Welcome!Photo of Michael G. Neece wearing a suit, smiling, with a starry background.

Coming mid-2023

If you are starting your first job, starting over, or just want to make your workplace a little kinder, my forthcoming book In Kind is just what you need to get started. In it, I discuss my own triumphs and missteps to show you how to build authentic, positive work culture with kindness as your guide.

Learn:

  • How to build your network
  • The best way to find a trustworthy mentor
  • The characteristics of a good supervisor
  • How to build a powerful kindness practice to help you transform your workplace
  • When to move away from a too-toxic-to-save workplace to a better one

After working as a leader and teacher in five industries, I can give you lessons learned from my mistakes so you can avoid similar ones.

Sign up to get my newsletter so you can find out more about the book release date and book signing events near you!

What else do I write?

This children’s picture book, Tony Jenzano, Astronaut Trainer: The Man Who Made the Stars Shine illuminates the life story of the Morehead Planetarium director who oversaw NASA astronaut training in celestial navigation from 1960 – 1975. It’s perfect for grades 2 through 5 for read-aloud time, biography reports, and wax museum projects. Order directly from the distributor, UNC Press, or look for it at a bookseller of choice, like Amazon or Barnes & Noble.

“This beautifully illustrated book by Michael G. Neece brilliantly captures a chapter in the history of the Morehead Planetarium. But it does so much more – it’s a story of commitment, courage, learning and the imagination. The bonds formed between museum director Tony Jenzano, Morehead Planetarium, and an amazing roster of famous astronauts were profound and lasting, and played a major role in sending the first Americans into space.”

— Mary Pope Osborne, author of the Magic Tree House Series

“Michael Neece’s exploration of Tony Jenzano’s life and work illuminates the role that a local institution can play in the world, as well as bringing well-deserved attention to a unsung figure in space exploration.”

— Palmer Smith, elementary school librarian in Chapel Hill, NC

Critical to the book are the warm, deep, realistic illustrations created by Benlin Alexander, a professional illustrator living in Raleigh, NC. Here are just a few samples of his captivating work in the book. A few close-ups of his work are below.

Young Tony Walking on a Street in 1930s Philadelphia
Young Tony Walking on a Street in 1930s Philadelphia (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
Tony Jenzano looking up at a Real Starry Sky from the U.S.S. Burleigh during World War II
Tony Jenzano looking up at a Real Starry Sky from the U.S.S. Burleigh during World War II (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
Young Tony Jenzano Working on Morehead Planetarium's Zeiss II Star Machine (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
Young Tony Jenzano Working on Morehead Planetarium’s Zeiss II Star Machine (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
First American in Space, Alan Shepard
First American in Space, Alan Shepard (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
NASA Mercury and Shuttle Astronaut, John Glenn
NASA Mercury and Shuttle Astronaut, John Glenn (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
Astronaut James Lovell, seated, looking up at Morehead Planetarium's starry dome. (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
James Lovell Learning the Stars at Morehead Planetarium (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
Apollo lunar module on the Moon
Apollo lunar module on the Moon (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)
NASA's Perseverance rover on Mars
NASA’s Perseverance rover on Mars (Illustration by Benlin Alexander)

FREE: Educator’s Guide

Check  here for the downloadable educator’s guide with applications in ELA, Social Studies, Science, and Art.