber has two grown daughters, Saffron, Imogen, and one teen Penelope, with Philip, her British hubby of 28 years, two Great Pyrenees pups—Stanley and Stuart, and a zoo of exotic pets.

Lisa lives in Blue Springs, Missouri, with her husband, Randy. The Burns have served in marriage and family ministry since 1988. They have six fantastic children, two amazing son-in-loves, and five adorable granddaughters.

With more than 40 years experience in the arts and 30+ years of platform ministry, Lisa Burris Burns thrives on the creative process. Always under the belief that we can fine-tune our creative expression, she enjoys coaching up-and-coming artists. Her specialties include vocal and stage performance, public speaking and media writing, publicity, event planning, set design, and all things yarn and crafty.

When Lisa isn’t busy being a wife, mom, and Nonni, she enjoys the role of mentor and coach for KC Superstar and is an award-winning contributor to Leading Hearts magazine (leadinghearts.com). Her passion is to help people of all ages become the best version of themselves.