In The Act

Chase is the IT Specialist for the library. He spends a good amount of the week in his windowless office in the basement keeping everything running smoothly. Outside of work, he enjoy reading Fantasy, Hunting, Fishing, and Camping. Chase likes to disconnect in his off-time and spend time with his family.

Melissa Prentice has been the Public Services Manager at Mead Public Library in Sheboygan, WI since 2014. Her personal and professional passion is working to improve the quality of life for all by strengthening our public institutions and their role in contributing to vibrant, resilient, and welcoming communities.

David Bourgeois is a Musician, Composer, Actor, Landscaper, Runner, Bicyclist, Golfer and Retired Elementary Music Teacher who loves to travel. Definitely a people person. You can find him on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/david.bourgeois920

Houa Yang is the Mental Health Project Coordinator for Sheboygan County with project Resiliency at WUCMAA. Her role is to implement mental health projects that make sense for the county and meet the needs of this community. She has a Bachelor of Fine Arts with emphasis in graphic design and worked in the school district for 14 years as a bilingual specialist. Website: https://www.wucmaa.org/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/WUCMAAInc/ Project Resiliency Facebook (our mental health initiative): https://www.facebook.com/wiprojectresiliency/

Whitney Morales is a local storytelling photographer. She specializes in documentary style photography that will authentically tell any story. Whether it is documenting the days of family life, or telling the story of a brand, Whitney creates emotive imagery that will bring you right into that moment. Website: Whitneymorales.com Socials: instagram.com/whitneymoralesphotography              facebook.com/whitneymoralesphotography

Nina Soul is an Indigenous Two spirit practitioner of Brujeria and a Medium. She has been a Spiritual Pastor since 2018. She is the owner of House of Spiritual Vibes LLC Botanica, a LBGTQ+, BIPOC, Witch owned business. https://house-of-spiritual-vibes-llc-botanica.business.site/ https://www.facebook.com/HouseOfSpiritualVibesBotanica

Erica grew up surrounded by the color and texture of nature, solitude, and curiosity. She advocates that all people belong to creativity, and that such belonging can help us find connection with one another. Erica has studied both painting and art therapy, and has an active, professional, intuitive studio practice as an artist based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. You can find her website at http://www.ericahuntzinger.com/ , her Instagram at (http://instagram.com/ericahuntzinger) , and her art at Honey and Ace, Whisk Bakery, and her studio. She is interviewed by Heather Hanlon who is always reading about art and museums, and is thankful for artists and community engagers like Erica. In Heather’s work, studies, and writing, she is interested in art practice and material culture rooted in community, family, and healing.

Kathy is currently doing this, that & the other thing... which includes offering Therapeutic Massage and developing new grooves through teaching an eclectic style gentle yoga, Laughter Yoga & Ecstatic Dance at the new Uptown Social. She is also working a part-time job at Slo Food Market. For Kathy, bicycle riding is pure joy & gardening... ineffable bliss! The journey's always beginning & never ending - from Nothingness - to Somethingness - back to Nothingness - then to Everythingness!

Julie is the artist and owner of Jules + Leo. She handcrafts original glass beaded jewelry using a  needle and thread. She enjoys the deliberate and detailed nature of this medium and continues to explore the endless combination of color and pattern. You can find her online at julesandleo.com  and @julesandleo on Instagram.

Braden is a Sheboygan resident, local organizer and 'young professional' who is passionate about empowering people to create the community they want to live in. He has a professional background in marketing and product strategy, a deep love for nature, and a desire to combine his skills and passions to help make Sheboygan the best version of itself. Braden helped start Sheboygan Active Transportation, a local advocacy group focused on making it safer, easier and more delightful to get around using a variety of modes of transportation, and is involved in advocacy work focused on housing and small business vitality. Sheboygan Active Transportation's social media pages: https://www.facebook.com/sheboyganactivetransportation https://www.instagram.com/sheboygan_activetransportation

Heather is a certified planner through the American Institute of Certified Planners and holds a bachelor’s degree in Civil Engineering and a master’s degree in Urban Planning from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Heather has a vast array of experience in environmental consulting and nonprofit organizations. Additionally, Heather has traveled the world through her time in the U.S. Army and a tour in Iraq, and as a mentor of UW-Milwaukee Engineers Without Borders work in Guatemala and through her culinary training at Ballymaloe Cookery School in Ireland. Heather is a compassionate listener and visionary that quickly sees processes and systems and finds inspiration and challenge from different viewpoints and experiences. www.greenbicycleco.com www.facebook.com/greenbicycleco www.instagram.com/greenbicycleco/

Charm Joy Der, MA Ed, is a wife, mother to two inquisitive and energetic young sons, an author, and a Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DE&I) strategist and educator. She is passionate about DE&I and belonging and wants to provide a space where all children see themselves within literature. Aiming to create a foundation of love, happiness, and self-esteem for children her debut book "My Happiness Counts" takes readers on an exciting counting journey to discover happiness. https://instagram.com/happinesscountsbook https://myhappinesscounts.com/ https://wonderatwork.com/

After over a decade in New York City working as an actor, technical director, and fight/stunt choreographer, Wyatt moved back home to Wisconsin to launch The Production Farm in Manitowoc and Sheboygan counties, which offers mental and behavioral health and wellness programs. Since moving back, the Sheboygan native has also worked as a carpenter, filmmaker and farmer, and still acts, makes music and creates art. He can be found online at https://theproductionfarm.org/ and https://www.facebook.com/productionfarm

Susan Barnett is an avocational cellist and photographer. She has served as curator for the Yellowstone and Erie Art Museums, and worked at the John Michael Kohler Arts Center, Cedarburg Cultural Center, and Milwaukee Art Museum. She has also served as an executive director, founded a gallery and framing business, and worked as an independent curator and nonprofit board consultant.

Dorothy McElroy is a certified grief support specialist, end of life doula and archery instructor who has spent the past five decades doing grief differently. Through her nonprofit Worldwide Dragon Shooting Day, she helps children and adults who have been affected by grief and trauma. Come spend some time with her and learn how you can slay dragons for yourself and help others slay theirs. Ted Talk: https://youtu.be/-kDTK23WulA https://www.worldwidedragonshootingday.com/ https://www.facebook.com/WWDSDInc-1527147604218527/ https://www.instagram.com/worldwidedragonshootingday/

Marilyn Montemayor started cooking to help a friend cater a party 45 years ago. Soon after, she began fielding requests from others to cook in their homes and was both surprised and pleased to realize she was good at it. She continued to cook in people’s homes intensively until retiring at 65. Today, she teaches cooking classes as a volunteer for Uptown Social, Mead Public Library and the John Michael Kohler Arts Center.

Mel Kolstad is an artist living in Fond du Lac who specializes in tiny and micro art created in large series. She is also an instructor who teaches others the joys of collage and printmaking. https://www.instagram.com/melkolstadart/ | https://www.facebook.com/melarthappenings | https://www.melkolstad.com | and you can subscribe to her newsletter One from You, One from Me here: https://mailchi.mp/183272a39507/onefromyouonefromme

Alexandra is a communication strategist who aspires to use communication as an instrument for positive social change by focusing on connecting people, organizations, and communities, and by building horizontal networks that base their interaction on respect for human dignity and love for the planet. A native of Bolivia, she is currently the lead strategist and a partner of the Sheboygan-based idea works, providing consulting services in organizational identity and brand development.

Andre Walton is a Milwaukee native who moved to Sheboygan and now sits on the Sheboygan Common Council, Mead Library Board of Trustees and is Executive Director of the nonprofit social justice organization Our Wisconsin Revolution. http://ourwisconsinrev.com/

Sarah Baughman is an artist, student and deeply curious person. Baughman, who grew up in Sheboygan, has spent the past decade working at Paradigm Coffee & Music and volunteering at Goodside Grocery. https://instagram.com/art.biscuits