Come join your fellow WestSiders and learn about what is going on in the StockBridge Business District. This meet up will be from noon to 1 p.m.

Location: Bridge Street Ministries

Address: 1034 Bridge St NW, Grand Rapids, MI 49504

With another excellent lineup planned. Our board member, Ryan Waalkes, will be joined by Kara Wood from Grand Action 2.0, and Anne DiVitto from Word Out Influence.

FAQ: What’s a typical event like? We meet from 12-1 p.m. Sometimes lunch is provided, and sometimes just something light. We have 3-5 speakers present and share a quick update or overview about relevant topics to the WestSide. It's very casual, very authentic, and our meetings are used as a launching pad to create meaningful relationships with our neighbors and fellow business people.

Kara Wood is the executive director of Grand Action 2.0, a not-for-profit economic development organization of community leaders responsible for the private sector efforts that support pubic private transformational projects in downtown Grand Rapids in their mission to identify downtown and adjacent neighborhood building and transformational capital intensive projects, galvanize public opinion and support, leverage public/private investments and formulate and implement funding strategies including securing private sector funding in support of requests for primary public sector funding. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Business Administration from Michigan State University Eli Broad College of Business, a Master of Public Administration from Western Michigan University, where she also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and is a Certified Economic Developer. She serves on a variety of boards including Michigan Community Capital, Grand River Network Board, Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc., among others.

Anne DiVitto is a Grand Rapids native, social media strategist, and digital marketing expert, dedicated to helping small local businesses thrive. As the owner of Word Out Influence, she specializes in connecting brands with nano- and micro-influencers to craft meaningful and impactful campaigns. With firsthand experience as both a creator and strategist, Anne is uniquely positioned to guide businesses through the evolving world of social media and influencer marketing. Passionate about supporting local businesses, Anne’s mission is to help them increase brand visibility, engage their communities, and grow through personalized influencer partnerships and targeted digital strategies.