I have been blessed by having Dr. Valerie Bentz as my mentor since 2007. She supported me throughout my time as a student, and eventually she became the chair of my dissertation committee. Valerie invited me to participate early on as a researcher to present at the SPHS (Society of Phenomenology and Humastic Sciences) conference in 2008 and again in 2012. I graduated in 2012, and the mentoring relationship has continued. Valerie has encourage me to present at conferences (2016 European Association of Sociologists, 2018 Schutz Circle) and to contribute a chapter for her recent book published by Fielding University Press (Expressions of phenomenological research: Consciousness and lifeworld studies by Rehorick, D., & Bentz, V. M. (Eds.). Our collaboration continues – just this past week, Valerie invited me to present some of my research to her class on communicative leadership, somatics, and phenomenology at the University of the Virgin Islands. My life and scholarship has been greatly influenced and supported through Valerie’s mentoring relationship with me.