#BeMoreLikeClaire Legacy Board
The Legacy Board was created to bring Claire’s friends and wider young professional network together to help carry on her legacy by supporting programming, fundraising and advocacy efforts of #BeMoreLikeClaire. The Legacy Board has active members from across Claire's school and hometown networks. The Legacy Board will be responsible for growing the brand awareness of #BeMoreLikeClaire through social media and other digital outlets, recruiting more volunteers and donors to the organization, and supporting organizational programming.
Matt Polky
Matt is a software engineer based out of Chicago, Il. He brings technical experience to our legacy board with a background in mobile development. In his spare time he enjoys walking and playing with his goldendoodle "Cubbie Bear", who is working on becoming a therapy dog as soon as he is old enough. He cares deeply about ending sexual and domestic violence and spreading awareness around #BeMoreLikeClaire.
Matt is a software engineer based out of Chicago, Il. He brings technical experience to our legacy board with a background in mobile development. In his spare time he enjoys walking and playing with his goldendoodle "Cubbie Bear", who is working on becoming a therapy dog as soon as he is old enough. He cares deeply about ending sexual and domestic violence and spreading awareness around #BeMoreLikeClaire.
Kelsey Vint
Kelsey is a middle school English teacher and instructional coach in Camden, New Jersey. She previously worked in urban education as a Teach For America corps member in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After moving back to the east coast for graduate school, Kelsey worked to organize and develop a community-wide event, Shakespeare: 400 Years After. Having moved several times since college, she is happy to call Philadelphia home. Outside the classroom, Kelsey loves all-things cooking related and her two poorly behaved cats. She is committed to making the world a little more equitable for her middle schoolers, and is excited to work with #BeMoreLikeClaire to stay connected to Claire's legacy and the organization's simple, profound mission.
Kelsey attended middle school with Claire, and finds herself now reminiscing of their time at Honey Creek Middle School while she's in her own middle school classroom. Claire and Kelsey stayed close for the many years following Honey Creek, even though they each moved several times-- a true testament to Claire's constancy. Although there are many things we can do every day to Be More Like Claire, Kelsey felt like working on the legacy board would not only help connect her to the organization's mission but also allow her to stay in close contact with others who loved Claire too.
Kelsey is a middle school English teacher and instructional coach in Camden, New Jersey. She previously worked in urban education as a Teach For America corps member in Tulsa, Oklahoma. After moving back to the east coast for graduate school, Kelsey worked to organize and develop a community-wide event, Shakespeare: 400 Years After. Having moved several times since college, she is happy to call Philadelphia home. Outside the classroom, Kelsey loves all-things cooking related and her two poorly behaved cats. She is committed to making the world a little more equitable for her middle schoolers, and is excited to work with #BeMoreLikeClaire to stay connected to Claire's legacy and the organization's simple, profound mission.
Kelsey attended middle school with Claire, and finds herself now reminiscing of their time at Honey Creek Middle School while she's in her own middle school classroom. Claire and Kelsey stayed close for the many years following Honey Creek, even though they each moved several times-- a true testament to Claire's constancy. Although there are many things we can do every day to Be More Like Claire, Kelsey felt like working on the legacy board would not only help connect her to the organization's mission but also allow her to stay in close contact with others who loved Claire too.
Ann Jonker
Ann met Claire through a posse of friends (which she refers to as "The Bloomicrew”) upon moving to Bloomington, Indiana in 2011. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ann has lived and worked all over the Midwest, but now resides in Madison, Wisconsin where she has found her (*hopefully*) forever career as a speech-language pathologist. Her hobbies include cycling, knitting, and playing board games, but she will always and forever aspire to Claire’s ability to dance like no one’s watching.
Ann met Claire through a posse of friends (which she refers to as "The Bloomicrew”) upon moving to Bloomington, Indiana in 2011. Originally from Grand Rapids, Michigan, Ann has lived and worked all over the Midwest, but now resides in Madison, Wisconsin where she has found her (*hopefully*) forever career as a speech-language pathologist. Her hobbies include cycling, knitting, and playing board games, but she will always and forever aspire to Claire’s ability to dance like no one’s watching.
Maddie Ryan
Maddie, Claire’s high school and college roommate, brings experience in education, art, and leadership to the BMLC Legacy board. She is currently a 1st-grade teacher at a public charter school in Nashville Tennessee and is pursuing her MFA in visual art from Watkins College of Art. Throughout her life, she has volunteered her time with groups such as Girl Scouts, the Arthritis Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity. In addition to supporting local Nashville charities, Maddie is an advocate for environmental protection and women’s rights. When she is not in the studio or the classroom, Maddie enjoys improv, cooking, and attending concerts with friends. Serving on the Legacy Board was prompted not only by her love for Claire and her community, but because she has a love of helping others.
Maddie, Claire’s high school and college roommate, brings experience in education, art, and leadership to the BMLC Legacy board. She is currently a 1st-grade teacher at a public charter school in Nashville Tennessee and is pursuing her MFA in visual art from Watkins College of Art. Throughout her life, she has volunteered her time with groups such as Girl Scouts, the Arthritis Foundation, and Habitat for Humanity. In addition to supporting local Nashville charities, Maddie is an advocate for environmental protection and women’s rights. When she is not in the studio or the classroom, Maddie enjoys improv, cooking, and attending concerts with friends. Serving on the Legacy Board was prompted not only by her love for Claire and her community, but because she has a love of helping others.
Grace Wegener
Grace Wegener is a friend of Claire's from college at Indiana University. Originally from Chicago, she now lives in Nashville, Tennessee and is the manager of marketing, social media, and advertising for Dualtone Music Group, an independent record label. She enjoys volunteering, and has worked most recently with Hands On Nashville and Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee. Grace is also a musician, and sings backup in a few local bands, including 10-piece funk group Grizzly T and the Salvation. She will sing karaoke any time, anywhere. Grace joined the Legacy Board because she loves and misses Claire, her spirit, and her friendship, and because she wants to help make the world a better and more caring place in her honor.
Grace Wegener is a friend of Claire's from college at Indiana University. Originally from Chicago, she now lives in Nashville, Tennessee and is the manager of marketing, social media, and advertising for Dualtone Music Group, an independent record label. She enjoys volunteering, and has worked most recently with Hands On Nashville and Planned Parenthood of Middle and East Tennessee. Grace is also a musician, and sings backup in a few local bands, including 10-piece funk group Grizzly T and the Salvation. She will sing karaoke any time, anywhere. Grace joined the Legacy Board because she loves and misses Claire, her spirit, and her friendship, and because she wants to help make the world a better and more caring place in her honor.
Ben Wiggins
Ben and Claire met at Indiana University, continued their friendship through her time in Louisville and Chicago. Despite multiple moves, life changes, and several states’ distance, they maintained their friendship and shared many memories and adventures, and Ben is humbled, but eager to continue the work she started. Ben joined the Legacy Board to keep Claire’s memory alive and be a positive force in the world. He’s excited to be a part of #BMLC’s growing mission and preserve Claire’s memory.
Ben and Claire met at Indiana University, continued their friendship through her time in Louisville and Chicago. Despite multiple moves, life changes, and several states’ distance, they maintained their friendship and shared many memories and adventures, and Ben is humbled, but eager to continue the work she started. Ben joined the Legacy Board to keep Claire’s memory alive and be a positive force in the world. He’s excited to be a part of #BMLC’s growing mission and preserve Claire’s memory.
Sarah Grandgenett
- Sarah has her Bachelor's Degree in Social Welfare, and works as a Case Manager in Wyandot, where she provides a wide array of mental health services to youth and helps connect families to resources. She is passionate about finding strengths that already exist in people, and specializes in creating collaborative activities that cultivate those strengths. In her spare time she loves to make art, write, travel, work out, and spend time with the people who make life worth living. Sarah's desire to serve on the Legacy board was inspired by one of the people she treasures the most, Liza Gant who is Claire's younger cousin, and also serves on the Legacy board.
Cierra Johnson
Cierra and Claire went to the University of Louisville School of Dentistry together, where they became friends the first week of school and remained close throughout their four years of dental school. After graduation, she completed a one-year general practice residency program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a small-town, Northwest Florida native who moved back to Florida after residency and currently works as an associate dentist in family dentistry. Cierra enjoys spending time with her husband Michael and their family, especially their three nephews. She loves the outdoors, going to the beach, being a part of her local church, and cooking. Cierra has been inspired by Claire’s love for others, her passion to serve her community, and her ability to have fun while doing so. She decided to join the legacy board to be close to the things that mattered most to Claire.
Cierra and Claire went to the University of Louisville School of Dentistry together, where they became friends the first week of school and remained close throughout their four years of dental school. After graduation, she completed a one-year general practice residency program at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. She is a small-town, Northwest Florida native who moved back to Florida after residency and currently works as an associate dentist in family dentistry. Cierra enjoys spending time with her husband Michael and their family, especially their three nephews. She loves the outdoors, going to the beach, being a part of her local church, and cooking. Cierra has been inspired by Claire’s love for others, her passion to serve her community, and her ability to have fun while doing so. She decided to join the legacy board to be close to the things that mattered most to Claire.
Liza Gant, Legacy Board Chair
While not the founder of #BeMoreLikeClaire, Outreach Coordinator Liza Gant likes to think of herself as one of the originators of the concept. Five years her junior, Liza idolized her cousin Claire from a young age and acted as her second shadow for the majority of her childhood. Liza continues to be inspired by her cousin and is in her second year as a non-traditional student pursuing a degree in psychology. She plans to attend grad school and eventually work as a therapist for teens and young adults. Liza is passionate about all forms of interpersonal violence prevention, and is "super jazzed" about the expansion of Claire's Community.
While not the founder of #BeMoreLikeClaire, Outreach Coordinator Liza Gant likes to think of herself as one of the originators of the concept. Five years her junior, Liza idolized her cousin Claire from a young age and acted as her second shadow for the majority of her childhood. Liza continues to be inspired by her cousin and is in her second year as a non-traditional student pursuing a degree in psychology. She plans to attend grad school and eventually work as a therapist for teens and young adults. Liza is passionate about all forms of interpersonal violence prevention, and is "super jazzed" about the expansion of Claire's Community.
