Portage Lives in the Spotlight
- By: Ideas in Motion Media
- Last Updated: September 8, 2012
A Portage Life in the Spotlight highlights people around our community who go the extra mile to make Portage a better place to live.
If you know of someone who is going above and beyond, someone who is truly doing great work in the community, in a school, in a church, on a team, or in an organization, send us an email at share@portagelife.com and we’ll add them to our continually growing list of people to highlight in our community.
Chuck Moseley – State Representative
Kevin Gale – City Point Church
Dan Reisen – GracePoint Church
Haley Cnarich – PHS Student
Joy Lundstrom – Superintendent of the Portage Township Department of Park and Recreation
Karen Walton – PHS Band Mom
Tracy Bermingham – PHS Student
Tep Junyanid – PHS Student
Ron Ranta – Unit Director at the South Haven Boys & Girls Club
Bruce Lindner – executive director at Porter County Aging and Community Services
Chris Aungst – Chief Executive Officer, of the Portage YMCA
Courtney Joseph – PHS student
Joe Stempien – head football, weightlifting and track coach at Fegely Middle School
Theresa Evans – second grade teacher at Kyle Elementary School
Debbie Clem – McCool, Blake, and James Schrock cemeteries
Natalie Kolosci – Portage’s Civic Dance Center
Jim Wheeler – Willowcreek Middle School
Marsha Moore – Portage Christian Church
Tyler Goodman – PHS
Hunter Martinko – PHS
Paige Pizer – PHS
Brandon Miller – Portage Resale Shop
Meaira Bennett – PHS
Kenyota Rollins – PHS
Jim Fitzer – PEDCO
Jeff Reeder – Reeder’s Auto Service Center
Cory McKim – Portage Youth Basketball President
Rachel Major – Miss Teen Indiana
Hannah Medina – PHS Student
Dawn Price – Portage Township YMCA
Jennifer Wszolek Chandler – Nativity of Our Savior School
Michelle Duca – Kibble Kitchen Pet Pantry
Ross Bunchek -Portage Township YMCA
Shaunna Finley – Principal of New Vistas High School in Portage
Lori Wilkie –Financial Analyst and Event & Volunteer Coordinator for the City of Portage 
Victoria Oberc – South Haven Elementary, Portage Parks, Portage Home Depot & Indiana University
Kevin Morgan – Portage 16 IMAX General Manager
Aaron Schmick – Portage Junior Miss President
Alana Camper Ingersoll – Portage Chamber of Commerce
Haley Hodges– IHSAA Mental Attitude Award Winner, Softball State Champion, PHS Class of 2013
Jeremy Gorden– Portage YMCA Assistant Wellness Coordinator
Bob Dixon– PHS Assistant Baseball Coach, Battling Cancer
Matt Bliss – Portage High School Class of 2014
Sandy Corso – Portage High School Health Teacher
John Johnston – Portage High School MCJROTC Senior Marine Instructor
Andrew Corona– Nativity of Our Savior Parish Pastor
Heather Zengler – Portage High School Class of 2013
Denise Stewart – recovering cancer patient
Sue Lynch – Portage City Council President
Kevin Giese – PHS Theatre Director
Heather Castle – PHS Science Teacher
Mackenzie Barcelli – PHS Class of 2013, Gymnastics All-Around State Champion 2013
Nick Jordan– Portage High School Legend Yearbook Editor-in-Chief
Rick Snodgrass– Portage High School Boys Basketball Coach
Amanda Haupt – Portage High School Class of 2014
John Peterson– Midwest Family Federal Credit Union
Eric Mesarch – Portage High School Outstanding Young Man Class of 2013
Mark Monks – Portage Police Officer
Pam Passera – Portage Parks Department Recreation Director
A.J. Monroe – Portage Director of Public Works
Fallon Pugh – PHS Class of 2013
Cathy Nye – PHS History Teacher , National Honor Society Adviser, Quiz Bowl Adviser, Academic Team Adviser
Bonnie Naperala – St. Mary’s Medical Center lab phlebotomist
Lorrie Cohen – PHS Library Media Clerk
Jenny Orsburn– Portage Parks & Recreation Superintendent
John Arredondo– PHS Social Studies Teacher, Assistant Boys Cross Country Coach, Assistant Girls Track and Field Coach
Tiffany Woloszyn – PHS Senior, National Honor Society President
Michael Lemond– Former PHS Teacher & Coach, Exchange Club Treasurer, St. Peter Lutheran Church Financial Secretary
Lil Falk – 2nd Grade Teacher at Crisman Elementary School
Rachel Stewart– PHS Class of 2013 Distinguished Young Woman
Eileen Hyatt – Portage Dog Park Facebook Page, Hyatt Photography
Tim Engel – Holy Cross Lutheran Church Pastor
Linda Mendez – Portage Township YMCA Fitness Coordinator
Mark Harsha– Portage High School Teacher and Coach
Max Harsha – Portage High School Sophomore Class President, PortageLife.com Coverage Team Member
Caren Swickard- Portage High School Principal
Will Fortenberry- Social Studies Teacher and Assistant Boys Soccer Coach at Portage High School
Emily Evans- Portage High School Student Body President, Class of 2013
Scott Hufford- Principal at Crisman Elementary
Todd Strom- Assistant Athletic Director at Portage High School
Mary Tracy- Assistant Superintendent of Portage Township Schools
Shannon Burhans- Owner of The eState
Ashley Severs- Second Grade Teacher at Crisman Elementary, Head Girls Soccer Coach at PHS
Debra Dudek- Director of Title and Special Student Services for Portage Township Schools
Mitch Barloga- Director of Non-Motorized Transportation at Northwest Indiana Regional Planning Commission
Dave Kasarda- Executive Director of Portage Township YMCA
Nicki Monahan- Portage High School Class of 2013
Lexi Elisha- Class of 2011 Portage High School Graduate, Recording Artist
Ted Uzelac- Portage City Councilman
Larry Tharp- Owner of Coach’s Cut, PHS Teacher
Jennifer Smolnicky- Owner of Portage Jazzercise Center
Brendan Clancy- Portage Township Trustee
Phil Misecko- Prinicpal at Fegely Middle School
Kelly Bermes- Athletic Director at Portage High School
Kacie McGuire- Portage High School Class of 2012 Distinguished Young Woman
Greg Coleman- School Resource Officer for Portage Township Schools
Austin Edwards- Portage High School Class of 2012
Kyle Johnson- Pop Warner Football Player, Student at Fegely Middle School
Andrew Halaschak- Former Principal of Portage High School West
Thomas Fieffer- Chief of the Portage Fire Department
Rachel Santos- Portage High School Class of 2012
Kirsten DeMass- Portage High School Class of 2012
Collin Czilli- Portage High School Senior Class President, Class of 2013
Brandon Vickrey- Portage High School Class of 2013, Pow Wow Editor-in-Chief, PortageLife.com Coverage Team Coordinator
Tori Bliss- Portage High School Class of 2011, Current LSU track and field athlete
Diane Highlands- Owner of the Portage Dairy Queen
Marko Pekovic- Portage High School Outstanding Young Man Class of 2012
Mike Candiano- School Resource Officer
Michael DePasquale- Assistant Principal, Director of Night School at Portage High School
Michelle Stewart- Principal at Willowcreek Middle School
Ric Frataccia- Superintendent of the Portage Township Schools
Terry Hufford- Executive Director of the Greater Portage Chamber of Commerce
Andy Maletta- President of Portage Youth Basketball, Official on Portage Township Advisory Board
Grant Monahan- President of the Portage High School Booster Club
Mike Martinez- Founder of Hannah’s Hope
Michael Berta- Retired Superintendent of the Portage Township Schools
Diana Rivera- Athletic Secretary at Portage High School
James Brasseur- Portage High School Class of 2012
Troy Williams- Former School Resource Officer at PHS, Current Chief of Police
Melissa Deavers-Lowie- English and Journalism Teacher and Publications Advisor at Portage High School
Tim Kunstek and Prince the Compassionate Canine- Home School Advisor at Portage High School
Robert Parker- World History, US History and Western Civilization Teacher at Portage High School