Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
Who says you can’t buy friends? Being totally new to Pittsburgh and living in a hotel for 12 weeks, I was overwhelmed with starting over. I saw the wide variety of activities the Newcomers club offered and thought “Why not? There’s nothing to lose!” I wrote one $25 check, attended a few free events and developed several very valuable friendships!

Where did you recently move from?
Bob and I moved here from Charleston, West Virginia or “West, by God, Virginia” as natives teasingly call it!

Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Charleston, West Virginia aka “Almost Heaven!”

Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I graduated from Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia, where I had a double major in Social Work and Spanish.  I started, but have yet to complete, an MBA. Can you say “bucket list!?!”

What do you do for your day job?
For years, I managed West Virginia’s statewide gambling addiction help-line and outpatient treatment program.  Here I manage my executive-level husband and my fourth-grade daughter. Also, I manage our beach house in South Carolina.

Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages?
Bob and I have a precious daughter Cana, who is 9 years old, and the blessed miracle of our marriage!

Do you have any pets?
I don’t….but my daughter has a guinea pig named Rosie.   Does that make me a grandmother?

What do you like to do for fun?
I never went to Disney as a child so I am busy making up for lost time, going annually since my first visit in 2007!  I love to try new foods at new restaurants.  I really like traveling to new places. I love taking photographs. I enjoy Broadway musicals and most “performing “arts!” l love to read anything: books, magazines, cookbooks, even the backs of cereal boxes!  I love to grow flowers..but I hate to weed!  What gives me  a thrill is the hunt for bargains at estate sales, yard sales and thrift stores!  I love to turn  flea market finds into beloved  treasures. Who’s in for the next rummage sale?

What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
I bought a whole bunch of books by Jodi Picoult at last year’s  MoreFest rummage sale and I am working my way through them. Last summer during a family genealogy trip, I found “Reflections of Growing Up Poor in West Virginia” written by Dorothy Brown, a cousin I never knew I had!  For Christmas, I was given “Crowns: Portraits of Black Women in Church Hats” and I’ve adored all the photos. Now it’s time to read the text. And a friend just just gave me a “A Pennsylvania Gardeners Guide” so I guess it’s time to read that next as surely, sometime sooner or later, we’ll have Spring here!

What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
There is a long list of home improvements on my list, from renovating the office den to building a fish pond… it’s always something around here. And with swimsuit season right around the corner, maybe more time in the gym and less time at the table should be my biggest personal goals!

What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
I collect vintage hats so I am really looking forward to sharing some of them at the “Chat in a Hat” at Bella’s House of Teas on March 11th!

What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself?
Starting with a few pieces of my grandmother’s, I am now an avid collector of Fiestaware.  Anyone up for a road trip to tour the Homer Laughlin factory? It’s just an hour from here.  I am an active member at St. Thomas More Parish across from South Hills Village Mall, volunteering at both the church and school.  Spanish is my second language, having been an exchange student in high school to Mexico.  I attended summer school in Spain during college.  Bitten by the travel bug, I have since been to Venezuela,  Ireland, Italy, New Zealand and Canada.  A brand new fan of Riedel glassware and Swarovski crystal, I am thinking about a trip to Austria in Summer 2015. Right now, though, I am looking out the window at all the snow and dreaming of a trip to someplace tropical for Christmas vacation this year!

Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club? 
Although I had already lived in town for 2 years, I had recently stopped working (and travelling out of town for business each week) . I had received a mailing from Newcomers when we first moved in, and now had the time to actually attend events – and I really needed a chance to meet people in town. In those 2 years, I had only met my immediate next door neighbors!

Where did you recently move from? 
We moved here from Rockville, Maryland – although my husband grew up in this area and his extended family lives nearby.

Where did you grow up? 
I grew up in Fairfield, Connecticut. My town had 5 different public beaches on Long Island sound – the more I move – the more land-locked I get! I still have a brother and 2 sisters in Connecticut, another brother and my parents in Virginia, and a sister who splits her time between Florida and Pittsburgh (her 2 oldest kids now live in Pittsburgh too – so I now have my niece and nephew in town representing my side of the family).

Where did you go to college and what did you study? 
I attended the University of Connecticut, and have a BS in Public Relations (in which I never found employment….)

What do you do for your day job? 
I’m currently a stay-at-home Mom. I was 41 before we were able to start our family through adoption, and we waited so long for a family, we decided it was best for me to suspend my career for a few years. Previously, I was a business consultant for a large healthcare company called Kaiser Permanente, helping with process improvements and IT system implementations.

Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages? 
We have a son, Teddy. He is three (and a half, he’ll tell you.)

Do you have any pets? 
We have a mini-Dachshund named Gus.

What do you like to do for fun? 
I like to quilt, watch movies, read, and play with my son. I enjoy cooking and baking (but hate dishes).

What books on your shelf are begging to be read? 
I have a stack of books on my nightstand right now – a mix of fun fiction books and parenting books. Some are partially read, some are begging me nightly to be read. I used to read about 2-3 books a month, but now with a 3 year old, it just doesn’t seem to work out that way….it’s a New Year’s Resolution to read more and use my iPad for internet surfing less.

What’s the biggest goal you are working on now? 
I’m trying to declutter our house. Too much stuff seems to suck the life out of my soul. When we lived in Maryland, I used to volunteer once a month at our church’s thrift store, which helped me to constantly weed out our belongings and bring in donations once a month. Without that monthly reminder, things have piled up….THIS YEAR – I swear – I’m going to finally have a tag sale (a New England term – I think here they’re garage sales? Even though I’m not selling my garage?). And learn to sell on EBay. And give more often to Goodwill.

What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending? 
We belong to a weekly playgroup, but I enjoy the Craft Nights the most. It’s nice to have sounding boards in my fellow crafters (although I’m not always working on a craft per se: I’ve completed thank you cards, invitations, and once just went empty handed to talk to some women).

What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself? 
I found one of the hardest things to do was walk into my first few Newcomers coffees by myself – I’m not very outgoing until I know people better….but I’m so glad I forced myself out of my comfort zone! Our club has something for everyone – watch the calendar and Facebook page – and GO to something. I look forward to meeting you!

Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
In addition to wanting to meet new people and make new friends, my husband and I knew that we would be raising a family in USC. So, I wanted to meet other mothers in similar situations and offer the opportunity for my sons to make new friends, too!

Where did you recently move from?
South Fayette, PA

Where did you grow up?
I was born and raised in Scott Township.

Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I attended Indiana University of Pennsylvania, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism.

What do you do for your day job?
I manage a freelance writing and PR business — Heather Holtschlag Public Relations — and offer a wide variety of writing and PR services to clients in the health and fitness industries. Though my most important and rewarding roles are as a wife and SAHM.

Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages?
I have two sons: Matthew is 5, and Luke is 3.

Do you have any pets?
No, though we promised Luke a goldfish as a reward for potty training, which he recently successfully accomplished. So, it looks like soon “Uncle David” the fish will be coming to our house to live!

What do you like to do for fun?
I LOVE working out and ironically, love to cook. Though anyone who has ever tasted my cooking can attest, I have a lot of room for improvement.

What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
Believe it or not, 50 Shades of Grey is only halfway done, and has been sitting on my shelf for about a year. I would love to read more, but am too easily distracted.

What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
In addition to being the best mom I can possibly be, I aspire to build my freelance business to  more of a fulltime job when both boys are in school all day.

What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
I haven’t been able to get to much this year because of a crazy schedule. But I’m hoping that will change in the new year!

What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself?
My husband, Jim, owns and operates a Grease Monkey in Canonsburg and also does car detailing on the side (when he doesn’t have a small child’s arms wrapped around his legs). I also write for USC Today magazine and am always looking for story ideas!

To get to know people on the area and to get support from the organization.

Where did you recently move from?
We moved here from a suburb of Metro Atlanta, Lawrenceville, Georgia.

Where did you grow up?
I grew up in California. Born in Northern California and raised in Southern California.

Where did you go to college and what did you study?
I attended the University of California at Santa Barbara (UCSB). I began as a Molecular Biology major and graduated with a BA in History. I also attended California State University of Dominguez Hills for my education credential.

What do you do for your day job?

I am primarily a Stay at home Mom BUT, I am now an entrepreneur of my company Sweat Everyday LLC. I have also been teaching group fitness classes for the past ten years, training and coaching clients.

Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages?
We have three sons Kahlil – 13, Kaden – 11 and Kaamil – 7

Do you have any pets?
One hamster named Ani

What do you like to do for fun?
For fun I enjoy taking yoga classes, spending time with friends and family, reading and having time to myself at a spa!!!

What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
The Black Count by,Tom Reiss
Blink by, Malcolm Gladwell
Personal Trainers Guide to Success
The Bible

What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
My biggest goal right now is working to my business a success

What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
The New Years Ladies Day Out Re-Gift Champagne Brunch!

What other things do you want your fellow newcomers to know about yourself?
My husband and I have been married for seventeen years and, we relocated here for his job. We both really like it here! I am very glad we made the decision to come and I have really enjoyed meeting new people and experiencing new things in this city. Yes, even living in the snow!

Why did you want to join the USC Newcomers’ Club?
To meet other newcomers in the area

Where did you recently move from?
South Carolina

Where did you grow up?
South Carolina

Where did you go to college and what did you study?
Finance and Economics at University of South Carolina

What do you do for your day job?
Business Analyst with UPMC Health Plan

Do you have any kids? If so what are their names and ages?
Two boys: Whit (7) and Liam (4)

Do you have any pets?
cat named Belle

What do you like to do for fun?
spend time with family, read, bake, watch movies, anything outside, going to the beach, watching college football and Braves baseball

What books on your shelf are begging to be read?
Gone with the Wind (saw movie again over Thanksgiving and realized I’ve never read it, but want to)

What’s the biggest goal you are working on now?
Learning SQL for work

What upcoming Newcomers’ event are you looking forward to attending?
Tacky Sweater Bowling