Council Literary Series: Dr. Zelana Montminy in conversation with Leslie Michelson
11am | Reception
11:30am | Author Program
12:30pm | Lunch and Book Signing
Bel-Air Country Club (10768 Bellagio Road, Los Angeles, CA 90077)
Parking Information
*Valet parking is included
If you have any questions, please email The Council office at thecouncil@lfla.org or call 213.228.7506.
Our Guest Author:
Dr. Zelana Montminy
Dr. Zelana Montminy is a renowned behavioral scientist, author, and educator whose work explores how we reclaim attention and resilience in an era of endless distraction. Her most recent book, Finding Focus: Own Your Attention in an Age of Distraction (Sept 2025), has already been selected as a Next Big Idea Club “Must-Read” by Malcolm Gladwell, Adam Grant, Susan Cain, and Daniel Pink. Dr. Montminy has lectured at UCLA’s graduate school and her work has reached millions through viral essays, media appearances, and speaking engagements. She is also the author of 21 Days to Resilience, a keynote speaker, and a trusted advisor to global organizations. A mother of three, she often draws on her own experiences to illuminate the science of living with clarity and purpose.
Our Guest Moderator:
Leslie Michelson
Leslie Michelson is Co-Founder and Chairman of Private Health Management, a firm that helps individuals and organizations navigate complex medical care and access top-quality treatment. A longtime leader in the health care sector, he has founded and led multiple companies focused on improving patient outcomes and advancing biomedical research.
He is the bestselling author of The Patient’s Playbook: How to Save Your Life and the Lives of Those You Love and has served in leadership roles with organizations including the Prostate Cancer Foundation and the ALS Therapy Development Institute. Mr. Michelson holds a B.A. from The Johns Hopkins University and a J.D. from Yale Law School.
About the Book:
Finding Focus: Own Your Attention in an Age of Distraction
Our brains are wired for focus. We are designed for it, we crave it, and yet in our current age of overload, we often feel like our minds are bolting from one distraction to the next, with sustained focus always just out of reach. Finding Focus is an empowering guide to reclaiming your most precious resource: your attention. Leading behavioral scientist Dr. Zelana Montminy unveils the science behind focus and distraction, revealing how our hyperconnected reality and the endless flux between digital and physical life fragments our thoughts and diminishes our well-being.
Praise
”Finding Focus is an essential read for our distracted times. Focus begins with the body—how we eat, sleep and exercise—and Dr. Montminy translates the latest research into practical steps and simple behavioral changes that will empower you to reclaim your attention.”
— Mark Hyman, MD, author of Young Forever
