A Northwest Indiana Life in the Spotlight: Gina Pimentel

With the holidays approaching fast, it can be easy to slip into a busy go-go-go attitude. However, Gina Pimentel reminds us how important it is to take a minute and count your blessings. She recognizes that her “normal” is someone else’s dream and thanks God for making her reality come true.

Pimentel is a proud wife and mother of three. She is the Lake County Recorder, an elected position in charge of records related to homeowners and their properties. She first ran in 2020, and is currently in her second term. While she’s excited to run for Lake County Auditor in 2026, Pimentel said she had no plans to become an elected official when she graduated from Purdue University in 2009. She studied broadcast journalism but said God had a plan for her she couldn’t see yet.

“I’m a firm believer in God, and it was completely God’s plan for me to get into politics. It’s not something that I wanted to ever do,” Pimentel said. “Now that I’m here, I love what I do. Let go and let God. He’s faithful, and his plans are greater than what yours could ever be. Some people spend time worrying about what-ifs and everything, but you really don’t have all of the control. Things will pan out in your favor.”

After graduating, she spent years working as a family case manager for the Indiana Department of Child Services. She remembers receiving a random phone call in 2014 inviting her to interview for Chief Deputy at the Recorder’s office. She worked as chief deputy for six years before running for office. Her time at Child Services helped her learn a lot of lessons that she’s been able to carry with her.

“When I was at Child Services, I had a huge soft spot for a lot of the families that I helped serve. I’m passionate about giving to people in need and to those who aren’t as fortunate as we are,” she said. “I learned a lot of life lessons that way. There’s just so much in the world that we’re not exposed to. Seeing different ways of life and different challenges that people have really sticks with you. It gives you a broader perspective on life. You can really try to feel for others, and at the same time it helps you be appreciative of the life you have.”

From volunteering at soup kitchens in high school to helping with the God’s Grocery distribution to her recent mission trip to Guatemala, Pimentel has always loved serving her community. She is now a proud member of Crown Point’s Tri Kappa chapter and an active member of St. Mary’s Catholic Church.

“There’s always a constant giving back to people in need,” she said. “It takes a lot of different volunteers. It’s nice to have people that want to do that. If you don’t, then none of these things would be possible. It really does lift and brighten everybody’s spirits. While this is a wonderful time of year, it can also be a very difficult time of year for a lot of people too.”

Part of God’s plan also brought her full circle back to the Region. Originally from Hobart, Pimentel’s family moved to Florida when she was in middle school. After college, she took a job in the Region and eventually planted roots in Crown Point.

“I love Crown Point. I love all the community events that they have. I love all the people and organizations that I’m able to be involved in and be surrounded with,” she said.

Pimentel is grateful to have both a personal and professional platform to make a difference, and she’s even built creative ways to give back at work.

“Every couple of months, my staff and I will donate money to a local charity in Northwest Indiana in exchange for being able to wear jeans. If they donate, then they’re able to wear jeans to work, which I think is a wonderful trade-back,” she said.

As of today, they’ve supported local schools, paid off student lunches, donated school supplies and backpacks, and contributed to various organizations. This includes organizations serving veterans, survivors of sex trafficking, children’s hospitals, and groups such as St. Jude House, the Carmelite Home, My Brother’s Keeper, Absolute Epilepsy Foundation, Combat Bike Saver, Blue Warrior Tactic, Sanctified Souls, Sojourner Truth House and Mommy’s Haven.

“We pick a charity once every two months and give back however they need — monetarily or with supplies. I’ve always been very cognizant of the blessings that I have and that I’ve received. If God puts us in a position that we can give back, then that’s absolutely what we should do. I feel very strongly about that. I’m a very empathetic person; I try to put myself in other people’s shoes. It is important that we do our best for other people,” she said.

For Pimentel, free time is almost synonymous with family time. Between her 5-year-old twins and 7-year-old, she stays busy with sports, school events and volunteering. She tries to dabble in a little bit of everything to stay engaged with both family and community.

“I’m enjoying this season just as much as I can. Everything I do is for my kids. They’re my first and most important priority in my life. I’m thankful that I have a job where I’m able to have the flexibility to do all those other things but also be there for my kids every day. I can’t really ask for anything more than that,” she said.