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How Brian Femminella and SoundMind App Are Working to Democratize Mental Healthcare

Brian Femminella

The mental health crisis is a serious epidemic sweeping across the country. Research shows that around 20% of the world’s children and adolescents have a mental health condition. Additionally, 26% of American adults have a diagnosable mental health disorder in a given year, and 9.5% will suffer from a depressive illness each year (NAMI). Yet, the expenditure on mental health care still falls below 2% of total healthcare expenditures, and access to therapy remains costly for most (WHO). Worse still, mental health remains a taboo topic in some communities, exacerbating an already dire situation and complicating the lives of victims.

Brian Femminella, the founder and CEO of SoundMind App, is on a mission to democratize mental healthcare. The 22-year-old, openly gay army officer understands the devastating effects of untreated mental health issues and is committed to helping more people avoid them. This commitment stems from his experiences not only as a as a member of the LGBTQ+ community but having also lost friends to depression and PTSD. 

Femminella is a graduate of the University of Southern California where he partnered with SoundMind co-founder, Travis Chen, after interning together on Capitol Hill. Like Femminella, Chen lost a friend to suicide while in college. As a first-generation Taiwanese immigrant, Travis has always advocated for increasing the conversation around mental health in Asian communities. With the SoundMind App, he is setting the pace and creating room for dialog around this issue in his own community. Travis was one of the youngest California State PTA Board Members and helps promote the SoundMind App as a solution for school-aged children. SoundMind App is currently the only app appropriate for adults and children.

The SoundMind App was designed with three primary goals: to provide person-centered quality care, address all aspects of mental wellness, and promote community and connection. The development team utilized sound/music therapy and artificial intelligence to build an app that allows users to decrease stress, depression, overwork, anxiety, and PTSD in the comfort of their own homes and “on the go.” The app allows you to improve your mood and productivity through individualized music therapy, expand your community and connect with other wellness champions, and grow your culture through personal data.

Additionally, the app supports marginalized groups like LGBTQIA+, AAPI, etc., and allows those who might feel uncomfortable in a traditional therapy setting to access care. The SoundMind team continues to bridge the gap in mental health resources and recently announced a FREE lifetime membership for all active duty and veteran military service members. SoundMind hopes to become the go-to mental health resource for youth, schools, and Gen-Z organizations and underserved communities.

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Documentary

From Set to Spectacle: Actor Joey Luthman Takes on a World Record for Cat Health

Joey Luthman has spent two decades building a career in front of the camera. A veteran of network television and film, Luthman has appeared in recurring and guest roles on Weeds, Hawaii Five-0, Chicago Med, Alexa & Katie, *General Hospital, The Goldbergs, Speechless, and Modern Family, along with feature film credits including Bad Teacher and An American Carol. Discovered as a child performer on The Tyra Banks Show, Luthman comes from a family of seven performing siblings and has since built out a career behind the camera as well, working as a writer, director, and producer on his own projects. You can see his acting credits via IMDb: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm2545508/.

Now, Luthman is bringing that same instinct for performance to a very different kind of role, off-script and airborne.

THE NEXT ACT: A WORLD RECORD ATTEMPT

On September 19th, Luthman will attempt a Guinness World Record for hands-free pogo jumping in Glendale, CA, the latest stunt in an ongoing personal mission to raise $1 million for the EveryCat Health Foundation, the world’s leading granting foundation for feline health research and a top funder in the search for a cure for feline Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD), a disease that affects up to 50% of cats age 10 and older 

It’s not the first time Luthman has turned a physical feat into a fundraising platform. Last year, he rode a one-wheeled electric bike across the United States to kick off the campaign, documenting the journey in his film CAT MAN: Journey to Save Cat Kind.

The documentary will get a free screening at the Glendale event starting at 3:00 PM, ahead of the 5:00 PM record attempt.

For an actor known for guest spots and recurring TV roles, the pivot to endurance stunts and philanthropy marks a notable expansion of his public profile — one built less on scripted performance and more on physical spectacle in service of a cause.

JOIN THIS WORLD RECORD-BREAKING EVENT

What: Joey Luthman attempts a Guinness World Record in hands-free pogo jumping 

When: September 19th. Doors/screening 3:00 PM; Record attempt 5:00 PM 

Where: 234 N. Isabela Street, Glendale, CA 

Admission: Free, includes documentary screening and entertainment 

WHAT’S NEXT

Luthman is also serving as an ambassador with a slate of upcoming appearances at feline and veterinary industry conferences, including Cat Con, later this year:  https://www.catconworldwide.com.

Written in partnership with Tom White

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Real Estate

Amelia Turbyfill Is Building Bozeman Luxury Homes With Clarity and Fusion

What do luxury mountain living, thoughtful design, and real estate all have in common? Amelia Turbyfill.

Wide blue skies and jagged rocky peaks surround Amelia Turbyfill’s listings. Bright wood accents are strewn throughout the homes, and tasteful modern furnishings complete the design. 

Her work is integral to the selling of these million-dollar houses. Deeper than that, she mirrors these rugged surroundings and contemporary finishes in her practice.

Amelia Turbyfill is influencing Bozeman luxury real estate through thoughtful development. She connects the shape of new homes to the lifestyle and long-term value buyers desire. 

The new construction of Bozeman Yards exemplifies Turbyfill’s expertise. Her approach involves knowing how to sell luxury property and understanding the lasting appeal that architecture, location, and community can bring to investment potential- foundational qualities to the new development.

Where Experience and Relationship-Building Collide

Bozeman Yards is a 39-residence luxury development that has recently broken ground in the Bozeman Mills Arts District, with construction underway. Turbyfill is the Exclusive Listing Agent for Bozeman Yards.

While this role is distinctive, Turbyfill also brings expertise in ski resort and lifestyle markets, including Big Sky and Park City. There, she advises clients on luxury homes, ski-in/ski-out properties, and more. 

But how does she do it? Turbyfill aligns clients’ lifestyle goals with her gained long-term asset strategy knowledge to create a purchase that serves personal and financial goals.

To do so, she evaluates new developments through several lenses: design, location, livability, lifestyle fit, market positioning, and future value. Her monetary knowledge likely comes from over seven years of industry experience, but the rest comes from deep conversations with clients. 

For Turbyfill, real estate buying or selling is not merely a transaction; it is an opportunity to build unique relationships.

Also unique to Turbyfill’s work is contradiction. She brings the inside and outside together in a central space, while also selling the irreplaceable “luxury” of mountain living.

Combining Contradictions Into Cohesion

The outdoors is a significant part of life in Bozeman, Montana, where the build is located, and Turbyfill explains on her Instagram, @ameliarealestateco, that much of the natural, relaxing feeling comes from the condo design process.

Her work strongly reflects her interest in an outdoor lifestyle with residential comforts. Just as she marries price and design, Turbyfill represents properties that combine the wildness of nature with a serene home. 

The difficult part is determining what luxury means in mountain markets. Listening to clients is half the struggle, but so is navigating a shifting definition as consumer needs and wants change.

In previous decades, luxury may have meant expansive property, high-end finishes, expensive building materials, or prime location. While many of those still matter in today’s market, buyers are also turning toward thoughtful architecture, convenient location, proximity to experiences, surrounding community, sustainability, and ease of ownership.

Turbyfill has shown she doesn’t shy away from a challenge. As the sole listing agent for the new Bozeman yards build, she provides reason to believe she has her finger on the pulse of what contemporary luxury property buyers want.

Profile of a Distinguished Real Estate Agent

Turbyfill also serves as the Northwest Regional Director for RealLuxury, a premier luxury real estate section. In this role, she supports top-performing agents while shaping the regional strategy that expands luxury services across key Western markets.

In addition to this leadership position, Turbyfill has several accolades and certifications. She is a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist (CLHMS) and a Certified Listing Expert. 

Turbyfill is also Certified in Real Estate Negotiation and is a Zillow Premier Agent, certifications that enable her to perform her roles more efficiently and with greater skill. 

Currently representing Lofts on Beal, Turbyfill demonstrates a vested interest in Bozeman’s new thoughtfully designed constructions. The condominium development is an exclusive 11-unit development designed with modern, intentional living in mind. 

Newly listed, the project combines clean architectural design with elevated finishes, providing a space that is energy-efficient, all-electric, and conveniently located in the town. 

Designing, Influencing, and Building the New Era

Bozeman Yards is a significant project for Amelia Turbyfill, and she is approaching it with tenacity and clarity by posting construction updates with a positive attitude. 

As Bozeman builds into a new era, Turbyfill can work with clients to influence and shape it. Her strong relationship-building can amplify clients’ voices and needs, helping design developments that suit their lifestyles. 

She has one eye focused on her clients and one on the future, and with her skill for combining contradictions, Turbyfill may take Bozeman further in the mountain market.

Written in partnership with Tom White

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Music

Zaruflo: For the Joy of Creating Music

Zaruflo is an independent multi-genre music producer. Zaruflo Productions blends hip-hop, R&B, and electronic elements into his unique music. Working on music and his future career as a professional pilot keeps him balanced, driven, and focused. 

Zaruflo, also known as Imar Forbes, is an independent, self-made music producer. Zaruflo grew up in the Bronx in New York City. A natural creative, he developed his unique sound through experimentation and learning from other artists. Inspired by Beastboi and HOL!, he explores neo-dubstep, dubstep, hip-hop, R&B, and trap

“I started making my own music after spending time listening to my favorite artists and thinking, ‘What if I could make my own?’” says Zaruflo.

Music as a Source of Joy 

For Zaruflo, making music provides a way to be creative and continue to improve his craft. He’s not interested in music fame or fortune, but makes music for the joy of it. “Growing up in a strict household, I changed my trauma into a superpower instead of sadness and worked to become the best version of myself,” explains Zaruflo. Zaruflo believes that difficult experiences in life can build personal strength and be used as motivation to create and grow. 

Creating music provides both a challenge and a way to focus on fun throughout life’s ups and downs. Zaruflo continues to work on building his audience and expanding his listener base. Growth isn’t easy. Zaruflo currently works multiple jobs to support his music and his aviation education. 

When independent artists like Zaruflo create, it expresses their unique experiences, struggles, and triumphs. In essence, through music, one can create connections in the world and share experiences in a positive manner. 

Dual Goals in Zaruflo’s Journey

Zaruflo is not only a musician but also has a career goal to become a professional pilot. Once a pilot, Zaruflo plans to relax and expand his music through continued creation. Although music will play second fiddle to his Aviation pilot career, Zaruflo plans to continue working to gain more plays on streaming platforms and get noticed by celebrities and influencers. “My pilot career is going to be the biggest accomplishment I’ll ever achieve,” says Zaruflo. “Of course, if I ever become successful off music itself, that would be awesome!”  

Future Aspirations and Direction 

Zaruflo plans to dedicate himself to completing his aviation education and becoming a professional pilot. Music becomes an important, life-building hobby that brings joy and continual creative challenge. He wants to continue producing music and getting plays on multiple platforms. Achieving over 10,000 plays on a single track remains a secondary goal. The most important goal in music is continuing to learn from other artists and producing music that attracts listeners. 

Zaruflo wants the world to hear his music. Knowing that listeners enjoy his creations makes him happy. It’s good to be popular, but for Zaruflo it’s mostly about having fun and enjoying life. Zaruflo’s audience enjoys listening to original music inspired by his Bronx upbringing and experience with a wide variety of genres. He is up for the challenge of attracting new listeners and continues to work on getting his music out to the public. Reaching listeners in a massively competitive market isn’t easy, but it’s possible. If you’re looking for a unique mix of sounds, check out Zaruflo’s music

Written in partnership with Tom White

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