Within the white-walled, stainless-steel environment of Lexington’s Coldstream Laboratories, Angela Harrison is busy growing bugs—the germy kind. Angela, a microbiologist, helps deliver small-batch injectible cancer drugs for clinical and commercial use by first proving they are sterile and free of organisms that could harm patients. That involves conducting pre-tests and handling and growing cultures of some bad-boy bacteria, including Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus and certain strains of E. coli.

Within the white-walled, stainless-steel environment of Lexington’s Coldstream Laboratories, Angela Harrison is busy growing bugs – the germy kind. Angela, a microbiologist, helps deliver small-batch injectible cancer drugs for clinical and commercial use by first proving they are sterile and free of organisms that could harm patients. That involves conducting pre-tests and handling and growing cultures of some bad-boy bacteria, including Pseudomonas, Staphylococcus aureus and certain strains of E. coli.

Neisha, a junior at Lexington’s Bryan Station High School, has been a knockout on the boxing scene since she first laced up her gloves in July 2008. This summer, with less than a year of training under her belt, Neisha captured a national title in her division at the USA Boxing championships in Denver, beating out a 33-year-old with 12 years’ experience and bringing home some hefty title-belt hardware. “It was a really, really big surprise,” Neisha says. “… I wasn’t even boxing for a year yet, plus I had just turned 17,” making her barely of age for the competition. “She’s boxing with the best women in the world,” says her trainer, Lexington Police Officer Jerry Loughgran, who coaches Neisha through the Police Activities League youth program several times a week. Last month, Neisha competed in the Ringside World Championships in Kansas City, Mo., and in October, she's scheduled to box at the Women's Pan American Championship in Ecuador as a member of Team USA. She also has her eye on the London Olympics now that women’s boxing becomes a sanctioned sport in 2012.

5 Things On My Life List

When she’s not helping out her furry friends as the Lexington Humane Society’s development director, Madison can most likely be found outdoors – traveling, hiking, mountain biking or camping; snapping photos; or playing in the garden. She’s crazy for ice cream (“I think I would eat it any time of day”) and her pets (dogs Gizzy and Bailey and cat Clementine).

My Life List: 
Go on a safari and visit each continent at least once.
Always have a job where I make a difference.
Remodel an old home and live in it.
Learn to salsa dance – and be good at it. 
Attend a Madonna concert – yes, go ahead and laugh.

5 Things On My Life List

Mary, who owns Midway’s Damselfly Gallery with her husband, Eric, is a retired nurse and lover of art, animals (she has three dogs and four cats), dark chocolate and dragonflies. She enjoys making jewelry, gardening organically, singing made-up ditties and taking winter RV excursions in search of warmth.

My Life List:

Ride naked on a gray horse at midnight on the beach.
Always be surrounded by dogs.
Get a tattoo.
Have the last check I write bounce just as I die.
Go to the Derby, but only on Millionaires’ Row.

 I’m a feminist because ...

“When women have more options, men do too. Feminism made it possible for me to be an involved dad. It freed me to pursue a career for the joy of it, not just for the money. And it gave me a spouse who is educated, employed and fulfilled.”

Neil counts food, writing, travel, tennis, politics and parenting (he has a teenage son) among his passions. “My wife and I are big travelers and eaters,” he says of his partner, state legislator Kelly Flood. “We just did a trip where we ate our way around Kentucky .” Neil also has an appetite for words. He’s a writer-in-residence at the Carnegie Center and has written two books exploring men’s lives and thoughts – FatherLoss and VoiceMail. neilchethik.com

 “Making dreams come true is an intangible accomplishment, but Janie Olmstead, owner of Images Model & Talent Agency, has been doing just that for 32 years!
Building confidence and self-esteem has been her passion, as she works her magic helping others become the absolute best they can be!”
 
- Nominated by her staff, Kim Fucci, assistant director, and Natalie Gurevitch, agency director
 
A former Miss Kentucky and one-time guidance counselor, Janie takes joy in helping people become their own superstars. “It’s not so much of being on TV or in the movies, but it is being happy and content with yourself.”  While business is her passion (she has launched a couple acting careers—think Farah Fath and Jeremy Sumpter), Janie also likes her HGTV fix and likes to read. She’s hooked on Faye Kellerman and Ann B. Ross mysteries.


 

“By listening to her God-given talent to motivate, inspire faith, and lead people toward achieving their dreams, Gwin Minter quit a full-time job and stepped out in faith to follow her own dream of becoming an inspirational speaker. An amazing woman of faith with an incredible ability to connect and touch people's souls, Gwin is an every day Shero!”
– Nominated by Heather Wade, Lexington

“I’m a leaper.  I just go for it,” Gwin says. A registered nurse who formerly worked with Prevent Child Abuse Kentucky, Gwin became a full-time speaker in August 2007 and now shares her words in corporate, university and faith settings. She’s a featured expert with the Great Black Speakers Bureau  and is deeply committed to her family and church—she’s a member of First Baptist Bracktown.  Check out her Web site: getmotivatedwithgwin.com.

 

“Beverly is an extraordinary artist who recently exhibited her work in Paris, France and is represented by the Edward Edlin Gallery in NYC. She works hard and is rewarded—finally.”
– Nominated by Bruce Burris, co-executor, Latitude Arts Community

Beverly, a Versailles artist with Down syndrome, channels her inspiration five days a week at Latitude—a Lexington arts program for people with disabilities. A caring soul, Beverly often references her family in her vibrant drawings; one piece sold recently in New York for $1,300. “She’s a true artist,” Bruce says. “She makes decisions and choices, and her work changes. It isn’t stagnant.”
See Beverly’s work at lexington.skirt.com




 

Debbie, owner of Belle Maison Antiques and the chic “lifestyle store” Trillium, works with daughter Kaitlin, 26, who brings her buying and merchandising talents to the biz. They share a penchant for travel, French antiques, entertaining and collecting. (Debbie’s latest passion is shell art; Kaitlin collects perfume bottles, vintage jewelry and art.) They also share a love of people. “We enjoy being around our customers,” Debbie says. “They’re our friends.” 

Debbie: “Kaitlin is multitalented as she is very artistic and creative as well as practical with good common sense, a great combination for our businesses."

Kaitlin: "My mother truly loves what she does. She enjoys finding the best pieces and merchandise, and really providing first-class service to her customers.”

Kathy, president of THIEL Audio, and Dawn, director of international sales, work together in the Lexington-based high-end loudspeaker company that Kathy co-founded.  They serve on several boards together (including the Bluegrass Institute for Public Policy Solutions, a free-market think tank) and enjoy travel, the outdoors and rollerblading. On Kathy’s loudspeakers, you can hear Pink Floyd and Beethoven’s piano concertos. For Dawn, it’s The Gypsy Kings, Norah Jones and A Fine Frenzy.

Kathy: "Dawn's outgoing, high-energy personality is a magnet for anyone who meets her. She's a creative, out-of-the-box thinker who can make great things happen."

Dawn: “Kathy is a passionate, energetic person with high ideals and strong leadership. She puts a tremendous amount of herself into everything she does. The older I get, the more I realize how tremendously lucky I am to work with and learn from her.”

 Photo by Jonathan Palmer

Richel, league president of the Rollergirls of Central Kentucky and a file clerk for Kentucky Growers Insurance, rolls with a diverse group. The 29-year-old laces skates and bruises elbows with doctors, nurses, baristas and stay-at-home moms, from college age to 30-and-40-somethings. "I think when we're out there with our monickers . . . we are somewhat empowered by the sense of anonymity. But I think as far as like a stereotypical rollergirl, there is not one." Joined by teammates like Ellie Slay, Rainbow Smite and Kitty O'Doom, Richel - aka Ragdoll Ruby - says the camaraderie and health benefits attracted her to the fast-paced, spills-on-wheels contact sport she's played since late 2006, when she helped form the league. Bruised bums, broken fingers and dislocated elbows can come with the turf, but protective gear and lessons in falling cut the dangers. "It's not about if you're going to get hurt, it's about when you're going to get hurt." Catch the action at 8pm April 26 at Champs on Ruccio Way. rocknrollergirls.com