Andrea grew up in Kansas City. She wasn’t interested in cooking as a child, she fell in love with it after college and made it into her career. It took her first to Chicago and then up to northern Michigan. Currently she is butcher, charcutière, and co-owner at Raduno, a small delicatessen establishing itself in […]

Andrea grew up in Kansas City. She wasn’t interested in cooking as a child, she fell in love with it after college and made it into her career. It took her first to Chicago and then up to northern Michigan. Currently she is butcher, charcutière, and co-owner at Raduno, a small delicatessen establishing itself in Traverse City. A stint as a vegetarian in her teens awakened her to the ethical aspects of cooking and eating, and she continues to express these values in her food by being thoroughly engaged in the food chain from the farmer to the plate.

“Cooking was something that I finally found that I liked and was (eventually, after lots of training) good at. I loved working in restaurants; I found that it was challenging enough to focus my sometimes scattered brain. Kitchen work, though stressful and difficult, can really be a bonding experience with the people that you work with and I found I needed that intense level of teamwork in my work-life. I still do.”

Lindy is an artist at heart with a head for writing and business. She ran her own art gallery, Seed Studio in Elk Rapids and was the town’s Economic Development Director at the same time. She went on to expand into non-profit management, community development, marketing consulting and graphic recording. Today, driven with a passion for […]

Lindy is an artist at heart with a head for writing and business. She ran her own art gallery, Seed Studio in Elk Rapids and was the town’s Economic Development Director at the same time. She went on to expand into non-profit management, community development, marketing consulting and graphic recording. Today, driven with a passion for the arts as well as entrepreneurs, Lindy is a professional artist and an independent contractor in two communications and marketing positions: One with The National Writer Series, bringing New York Times and Pulitzer Prize winning authors to Traverse City; and the second with Boomerang Catapult, a venture capital firm focused on early stage intellectually intensive companies in the Traverse City area.

“My purpose in life is to find true love and help people (especially my kids) pursue their dreams.”

Fred Sitkins grew up in Wyandotte, MI but moved to Traverse City at the age of 21 to attend college at NMC. It was at that time he began working on the schooner Malabar and was first introduced to Inland Seas. After being inspired by Inland Seas to enter a career in teaching Fred received his […]

Fred Sitkins grew up in Wyandotte, MI but moved to Traverse City at the age of 21 to attend college at NMC. It was at that time he began working on the schooner Malabar and was first introduced to Inland Seas. After being inspired by Inland Seas to enter a career in teaching Fred received his bachelors degree in education from Western Michigan University. After several years of teaching in Manton, MI, Fred obtained his master’s degree in educational administration and began a 13-year career as an Elementary School principal in Boyne City. Fred became Inland Seas second executive director in 2013. It isn’t often that someone has the opportunity to see his or her life come full circle, and Fred is excited that he found his.

“It is a gift to be at the helm of ISEA after it inspired me so early in life to have a purpose towards education and water protection”

Here is Fred's story from the January 2018 event

Ben Davila is a co-founder of the Rock Stop and serves as the lead teacher. Prior to moving to Traverse City in 2014, he spent nearly a decade teaching at the Bird School of Music in San Francisco.  Ben is a prolific song-writer and multi-instrumentalist, having written and recorded a song every week for five years. […]

Ben Davila is a co-founder of the Rock Stop and serves as the lead teacher. Prior to moving to Traverse City in 2014, he spent nearly a decade teaching at the Bird School of Music in San Francisco.  Ben is a prolific song-writer and multi-instrumentalist, having written and recorded a song every week for five years. His music has been used in plays, movies, ads, and video games.  When he isn’t teaching, writing music, or performing, he records other artists.Ben graduated with degrees in music and sound technology from the Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts. Besides music, Ben enjoys astrophysics and science fiction. 

I love teaching Rock ‘n’ Roll because so much of life is being told to sit still and be quiet. I like being a voice that tells people to make noise and wiggle. 

Here is Ben's story from the January 2018 event...

Christal  grew up in Benzie County and began her career locally at Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Traverse, after completing a year of service with Americorps National Service. She started in radio in 2007, and feels as though she has finally found her broadcasting home with WTCM NewsTalk 580. Christal is involved with many community […]

Christal  grew up in Benzie County and began her career locally at Boys and Girls Clubs of Grand Traverse, after completing a year of service with Americorps National Service. She started in radio in 2007, and feels as though she has finally found her broadcasting home with WTCM NewsTalk 580. Christal is involved with many community groups, co-founding the CherryT Ball Drop in 2009. She is a member of the Board of Governors for the National Cherry Festival  and a board member for Parallel 45 Theatre in Traverse City. Christal’s heart lies in working with children and she remains an active volunteer for Children’s Advocacy Center. Aside from her career and charitable work, Christal is married with two children, ages 15 and 11.

“When I was growing up, I was told my story, my thoughts, even my point of view didn’t matter. It has been hard to shake that foundation; honestly, it’s something I struggle with every day. So, this microphone is kind of my therapy- and, I hope to use it to offer others a chance to realize how they use their voice–whether it’s what they’re saying, what they’re doing, teaching, building– their voice matters, too. "

Here is Christal's story from the January 2018 event…