Makaila Nichols was bullied unmercifully throughout her adolescence and even as a college student. She found that through writing she was able to cope with the struggles she was enduring. Makaila decided to turn her story into a book that could be used as an aid for other teens experiencing similar issues.
Makaila’s book, BLATANTLY HONEST: NORMAL TEEN/ABNORMAL LIFE, became a best seller in two categories: Parenting of Teens and Teen Social Issues. This propelled Makaila into the national limelight with opportunities for speaking engagements across the country for elementary, middle, and high school schools as well as other organizations.
As Makaila continued to share her story, additional mediums of reaching kids have become available through the Blatantly Honest mission. One example of this is distribution of Blatantly Honest coloring books. Now, elementary aged students can learn real life situations about bullying and body image inside the classroom. The coloring book learning is followed up with a speaking engagement from Makaila to personally reinforce the learning values illustrated in the books.
As President and Founder of The Blatantly Honest Foundation, Makaila wants to ensure that students everywhere have access to books, speaking engagements, and other educational resources to combat social issues in the youth.
For more information on Makaila Nichols please visit her website: www.makailanichols.com
Together, we will change the stigma behind bullying and other social issues by educating the public, encouraging students to share their stories and to become Blatantly Honest in their own lives.
Vice President | Treasurer
Mr. Steve Nichols brings decades of experience in corporate America and as a private entrepreneur. He has spent many years in the sales, marketing and advertising industries along with more recently in the family entertainment and attraction business. Now, with the addition of an International Patent pending app
Vice President | Treasurer
Mr. Steve Nichols brings decades of experience in corporate America and as a private entrepreneur. He has spent many years in the sales, marketing and advertising industries along with more recently in the family entertainment and attraction business. Now, with the addition of an International Patent pending application which is set to be released soon. He has a facile ability to conceptualize business opportunities and combines that with an aggressive approach toward growth, leading to mergers and acquisitions of companies he has represented as the seller and to those companies he has owned. His main career focus had been in the outdoor advertising business having operated several successful firms in the Northeastern U.S. His entrepreneurial acumen has led him into a number of other areas including recruiting, food service ownership, and consulting with a variety of establishments that include Fortune 500 companies. Steve's philanthropic is equally impressive both here in his adopted state of Florida and his first home in Upstate New York. His board work with the Make-a-Wish Foundation, Florida Hospital for Children at The Walt Disney Pavilion, and The Dr. Phillips YMCA are the quintessential definition of the entrepreneurial spirit and serving his community.
Mr. Nichols greatest enjoyment is first and foremost the path that his daughter Makaila is taking in making a difference for children all across the country. Anything beyond this is secondary.
Secretary
Julie Broughton is a news anchor and meteorologist for News 6 in Orlando. In addition to her anchor duties, Julie loves highlighting positive news in her Getting Results in Our Schools segment. In fact, that’s how she met The Blatantly Honest Foundation founder, Makaila Nichols! Julie was so inspired by Makaila’s anti-bullying
Secretary
Julie Broughton is a news anchor and meteorologist for News 6 in Orlando. In addition to her anchor duties, Julie loves highlighting positive news in her Getting Results in Our Schools segment. In fact, that’s how she met The Blatantly Honest Foundation founder, Makaila Nichols! Julie was so inspired by Makaila’s anti-bullying and body positive messages, that here she is serving on the board!
Julie grew up outside of Louisville, Kentucky and has worked on-air at television stations in West Virginia, Indiana, Chicago and Orlando. While in Orlando, Julie covered the historic 2004 hurricane season and still jumps back in front of the weather wall during major weather events like hurricanes or tornadoes.
Julie also has a passion for entertainment news. She’s interviewed celebrities like Lance Bass, Wayne Brady, and Scott Stapp. Her very first celebrity interview was Muhammad Ali back when she was an intern!
Julie believes it’s never too early to start conversations about bullying and inclusivity and encourages her tween daughter, Isla, to live blatantly honest. And oh, if you ever meet Julie or Isla, be warned that they will show you lots of pictures of their golden-doodle puppy, Jake Faberge.
Officer
Mr. Thomas Reale is seasoned veteran of the publishing industry, Tom Reale brought over 30 years of diverse experience to BBPG when he joined the organization in 2014. In the five years since his arrival at the Texas-based publisher, BBPG has experienced sales and distribution growth of more than 900 percent, and in 2018 and 2019,
Officer
Mr. Thomas Reale is seasoned veteran of the publishing industry, Tom Reale brought over 30 years of diverse experience to BBPG when he joined the organization in 2014. In the five years since his arrival at the Texas-based publisher, BBPG has experienced sales and distribution growth of more than 900 percent, and in 2018 and 2019, Publishers Weekly ranked the company No. 2 on their Fast-Growing Independent Publishers list. Following his highly effective leadership as COO, Tom was promoted to the role of President in 2018. Tom has previously served in various capacities at Random House, HarperCollins, and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, among others. He led the pre-merger change initiative Custom Advantage at Harcourt Education, as well as the project management office for product development after Harcourt’s merger with Houghton Mifflin.
Board Member
James Haven, Champion of the Defenseless, Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation Expert has worked with three US Presidential Administrations, Global Leaders and lobbied Congress multiple times on children's rights. He sponsored AB3189, which allows youth ages 14-18 to get sexual assault forensic examinations without p
Board Member
James Haven, Champion of the Defenseless, Anti-Human Trafficking & Child Exploitation Expert has worked with three US Presidential Administrations, Global Leaders and lobbied Congress multiple times on children's rights. He sponsored AB3189, which allows youth ages 14-18 to get sexual assault forensic examinations without parental consent. James understands when children are allowed a voice, empowered and free, revolutionary change can manifest. James' mission is to unite our future Global Leaders, Government Agencies, Federal Departments, NGOs and Multinational Corporations to address trafficking at its core.
James, brother of Angelina Jolie and son of actor Jon Voight, is no stranger to the influence the media has on our world. He produces compelling content on awareness, transforming dark subject matter laden with insidious overtones into illuminating positive solutions. James plans to produce and direct a film based upon Rachael Denhollander's book What Is a Girl Worth?. She is a TIME 100 honoree, gymnast, attorney and the first plaintiff to publicly accuse Larry Nassar, the former MSU and USA Olympic doctor of sexual assault.
The Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) at the Palomar Forensic Health Services changed the course of James' entire life. He teamed with Dr. Bremley Lyngdoh, Co-Chair of the UN Sustainable Development Education Caucus. James is working with Dr. Lyngdoh's partner Hasina Kharbhih, recipient of the Gold Star Award from the US State Department in 2013 and the Mother Teresa Award for Social Justice in 2019, to replicate her Impulse Model around the world to stop the trafficking of refugees. James is collaborating with Alicia Kozakiewicz, The Alicia Project & Alicia's Law, to architect an all- inclusive hub for research, knowledge, guidelines, resources and inspiration. He joined Alicia's crusade to protect children from online predators.
He believes must be the catalyst for change, and not just a think tank without mechanisms in place to effect transformation worldwide. James' vision is to educate and uplift humanity as well as help survivors restore their dignity, shielding them as they heal and thrive as conquerors, never-again as victims.
Board Member
Dale is an entrepreneur, teacher, health coach, motivational speaker and philanthropist. She is a thought leader and advocate for technological advances and promoting healthy practices in the fashion and modeling industries. Dale has a passion for connecting, empowering and assisting others to make dreams become reality.
Da
Board Member
Dale is an entrepreneur, teacher, health coach, motivational speaker and philanthropist. She is a thought leader and advocate for technological advances and promoting healthy practices in the fashion and modeling industries. Dale has a passion for connecting, empowering and assisting others to make dreams become reality.
Dale Noelle has been featured in multiple television, print, and online publications, including Bloomberg, Forbes, Fox Business News: Worldwide Business with kathy ireland®, The Huffington Post, New York Times.
She is an instructor at The Fashion Institute of Technology, a board member for Miss America New York, on the nominating committee for TedX-Fulton Street, is an emerging leader on the board of The Federal Enforcement Homeland Security Foundation. She was a board member of the Women and Fashion Filmfest who created the organization’s Girls’ Empowerment Fashion Runway show. She is a member of the President’s Circle at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, volunteers and holds committee positions in various charitable organizations including Solving Kids’ Cancer and Women’s Entrepreneurship Day. Most recently, Dale has been nominated to the board of the Blatantly Honest Foundation and is an Ambassador for Operation Inclusion, the foundation’s mission to the moon.
Dale was one of the fashion industry’s most successful fitting models for nearly two decades before she founded TRUE Model Management. During her career as a professional model, she worked with the most reputable fashion influencers including designers/brands: Michael Kors, Calvin Klein, Oscar de la Renta, Tommy Hilfiger, Oleg Cassini, Ralph Lauren, Nicole Miller, Gap, J.Crew, Victoria’s Secret, and many more.
Board Member
As the Manager of Partners in Education for Orange County Public Schools and the current President of Florida Association of Partners in Education; Kathleen works with businesses and their philanthropic goals for schools. Educating children has always been a passion for Kathleen, with a total of 19 years in education, 15 of w
Board Member
As the Manager of Partners in Education for Orange County Public Schools and the current President of Florida Association of Partners in Education; Kathleen works with businesses and their philanthropic goals for schools. Educating children has always been a passion for Kathleen, with a total of 19 years in education, 15 of which was in the classroom. She has seen the the results of bullying and the positive outcomes of mentoring and role models.
Space Advisor
Since the late 1970s John has been one of very few designers pioneering the field of outer space architecture. He worked on designs for NASA for the “International Space Station” (ISS) assembled in Earth orbit and did the first interior designs/models for the “SpaceHab” human-rated module which flew 15 times in the Space Shut
Space Advisor
Since the late 1970s John has been one of very few designers pioneering the field of outer space architecture. He worked on designs for NASA for the “International Space Station” (ISS) assembled in Earth orbit and did the first interior designs/models for the “SpaceHab” human-rated module which flew 15 times in the Space Shuttle cargo bay.
In 1982 he started pioneering the space tourism industry, basing it on the cruise line industry, and since the mid-1990s he has been designing his original concept for an orbital super yacht called “Destiny.”
He is the author with Karen L. Rugg of the first book on space tourism published in the United States called Space Tourism—Do You Want to Go? In 1996 he founded the Space Tourism Society.
http://spacetourismsociety.org/ and http://spacetourismconf.com/
He has an extensive background in spaceport planning and design and designed the interiors for an underwater hab/lab for NOAA still in operation and a science base built in Antarctica for NSF.
He has been quoted and appeared in over 200 TV and radio shows, newspaper and magazines articles on space tourism. He coined the term Space Experience Economy (SEE) in 2005.
Paralleling his real space work is his design and development work on Earth-based space themed real estate ventures, with over $340 million invested in building his space/future, Sci-Fi concepts to date.
He is currently designing a proposed $2 billion space/Mars/future themed mixed-use complex called “Mars World” to be built in Las Vegas (not yet funded). Recent design projects include a terminal building for the Mojave Air and Space Port and the “Space World” pavilion interiors at the South Korean Science Center. It opened to the public in early 2015. His concept and master plan design for the “Space World Japan” theme park opened to the public in 1991. It attracted over 1.2 million annual visitors. It closed in late 2017 after 27 years and 40 million visitors because of land values rising and need for high-tech commercial development.
He is also an advisor on space/future themed movies, TV shows and computer games. He has provided advice to James Cameron on his Mars movie, Steven Spielberg’s company Amblin Entertainment on two TV shows and is currently advising Disney Junior’s team for the animated TV series “Miles From Tomorrowland.” He is also currently advising JJ Abrams company, Bad Robot on a space movie. He is a senior space science/futurist advisor for the Science and Entertainment Exchange which is a part of the National Academy of Sciences.
http://www.scienceandentertainmentexchange.org/
The fusion of real space and entertainment space design provides a unique perspective and service to his clients and his own ventures.
Advisor
For 20 years, Kenny has written, produced, designed and directed award-winning branded content projects for TV and film. Ever the visionary, he delivers immersive concepts and projects for theme park attractions, executive briefing centers, innovations centers, live events and exhibitions.
Early in his career, Kenny helped launch th
Advisor
For 20 years, Kenny has written, produced, designed and directed award-winning branded content projects for TV and film. Ever the visionary, he delivers immersive concepts and projects for theme park attractions, executive briefing centers, innovations centers, live events and exhibitions.
Early in his career, Kenny helped launch the Golf Channel as well as other brands that now have national recognition and retail presence. Kenny brings a creative energy to GoConvergence that inspires all of us to be the best brand team in the industry and to always be thinking of the next big idea!
Advisor
Dan Rosenstein is a Financial Advisor with experience in asset and liability management for high net worth individuals, businesses, foundations and endowments. He provides highly customized portfolios and investment strategies in addition to efficient financing strategies and risk management for clients. Every engagement with a cli
Advisor
Dan Rosenstein is a Financial Advisor with experience in asset and liability management for high net worth individuals, businesses, foundations and endowments. He provides highly customized portfolios and investment strategies in addition to efficient financing strategies and risk management for clients. Every engagement with a client starts with a comprehensive review of their current overall financial life, resulting in a carefully drafted financial plan that outlines the steps necessary to help achieve their short and long term financial goals.
Philanthropy, Impact, Diversity and the Arts are particularly important to Dan. Dan sits on multiple not-for-profit boards and advisory committees.
Our incredible team, led by 25-year-old Makaila Nichols, is focused on changing the stigmas behind social issues that young people are facing. With the help of well-respected individuals, business executives, and other community leaders, the Blatantly Honest team plans to expand into schools, organizations, and youth groups across the globe.
Makaila Nichols had always felt a sense of protectiveness when it came to others. Growing up, she was an only child that suffered from eating disorders, bullying, sexual assault, and other social issues. With the help of her parents and other pivotal figures in her life, Makaila decided to take the worst years of her life and turn them into a positive lesson to share with other young people.
We focus on making a lasting impact on the lives of young people by encouraging them to speak up for others and themselves. We believe that everyone has a story and the power to overcome their deepest of struggles.