Ingredients of Outliers: Women Game Changers: Outlier Series, #3

By John Shufeldt

While many of us can quickly name five top-achieving men of our time, many of our forefathers, and a glut of masculine trail blazers, the gap certainly exists between the presence of accomplished, world-changing career women, and the availability of books which represent their powerful voice and life giving stories. 

Consequently, Dr. Shufeldt interviewed six remarkable women whose bravery, innovation, and charisma paved the way for others, both men and women, and he began writing his third book in the Outlier Series, Ingredients of Outliers: Women Game Changers. 

Dr. Shufeldt calls these chosen individuals: “Outliers,” defined as: “An exceptional person for whom excellence is merely a starting point toward a destination far beyond our normal definition of achievement.” 

This book is a kaleidoscope look at the lives of women who have humbly and tenaciously pushed past bristly beginnings and daunting opposition to improve systems and circumstances for those in their midst. They have defended the innocent, nurtured selflessly, and proceeded graciously, yet fearlessly past what they thought was possible. Dr. Shufeldt gathers their insights and advice through thought-provoking interviews and uncovers expert tips, and the potent truths that carried these women beyond their wildest expectations. 

The women in this book include: 

- Award-winning novelist Jane Hamilton, who reveals how she was discovered, writing from an apple orchard in Wisconsin and became the author of The Book of Ruth and A Map of the World, which selected as part of Oprah’s Book Club. 
- World renowned environmental journalist, wildlife photographer, and TEDx Presenter, Sharon Guynup, whose investigatory pieces on wildlife conservation have been published in publications like The Smithsonian, National Geographic, and USA Today, exposing human health and endangered species issues 
- Mentor, philanthropist, Attorney-CPA and 2014 Arizona Gubernatorial Candidate, Christine Jones, who served as Chief Counsel for the world’s largest domain registrar, advocating for policy that would make the internet a safer for children 
- Passionate full-time physician assistant, mother of nine, and former star of WEtv’s Raising sextuplets Jenny McClendon, who balances a career and medical missions, while keeping family as her top priority 
- Prolific humanitarian, minority student advocate, physician leader in the field of ophthalmology and academic, Mildred MG Olivier, MD, who is known for her work in Haiti and expert panelist appearances on the Dr. Oz Show 
- Attorney and Former Iowa State Chief Supreme Court Justice Marsha Ternus, who began as a bank teller and became the first woman to serve as chief justice in Iowa’s highest court, and fought for children and those lost in the justice system, remaining active in her community and family 

Read now and take advantage of the opportunity to get to know this diverse group of accomplished women, and let their expertise and leadership pave the path for your pursuit of excellence. Join the ranks of the women outliers who embody empowerment and strive after greatness.

• Language: English
• Publisher: John Shufeldt
• Release date: Feb 4, 2015
• ISBN: 9781940288093

Book preview

Copyright © 2014 by Outliers Publishing

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions whether such errors or omission result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Additionally, the author would like to thank the copyright holders included in this book for their contribution to this work.

ISBN: 978-1-940288-09-3

Cover design by Danil Al Madrim

Interior production by Perfect Bound Marketing + Press, Inc.

Manuscript review by Bob Kelly of WordCrafters, Inc

Table of Contents

Introduction

Chapter 1 | Sharon Guynup, Environmental Journalist

Chapter 2 | Jane Hamilton, Award Winning Novelist

Chapter 3 | Christine Jones, Attorney, CPA

Chapter 4 | Jenny McClendon, PA-C, Mother of Nine

Chapter 5 || Mildred MG Olivier, MD, Ophthalmologist, Humanitarian

Chapter 6 | Marsha Ternus, Former Supreme Court Justice, Attorney

Conclusion

Additional Works by Dr. John Shufeldt

Introduction

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Amazing! I knew these women were amazing even before we interviewed them but now, re-reading the interviews for the umpteenth time, I'm even more inspired and impressed. They're all outliers in their own unique and sometimes quirky ways. Each of their stories is so diverse – even somewhat random – that you wonder how they ended up where they did. 

Despite this randomness, or maybe because of it, they found themselves candidates for the Outlier Series. My goal in writing these books is to allow the readers access to these world-class virtual mentors – mentors they may not have the pleasure of ever meeting. I credit reading with helping me become the person I am today – and because I still have a long way to go in my quest for learning – I continue to spend a lot of time in books.

A great mentor – virtual or in person – can help make your path clearer or give perspective to your failures. At the end of the day, most Outliers had, and credit, some great mentors along their own path. Now, they all want to pay it forward. 

Christine Jones came from humble beginnings – she called herself scrappy. Using education as a stepping stone, she rose to help lead a large corporation and put an end to child pornography on the Internet along the way. She is smart, hardworking, patriotic and very committed to social causes and fiscal responsibility. 

Mildred Olivier was raised by immigrant parents, who came to the U.S. from Haiti. Education was so integral to her family that her father went to medical school when he was in his fifties! Like him, Mildred used education as a way to achieve success as a physician, specializing in glaucoma. (She's so good that I sent my mother to her.) Interestingly, we grew up about a block from each other and even shared the same mentor in medical school. Mildred’s story is incredible on so many levels.

Jane Hamilton is an author’s author. I don’t recall how I ended up reading her novel, Map of the World; I typically read non-fiction. Map of the World changed me. It taught me to open my eyes and know that everyone, during some point in his or her life, fights a hard battle. Jane is a third-generation author who grew up thinking girls were supposed to become authors. Oddly enough, when I mentioned Map of the World and its author to my sister, she responded, Oh yeah, Jane was in my freshman year high school English class!

I have the great fortune of working with Jenny McClendon. She may be the happiest and most content person in the world, while juggling two jobs and nine kids, and being an amazing wife and partner to her very cool husband. She's unflappable, incredibly caring, and a fantastic medical provider.

I wrote about Marsha Ternus in the first two Outlier books. Although she'd never agree with this description, I call her a quiet force of nature. Marsha was the first female Supreme Court Justice in Iowa. What I most admire about her is her unwavering kindness to others, her wit and her legal brilliance.

Sharon Guynup’s path is nothing short of amazing. She had a rough upbringing and started out fighting for survival. Today she fights for wildlife and the protection of human health. She says she’s glad she channeled her fighting spirit into such positive causes. She's traveled all over the world, photographing and writing about a variety of amazing experiences. She credits finding her passion and hard work for her success. In fact, she used one of my favorite phrases – I’m a dog with a bone – when asked about her perseverance and tenacity.

I know that after reading these stories – all told with great humility (I literally had to drag things out of them) – you too will be inspired and find new untapped energy on your own journey toward your pursuit of your individual passion. 

J.S.

Chapter 1

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Sharon Guynup

Environmental Journalist,

Photographer, and Adventurer

Biography:

Sharon Guynup

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If you’re working at a job day in and day out ... and it’s just a job, not an avocation or something that you passionately care about – then you’re punching a time clock and you can’t wait to get out of there. I am going to write and photograph and speak out until the day I keel over. And that’s not a sad thing. That means I’ve been given the chance to live a vibrant life.

~Sharon Guynup

Sharon Guynup is a journalist, editor, photographer, and lecturer. She has written on topics ranging from climate change, melting glaciers, fracking, the safety of nanotechnology, and the state of the oceans, to animal conservation. Her work has taken her around the world. She's been to the remote heart of Eastern Siberia, to India's Kaziranga National Park, to Turkey's Eastern Anatolian villages, to isolated river towns along Myanmar's Irrawaddy River, across Cuba, to African savannas and Latin American jungles.

Sharon started off as a photographer when she was only sixteen. A high school dropout, she earned her equivalency and studied in college. She then became a newspaper and magazine photojournalist, which allowed her to travel the world. In her thirties, Sharon decided to shift her focus to another arena – writing. She took writing courses at New York University in order to change careers, and eventually earned her master's degree in Journalism from New York University’s Science, Health, and Environmental Reporting Program. Sharon writes features, essays, and editorials for national and international publications.

She has contributed articles and commentary to a wide range of publications, including The New York Times, Scientific American, Smithsonian, Popular Science, The Boston Globe, and nationalgeographic.com, among others. Her work has been syndicated by The New York Times Syndicate and Blue Ridge Press, and she currently blogs for National Geographic Cat Watch.

From 2007-2011, Sharon worked as an adjunct assistant professor at New York University's Arthur L. Carter Journalism Institute, in the program where she earned her degree. She’s lectured at TEDx, The Explorers Club, National Geographic LIVE and other venues and has served as an expert on international tours for The American Museum of Natural History and National Geographic Expeditions. As a documentary photographer, Sharon's work earned her a Fulbright Fellowship to Turkey, a New Jersey State Council on the Arts Fellowship, and a Lowell Thomas Award for travel photography.

In the mid-2000s, Sharon started going to India, heading to Kaziranga National Park in northeast India where she glimpsed her first tiger. That was when she really started to focus on cats. Her newest book, Tigers Forever: Saving the World's Most Endangered Big Cat, is a collaboration with National Geographic photographer Steve Winter, published by National Geographic Books. She also launched a book series for the Wildlife Conservation Society, titled State of the Wild: A Global Portrait of Wildlife, Wildlands and Oceans.

Interview:

Sharon Guynup

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Q: Where did your path to becoming a journalist/writer/ photographer/editor start?

A: I guess it started in first grade. I still have vivid memories of reading my first book—it was about a bluebird. I became a voracious reader and started writing my own books in second grade. My grandfather, Bill McKenzie, got me an Instamatic camera when I was five, and he'd give me film and get it processed for me. He was an amateur photographer who had a darkroom in the basement and he was always shooting portraits of us.

He was a huge animal lover. I spent many hours in the backyard with him watching and feeding the birds, and it gave me a lifelong love of cardinals—and fed a deep love for wildlife. My grandfather also subscribed to magazines for me, showing me there was a wider world through the pages of National Geographic and LIFE magazine. He taught me to look at things, to observe and appreciate nature, and look through a viewfinder.

My mother had serious health issues. She was in a lot of pain, had many surgeries, and as a result, became addicted to prescription drugs. She died of an overdose when I was fourteen. My father comes from a long line of alcoholics. He was never visibly drunk, but he could be abusive. It was a tough upbringing. I started running away as an adolescent. It was the kind of situation where you could either succumb, putting your head down to get by, you could fight—or you could get away. I fought, which didn’t turn out well, so I left. At one point, when I was fifteen, I got a job and decided I was never going home.

But, I did go home one day, after I’d been gone for about two months. Winter had come, I was broke, and had no money to buy warm clothes. But my father had changed the locks. My neighbors saw me climbing in through a window and called the police. I got arrested. They took me to a juvenile detention center, and my father wouldn’t let me come home. He told me I’d have to stay there until I was eighteen.

But there was a social worker there who came to me and said, "Look, there are other kids here who’ve done really bad, violent things, who shouldn’t be on the