Throughout his career, Michael has helped others crystalize their ideas. He delights in distilling an idea’s essence. He enjoys helping others find the words they need to convey the messages they want.

The life journey Michael is on is one of personal-growth alchemy. From one crucible to the next, he seeks to become ever better versions of himself. Along his path, he has found the chemistry of faithful friendship to be a most potent philosopher’s stone.

Michael invests a lot of himself in developing curriculum and training teachers. He holds degrees in linguistics, theology, and the humanities. What feeds him, though, are art, music, poetry, philosophy, yoga, and the warmth of close friends. He and his wife of 33 years live in central Florida, where they have raised four children.

On MenLiving’s leadership team, Jim focuses his energies on helping men find the support they need as they embrace their emotions and lean into life further by being vulnerable and asking for help.

Outside MenLiving, Jim is a writer and does one-on-one and group coaching. He is also a highly regarded speaker and storyteller who has won numerous Toastmasters and Moth storytelling competitions.

Jim splits his time between Chicago, Illinois, and New Buffalo, Michigan, with his Divine wife, Christiana, and his Magical daughter, Emma. Jim is passionate about all aspects of physical, emotional, and spiritual fitness. He is an avid cook, a lover of all things nature, and is at his most peaceful state when in or near water. Plunge!

In 2018, Jeffrey founded Visible Man, a nonprofit whose mission is to reduce male suicide. He continues to volunteer in men’s health communities, as well.
Jeffrey survived a time with a concurrent divorce, family estrangement, and abuse-related crisis. It was during a dark moment of suicidal ideation that he committed to help others if he made it through. He frequents therapy with the openness of going to the gym, and he finds joy in crafting safe places for
others.

Jeffrey lives in Rochester, New York. He holds mechanical engineering degrees from the University of Dayton and University of Tennessee. Jeffrey is happily divorced and has two young adult daughters. Jeffrey enjoys anything that involves spreadsheets and data. He also makes time for woodworking, guitar, and hydroponics.

Tony is a MenLiving board member and serves as the organization’s Tech Lead. He is an active MenLiving facilitator, too. He leads meditation sessions, weekly meetings, and mindfulness retreats.

Tony began a daily meditation practice in 2016. His practice has helped keep him on a path of mindfulness and self-discovery. Tony is a co-leader of the North Shore Meditation Community meetup. He also co-founded “Peace of Mind,” a contemplative-practice enterprise resource group.

Tony is a Midwesterner who has lived in Chicagoland for 25-plus years. He holds a BS in philosophy and sociology from UW–Madison, but he pursued a career in technology. Tony lives in Wilmette with his wife and two sons, who are fast growing into young men.

Today, I specialize in men’s psychology and couples work through my private practice. With twenty years of professional experience and a deeply personal journey, I focus on helping men connect, heal, and thrive—a mission aligned with MenLiving.

The pandemic also brought a personal awakening as my life and marriage unraveled. I realized that parts of my masculinity had been arrested early on, fueling my drive to heal myself and others.

Originally from Green Bay, Wisconsin, I now live in Madison with my wife, Kelli, and our two children. I’ve been a licensed clinical social worker since 2009.

Since starting a family, Brandon has been hired by companies and individuals to enhance their professional and personal lives. As a certified Emotional Intelligence Mastery Coach, Brandon’s clients learn how to integrate emotional intelligence strategies, which results in greater self–awareness and leadership.

Leveraging his years as an Australian Representative Gymnast and Coach, his approach combines firm accountability with empathetic coaching, consistently improving client performance outcomes.

In addition to facilitating with Men Living, Brandon has been a facilitator for the ManKind Project for eight years and hosts the ManKind Podcast. The podcast reaches thousands and aims to simplify manhood and masculinity for men seeking guidance in life.

Tony joined MenLiving in 2018 after attending his first MenLiving weekend event.  Today he serves as a board member and meeting facilitator.  Tony’s journey has taken him from Air Force “Brat” to Navy Sailor, traveling and living around the world and country, where he’s learned to embrace the similarities and differences of the many cultures he’s experienced.  He’s been a police officer for almost twenty years and served 7 of it as a homicide detective.  In conjunction with the many tools he’s picked up on his path of self discovery, he largely credits the support and experience of MenLiving for his ability to hold space for the community and officers he serves, and his balanced blend of work and personal life.

Certified as a leader, leader-trainer & facilitation instructor in The Mankind Project, a worldwide organization that transforms men’s lives. Mike has over 20 years of firsthand experience in men’s growth work. His work ranges from shadow work to regressions, diving into limiting beliefs to childhood wounds. His time spent learning and leading in this capacity has uniquely prepared him to help guide clients through the tough inner work that this path requires.

In His Own Words:

Decades ago, I was struggling with bankruptcy and a family being torn apart by addiction. I was trying to fix everything myself and didn’t know what to do with any of it. This made me feel as though I would never make it through to the other side.

I felt like I failed as man and as a human. I felt like my life was over. But I didn’t want my life to be over. I decided to stop struggling on my own and surrender to a mentor who I trusted. This began the intense journey into my own growth and the passion to help others soon followed. I had the desire to reach a life of fulfillment and meaning; I am still on that path today.

Self-Understanding and potential are the key components of personal growth. Diving deep into this growth allows us as humans to connect in ways unimaginable to ourselves and others. Whether in crisis, or stasis I can help you get the fulfillment in life you deserve.

Today, Mike works as an elementary school teacher. He tries to instill and cultivate curiosity, kindness, self-awareness, and joy into the lives of little kids.

In 2012, Todd Adams, a neighbor and acquaintance, invited him to join a new men’s group, what would later be called MenLiving. At first he thought “I don’t need this, I have life pretty much nailed down.” Luckily, a wiser mind prevailed, and he’s been part of the organization since Day 1.

Mike grew up in Lombard, Illinois, a suburb of Chicago, but he calls LaGrange, also a suburb, his home. He graduated from Loras College and earned his Master’s from National-Louis University. He’s lucky enough to be Dad to three young men and to share a blended family with Kelly, who has two kids of her own. He enjoys running, riding his bike anywhere, yoga, concerts, and reading.

Jason is a part of MenLiving because of how much it has been a part of his personal development over the past number of years. Having gone through a difficult divorce and a number of family and career challenges, Jason reevaluated aspects of his life that were no longer serving him with the love and support of MenLiving members behind him. As he went through the process (and still is!), he realized how many men were there to support his journey. Now, in any way he can, he tries to give back that same support which was so critical to his own well-being.

What inspires Jason most is seeing men open up, be vulnerable, and take chances. Jason took the “safe path” in so many ways for much of his life, and now gets pumped to see men take the “edgier path” in any aspect of one’s circumstances. He’s eternally grateful to all that have supported him in his journey and seeks to reciprocate that same support to other men as they embark on their own journeys.

After graduating from Purdue University in 2010, Jared embarked on a transformative journey of self-discovery. He quit his corporate job, learned to surf, traveled the world, studied yoga, and learned from indigenous shamans in Ecuador.

Today, Jared dedicates his time to facilitating MenLiving meetings, providing one-on-one coaching, leading breathwork and meditation groups, mentoring high-school students, and giving keynote speeches. His work aligns seamlessly with MenLiving’s mission to create
spaces where men can connect, heal, and thrive.

Jared is a dedicated life coach and facilitator based in San Diego, California. Through his practice, Sparks of Consciousness, he guides others towards a life of balance, joy, fulfillment, and purpose. His personal journey and deep understanding of the masculine experience make him a compassionate and effective guide for men seeking connection, healing, and growth.

I have called the suburbs of Chicago home my whole life, with the exception of 8 months in Orlando FL. working for Disney as a “good friend of” Captain Hook, Goofy, Woody… and more” I now call Berwyn IL home with my wife and tabby cat. I studied human services in college, and my path took me back to my family business my dad started over 40 years ago. I’m now the owner of Superior Awards & Promotion, an awards and branded products company. I take pride in running a business with good values and it’s challenging. In 2021 I co-founded a business support circle that supports its members to define and create success. This group is a mix between interpersonal work and business development. My personal growth work started at a young age and honestly I’ve been sidetracked multiple times, I tend to learn the hard way. I’ve been in some dark places, and I had support finding my way through them. I have some outstanding teachers, mentors and facilitators helping me with my work. I strive to spread the gifts I’ve received and that I continue to receive with others. I’ve developed an eclectic approach on doing so that is always evolving.I was raised by a single mother and I met the man I now call dad when I was in 6th grade. I was adopted at the age of 32. My parents will always be my greatest teachers.

I have decades of experience helping men and women from diverse backgrounds and experiences do their personal growth and addiction recovery work.

MenLiving I am a long time MenLiving member and I also have the honor of serving on the Board of the Directors. For the past 2 years I have co-lead our annual MenLiving Men’s Retreat and occasionally lead the Monthly MenLiving Meetings. The connections with men in MenLiving are some of the most important relationships in my life!

Family For 15 years I have had the honor to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with an incredible woman and family physician on Chicago’s west side. We parent 4 amazing daughters age 3-13. They are by far my greatest teachers. Thanks to them I am in touch with my inner feminine. My role as their father has been to love, serve, teach, listen and hold space, and support them to live empowered lives as their inspired selves!

Men’s Work and Leadership Development I have over 20 years of leadership experience with the ManKind Project, an international men’s organization that fosters emotional literacy and personal missions for men. As a certified Co-Leader, I have led over 50 of the hallmark MKP offerings, The New Warrior Training Adventure, all over North America. As a Certified Leader-Trainer, I am also responsible for teaching and mentoring the next generation of MKP leaders.

Diversity and Inclusion I was fortunate to grow up in Hyde Park on Chicago’s south side and serve in the US Army, and as a result inter-cultural competency coaching is a strength of my leadership. I have mentored and facilitated many tough conversations on many multi-cultural topics, including workshops on Diversity and Inclusion, Homophobia and Sexism, Racism and Ableism, Power, Privilege and Difference. for men’s groups, and many public and private organizations and businesses. I recently earned in a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Erik Treese – Leadership and Life Coach 

US Army I served 4 years as a 101st Airborne paratrooper during Operation Desert Shield and Storm. Being a solider taught me the importance of physical and mental toughness, duty, mission, clear, and direct leadership, service, accountability, commitment, and teamwork. My military career was cut short due in large part due to alcohol and PTSD. While enlisted I was awarded a Combat Infantryman Badge, the Army Commendation Medal, a Humanitarian Service Ribbon, and a Liberation of Kuwait Ribbon.

Education Upon completion of my active duty enlistment I earned an Associates in Liberal Arts from the City Colleges of Chicago. From there I went on to graduate cum Laude from Northwestern University with a degree in Communications. I am few classes short of a master’s degree in Education from Northeastern Illinois University, and in April 2020 I completed a Certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University.

Business Consulting I got a taste of corporate America dot-com boom during Y2K. I was a consultant with Diamond Technology Partners, a premier global management consulting firm based out of Chicago. I worked on a variety of large-scale technology projects with Enron, Blockbuster, and the Deluxe Checks Corporation. Currently I work with a medium size nationwide real estate construction and development company, a smaller sized foreclosure law firm based in Chicago, and a newly opened chiropractic practice.

Recovery Work My shadow mission is to create a world without broken homes and wounded children. My own addiction had a rough bottom that brought me to my knees and had me homeless on the streets of LA and Chicago. With over 20 years of experience in addiction recovery, I learned a lot about suffering and trauma, perseverance, failure and success, growth and healing, and spirituality. With a dozen years sober today, I truly live life one day at a time, I am active in several 12-Step programs, carry a message of hope, and bring the principles of recovery into my coaching practice.