For Betsy Kohn, the name of the game is positive communication and lots of it. As Director of Communications for Michigan City Area Schools, Kohn keeps busy connecting with others and promoting the successes of education in the area. Her dedication to the school system has already began to shift public perception and continues to do so.
“We have some amazing programs and people here. It is truly rewarding to be able to tell those stories,” Kohn explained.
Kohn was born in Erie, Pennsylvania where she grew up and attended elementary school, middle school, and high school. Following her graduation from Iroquois High School, she studied Communications at Grove City College in Pennsylvania, and then obtained her master’s degree in Professional Writing & Editing from George Mason University in Virginia.
“I have really had two aspects to my career path thus far-public relations and publishing,” Kohn said.
Kohn started out in publishing a magazine on Capitol Hill. From there, she dipped into the education field by working as Director of Publication Services for eight years for the National Association of Elementary School Principals in the Washington, D.C. area. Her next stint was an editor of Guideposts for ten years. This is the position that eventually brought Kohn to Northwest Indiana roughly fifteen years ago. Originally she worked in Chesterton as editor for Guideposts for Kid Magazine, Guideposts for Teens Magazine, and Sweet 16 Magazine.
“I really loved my stint as editor at Guideposts Magazines. Their genre is first-person stories, so that was really fun. I have always loved kids, and writing for teenagers and kids was a really cool experience,” Kohn commented.
When the magazine industry took a hit with the advent of social media and online publications, Guideposts folded their youth divisions. However, this was ultimately was a blessing in disguise for Kohn. She changed career paths and took advantage of the opportunity to be the Director of Communications for Michigan City Area Schools where she remains to this day.
“I had experience in education, writing, event planning, public relations, and communications. The job gave me a chance to bring all of that together. I get to do so many different things. My favorite part is highlighting the successes of our students and staff,” Kohn explained.
Kohn has become the town crier of good news for Michigan City schools. She communicates efficiently and brilliantly with the community about the schools' gains and successes. She is a true believer in the institution and works to promote it relentlessly.
Kohn explained, “We have so many wonderful opportunities to offer our students. We have something for whatever career a student is interested in. We have our magnet schools in the arts and the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math). A student looking to attend college has the dual credit and advanced placement courses, as well as the opportunities at our career center. Our tagline is: opportunity, excellence, pride. To me, that is what sets us apart. Our students are involved in a diverse range of activities, and the sky is the limit.”
Although, Kohn is not a native of Northwest Indiana, there is a common thread that connects her childhood home to her new home here-the lakes. She grew up on Lake Erie, and now counts Lake Michigan as her favorite feature of the area.
“After living in Washington D.C. for ten years, moving to Northwest Indiana truly felt like I was coming home. I had missed living close to the lake and everything associated with it. I love the people and all of the opportunities that are here. It is a diverse area and I have enjoyed meeting so many different people,” Kohn divulged.
When Kohn is not buzzing around her office, she finds time to fit in her hobbies. She loves playing tennis and met the love of her life doing so. She also plays the flute at St. Luke United Lutheran Church. She keeps her mind sharp on her trivia team The Educated Guessers that competes in the Trivia Fest at Michiana Resources for charity, and is a mentor as well. Additionally, she enjoys reading and gardening. Her favorite hobby is spending time with her husband Rudy and their thirteen year old daughter Sydney. Kohn just graduated from Leadership La Porte County's 29th class. For now Kohn plans to remain in the area and keep promoting the local schools.
“I plan to see that the stories of Michigan City Area Schools gets told in a more broad way with a positive flow. I am here and looking forward to continuing my service to the school system and the community. It has been very rewarding in the past five years to see how things are turning around for us as a school system and how the public perception is changing,” Kohn closed.