INNOVATIVE DESIGNS & PUBLISHING - Key Persons
Using shards of tempered glass, gemstones, resins and other unconventional materials, artist Alteronce Gumby creates luminous paintings that operate at the intersection of abstraction and representation. The exhibition focuses on how Gumby's faceted, mosaic-like compositions gesture toward more fundamental questions about identity, agency and marginalization.
Born and raised in Bethlehem, Arielle loves what the Lehigh Valley has to offer. She brings many years of experience in marketing and is excited about getting to know all of the business owners in the area. Arielle enjoys traveling and spending time with her husband and her puppy Graham. She is also a die-hard Philadelphia Eagles fan. You can catch her on Sundays watching football and enjoying a nice glass of wine on the patio with friends.
When Caroline moved from South Georgia to the Lehigh Valley in 2020, she used Lehigh Valley Style as a guide to finding all the best spots and events to explore in the region and to get to know her new hometown. Caroline has more than six years of experience in sales and marketing in the event industry as a small business owner. She is excited to represent Style and connect with other small businesses, helping them tell their stories and spark customer excitement about their brands and/or products through strategic digital, social and print marketing. Some of her favorite things include exploring the area with her husband (and their four dogs), experimenting with growing her own florals for designing in her garden and finding all the best food in the Valley.
Denise joined the Lehigh Valley Style team in 2003, and, since that time, she has found a job that she loves, people that she truly cares about and a publication that makes her proud to be a part of!
Transitioning from working full time to her current part-time position, she still finds her job challenging, exciting and busy-but now has more time to devote to her husband, family, writing her book and traveling.
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- Outdoor Recreation Coordinator & Chairman of the Board, Afros in Nature
Outdoor Recreation Coordinator & Chairman of the Board, Elizabeth Allen talks about the organization's important mission.
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- Co - Founder, Forward Thinking Fitness, Trainftf.Com
While endless harebrained treatments and biohacking strategies trend in pop culture, a free, accessible and proven activity has always been at our fingertips. "Exercise is the best and most underutilized longevity drug on the planet," says Evan Howard, co-founder of Forward Thinking Fitness. Here's his best advice on how to jumpstart your fitness for a longer, happier life.
On that note, Howard is a proponent of intentionally practicing gratitude on a daily basis to keep symptoms of anxiety and depression at bay while amplifying satisfaction in life.
Hagai Feiner remembers his first office well. It was a room about the size of 120 square feet in Santa Monica, California. There wasn't a bathroom. A Pilates studio shared the same building. It was about as humble as humble can be. And Feiner loved it. "That environment was inspiring for me. I liked going there in the morning," he says. And that's because he invested in the space and made it his own-IKEA furniture, espresso maker. These days, as president of the Easton-based boutique real estate company Platform Five, Feiner can afford to splurge a bit more on the square footage and décor. But his view on how to run a successful business hasn't changed: "It's how you treat people, and it's the spaces you put them in."
Feiner's first career was in the Israeli military. Born and raised near Haifa in Israel, he describes himself as a hyperactive kid who got kicked out of middle school. The only high school that would accept him, he says, was the Israeli Air Force high school, a technical school that acts as a feeder to the military. "By the time I got to the Air Force, I was a trained F-16 mechanic," says Feiner. And by the time he left the military at the age of 22, he had spent seven years in uniform. He immigrated to the United States shortly after and settled in the Los Angeles area, where he entertained the notion of studying architecture in college.
He even bought the books for the courses. His father, though, had other plans. "My dad insisted that I learn about IT and business because that would be, in his mind, the best path for me," says Feiner.
Although Feiner remains based in California with Michelle and their three daughters (he also has two sons from a previous marriage), he's a frequent flier of red-eye flights that bring him to the East Coast and to Easton to keep him in touch with his team. Platform Five has several properties under development, including the former Riegel family mansion on Spring Garden Street, which is being turned into an apartment building; and 8 Centre Square, the former Easton Dollar Savings and Trust building, a landmark in the city.
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- Co - Executive Director of the Pratyush Sinha Foundation
Sizemore, a native of York County, moved to the Lehigh Valley with his husband about 20 years ago. He was with the Allentown School District for 16 years, including several years as principal of Muhlenberg Elementary School. It was then that he was introduced to the idea of bringing mindfulness into the school, via the Allentown-based Pratyush Sinha Foundation. "I never found something that so quickly helped every living being in the school-not just the kids, [but] every adult in every position," Sizemore says. "It's just such a powerful, comforting blanket over everything in such a stressful word."
According to Sizemore, within a year, mindfulness was being taught in every Allentown elementary school. When he made the tough decision to leave a full-time career in education, he wanted the work with the foundation to continue. "I couldn't let go of the mindfulness piece," Sizemore says. "That's always why I was in education, to support kids socially and emotionally."
Sizemore served as the foundation's program director before stepping into a larger role as co-executive director in 2023. He says their work with the Allentown School District allows them to reach some 7,400 students, as well as their families and teachers, every year. And those students, Sizemore says, have eagerly embraced the foundation's teaching and techniques. "They all want to share. It's so powerful to hear," he says. The impact is evident in ways both big and small. Sizemore reports that a student told him she used one of the breathing techniques to keep calm during a shots-fired incident at the Lehigh Valley Mall in 2020.
Butterhead Kitchen, Sizemore's vegan cooking enterprise, is what fills the rest of his plate. It's named after the fur baby he shares with his husband, William Sanders. It offers interactive dinner parties, small-scale catering as well as some prepared foods for sale, like vegan meats and cheeses. "It just keeps growing," Sizemore says.
Job Titles:
- Corporate Marketing & Events Manager
Jen brings 10 years of experience in event planning and engaging audiences with what interests them most, and she could not be more thrilled to get to do that every day for the Lehigh Valley community. You'll often find Jen enjoying walks in Jacobsburg Park, cooking up new vegan recipes, daydreaming of her next house project, and looking for the next cool spot to dine outdoors.
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- Founder of Bright Communications
Bright Communications was founded in 2004. As you reflect on nearly 20 years of business, what are you most proud of?
I'm most proud of the enduring relationships I've built with my team members, authors and partners-most of whom live right here in the Lehigh Valley. The books I display on my shelves that I've published are a tangible reminder of their incredible creativity and talent. I'm very blessed to get to work with these extraordinary people.
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- Spiritual Mindset Success Coach
Kristen's magazine obsession and fierce determination landed her college internships at top names like Popstar!, Seventeen and Men's Health. Now, Kristen is thrilled to call Lehigh Valley Styl e home as she represents the publication at community events, explores the region for photo shoots and stays on the lookout for potential story ideas. Outside of the office, Kristen enjoys a healthy combination of green juice and champagne, yoga and Bravo TV.
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- Executive Director of Turning Point of Lehigh Valley
Make Jay's Local's Gourmet Campus Bagel Recipe at Home
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- President & CEO of the Allentown Art Museum
Max Weintraub can pinpoint the exact moment when he realized there was something special about the Allentown Art Museum. It was 2015, and Weintraub had braved a bus ride in a nasty snowstorm from his native New York City to attend the opening of an exhibition at the museum. "I thought the place would be empty but in fact the place was packed, and it was a raucous, wonderful evening," he says. "That experience stuck with me." That was his first time in the Lehigh Valley, but it certainly wouldn't be his last. In 2020, he was named president and CEO of the art museum.
Weintraub has more than two decades of experience in both curatorial and educational aspects of museum operation. And, as someone who grew up running around the galleries of New York City, he has a keen understanding of the transformative role that art can play for an individual and for a community. The Allentown Art Museum, he says, has a permanent collection that "punches above its weight class" and world-class objects and treasures that belie a museum of its size, and one of his top priorities is making sure everyone has the opportunity to enjoy it. In August of last year, the museum announced it was doing away with admission fees for good, removing one of the major barriers keeping potential gallery-goers on the outside in Allentown, where, according to Weintraub, a quarter of families live below the poverty line.
Another challenge: keeping the museum relevant to the masses and making changes when necessary. During Weintraub's tenure, the museum has secured a number of grants, including a $700,000 state grant announced in November that's being used to make improvements to the historic Kress Gallery. Around the same time, the museum introduced "Sensory Saturdays," when light and sound environments are tempered for a more inviting experience for those with sensory sensitivities. It's another example of how the museum is constantly striving to meet the needs of the community. "That's a nice little milestone for this museum and I love being a part of that," Weintraub says.
Weintraub is married to Abby Reilly, who hails from Colorado. They have a daughter who visited the Allentown Art Museum several times before her first birthday. "Rembrandt is her favorite painting," he says.
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- Creator of Never Again Studio
It takes guts to pursue a personal passion. The Lehigh Valley is lucky that Michael Fauerbach is a gutsy guy. What started as a small business venture more than a decade ago has morphed into a multimedia enterprise that aims to give other entrepreneurs a place to grow their brands while also serving as a community resource.
To be clear, Fauerbach himself is uncomfortable in the spotlight. "I feel like it's awkward for me to stand out sometimes. So, of course, I chose to create a TV show," he jokes. The first incarnation of his "Never Again" brand was an apparel company he started about 14 years ago. Fauerbach says at the time he was 28 years old and newly sober. He began a podcast as a way to distract himself and promote his company. His early guests were friends and people he knew. But then Fauerbach began reaching out to the larger community. "I started realizing how many people I could help locally or just in general by giving them a platform to showcase their business," he says. He's given countless Lehigh Valley denizens a turn behind the mic, everyone from graphic artists to tattoo artists to plumbers to restaurant owners.
Now, back to the aforementioned TV show: yes, "Never Again" is still an apparel brand and a podcast. But it's also turning into something bigger-a television studio, a pop-up kitchen and even a full-fledged restaurant based in Nazareth. Fauerbach says branching out gives him the freedom to cast a wide net. He's learning as he goes and making connections along the way. "I have some really awesome people [helping me]," he says. "I wouldn't have kept going this far if I didn't have so many people believing in what I was doing."
But there have been personal sacrifices and struggles as well, including the sudden death of a good friend, and his decision to walk away from a decade of strict sobriety for what he calls a more balanced life; meaning, he's found that indulging in alcohol in moderation works for him. Running his company, he says, is therapeutic for him. He's chasing down his dreams. And as "Never Again" continues to grow, Fauerbach is hoping to help others do the same.
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- President of LeTip Lehigh Valley, Co - Owner of Lehigh Valley Legends
Michael Johnson is a busy guy, but ask him to find time for a community benefit or a speech in front of a group of impressionable young people, and he's all in. Although he says he considers himself blessed in his career and business endeavors, true fulfillment comes from how he spends his time off the clock. "The one thing I've always wanted to do more was give back," Johnson says.
Johnson and his younger brother were raised by a single mom who worked 16 hours a day to support the family in Evansville, Indiana. Life wasn't always easy. "I had to work for everything I had," he says. "My first job was when I was 13 years of age." At 16, he joined the Army National Guard, where he learned how to strip and wax the barracks' floors, a skill that would come in handy later.
A job with General Electric brought him to the Lehigh Valley nearly three decades ago, and he's been here ever since. He left GE when they wanted him to relocate again, but by then he had a business of his own, recently rebranded as J&J Floor and Commercial Cleaning. He credits the marketing group LeTip with helping him grow his company over the years, and now he pays it forward as president of the local chapter, promoting diversity and inclusion among local businesspeople.
Johnson, who lives in Macungie with his wife, Jessica, is also eager to talk about the work he's doing as co-owner of the Lehigh Valley Legends basketball team, which was formed in 2019, but more recently has been coming into its own. "Already we're making an impact in the Valley, and that has me more excited than anything," Johnson says. And that impact is being felt off the court; the team has spearheaded events for breast cancer awareness, Meals on Wheels and local schools, just to name a few.
The idea of being a role model is something Johnson takes very seriously, especially as the father to a 16-year-old daughter. But his message is one he hopes will resonate with all young people, or really anyone chasing success in the face of adversity. Says Johnson: "You don't have to come from an influential family or come from money, because I didn't."
Pam joined the LVS team in August 2016 after two decades of a diverse marketing career spent mainly in radio. She considers developing strong relationships to be the foundation of everything she does, both professionally and personally. Not only does she enjoy her team at the magazine, she loves going out and engaging with local business owners to help them develop marketing campaigns that will grow their brands. Pam feels the Lehigh Valley is fortunate to have such a high-quality publication that focuses its content on local businesses and social events. Some of her favorite things include long walks with her family (and her Border Terriers), riding horses, traveling and, of course, a well-made Cosmo!
With a background in advertising and a love for magazines, Pam joined the Style team in 2001 and has been publisher since 2008. She is passionate about the purpose of Lehigh Valley Style: connecting people, creating a community, helping businesses become successful and telling the stories of the region. Pam considers herself fortunate to lead the most talented editorial, sales and design staff in the Lehigh Valley. A lifelong resident of Coopersburg, Pam is the mother of three daughters. She loves exploring local restaurants, working out at Pure Barre and relaxing with friends over a cosmo-not necessarily in that order!
Owner Skye Greene explains how Herb & Board infuses cannabis in curated dining experiences, elevated wellness events and more.
As restrictions have lifted and both therapeutic and recreational benefits have become more widely and gratefully known, more folks are choosing cannabis as a way to unwind. Dabble confidently with local service Herb & Board. Be it infused edibles, curated dining experiences or elevated wellness events like outdoor yoga, you're in good hands. Owner Skye Greene explains her offerings.
Born and raised in the suburban wildernesses of western New Jersey, Tom is a near-lifelong resident of the Lehigh Valley, his brief years in the outside world having been charmingly spent to the south of the Mason-Dixon, whereat he earned a bachelor's degree in English & Creative Writing from Loyola University in Maryland (Go Greyhounds!). An inveterate man of lines and letters, Tom is as surprised as anyone that he has been able to parlay his sesquipedalian love of well-turned phrases and illustrative whimsy into a respectable career as a graphic designer.
Job Titles:
- Co - Founder & CEO of Faces International
2022 was a big year for Tyrone Russell. It was the 10 th anniversary of the founding of Faces International, the marketing, advertising and development company he co-founded. And, in November of last year, Faces was honored with the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce's Impact Award, which recognizes organizations that are driving positive impact in the communities they serve. "When we started, we said our goal is to always keep the community at the center of the work we do, and nothing has changed," says Russell.
For Russell, a native of San Diego, California, his initial impression of the Lehigh Valley was not a love-at-first-sight situation. He was unsure if there was enough life left in what appeared to him to be an old steel town. And it probably didn't help that, at the time of those early visits, he was an athlete from Colgate University, coming into town to take on rival Lehigh University. Ironically, it was a job with Lehigh that brought him to the region for good a few years later, and now Russell is all about the Valley.
Russell has a long history in diversity, equity and inclusion work. One of his jobs at Lehigh University was director of multicultural affairs. He also served as coordinator of racial and ethnic justice at Community Action Committee of the Lehigh Valley. As CEO of Faces International, he heads an organization that helps businesses see the importance of creating a workspace that is welcoming to all. One of the services Faces offers is bias training, which Russell says has exploded in popularity in recent years. "Back in the day you could say, ‘come to work, shut up and get the job done.' Now people are like, ‘no, I want to come to a place that appreciates me and respects me, and I'll work even harder.'"
Russell, who is married to his wife, Ingrid, and has three daughters ("I'm a girl dad," he says proudly) also credits Faces' co-owners-Kevin Greene, Darryl Addison and Brandon Morris-with the company's ongoing success. Last year, Faces gave out $100,000 in grant money, including $50,000 to Allentown's James Lawson Freedom School to boost its summer literacy program. And Russell expects that outreach to continue.
Wendy Littner Thomson, MEd, LPC, CIMHP, RYT, gives her tips and tricks for getting through the festive season.
Westley Morris probably shouldn't be alive, let alone a successful business owner and family man. Morris says his childhood in the Lehigh Valley was plagued by adversity-divorce, drugs, violence, crime-and he started using drugs and alcohol as a coping mechanism when he was 12 years old. "I didn't know how to process my emotions," says Morris. Three years later, he had notched his first DUI before he was legally permitted to drive. More underage drinking offenses followed. By the time he was 19 years old, Morris had lost his driver's license for 22 years. He hit rock bottom in the year 2011, when Morris says he was a heroin addict living on the streets of North Philadelphia, selling bottles of water for one dollar. "It was the lowest I'd ever been in my entire life." Morris says. "An animalistic way of living."
It took his mother finding him about to stick a needle in his arm for him to change his ways. "The pain in her eyes was more than I could handle," Morris says. "And I dropped to my knees and I prayed like I've never prayed before in my life. It was the most humble prayer, and it was, ‘please God, help me.'" And so, Morris began to claw his way back from the brink. Eventually, he moved back to the Lehigh Valley to help manage his family's business, Saucon Valley Massage Therapy in Hellertown. He was living in Allentown at the time and rode his bike eight miles back and forth every workday. According to Morris, he was able to grow the business over a thousand percent during the following five years.
Morris realizes now that changing his mindset was just as important as changing his physical surroundings in vanquishing the demons that were hot on his heels for so many years. "I never wanted to take a look in the accountability mirror," says Morris. "Always wanting to blame everything else as to why my life was unsuccessful." It's one of the tenets of his mentoring philosophy, which he brings to schools, businesses and individuals as a motivational speaker and John Maxwell certified coach. He's also husband to Daria, and father to an 11-year-old daughter.