Meet Our Staff
Life Coaches
Shellie Smythe
Shellie Smythe asks the powerful questions that will bring awareness and change to evolve your life. Shellie’s particular interests include helping clients who struggle with eating disorders, anxiety, and fear. She joined the Waking Up, Inc. team in 2006 after receiving a Master of Science in Counseling from Johns Hopkins in 2003 and a Life Coaching Certificate from iPEC in 2005. In addition to her academic accolades, Shellie is an accomplished pianist. Every now and then you may spot her giving an impromptu recital in our community room.
John Dunbar
John Dunbar is a Texan at heart with a Southern drawl that is sure to calm anyone. Serving Waking Up for the past 5 years and with more than 15 years of experience, John specializes in helping individuals move through life’s transitions, from a career change to a death in the family. John draws on his time at Southern Methodist University where he received his Master of Science in Counseling in 1997 to help clients get “unstuck.”
Anya Sturgess
Anya Sturgess comes to our team from the heart of Russia after moving to the United States nearly 20 years ago. Working with Waking Up for the past several years, Anya’s passion is intercultural communication. This complements her drive to help people navigate conflicting life decisions and contextual tensions, specifically intercultural relationships and transitioning cultural contexts. Anya is fluent in Russian, Spanish, and French, and she studied communication at the esteemed University of Maryland, earning her Ph.D. in 2010.
Kenneth Lockley
Kenneth “Ken” Lockley realizes that life is confusing and sometimes you just need a “reset.” Ken uses his training with dual bachelor’s degrees in psychology and sociology to help you dig deep to uncover issues you are struggling to overcome such as anger, depression, fear, and low self-esteem so that you can live the life you want. Ken is also a certified practitioner in aromatherapy and the healing use of 100% therapeutic grade essential oils.
Executive Director:
Laura Hambly
Laura Hambly serves as the Executive Director for Waking Up, Inc. As a professional life coach for the past 15 years, Laura is passionate about helping people as well as growing successful businesses. After receiving her MBA from the University of Pennsylvania in 2001, Laura joined Waking Up, Inc. as the executive director to lead our staff toward helping clients to seek answers and not merely advice.
Laura is originally from Boston and loves the outdoors. In her spare time, she hikes with her family, rides horses, and enjoys reading a good book or two.
Chief Operations Officer:
Julie Winters
Julie Winters is pleased to serve as the Chief Operations Officer. As a former client of Waking Up, Inc., she understands and supports the company’s mission to serve the community. Julie arrived at her position by first utilizing the resources of Waking Up as a client and then serving as a life coach under the executive director’s guidance until 2007 when she became Chief Operations Officer. Julie works diligently to create maximum value for the Waking Up, Inc. stakeholders, maintains and monitors staff duties, and participates in planning for the future of Waking Up, Inc.
Julie considers Big Sky country to be the place she was always meant to be. As a wife and mother of three from Detroit, Michigan, Julie cannot imagine raising her family anywhere else. Julie enjoys the rigor of her job and the balance of love and energy her home life provides. If Julie isn’t working, you can most likely find her playing a board game or cooking dinner in the kitchen.
Cafeteria Director:
George Burgman
Originally from downtown Phoenix, Arizona, George Burman made the big move to Montana in search of a way to use his passion for good food to help others. As the cafeteria director for Waking Up, Inc., he gets to do both. George joined Waking Up in 2010 after completing his diploma in Culinary Arts and Restaurant Management from Arizona Culinary Institute. Currently, his focus as director includes hiring, training, and scheduling staff in addition to supervising food planning and preparation for Waking Up, Inc. As a treat to our guests, George also prepares the featured meal once a month.
George enjoys the change of scenery from desert life to the green landscape. The winters were an adjustment, but George considers himself acclimated to the lower temps. When George is not working, he spends his time working toward an Associate in Applied Science in General Business from Rio Salado College.
Life Coach Director:
Henry Watts
New to our team in 2012, Henry Watts brings a wealth of experience to Waking Up, Inc. in his role as Life Coach Director. While serving clients, Henry trains, mentors, and supervises our life coaching staff. A native of Montana, Henry has spent extensive time traveling the world and learning about different cultures, trades, and medicinal approaches. Throughout his travels, Henry has written several awarding-winning life coaching books including How to Tame the Talk and For the Love/Life of Me.
While earning his undergraduate degree at the University of California-Berkeley, Henry developed a passion for surfing. During his respites, he can be found on a beach near Santa Cruz hitting the waves. Accompanying him are his wife, Charlotte, and their two dogs, Sam and Callie.
Director of Public Relations:
Paul Glasser
Paul Glasser has proudly served as the Director of Public Relations for Waking Up, Inc. since 2005 after a flourishing career as the event coordinator for the San Francisco Giants. Upon leaving San Francisco for a quieter life, Paul joined the team to promote Waking Up, Inc. locally and nationally as a premier facility to rejuvenate and refresh. Paul enjoys his time organizing media relations, handling customer relations, and setting up programs to ensure positive community relations.
Paul earned his Bachelor of Arts from Butler University and earned a Master of Human Communication from Arizona State University. In his free time, Paul still enjoys a good Giants game along with fishing and his newest endeavor, pottery classes.
Chief Financial Officer:
Caleb Smith
Caleb Smith diligently works to provide Waking Up, Inc. with finance expertise. As the Chief Financial Officer, Caleb is responsible for overseeing accounting, developing budgets, conducting marketing, and managing pay scales for Waking Up, Inc. employees. Caleb brings a distinct talent for finance honed through his MBA degree from Stanford University.
Making the most of his spare time, Caleb refreshes by playing a round of golf or gathering friends together for the weekend at his lakeside cabin.