For our Feb. 13 Community Conversation event, LINK nky is bringing together leaders in the community who have found a way to build community and get involved — and they want to help connect you to people and organizations in Northern Kentucky.
Our Community Conversation events are free and open to the public, gathering residents, experts and community leaders for meaningful dialogue and action.
Our February event is all about how to get more involved in Northern Kentucky. Click here to register for the event, which runs from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Erlanger branch of the Kenton County Public Library.
Local media personality Evan Millward is our event moderator.
Our panelists for the Feb. 13 event are:
Theresa Cruz
Theresa Cruz is the founder and CEO of FIESTA, a community organization dedicated to supporting Hispanic families in Northern Kentucky through culturally relevant services such as a food pantry, resource coordination, education and outreach.
Born and raised in New York City, Theresa moved to Puerto Rico after high school, where she lived for 25 years. During that time, she earned a degree in education and opened a childcare center in 2007, where she designed and taught a bilingual curriculum for children aged 2-5.
 After moving to Northern Kentucky in 2013, she held various roles in education, focusing on empowering Hispanic families and strengthening family-school partnerships.
Driven by her passion for community wellness and family empowerment, Theresa founded FIESTA (Families, Inclusion, Education, Society, Traditions, Access) in 2023 to address the needs of the Hispanic community. Officially opening its doors on Jan. 3, 2024, FIESTA has since served and connected over 3,000 individuals to various services, helping families thrive.
Theresa lives in Burlington with her husband of 31 years, Abel, a dedicated FIESTA volunteer. They have two adult children, Christian and Bianca, and share their home with Moose and Bella, their two rescue dogs. Through FIESTA, Theresa continues to expand access to vital resources for Hispanic/Latino families across the region.
Ben Baker
Ben Baker is currently serving his second term as Dayton mayor, having served two consecutive terms as city councilman.  Before being elected to city council, Baker served on the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and its Main Street Board.
Baker studied telecommunications at both the University of Kentucky and Northern Kentucky University. Upon completion of his studies, Baker joined a technology start-up in Cincinnati in 2004 and has worked in the technology-infrastructure industry since that time.Â
A strong proponent of Northern Kentucky businesses, Baker is a member of both the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce and the Covington Business Council.
In 2010, Baker relocated from Covington into a historic home on Sixth Avenue in Dayton, where he lives with his wife, Julie Stewart and Carl, the first puppy of Dayton, Kentucky. The couple lives in Dayton because it offers many features and amenities they desire in a hometown, such as locally owned restaurants, a walkable, safe community, and an excellent school system. Baker is an avid Reds and Bengals fan, a music lover, and frequent traveler, having visited more than a 20 foreign countries and dozens of states.
Amanda Emmons Shumate
Amanda Emmons Shumate is a passionate leader dedicated to mentorship, community building, and the arts. As vice president of marketing & development at Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Cincinnati, Amanda drives the organization’s mission to empower youth and create life-changing relationships. Her connection to BBBS began through her husband, Kyle, who was a Big for nearly a decade, inspiring her to get involved in meaningful ways.
With over 20 years of experience in theater, Amanda co-founded Union Community Theatre in 2009 and served as its artistic director for a decade. She’s worn many hats in the arts world—director, producer, set designer and performer—and has been an active board member with Cincinnati Music Theatre and Footlighters, Inc, in Newport. Amanda currently serves as 1st Vice President of ACT Cincinnati.
A former educator with 17 years of teaching experience in Boone County, Amanda specialized in curriculum design, teacher mentorship, and professional development. She firmly believes in the transformative power of the arts and mentorship to strengthen communities.
Amanda lives in Villa Hills with her husband, Kyle, and their two sons, Jojo and Nico, and their lab, Dexter. They enjoy traveling, cheering on local sports teams and of course hitting up all the yummy NKY foodie hot spots!