Cincinnati Mom Collective

I am originally from New Hampshire and moved to the Cincinnati area in 2003. I am a divorced, recently remarried mom to 2 amazing boys, Eli and Ethan. We are avid Reds fans and you will likely find us at the ballpark quite a bit during baseball season. I have a degree in healthcare management and work full-time in Cincinnati. I have shared parenting of my boys, so when we are together, I try to make sure we make the most of our time! Whether it’s seeing Madcap Puppets, exploring the numerous local parks, enjoying the Cincinnati Pops, or cheering on our Cincinnati Redlegs, I strive to expose my boys to as many aspects of culture that I can!  I enjoy music (I’ve played piano for 30 years) as well as being crafty (as time allows!), making crazy cool cakes, and relaxing with my boys, my husband, and our dog Frankie! I’m really excited about sharing a piece of my world with you and this often times humorous and wild adventure I call my life as a mom!

I am a wife, mommy to two sweet and spunky little girls, and an art teacher. As a Cincinnati native I love this city and am thankful to be raising my family here. My day job often finds its way into my family life as I love getting creative with my daughter and letting her run wild with paint and lots of other art supplies. I am passionate about encouraging creativity and art making at any age. When I am not crafting or having adventures with my little girl, I love organizing, decorating, shopping for a bargain, exploring new places for family fun around the city, cooking, and searching for local restaurants with great food. 

I love Cincinnati for far too many reasons to list, but mostly, it just feels like home. I stepped foot onto UC’s campus as a freshman in 2002, and I’ve never left. I’ve worked at UC through my bachelor’s, master’s and Ph.D., and can’t imagine not being a Bearcat. My most favorite job of all is raising my 3 incredible children (Gabriel James, and twins Ayla Meryem & Ari Kerem) with my husband Serkan. He’s from Istanbul, Turkey, so we’ve had to navigate all sorts of cultural and travel fun in our time together. My passion for health, wellness, and fitness has lead me to roles with the American Council on Exercise and as an adjunct professor, with my continued purpose in life is to help people find ways to feel and be their best selves. As a busy twin + 1 mama, I hope my experiences can resonate with you!

Christen Woodard is a wife and stay-at-home mom of 4 children. Christen works as a doula, home-birth assistant, and midwifery apprentice. She has a passion for advocacy, providing assistance for new families. She has a deep love for reading, new cleaning products, and Summer time.

I consider Canton, OH to be my hometown, but my family moved a lot around the State when I was a kid.  My husband, Simon, our son, Marshall, and I have called the town of Wyoming our home since 2014. Our daughter, Gretchen, was stillborn in September 2019, and we miss her every day. I work full-time as a preschool intervention specialist. Outside of work, my family loves going to parks and playgrounds around the city, as well as the Zoo and Museum Center.

I was born in New York and lived in several states before settling down in my favorite city of all time – Cincinnati! I have a biracial family that consists of my amazing and talented husband (Derek) and our beautiful, silly daughter (Adilyn {2009}). I work full-time for an environmental services company in addition to owning the Cincinnati and Dayton Mom Collectives, just completed my MBA with an HR focus {2020}, write and illustrate children’s books, love to volunteer, and am a registered and certified nutritional consultant (RNC/CNC). I still do my best to be the best mom and wife I can be! I love art museums, the theatre, reading, and Cincinnati parks. I’m a foodie and always love trying new places to eat. I hope other moms find either enlightenment or humor from my posts!

I was raised in the small town of Highland Heights KY. With influences from across the river, I grew up with a passion for sports, the arts, Ballet, writing, hiking, and nutrition. I now reside in the city of Alexandria KY and look towards the Queen City for many of my resources in raising two well rounded little ones. My marriage has blessed me with a little girl and a little boy. I am currently a stay at home mother and aspire to be a career woman when they reach school age. For now, I work hard on their preschool curriculum and the family's health.

I am a born and raised Cincinnatian living in Reading with my husband and daughter. I even stayed local for college and earned my Bachelors of Fine Arts at Xavier University. After graduating, I worked at the Cincinnati Art Museum where I met my husband of 4.5 years. Currently, I'm a full time working mama with a side hustle that allows me to focus on my passions of art, education, and kids. My favorite things in the world include doing art projects with my little one, playing board games, listening to music, watching reality tv, eating good food, making good food, and watching documentaries about good food.

I was born in Cincinnati but transplanted to rural Michigan as a toddler with my parents. We moved back when I was in high school and I've been here since. I met my husband, Eric, while completing my undergrad in education at Miami University. Two master's degrees, a house, and a dog later, we decided to expand our family. Our daughter Piper was born in April of 2017. I'm a former enrollment counselor that is now navigating the new world of stay-at-home-mom (which is a misnomer since we rarely stay home!) and recently embarked on a journey to become a doula.

I was born, raised, and still live in Hamilton, Ohio. My husband, Matt and I have two beautiful daughters, ages 8 and 3. One of my daughters was adopted from Kazakhstan and one is homegrown. I have a masters degree in speech pathology from Miami University and I currently work in a local LTC center. I also run a local Card My Yard franchise. My passions include travel (mostly to Disney) and volunteering for my daughter’s swim team.

I'm a Christian wife and mother of four charming, tough and funny boys. I have had the privilege of living in the Greater Cincinnati area my whole life. Despite our bitter winters, humid summers and the wacky weather in between, I couldn't pick a better place to raise my family. I'm a Kentucky girl who roots for the UC Bearcats and describes where I live in Independence as "just south of Cincinnati" to out of towners. My family is avid NFL and MLB fans and we support our Bengals and Reds through the good, the bad and the ugly.

I am a momma to two energetic kiddos and married to a pretty cool UPS man. Like most moms, I typically function on a lack of sleep and coffee, mixed in with an unhealthy dose of needless fretting. In the winters you can find me coaching and the rest of the year, homeschooling one child and navigating public school and a trillion sports with the other, all while balancing my laptop and freelancing on the side. Oh... and my friend and I play business with a bath salt company called Oh, Just Be. Happy mom-ing. So thankful to share this experience with you all!

I was raised in both the South and Midwest, so I say things like “finer than a frog’s hair” and  “ope, lemme just squeeze past ya there” respectively. I reside within the city limits of Cincinnati with my two children, Penny and Yukon, as well as three cats, two guinea pigs, and a tortoise. My family loves going to museums, making art, and traveling often. I have a BA in Anthropology and an MA in Creative Writing, both from NKU, which is  also where I now work as a secretary. Some of my interests are culture, dance, languages, and literature.

My name is Jenna, and I am a born-and-raised Cincinnati girl. I grew up on the West Side of Cincinnati, but my love for this city expands in all directions! I studied Communication and Public Relations at the University of Cincinnati, and am beyond proud to be a Bearcat. My Fiance and I currently live in Covedale where we are raising one sweet and adventurous little boy. Some of my favorite things about Cincinnati are the food (especially Skyline Chili), the parks, and the history of the city. When I am not working full-time in Marketing, I enjoy hiking, camping, reading, trying new coffee shops, traveling, and simply spending time with my family and friends.

Born and raised in the Queen City, I'm in love with its accessible big-city amenities and small-town sense of community. I worked in marketing and communications at a local bank before becoming a stay-at-home mom to two boys. I spend my time investing in my faith and family, with a side of my favorite things: writing, reading, exercise, enjoying good food and wine, encouraging other moms, and exploring my hometown.

I was raised in the quaint little town of Walton, Kentucky but as an adult, I moved all around Northern KY and even to Cincy before landing right back where I started when my daughter was born. I am a single mom to my miracle baby girl who was born in 2017, when I was 39 years young. I am a Xavier grad…Go Muskies! And, when I’m not momming, I work full time as an x-ray tech at a Cincinnati hospital. I enjoy photography, antiques, crafts, and writing. For fun, we like to have picnics and explore local parks, attractions, and events.

My family moved to the Cincinnati area when I was 12. From Forest Park, I made my way to Northern Kentucky. My husband Rusty and I have four children: Molly, Spencer, Rogan, and Emmett. I am a registered nurse turned stay at home mom. I thrive on coffee and laughter. I enjoy Skyline, Cincinnati Reds and alone time at the airport’s airplane viewing area. I would describe myself as a hot mess. Every day can be a struggle and I hope to show other parents they are not alone. 

I am relatively new to Cincinnati, and after living in Columbus for nearly three decades, I am glad to be back in the Buckeye State! Keeping all wheels turning with my family of five serves as my full-time job, but I stay active with my teaching background by blogging and freelance writing for several education companies. When I'm not stealing some time at the keyboard, I enjoy exploring all Cincinnati has to offer through the eyes of my five-year-old. Cooking, traveling, and binge-watching a good drama series round out my favorites, but some of those happen much more often than others!

Leslie Young has over twenty years (25) of experience working for, and on behalf of, the small, minority, and women-owned business community in the areas of economic inclusion, supplier diversity, and business development. Leslie holds a Master of Business Administration degree from Xavier University and a Bachelors Degree in Marketing from Ohio University. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Leslie is married and has two (2) children, Austen who is 15 and Loren who is 19.

I am a native Cincinnatian, born and raised on the West Side and currently settled across the river in Northern Kentucky. I’m a former Highlander, Bearcat, Falcon, and Fulbright Scholar. My greatest challenge hitherto is the one I love the most: being a Mom to an energetic eight-year-old boy. When not working full-time at one of the city’s great hospitals, I’m trying to fit in all there is to do in this wonderful city – and there is certainly A LOT to do! As one who loves to read, I am an advocate for the public library and go multiple times a week. You can often find me at Music Hall enjoying the ballet, opera, and orchestra. I am an introvert, a bit of a foodie, an NPR listener, a pessimist who likes to think she’s a realist, a middle child, an ex-wife and amicable co-parent, a fiancée, and much, much more. I feel lucky to have grown up in Cincinnati and to be raising my own child in this wonderful city.

Currently a stay at home mompreneur, I am always on the lookout for ways to incorporate multiple streams of income into my life so that I may continue to have the flexibility and availability I enjoy with my two young children. I founded Transparent Investment Solutions, LLC and Renewed Fitness Vibrations, LLC to help me live out my God-given purpose; offering individual different tools that will help them achieve their dreams and goals. My personal goal is to be an example to other women so they too can achieve financial independence and live the lifestyle they were destined to live. Always seeing myself as a student, I also want to inspire others to be inspired to find their own way in life, while passing on what whatever I have learned. My favorite quotes that motivate me are: " It's not over until I win" and "You can achieve all things through God".

My name is Rachel and I am a local photographer, mommy of two, and wife. I was born and raised in Cincinnati and love it here. My family and I are huge baseball fans! We love the Reds and try to catch as many games as possible (we even had a Reds-themed wedding!). My little family loves to explore fun and beautiful places around the city and do impromptu photo sessions as much as we can. We are a silly bunch who spends most of our time goofing around and laughing as much as possible. I am excited to be writing for CMB and can't wait to share my life stories with you all!

Hi, I’m Sarah, mother of wee-gans. My husband and I are not Cincinnati natives; I grew up across the country in a military family and my husband in Mexico. We recently bought our first home in downtown Lebanon that we are attempting to transform into an urban farm. We have been vegans for three years and have raised our children on broccoli and spinach. Yes, don’t worry, we do get enough protein and take a B-12 supplement! I do have plans to homeschool my kids in the coming years and help guide them on their journey through life. I am on a journey of zero-waste and believe in spreading kindness. If I sound like a bit of a flower child, you’d be right! I even make my own deodorant! If you ever see me at the park, come say hi. I’m not the cool mom at the park, but I will always be the kind mom.

Cincinnati has been my home for the last 20 years, and thanks to all the friends we have made here, I am happy to call it my hometown. I am Mom to three middle and high school age kids. (Within minutes, I will be the shortest person in our household.) Life is never boring at our house. We homeschool the two youngest, and our oldest just started high school. The kids enjoy everything from volleyball to tennis to banjo to archery to gymnastics to computer gaming, which means I spend a lot of time driving. When I’m not doing that, I squeeze in a few of my other loves–exploring our city, crafting, reading, kayaking, hiking, gardening, traveling, and teaching people to take good care of their skin through my Mary Kay business. Oh, and of course writing!

I was born and raised in Alabama, lived in New Orleans and then relocated to Cincinnati post-Hurricane Katrina an experience that taught me how being exposed to culture and diversity can build empathy into a person. I married a generous, humble, hard-working man, Brett and we moved to Kenya, Africa where our years spent working overseas have shaped my soul in more ways than I can articulate. We are back in Cincinnati, investing in building a non-profit organization, and raising two sons and a daughter. I value the diversity among the city and the ways I witness a community of efforts to build up the people. Jesus is my anchor; I love quality time, sharing heart to heart;, traveling the world remains a passion; witnessing community loving one another well encourages me; I value the love of health and fitness and Plexus fuels a stronger version of myself; and photography is a lens I use to invest into the hearts of others at T Ralston Photography.

I am originally from Northwest Ohio and met her husband in the beginning of my freshmen year of college. He is a born and raised Cincinnati west-sider. He took me home to meet the family that December and I fell in love with her husband and Cincinnati. It was an easy decision to make as to what city we would live in after I was done with school. We have been married since 2008 and have lived in Cincinnati since 2009. I have three wonderful boys. When I am not driving my boys around the city to have an adventure, I enjoy sewing, crafts in general, taking pictures of my family, debating with my husband over who is using a word correctly (and often getting out the dictionary), coffee, and great conversation.