A lot of people miss Gen Art in this city. Will it always hold a special place in your heart, too?

"I didn't realize it at the time, but it was indeed a once in a lifetime experience. I feel that I 'grew up' over my five years on board. Having just been displaced from NYC post 9/11 (celeb/PR/event liaison at Donna Karan became a tad bit frivolous in the wake of the tragedy — in other words, I got laid off), I was new to the market so didn't realize the huge void the organization was filling."

"By age 24 I was entrusted with driving the mission in Chicago (and then nationally) and I always took the responsibility very seriously. I learned that anything is possible if you work your tuchus off, and that is an amazing gift to be given at a young age. As a serial entrepreneur, it was a dream to suddenly be at the helm of an organization dedicated to giving deserving artists in film, fashion, art, and music a platform that they otherwise may not have had through corporate event marketing."

"This is how Chicago Blogger Network was born. Coming back from L.A. as a blogger and social media junkie I wanted to find a way to make a difference — however small or large. I learned how to marry corporate sponsorship with opportunities to raise the visibility of a creative mind and I find that for me, it is the only way to work."