Cultural Connections
The Brazilian Blueprint
Sheila is the Director of the The Brazilian Blueprint: An Intercultural Learning Lab at Stories Change Power, where she facilitates an active exchange between U.S. and Brazilian civic leaders and changemakers. Drawing on her own heritage—born in São Paulo to a Brazilian mother and American father—she helps bridge cultural divides through story, travel, and pro-democracy advocacy collaboration.
In 2018–2019, Sheila and her family spent a transformative “Family Gap Year” living in Vitória, Brazil. Their journey deepened their connections to each other, their extended family, and the wider world. Her bestselling memoir, Family Gap Year: How We Moved to Brazil, Dropped Our Overscheduled Lives, and Created a Sustainable, Happy Future for Our Family, chronicles this experience and has inspired many to rethink success, time, and connections.
Family Gap Year: A True Story of Slowing Down to Reconnect
Sheila had it all—career, family, and a full calendar—but the chaos of modern motherhood left her feeling depleted. So, she hit pause on the busy life in Chicago and took her family of five to Brazil for a year of reconnection, reflection, and adventure.
Family Gap Year is part memoir, part travel guide, and part soulful wake-up call. In it, Sheila shares what happened when she stopped following expectations and started following her intuition.
If you’ve ever dreamed of pressing reset, this heartfelt book will inspire you to:
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Escape the burnout cycle
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Reconnect with what matters
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Rekindle your relationships
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Rediscover the joy of everyday life
Think Eat Pray Love—but for families.
