Background

Organization	First Impressions Image Consulting
Professional Title	CEO, Owner
Bio and Background	Born and raised in Albany, New York, I’ve called Tucson, AZ my home since 1999. I have my MBA in Health Care Management. My background includes over 30 years in healthcare leadership including clinical research, managing large multi-specialty medical practices and hospital departments. Much of my time included stints in roles including Director of Human Resources; Administrator and Executive Director. In 2017 First Impressions was born to enhance the first impression my clients (corporations [for-profit and non-profit] and individuals make at every opportunity. We build self-confidence, coach communications skills (hard and soft skills [eye contact, body language, tone intonation, etc.], networking and negotiation strategies, wardrobe analysis and customer excellence. I was burned as a toddler, when my mom took me to a neighbor’s for a tea party. As I reached for a cookie, I toppled a fresh pot of coffee off the table and all over me. With 40% of my body scalded, no one was sure I would survive. As a burn survivor, and a certified SOAR (Survivors Offering Assistance in Recovery) volunteer (Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors), I speak with audiences, including other survivors, about surviving, thriving and prevention. I share my story verbally and in my book, The Accident (www.booklocker.com/11593) available in English and Spanish about turning obstacles into opportunities. I’ve moved from trauma to triumph, overcoming fears and phobias, body image issues, lacking self-confidence, distrust, bullying and even guilt.
Why I am a Force for Health® Member...	I am a Force for health member because of the importance of teaching, training and supporting burn prevention. Burns are a common occurrence, whether obtained from scalding hot water on the stove, in a bath or other means; a house fire, car fire, fire pit, or touching something hot, etc. Prevention is key, and awareness of dangers within and outside our homes is where it starts.
How I use the Force for Health Network Tools	The Force for Health Network enables me to share my experience and knowledge.
My inspiration	Many people inspire me. My parents who were, at times, barely making ends meet, but always provided a loving and caring home and lifetime encouragement and support, throughout the 60+ year marriage. My granddaughter who is in college, maintains great grades, has an entrepreneurial spirit, and is fun-loving and generous. John O’Leary, a burn survivor who is an amazing speaker, writer, and human. When he speaks there isn’t a dry eye in the room. My sister, Ruth, who is courageous in her long-term cancer battle and who has shared her knowledge and experiences within the blood cancer sphere of professionals and lay-people. My husband, Al, my best friend and most avid supporter of over 45 years. He encourages me to set and reach stretch goals. He attends my speaking gigs, reads and edits my work and holds my hand, physically and emotionally throughout every journey.
Location	I am based in Tucson, Arizona and consider my community to be very broad. My community consists of burn survivors, family and friends who are supporters of our needs (physically and emotionally)
What would you like people to know about your community?	My community is expansive and always growing, intentionally. The makeup of my community includes family, friends, and neighbors. Additionally, it consists of networking group members and my audiences, both virtually and in person. Those in my community support me, as an individual, an entrepreneur, a speaker, coach, author, wife, friend and family member. They stand beside me and raise me up and encourage and inspire me, as well as others trying to expand other’s knowledge through education and prevention.

My Citizenship Health Factors

Some of the factors that have been challenging for me have been...	I have faced challenges since I was 3. They include lacking self-confidence, body image issues, bullying, and feeling alone and lonely, fears and phobias (rational & irrational), as they pertain to my burn accident. Other challenges have been treated unequally by providers making assumptions about my burn scars, imposter syndrome, fear of missing out, speaking up and out (in part to being taught at a young age that we are to be seen and not heard), building community, and identifying the difference between acquaintance and friend.
It's important for me to be part of my community's health because...	It’s important for me to be part of my community’s health because it is the foundation of building community. If we aren’t educated about where we are and how to move forward in a positive and healthy way, prevention being a major component of that, we aren’t going to survive.
Some of the strength of my community health factors are:	My community is making strides in recognizing how we are different. I’m proud to be affiliated with organizations such as the Arizona Burn Foundation, American Red Cross, Phoenix Society for Burn Survivors, etc. and others for supplying educational materials, activities and financial support.
Some of the challenges in my community regarding certain health factors are:	Some of the challenges facing my community include knowledge of available resources. Individuals face challenges including fear of the unknown, acknowledging one’s strengths and areas of weakness and asking for help.
I believe I can help improve my community's health by...	I believe I can help improve my community’s health by providing information about prevention, resources and sharing my story so those in my community understand they are not alone, in their experience, nor in their feelings and attitudes. Their guilt, shame, fear or whatever is not suffered by them in a vacuum. We have all been burned, physically and/or emotionally and by sharing our stories, we heal and help others heal.

Advancing the DREAM

Advancing the DREAM - What it means to me

What it means to me to “advance the dream” is that there is equity among all within every community. Providers and their staff, throughout the healthcare system, unfortunately do not treat all patients equally. We all have biased that contribute to how we interact with others. While there is no easy solution for breaking this cycle, education is the foundation for doing so, and with the advent of Force For Health, I believe we can make a huge impact on advancing the dream.

My Action Pledge to Advance the DREAM?

Better outcomes across our communities start with education. My action will be to create and provide educational curriculums and speaking opportunities on prevention and to support wide audiences within and outside the healthcare arena to advance the dream.

Name	Gayle
Last Name	Petrillo
Nickname	Gayle Petrillo

Gayle Petrillo