Location: Wisconsin Club Milwaukee, WI
Preview: SRH Turns 5!
What's the best advice that SRH partner and president, Matt Sabljak, ever received? Find it in this BizTimes Media spotlight.
https://biztimes.com/srh/
SRH celebrated their 5th birthday a few weeks ago and I was honored to be apart of the opportunity. Check out a few of the moments from the big day:
Local Spotlight: Islands of Brilliance
Do you ever feel (every once and awhile) there comes across something awesome in your path?! For me, it was nearly 5 years ago when I was first introduced and volunteered with Islands of Brilliance.
Furthering my love of community and empowering all people to make an impact, I hooked onto donating photography to Islands of Brilliance.
Started by parents of a son on the autism spectrum, Mark and Margaret created the organization to pair autistic kids with design professionals to create an opportunity to instill confidence. As someone who had babysat an autistic neighbor, then volunteered at the Brookfield Indoor Soccer complex with special ed students, my heart quickly became attached to the organization.
In my undergrad at Marquette University, there was a service learning component (where again I chose disabilities as a focus…) The Milwaukee Center for Independence (MCFI) became the organization I would work again with disadvantaged members of the Milwaukee community.
Furthering this love of community and empowering all people to make an impact, I hooked onto donating photography to Islands of Brilliance. The annual event, this year is celebrating the 5th Anniversary is at Turner Hall in Milwaukee on November 22, 2019 at 6:00 p.m.
See some photos from previous ‘Colors and Chords’ here:
Sneak Peek: Engagement Session (Carie + Ross)
Sneak Peek: Sarah + Brian
Location: Milwaukee, WI
After a Milwaukee-filled weekend (complete with bottomless mimosa's and a Lakefront Brewery tour) Sarah and Brian met up with me for our windy session in downtown.
To be continued . . .
Collaborating, 2017!
It wasn't a typo...yes, I meant to say collaborating, 2017. Here's why I'm recalling the year this way...
Reflecting on 2017 over these last few days, has truly been surreal. (I'm big in the natural scene. Meditation, smudging and yoga tend to speak the most to me; the last year those have been my escapes.) While there are many noteable things about 2017, the one thing that stands out most, are the new collaborations. Thank you to all of the partnerships, friendships and opportunities!
In simply being who I am; outgoing, enthusiastic and caring--I found home in community. I'd been searching to find connections (like I've found this past year) since exiting my alma mater, Marquette University. In 2017, over every season, new adventures were had through the opportunities to share my gift of photography. In seasons of love, grief and charity.
Looking back, there are many experiences I will start the year off writing about (to help anyone I can to feel inspiration in trials in life). While this November took an unexpected turn, where 20 minutes to the end-of-day on a seemingly 'regular' workday, my life changed; I was let go from a company I loved. However, through that experience, I finally chased after my dreams for my root of who I am and express my artistic side. I put my business, and my love of my talents first. Channeling the height of my year, with winning a Google contest in August, which resulted in landing a spot on Google's Instagram, I felt empowered. (It still seems surreal to even type these words.) It's our experiences that shape us after all! Let's be sure to share more in 2018.
As I look forward to this new start--I'm ready to: hold more wedding dresses, dry more tears, and share more laughs over coffee or wine in 2018. I can't wait to make new memories and write these next chapters. I hope to inspire others to fully pursue their dreams. I'd love to grow in my sharing of this through this blog in 2018 and I can't wait to see the doors that will fly open with it. Cheers to making even more collaborations in the coming year! Let's make 2018 even better than last year!
See you next year, friends!
-AKP
August 2017: Won #smallthanks Google contest and was featured on their Instagram. (See image third from the right, above.)
Maria Panno, CEO of Infinite Warrior, Inc. and I at the Northbrook JCrew 2017 pop-up event, 'Holiday By You.'