Main Street Moms on the Move ~ July 2015

By Katie Moosbrugger

We keep finding fabulous moms to introduce to you! Today’s Main Street Moms on the Move features three local women who are always finding ways to enrich their lives, as well as those in their family and community. Please take a moment to get to know Courtney, Dani and Yvette. Chances are good you may know them (especially one who is part of TMoM team)!

If you know of a mom you’d like to see featured, please email Katie@TriadMomsOnMain.com.

Courtney Jackson

Courtney loves being a mom and everything that comes with it! She and Antonio have a 22-month-old son, Jackson. It was because of her pregnancy and birth experience that inspired her to start the blog Bump Baby Bliss, a blog that talks about the different stages of pregnancy as well as the journey of raising a child.

“I had an amazing pregnancy…the most beautiful thing I’ve ever experienced. Becoming a parent was something I wanted to talk about. I love to talk and help other people. I hope to be encouraging to other working moms, first-time moms, couples who have not yet tied the knot, and those thinking of breastfeeding, among other things,” she says.

When not blogging, Courtney works full-time as a school social worker for Guilford County Schools. She is also a breastfeeding peer counselor where she assists other mothers on their journey with breastfeeding. “Blogging helps me to never miss a moment of my baby’s life. And it’s reassurance that I’m doing an awesome job as a mom. We need that sometimes; this job is not easy,” she adds.

Courtney has lived in the Triad for most of her life except for her time in graduate school at the University of South Carolina. She also volunteers as a doula-in-training at the YWCA (she will complete her training this coming October). In her spare time, she likes to rest, spend time laughing with friends and family, blogging, traveling, and helping new mommies with their breastfeeding struggles.

When asked what advice she can offer to other local moms wanting to blog, Courtney said, “I try to put as much of my personality as possible in my writing. Don’t be afraid of what others think! Go for it! Someone is gaining from your blog.”

 

Dani Luft

We’re ecstatic to again feature one of our own! Dani has been a sales representative for TMoM in the Greensboro market for over three years, and every day we count our lucky stars that she is part of our team!

Dani was born and raised in the Triad before she left to attend the University of Tennessee Knoxville. She then moved on to complete her master’s degree in NYC which is where she met her husband, Ryan. The two married and moved to Washington DC before returning back to Greensboro. Today, she and Ryan have three adorable children: Shaina (7), Mira (5) and Ari (2).

“I love that Greensboro is so family friendly,” said Dani.  “I also really love that usually no matter where I go, I know someone.” And with a large family presence in the Triad, it’s not uncommon for Dani to always bump into a friend or family member.

“Family events are huge for us because so many of us are in town.  Although it can get overwhelming, it’s so important to me that my children know their cousins and feel proud to be a part of such deep tradition with roots in Greensboro,” she adds.

Before joining the TMoM team, Dani (whose master’s degree focused on Jewish education) taught ESL and pre-K in a private Jewish Day School. Today, when she’s not with her family or on the “job,” Dani is busy with commitments at her children’s schools and as a board member for Beth David Synagogue. She also enjoys cooking, hanging out with family and friends, and dining at new Triad restaurants.

Dani says her favorite things about her TMoM job is getting to know her clients, meeting new people, supporting local businesses, and providing a resource for local parents. “It can definitely be challenging to balance, but I feel lucky to have found such a flexible job.” And we feel lucky to have found Dani!

Yvette Boland

Born and raised in New Mexico, Yvette slowly started her journey east after earning an acceptance (with a scholarship!) to Notre Dame, her dream school. When it came time to start her freshman year, she hopped a ride with a friend and his mom, and set foot on campus for the very first time. It was there she met her husband, Mike, and a few years later they married and relocated to Raleigh.

Today Yvette and Mike are parents to TJ (12), Maria (9), Trevor (8) and Trey (18 months), and they’ve called the Triad home for the past 12 years. But they still find time to get back to their roots often. Yvette’s family still lives in New Mexico, and Mike’s family is scattered from New York to Texas. Babysitters (and a budget) play a big role in their lives as they maintain busy travel schedules across the US. The annual trip home to NM is a two-day, 24 hour trek. In between all their trips, Yvette thanks technology for helping her stay close with family (and allow her children to communicate with cousins).

Yvette works part-time as a speech-language therapist with Speak Easy Therapy where she helps preschoolers in daycares throughout Forsyth County. She works with many Spanish-speaking students with speech-language needs. “A good way to practice my neglected Spanish speaking skills,” she says.

For the past nine years, Yvette has volunteered with the Junior League of Winston-Salem, and her favorite placement was helping to perform a child abuse puppet show at all 3^rd grade classes in Forsyth County. At least one child comes forward to a counselor or teacher about an abusive situation, and to Yvette, all the hours of that puppet shows are worth it for that one child.

When not busy with family or her volunteer commitments, you’ll most likely find Yvette behind a favorite book!