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.
Matthew Ringenberg moved to Upland, Indiana, a small town of about 3,500 people. He grew up there, attending Eastbrook High School. He also stayed in his hometown to study at the undergraduate level at Taylor University, a liberal-arts college where...
Mat Blair has dedicated his career to helping young athletes refine their golf skills, turning a lifelong passion into a profession. After years of coaching at various schools, clubs, and studios, he knew he wanted a space to train golfers at the...
Sherina Gonzalez was born in Long Island, New York. She lived between there and Niles, Michigan, for a while but made the move to the Midwest at the age of 8. She went on to graduate from Buchanan High School. Gonzalez chose to get her...
It’s been said that the only way you can keep it is if you give it away. This philosophy is a key driver for John Wirth and how he lives. A member of the Board of Directors for the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce, Wirth works at the Portage...
For Amy Turley, education has always been more than a career—it is a lifelong passion rooted in her hometown of Hobart. As the principal of Liberty Elementary School, she brings a deep commitment to fostering student success and supporting teachers...
As a part of the GreatNews.Life (GNL) social media team, Isabella “Izzy” Evers is using her creative design skills and media expertise to bring posts about Northern Indiana’s all-positive news to life across the digital landscape. Evers first...
Laurel Ridgway had to fly around the country before finding their home in the Midwest. Born and raised in Nebraska, Ridgway spent time in Indiana, Minnesota, and Massachusetts before settling down in Portage, Michigan as an animal ambassador manager...
Emily Hopkins is a wife, a mother, and a nurse. Both her role at home as a wife and mother and her role as a nurse at Associated Pediatricians’ Portage office are integral to her life. Prior to the birth of her son, Archer, Hopkins worked full-time...
Lucas and Connor Taylor are brothers who come from Valparaiso and are currently students in high school and college respectively. The older brother, Connor Taylor, is on the pre-med track at Indiana University Northwest (IUN). His younger brother,...
For Taki Floutsis, education advocacy is not just a profession — it’s a personal journey. As the Regional Organizing Director for My School Options, Floutsis is dedicated to helping Hoosiers navigate Indiana’s educational landscape, ensuring...