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Volunteer job title / organization- President of the Board - MOMS Club of Valparaiso. If you have a "day job" job title / company - I am a stay at home mom. Town / city you’re from - I am originally from Fort Wayne, Ind., but have lived all over. Post college I lived in Indianapolis, until I met my husband and moved to Chicago. Town / city you live in now - My husband and I moved to Valparaiso, Ind. in 2021.
Describe your family. Significant other? Children? Our little family is one of only three right now. It is me, my husband Ted and my two-year-old Theo. We are looking to grow our small family in the near future.
Do you have a license or degree? If so, in what, from where? I have a degree in hospitality and tourism management from Purdue University. Describe your professional background / history? My career took a unique turn very early on. Once I graduated from college, I moved to Indianapolis and took a hospitality role that paid very little. After making the tough decision to leave hospitality so that I could pay my bills, I found my way into sales. I sold recruitment advertising for about three years before I transitioned to Executive Recruiting. I spent the next six years of my career working in a variety of capacities, headhunting for senior level and c-suite executives in every industry you can imagine. What led you to join a moms club? When my husband and I moved to Valparaiso, we knew virtually no one. It was difficult to say the least, and despite our strong marriage, it was still very lonely. We had heard about MOMS Club when I was first pregnant with my son and it was something I knew instantly I wanted to be involved in. I just didn’t realize how much it would change my life. Once my son was born, I struggled through postpartum anxiety and depression and various health concerns with my son in his early day this kept me from joining immediately as I’d hoped, and I ended up joining when he was about seven-months-old.
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How did you discover this passion? My personality and gravitation towards community is what brought me to MOMS Club, and it is true, it changed my life. Dealing with postpartum anxiety is not something that just goes away one day. Coping mechanisms and therapy help, but in some ways it always lives with you. Finding this community and seeing how it transforms people, seeing the good that comes out of it, not only within the club itself, but in the community as well, is what ignited my passion for the organization. When I got a front row seat to experiencing the way the community embraces us as mothers and as women, and how much good we can do with the power we have as mothers is what drives me everyday to pursue this passion. Tell us about your upcoming event? The upcoming Egg Hunt is the organizations largest fundraiser of the year. What started out in the year 2000 as hosting 100 people in Westside Park is now an event that draws over 600 families from across Northwest Indiana, a huge 2000 plus person party. What many people don’t realize is while this event is certainly for the community to make memories with their loved ones, there is also a huge charitable aspect to the event. We are so grateful this year to be partnering with two incredible organizations who will serve as the beneficiary of our proceeds from the event. Our partner charity, Gabriel's Horn Shelter for Women and Children, is an organization that truly goes above and beyond the call of duty. Additionally, we always work with a food based charity. This year that charity is First Fruit Gives. First Fruit Gives has a truly beautiful story and mission. First Fruit provides fresh food through the work of their farm which has everything from cattle, to chicken and goats. They also plant, nurture and harvest from their garden and use the food directly from the earth to feed those who come to them hungry. They currently feed around 73 families in our area.
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Read the rest of Chelsea’s story and more about First Fruits Gives here!
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These Chicken Chorizo Bowls have a hint of warmer months to come and are great for meal prep. The DIY chorizo is so much leaner than the chorizo you buy in the store and it has tons of flavor and a little spice! The sweet and tangy mango salsa pairs perfectly with it. The creamy avocado and cool jalapeno cilantro crema are the perfect addition! The recipe for the crema will make more than you need for these bowls, but it is so good on everything! Grilled salmon, roasted chicken, rice bowls, the sky's the limit. If you are meal prepping these, I’d keep the salsa and the crema separate until ready to eat so you can reheat your bowl more easily. Then add the avocado when you are ready so it doesn’t brown.
1 lb ground chicken 2 garlic cloves, minced 3 tbsp red wine vinegar 2 tsp paprika 2 tsp ancho chili powder 1 tsp salt 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper 1/4 black pepper 1/4 tsp oregano 1/4 tsp cumin 1/8 tsp ground cloves 3 cups cooked rice 1 mini avocado, sliced
Mango Salsa 1 mango, cubed 1/2 red bell pepper, diced 2 tbsp diced red onion 1 small jalapeño pepper, diced 2 tbsp chopped cilantro 1 tbsp lime juice 1/4 tsp salt
Jalapeño Cilantro Crema
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Directions Combine all mango salsa ingredients and set aside. In a small food processor, combine crema ingredients and blend until smooth. Heat a skillet over medium heat, spray with olive oil and add ground chicken. Cook until no longer pink and cooked through, drain. Combine all spices from paprika through cloves. Add to the skillet and add 1/3 cup water. Cook for a few minutes until well combined and seasoned. Divide rice, ground chicken, and mango salsa into 4 bowls or containers. Top with mango salsa and crema. Divide avocado slices and add to bowl. Garnish with additional cilantro if desired. If making for meal prep, add crema and avocado once ready to eat. Can keep salsa separate too to reheat easily. Read more about Stephanie here!
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Spring is a time of renewal—a season to shake off the winter blues, embrace new beginnings, and create meaningful moments with the little ones. The longer days and warmer weather offer the perfect opportunity to refresh routines, explore the outdoors, and enjoy quality time together. Whether it’s trying something new, getting active, or simply taking in the beauty of the season, this Spring Bucket List is filled with simple yet memorable ways to celebrate. 1. A Season to Bloom: Growth for Everyone Just like nature, growth happens in every season of life. Spring is a reminder that change can be beautiful—whether it's learning a new skill, making time for connection, or simply finding joy in the little things. This is the time to refresh, reset, and embrace the journey. 2. Spring Cleaning… For the Mind & Soul Decluttering isn’t just about organizing closets—it’s about creating space for positivity, creativity, and new experiences. Clear the clutter together – Donate outgrown clothes or unused toys and turn it into a fun challenge. Refresh routines – Introduce a gratitude practice, set small personal goals, or start the day with uplifting affirmations. Let go of perfection – Not everything has to be picture-perfect. Embrace the process, the laughter, and even the occasional mess.
3. Spring Wardrobe Refresh: Simple & Stylish As the weather shifts, so does style! Spring fashion is all about comfort, color, and practicality. Light layers for unpredictable temperatures. Durable sneakers ready for outdoor play. Playful accessories like bright socks, fun bows, or stylish hats to complete the look.
4. Outdoor Adventures: Exploring & Creating Spring is the perfect time to step outside and engage with nature. DIY Garden Project – Decorate flower pots and plant easy-to-care-for greenery. Spring Scavenger Hunt – Create a checklist of seasonal finds: a blooming flower, a butterfly, a unique rock, or a singing bird.
5. Morning Affirmations: Start the Day with Confidence Setting a positive tone in the morning can make all the difference. A few simple words can encourage confidence and self-love: “I am strong. I am kind. I am capable.” Leave encouraging notes in lunchboxes or on mirrors. Share one thing to look forward to each day.
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6. Simple & Fun Spring Hairstyles: A fresh look can be both effortless and stylish. For shorter hair: Fresh trims, mini twists, or a fun fade design. For longer hair: Braided pigtails, high ponytails, or colorful headbands for a pop of personality. For every hair type: A wash routine that keeps hair healthy and manageable for active spring days.
7. Move, Dance & Play: Active Fun for Spring Bike rides & nature walks – Enjoy the fresh air and explore new trails. Yoga & stretching – Simple poses like “butterfly” or “tree pose” make movement fun and relaxing. Dance party playlist – Nothing brings energy like a good song and an impromptu dance-off!
5 Kid-Friendly Songs to Add to the Playlist: "Can’t Stop the Feeling" – Justin Timberlake "Better When I’m Dancin’" – Meghan Trainor "Happy" – Pharrell Williams "Try Everything" – Shakira "Dynamite" – BTS
Spring Is a Fresh Start for Everyone.
This season isn’t about doing everything—it’s about making meaningful moments, whether big or small. Whether it’s planting a seed, dancing to a favorite song, or simply enjoying a warm, sunny afternoon, every little moment counts. Here’s to a season of joy, growth, and fresh beginnings!
Find out more about Ashley here.
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April is National Donate Life Month that highlights awareness around organ, eye and tissue donation. Registered nurse and organ procurement coordinator Leah Schmidt provides her perspective on this time and year and the criticality of organ donation. Nursing is a profession that is often considered a popular or familiar profession. Almost everyone knows a nurse in some way, shape, or form. And many people know there are many different options for nurses as far as specialties and types of nurses. Some popular types are emergency (ER) nurses, intensive care unit (ICU) nurses, clinic nurses, school nurses, floor nurses, home health nurses, and labor and delivery nurses just to name a few. I’m a registered nurse, which is not a unique profession by any means. However, I recently started a new position as an organ procurement coordinator (OPC). The United States is broken up into what is called organ procurement organizations (OPOs). There are a lot of OPOs and some states have one and some have multiple. The regions were set by the government a long time ago. The OPO region I’m in includes roughly 115 hospitals. I’m part of a hospital based OPO which is affiliated with a hospital organization. We’re one of very few in the country that are hospital based as many OPOs are stand alone organizations. In my role as an OPC, I manage organ donor patients and support their families. I work remotely with ICU nurses, doctors, social workers, surgical staff, transplant teams/coordinators, and many other people to help make organ donation possible. We follow patients who meet certain triggers in the ICU at any one of the hospitals in our region and then we determine whether an individual is eligible to donate based on their medical history, current hospital status, wishes stated on a healthcare power of attorney (POA) document, registry status (ex: registered as an organ donor with their state), etc.. If someone is eligible and is at the point where end of life is being discussed, that is when we step in to discuss and potentially start the donation process. We manage the entire donation process from setting up meetings with families, communicating with families about the donation process, working with hospital staff, maintaining a donor patient to keep them stable for the procedure, optimizing organ function to give the best potential for placing the organ with a recipient, scheduling an operating room procedure time, finding transplant centers who have recipients for the organs, and following up with families after to let them know how their loved ones gifts (organs) were donated. This is a joint effort from the many different members of the OPO with the coordinator being at the center.
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I find this job to be very unique in the sense that many people either don’t know about organ donation or know very little and don’t really talk about it. So far I have found that while this is a very sad time for a donor patient and their families, it is also very rewarding to see our donor hero go on to save the lives of many other people. There have been countless families that have come back months or even years after the whole donation process has occurred expressing how grateful they are that their loved one was able to donate. Many of these family members receive letters or other things from recipients or recipient families letting them know how life saving and impactful receiving an organ from their loved one has been to them. There are sometimes deep connections made with donor families and recipients and their families and in a world of technology these connections can last for long periods of time. I encourage everyone to register to be an organ donor. So many lives can be saved from one donor hero. I also highly suggest talking with your family about your wishes. It is often we meet with families that had no idea their loved one registered to be a donor or are in disbelief that they did. It is also reassuring for some families that their loved one made the decision so they don’t have to. There are thousands of people on the waitlist who need a life saving organ and many die waiting. Even with many people registering to be organ donors, the number of people who actually become a donor is so small. This is why having more people choose to register is so important.
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Do your own research about your state and organ donation. Every state has different rules and different ways to register. Complete a health care POA and fill out the donation section with your wishes, whatever they may be. Forms can be found online and do not need anything special besides a witness. While I wish for everyone to register to be a donor, I also understand many reasons someone would choose not to. If you do not wish to donate, for any reason, I suggest you note that on a POA so it is clear you have made that decision. This can help family members if they are ever in the situation where they become a decision maker for you. I leave you with a quote that I walk by every day I go to work. It states “Josh saved lives, but organ donation saved mine.” This is a direct quote from a mom of one of the donor hero’s in my organization. Organ donation impacts so many lives, recipients and their families and friends along with donor families and friends. How will organ donation impact your life? You may be the person a transplant recipient is waiting for. Learn more about Leah here.
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