Dr. Bird

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—The Innovation Connector plays a vital role in supporting business and entrepreneurial endeavors in Muncie and East Central Indiana.  Its mission and vision are to support and assist new entrepreneurs with truly unique business ideas to turn their dreams into reality.  The IC supports these efforts in a variety of ways with ongoing education, workshops, physical space, legal and financial support, and a collegial atmosphere of support and networking.  The Innovation Connector is led by Ted Baker, who serves as the Executive Director and CEO of the Center. Baker has been with the IC since…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—Ivy Tech Community College plays a vital role in Indiana, offering a wide range of secondary education options for Indiana residents.  Our Muncie regional campus serves Muncie and Delaware county residents as well as those in Jay and Henry counties.   The region is led by Chancellor Jeff Scott, and I had the pleasure to sit with Jeff to discuss the important impact of Ivy Tech and his passion for post-secondary education.  Ivy Tech Community College serves 6,500 unique students in the region, offering 41 different academic programs.  It has 3 campus locations in Delaware County…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—Muncie Arts and Culture Council (MuncieArts) was established in 2011 as a 501c3 to support public art.  The organization partners with many other arts and cultural organizations to promote the Arts in Muncie, Delaware County and East Centra Indiana.  It is also the partner for the Arts with the City of Muncie.    I had the pleasurable opportunity to chat with Tania Said, the Executive Director of MuncieArts recently to learn of her love for the Arts and her role leading the organization.  Tania’s love for the arts was cultivated in large part by her…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—BY5 is a 501c3 organization dedicated to leading efforts in East Central Indiana to prepare children for school.  It recognizes that the first 5 years of life are integral to developing the human brain and setting the tone for children’s future.  The statistics are impressive: children who are ready for kindergarten are 17% more likely to graduate high school, 4X more likely to graduate from college, 20% more likely to earn a strong salary by age 40, and 46% more likely to have a full-time job.  I recently had a chance to sit with and…

By Dr. Jeff Bird—  MUNCIE, IN—Open Door Health Services serves Muncie, Delaware County and East Central IN to provide comprehensive health care services under the umbrella as a Federally Qualified Health Center, which by definition is a community-based clinic funded by the federal government to provide care in underserved areas.  These centers treat everyone, regardless of insurance status or ability to pay, using a sliding fee scale based on income. These clinics offer primary care, preventive check-ups and often dental, mental health and pharmacy services, all of which are provided by Open Door Health Services (ODHS).  I got the chance…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—In May of 2017, Ball State University announced Geoffrey S. Mearns as its 17th President. What a monumental hire it was, for both Ball State and Muncie.  President Mearns grew up in the shadow of the Empire State Building in the greater New York City area.  He was raised in a nurturing family by a father who was a lawyer and a mother who served in elected public office after raising the couples nine children.  He attended Yale University where he excelled academically and as a national caliber runner.  He then matriculated to the University…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—I had the privilege to interview 5 leaders from the Industry neighborhood recently. These influencers have made a substantial impact in this area of our city.  First, I met with Joy Ridiger, the executive director of Urban Light Community Development. The organization works at “Building Community together.” Zsenaria Hopkins also works at ULCD helping to coordinate Neighborhood Engagement, one of the focus areas of ULCD. Ridiger has been leading the organization for 8 years now.  She graduated from Purdue University and came to Muncie to lead the ULCD, as she was drawn to its vision…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—I had the pleasure of interviewing two outstanding leaders from the Greater Muncie  Chamber of Commerce. Ashley Williams is the vice president of talent development and Gina Caravaglia serves the Chamber as the coordinator of the Delaware County Redevelopment Alliance of Muncie-Delaware County.  Williams has been at the Chamber since 2024 in her role after spending several years as part of the senior management team at the Youth Opportunity Center.  She also has worked at Eastern Indiana Works.  After graduating high school in Francisco, IN she matriculated to Ball State University to study then pursued…

By Dr. Jeff Bird— MUNCIE, IN—Jeff Helm serves youth as the chief executive officer of the Youth Opportunity Center.  He assumed the leadership of the YOC in 2023 culminating a 23 year journey at the facility.  I was fortunate to sit with Jeff and discuss his life’s journey and his passion for helping troubled, hurting children.  Jeff is a lifelong resident of Delaware County, growing up in the Selma area and attended Wapahani High School. He is married to his wife Tammy and has 2 adult children.  Jeff graduated from Ball State University with a degree in Criminal Justice and…