Northern Indiana is full of people working hard every day to make their communities a better place. Since 2011, GreatNews.Life has been putting the spotlight on the people spreading this positivity in the Region with our Life in the Spotlight series. New articles are published every Wednesday, so be sure to check back often to learn more about the stories of great people doing great things in Northern Indiana.
Dustin Nelson is the principal at Northview Elementary School, part of Valparaiso Community School corporation. He graduated from Portage High School in 1994, when he began carving his own path in the world of education. In December of 1998, he went...
Kasey Hoag is the owner of Six Cypress Boutique in downtown Valparaiso. She hasn’t always held that title, however, because she used to work for Ford Motor Company. Moving to the Region and then spending six months as a stay-at-home mother...
Carol Haller is a sixth-grade teacher in Valparaiso. She’s been teaching for almost 40 years at Thomas Jefferson Middle School. Her lasting effect as an educator has been felt for decades. Haller grew up in Michigan City and attended Rogers...
Richard Bender hails from a farm in Northeastern Indiana. He grew up in a region north of Fort Wayne near Auburn and attended Leo High School. His time in high school played a role in his motivation to become a teacher himself. Bender was highly...
Dr. Pablo Bukata was born in Argentina. His family moved to the United States when he was two years old. He grew up in Illinois, then came to Lake County, Indiana, around the time he was six. He went to high school nearby but left the Region to...
Deanna Gallardo always thought she’d become a writer or editor. Life’s taken her down many paths, and she even spent some time as a dental assistant following her graduation from Indiana University Northwest (IU Northwest) in Gary. She worked at...
Ryan Peters is a commercial real-estate broker based in the Region. He’s the owner of StreetFront Real Estate. That’s not his only title, however, as he’s involved in the community in other ways, too, as the president of New Creations Men’s...
Desi Terpening grew up in Richton Park, Illinois, and attended Rich South High School. She’s lived in the Region since she moved to Indiana in 1989. She went to college for art and worked in downtown Valpo for 12 years as a photographic negative...
Jeff Balon grew up just outside of Valparaiso. He spent his younger years living on a farm in rural Jackson Township but later attended Chesterton High School. He’s wanted a career in law enforcement since he was little. After graduating from high...
Erika Robinson-Watkins has a strong sense of pride for the Region, especially her hometown of East Chicago. After spending some time away while at college, Robinson-Watkins realized she couldn’t stay away for too long. Robinson-Watkins...
