Bill Pote
Bill is the founder and publisher of DaytonMostMetro.com - an online magazine that connects people with things to see, do and get involved with in the Dayton Region. Originally from Chicago, he moved to Ohio from Florida in 2001 and has lived in Downtown Dayton since 2003. Bill has been very involved with various committees and grassroots efforts with the aim to improve the urban core of Dayton, and he continues to be a champion for his adopted Gem City.

    

Lisa Grigsby
Lisa Grigsby is a Special Events Director with over twenty five years experience in promotions, event coordination and public relations. Owning Jokers Comedy Cafe for 20 years taught Lisa to maintain a sense of humor under pressure. She credits Leadership Dayton for exposing her to the amazing assets of the region and Clothes That Work for being her reason she stayed in Dayton. Her proudest accomplishment as a past president of the Miami Valley Restaurant Association was creating Restaurant Week, a twice a year tradition that continues to grow and benefit local charities as well. As a foodie, it's only natural that she continues to promote local restaurateurs with DaytonDining. As a Dayton Catalyst, her desire to have ONE community calendar and advocate for the amazing assets of the region helped create the vision for the relaunch of DaytonMostMetro.

   

Jonathan McNeal
Jonathan McNeal, a graduate of Wright State's Motion Picture Production program, has been managing THE NEON in downtown Dayton since the Fall of 2001. Having grown up in a small town in northeast Ohio, the idea of an independent movie theater that showed hard-to-find films seemed like something that could only be found in a major metropolis. Upon moving to Dayton in the early 1990's, finding THE NEON was a was like finding a new home. McNeal's film work includes the documentary of Dayton's beloved drag troupe - THE RUBI GIRLS. The doc premiered in San Francisco in 2003 and played across the country and as far away as Australia. The film continues to be played at night clubs and on college campuses as an educational and outreach tool. McNeal himself has been a part of the performance troupe since 1997.

 

Juliet Fromholt
Juliet Fromholt is a downtown Dayton resident who works for WYSO, 91.3FM doing many things including hosting Kaleidoscope - a weekly music program that airs every Wednesday night (8-11pm) and features interviews and live sets with local musicians, artists and filmmakers. A former record store employee, Juliet enjoys highlighting great music from the Miami Valley here on DaytonMostMetro. Juliet also serves on the board of the Antioch Writers Workshop and Cityfolk.

   

Shane Anderson
Shane Anderson is the founder of the soon-to-open Ghostlight Coffee on Wayne Avenue. He holds a Master of Education degree from Indiana Wesleyan University & a Bachelor of Music degree from Wright State University. Shane is a former music teacher in the Vandalia, Miami East & Cincinnati Public Schools. Additionally, Shane works with locally based Encore Theater Company. ETC has a mission to help develop new works of musical theater through readings, concerts, developmental workshops & productions and the podcast MusicalWorld (www.MusicalWorld.us). The local theater company recently moved into the new arts collaborative space in the Oregon Arts District, along with Zoot Theatre Co & Rhythm In Shoes.

 

Frank H. Coleman Jr.
Frank Coleman is the Director of Community and Media Relations of the Dayton Silverbacks Indoor Football team. He's also a student studying communications at Wright State University. He writes and photographs anything that interests him.

  

J.T. Ryder
"There is nothing that can be said about me that hasn't already been said about Britney Spears' mommy parts: I'm bald, scarred and crave an inordinate amount of attention. I have no clue what to say about myself. There are times when I would write something humorous, wherein you would have little or no idea about my motives or personality, and yet there are other times when I would write something so personal that you may turn away. I really have no illusions, personally, as to the type of person I am, but no one person who has ever met me has seen more than a few facets at any one given time, therefore, opinions differ greatly as to who I actually am."

 

Jane Krebs
Jane is a lifetime Daytonian. She knows how much Dayton has to offer and is all about spreading the word! At DaytonMostMetro.com, she writes the weekly column "Jane's Best Bets" in which she highlights many of the fun things going on in and around the Dayton area. In addition, Jane is active in several area organizations, including Generation Dayton, where she serves on the Steering Committee. Professionally, she works as a Speech Pathologist. On a side note, Jane is always appreciative of a good "laffy taffy type" joke!

 

Joe Aiello
A member of the Writers Guild of America, East, Inc., native Daytonian Joe Aiello is the author of numerous screenplays, non-fiction books, novels, TV sitcom pilots, news features, and documentaries. Of all his professional pursuits, he enjoys freelance writing the most and has written for such papers, websites, and magazines as Impact Weekly, NewsMax, Greentree Gazette, Best Kitchens & Baths, Examiner.com (covering baseball in Southwest Florida), Housetrends, Daytonian Style, Modern Plastics, and Life with Style. He fills his spare time coaching College, A, AA amateur and semi-pro baseball teams; answering trivia quizzes; and denigrating himself attempting to play golf.

Katherine Nelson
Katherine Nelson (onStageDayton columnist) is a senior theatre performance major at Cedarville University and the Literary Intern with Encore Theater Company. She’s active in her university theatre program and has worked on and off stage with several Dayton area theatres. She’s passionate about nearly every area of theatre, but tends to focus on performance and stage management, especially of new or contemporary shows. Additionally, Katherine is a playwright, and since the debut of her short play con/tact last spring, is currently developing several original works. Encore Theater Company works out of the new Arts Collective on Fifth Street, alongside Zoot Theatre Company & Rhythm in Shoes. ETC’s mission is to participate in the development of new works of musical theatre through three arms: a new musical reading series, mainstage productions, & the MusicalWorld podcast (which highlights new shows, composing teams, and performers).

 

Kristen Wicker
Kristen has fancied herself a writer since she was able to make scribbles with a crayon, and particularly since winning the Miami Valley's Young Author's Contest in grade school with her debut novel, The Twixies' Journey to Fantasy Castle, a Smurfs rip-off, and since "self-publishing" (on a dot-matrix printer) a collection of poems in high school titled 101 Ways to Depress Yourself. Growing up the daughter of a military civilian, and later in life being a loose cannon, Kristen has lived in such places as Tehran, Iran; Cairo, Egypt; Grand Canyon, Arizona; and Myrtle Beach, S.C. These days, she lives, works, works out and hangs out in downtown Dayton and feels quite exotic when she ventures to the far-off locales of Piqua and Beavercreek.

Megan Cooper
Megan is a Dayton transplant active in the community as the Executive Director of FilmDayton and as a volunteer for Culture Works, Activated Spaces and updayton. Additionally, she performs at local theatres in roles ranging from Shakespearean heroines to crazy convicts.

  

Russell Florence, Jr.
Russell Florence, Jr. is a member of The American Theatre Critics Association and The Drama League. In addition to his role as arts and culture editor of Dayton City Paper and theater critic for Dayton City Paper and Impact Weekly, he served as a Dayton Daily News freelance writer and editorial page contributor. He has also written features for such theater publications as Spotlight Ohio and The Sondheim Review.

 

Shana Douglas
Shana is a thirty something year old young single professional residing in the great city of Dayton, OH. She writes on a myriad of topics and issues related to both dating and growing up in the city. The right combination of sassy and ambition is something she believes in the end will prevail. Until then you can follow her journey on the pursuit of happiness and love. Shana is also an advocate of all things social change, Founder of the Volunteer Group CultureMASH and a true believer in making a difference. For more rants and musings you can follow her on Twitter @shanadouglas

  

Teri Lussier
Teri Lussier is a lifelong Daytonian, and believes in the power of Daytonians to create positive change. If you give people the freedom to create their own perfect lives, they will do it. Teri has been a real estate agent for 6 years, currently with EXiT Realty Central, and writes about local real estate on her own blog, TheBrickRanch.com, well as being a contributor to the nationally known real estate industry blog, BloodhoundBlog. Married for 28 years, with two always-amazing grown children and an odd assortment of usually pleasant animals, it's just another day in paradise.

   

Brian Petro
Brian Petro is a designer, educator, mixologist and bon vivant. His quest for knowledge never stops and he loves to share what he learns with others.

Caressa Brown
Caressa Brown is a native Daytonian and former employee of G.M. Truck & Bus in Moraine. A 1998 graduate of Jefferson High School she went on to earn her degree in Organizational Leadership from Wright State University in 2007. Caressa is a 20 year veteran of the modeling industry having had contracts in major markets as well as smaller markets and currently serves as the Director of Operations for the City of Dayton’s first Fashion Week. Active in the community since childhood, Caressa enjoys volunteering her time for local events, non-profit organizations, and is also a Community Voices Producer for 91.3 FM WYSO.

  

Downtown Dayton Partnership
The Downtown Dayton Partnership is a nonprofit organization that provides a variety of services, including site search assistance, business development, advocacy, public relations and marketing. The DDP also hosts such events as Urban Nights, First Friday and the Dayton Holiday Festival. Visit www.downtowndayton.org or call 937-224-1518.

  

Food Adventures with Superfry and the Big Ragu
Together, your humble Food Adventurers will seek out locally owned restaurants, unique places off the beaten path, and even give our slant on some familiar favorites. Whenever we visit a place, we call it a “Food Adventure.” You can expect pictures of each Food Adventure we embark on. You can expect us hugging waiters, posting nostalgic blogs, and emotionally eating our way through life. We are not food critics, we are just two guys that love to eat!

 

Jacqui Boyle
Jacqui Boyle is a 22 year old, red-haired aspiring journalist, and resident of Dayton for the past four years and one month. A recent graduate of the University of Dayton, she decided she’s not done with the city she loves yet, and is going back for one more year of graduate work in the school’s communication program. Jacqui also is a reporting intern for the Dayton Daily News, and learned a lot about what makes Dayton great last summer working for Downtown Dayton Partnership. In her free time, Jacqui enjoys hitting the town with her beautiful roommates and dining out at Brown Street and Oregon District hotspots.

Jim Boz
Jim Boz has worked as a newspaper editor, as a communication consultant and/or campaign manager for local candidates, as a stand-up trainer for-profit as well as not-for-profit corporations, and as well as a college professor at several Miami Valley colleges and universities. His career also includes significant experience is in local radio and television outlets as an on air personality, program manager/director, promotions director and in news and public affairs. Further, as part of his services to not-for-profit and for-profit corporations, Jim has also been a consultant for press relations, to include radio/TV advertising (see below for Jim’s electronic media experience), press relations including writing or overseeing the writing of press releases. Finally, during his tenure as a Professor at the University of Dayton, Jim became a part of a University of Dayton Research Institute (UDRI) program contracted to the Air Force Foreign Technology Department.

Leah Hawthorn
Leah Hawthorn is a certified business image & etiquette coach, training facilitator for The Defense Acquisition Universities, Senior College Fellowship. She trains frequently for WPAFB and was a Master Trainer for the Protocol School of Washington. Ms. Hawthorn works to facilitate change by improving individual and corporate images as well as Business Etiquette/ Social Intelligence Skills, and will be sharing her etiquette tips here on Dayton MostMetro.com in her column "Getting The Edge on Etiquette". Check out her business website - ABI, Advanced Business Image & Etiquette.

 

Maggie Malach
Maggie Malach first tried to write a novel when she was six years old. Although she gave up after three pages, she went on to pursue her journalistic aspirations at the University of Dayton, where she recently graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in English and Communication. During her time as a Flyer, she wrote opinions columns on hard-hitting news topics such as Kanye West, Facebook, and Michael Jackson. She has also contributed to Cincinnati Magazine, The Living Arts Magazine, and Inspired Mother Magazine.

Marsha Pippenger
Marsha is a practicing visual artist, teacher, and arts integration specialist. She teaches art history at Wright State University, studio classes at Kettering College of Medical Arts, and is the Gallery Director for the Diane Kidd Gallery of Art at Tiffin University. Marsha presents workshops and demonstrations showcasing her unique style of painting with paper on canvas. Her most recent one person exhibition, titled “Dinner in the City”, imagined the meeting of the fifteenth-century novelist Christine de Pisan and the twentieth-century artist Judy Chicago. In addition to regularly exhibiting her work, she has written a column on the visual arts, and is one of the former owners of Conversation Pieces Art Gallery. Marsha received her Bachelor of Fine Arts and K-12 teaching certificate from Ohio Northern University, studied with nationally known artist Willis “Bing” Davis, and earned a Master of Humanities degree from Wright State University. She is currently represented by The Cannery Art and Design Center in Dayton, Ohio. To learn more about Marsha visit her website.

 

Max Spang
Max Spang is a professional video producer at The Next Wave, an avid home brewer, and an amateur connoisseur of fine craft beers. With a focus on promoting the craft beer community in his hometown of Dayton, Ohio, he is ever vigilant in hunting down the next great sample, pint, or bottle of beer. Max is a frequent beer blogger and produces video and text reviews of beers, bars, and bottle shops on his website, SnobbyBeer.com

   

Michelle Richardson
Michelle has been in the beauty industry for over 10 years working for such companies as MAC, Clinique, Revlon, Benefit and everywhere from the runway to weddings. She founded her own onsite makeup artistry business in 2006, A Vogue Idea, and in 2007 joined up with local photographer Tracy Abston as the studio makeup artist for Blush Boudoir. Her love of pinup, vintage fashion and classic beauty led her to specialize in wedding couture and become a beauty go to in the Dayton area. Michelle's DMM Column "A Woman’s Right to Beauty" covers the latest and greatest beauty trends in local area as well as the industry. It focuses on affordable ways the everyday woman can look and feel like a starlet.

 

Michelle Ton
Michelle is a recent graduate from The Ohio State University. She is the social media marketer for a technology company based in Dayton. In addition to her marketing role, she lends her free time to being the web development lead for upDayton's Internship Committee, being a co-host of New Media Dayton's weekly tweetchat (#NMDChat), and helping run her family's local nail salon. Her passion for good food and high fashion are prominent themes in her personal blog at michellenton.com. You can also follow her on Twitter @michellenton.

  

Monica McGee
Monica “Magnificent” McGee -Host, Strategic Marketing Analyst, and Columnist Monica “Magnificent” McGee is a Strategic Marketing Analyst and a Television Personality for the All Things Marketing Show in Dayton, OH. Monica is looking to spice up the Industry with her innovative, outside of the box, cutting edge ideas and approaches to the field. Under the mentorship of many of Monica’s personal heroes and helpers, she has been able to build up her Social Media skills and receive guidance on being an independent female business owner in both the Marketing and Media field. Monica is currently shooting her second season of the All Things Marketing Show, which she is the Host and Show Creator, writes a column for DaytonMostMetro called the 3M Zone, and has launched her own Marketing Consulting Company called The Marketing D.I.N.E.R. under her parent company ACINOM CORP.

   

Nicole Amsler
Nicole Amsler has over 16 years of experience in professional writing and marketing. She owns Keylocke Services, a local copywriting and marketing consultant firm (www.keylocke.com) but is also a published fiction writer. A resident of Springboro for six years, Nicole has two children, a supportive husband, a well stocked library and a coffee addiction. She looks forward to bringing news about area authors and literary events to you.

 

Ria Delight Megnin
Ria Delight Megnin (yes, that's her real middle name!) loves exploring the edges where science and spirituality connect -- or clash. After 10 years working at newspapers in Massachusetts and California, she made the leap to freelance writing and editing. She enjoys helping the people, nonprofits and businesses of Dayton and beyond share their stories in powerful ways.

   

Rodney Veal
Rodney Veal, an independent choreographer and interdisciplinary artist, serves as adjunct faculty for both Stivers School of the Performing Arts and Sinclair Community College. He is a graduate of Eastern Michigan University with a B.S in Political Science and Visual Arts. He recently received his M.F.A in Choreography from The Ohio State University. Mr. Veal is the recipient of several Montgomery County Arts and Cultural District grants and fellowships, Mr. Veal was recently awarded a MCACD Fellowship for 2010-2011. Upcoming projects includes, directing “Rise to Dance” a multi-disciplinary show on street culture and dance, the culmination of the culture builds community-Intensive Cultural Residency Project created by CityFolk; a solo multi-media performance exhibition at the Springfield Museum of Art, Reveal: Five Zones of Beauty in the summer of 2011.

T. E. Hieatt
T. E. Hieatt is a resident of Dayton, Ohio, a history graduate from Sinclair Community College, pursuing a bachelor's in history at Wright State University. When she's not studying, she loves conquering limitations by kicking at the walls between her writing, music, art, and entrepreneurship.

Tonia Fish
Tonia Fish and her Husband Chef Joe Fish operate a venue at the 2nd Street Market, The Chef Case, that offers chef-prepared, artisan food focused on local, seasonal, allergy-conscious ingredients. Tonia is a true farmers’ market enthusiast, having frequented not only the 2nd Street Market but also San Francisco’s Ferry Plaza Market and Manhattan’s Union Square Greenmarket. Market Walk will highlight local produce as it comes into season, feature farmers market vendors and products, and aims to bring you wonderful recipes for those ingredients. From time to time, we will walk the market and talk with a different area chef or farmer and get their take on local ingredients as well as a seasonal recipe to share with you, DaytonMostMetro.com readers! For a Chef Perspective, follow The Chef Case on facebook.

   

Valerie Beerbower
Originally from Tiffin, Ohio, Val Hunt Beerbower is a 2005 graduate of Ohio University and currently serves as public relations specialist for Five Rivers MetroParks here in Dayton. She lives with her husband, Mike, in Kettering where they enjoy riding bikes on this region's extensive bikeway system, hiking in the MetroParks, digging the local arts scene, and experimenting with ethnic cooking.

  

Yvette Kelly-Fields
Yvette Kelly-Fields is a nonprofit and fund raising executive with 14 years of experience developing and improving program and fund development operations that produce sustainable agency income and program growth. Currently, she serves as the part-time Executive Director for updayton while also managing a grant writing and resources development consulting business. Prior to her current endeavors, she worked in the capacity of a program manager and director of development for Central State University, St. Joseph Children’s Treatment Center and the Dayton Urban League. She holds the distinction of a Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) and has her certification in Fund Raising Management from the Indiana University’s Center on Philanthropy.