Author: Cutting Edge Voices

Dana Priyanka Hammond is an author, advocate, and entrepreneur whose journey from abandonment at a train station in India to becoming a voice for healing and empowerment has touched millions. As the founder of DPH Publishing and creator of the nas.io/dana-speaks healing community, she transforms trauma into purpose through her memoir Abandoned But Not Forgotten, faith-centered growth guides, and trauma-informed resources. Currently completing her Master of Arts in Organizational Leadership, Dana bridges personal experience with scholarly insight to fight human trafficking, support survivors, and help others discover their own resilience. Q. You were abandoned at a train station in India…

Gloria Marcott is the founder and CEO of Soul Punch™, leading the largest women-led safety movement in the world. A survivor of childhood abduction, law enforcement veteran with 18.5 years of service, and multi-patented entrepreneur, she’s training #1MillionWomen in self-defense, leadership, and scalable safety systems that work in the real world, for real women, right now. Q. You were abducted at 12 years old from your bus stop. How did that experience, combined with another safety incident in your twenties, shape your decision to create Soul Punch™? That 12-year-old girl learned something most children shouldn’t have to: the world isn’t…

Victoria Cuore is the founder of A Contagious Smile, a trauma-informed support platform and the first online educational academy of its kind created by survivors, for survivors. Having endured over 100 surgeries herself while raising her daughter Faith, who has faced more than 50 surgeries, Victoria transformed her lived experience of trauma, medical challenges, and survival into a mission of healing and hope. Through A Contagious Smile Online Academy, she provides accessible, trauma-informed courses and resources for special needs families, domestic violence survivors, veterans, teens, and individuals in recovery. Victoria also hosts globally ranked podcasts that give voice to stories…

Clinton Gorham is the founder of The Gorham Agency, an award-winning branding and creative studio based in San Diego. His agency recently received the prestigious title of “Best Branding Agency for Entrepreneurs in 2025” from Insider Weekly. The Gorham Agency specializes in strategic brand development, visual storytelling, and conversion-focused website design. Under Clinton’s leadership, the agency has pioneered an approach that bridges branding and personal development, helping entrepreneurs build brands they truly believe in. Q. Your agency recently won “Best Branding Agency for Entrepreneurs in 2025.” What distinguishes your approach from traditional branding agencies? At The Gorham Agency, our work…

Prof. Peter Kenneth Smith, MB, BS, PhD, FRACP, is a globally recognized allergist and immunologist. He serves as founder of Queensland Allergy Services and holds research leadership positions at multiple universities. With over 150 publications and nearly 4,000 citations, Prof. Smith is a frequent speaker at international conferences and contributes to several global allergy and immunology organizations. Q. Your journey in immunology spans multiple continents and prestigious institutions. What first sparked your interest in allergies and immunology, and was there a particular moment when you knew this would be your life’s work? That’s a great question. I originally started doing…

CEV: When and why did you start singing? MF: I can’t remember not singing. My mother remembers me singing in the crib. It’s just always been an essential part of who I am.It’s what I’m here to do. CEV: What was the first musical instrument that you learned? What is your favorite? MF: The only instrument I’ve ever learned is the guitar. My grandfather bought me a 12-string when I was around 11 and I taught myself to play. CEV: Did you have a voice or instrument teacher when you first started singing? What was the most important thing…

CEV: At the age of 12 most of us really weren’t doing much except hanging around with friends but you were already discovering your aptitude for music and songwriting. Tell me about why you picked up your dad’s guitar and what it was that you felt once you started playing. ALC: I’ve always been massive fan of music, as a child my tape player would be on quietly all night to help me sleep. I always sung in choirs and played in orchestras, and my dad has always had a guitar in each room! So one day I asked my…

CEV: Who were some of the artists that you grew up listening to and how did they influence your perception of what it was to be a “rock star”? SH: I was heavily into new wave. Debbie Harry was my idol and I adored Adam & the Ants, XTC, David Bowie and Siouxsie & the Banshees. I thought the ultimate in “cool” was to be a Rockstar. To be totally self-absorbed and artistic. None of my Idols had choreographed dancers or were corporate stars. It was all about being an individual and creating something new that truly inspired people. CEV:…

CEV: When you look back at the beginning of your interest in music what do you remember as a deciding factor that motivated you to become a singer/songwriter/musician? MD: I began playing guitar when I was eight. I would sit in my room and make up little melodies for hours. My guitar always provided safe haven when anything bothered me. At fifteen I had my first child and moved to Tampa Florida to become an Air Force wife. It was there, in our very small house, very far from home, I wrote my first songs. But the deciding factor in…

CEV: From what I’ve read on your site you’re musical studies began at a very young age. Most of us were barely learning coherent speech patterns while you were already beginning your piano studies. Tell me about the desire you felt as a child to express yourself musically and how this drive motivated you forward through a variety of disciplines.KH: Well, my mother tells me I started piano lessons when I was 3 years old in Washington D.C…I vaguely remember sitting at a piano with multiple-colored stickers on each key, and corresponding colored stickers on my fingers and a big…