Since 2012, Marina O’Rourke has had a legacy to carry forth in the foundation her late mother began building more than 40 years ago. It has been no easy task. But if there was ever a person to honor the discipline of dance, the development of young dancers, the evolution of the art form while...

Reflexology is an ancient therapy that has been used around the world for thousands of years, traced back to ancient Egypt, China, India, Japan and Korea. Today, it can be found in health care systems of many countries including Great Britain, China, South Africa, Denmark and the United States. Reflexology is described by many people...

One of the most important responsibilities in caregiving is to be the sunshine in someone’s storm. It is far from easy, but I work with hundreds of women who do just that every single day. Did you know that 65% of family caregivers are female? The average female caregiver provides up to 20 hours of...

If it weren’t for the services of Opening Doors in Dubuque, a women by the name of “Q” most likely would have taken longer to get her life back on a positive path. “Opening Doors offers hospitality and opportunity to homeless women, alone or with children, who need emergency, transitional or permanent housing and related...

When you find peace within yourself, you will find peace floating all around you. What does that mean? As a woman in this world, it can be so easy to try to live up to all of these crazy expectations of what other’s say beauty is. But beauty lies within. It took me many years...

Amanda Reeves was about as prepared to have a baby boy in late August as any 20-year-old woman could be after immersing herself in the Clarity Clinic Pregnancy Center of Dubuque. She took educational classes ranging from birthing to safe sleep in what is called First Steps. She also was referred to classes offsite for...

Have you ever heard of the three-legged stool of retirement? If you have, it probably was a while ago. Once considered the ideal retirement model, the three-legged stool has fallen out of favor because one of the legs — defined benefit pensions — is not as stable as it once was, and the future of...

Shelby Duggan was just 11 years old when she was bitten by the entrepreneurial bug. But what began as a simple newspaper delivery route of which she could take ownership found a fitting niche as she grew older and became a fan of the popular TLC reality television series, “Say Yes to the Dress.” From...

Monday, Sept. 23 — which the calendar assures us is the first day of fall — has come and gone. It’s a magical day that we in the Her Hacks office look forward to every year. First, we all show up for our brutal shifts in the Word Mines at 6 a.m., bedraggled and covered...

There is no end to the things we have yet to do. There is no final goal. Any accomplishment usually is followed by another door opening another challenge. It’s inevitable. You think you might have achieved your final goal — like getting engaged or married, or getting a coveted new job or losing 25 pounds...

Unfortunately, too many of us know someone — a family member, friend or colleague — who is affected by breast cancer. In fact, breast cancer accounts for nearly one in three cancers diagnosed in U.S. women, according to the American Cancer Society. Since there is no cure for breast cancer, more needs to be done...

Monday, Sept. 23 — which the calendar assures us is the first day of fall — has come and gone. It’s a magical day that we in the Her Hacks office look forward to every year. First, we all show up for our brutal shifts in the Word Mines at 6 a.m., bedraggled and covered...

We hope to see you at our second annual Salute to Women Awards breakfast. The event — presented by Her magazine, bizTimes.biz and ImOn Communications and sponsored by Sedona Staffing Services — will be from 7:30 to 9 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 9, at the Diamond Jo Casino’s Harbor Room, Port of Dubuque. This year, we’re...

When it comes to women in the tri-states, there never seems to be a shortage of those doing admirable things, whether it is starting a business, giving back to the community or reaching out to elevate the next generation. Each year, Her magazine honors some of these individuals through our Salute to Women edition. But...

Jennifer Thompson was in college when she came face to face with every woman’s worst nightmare. Held at knife point by an intruder who broke into her apartment while she slept, she was brutally raped. And though she was able to escape, the physical and psychological damage would have a rippling effect. “Since 1984, the...

Age: 47. Location: Dubuque. Title: CEO, owner. Employer: Statera Integrated Health and Wellness Solutions. Number of years employed there: 17 months. Educational background: Bachelor of Science in physical therapy, Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist, Institute for Integrative Nutrition and ACE-certified health coach. Family: Husband Lor; daughter Ayden, 18; son Ian, 17; yellow lab Copper, 4....

Age: 46. Location: Dubuque. Title: High school counselor. Employer: Dubuque Community School District, Hempstead High School. Number of years employed there: 21 years. Educational background: Clarke University and University of Santiago de Compostela, Spain (undergraduate degree in Spanish secondary education); Loras College (masters in secondary education and counseling). Family: Husband, John; and children, Julian and...

Age: 30. Location: Dubuque. Title: Program specialist by day, foodie by night. Employer: Dubuque Main Street, also volunteer as the chairwoman of the Dubuque County Food Policy Council. Number of years employed there: Three, since June 2016. Educational background: Masters of Arts in education, Bachelor’s degree in history education. Describe your role in your work....

Often our earliest culinary influence is our mother or grandmother, but that really wasn’t the case for me. Distance made a daily relationship with my grandparents impossible. And my mother — while she instilled in me her sense of humor, caring nature and organizational skills — isn’t an easy, natural cook. (That said, she pulled...

Play is important for everyone, no matter their age. And when grandparents, parents and children play together, that’s where the real benefits of unstructured fun are discovered. “Play time with adults of different ages is not just a chance for families to bond, these interactions with positive role models can help children develop a range...

Monday, Sept. 23 — which the calendar assures us is the first day of fall — has come and gone. It’s a magical day that we in the Her Hacks office look forward to every year. First, we all show up for our brutal shifts in the Word Mines at 6 a.m., bedraggled and covered...