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.
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...
Megan Lawrence is from the Region. Today, she works at one of her alma maters, Valparaiso High School as an education teacher with a specialization in teaching for the school’s applied-skills program. It was called the Life Skills Program when she...
Daniela Mancusi-Shreve’s parents come from South Philadelphia. While she herself was born in Hammond, she spent her formative years growing up on the East Coast — specifically, southern New Jersey. There she grew up and became close with many of...
Michael Bendicsen grew up near the Region. He comes from Addison, Illinois, a suburb west of Chicago. He attended Valparaiso University to earn his bachelor’s degree in history and a minor in secondary-education studies. Following the completion of...
Raphaella Peting, currently works as the director of membership and marketing for the Valparaiso Family YMCA. Peting spent her early years in Northwest Indiana. During college, Petting studied abroad, spending a semester in Spain. This ignited a love...
Wheeler High School Principal Dan Klimczak, a lifelong resident of Northwest Indiana, always knew he wanted to make a difference through education. Klimczak’s own grandfather worked his whole career in education, so he saw firsthand his...
Mindy and Jeff Wallis laid roots in Valparaiso after developing a community of people and a sense of home. Mindy and Jeff Wallis met while studying at Michigan State University, earning degrees in veterinary technology and veterinary medicine,...
