The 7% Factor

Gaining Insights, Inc. is a professional development and personal growth company specializing in executive coaching, leadership development, group facilitation and individual consultation.

MEET MONICA L. DASHWOOD, Founder and President

Monica Dashwood

Monica L. Dashwood counsels individuals from diverse fields on how to advance in their work, bridge difficult transitions, and bring greater meaning and creativity into their professional lives. She also consults organizations in strategic planning, leadership and gender diversity matters.

Prior to founding Gaining Insights, Inc., Monica was the division head of THX, Lucasfilm Ltd., one of world's leading film and entertainment companies, for 10 years. Before joining Lucasfilm, she served for 13 years as General Manager and West Division Training Director for American Multi-Cinema, (AMC) a top theatrical exhibition company of 360 theatres with 5,128 screens. During her tenure, she was named General Manager of the Year.

As a result of the experiences she encountered both in and out of the workplace, Monica created Gaining Insights, Inc. Her passion - and that of all members of the Gaining Insights team - is to work closely with talented and qualified professionals, guiding them to realize the work fulfillment and personal independence they deserve.

Monica also currently serves the non-proft sector for Hospice by the Bay in Sonoma, California, pursuing a personal passion to help people face their deepest fears and die with dignity in the comfort of their homes. She is the board president of Pets Lifeline in Sonoma and is a member of the Women's National Chamber of Commerce in Washington D.C.

Monica attended California State University, Fullerton, earning a Bachelor of Arts degree in Spanish literature. She holds a certificate from the Institute of Integral Coaching, an intensive professional development program designed to cultivate self trust, confidence, listening and leadership skills in oneself and in others.

As COO of Pacific Theatres Corp., a leading regional circuit with over 150 screens in Los Angeles, Nora Dashwood has been instrumental in the creation and operation of ArcLight Cinemas, a new theater concept that has introduced a differentiated movie-going experience into the marketplace.

Prior to joining Decurion in 2000, she had an impressive 23-year career with American Multi-Cinema (AMC). As Sr. Vice President of North American staff operations, Nora was responsible for the operations, marketing, food & beverage, human resources, management reporting, and IT departments of more than 200 complexes encompassing more than 2,700 screens.

Nora graduated from Cal State Fullerton and has a masters degree in Business Administration from UCLA. She currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Board of Directors for the National Association of Theatre Owners.

Jann Moorhead's practice focuses on intellectual property licensing, business agreements and entertainment law as well as general business law. She serves as outside general counsel to many corporations.

Most recently, Jann was Associate General Counsel for Lucasfilm Ltd., one of the world's leading film and fully integrated entertainment companies that encompasses motion picture and television production, licensing, video games, visual effects and online activity. Prior to that, she was Vice President of Business and Legal Affairs for Winterland Productions, a subsidiary of MCA Inc. (now Vivendi Universal) and was an Associate Attorney in the national law firm, Loeb & Loeb.

Jann received a Bachelor of Arts degree summa cum laude in French language and literature from Barnard College, Columbia University in New York. She received her J.D. in 1987 from Columbia University School of Law.

Leslie Iwerks is a third generation filmmaker from a two-time Oscar winning family. Her father, Don Iwerks, and grandfather, Ub Iwerks, were both pioneers in the film industry and Academy Award® recipients.

Leslie's documentary short film, Recycled Life, was nominated for an Academy Award ® in 2006 and has won nine top film festival awards. She directed, photographed and edited the documentary which chronicled thousands of people living and working in the largest and most toxic landfill in Central America over the last sixty years - the Guatemala City garbage dump.
Her award-winning theatrical documentary for Walt Disney Pictures entitled The Hand Behind the Mouse-The Ub Iwerks Story records her grandfather's life. Ub was the original designer and co-creator of Mickey Mouse.

Leslie's most recent film, The Pixar Story, chronicles the history, business, artistic triumphs and challenges of Pixar Animation Studios and the computer animation art form they pioneered.