Age: 33. Owner of: Kate & Co, 409 Bluff St. Years owned: 10. What your shop offers: Salon services, beauty and wellness products. Family: Two boys — Peyton, 13; and Oliver 10. What inspired you to open your business? My children. I wanted the flexibility while raising my children. What do you believe is the...

Age: 39. Owner of: Spark On Bluff Hair Studio, 441 Bluff St. Years owned: Co-owned at 441 Bluff St., with Marlo Goodrich, for four years — prior to that on Central Avenue, which opened in 2011. What your shop offers: A large variety of hair services, such as haircuts, colors, perms, smoothing treatments and facial...

PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — Sarah Ellis has had the rare fortune of carving a career out of a passion that has driven her since childhood. Setting the stage with both parents as music educators, the Platteville native cut her teeth as a dancer with the Dubuque Academy of Ballet. She then combined it with her loves...

Age: 28. Owner of: Wardrobe Social, 409 Bluff St. Years owned: 3. What your shop offers: Women’s clothing and accessories — jewelry, hats, face masks, etc. Family: My parents are Pat and Sheila Siegert. My siblings are Merrick, Cormac and Claire Siegert. And my pets are Buster, a German shorthair; and Ellie, a red lab....

Age: 73. Owner of: A Ripple Effect, 491 W. Fourth St. Years owned: 13. What does your shop offer? A Ripple Effect offers fair trade products at very affordable prices. Fair trade products are made by artisans in developing countries who earn their livelihood by selling their creations to nonprofit organizations who market them all...

Age: 53. Owner of: The Calico Bean Market, 352 Bluff St. Years owned: 13. What your shop offers: Bulk food, homemade nut butters, coffee, spices, candy, baking supplies, snacks and treats. Family: Husband, Jim; and son, Nile, 11. What inspired you to open your business? I frequently shopped at an Amish bulk food store in...

Age: 57. Owner of: Gotta Have It Inc., 315 Bluff St. Years owned: 29. What your shop offers: We offer modern fashions and accessories for the missy customer. I seek out fresh lines with great fit, unique style and the quality my customers deserve and love. We have a wide selection of everything from denim...

Age: 46. Owner of: Potpourri — Gifts for the Home & Garden, 474 Bluff St. and 115 W. 12th St. Years owned: 18. What your shop offers: Potpourri offers a variety of gifts for the home and garden. We specialize in home decor and yard art, but there is a little something for everyone. You...

To some, she might be known as Mary Ryan, Captain Kathryn Janeway or Galina “Red” Reznikov. But to those on her home turf, Kate Mulgrew is simply one of us — large Irish Catholic family and all. The 65-year-old actress and Dubuque native who rose to fame on TV’s “Ryan’s Hope,” “Star Trek: Voyager” and...

A likeness of the late Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg looked down on East 12th Street in Dubuque on Thursday. Artist Luis Valle sprayed paint onto the wall to fill in the details of Ginsburg’s head, which was surrounded by a red circle that will be filled in with a bright, golden halo. “I...

Leading and innovating through love was a key takeaway at Wednesday’s Salute to Women Awards. The annual breakfast and awards ceremony, now in its third year, drew a socially distanced group of approximately 65 at the Diamond Jo Casino for the Telegraph Herald, Her magazine and BizTimes.biz event. The event honors women from throughout the...

When Katrina Adams was 6, she was forced to attend her brothers’ summer activities as part of a boys club that they were enrolled in while her parents taught summer school. Every day, she shuffled behind them as they strolled off to tennis practice. Adams sat behind a gate and grasped the fence watching wide-eyed...

Leading and innovating through love was a key takeaway at this morning’s Salute to Women Awards. The annual breakfast and awards ceremony, now in its third year, drew a socially distanced group of approximately 65 at the Diamond Jo Casino for the Telegraph Herald, Her magazine and BizTimes.biz event. The event honors women from throughout...

There are moments throughout history that cause a shift in course. In a year already marked by significant changes due to the COVID-19 pandemic, May 25, 2020, is among them. It’s the day when a 46-year-old African American man named George Floyd was killed at the hands of four Minneapolis police officers, pinned down by...

Kelly Larson believes she has a duty. And it rests in the opportunity to act as an advocate for the most basic human rights belonging to individuals. For more than 20 years, Larson has made that calling her career at the helm of the City of Dubuque’s Human Rights Department. There, she and her team...

When it comes to careers in engineering, Danielle Urbain has never let a little thing like gender hold her back. “That was never an issue for me,” she said. “I was always gifted at math and science, and I really enjoy solving problems, especially problems that are solved over the course of a longer period...

When it comes to Nicole Salazar’s driving force, she is quick to point to one thing: Her steadfast faith. After all, it was faith that established the deep roots that ran throughout her family, faith that provided the foundation for her education and faith that pointed her in the direction of her life’s calling, setting...

The COVID-19 pandemic has continued to leave hurdles in its wake for those whose business is to create. But arguably, none have faced the wrath of its rippling effects the way those in the live event industry have — notably theater, which has remained shuttered or drastically altered throughout most of the country. However, drama...

Quickness and ease are prized qualities in the United States, particularly when it comes to deciding what to eat. Busy schedules compounded by work, parenting, maintaining a home and a host of other activities often find many of us reaching for the fastest food methods possible to feed ourselves and our hungry troops — and...

Sidney Kohl and Amy McDonnell met at a basketball game. “We met seven years ago,” said McDonnell, 49. “We knew each other in passing. Sidney’s husband was an assistant basketball coach at (Dubuque) Senior, and my nephew, Luke, played for him. It was a play-off game.” At some point during the game, the pair ended...

For nearly 40 years, Julia Theisen has walked the path of wellness and healthy living — a path that has led her to a profound sense of spirituality and peace of mind, the love of her life and a thriving local business through Body & Soul Wellness Center and Spa, now celebrating its 16th year...

Chelsea Clinton’s “She Persisted in Sports: American Olympians Who Changes the Game” will be published this fall, Philomel Books announced. The latest of Clinton’s best-selling “She Persisted” picture books will include sections on such prominent athletes as Wilma Rudolph, Mia Hamm and Venus and Serena Williams. Philomel also announced that a new series of chapter...

In 1897, Russian author Leo Tolstoy published a then-radical treatise titled, “What is Art?” The famous writer of novels such as “Anna Karenina” and “War and Peace” conceptualized art as anything that conveyed emotion. He rejected the aesthetic view of art as simply something beautiful and delved deep into the connections between art and audience:...

For many with an admiration for or an involvement in the arts, the COVID-19 pandemic has posed a challenging, if not heartbreaking, time. Gathering restrictions and health precautions have caused some organizations to remain temporarily shuttered, while others have limited reopenings or pivoted to online offerings, from gallery exhibits to play readings and “live” performances....

GALENA, Ill. — COVID-19 might have put the kibosh on many artistic endeavors in the tri-states, but Galena Center for the Arts isn’t letting the pandemic stop it from continuing to showcase area artists. “Trees … Branching Out,” an exhibit that originally was scheduled to open at the center this summer, has found a home...

Last spring, five local actors were just two weeks in to rehearsals for “Exit Laughing,” a comedy about a weekly bridge night interrupted by the inconvenient death of one of its players — her ashes later borrowed from the funeral home for one final card game. Then, everything came to an abrupt halt with COVID-19....

Writer and director Ruth Mataya Gango is a storyteller. And the story she has chosen to tell is that of the abuse she suffered during her childhood at the hands of her mother. It is a difficult tale to share, especially when Gango, of Dubuque, has chosen a public medium for what has too often...

Many people think of the art of writing as a solo enterprise. They picture a wild-eyed, highly caffeinated creative type locked in the writer’s room, surrounded by piles of notes and a wastebasket filled with discarded paper balls of bad ideas. It’s a fair description for some. But for poets Valorie Broadhurst Woerdehoff, 65, and...

It was the creation and love of art that brought Stormy Mochal and Connie Twining together. The business partners own Outside the Lines Art Gallery, with locations in Dubuque and Galena, Ill. “I saw Stormy’s artwork before I actually met her,” Twining said. “I was a parent volunteer at the Nativity School, and they had...

In her gripping new book, Jordyn Taylor thrusts readers into another dimension from a precious past, capturing the perspective of two souls. “The Paper Girl of Paris” is a compelling, charismatic novel that shows the lives of a young girl, Alice, and her great-aunt, Adalyn. The story follows the two through a prime turning point...

Editor’s note: In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Telegraph Herald will be publishing a series of articles about how the groundbreaking 19th Amendment impacted the tri-states, as well as some of the key residents involved. This is the fifth and final part of our series. On Jan. 6, Laura Roussell was...

Where do ideas come from? A pragmatist might say from daily life. A scientist might say from the hippocampus, the horseshoe-shaped part of the brain that houses emotion and memory. A poet might say from the Muses — those berobed goddesses of music, dance and poetry. A psychologist might say from struggle. I say, it’s...

It’s an overcast and breezy afternoon. A lingering chill hangs in the spring air. It’s not a day particularly conducive to painting a large-scale mural on the exterior of a building. But painters Wendy S. Rolfe and Thérèse Mulgrew are making the best of it, adding the finishing touches to a vintage-inspired Dubuque postcard that...

Although women are considered the minority in professional music careers, Amy Dunker has defied the odds, excelling as not only a trumpet player and professor but as a composer. “My two career fields of trumpet and composition are extremely male-dominated,” said Dunker, a professor of music at Clarke University in Dubuque, where she teaches music...

“The Scripps National Spelling Bee is canceled due to the ongoing concerns of COVID-19.” When I received an email that explained that this event was canceled, I was disappointed. However, I also was grateful for all the words I learned and what the process had taught me about working hard. I also knew that I...

It had been 25 years since 16-year-old Eve Knox had been found, lifeless and hidden within the caves near her home in small-town Grotto, Iowa. Discovered by her best friend, Maggie, and her sister, Nola, everyone was a suspect in Eve’s murder. But without sufficient evidence, the case went cold. Since that fateful day, Maggie...

Susan Swift had no idea when the notion struck to write a book years ago just how timely it would be when it finally was released. In light of recent events — namely the COVID-19 pandemic and its closure of area schools, forcing educators to wrap up their school year online — the release of...

Author and Dubuque native Tiffany Killoren spent many years during her law practice as a litigator, specializing in the pharmaceutical and medical device industries. As an attorney, she spent much of her time outside the courtroom writing briefs, memos, case histories, letters and legal arguments. She loved what she was doing, even if it wasn’t...

Editor’s note: In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Telegraph Herald will be publishing a series of articles about how the groundbreaking 19th Amendment impacted the tri-states, as well as some of the key residents involved. This is part four of our series. Look for our next installment on Tuesday, July 7....

In getting to know Katie Merkes, it takes nearly no time at all to connect the dots as to where her pride and joy lies. “We have three dogs; two cats; three mini donkeys, with two of the mares pregnant again; and three horses,” the 33-year-old said, with a laugh. “Like most people who work...

Editor’s note: In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Telegraph Herald will be publishing a series of articles about how the groundbreaking 19th amendment impacted the tri-states, as well as some of the key residents involved. This is part one of our series. Look for our next installment on Tuesday, May 12....

Editor’s note: In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Telegraph Herald will be publishing a series of articles about how the groundbreaking 19th Amendment impacted the tri-states, as well as some of the key residents involved. This is part two of our series. Look for our next installment on Tuesday, May 26....

Editor’s note: In honor of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage, the Telegraph Herald will be publishing a series of articles about how the groundbreaking 19th Amendment impacted the tri-states, as well as some of the key residents involved. This is part three of our series. Look for our next installment on Tuesday, June 9....

Bailey Kloft is a woman who is comfortable wearing many hats. At 32, she has been a Realtor for more than a decade with Nemmers Realty, based in her hometown of Bellevue, Iowa, with offices also located in Maquoketa. “Born and bred, I love a small town, and I love it there,” she said. “Every...

Poet Emily Dickinson knew it only takes a flower and a pollinator to make a prairie. The buzzing of bees and the whirring of hummingbird wings are a sure sign that spring is here and that pollinators are back to work. What we might not always appreciate is how hard those tiny creatures are laboring...

For most, furniture simply is a place to sit, slumber or gather around for a bite to eat. But for Rebecca Severns, one might say that a flair for such stationary items is in her blood. “My parents had a store when I was growing up called Roy’s Furniture,” Rebecca said. “It was named after...

For most, furniture simply is a place to sit, slumber or gather around for a bite to eat. But for Rebecca Severns, one might say that a flair for such stationary items is in her blood. “My parents had a store when I was growing up called Roy’s Furniture,” Rebecca said. “It was named after...

Shamika Rainer has never met a challenge she couldn’t stare down. In fact, when asked to describe what she does for a living, she exclaimed proudly, “I’m an entrepreneur. And a trailblazer.” If only we all knew how to summon such confidence. At 33, Rainer is a hairstylist and owner of Luxurious Hair Spa, located...

Kiesha Sainci is a pro when it comes to juggling. Case in point: She did this interview while also attending to an infant. A working mom of four, the 30-year-old never anticipated she’d have a big family, or call Iowa home for nearly 20 years. However, following her heart and her faith has shown her...

GALENA, Ill. — In honor of Women’s History Month, Galena Center for the Arts, 219 Summit St., will host its annual Broad Ideas, a month-long celebration featuring artwork, events and programming with a focus on women. Events will continue through Sunday, March 29, and free childcare will be available. For more information or to RSVP...

My sister-in-law, Christine, might be one of the greatest moms on the planet. To her daughter, Lauren, she’s the kind of mom who bakes homemade birthday cakes, who takes her daughter (plus the big family dog) for long walks in her stroller as soon as warm weather arrives and who always seems to have a...

GALENA, Ill. — If anyone is an example of how to take advantage of life’s second act, it is Dubuque artist Barbara Heitzman. Heitzman, a retired teacher, spent more than 20 years teaching art and creative drama. But teaching, she admitted, is all she believed she had time to do. “I was raising a family,”...

Pounding the pavement for a cause is what united a group of Dubuque women who represent different walks of life and ages spanning 29 to 54 years. “I think it started with one person just bringing another person they knew who might like to try running,” said Britney Ross, whose aunt, Ann Schroeder, also runs...

When six local women get together, it’s always over good conversation and, occasionally, even better food. “When we get together, it’s always to talk and laugh over good food,” said Susan Hellert. “And when the food is really good, you know it because that’s when we stop talking.” Kindred spirits since sharing classes like home...

Around this time of year, when Valentine’s Day is all the buzz and everyone is making date plans, it can be difficult not to feel left out of all the romantic gestures and special gifts. However, you don’t need to be in a romantic relationship to be able to celebrate the day. Friends and family...

It’s a BFF match made in cyberspace. Amanda Miller, 31, is a patient services representative at Grand River Medical Group in Dubuque. She loves opera, Broadway show music and watching “Gilmore Girls.” Jutta Ebbertz is a 23-year-old ballerina and a student at the University of Cologne in Germany. She also loves opera, Broadway show music...

Wolves travel in packs in order to insure care and to defend their territory — not unlike one local group of women who have had each other’s backs since the late 1990s and early 2000s. Known by their husbands as the Wolf Pack, the group is approximately 16 members strong. They have organized annual girls...

For more than 50 years, a group of women with ties to the former Nativity School in Dubuque have regarded one another as not just friends, but family. “We’ve all been such close friends since we were in the fourth or fifth grade at Nativity, it’s like we’re sisters,” said Liz Thor. “Some of us...

The Dubuque Hempstead High School class of 1997 has a few well-kept secrets. And when that many people have dirt on you, you tend to keep them close — at least that’s how Michelle Healey described it. “We know so much about each other, what other choice do we have?” she said, erupting in laughter....

The Dubuque Jaycees is best known for its community involvement, participating in everything from local food drives to international projects that create an impact and with an eye toward fostering self-improvement and leadership skills among young community members along the way. It also has produced a friendship in a group of 13 local women that...

If part of your 2020 resolution includes spending more time with your girlfriends, it turns out that it could mean more than just a boost to your social life. It might have perks for your health as well. According to Stanford University and UCLA, studies have shown that during times of stress, women experience the...

Kirstin Pope is not in the business of saying “no” to the things that many others might use logic to talk themselves out of pursuing: Travel, creating, venturing into life’s more vulnerable crevices. So when the 54-year-old Dubuquer and professional caregiver at an assisted living facility in Madison, Wis., decided last October to hop in...

Twenty years ago, a pair of sisters within the throes of motherhood decided to start a small floral decor business — something they could do with ease out of their homes and that offered flexibility and a creative outlet, as their children played together nearby. However, a year later in 2000, it was evident that...

In last month’s edition, I expressed in this space my enthusiasm about diving headfirst into the festivities of Christmas immediately following Halloween. Although I feel absolutely no shame, I realize that for some, that’s a fighting philosophy. One simply mustn’t prematurely get themselves wrapped up in the merriment of the holiday season. Well, it’s Dec....

With humor and honesty, Heather Land shared stories of marriage, divorce, dating in her 40s, raising children and all the other ups and downs life has brought her way. “If I can get up here and do comedy after what I’ve been through, you can work your 9-to-5 and still have hope,” she said before...

Heather Land was living within a picture-perfect scenario, marrying her Bible college sweetheart and having two children, now 12 and 16. But after 15 years of marriage, she found herself staring at a jarring blank slate: Going through a divorce, relocating from the home she had spent more than a decade residing in and starting...

It’s fitting that this edition of Her magazine is hitting your mailbox on Nov. 1. As the last trick-or-treaters leave my doorstep with remnants of candy from my oversized Halloween bowl, I am ready to pull in the pumpkins and haul out the holly. It’s probably even a safe bet that a carol or two...

Since 2012, Marina O’Rourke has had a legacy to carry forth in the foundation her late mother began building more than 40 years ago. It has been no easy task. But if there was ever a person to honor the discipline of dance, the development of young dancers, the evolution of the art form while...

We hope to see you at our second annual Salute to Women Awards breakfast. The event — presented by Her magazine, bizTimes.biz and ImOn Communications and sponsored by Sedona Staffing Services — will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Diamond Jo Casino’s Harbor Room, Port of Dubuque. This year, we’re...

When it comes to women in the tri-states, there never seems to be a shortage of those doing admirable things, whether it is starting a business, giving back to the community or reaching out to elevate the next generation. Each year, Her magazine honors some of these individuals through our Salute to Women edition. But...

Jennifer Thompson was in college when she came face to face with every woman’s worst nightmare. Held at knife point by an intruder who broke into her apartment while she slept, she was brutally raped. And though she was able to escape, the physical and psychological damage would have a rippling effect. “Since 1984, the...

Age: 47. Location: Dubuque. Title: CEO, owner. Employer: Statera Integrated Health and Wellness Solutions. Number of years employed there: 17 months. Educational background: Bachelor of Science in physical therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Institute for Integrative Nutrition and ACE-certified health coach. Family: Husband Lor; daughter Ayden, 18; son Ian, 17; yellow lab Copper, 4....

Age: 46. Location: Dubuque. Title: High school counselor. Employer: Dubuque Community School District, Hempstead High School. Number of years employed there: 21 years. Educational background: Clarke University and University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain (undergraduate degree in Spanish secondary education); Loras College (masters in secondary education and counseling). Family: Husband, John; and children, Julian and...

Age: 30. Location: Dubuque. Title: Program specialist by day, foodie by night. Employer: Dubuque Main Street, also volunteer as the chairwoman of the Dubuque County Food Policy Council. Number of years employed there: Three, since June 2016. Educational background: Masters of Arts in education, Bachelor’s degree in history education. Describe your role in your work....

As summer winds down and fall subtly begins to makes its presence known, many of us begin to take to indoor retreat of our kitchens — the place where rich aromas fill the air, recipes that have been passed down through generations are perfected and hobby meets nourishment for the mind, body and soul. Truth...

There’s a touch of New England that can be found in the unlikeliest of locations in downtown Dubuque. Nestled in a quiet nook on West First Street is a building that boasts red brick walls, wood floors, tin ceilings, quaint cafe tables and a blue velvet couch that perfectly ties it all together. On given...

Long before she became a teacher in a classroom or yoga studio, St. Columbkille Catholic School early childhood and pre-k teacher Holly Flood knew that she wanted to work with children. Growing up, she thought she was going to be a pediatrician until she declared art as her major in college. “I thought maybe I’d...

If you look around, you can see it coming. The days are growing shorter. The sense of organization, more apparent. And sales are running rampant at local retailers, with pens, pencils, colorful notebooks and more spilling from the shelves. Another school year is upon us, and whether you’re ready for it or not, we have...

Most likely you’ve heard of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, two women who fought for women’s rights and helped paved the way 21st century women. But do you know the names Susan Gratiot, Adele Gratiot Washburne, Elizabeth Armstrong or Clarissa Emely Gear Hobbs? To help area residents learn more about these women and...

Candie Minnick is a woman who isn’t afraid to get her hands dirty — literally. The 52-year-old has made a lifelong career in the manufacturing industry, first with FDL Foods and for the past 15½ years in various building and assembly roles with John Deere Dubuque Works. Today, she works as a cog in the...

A team of local women win by making contact playing roller derby on the skating rink. Strong and entertaining competitors, the Dubuque Bomb Squad is eager to share their passion for the game and need for a new home. They admit not everyone might know them or understand roller derby, which typically is played by...

“Sure he was great, but don’t forget that Ginger Rogers did everything Fred Astaire did … backwards and in high heels.” It’s a quote that originated in a 1982 “Frank and Ernest” cartoon, illustrated by Bob Thaves. And it’s one that has come to embody the idea that women can do anything that men can...

According to a recent study conducted by the University of Oxford, there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to a fun night out or a good old fashioned getaway with your girlfriends. Research shows that meeting up with your best gal pals twice per week is good for your health, citing that both...

After a polar vortex, spring flooding and a slow start to the warmer temperatures, is it any wonder why many of us are more enthusiastic than usual about summer? The season that brings sunshine also brings something else: The itch to travel. And we’ve dedicated this edition of Her to all things great for getting...

After spending the winter buried in snow and ice, at long last spring has arrived and summer is just around the corner. Most of us have turned our attention from indoor projects that kept us out of winter’s fury to embracing the great outdoors. With that in mind, we greet the warm weather with our...

For many, gardening is akin to their happy place, enabling them to enter a zen-like state, surrounded by fragrant and blooming beauties. But for Korrin Schriver, it’s more than that. It’s a science and an agricultural way of a sustainable future. The 36-year-old who has taught science at Wahlert Catholic High School in Dubuque for...

Most who know me well are on to a few of my not-so-well-kept secrets: • I adore shoes and designer purses. • I get the tiniest flutter of excitement when my favorite cosmetic line releases a new product. • My Urban Decay Reloaded eye shadow palette is akin to coffee: Without it, my mornings are...

The haircut. Most of us have experienced just how much length it can achieve. Trimming away the old to make way for the new can take on a kind of double meaning, from hair to life. And many know just how rejuvenating that can feel. When it comes to beauty, a little help from the...

Casey Smith is a woman with a lot on her plate. As the membership and wellness director at the Dubuque Community YMCA/YWCA for five years, the 31-year-old also serves as the girls basketball coach for the Dubuque Hempstead High School Mustangs, her alma mater and a team she excelled on in her own right as...

Motherhood. Whether you’re on your first born or your fifth, and whether you have had children or adopted, there is something indescribable about the act of caring for and raising a human being. I have not yet had children. But I have watched it transform friends and family of mine who have. They acknowledge that...