Dr. Watkins obtained her Ph.D. in Urban Planning and Public Policy from the University of Texas at Arlington. She also holds a master's degree from the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs at Syracuse University and an undergraduate degree from Oklahoma University. Her dissertation, titled "Budgeting in Times of Fiscal Stress: Analysis of the Budget Process and Resource Allocation of Social Programs in a Large Urban County from 2006 – 2017", was completed at The University of Texas at Arlington in 2019.
Recently, Dr. Watkins authored a book called "Women in Leadership, the Power of She." It delves into women's triumphs and challenges while navigating the complex leadership landscape. The book seeks to empower aspiring female leaders by providing guidance and inspiration. The book provides a comprehensive analysis of leadership in various scenarios. It offers valuable insights into the evolution of women's leadership in our digital age. The author takes pride in her growth in being direct and genuine while learning to say no when necessary while still being respectful. The book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the changing dynamics of women in leadership in the modern world.
Her book illuminates the challenges women face in their professional careers. It offers practical insights on the importance of mentorship, allyship, and building support networks. The book presents real-life experiences and actionable strategies, making it an invaluable resource for new and experienced leaders.
She has experience working in various public organizations, including non-profit organizations, community colleges, higher education institutions, and county governments. She is married to Robert and enjoys being an entrepreneur and podcast host in her free time. She has also participated in various discussion panels, highlighting the importance of high-performance local governments in bridging the gender gap in the workplace, particularly in the digital era. She is enthusiastic and committed to helping people. She enjoys romantic comedies, cycling, reading, and crafting in her free time.

David Elliot Grann is an American journalist, a staff writer for The New Yorker, and author. His first book, The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon, was published by Doubleday in February 2009.

Olivia Campbell is the New York Times bestselling author of “Women in White Coats: How the First Women Doctors Changed the World of Medicine.” She is a Health Editor at Dotdash Meredith and a thesis advisor for Johns Hopkins University's science writing program. Campbell’s work has appeared in The Atlantic, National Geographic, New York Magazine, HISTORY, and The Guardian, among others. She lives outside of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with her husband, three children, and two cats.

Walter Seff Isaacson is an American author, journalist, and professor. He has been the president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, a nonpartisan policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C., the chair and CEO of CNN, and the editor of Time.

Robert Greene is the author of the New York Times bestsellers The 48 Laws of Power, The Art of Seduction, The 33 Strategies of War, and The 50th Law. His highly anticipated fifth book, Mastery, examines the lives of great historical figures such as Charles Darwin, Mozart, Paul Graham and Henry Ford and distills the traits and universal ingredients that made them masters. In addition to having a strong following within the business world and a deep following in Washington, DC, Greene’s books are hailed by everyone from war historians to the biggest musicians in the industry (including Jay-Z and 50 Cent).

Multi-platinum, Grammy Award–winning pop icon Britney Spears is one of the most successful and celebrated entertainers in music history, with more than 100 million records sold worldwide. In 2021, she was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People. Spears’s album Blackout was added to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame’s Library & Archives in 2012. She lives in Los Angeles, California.

Michael Finkel is the author of "The Art Thief," "The Stranger in the Woods," an international bestseller, and "True Story," which was adapted into a 2015 motion picture starring James Franco and Jonah Hill. He has reported from more than 50 countries and written for National Geographic, GQ, Rolling Stone, Esquire, Vanity Fair, The Atlantic, and The New York Times Magazine. His work has been anthologized in The Best American Sportswriting, The Best American Science and Nature Writing, The Best American Travel Writing, and The Best American Non-Required Reading. He lives with his family in northern Utah and southern France.

Rosen describes his "first real job" as being hired by Seth Lipsky in 1990 to create an art section for The Jewish Daily Forward. Rosen describes Lipsky as an important influence. He held the job for 10 years. As of 2007 he was editorial director of the Nextbook

Rosen's Joy Comes in the Morning (2004) features the protagonist, Rabbi Deborah Green, who struggles with the perceptions of women rabbis. This work's inclusion of a woman rabbi is viewed as a significant development in American Jewish writings featuring women rabbis.

In April 2023, Rosen published The Best Minds: A Story of Friendship, Madness, and the Tragedy of Good Intentions, a memoir about his friendship with Michael Laudor, a Yale Law School graduate with schizophrenia who killed his fiancée in 1998 during a psychotic episode. The book was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize and has received high critical acclaim.