Lesly Bailey
Before launching her freelance writing career, Lesly Bailey spent 11 years in the newsroom as a copy editor and page designer. She focused on state, national and world news as well as obituaries during her time at the Seymour Tribune, Columbus (Ind.) Republic and Times of Northwest Indiana. It wasn’t until leaving behind the world of hard news that she embarked on her writing career. She has been a correspondent for the Times and its magazines and publications as well as a community coordinator for its Facebook sites. Today, she also serves as a marketing consultant for the Northwest Indiana Small Business Development Center and Porter County Aging and Community Services. She has had the opportunity to share many region entrepreneurs’ stories and she continues to be inspired by their hard work, dedication and passion. View some of Lesly’s recent work for Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Lauren Caggiano
Lauren Caggiano is a Fort Wayne-based writer. A 2007 graduate of the University of Dayton, she returned to Northeast Indiana to pursue a career. In the past ten years she has worked in journalism, public relations, marketing and digital media. She currently writes for several local (News-Sentinel, Business People, Glo), regional (The Municipal) and national publications (Midwest Living). She also writes for the Visit Fort Wayne blog, which was named Best Multi-Author Blog: Small Business by the Greater Fort Wayne Business Weekly and Keyflow Creative. In her free time she enjoys volunteering, travel and working out. View some of Lauren’s recent work for Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Jerry Davich
Jerry Davich has written about the last days of a woman with terminal cancer, flying in a U.S. Thunderbirds fighter jet at 9.2 G’s, witnessing a forensic autopsy, and skydiving out of a plane with a tape recorder in hand. But his passion is for good old-fashioned storytelling through his Post-Tribune/Chicago Sun-Times newspaper column, which has garnered him more than 40 state and national awards. He also writes freelance stories, hosts the “Casual Fridays” radio show on Lakeshore Public Media, and serves as a public speaker with presentations on timely issues and his first book, “Connections: Everyone Happens for a Reason.” Jerry lives in Portage, cruises the Northwest Indiana region on a regular basis, and he never leaves home without his pen, notebook, and curiosity. View some of Jerry’s recent work with Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Bob Moulesong
Bob Moulesong’s writing career spans twenty years as a freelance journalist, author, blogger, and editor. His work has been published in the NWI Times newspaper as well as several subsidiary magazines. His short story White Picket Fence won a Reader’s Choice Award from the magazine Short Fiction Break in 2014. He published numerous short stories in genre anthologies, and recently published Lunacy, a collection of his original work through Pen It! Publications. Read some of Bob’s recent work for Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Carrie Napoleon
Carrie Napoleon is an experienced freelance journalist and media consultant. Carrie has more than two decades of experience working with both daily and weekly newspapers in Chicago’s South Suburbs and in Northwest Indiana, including the Post Tribune/Chicago Tribune. Among her previous roles include serving as assistant business editor for Star Newspapers/Midwest Suburban Publishing Co. in Tinley Park, Ill. and as managing editor for Great Lakes Publishing Inc. in Portage, which published six weekly newspapers including the Hobart Gazette, Merrillville Herald, Portage Journal, Crown Point News, Winfield News and Valparaiso News. Read some of Carrie Napoleon’s recent work for Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Philip Potempa
Philip Potempa is a 1992 graduate of Valparaiso University. He began covering theater, arts and features stories in Indiana, Michigan and Illinois for The South Bend Tribune in 1992, before joining The Times of Northwest Indiana and Illinois in 1995 where he worked as a features writer and daily entertainment newspaper columnist for more than two decades until November 2015. In 2016, he joined The Post-Tribune and Chicago Tribune Media Group where his columns and feature stories now run in print and online. He is the author of three published books chronicling stories, interviews, recipes and memories from his personal and professional experiences. Released in May 2010, his third book, “Further From the Farm” (Pediment Press) continued the tales of his journalism journey featuring favorite celebrated stories from his interviews, including Mary Tyler Moore, Lily Tomlin, Julia Child, Martha Stewart, Oprah Winfrey, Dolly Parton, Betty White, Karl Malden, Phil Donahue and Bea Arthur. He also is an adjunct instructor in communication at both Valparaiso University and Purdue University Northwest. When not lecturing in a classroom or in a theater seat, Philip divides his time between his family’s farm in Northwest Indiana and his home in Chicago. Read some of Philip’s recent work for Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.
Michael Puente
Michael Puente, a professional journalist with 18 years experience, works full-time for WBEZ 91.5 FM Chicago Public Radio. He covers politics, environment and features in Northwest Indiana, Southwest Michigan and Chicago’s South Side. For 11 years, Michael wrote for the Post-Tribune of Northwest Indiana. Michael also spent two years writing for the Daily Herald of Arlington Heights, Ill., covering Chicago’s Northwest suburbs. Michael is a contributing writer for Cafe Latino Lifestyles Magazine in Chicago and an adjunct faculty instructor at Calumet College of St. Joseph in Hammond. Since joining the staff of Chicago Public Radio, Michael has received numerous awards including 2008’s “Best Reporter” by the Indiana Associated Press Broadcasters Association. Michael has a B.A. in Journalism from Calumet College of St. Joseph in Hammond. Michael resides in Merrillville, Indiana, with his wife, Grace, and daughters Stephanie and Jessica. He is also a big White Sox, Bears and Bulls fan.
Michelle Searer
Michelle Searer is an innovative higher education, non-profit and corporate thought leader with progressive experience in strategic leadership roles. She previously served as executive director of advancement and alumni relations for St. Joseph’s College of Indiana and as vice president and chief operations officer for the South Shore Leadership Center. Other higher education roles include vice president, enrollment management and university marketing for Malone University; associate vice president for enrollment management and marketing at College of DuPage and director of marketing and communications for Indiana University Northwest. Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Indiana University Northwest and is a Ph.D. candidate at Capella University.
Carrie Steinweg
Carrie Steinweg is a freelance writer, author, blogger and photographer living in Chicago’s south suburbs with her husband and five sons. Her work has appeared in more than two dozen print and online publications. An author of six books, Carrie has penned three historical titles, two children’s books (“Into the Night” and “Old 104 Ridges Again”) and “Mom Moments,” a compilation of her parenting columns from The Times of Northwest Indiana. Carrie is a foodie who thoroughly enjoys traveling and visiting new restaurants and craft breweries, attending food festivals and trying out new recipes and kitchen gadgets. She writes about her food experiences at ChicagoFoodieSisters.com, a popular blog launched in 2011. View some of Carrie Steinweg’s recent work for Northwest Indiana Business Magazine.