Deann is the President/CEO of the Crossroads Regional Chamber of Commerce of 5 years. Prior to her role with the Chamber Deann served in the hospitality business for over 30 years. She was the Director of Sales & Marketing with the Radisson Hotel at Star Plaza, Director of Sales with the Blue Chip Casino Hotel & Spa and the Director of Meeting and Event Sales with Fair Oaks Farms.

Her transition to the Chamber in January 2020 was smooth as she had served on the Chamber board since 2012 and was the current Chairman.

Deann located from Indianapolis to Northwest Indiana in August of 1998 and has a passion for NWI and its continued growth. She lives in Crown Point and enjoys spending time with her friends, golfing, avid sports fan, but loves the Cubs, Colts and ND Football and walking her dog Lincoln but her biggest passion is her 20-year-old daughter, Claire, a full time student with Arizona State University currently doing an internship in Ireland for her fall semester.

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

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Amber Pulford is the Market President for Everwise Credit Union in South Bend and Elkhart. She is passionate about making a positive impact in her community and currently serves on the executive board for the Potawatomi Zoo. She is also the President of South Bend Rotary and sits on the district team for Rotary 6540 as the Public Image Chair.

Amber is active in volunteer work and works with Junior Achievement to inspire the next generation. She also serves on the dinner committee for the History Museum and the event committee for the Logan Center.

Amber and her husband Michael have two children. Their daughter Emmy, and their son Max. In her downtime, She is often found in the kitchen cooking up culinary delights or having fun with her hula hoop.

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life

Having worked in public service for nearly 30 years, Dr. Lynette Stokes has served as an advocate of youth in the child welfare system, taught elementary and community college education, and worked for equal rights organizations. On October 1, 2018, Dr. Stokes was named President of South Suburban College. She now has the distinction of being the first African-American female President in the college’s 91year rich history. In this role as CEO of the institution, Dr. Stokes has assumed responsibility for providing leadership in setting directions for curricular and organizational change designed for the betterment and improvement of the total educational program of the College. She joined the college in June 2013 as the Vice President of Academic Services and prior to that she spent nearly 12 years at the City Colleges of Chicago improving the quality of education by promoting pedagogical and andragogical techniques and strategies that support academic excellence for all students.

During her seven-year tenure with Ada S. McKinley Foster Care, Dr. Stokes prepared over 200 families to receive a foster home license, authored the training curriculum for more than 500 families and developed multi-faceted workshops to assist nearly 200 children with the transition into independent living. Dr. Stokes is well acquainted with the foster care system. She lived in seven different foster homes as a child and is an example of one who through resiliency and an intact ability to succeed, has overcome many obstacles.

Wanting to fulfill her desire to make a positive impact on the education of adult learners, Dr. Stokes returned to school and in 2004 earned her doctorate degree in Educational Leadership and Organizational Change at Roosevelt University. This academic credentialing, coupled with the skills she gained while working at the then Operation PUSH, Community Mental Health Council and Ada S. McKinley Community Services, provided the foundation to propel her career into higher education as Dean of Adult Education and Dean of Instruction at City Colleges of Chicago. In the latter role, Dr. Stokes provided instructional leadership and guidance for more than150 full- and part-time faculty, two associate deans, 32 academic tutors and 15 administrative and support staff.

In addition to serving as a presenter for several professional development events in Higher Education and Child Welfare, Dr. Stokes is the 2005 recipient of Roosevelt University’s Most Outstanding Dissertation of the Year; the 2009 recipient of the Kathy Osterman Award for Outstanding Supervisor given to public service employees in the City of Chicago; 2014 recipient of the Chicago Defender’s Women of Excellence Award; in 2018 she was honored with the Egretha Education Award for Excellence in Education and the Illinois Committee on Black Concerns in Higher Education (ICBCHE) Trailblazer Award; in 2020 Dr. Stokes was awarded the MLK Excellence in Education Award by the Southland Ministerial Health Network; and in 2024 was awarded the Service Award by MLK Ministries.

Dr. Stokes is a current member of the board for Junior Achievement of Chicago and the Chicago Southland Chamber of Commerce. She is the former President of the Chief Academic Officers’ Group for the South Metropolitan Higher Education Consortium (SMHEC); former President and Vice President of the Board for the South Cook County Mosquito Abatement Di

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life

Stephanie Dorsey is the CEO and owner of Willow Blooms in Highland, Indiana. She is an experienced professional in sports, food, beverage and hospitality industries, previously working for organizations such as the Cleveland Indians baseball team. She acquired her Masters degree in Business Administration from Cleveland State University.

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life

Alyssa Gawlinski is a dynamic and results-oriented business development, events, sales, and marketing leader with a deep-rooted connection to her hometown of Northwest Indiana (NWI). With a keen eye for finding innovative solutions to drive brand awareness and achieve business objectives, Alyssa brings a wealth of experience and expertise to every project she undertakes.

Born and raised in NWI, Alyssa's journey is marked by her unwavering commitment to excellence and her ability to collaborate effectively with clients, vendors, and teams to deliver outstanding results. Recognized as a trusted advisor by leadership, Alyssa is often called upon for her empathetic approach to strategy sessions and her skillful project management.

Alyssa takes pride in her ability to infuse levity into challenging situations, brightening people's days while maintaining a sharp focus on meeting deadlines and exceeding expectations. Her CliftonStrengths™—Achiever, Maximizer, Relator, Input, and Intellection—underscore her dedication to continuous improvement and relationship-building.

Throughout her career, Alyssa has demonstrated her prowess in marketing, event planning, business development, and leadership roles. Her experience spans over tenure in the commercial real estate industry. In her current role at Finishing Chicago, she facilitates connections between clients and skilled professionals in painting, decorating, and drywall finishing.

During her time at REjournals, Alyssa's influence and responsibilities grew exponentially, culminating in her promotion to Managing Director of National Events & Marketing. In this role, she spearheaded the creation and implementation of hundreds of annual events and marketing campaigns, fostering client relationships and driving revenue growth.

Alyssa's track record of success is underscored by her ability to manage diverse tasks in fast-paced environments while maintaining a focus on efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Her proficiency in areas such as project management, budget management, and community outreach has earned her accolades and recognition throughout her career.

In addition to her professional achievements, Alyssa is deeply committed to giving back to her community. As the President of the Board of Directors for Fighting Pretty, she supports women battling cancer, while her involvement with organizations like the Northwest Indiana Influential Women Association and Girls on the Run reflects her dedication to professional development and youth empowerment.

Alyssa holds a Bachelor of General Studies from Indiana University and a Women in Leadership Certificate from the University of Notre Dame.

When Alyssa isn't busy building connections or tackling projects, you'll often find her enjoying quality time with her loved ones, diving into the latest addition to her book collection, checking off adventures from her bucket list, spoiling her dog Charlie, planning her next getaway, or sharing laughter with her lifelong friends!

With her blend of expertise, passion, and commitment to excellence, Alyssa continues to make a meaningful impact in both her professional endeavors and her community involvement.

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life

Michaline (also known as Micki) is the Founder and President of mixdesign, a Branding and Experience Design company located between Chicago and Indianapolis in Hebron, Indiana. She enjoys leading a talented creative brand experience team and assisting clients with brand development, story growth and project master planning.

The mixdesign team serves many great clients in the edutainment, municipalities, non profit and their favorite... Agriculture Industries. Our most recent list of Agriculture Industry partnerships include the likes of Undeniably Dairy, Dairy Management Inc, The Creamery of Beaver Utah, Texas Farm Bureau, Dairy Max, Inc , Indiana State Fair and Fair Oaks Farms among others.

21 years of leading a multi-talented design-build team has molded her into a skilled creative session and brand audit leader. Michaline continues to seek friendly, mutually respectful relationships with Agriculture and Edutainment Folks, open minded Project Developers and, of course, talented creatives.

Additionally, mixdesign is housed in The Design Barn an experience and event venue also in Hebron, Indiana. Their team hosts a multitude of local private events but more importantly have setup an experience space ideal for corporate retreats and Agriculture Story brainstorming session. She is currently working on a kids book “There’s a farm in your fridge” and is excited to help tell the story of Agriculture.

She looks forward to helping you “yes, and…” your story to life!

When she is not at work you can find Micki at home on her hobby farm with husband Jared and their two boys.

The Tomichs raise Scottish Highland beef cattle and an uncountable number of other animals

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life

Michelle Andres is the founder and CEO of the award-winning marketing agency, 'Group7even'.

Felicia Kuschel is the VP of Client Services at Group7even. She is also the co-founder of Parity Apparel

GreatNews.Life and Podcast Host Jenny Craig-Brown have transformed the All About the Girls annual event into a podcast! These monthly episodes feature incredible women giving the audience all the insight about what makes them happy, successful, and motivational. New episodes launch on Sundays to make sure to start your week on a positive note!

The All About the Girls Podcast is brought to you by GreatNews.Life