Welcome to Real Life Lessons

San Jose Mercury News
Silicon Valley star uses life's lessons to teach others
Nora Villagran


*"The book is a fascinating look at Gisonni's transformation from a high-powered valley player to an empowered community contributor."*

Silicon Valley's Debbie Gisonni -- author of ``Vita's Will: Real Life Lessons about Life, Death and Moving On'' -- was a rising executive, moving in the valley's high-tech fast lane.

Then she experienced a heart-changing transformation that changed her life forever, leading her to trade in a six-figure income and stock options for a path she considered richer in meaning.

On Wednesday, she will be at East West Books in Mountain View to talk about what she's learned since making that momentous decision.

Once the publisher of Network Computing, Gisonni went on to help launch Internet Week. Yet, at the peak of her career, she was in the midst of family tragedy: Her mother, father, sister and aunt all died from illness or suicide within a four-year period.

Their deaths inspired Gisonni to write her book, which she named after her mother, Vita. The book is a fascinating look at Gisonni's transformation from a high-powered valley player to an empowered community contributor.

A part of the book sales' proceeds is donated to Y-me National Breast Cancer Organization, National Brain Tumor Foundation, International Myeloma Foundation and American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.

Gisonni now heads Real Life Lessons, a company serving women in business, people who have lost a loved one or who have experienced a major change in their lives. She is also president of the San Francisco chapter of the Women's National Book Association and works with organizations that teach teenage girls business and life skills.

March 20, 2001