Meet the Writers

Karissa Kienast  Scott L. Clark  Caitlin Ludwig  Darold Ingram  Mika Doyle Anthea Halsey

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Writer: Karissa Kienast
Column: Live It Up
Hometown: Kalamazoo, MI

3 Random Things About Me:
1. I have played soccer since I was in kindergarten.
2. I love to travel!! I have been to 9 countries and can’t wait to see where I get to go next.
3. I am an only child but always wished I had a sibling.

Top 3 favorite aspects of being an IGNITE member:
1. Meeting people with similar interests and goals.
2. The opportunity to go to different restaurants and venues to see what is in Rockford.
3. Networking with current and future leaders.

If you could travel back in time to meet yourself when you were a kid, what advice would you give yourself? Everything happens for a reason, so don’t get discouraged! Someday you will realize that everything you thought was bad or didn’t go your way happened for a reason and it will lead you to something great.

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Writer: Scott L. Clark
Column: Taking Care of Business
Hometown: Whitewater, WI

3 Random Things About Me:
1. I also do a weekly column for the Register Star writing video games reviews in the GO section (I love video games).
2. I’m currently a junior at Rockford College studying Elementary Education.
3. I owned and operated my own DJ business for 10 years.

 Top 3 favorite aspects of being an IGNITE member:
 1. The amazing friends I’ve met through IGNITE.
2. Being involved in my community in a positive way.
3. Opportunities to meet other respected individuals in Rockford.

If you could travel back in time to meet yourself when you were a kid, what advice would you give yourself? Save your money at an early age and don’t spend frivolously.
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Writer: Caitlin Ludwig
Column: Finding the Good
Hometown: The Booming Metropolis known as Byron, Ill.

3 Random Things About Me:
1. I once sang with Kenny Rogers as one of his back up vocalists
2. I have never been on a rollercoaster and have absolutely no desire to ride one of those death traps
3. If any movie star (sans Patrick Dempsey or Julia Roberts) walked into a coffee shop, I would probably have no idea.

Top 3 favorite aspects of being an IGNITE member:
1. Meeting such a great group of YPs.
2. The opportunity to network with community leaders, business owners and movers and shakers of the community.
3. The challenge of creating a better tomorrow and the ability to take action to do so.

If you could travel back in time to meet yourself when you were a kid, what advice would you give yourself? You’re not going to like Calculus and it’s not going to like you.  And stop planning your life out… it’s a waste of time.
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Writer: Darold Ingram
Column: Doorway to Diversity: Take a Step into the World of Diversity
Hometown: Gary, Indiana

3 Random Things About Me:
1.  I’m lefthanded
2.  Love to cook
3.  Enjoy exercising

Top 3 favorite aspects of being an IGNITE member:
1. Being part of a committee allows you to impact the city of Rockford.
2. There’s so much to do and so many people to meet.
3. If you are new to the city (like I am), you learn where everything is without the use of a map.

If you could travel back in time to meet yourself when you were a kid, what advice would you give yourself? Try out for the high school baseball team.
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Writer: Mika Doyle
Column: Love-Drunk or Hungover
Hometown: Rock Vegas, IL, baby!

3 Random Things About Me:
1. The real me is a Bohemian creative writer-type who’s quirky and sometimes painfully shy.
2. I absolutely detest macaroni and cheese. It makes me want to puke!
3. I played junior tackle football when I was 11 years old, but I quit because I thought the coaches were going to make me a lineman when I really just wanted to be a running back.

Top 3 favorite aspects of being an IGNITE member:
1. Getting to work with other young professionals on incredibly cool projects like this blog.
2. The chance to get involved in the community alongside other young professionals instead of always being the inexperienced “kid” in the group.
3. Meeting people I never would have had the chance to meet otherwise.

If you could travel back in time to meet yourself when you were a kid, what advice would you give yourself? Get used to being short because you’re never going to get any taller.
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Writer: Anthea Halsey
Column: Trending Topics
Hometown: Rockford

3 Random Things About Me:
1. I love eating and will try almost anything once, but I hate cooking.
2. I can play Guitar Hero on Expert.
3. I once spent the night on a deflated air mattress on the floor of a Sunday school classroom of a church in Prague. (I love traveling and the random stories that come with it!)

Top 3 favorite aspects of being an IGNITE member:
1. I’m pretty new to Ignite, but so far I’ve enjoyed finding new ways to get involved in the Rockford region.
2. It’s a nice way to meet peers.
3. I enjoy getting to work on projects that interest me, such as this blog!

If you could travel back in time to meet yourself when you were a kid, what advice would you give yourself? Life won’t turn out the way you think it will, but that’s fine! You get to see more of the world than you imagined, and it’s going to be great! (Also, don’t drink the water on that train in India. You’ll regret it!)