Northwest Regional Forum | Small Business & Entrepreneurism

As President/CEO, Kelly Anoe oversees the development, community impact, strategic, and leadership activities at the Legacy Foundation, the community foundation for Lake County, Indiana. Prior to her current role, Kelly served as Vice President and Director of Grants and Partnerships at the Legacy Foundation, where she managed grant making, community engagement, and strategic initiatives of the community foundation. Kelly seeks to build relationships and collaborations with nonprofit organizations, businesses, local government, and the community. Prior to joining Legacy Foundation in 2014, Kelly spent her career in non-profit direct service, development, and leadership roles. Kelly has a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, a Master’s in Business Administration from Purdue Northwest, and is a Certified Fundraising Executive. She serves on the Board of the Program Network and on the Public Policy Committee for Indiana Philanthropy Alliance. She is a graduate of Leadership Northwest Indiana, and the Center for Community Progress Community Revitalization Fellowship, and an inductee into the Northwest Indiana Society of Innovators. As a Lake County resident, Kelly is passionate about Lake County communities and people. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with family and friends (and her dog), reading, photography, hiking and backpacking, community events, and DIY home improvement projects.

Brianna Hairlson is an author, speaker, and entrepreneur using joy to activate others to pursue purpose. She graduated Magna Cum Laude from Howard University receiving her BBA with a concentration in Marketing and Dance Minor. Launching Bri’s Dance Place in 2018, she created Bri’s Bump N’ Dance Class for expectant moms, taking her class on a 7 city tour at 6 months pregnant, and continuing to dance until 4 days of giving birth. Bri’s Dance Place, located in Merrillville, Indiana is a dance studio for all ages, stages, and abilities and has garnered both national and international recognition, most recently featured in Comcast Rise’s documentary: Road to RISE and working with entrepreneurs in South Africa is 2021. Brianna quickly learned resilience after only being open for 5 months and pivoting during the pandemic. Now 4 dance seasons later, the studio has grown to over 100 dancers and is the largest Black and Woman owned dance studio in NW Indiana, focusing on age appropriate choreography, costumes, and music. Even though she is a busy entrepreneur, she makes plenty of time for her family. Brianna and her husband Paul have 3 young children: Paul II, Brayden, and Parker.

Michelle Wainwright is the owner and founder of Cute as a Cupcake! Cupcakery & Bake Shop based in Merrillville, Indiana. A native of Terre Haute, Indiana and a 1998 graduate of Indiana University, earning a B.S. degree in public and environmental affairs. Later in 2005, she earned her MBA from Indiana University- Northwest. After years of success in the pharmaceutical industry came to an end, Michelle decided to turn her talents to entrepreneurship. Owning her own company has always been a dream and now in her 8th year with 16 employees, her mission remains the same; to create an inclusive environment so everyone can experience the passion, quality and love in her cupcakes. Serving as the board president of an independent school in Northwest Indiana, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Inc., and Jack and Jill of America, Inc., Michelle and her husband Arthur have three children, two boys and one girl. Michelle believes in her heart A Life without Cupcakes is a Life without Love!