Recent Profile Articles
A heart murmur may have cemented Deb Kay's love of sports and taught her an important life lesson: If you want something badly enough, you can find a way. "Heart murmurs were a much bigger concern back then," said Deb. "The doctors told my mom that my life would be...
You may have wondered how we decide who will be profiled in West Michigan Woman magazine and on WestMichiganWoman.com. The truth is, many of our profile subjects are women who've caught the attention of someone on our staff. Others have been suggested by their...
Mel Trotter Ministries, a local nonprofit organization serving the hungry, homeless, and hurting of Greater Grand Rapids, observed Volunteer Appreciation Week with a celebration in which Jill Schaible was honored as its 2015 Volunteer of the Year. Mel Trotter...
The ATHENA Young Professional award recognizes an individual who is involved in the community, acts as a mentor to young woman professionals, and supports the ATHENA program and exudes its tenets. As we look forward to the 2015 ATHENA awards, we chatted with 2014...
Heather Gauck, a special education teacher who has been with GRPS for more than two decades, has been making headlines as a recipient of the Michigan Educator Voice Fellowship 2014-15, and a participant in the "Teach to Lead" initiative begun by U.S. Secretary of...
Teresa Weatherall Neal's experience with Grand Rapids Public Schools goes all the way back to being a kindergarten student. In urban school districts, where the average superintendent stays on the job maybe three to five years, her institutional history and knowledge...
Kelly Braman is a custom wedding, family, and commercial photographer based in Grand Rapids. She loves a mix of modern and vintage styling, capturing life in between the stuffy shirts and forced smiles. It's there she finds the sweet, candid moments. Kelly has an eye...
Deb Bailey, director of global corporate relations at Steelcase, has made a positive impact on the Grand Rapids area in so many ways that it's difficult to imagine how she has time to sleep or eat, let alone balance a corporate career with her community commitments...
Judy Frey has seen more than the average amount of change in her life, and she has responded to each change as an opportunity for growth. As a child, Judy lived in sixteen different houses before she was sixteen years old, as her father was required to relocate often...
Dr. Sonia Dalmia's life story is filled with examples of what most people would call "stepping outside of your comfort zone." The confidence and determination with which Dr. Dalmia has approached life's challenges she largely attributes to her parents. Today, she is...