TIM: Who Is Moses Katakanya?
Moses: I am a trained Software Engineer, Project Manager, and Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt, who has worked for several companies in the network infrastructure and project management, with responsibilities in the areas of new product launch, IT infrastructure deployment and business waste reduction using Lean and Kaizen theory best practices.
I have over twenty years IT experience with eleven of those years spent as a professional service consultant at LAUSD, the 2nd largest school district in America (with a total operating budget of $7.59 billion). Worked with inner-city high schools and assisted transforming them to become digital high schools, as well as design, plan and build their network infrastructure within budget and on project schedule. After LAUSD, I spent much of my time in China and South Korea sourcing for energy efficient products and was awarded the exclusive contract by LG International to supply energy efficient products to Southern California Edison and to PG&E.
TIM: Wow!! That’s great. Now tell us how you educated yourself for all these accomplishments.
Moses: After my degree in Computer Information Systems, with a minor in Telecommunications I studied and got certificates in Project Management, Lean Six Sigma Greenbelt and Unity programming. I am a standing member of three International professional Respected associations, the Project Management Institute (PMI), the CompTIA, the world’s leading tech association, and the International Society of Six Sigma Professional (ISSSP).
TIM: How did you translate your education to business?
With all this knowledge and experience I became a co-founder for a startup technology company that is building software applications that use the game engine of Unity and Unreal, running on VR platform. These apps are currently being marketed as exposure therapy in stress management for people with type-2 diabetes, anxiety management, and opioid addiction management. I am also the co-author of CCT/AT/PT model a virtual coaching platform
A few years ago I Co-founded All Out Imaging LLC, a document imaging company that performed conversion of paper documents to a digital format that could then be used to email, fax, and work with other applications, like accounting systems. This technology saves time and money while preserving natural resources and securing vital information from disaster, and even created more office space.
I also founded Ruach Social Enterprise, a company that initiated for-profit and nonprofit relationships between the US and developing countries in Africa that focused on addressing health issues facing cities in developing countries and learning about how US cities are using e-government to scale services to reach and serve their citizens. In one of my initiatives, I hosted the Vice President of Uganda in partnership with the city of Altadena
To many of my friends and coworkers I am known as a social entrepreneur, with two nonprofit companies, Ruach International foundation, and Ruach Social Enterprise. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/45-2820385. I created these two companies with a mission to help and train the youth in life skills and guidance in scholarship applications.
TIM: What a rich and diverse experience! Tell us why you are now focused on coaching.
Moses: I am entering a new industry of coaching. I like to help people and I know if I can do well for myself while helping others, it is a win/win value proposition endeavor.
As a mindfulness meditation coach using virtual reality apps that I created with my son to help young people in the inner city learn to manage their attention and stresses using VR. I possess great credibility in this area as someone who has been practicing mindfulness meditation for over 27 years and whose mindfulness practice has helped a great deal with PTSD.
I suffer from PTSD (traumas) stemming from my experience as a young soldier in Ugandan guerrilla army. Without mindfulness meditation practice, I would have been an alcoholic or be dependent on other forms of escapism since therapy is not an affordable option for a poor man. Indeed, poor people are crafty, so I started practicing mindfulness before it was mainstream as it is today. That makes me credible and authentic to teach it.
As a storyteller at our launched podcast platform. I like to tell stories of optimism, faith, and hard work and that I hope will inspire others in an authentic and relatable way.
TIM: What kind of coach are you and what do you do?
Moses: I am a lifestyle change management/resilient coach/trainer on the “Art” of building resilience, using CT/AT/PT platform that integrates evidence-based applications such as CDC Lifestyle change management program for type2 Diabetes, the inner-hero expert judgement developed by College Career Counselor, Carolyn Kalil, M.A, a bestselling author in career pathways, and Brain-Health application developed by Dr. Daniel Amen.
When not coaching, I teach an online class on the practice of Mindfulness application exercise using CT/AT/PT platform for beginners, a software application running on Virtual Reality platform that offers end-user an immersive experience in a form of storytelling format.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Immersion_(virtual_reality)
Virtual Reality Immersive experience is experiencing “(Immersive virtual reality is a hypothetical future technology that exists today as virtual reality art projects, for the most part. It consists of immersion in an artificial environment where the user feels just as immersed as they usually feel in everyday life)” Immersion (virtual reality) – Wikipedia
- I am the founder of net, a podcasting dialogue platform that features speakers, experts, and coaches on the following areas
- Lifestyle change management strategies to inform and educate about ways to reverse the trend of obesity among young people and helps people find evidence-based lifestyle change management application like CDC lifestyle change program that is available and free to many people
- Selfcare management tools – featuring speakers and subject matter experts that talk about how to integrate evidence-based self-care management tools (do it yourself) like mindfulness into CCT/AT/PT platform, to track, monitor and manage unhealthy stress
- Featuring Carolyn Kalil, M.A, a Career pathways expert & a bestselling author on “know yourself, find your right fit career path” offering free self-awareness assessment tools for career awareness and team building
- Featuring edutainment on clean humor, relationships, Mental fitness, emotional fitness, and spiritual fitness
- Featuring stories of cancer patient spouses to offer them an area to support one another.
TIM: That’s impressive Moses now with all these great things you do, what keeps you motivated daily?
Moses:I am a person that is driven by great faith in the possibilities, and with such optimistic attitude I do things that most find intimidating or impossible, like organizing the first trade mission from Los Angeles to South Africa, immediately after the release of Nelson Mandela, while a student at a community college (Pasadena City College). I envisioned the possibilities of getting African Americans in Los Angeles participating in post-apartheid South Africa. I put a team of friends, Anthony T. Smith, Mark Miyoka and Tebo Moema and treated them on Kentucky fried chicken and sold them the idea. As soon as they approved the team embarked on the plan to be the first to take a trade mission to the post-apartheid South Africa. We spent many hours researching at the local library, and managed to sell the idea to the South African Consul, the LA city mayor’s office under Tom Bradly and South African Airlines. Through their efforts, they managed to put together a team of 20 businessmen and great gospel choir of Andrew Crouch to perform a concert in South Africa. I must confess that “it was only by my optimistic nature and hard work” that led this team to buy in, and that led the trade mission possible. I was a student with no money but with a vision. I have earned a reputation in my network of American and foreign-born immigrants as the go-to when you need to look for investors or host dignitaries in the city of Los Angeles. I have hosted several Ugandan ambassadors working with Danny Tabor; hosted a vice president of Uganda in partnership with the city of Altadena and Prime Minister (Dr. Samson Kiseka) with a town council of the city of Riverside. I tell these stories not as a bragging right but as evidence of what optimism and hard work can do. Do not get me wrong. I have also had many failures, but I have never given up. This quote by Hellen Keller, inspires me “Character cannot be developed in ease and quiet. Only through experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, ambition inspired, and success achieved.”
TIM: Amazing Moses!! Let’s talk about your family now.
What does family and friendship mean to you?
Moses: I am known to my friends and colleagues as a caring individual that loves to build others to become the best of themselves, and I am not afraid to motivate others through sharing my personal stories of fighting health and weight problems, family diabetes, PTSD, loss, and the process of enduring challenges for caring for a cancer wife. I have lived in Alhambra California with my wife Vibien for 18 years, a breast cancer survivor with a son, Josh and a dog, called Olly. I am a regular hiker with my wife, son and dog, to some of the difficult hikes like the bridge to nowhere, Mt. Wilson, etc.…etc. Bright Angel Trail at Grand Canyon National Park and Havasupai hike.
When I am not working or attending other family responsibilities, I am competing in outdoor activities like (marathon, hiking, biking, etc., etc.) organized by nonprofits to raise money raise awareness for their social causes. I have competed in some of the following nonprofit activities:
- 11k marathon for Annual Bra run for under-insured breast cancer patients and won 1st place
- Was 2nd at the Beijing competition
- MTN marathon to raise money for underprivileged schools
- Competed to overcome his fears of public speaking and wining district level competition
Toastmaster International H2 public speaking competition http://reports2.toastmasters.org/DF/H2010-11/HallOfFame.html
https://ktla.com/2019/08/25/7th-annual-bra-run-supports-underinsured-breast-cancer-patients/
https://www.athlinks.com/event/216511/results/Event/874307/Course/1658642/Bib/1126
TIM: You seem to have a deep love for physical challenges, have you won any?
Moses: Yes I completed a team challenge and was number two at the Great Wall of China
TIM: What do you think about giving back to the community?
Moses: I am passionate about volunteering
I am a member of UN Volunteers (The United Nations Volunteers (UNV) program that contributes to sustainable human development through volunteerism worldwide.
- Volunteer: Parent schools site council, Mark Keppel High School
- Volunteer at local church on the Race relations
- Initiated an outreach program between Breakaway technology and USC University to donate computers that were used to build and start the 1st computer club at one of LAUSD the inner-city schools, Crenshaw high school. This computer club was a great resource for students and parents in the community. It paired students with working professionals in the technology industry that mentored students, especially minority girls to pursue careers in science and technology. The Club won great reviews by the LA Times, teachers and parents.
TIM: Wonderful Moses how fascinating? Tell us what are you most proud of?
Moses: I am proud of a few of the projects I have been proudly responsible for their successes
- One of the first three business leaders with Mark Meyoka, and Anthony D. Smith that planned and organized the 1stbusiness mission of 20 businesses to visit South Africa, immediately after the release of Nelson Mandela while working with the mayor’s office of the City of Los Angeles
- Planned and organized business conferences that hosted country ambassadors, while working with Danny Tabor, former mayor and former Secretary of state representative in California
- Co-produced of one of the biggest entertainment Sevens Rugby Event with his partner Steven in Los Angeles
- Sponsored and built the 1stinner-city computer club at Crenshaw High School in partnership with Breakaway technology and USC.
- Created 2 nonprofit Ruach International Foundation (copy the link and paste) https://www.guidestar.org/profile/45-2820385
- Someone who finds time support nonprofit organization
TIM: Fascinating Moses now tell us, what are you working on right now and what is next for you?
Moses: I am a participant at the first ever launching of the THE SELF-CARE MANAGEMENT TOOLS CONFERENCE IN THE WEST COAST THAT FEATURES EVIDENCE BASED COACHING APPLICATIONS DEVELOPED BY EXPERTS WITH TECHNOLOGY TOOLS FOR COACHING. I look forward to inspiring attendees and participants.It’s a very exciting time for me!
TIM: Thank you Moses for your great work we look forward to your success with your coaching business and much more health and wellness.