
Purpose
on
Fire
Purpose on Fire is a 501(c)3 non profit organization that exists to enable people who have discovered their purpose unleash…
Purpose on Fire
Purpose on Fire is a 501(c)3 non profit organization that exists to enable people who have discovered their purpose unleash its potential, and meaningfully launch it into the world. We are governed by the conviction that everyone wins when people discover and live their purpose, and that the effort and search involved in seeking purpose is vital to living to our fullest, one precious life.
Dr. Alise Cortez founded Purpose on Fire in response to some urgent awakenings she encountered while out speaking to audiences on cultivating meaning, passion, inspiration, and purpose in their lives. Many audience participants became excited and motivated about the possibilities of their lives in her talks, while others literally caught fire with the urgency and excitement of realizing their purpose. Alise came to see that, absent support, guidance, education, and consulting, many of the people who caught fire would return from the talk to their regular lives and be completely swept up in the everyday pace of life, snuffing out their dream and relinquishing their purpose. She could not let that happen.
Knowing the power of purpose in our lives to anchor us, give us courage and confidence to pursue our dreams and purpose, energy to see the work through, and an uncanny ability to handle the accompanying stress well, Alise was determined to use her talents, past experience, and her network while channeling her own purpose to help others realize and live theirs. Thus, Purpose on Fire was born in December 2018.
Values







People
Dr. Alise Cortez

Dr. Alise Cortez is affectionately referred to as “The Anti-Undertaker” as she catalyzes the often otherwise “walking dead” to discover and grow their passion, inspiration, and purpose in life and at work. She is a Management Consultant, Purpose/Engagement Catalyst, Speaker, Author, Radio Host, and Social Scientist based in Dallas, Texas. Having developed her expertise within the Human Capital / Organizational Excellence industry over the last 20 years, today she is focused on enabling organizations to lead from purpose and create cultures of meaning that inspire impassioned performance, meaningful engagement and fulfillment, while increasing devoted stay within the organization. For individuals, she also facilitates an online community and various retreats to enable people to discover and grow their purpose and launch it meaningfully and productively into the world. For more information, visit www.alisecortez.com
Alise’s previous 2.5-year residence in Spain and Brazil, and diverse travel throughout Western Europe and South America, serve as cultural and diversity complements to her university instruction, and help inform her perspective and approach to working with people and organizations. She is conversationally comfortable in Spanish, Portuguese, and some Italian. An ardent Maslow and Positive Psychology and Franklian Psychology student and follower, she lives to help others realize their potential while living their biggest and best life possible.
In addition to her work at Purpose on Fire and running Alise Cortez and Associates, Alise endeavors to enjoy a full life filled with travel outside the US with her daughter, hosting numerous and large gatherings, and being an active leader in the community. Alise has served on the following Boards: YMCA at White Rock (past Chairman of the Board), Lakewood Service League (past President and Event Chair), Woodrow Wilson High School Community Foundation (current Needs Assessment Chair), Dallas Staffing Association (past VP of Professional Development and Diversity), and the Dallas Running Club (past Co-Race Director).
Henda Salmeron

Henda Salmeron arrived from South Africa on American soil in 1990 with two suitcases, less than $600 in her pocket, a fine bottle of 1966 Portuguese Port, a work visa, and the American Dream.
Since, Henda has become a United States citizen, a mother, an Award Winning Real-Estate Broker, an accomplished investor, serial entrepreneur, motivational speaker, a published author (Grit Under My Nails memoir and Henda’s Law), an ultra endurance race global competitor, a breast cancer survivor who served on the Board of Susan G. Komen – Dallas, and an accidental power lobbyist who passed one of the most important and influential healthcare bills in the nation in 2011, known as Henda’s Law Texas HB-2102. As an avid adventurist, ultra-extreme endurance athlete, amateur photographer and author, Henda has traveled the globe to create a lifetime of memories, both under and above the water. She plays many sports and loves to scuba dive, sail, water/snow ski, road cycle and dance.
Henda has never met a challenge she hasn’t loved and seek fun and happiness every day. She is a perfect advocate for living with passion, while unleashing and working on purpose!
Dr. Amy Walters

Teaching speech is both Dr. Amy Walters' gift and passion. She has 32 years of teaching experience and has helped approximately 3000 people improve their communication skills. At Scaffold Strategic, Dr. Walters consults with professionals who are struggling with their presentation skills by:
- Presenting custom communication workshops and seminars for businesses and professional organizations.
- Offering intensive personalized speech training.
- Helping students challenged by oral or written assignments.
- Training academics to present research at meetings and conferences.
As former Chair of an academic department (18 faculty), former President of a small non-profit (31 members) and former Vice-President of much a larger nonprofit (5500 members), Dr. Walters is experienced in staff and team building; organizational communication; conference planning; financial planning and budgeting, as well as program development, delivery, and evaluation.