Women's LifeStyle Magazine - March 2020

Grand Rapids|Holland|Grand Haven

MARCH 2020

Ann Zimmer

JANET BLACKALL: HELPING VETERANS TRANSITION

ARTIST PROFILE: CHAKILA HOSKINS

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MICHIGAN WOMEN FORWARD CREATES LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES

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Paving the Path for Women in Construction, One Hard Hat at a Time

Grand Rapids Art Museum | 101 Monroe Center | Grand Rapids, MI 49503 | 616.831.2920 2

Shop Brewsader Gifts During Beer Month The Museum Store

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Contents

March 2020 Edition #264

womenslifestyle.com

PUBLISHER Two Eagles Marcus EXECUTIVE PUBLISHING

16 Rebakah Saltsman:

FEATURES

8 Her

Sheʼs Got Game

CONSULTANT

14 Paving the Path for Women in Construction, One Hard Hat at a Time

Legacy

Carole Valade

16 Rebekah Saltsman: She’s Got Game

EDITOR Elyse Wild

18 The Next Generation: Michigan Women Forward Continues to Create Leadership Opportunities

editor@womenslifestyle.com ART DIRECTOR Kelly Nugent

22 Artist Profile: Chakila Hoskins

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

ILLUSTRATION BY LIBBY VANDERPLOEG

Elyse Wild

22 Artist Profile:

Kayla Sosa Megan Sarnaki Michelle Jokisch Polo

HEALTH AND BEAUTY

Chakila Hoskins

Shanika Carter

12 3 Steps To Finding The Perfect Workout Routine

COLUMNISTS Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council GROW Kate Sage, DO Mark Dunham

26 Janet Blackall: Helping Other Veterans Transition from Warriors to Elite Leaders

16 Rebekah

LEARN & DO

Saltsman: Sheʼs Got Game

07 Be Prepared to Effectively Manage Conflict

PHOTO BY ELYSE WILD

08 Her Legacy: Emily Burton Ketcham, Suffrage Dynamo

Steve Lasater, MD PHOTOGRAPHY

10 How To Be An Organized Person (especially when you aren’t)

Kevin Huver Elyse Wild Two Eagles Marcus SENIOR ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Terrie Lynema sales@womenslifestyle.com (616) 951-5422 CALL

10 How To Be An Organized Person PHOTO BY KEVIN HUVER

(616) 458-2121 EMAIL

Finding The Perfect Workout Routine

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MARCH EVENTS

info@womenslifestyle.com

WOMENSLIFESTYLE.COM

MAIL 3500 3 Mile Rd NW, Ste A Grand Rapids, MI 49534 IN MEMORIAM Victoria Ann Upton Founder 1955 - 2018

MISS SOMETHING?

26 Janet Blackall:

Helping Other Veterans

To extend an uplifting, inclusive and vibrant invitation to enjoy life, every day, in our community.

ABOUT THE COVER

Ann Zimmer, senior project manager for Wolverine Building Group. Photo by Kevin Huver Ann Zimmer holds more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry. Turn to page 14 to see how she overcame stereotypes and encourages other women to seek the benefits of the field.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

WOMENSLIFESTYLE.COM/ARCHIVES

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

From the Editor

ONLINE ONLY CONTENT

H

appy Women’s History Month, Grand Rapids!

Every day at Women’s LifeStyle, we celebrate women in our community. How is this month different? We are turning the spotlight on women who are doing extraordinary work in fields that continue to be male-dominated.

PHOTO BY TWO EAGLES MARCUS

Meet Ann Zimmer, senior project manager at Wolverine Building Group. Ann has 30 years of experience in the industry in which women only make up 9.1 percent. “... it is one of the most rewarding jobs you can do as a woman because you’re empowering yourself to guide hundreds of subcontractors to bring a building into its fruition,” Zimmer said.

We have too much great content to fit it in all in the print edition every month.

Please visit womenslifestyle.com for exclusive online content featuring:

Having generated revenue of more than $100 billion in 2019, the video game industry is booming. While video game play among men and women is near equal, the gap widens when it comes to game developers: 75% are male, 22% are female and 2% report as transgender. Video game developer Rebecca Saltsman is the CEO and co-founder of Finji, an award-winning collaborative video game studio based in Grand Rapid. Saltsman shares her journey entering the industry and embracing her role as a game developer, and what compels her to remain visible in a community in which the loudest voices discourage women from participating.

Keep Up with the Amway River Bank Run Road Warriors

Maria Bamford

Fortune Feimster

LadyFest GR 2020

Celebrating Women’s History Month in Grand Rapids

Military veteran Janet Blackall is leading the team at Blackall Racing, a motorcycle racing team she started with her husband, also a military veteran. Blackall sheds light on transitioning back into the civilian world, her mission to help other veterans, and what it’s like to be a first-time motorcycle team owner and mom.

Additionally, we celebrate the work of Michigan Women Forward (MWF), an organization that elevates women throughout vital periods of their lives. Learn about MWF’s vast programming, from that which imparts leadership skills to high school-age girls to initiatives that create economic and social equity to women entrepreneurs, all the way to the Michigan Women’s Historical Center and Hall of Fame.

Visit womenslifestyle.com to read part two of our three-part series documenting the journey of the Amway River Bank Run Run Road Warriors as they train for race day; check out our coverage of LadyFest GR 2020, an event featuring performances by female musicians, local vendors and speakers; keep up on women’s history celebrations taking place around Grand Rapids; and finally, read our interviews with comedy superstars Fortune Feimster and Maria Bamford, both of whom are performing at LaughFest, taking place from March 5-15.

Happy Reading!

Don’t Leave Your Business Success to Luck -Elyse Wild, Editor

Women’s LifeStyle is a dynamic multi-media platform designed to make beneficial connections in our community. The positive, upbeat, award winning and popular locally owned publication is supported by a dynamic mobile friendly online presence and an interactive website (including an events calendar, embedded video), as well as friendly, helpful and consistent social media interaction with the community. With 490+ distribution locations, Women’s LifeStyle is favored by an active, engaged and progressive audience. You are now looking at the 264th edition. All content ©Women’s LifeStyle, Inc. 2020.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Whether you are just getting started or looking to expand, GROW has the resources and expertise to help you confidently take the next step, just like Kelley Kermode of Pottery Lane.

Visit our website to learn more.

www.GROWbusiness.org | 616.458.3404 |

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Spotlight on Community Initiatives

Join In

Sponsored by Grand Rapids Community Foundation

Dwelling Place Grand Rapids On March 31, Dwelling Place Grand Rapids is hosting a Neighbor Knowledge exchange, an open house featuring community and cultural organizations. Volunteers are needed for set up, tear down, maintain the space, workshop assistance and greeting.

The event will take place from 3:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 31 at 106 S. Division Avenue. Send an email to volunteers@dwellingplacegr.org.

“Sisters Who Lead is one of the most valuable and much-needed voice, for such a time as this ... It has been an honor to serve and see the work of both Shannon Cohen and Patricia VerDuin as they have fearlessly led and served other women of color. This is only the beginning of more to come…”

— Robyn Afrik, Director of Diversity and Inclusion for Ottawa County

Alternatives in Motion Alternatives in Motion is a local organization that works to “enhance independence through access to mobility equipment.” Volunteers are needed to be donation pick-up drivers, which pick up wheelchairs and other mobility equipment from homes or businesses of donors once or twice a week. For more information or volunteer, email AIM Executive Director Coleen Davis at coleen@aimgr.org.

Samaritas Volunteers are needed at Samaritas, an organization that offers many community services including adoption and foster care, for foster parents to take in children who have been removed from their homes due to neglect and/or abuse. Volunteers will be 24/7 caregivers, providing food, shelter, clothing and emotional support for a child or children. Twice-annual conferences and monthly training and support groups are available. To get involved, contact Trina Kent, Resource Family Development Specialist at tkent@samaritas.org.

The Children’s Healing Center The Children’s Healing Center in Grand Rapids is a year-round recreation center for kids with weak immune systems to play in a safe, clean environment. There are opportunities for volunteers to be helpers at the center’s four main play spaces: a fitness room for physical games, a room for dress-up and other creative play, a tech lounge and a craft room with arts and crafts projects. To get involved, contact Associate Director Melissa Block at mblock@childrenshealingcenter.org

“As we make investments in our community, we have to ensure that financial opportunities are available to all.”

Reneé Williams

Sisters Who Lead was co-founded in August 2017 by Shannon Cohen and Patricia Sosa VerDuin during their tenure as W.K. Kellogg Foundation Community Leadership Network Fellows. Sisters Who Lead was created to address the disparities impacting the talent attraction, retention, and promotion of female leaders of color in West Michigan. Sisters Who Lead centers women of color as architects in creating data-driven solutions to foster inclusive workplace conditions throughout the region.

Meet our One Hundred New Philanthropists Reneé Williams partners with Grand Rapids Community Foundation to leave a personal legacy. She says that financial stability is essential for creating a thriving community.

Learn more about how you can make an impact through philanthropy by contacting Jenine Torres at 616.454.1751 or jtorres@grfoundation.org.

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Learn & Do

BE PREPARED TO

Effectively Manage Conflict COURTESY OF GROW

P

erhaps it’s sitting in a meeting and your coworker Holly interrupts you (for what seems like the 10th time this week). Or maybe you and Pam from accounting went after the same promotion; you got it and things just haven’t been quite right between the two of you since. Whether it’s over small things or big things, conflict in the workplace is something almost everyone experiences at some point.

What may seem like a minor thing to you may not be minor to someone else. You may have heard, “it’s business, don’t take it personally.” However, employees take things personally about 70% of the time according to Stanford University. The impact of conflict in the workplace on lost productivity and retaining good employees is not minor.

• A Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey found that 72 percent of employees rank “respectful treatment of all employees at all levels” as the top factor in job satisfaction.

• According to Joseph Grenny of training and development company VitalSmarts, each unaddressed conflict wastes about eight hours of company time in gossip and other unproductive activities.

In addition to our research, we spoke with workplace conflict expert Jessi Zielinski Veldhouse, Vice President of Organizational Development and Training at Encompass LLC to get her take. Right from the start, she confirmed the importance of proper management of conflict at work, stating it’s usually “among the top three problems” in the workplace. So how does an employee or business owner manage conflict? The best way to start addressing conflict is to arm yourself with information about it.

Conflict Does Not Necessarily Equal Negative First, it’s important to realize that conflict itself is not a bad thing. Some conflict is even necessary as employees debate ideas on how to improve the business. According to Veldhouse, “Conflict is natural, it will happen. But it

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

should always be managed.” While it’s human nature to avoid conflict, well-managed conflict is actually a sign of a healthy company culture.

Understand Where Others Are Coming From Second, it’s important to understand the roots of the conflict. According to Veldhouse, “conflict is about difference.” SHRM describes several areas where people can differ: • Priorities – You may disagree with where your project, department or company is going, what it chooses to focus on and how those choices affect you.

• Perspectives – Age, gender, ethnicity or personality type may give you a very different view of an issue compared to your colleagues. Veldhouse notes that “most conflict is driven by personality differences.”

• Assumptions – A big driver of conflict is making different assumptions, particularly about the intent of another person.

After you’ve armed yourself with information about conflict, disagreements or struggles (whatever you want to call them), you can start behaving differently, regardless of your pay grade.

Resolve Conflict On Your Own According to Blink, an online resource for faculty and staff at the University of California San Diego, employees can take several actions to manage conflict themselves.

Among the most important: • Talk with the other person - Arrange a time and place that will allow you to focus and not be interrupted.

• Focus on behavior and facts, not personalities – Be specific and focus on what happened.

• Listen carefully – Don’t interrupt and don’t be thinking about how you’ll answer; paraphrase what you heard to

ensure you understand.

Assume Good Intentions An important addition from Veldhouse is to assume good intent. She notes, “People don’t wake up in the morning thinking ‘How can I be problematic today’?” Most of us want to get along with our co-workers. Communicating directly with the other person is the key and should take the form of a question, not an accusation. Ask the other person what they meant or why they did something that you didn’t like. Without asking, it’s human nature to fill in the blank with the other person’s intentions, which may be completely wrong. Veldhouse continues, “One approach puts people on the defensive, the other starts a conversation.”

From the business owner’s point of view, it’s critical to encourage people to manage their own conflicts. This is especially true in a small business that may not have a lot of resources. Managing conflict themselves helps workers feel ownership of the solution rather than having a solution imposed on them. One of Veldhouse’s “golden rules” is to have leaders ask upfront, “Have you talked with the other person?” If they haven’t, they should be advised to take that first step. Using this approach, leaders empower employees to manage conflict, which in turn helps foster a healthy conflict culture in a virtuous cycle.

Part of managing conflict effectively is overcoming our fear of it. While it’s natural to not want conflict, it’s a smarter choice in business to recognize it and use it to your advantage. The worst option is to avoid it. As Grenny from VitalSmarts observes, “If you don’t talk it out, you act it out.”

GROW is a service focused on current and aspiring business owners. They are the local entrepreneurial resource to help owners the next steps, empowering and supporting them with professional expertise for a lifetime.

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Emily Burton Ketcham, Suffrage Dynamo

BY JO ELLYN CLAREY FOR THE GREATER GRAND RAPIDS WOMEN’S HISTORY COUNCIL

IN AN ERA LONG BEFORE smart phones and social media, women activists like Emily Burton Ketcham spent long hours at their desks, communicating and coordinating their great business among themselves, as well as recruiting visits by famous national and international crusaders.

Less than one month before Ketcham’s death in January 1906, she wrote a letter to British radical Christabel Pankhurst: “The report which comes to America of your fearless devotion to principle, the consequent stirring events in parliament, and the underserved suffering of reputable and honored English women who asked only for what President Theodore Roosevelt calls a ‘square deal’ has touched our sympathy, awakened our admiration for your courage and thrilled us with the possibilities of a common cause.”

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oday we recognize the parading white dresses and purple-gold-and-white sashes of the American suffrage movement during the 1910s; but we know very little about the 19th-century trail blazers who set the later spectacles in motion. Among them was early and ardent Michigan suffragist Emily Burton Ketcham. Born in 1838 Grand Rapids under a Michigan constitution allowing only “white” and “civilized” Indian males to vote, Ketcham began to work in earnest in 1873 to strike gender as a qualification for voting. During a statewide campaign Ketcham developed a lasting friendship with Susan B. Anthony who, in 1892 on one of her many trips to Michigan, stood in the receiving line at Ketcham’s 25th wedding anniversary.

Foremost among the founders of Grand Rapids suffrage groups, Ketcham was also an active member of the state association reorganized in 1884. For her tactical skills, she was elected its president four times during the 1890s.

For her eloquence, she represented her organizations on legislative committees and served frequently as Michigan’s delegate to the executive council of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. In 1894 by special invitation, Emily Burton Ketcham addressed the U.S. congressional Judiciary Committee: “I come here to represent a State whose honored Senator made the first speech in Congress in favor of enfranchising the wives and the mothers and sisters of the Nation.” With national suffrage leaders, Ketcham’s presence in Washington was recorded in a Matthew Brady studio photograph.

But she was anything but staid. Wearing fashionable dusky rose to lobby the Michigan state legislature, Emily Burton Ketcham once confessed to a reporter that from the balcony she had wanted to aim a Gatling gun at representatives voting against women’s suffrage. In Chicago, at the 1893 Columbian Exposition, Ketcham spoke to acclaim in the Woman’s Building; and with Susan B. Anthony, she had a special invitation to attend Buffalo Bill Cody’s Wild West Show. Newspapers of the day reported their appearance at such an event on a Sunday as scandalous. Unapologetic, they reported having had a “rollicking good time.”

By 1899, on the strength of Ketcham’s organizational prowess, Susan B. Anthony brought the annual convention of the National American Woman Suffrage Association to Grand Rapids for only the third time it

ILLUSTRATIONS BY LIBBY VANDERPLOEG had ever met outside Washington, DC, and for the only time it ever met in Michigan.

Less than a year after Susan B. Anthony’s death in 1906, her long-time friend Emily Burton Ketcham also died before universal suffrage had been achieved.

Claiming that her death at 68 was catastrophic, NAWSA president Anna Howard Shaw eulogized Ketcham: “Her loss to the state is a great one, and there does not seem to be anybody to take her place. To my mind she was the greatest worker that Michigan ever produced.”

Nationwide, from Oregon to Massachusetts, tributes poured in.

For over thirty years Emily Burton Ketcham was instrumental in suffrage and reform movements on every stage--local, state, and national. Women’s suffrage simply would not have been achieved in 1920 except for the 72-year-long fight by women like Ketcham, who pioneered women’s visibility and voices on public stages.

Today, we are still recovering the memory of women we have lost: foremothers, like this woman.

Throughout 2020, the Greater Grand Rapids Women’s History Council will talk about suffrage from Coloma to Traverse City and in Grand Rapids venues from cemeteries to movie theaters.

Celebrate women leaders, then and now, on August 26th at HER VOICE HER VOTE! And follow us on Facebook, our website at ggrwhc.org and in WLM!

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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TANDEM365 has been providing care since 2014 and we serve more than 1,000 patients throughout Kent, Allegan, Ottawa and Kalamazoo Counties.

We utilize highly skilled staff to assist patients who require high-touch, patient-centered methods of care. All of our services are based on an initial assessment and evaluation by our health professionals.

Our services are currently a covered benefit under the Priority Health Medicare Advantage plan and Blue Care Network plan. Private pay is also available.

For more information on our services, please visit TANDEM365.com or call 616.588.5290.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Learn & Do

How To Be An Organized Person (especially when you aren’t)

BY LYNDSEY TYM

H

ave you ever heard the expression, “Organized people are just too lazy to look for things?” As an organized person myself the first time I heard this expression, I admittedly was a little put-off. I don’t know about you, but I would never want to be considered “lazy.”

After all, lazy is defined as, “unwilling to work or use energy”, according to Oxford. However, upon further consideration of the expression, I have come to consider it is as something I can wear with pride.

I have always been the type of person who naturally keeps things tidy, in order and organized. Keeping organized in my home, at work and in many other areas of life has helped me to be an efficient and pro-active person. Where some may lose time looking for their car keys in the morning, I am out the door as my keys are always in the inside pocket of my purse. Rather than rush to throw some dinner together on weeknights, I have a weekly meal plan ready with recipes and ingredients on hand. When a cell phone charger dies, I know exactly where to go in my house to grab another. Being organized tends to save me a lot of time and energy!

It is with this in mind that I consider the expression, “Organized people are just too lazy to look for things” something I can wear with pride. Because of being organized, I don’t need to use energy looking for car keys, worrying about what is for dinner, or racing the clock on

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Follow the one-in, one-out rule. When bringing a new item into the house, make sure to donate, sell or otherwise get rid of one of the same kind of item. Following this will discourage overcrowded spaces and clutter.

new item into the house, make sure to donate, sell or otherwise get rid of one of the same kind of item.

Following this will discourage overcrowded spaces and clutter.

a dying cell phone battery. I can save this energy for other things in life which I enjoy and want to spend energy on!

Being organized is not something that comes naturally to everyone, nor is it something that everyone enjoys, and that is perfectly OK! If either describes you, and yet you have a desire to save energy and give yourself some free time, consider trying out some easy organizational tricks to help:

Implementing small tricks like these can save time in the long run — you would be surprised at how much!

Keeping organized, even in small ways, can help you save time and energy. Give it a try — maybe you too can be a “lazy” organized person!

• Install a hook or place a basket near your front door to keep your keys. When you walk in the door, always put your keys in the same spot.

• Follow the one-in, one-out rule. When bringing a

• When you use up the last of an ingredient, immediately add it to your grocery list. Doing so right away takes only a few seconds and you won’t have to worry about being short on that ingredient later on.

• When unpacking groceries, rip off all of the tabs on boxes. This will make it easier for you to access what is in the box and to notice when you are running low on what is inside. (Crackers, cereal, etc).

Lyndsey Tym, owner of Simple Spaces, desires to help others declutter and simplify in their homes to free up time for the things they love. Learn more at facebook.com/ simplespaceslyndseytym.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Health & Beauty

3 Steps To Finding The Perfect Workout Routine

BY KELSEY EMMANUEL

activity that will make achieving your goals a closer reality.

According to The American Society of Training and Development (ASTD), if you write down your goals and plan how to hit them, the likelihood of you achieving them is 50%. If you commit to someone and tell them about your specific goal, your likelihood increases to 65%. If you have a specific accountability appointment with a person you’ve committed to, your chances of reaching that goal goes up to 95%! Accountability is powerful, and when times get tough, you can come back to your “why” and remember how important it is for you to stay committed to living the life of your dreams.

CREATE REALISTIC WORKOUT ROUTINES

Change your daily routines, so that your brain’s neurological pathways can start getting used to exercise being a new habit in your life.

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ovement is an essential part of life alongside sleep, nutrition, hydration and stress. All parts help us grow and evolve into the type of person we are meant to be. To become the happiest and healthiest version of yourself, there is not a one-size-fits-all formula that everyone should follow. Find out what works best for you by giving yourself a pool of experiences and learning about yourself through them. From your experiences, you’ll be able to formulate the perfect workout routine for yourself.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS? Everyone has a different reason for working out. Maybe you want to lose weight? Feel comfortable in your own skin? Get healthy? Feel happy? By focusing on your goals, you can tailor a workout routine that will get you the results you want faster.

Along with creating specific goals around how you want to feel and look, define the reasons why you want to achieve these goals. What will your life look like if you achieve these goals? What will being more fit and having more energy do for your life? Will you have more confidence to wear your favorite clothes? Will you feel like you can spend more time and energy playing with your kids? Will you feel more motivated to go out and meet new people? When you have difficult days, those reasons (AKA your “why” factor) will be at the top of your mind to help you keep going. Once you identify the top reasons why you want to workout, write them down.

Writing down your intentions and goals is a simple

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Are you a busy, single mom working two jobs, so you can only train at the gym once per week and the rest has to happen at home? That’s great! Are you a college student with extra time on your hands and can commit to training five days per week in the morning before your classes? That’s great, too! Your commitments and responsibilities are unique to you, so your job is to create a workout routine that flows well with your circumstances. The key is to simply start somewhere. Be realistic about how much time you can dedicate to this journey. Once you come up with a realistic and doable plan, commit to it. Change your daily routines, so that your brain’s neurological pathways can start getting used to exercise being a new habit in your life. Once you are consistent with your sustainable routine, you can make micro-adjustments to improve it and challenge yourself.

FIND THE FUN IN FITNESS Working out in the gym and weight lifting are passions for some people, but for the rest of the world, those two things are tools used to improve the quality of an individual’s physical and mental state to pursue other passions. I highly recommend exploring and finding physical activities that are exciting and fun for you to do.

Maybe you want to travel and hike beautiful trails across the country? Maybe you used to play tennis and you would really love to get back into it? Join a rec league or club. Maybe you want to try rock climbing? When you have something you love doing and are passionate about, it gives you more of a reason to work harder and get stronger in the gym. It can be very rewarding when you can measure your progress by the improvements in your performance in your passions and hobbies.

Kelsey Emmanuel is a certified CrossFit Level 1 trainer. Follow along with her workout tips and tutorials on Instagram @kelsey. emmanuel and on Facebook at Kelsey’s Health Journey.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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616-301-2503 Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Paving the Path for Women in Construction,

One Hard Hat at a Time

BY MEGAN SARNACKI | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER

A

s the senior project manager for Wolverine Building Group, Ann Zimmer holds more than 30 years of experience in the construction industry — a field that only 9.1% of women make up in the United States, according to the National Association of Women in Construction.

“It’s definitely still male-dominated,” Zimmer said.

“On average, there’s one woman out on job sites whereas there could be 80 men. In all the years I’ve been doing this, I’ve never even worked with another female project manager.”

Though she was up for the challenge, being the only woman on construction sites was not an easy feat for Zimmer. Early in her career, she faced many misjudgments and preconceived notions regarding her gender.

On any given day, you can find Zimmer multitasking up a storm. Working on eight projects at a time and jumping from one phone call to another is just a regular Monday morning at the office for her.

“You have to completely switch your mindset and your gears for every project, but I work a lot better under pressure than I do in a slow pace,” Zimmer said. “There’s a lot of pressure to get the job done in short periods of time, and there’s a lot of different subcontractors working in everybody’s face. Sometimes things tend to get a little bit heated on the job site so you’ve got to be an excellent problem solver with a thick skin.”

“A lot of people wouldn’t think that relationships and communication are a big part of construction, but those are some of my strengths and have 100% helped me succeed in this industry.”

— ANN ZIMMER

When emotions do arise from working outside in dangerous conditions, Zimmer must not only maintain overseeing the entire process of the project, but also resolve any issues among clients or employees.

What Zimmer loves most about working in construction, though, is that it taught her the benefit of not always knowing the answers.

“When I was just getting into project management, some of my superiors told me that I can come across as being abrasive or bitchy,” Zimmer expressed. “If that was any male conversation, it would be taken as assertive. It was definitely a hard, hard road getting to where I am today,”

“In the project management position, you are the person directing the traffic,” she explained. “... You have to be that person that can help bring that person back to a good level and help them work through some of those feelings without taking it personally.”

“I am never afraid to ask questions, and I encourage people to ask me questions because construction is always changing,” Zimmer said. “It’s very exciting because your brain is always learning new things. It’s important that people understand that it’s OK to ask questions because you will never know it all.”

But gender stereotypes did not stop Zimmer from pursuing her passions, and she encourages other women to seek the benefits of this industry.

Because her role requires solving many different complications and dealing with varying personalities, Zimmer views being a woman with strong interpersonal skills as an advantage.

“A lot of women might steer away from the construction industry because it is male-dominated,” she said. “But it is one of the most rewarding jobs that you can do as a woman because you’re empowering yourself to guide hundreds and hundreds of subcontractors to bring a building together into its fruition.”

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“A lot of people wouldn’t think that relationships and communication are a big part of construction, but those are some of my strengths and have 100% helped me succeed in this industry.”

Megan Sarnacki is a Grand Rapids writer who enjoys crafting stories through multimedia platforms and learning about leaders making a difference in the community.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Birth is the single most transformative moment in a human being’s life.

It is the moment when the deepest love on earth meets with the most massive responsibility you ever knew imaginable. A moment that will solidify your reason for existence.

Sounds pretty powerful, right? Because it is. And, because it is, you deserve to be completely and professionally supported throughout the process.

You wouldn’t plan a wedding without a wedding planner, or buy a house without a realtor. That’s because those are also major life moments where one finds themselves in need of support and counsel.

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Our doulas are here for you throughout pregnancy offering informaGold Coast Postpartum Doula tion, education, and resources, throughout labor and delivery offering physical and emotional support, and once your baby arrives our doulas are available for daytime and overnight support to allow you to bond, heal, and rest.

Owners and seasoned doulas themselves, Kristin Revere and Alyssa Veneklase work personally with each client to match them with the doula who suits them best. This point of accountability leaves Gold Coast Doulas’ clients feeling confident and cared for the way a new family should!

Co-Owners, Kristin & Alyssa

Let us be your expert guide throughout pregnancy, labor & delivery, and your journey into parenthood.

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

15

Rebekah Saltsman:

She’s Got Game WORDS AND PHOTO BY ELYSE WILD

R

ebekah Saltsman is the co-founder and CEO of Finji, a collaborative video game studio based in Grand Rapids. To date, she has published a multi-award-winning game, orchestrated launches on multiple platforms simultaneously, (a rare feat in the gaming industry) and negotiated multimillion dollar deals, all while co-developing a game with her husband, Adam, and raising two boys under the age 10. While she is charting a successful career in a booming industry (according to Super Data’s 2019 Year in Review for Digital Games and Interactive Media, digital games revenue reached $109.4 billion in 2019, up 3% yearover-year), Saltsman grew up with the message that video games were not for her.

“Games were never in the cards for me,” she said. “It was always in the cards for Adam … There are so many things that indicate that games weren’t built for women, especially in the 90s and early 2000s.”

Saltsman entered the industry by way of supporting her husband, a game developer known for the 2009 mobile gaming hit Canabalt, which popularized endless-runners and is on permanent digital display at the Museum of Modern Art. “When I got into video games, I used to introduce myself as Adam’s wife, Becka — I do the money,” she said. “I would say, ‘I don’t actually make games. I am not qualified to do anything else in this community.’”

VISIBILITY In 2013, Adam launched Hundreds, a mobile-puzzle video game that received numerous honorable mentions at industry awards. A large portion of the Hundreds was developed while the couple was training for a marathon; they spent their mornings running, pushing their newborn in a stroller and discussing the game design. When the game launched, it became apparent to Saltsman what her contributions were.

“It became clear that I had done a bunch of design work on Hundreds,” she said. “I would joke around say, ‘I am just a sounding board,’ which, now looking back, is a very offensive way for me to describe my own contributions.”

In 2014, the couple launched Finji, and Saltsman stepped out publicly as a game developer. She says she felt a responsibility to be visible in a community in which the loudest voices discourage women from participating.

“I knew friends who got rape and death threats on Twitter, because they exist in a space where apparently women make other people very uncomfortable,” she said. “It is really important for me to be visible. I am not just visible running the company — I am a visible parent. I am a woman who works in games with kids and a life and pets and so much outside of all of this.”

OVERLAND In September of 2019, Finji launched Overland, a game that the Saltsmans spent nearly six years creating.

Influenced by a 1970’s SovietRussian science fiction novel, Overland, takes players on a road trip across a United States ravaged by the apocalypse. Rather than moving through levels by defeating the “bad guy,” players make choices that impact the coming gameplay: who to save, who to kill, what to supplies to grab, what to leave behind, etc.

The launch was a big moment for the couple, who over the course of developing it, had moved from Austin to Grand Rapids, built a remote team, gotten through the toddler years and published Night in the Woods, a game that went on to earn numerous awards, including a British Academy Games Award and SXSW Gaming Award. In the final

weeks while she prepared launch assets, West Michigan was inundated with snowstorms, and her kids were home from school for nine days.

She also lost power, and therefore, her internet connection.

“I thought we were going to die,” she laughed. “I really didn’t think there was any way to do it, but I did. There was no one else that could get it done, and I just had to make it happen.”

Overland is available for purchase on seven gaming consoles and platforms, including Playing Station, Nintendo and the Apple Arcade.

SHOWING UP According to a report by the Equal Opportunities Commission, video gameplay between genders is nearly equal: 52% of players are male, while 48% are female. That gap widens substantially when it comes to video game developers: 75% are male, 22% are female, and 2% report as transgender. 47% of those polled said that there is unequal treatment in pay and opportunity in the industry.

Saltsman says that the more women who make themselves visible in gaming, the more women will show up.

“It can be really intimidating to be the only woman in the space. The only reason you are the only woman is that no one else felt brave enough to go, because you are not the only one who is interested in games.”

When she is not editing for WLM, Elyse enjoys traveling to far off lands, taking photos, listening to live music and spinning records.

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BY SHANIKA P. CARTER

Michigan Women Forward Continues to Create Leadership Opportunities

The Next Generation

L

eadership skills, 21st century skills, a strong network and resilience—these are the four secrets to success that the state-wide organization Michigan Women Forward (MWF) has been striving to unlock for the next generation of women since its inception in 1986.

With offices in Grand Rapids, Detroit, and Lansing, there are even more young women to reach and support throughout the state by giving them opportunities to excel as students, entrepreneurs, and citizens of their community. With a number of programs and initiatives developed over the past 30+ years, MWF has managed to make the dreams of many, from middle-school aged girls on up, come to fruition.

“I had seen the work MWF had done and loved the direction they were taking,” Judy Welch, Executive Director, West Michigan, explained. As an entrepreneur, she wanted to help move other entrepreneurs and young women forward, which is why the Grand Rapids native took on the role offered to her by President and CEO Carolyn Cassin to join MWF and open a Grand Rapids location. Welch joined the organization in December 2013 and opened the Grand Rapids office in June 2014.

Also coming from a nonprofit background, Welch has the expertise in ensuring that MWF teaches the young women of West Michigan the skills that make up the four secrets to success. These include: developing a belief in themselves by teaching self-esteem, communications, and leadership styles; developing and utilizing 21st

JUDY WELCH, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF MICHIGAN WOMEN FORWARD WEST MICHIGAN. PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER

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PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER PICARDAT , COURTESY OF MWF

“We have to look at the women who have been the trailblazers from the past to bring women to where they are today.”

— JUDY WELCH

century skills, such as creative thinking, collaboration, working on diverse teams, analysis, decision-making, problem-solving, planning, and financial literacy, to conceptualize a business enterprise and develop and pitch ideas; building a network of peers, intergenerational mentors, and university staff; and learning how to set a compass toward a bright future and navigating through any obstacles along the way.

MWF is made up of several initiatives and programs that will benefit participants of all backgrounds. With the #WomanUp Entrepreneurial Initiative, the goal is to eliminate barriers to economic and social equality by developing a scalable model across Michigan, where women can start and grow businesses and give them access to capital and a strong entrepreneurial ecosystem.

This initiative serves a population of 79% low to moderate-income women and 61% of women of color, with most starting their businesses for the first time. This falls in line with

one of MWF’s overall goals of launching and growing successful businesses and qualifying them for traditional funding sources to support future growth. To date, MWF has provided $3.9M of support, 141 loans and 97 investments.

Through #BehindEveryWoman, MWF identifies and assesses issues that disproportionately affect women and girls, developing a collective change agenda to ensure that social and economic equality become a reality in Michigan. In 2014, at the request of Kym Worthy, Wayne County’s elected Prosecutor, MWF accepted the challenge to raise awareness and funds to address the backlog of 11,341 rape kits in Detroit through testing, investigation, and prosecution, which continue today with the last of the kits being sent to a forensically accredited lab. As a result, the Enough SAID (Sexual Assault in Detroit) program was taken on by MWF and has raised over $2M of private sector funding and used to leverage over $10M of government support.

With #UGOGirls (Unstoppable Generation of Girls), programs are created and supported to develop leadership, foster social change and empower middle and high school girls. These impactful programs focus on barrier-free opportunities for college and career, selfesteem, financial literacy and social responsibility. MWF Continued on page 20

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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a simulation of the challenges of adult life, focusing on financial literacy and personal financial planning. UGOGirls for Change is designed to assist high school girls with decision making skills and to understand social change as it relates to community problems facing women and girls. The girls work on a social change project while engaging in meetings and activities on such topics as diversity and gender stereotypes, entrepreneurship, college preparation and career readiness, and social and emotional learning skills.

Continued from page 19 has three signature programs that support the UGOGirls initiative. UGO Girls on Campus (GOC), a three-day residential program typically held at Calvin University for girls entering grades 9-12. The program includes courses in self-esteem, networking, campus tours, college prep skills and public speaking, with participation and mentorship from women professionals across all industries.

Finally, #HERstory Michigan Women’s Historical Center and the Hall of Fame, which merged with MWF two years ago, brings everything full circle. Both recognize the stories of women’s contributions to Michigan, further inspiring women and girls of today and tomorrow, explained Welch. “We have to look at the women who have been the trailblazers from the past to bring women to where they are today.” To date, 329 women have been inducted into the Hall of Fame, which has recognized these “superstars” for over 37 years.

UGO STEM Girls, a weeklong residential program typically held at Grand Valley State University for girls entering grades 6-8, includes STEM labs, team building exercises, social skill building games and Life Unplugged,

Welch has an extensive business and leadership background as a result of many successful career roles, which began after college and the time she spent working in Dallas and Denver over a 9-year period before

PHOTOGRAPHY BY HEATHER PICARDAT , COURTESY OF MWF

returning to Grand Rapids in the late 1980s to run her dad’s 17-location dry cleaning business for 19 years. She described her current role for MWF as the best stage of her career moving women and young girls forward. “I have always been passionate about it, as an entrepreneur, in working with children,” said Welch, who is married with two adult children, ages 33 and 31. “So, here I am.”

Moving forward, Welch sees MWF continuing to reach and invest in even more women entrepreneurs across the state. Having been successful with launching a $10M Community Impact Note to fund microloans in early 2019, under the guidance of Carolyn Cassin, MWF has used philanthropic contributions and money from the state loan fund to make microloans to women entrepreneurs through loan programs and pitch competitions over the past five years. With the additional patient capital from the new offering, MWF could invest in up to 1,000 additional women entrepreneurs, providing them longer terms to pay the investment back, along with technical assistance and support to help them succeed.

To learn more, visit: Michigan Women Forward (MWF) at miwf.org and the Hall of Fame at miwf.org/meet-mi-leaders/hall-of-fame/.

Shanika P. Carter, Principal Consultant of The Write Flow & Vibe, LLC, is an adjunct instructor and author of To Lead or Not to Lead. Learn more atwriteflowandvibe.com.

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BY DEVIN DUMOND

T

here are countless reasons why people create art. For some, it is cathartic — a way to process emotions or relieve stress. For others, art-making is an intrinsic part of who they are — it is as routine as any other part of their daily life.

And still others create to express the human experience, communicate to an audience, or to capture a moment in time. For artist Chakila Hoskins, art is an extension of her faith.

“God gives all of us gifts,” she stated. “And once we discover them, it is our responsibility to share them with the world.”

This sentiment is truly her driving force as an artist.

From the concepts and symbols behind the images to her methodical creative process, each piece she conceives is thoughtful and deliberate, with her beliefs always in the forefront.

“My work is pretty intense as far as content goes,” she said. “There are layers and layers; they all go back to the

ARTIST PROFILE: CHAKILA HOSKINS “My work is pretty intense as far as content goes.

There are layers and layers; they all go back to the same theme — spiritual life and spiritual journey.”

— CHAKILA HOSKINS

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same theme — spiritual life and spiritual journey.”

It is also out of this faith that Hoskins began to use braille in her art.

“If it’s my obligation to share my gift with the world, how can I not share that with the blind and visually impaired?”

We first see the use of braille in Hoskins’ labyrinth series, which she developed during her undergraduate studies at Kendall College of Art and Design. This series centered around an allegory about a society of fraternal twins —one who has their sight, and the other who is visually impaired.

“They commune together in this labyrinth setting every day,” she narrated. “They would walk the labyrinth’s path and along the path were biblical scriptures — written in words and braille. They would read each one and pray/ meditate. Once [they] get to the center, they stand there and receive what God has to deliver, and then walk out in Union with God.” These powerful abstract images showcase her talents as both a visual artist and storyteller. Consisting of three panels each, the first contain the verses of scripture written in braille, and the next two panels show the labyrinth. The design of each labyrinth is based on her system of numerical symbolism, which later evolved to her use of animal symbols. A fascinating body of work, both personal in nature with its representation of her spiritual journey, and universal in her use of composition, symmetry, and pattern.

Hoskins returned to Kendall to earn her MFA in painting. It was then that she started working on a much larger scale and built her own wood panels to

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

to convert the poem into braille, traced the dots from the computer screen, and then transferred the dots to the panels. From there, she rolled clay by hand into small balls and adhered each one individually to the panel surface. This process would take 30 hours or more and it all happened before any painting even took place.

While some may cringe at that level of tedium, Hoskins described her technique with the braille as meditative.

“My life is very intense; that was my time to block out all of that and just focus on what I love to do.”

accommodate the new work. Several of these large-scale paintings come to life with relief patterns of this tactile writing system using clay.

The process starts with a specific narrative which is expressed through a poem. She used an online translator

The braille poems allow the visually impaired to “see what we see,” she continues, “it’s not a description of what it looks like, but what it means.”

More illustrative than the labyrinth series, this body of work is a more literal representation of her overarching narrative. Each piece centers around a main character

(modeled by one of her three daughters) who is depicted in an ambiguous, but somewhat familiar, environment, often in double. She incorporates in the space architectural elements, dreamy fields of gray, and colorful visitors — animals that have specific symbolic meaning. Consisting of two or three panels, Hoskins uses the diptych and triptych format as an homage to early theological paintings.

Hoskins’ work can be appreciated by any observer. Her skill with portraiture combined with surrealistic imagery result in emotional, contemplative pieces that leave the viewer reflecting on their own interpretations. It is within this space that the magic of Hoskins’ work happens — as if each piece awakens within the viewer a memory or journey of their own.

To learn more about Chakila Hoskins, visit her online at divineartistries.com Devin DuMond is a Grand Rapids artist, entrepreneur, and professor who is passionate about cultivating community and empowering women.

Find her online at hatchgr.com and grwomenwho.com.

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Savannah, Hilton Head @FlyGRFord

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Everyday Athena Tessa Keena, Senior Manager Hungerford Nichols CPA + Advisors This is the second chapter in a series spotlighting members of our community who epitomize the Athena standards and live by its principles. Readers will come to know these women, the companies they are representing and the forward thinking employers who have a commitment to elevating women and fairly compensating those women for their contributions in their workforce.

The Athena principles: LIVING AUTHENTICALLY LEARNING CONSTANTLY ADVOCATING FIERCELY ACTING COURAGEOUSLY FOSTERING COLLABORATION BUILDING RELATIONSHIPS GIVING BACK CELEBRATING

STEPPING INTO THE WORKFORCE as a young single mother right out of high school, Tessa Keena’s journey to success has been unique, and she says, made possible by relentless support from those around her.

“I have always been very driven, I was academic and I enjoyed working hard,” Keena said. “As a young mom, I had a lot of family support, and some people don’t have that.”

Today, Keena is a senior manager at Hungerford Nichols CPA+ Advisors. Keena says she was able to earn her CPA with the support of her husband.

“My husband stepped aside, and instead of him working on his MBA, I worked on my CPA,” she expressed. “He knew that it would make more sense for me to do that first. He stepped up to take care of stuff around the house while I spent maybe two years studying.”

When Keena started at Hungerford Nichols in 2011, she was still pursuing her bachelor’s degree in accounting, which she finished in 2012. In her first six weeks at the firm, the senior accountant she was working under left, and she was given the opportunity to take on the clients on her own.

“I was confident enough to go forward knowing that I knew enough, but that I could ask for help if I could,” she said.

She describes a key moment in her career when a mentor at the firm advocated for her compensation to be increased; something that she, like many women, was hesitant to ask for.

“That was huge,” she said. “We hear about this a lot, that women are less apt to go for something, where men are like, ‘why not?’ So him advocating for me — and there were others that advocated for me — has given me the ability to do that for others.”

Hungerford Nichols has cultivated a culture in which employees may set goals and thrive. Keena says that as a leader, this allows her to advocate for her staff.

ATHENA PRINCIPLE: FIERCE ADVOCACY

Keena practices fierce advocacy by building the confidence of her staff, recognizing their accomplishments and allowing them opportunities to perform while being on hand to help if needed.

“They are early in their careers and they can still be successful, and it is about building their confidence,” she said. “A lot of times, they will say, ‘Well, I am just a young CPA and this client probably doesn’t want to work with me,’ and I will say, ‘No, you are our CPA, and that right there says enough.’ I want to help them build their confidence in who they are and help them get to the next level. I work to give them the confidence to work with the client, and step in to help when they need it.”

Keena shares that she recently heard a quote at church that resonated with her view of leadership: “The more mature you are, the more sacrifices you make for the people coming behind you.”

“That resonates so clearly with how I want to lead because I am still learning and growing, but I have been able to get to a point where I am able to sacrifice for others,” she said. “I want my staff to know that when I am here all day, I am at their disposal to help them and answer their questions and support them. Sometimes I have to stay late to get my own work done, and they may never see that, but that is a sacrifice I am willing to make so they may be supported so they can learn and grow and not feel overwhelmed.”

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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It’s a real struggle for transitioning veterans, along with the veteran suicide rate climbing. It was clear if we could do something to help other veterans, that would be a win.”

— JANET BLACKALL

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEVIN HUVER

JANET BLACKALL:

Helping Other Veterans Transition from Warriors to Elite Leaders

PHOTOGRA

PHY COUR

TESY BRYAN

J NELSON

BY SHANIKA P. CARTER

C

hief Motivational Officer (CMO) is how Janet Blackall, owner and president of Blackall Racing, describes herself. The titles Team Manager, Military Veteran, Wife, and Mom also apply to the Sand Lake resident who came to West Michigan around 2008 when it was the only place that she could find work after her time in the Marine Corps. Blackall’s transition back into the civilian world was one that was tough for both her and her husband, Tony, a rider for Blackall Racing and full-time applications engineer.

“The lack of brotherhood and sisterhood, comradery and having real faith and trust in your peers was just something not easy to find on the civilian side,” Blackall said. “It’s a real struggle for transitioning veterans, along with the veteran suicide rate climbing. It was clear if we could do something to help other veterans, that would be a win.”

In July 2019, in an effort to make a difference by helping other veterans, the Blackalls combined their passions to form a professional motorcycling team, Blackall Racing.

Today, they have already competed in three professional races. Blackall explained that riding motorcycles was an outlet for her husband that got him out of a dark place.

As a result, she wants to connect with sponsors and other organizations that are run by or support veterans who will help make Blackall Racing a long-term, open facility and resource for veterans.

Blackall has been successful “running the show,” usually taking on the most challenging roles. Her ability to excel has been beneficial for her being a first-time business owner in a male-dominated world, one where she has learned how to keep pushing forward when being told

26

“no” and being vocal and not afraid to share her thoughts and ideas.

After attending the V-WISE conference for veteran women six years ago, which was aimed at igniting the spirit of entrepreneurship, Blackall was on her way to opening her own manufacturing facility when her last civilian job recruited her. After being faulted for being too honest with her team, a trait that had preiously given her a significant amount of success in team building, an idea came to Blackall: Take military veterans with leadership expertise and help them to transition into the civilian world through all of their struggles while teaching them the needed soft skills to succeed.

Having surpassed her 2019 goal of competing in one race, Blackall is now focusing on her 2020 goals for Blackall Racing: competing in the full professional MotoAmerica circuit, which promotes the AMA Superbike Series, and gaining national attention.

Another 2020 goal while securing sponsorship and growing the brand of Blackall Racing is gaining more support from spectators at the MotoAmerica races for #patrioticpackages, a project that entails packing 200 small care packages with handwritten notes to send off to deployed military personnel at the end of the season.

When Blackall isn’t putting in time running Blackall Racing, she is working part-time from home in an administrative/customer service role for a previous employer based in Denver, Colorado. Additionally, she is the mother to two girls and a boy, all under the age of 10.

“I missed out on the first three years of my oldest child’s life by working too long and hard,” Blackall confessed, but she has learned how to focus on being present in the

PHOTOGRAPHY COURTESY BRYAN J NELSON

moment. “Whenever I start crossing over into putting too much time into work, it’s easy to reflect back to that experience and know I can never change that, but I can change the now and tomorrow.”

Please visit blackallracing.com to learn more about the organization and find ways that you can offer your support.

Shanika P. Carter, Principal Consultant of The Write Flow & Vibe, LLC, is an adjunct instructor and author of To Lead or Not to Lead. Learn more atwriteflowandvibe.com.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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ASK THE EXPERT Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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EILEEN KISHMAN PHYSICAL THERAPIST

ASK THE EXPERT “There is no reason to be bashful or suffer in silence. We help patients with concerns of the bladder and bowel and pelvic pain for better function and comfort in daily living!”

EILEEN KISHMAN is a Physical Therapist at Advent Physical Therapy – providing quality care since 1996. Advent is one of the of the largest and most comprehensive rehabilitation providers in West Michigan, with 14 convenient locations 7 of which offer pelvic services.

Eileen studied physical therapy at the University of Michigan – Flint with over 34 years of experience.

She is a prenatal exercise instructor in her free time and enjoys running, watching her daughter swim, and coaching.

Eileen believes the key to health is empowering women through education and collaboration. Female health is her passion, and she has learned that there are some stigmas that exist: Did you know: • 1 out of 3 lose control over their bladder.

• 1 out of 5 have pain during intercourse.

• 1 out of 5 have pelvic pain that could be related to spine, abdomen, and pelvic floor issues.

• Pregnancy and postpartum pain and weakness are common but can be treated.

What can a Pelvic Health Physical Therapist help with?

• Pregnancy and Postpartum Conditions – Pain and weakness can be addressed during pregnancy and immediately following birth.

• Constipation – Pelvic and abdominal muscles can be strengthened or relaxed to assist with constipation.

• Endometriosis – Bones, ligaments, muscles, and nerves in the pelvic region can all be affected by the progression of endometriosis. We can help lessen pain and bloating while strengthening pelvic floor muscles.

• Urinary Urgency or Leakage - Therapists can help coordinate strengthening and relaxation of your pelvic floor along with behavioral changes to assist with urge and leakage symptoms.

• Pain after Abdominal Surgery – We can reduce pain after surgeries. Treatment can help break up scar tissue, regain range of motion, and improve strength.

• Relieving or eliminating painful intercourse and infertility concerns.

What is Pelvic Rehabilitation?

Pelvic rehabilitation involves lengthening and strengthening the pelvic floor, hip, and abdominal muscles that are causing pain or leakage affecting your daily life. We will provide an evaluation to determine what specific type of treatment you will need.

We use a combination of exercise, manual therapy and relaxation techniques. We may also incorporate technological treatments such as biofeedback and electric stimulation. You might have a home program with a list of therapeutic exercises to follow to aid in the speed of your recovery. We also support proactive and preventative treatments in preparation for childbirth- making delivery and recovery easier.

What Techniques are Used?

There are several non-invasive techniques a pelvic health physical therapist may use during a session, things like: Postural Exercises – To improve posture and muscles affecting posture using large therapy balls or medicine balls in an exercise routine.

Stretching/Strengthening – Exercises targeting the pelvic floor muscles and the connecting fascia as well as stretches, massages, and bouts of light exercise as a part of the treatment plan.

Diaphragmatic Breathing – Deep breathing exercises can help relax muscles in the pelvic area. Deep breaths allow your diaphragm to slowly contract and expand. This, in turn, causes muscles in the pelvic floor to drop and lengthen.

Relaxation Techniques –Guided imagery and biofeedback can help you relax, making it easier for your physical therapist to provide manual therapy and stretch your muscles.

Getting Treatment Our team can help you find relief from pelvic conditions and assist you with treatments to reduce pain, lessen symptoms, and heal – achieving the results you deserve.

Your pelvic floor muscles, tendons, and ligaments are extremely important in supporting the core of your body. Contact us today for more information on how pelvic floor rehab can work for you.

For more information, PelvicHealth.AdventPT.com | (616) 207-2327 28

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

WHAT TO KNOW ABOUT WISDOM TOOTH EXTRACTION What are wisdom teeth, and where are they?

Most people have 4 wisdom teeth at the back of the mouth.

One on each side, top and bottom.

Do everyone’s wisdom teeth need to be removed?

Many people wonder about this or wonder if their kids need to undergo a procedure even when there is no pain or symptoms.

It is true that some people have room for their wisdom teeth.

They do not need to be removed if they grow in completely, chew well, don’t have signs of decay or gum disease, and don’t cause pain. Like other teeth in the mouth, good daily care at home, annual check-ups, and periodic xrays are recommended to keep erupted wisdom teeth healthy.

DR. EMILY VAN HEUKELOM

ORAL AND MAXILLOFACIAL SURGEON

ASK THE EXPERT “A majority of people do not have enough room for all of their wisdom teeth to erupt fully and be maintained in a state of health.”

DR. VAN HEUKELOM practices general oral and maxillofacial surgery, with interests in dentoalveolar/ dental implant surgery, full mouth rehabilitation, anesthesia, and hospital-based procedures. She is a graduate of the University of Iowa College of Dentistry, followed by residencies at the University of Iowa Hospitals & Clinics and Boston University Medical Center.

She is passionate about patient safety and provider wellness.

Dr. Van Heukelom publishes articles and has worked as a reviewer for prominent specialty journals, worked on the committee to update national professional practice guidelines for oral surgeons, and lectures to diverse audiences including oral surgeons, dentist anesthesiologists, local dental societies, and resident physicians. In 2020, Dr. Van Heukelom started a West Michigan Chapter of the American Association of Women Dentists.

Dr. Van Heukelom began her professional career in private practice in New Hampshire before relocating with her husband to Grand Rapids in 2015 to be close to family. They are avid cyclists and are busy at home with pre-school age twins.

How common is it that there isn’t enough space for wisdom teeth?

A majority of people do not have enough room for all of their wisdom teeth to erupt fully and be maintained in a state of health. Even when wisdom teeth erupt all the way into the mouth, they’re often so far back that it’s hard to clean well, making wisdom teeth more vulnerable to gum disease or tooth decay. For some people, wisdom teeth remain impacted, meaning the teeth can’t break through the gums all the way due to lack of space or poor alignment. Like other medical conditions like high blood pressure or diabetes, problems with wisdom teeth can exist for a long time without causing pain. In other words, pain free doesn’t mean problem free.

When is the right time to get wisdom teeth checked?

If the wisdom teeth are erupted, your dentist can evaluate them at regular cleaning and exam appointments. For younger patients, the professional association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (AAOMS) has conducted studies of wisdom teeth, and strongly recommends that third molars be evaluated by an oral surgeon by the time a patient is a young adult. The goal is to assess the wisdom teeth, potential for issues, and recommend management options specific to the patient. It is important to have this evaluation as the teeth are developing, because if surgery is recommended, the risk of complications and speed of recovery is typically more favorable before the tooth roots are fully developed. Reasons wisdom teeth may need to be removed include: • Infections and/or periodontal (gum) disease • Cavities that cannot be restored • Pathologies such as cysts, and tumors • Damage to neighboring teeth If wisdom teeth need to be removed, how can a patient get into your office?

Many patients receive a referral from their regular dentist, though some call us directly to set up the first visit. We invite patients to our office to review the medical history, xrays, and evaluate the mouth. Then we discuss the patient’s unique situation and treatment recommendation — there’s no one-size-fitsall. For some people needing one tooth removed, we’re able to use local numbing and they can drive to/from the appointment themselves. In other situations, we talk about additional options to keep our patients comfortable, including medication for anxiety, nitrous oxide “laughing gas,” or sedation anesthesia.

For more information, visit grandrapidsoralsurgery.com Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

RAISING THE STANDARD OF HEALTHCARE DELIVERY What is quality care?

The modern healthcare industry has placed tremendous burdens on physicians and mid-level providers. Politics, special interests, and financial pressures manipulate and influence clinicians’ medical decision-making, values, and ethics. This is not quality care. “Patient Care” focuses on the patient’s needs and concerns in the context of medicine.“Disease Management” focuses on the protocols and algorithms of diagnosis and management of disease. “Quality Care” should be the synergy of both. We all want optimal health, but the manner in which care is delivered is as important as the outcomes. Personal mission determines how much “care” a clinician invests in the patient during disease management.

JEFFERY WOO, M.D. MEDICAL DIRECTOR

ASK THE EXPERT “The healthier we are, the greater our capacity for positive influence on our communities.

I desperately want all of you to fulfill God’s purpose admirably and well. So, take advantage of today’s opportunities and implement beneficial lifestyle changes that will bless your bodies.”

JEFFERY WOO, M.D. is the Medical

Director at Christian Healthcare Centers and is one of the three founders of the organization. He received his medical degree from University of Kansas School of Medicine and took his Residency at Spectrum Health - GRMERC, Internal Medicine. Jeff has been a wellrespected doctor for over 15 years and has developed a reputation of medical excellence in West Michigan and beyond. As one of his patients quoted: Dr Woo is “ a compassionate, good listener, who is aggressive and tenacious in figuring out root causes and offering options which are well explained. He treats the whole person, not just your symptoms.”

Jeff’s idea of wellness and health includes body, soul, spirit, and mind.

He is committed to integrating wellness services, best practices and standards of care from scientific research, clinical practice, professional experience, biblical teaching, and other sources of knowledge to glorify God and promote a healthy and flourishing community.

Jeff and his amazing wife, Cathy, love partnering in life, raising their 5 beautiful children, being active in their local church, enjoying music, watching hockey, and being life-long learners.

What defines Christian Healthcare Centers?

We are defined by what we affirm: commitment to life, biblical values, community, and stewardship. Our commitment to God dictates that the quality of our stewardship (i.e. disease management) be worthy of His praise. Our purpose as Christians dictates that the manner in which we provide our stewardship (i.e. patient care) be provided with loving compassion. CHC is committed to high-quality, Christian care. We are committed to practicing medicine as God intended: with compassion, integrity, and intelligence. As traditional as our mission seems, modern medicine would benefit from our Christian world-view.

We intend to redefine the healthcare experience in our nation through providing exceptional, whole-person, patient-focused care.

What is the ideal healthcare?

In an ideal world, everybody would have convenient, timely access and time devoted to his or her care and questions when they visit their doctors. But, this has not been the experience of most individuals in our current healthcare system. In fact, according to a study conducted by the National Institutes of Health, patients want timely appointments, time with the doctor, eye contact, a doctor who listens to them and access when care is needed.

People Want Patient-Focused Care. At CHC, our medical model addresses each of these issues and effectively resolves them.

Sick appointments are scheduled same-day or next-day … less waiting, appointments are scheduled in 30/60/90-min segments … more time, our physicians talk with patients when they call and they know their story and interact about more than surface medical concerns. In short, our physicians place a priority on knowing each patient and raising the standard of healthcare delivery.

What drives your passion?

Stewardship is a major priority for me. God has gifted us with our remarkable bodies. He has commissioned us to care for ourselves, others, and His creation. But, the leading causes of death in the United States—heart disease, cancer, accidents, chronic lung disease, and stroke—all result in large part from poor self-stewardship.

The team at CHC encourages you to intentionally adopt a proactive role in caring for your overall health through education, evaluation and execution. The healthier we are, the greater our capacity for positive influence on our communities.

I desperately want all of you to fulfill God’s purpose admirably and well. So, take advantage of today’s opportunities and implement beneficial lifestyle changes that will bless your bodies.

For more information, visit www.chcenters.org.

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

POSTPARTUM DOULA SUPPORT – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN EXACTLY? What is postpartum?

Postpartum or postnatal begins immediately after the birth of a child or children. It is a period of time often referred to as the first six weeks of recovery after the birth.

KRISTIN REVERE, MM, CD CO-OWNER

ALYSSA VENEKLASE, CD CO-OWNER

ASK THE EXPERT Clients of Gold Coast Doulas have come to expect an exceptional standard of discretion, incomparable care, and ongoing professional support for their growing families.

Meet the Doulas KRISTIN REVERE, MM, CD

Experience: 7 years as a birth doula, 5 years as a postpartum and infant care doula.

“I enjoy supporting clients from conception through the first year. It is amazing to watch them become confident in their choices during pregnancy, birth, and as parents.”

Certifications: • Certified Sacred Doula (Birth Doula) • Certified Elite Labor Doula, ProDoula • Certified Elite Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, ProDoula • Graduate Newborn Care Solutions ALYSSA VENEKLASE, CD

Experience: 5 years as a postpartum and infant care doula, 2 years as a sleep consultant.

“Sleep is my passion. When a family is getting the rest they need they are more productive at work, they are better able to bond with their children, and their physical and mental health improves.”

Certifications: • Certified Elite Postpartum & Infant Care Doula, ProDoula • Certified Sleep Consultant, Baby Sleep Consultants • Graduate Newborn Care Solutions • Graduate Advanced Multiples Training

So you don’t have to have postpartum depression to hire a postpartum doula?

No, many of our clients hire us to heal after a birth and get much-needed sleep. With that said, some of our clients do suffer from perinatal mood and anxiety disorders. At Gold Coast, we know the importance of care for our clients who are struggling with mood disorders and offer them judgment-free support.

What does a postpartum doula do in the home?

We help instill confidence in parents and create strong household systems. Every shift and every client is different. Sometimes we help with sibling care and meal preparation. Other times our focus is on caring for the newborn and allowing our clients some much-needed rest (or a shower). We offer emotional support to the family as well. Offering judgement-free support to a family means providing evidence-based resources and encouraging parents to make the best choices for their family.

Is an overnight postpartum doula like a night nanny?

No. We have specialized training in feedings, healthy sleep patterns, and in identifying mood disorders. Our primary client is the birthing person and then the baby or babies. Nannies don’t usually have specialized trainings and often follow the instructions given by a family. We try to assess what help is needed before we are even asked.

When is the best time to hire a doula?

It is best to hire your birth or postpartum doula early in pregnancy. We suggest this so you have more time to develop a trusting relationship and have access to expert referrals and evidenced-based information from your doula or team of doulas. We have a big team, but many of our doulas get booked out far in advance so it’s best to plan ahead. We will always try to accommodate families who need help today with postpartum support or are nearing their due date and are looking for a birth doula.

Does insurance cover a doula?

Insurance does not cover birth or postpartum doula support.

Many HSA and FSA accounts do reimburse for our services. We also offer custom baby shower inserts, and all of our Gold Coast services and classes are available at www.ecobunsstore.com both online and at the in-store baby registry.

How do I choose the perfect postpartum doula for my family?

Some families work with one doula, others work with multiple doulas depending on the number of hours and days requested.

We offer free in-person consultations to make sure you have the perfect fit. We also match team members to clients based on personality, and availability. Some of our doulas have additional knowledge in things like: babywearing, lactation, and food preparation that make them a perfect fit for some of our clients.

Our biographies are listed on our website at: www.goldcoastdoulas.com/postpartum-doulas. The bios will give you a great glimpse into each team member’s approach and experience level.

Interested in learning more? Contact us at www.goldcoastdoulas.com Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

LOOK YOUNGER AND BETTER How can I keep my skin looking good as I get older?

Control the things you can. Don’t smoke, avoid excess alcohol, exercise regularly, and get enough sleep. A daily skin care program is also essential. Genetics can play a big factor in how your skin ages but you can fight back with good care of your skin.

Which products should I use on my face?

Use a sunscreen every day and a good moisturizer twice daily.

Many companies selling skin care products will advertise their ‘secret patented formulas’, but the truth is that most over-the counter moisturizers will minimize fine lines and wrinkles if used consistently. Use a broad-spectrum sunscreen with SPF of 15 or higher to all areas of the body exposed to the sun. (The American Academy of Dermatology recommends SPF 30 as a minimum).

ROSE RAMIREZ, MD

ASK THE EXPERT No matter your issue, today’s medical advances offer many options. We are standing by to put all the tools at our disposal to work for you.”

ROSE RAMIREZ was born and raised in Michigan. She graduated from the Michigan State University College of Human Medicine in 1988.

Her residency training was done in Jacksonville, Florida while her husband, Dr. John vanSchagen, served in the US Navy.

In 2004, Dr. Ramirez opened her own Practice, Jupiter Family Medicine PC. Later that year, she opened Jupiter Medical Aesthetics.

She is Board-certified in Family Medicine and practices preventive and general medical care with a focus on women’s health care and dermatology.

Her interest in cosmetic dermatology led her to take additional specialized training in use of cosmetic lasers. She also administers Botox, both for cosmetic purposes and treatment of migraine headaches.

What is the best sunscreen?

The best sunscreen is one that works well with your skin type and is used consistently.

Sunscreen should be applied daily in the morning. If you will be outside getting sun exposure, you may need to reapply sunscreen every two hours for best protection. If you are swimming or sweating during a workout, a water resistant sunscreen is probably best.

Wearing clothing that has Ultraviolet Photoprotection Factor (UPF) and a wide brimmed hat while in the sun can reduce the amount of sunscreen needed.

There has been increasing concern about sunscreen getting absorbed into the human body and causing neuroendocrine problems, among others. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates sunscreens and is demanding studies to help understand this better.

Can taking collagen supplements orally help my skin look better?

Until recently, I would have said that ingesting collagen orally is only giving you more protein in your diet. However, new developments in the area of collagen supplements are showing promise. One recent study showed that specific proteins derived from bovine (cow) skin, when taken orally, are broken down and absorbed into the blood stream. These peptides then accumulate in the skin and are available to form the collagen biomatrix.

This is especially exciting because the benefits occur in the dermis, the deeper skin layer that many creams and lotions do not reach. We need more large scale studies to confirm this.

Are there ways to build collagen without taking oral supplements?

Yes! We have decades of experience with retinoids and good science that shows these can penetrate the epidermis (outer skin layer) to rebuild collagen.

Retinoids include tretinoin, adapalene, retinaldehyde, retinol and others. Many retinoids are available by prescription only, however adapalene and retinol are readily available over-the counter. Some products claim to contain retinol but some contain only very small amounts and some are totally ineffective because of other ingredients they may contain. Use these products with advice from someone experienced in their application because retinoids can cause skin irritation and increase risk of sunburn.

For more information, visit jupitermedicalaesthetics.com 32

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

SAME-DAY PSYCHIATRIC URGENT CARE What is psychiatric urgent care?

This level of service is specifically for when people have a serious behavioral health issue that they can’t wait months for a first appointment and assessment with a psychiatrist, but yet they are not in a crisis that needs hospitalization.

When should a person use psychiatric urgent care?

Adults having trouble managing daily activities—like going to work, taking care of themselves, etc.—because of psychiatric symptoms of depression, anxiety, panic attacks, disturbing thoughts, substance use, etc., should come to the Psychiatric Urgent Care Center. We can help them start recovering right away. That’s the primary reason we opened the Center… to help people in our communities get better faster.

MEGAN AUFFREY- ZAMBIASI, MA, MBA

DIRECTOR, PINE REST PSYCHIATRIC URGENT CARE CENTER

ASK THE EXPERT “Can you imagine waiting months to see a psychiatrist when you’re really struggling because of anxiety, depression or another mental health issue? With psychiatric urgent care, we change that wait time to hours.”

MEGAN AUFFREY-ZAMBIASI, MA, MBA is a Licensed Professional

Counselor and Limited Licensed Psychologist in the State of Michigan and has 20 years of behavioral health experience as a clinician and administrator. She is passionate about helping people gain access to behavioral health services, and has worked with the community to find solutions to these issues.

In addition to her work on the Urgent Care Center, she also helped develop Pine Rest’s Mother and Baby Partial Hospitalization Program, one of the first of its kind in the United States.

Megan has been married to her husband Michael for 22 years, and they have two sons currently in college.

In her spare time, she enjoys singing, hiking the dunes, and attending Michigan State sporting events.

What happens when a person goes to the center?

We assess the level of care they need using a team approach very similar to medical urgent care. Generally, the time for an urgent care visit—from check-in to leaving with an aftercare plan—has been just under two hours. The majority of patients we’ve seen need outpatient therapy and/or medication management. If symptoms are more severe, we can refer to a higher level of care such as an inpatient psychiatric facility, an intensive daily program or a residential detox facility.

What is it like at the Psychiatric Urgent Care Center?

It’s really important for us at Pine Rest that people feel calm and cared for when the walk in our doors. Given the stigma around mental health in general, a lot of people have concerns to come in for help. We’ve been very intentional to create a calming, safe place for people to receive care.

When should a person go to the Urgent Care versus an Emergency Room?

If it’s a person’s first time ever experiencing severe psychiatric symptoms, we do recommend they visit the emergency room because this flare up might be related to an acute medical issue. Also, we recommend going to the emergency room if the person has any physical injuries that need medical treatment to stabilize (like cuts, gashes, broken bones) or is impaired from substance use.

Do you need to make an appointment?

No appointment necessary. Walk-ins are welcome.

Does insurance cover this new service?

Most commercial insurance covers psychiatric urgent care including Medicare and Medicaid health plans. If someone has Medicaid, they should definitely call ahead since some plans require pre-authorization.

Why did Pine Rest establish urgent care?

Our goal is to get help for people in our communities quickly when depression, anxiety, substance use and other things really impact their daily lives. It’s working! The majority of patients visiting the center have received an assessment and initial treatment within two hours of their arrival.

For more information, call 616-455-9200 or visit pinerest.org/urgent.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

TANDEM365 – CARE IS BETTER TOGETHER What is TANDEM365?

TANDEM365 provides customized care coordination and individually tailored services that have a positive impact on the ongoing health and wellness of our program participants. In addition to achieving positive healthcare outcomes, our program shows a measurable reduction in healthcare costs as well as achieving a high-level of satisfaction and enhances the quality of life for participants.

TERESA TOLAND CEO

ASK THE EXPERT “I am very passionate about helping seniors receive the correct care that they need, at the right time and in the right place.”

TERESA is the CEO of TANDEM365,

a local health and care management program that helps seniors remain independently in their homes for as long and as safely as possible.

Teresa holds a Bachelor of Administration from the University of Phoenix and a BSN from Texarkana College. She previously served on the Grand Rapids Community College Board of Directors for the nursing program.

Teresa has been featured in The Remington Report for her efforts and initiatives with integrated community partners coupled with a paramedic program. She has presented at conferences and notable speaking engagements since 2008 including the Remington Conference, National PACE Association and the National Academics of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine.

Teresa has been featured in news interviews including WGVU, WCUZ, Wood-TV, MLive and the Grand Rapids Business Journal.

At TANDEM365 we utilize highly skilled Nurses, Social Workers and Integrated Care Paramedics to assist those participants who require frequent hospital visits. Our participants are medically complex and often elderly. Our services help them to remain in their homes and manage their conditions more appropriately. Our model provides intense, high-touch, patient-centered methods of care delivery to assist our participants to better navigate the often fragmented, complex, and costly healthcare system.

How does it work?

We help our senior participants improve the quality of life in their home, while teaching them to manage their own health and be as independent as possible. Our focus is to safely treat our participants in their home for non-threatening situations and ultimately reduce the number of emergency room visits.

What is patient centered care?

One of our goals in this program is to offer seniors the level of care they desire.

Our interdisciplinary team focuses heavily on each individual’s goals, preferences, and priorities through an individualized Life Plan. The Life Plan is created with the help of an RN and MSW Navigators and is then sent to a primary care physician to review. TANDEM365’s team also provides strong guidance and direction on Advanced Care Planning. This process includes evaluating healthcare wishes and goals for end of life treatment, the designation of an advocate to act on behalf of a participant and the creation or collection of documents such as a Durable Power of Attorney, Living Will or Treatment Preferences guide.

What services are available?

Through customized care that is coordinated by our team of healthcare professionals, participants in TANDEM365 have access to the best services and support available with a single point of contact. All of our services are based on an initial assessment and evaluation by our health professionals.

Currently, our services include: • Care coordination • Chore services • Integrated Care Paramedic visits • Meals and transportation • Mental health resources • Monitored medication management • Registered Nurse navigators • Social Work navigators • Wellness coaching • 24/7 rapid response team

For more information please visit tandem365.com or call 616-588-5290 34

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Spring Renewal Event Just in time for spring break Thursday March 12, 2020 5pm to 7pm Come in for a CoolSculpting demo!

See what LASER/IPL for skin rejuvenation can do for you!

Learn the TRUTH about hormones and wellness.

Discover how PRP restores sexual vitality! *SPECIAL: 25% off CoolSculpting for attendees* RSVP to (616) 301-7390 www.optimalwellnessmedical.com

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

photo by Kevin Huver

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SPRING IS IN THE AIR

EASTERNFLORAL.COM 616-949-2200 @EasternFloralMI @easternfloralmi

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At Emerald Meadows, our residents tell us that if they knew how much more enjoyable life would be in our community, they would’ve moved here sooner! Without a doubt, you’ll love the assistance, friendships, and amenities you’ll find at Emerald Meadows.

Keep the conversation going at www.EMDifference.com

EMERALD MEADOWS

6117 Charlevoix Woods Ct SE • Grand Rapids, MI 49546

(616) 954-2366

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SOUND & LIGHT Weddings, Corporate Events & DJ Service

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(616) 532-7059 EMAIL:

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Becoming a

Successful Writer Monday, March 16 7:00 pm Main Library 111 Library St NE Join us for an evening with award-winning authors from West Michigan featuring Albert Bell, Vic Foerster, D.E. Johnson, Lisa McCallister, Sheila Shotwell, and facilitator Stephen Beckwith.

Discover inside information on the many paths to publishing, promoting, and distributing your book. This event is designed for writers at all levels, including anyone who has thought about writing and publishing and wants to know where to start.

Co-sponsor: West Michigan Writers’ Workshop

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The Great Michigan Read: Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha Tuesday, March 24 6:00 pm Grand Valley State University 401 Fulton St W Loosemore Auditorium Hear Dr. Mona Hanna-Attisha’s riveting account of her discovery that Flint’s children were being poisoned by lead leaching into the city’s drinking water.

Her book, What the Eyes Don’t See, was chosen as the 2019-2020 Great Michigan Read. It is an inspiring story of a shameful disaster that became a tale of hope.

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Beaubien Bodyworks Massage, Skin & Hair Boutique

2 hours of luxury only $99!

Our new client specials make great Holiday Gifts 3 to choose from: • Luxury facial with wax, sugaring or peel • Organic color, cut & blowout • Massage & facial - both a full hour!

Purchase gift cards online at beaubienbodyworks.com or call 616.258.8181 We are in the heart of East Hills at 951 Wealthy St, SE

The Great Michigan Read is presented by the Michigan Humanities Council and supported by national, statewide, and local partners, including the National Endowment for the Humanities and The Meijer Foundation. This program is a partnership with the Kutsche Office of Local History at GVSU.

EVENTS ARE FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC 616.988.5400 WWW.GRPL.ORG Many of these programs are funded by the Grand Rapids Public Library Foundation.

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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Crystal Elixir Pet Bowl Provides healthy, vital gem water for your pets.

Intuitive / Psychic Readers ~ Reiki and Energy Therapy The Rev. Vivian Love Kyle • Intuitive Angel Reader

Intuitive artist and counselor who channels messages from the angelic realm. Her clients receive insights and guidance from those entities and spirits with which they are surrounded. Vivian is a 5th generation medium who continues the legacy as teacher, spiritual counselor, and healer. www.loveisvictorious.com

Eugenia Marve • Psychic • Medical Intuitive • Medium

Awarded educator, workshop facilitator, Psychic over 45 years. Gives clients information about relationships, economics, health and those not present.

International and national phone or Skype readings available.

God is her foundation. www.marvecreations.com

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2020 HONOREES Amway Drew Cooper & Anding

THURSDAY, MARCH 12TH 11:30 AM - 1:30 PM JW MARRIOTT GRAND RAPIDS

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Underwriter Sponsor:

Margaret Newman Nickelsen • Psychic Reader

Over 40 years experience reading for people from all walks of life. Each reading is unique, personal, in an atmosphere of calm assurance. Margaret is a certified Spiritual Director. Your Divine Self guides your reading. www.jokersjourney.com

Beth Ann Townsend • Traditional Healing & Educator

Beth offers Craniosacral, Reiki, Traditional Healing Modalities and Energy Therapies creating an integrative approach to wellness. She has studied and practiced with Traditional Elders for over 35 years. www.healingtraditionsgr.com

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$40 for 1/2 hour reading, $80 1 hour. Gift certificates available.

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678 Front Ave NW, Suite 180 Grand Rapids, MI 49504

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I’m proud to be a Peak Selling ™ Realtor for Midwest Properties of Michigan.

Peak Selling™ is designed to generate multiple offers after only a few days on the market, a smoother transaction and closing. It’s proven to be a great way to do business for my sellers!

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This program also works well for buyers who are trying to buy a home in this crazy market. I utilize a deep understanding of how to write winning offers using aspects of the Peak Selling ™ program and all of the other tools at my disposal.

Assisted living does not mean you have to leave your home.

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Call today so The Giving Care Group can put together a plan that will keep you safe and assisted in your own environment.

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Roxanne O’Neil - REALTOR® Call or email me today.

(616) 822-0234 / roneil@grar.com Specializing in drama-free Real Estate

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Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

Wednesday, March 4, 2020 8:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.

DeVos Place Convention Center 303 Monroe Ave NW Grand Rapids, MI 49503 For more information and to register visit: iwdgrandrapids.com

Hosted by:

Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020

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FOOD, BEVERAGES & RESTAURANTS

■ Lindo Mexico Restaurante Mexicano ■ Aperitivo ■ Bistro Bella Vita ■ Brewery Vivant ■ Byron Center Meats ■ Essence Group ■ Ferris Coffee & Nut ■ Field & Fire ■ Grand Rapids Cheesecake Company ■ Grove ■ Malamiah Juice Bar ■ Railside Golf Club ■ Reserve Wine & Food ■ Terra GR ■ The B.O.B. ■ The Cheese Lady Grand Rapids - CHZ Enterprise ■ The Green Well

AUTOMOTIVE

■ Arie Nol Auto Center ■ Community Automotive Repair ■ Harvey Automotive, Cadillac, Lexus, Auto Outlet ■ Pfeiffer Lincoln

SHOPPING & RETAIL

■ Art of the Table ■ Bill & Paulʼs Sporthaus ■ Frames Unlimited ■ Schuler Books ■ Spirit Dreams ■ Stonesthrow ■ Supermercado Mexico ■ Switchback Gear Exchange ■ The Shade Shop

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HOME PRODUCTS & SERVICES

■ A-1 Locksmith ■ EPS Security ■ Gerritʼs Appliance ■ Gordon Water ■ Morris Builders ■ Nawara Brothers Home Store ■ Rockford Construction ■ Tazzia Lawn Care ■ Verhey Carpets

BUSINESS SERVICES

■ Innereactive ■ The Image Shoppe ■ Womenʼs LifeStyle Magazine

COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS

■ Grand Rapids Community Media Center (GRCMC) ■ Grand Rapids Opportunities for Women (GROW) ■ Grand Rapids Public Library ■ Neighbors Development ■ Slow Food West Michigan ■ The Rapid ■ West Michigan Environmental Action Council (WMEAC)

PET PRODUCTS & SERVICES ■ Chow Hound Pet Supplies

HEALTH, BEAUTY & WELLNESS

■ AgeWise Eldercare Solutions ■ Design 1 Salon Spa ■ Grand Rapids Center for Mindfulness ■ Grand Rapids Wellness ■ Grand Ridge Orthodontics ■ Mommas Home ■ The hairport ■ The Village Doula GR

FINANCIAL & LEGAL ■ Lucy Shair Financial ■ United Bank

TRAVEL & LODGING ■ Breton Travel ■ Countryside Tours ■ Witte Travel

When you support a locally owned business, more resources stay in the community and get reinvested in the economy.

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT ■ Celebration Cinema ■ Community Circle Theatre ■ Frames Unlimited ■ Glitter Booth Photo Booth ■ Grand Rapids Art Museum ■ Grand Rapids Civic Theatre ■ Grand Rapids Public Museum ■ LaFontsee Galleries ■ LowellArts ■ River City Improv ■ ShowSpan, Inc. ■ The Ruse Escape Room ■ Triumph Music Academy

FLORAL & GARDEN

LOCAL FIRST means PEOPLE FIRST Communities thrive when the economy puts people first.

■ Ball Park Floral & Gifts ■ Eastern Floral ■ Romence Gardens

Local First •345 Fuller Avenue NE • GR, MI 49503 • (616) 808-3788 • www.localfirst.com Women’s LifeStyle Magazine • March 2020