Our Valuable Team Members
Janice Newman is an entrepreneur who owns a Real Estate Appraisal and Brokerage business. She has a Master’s degree in Professional Development with a certificate in Christian Counseling, and a Bachelor’s degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, with a minor in Psychology. Janice is a licensed Special Education teacher, specializing in intermediate grades.
She also has a certificate in Life Coaching, which she is very passionate about. She conducts life coaching and goal-setting seminars. She created a summer teen youth community group to provide a safe educational haven for youth to learn character and life-building skills.
Janice is a producer and host of a cable public access television show, Y? Why Not!, with the vision of helping others achieve their goals. The Y? Why Not! The show debuted in the Homewood, IL area on Comcast Cable in December 2018 and has since produced 100-plus episodes. Y? Why Not! has aired in over 10 states and 15 regions, including Chicago, Brooklyn, Los Angeles, and Washington, DC. Y? Why Not! features interesting guests and topics on social issues, self-improvement, ministry, etc.
The show has won numerous awards for a talk show, including IWPA, NFPW, and the Midwest Region of Alliance for Community Media.
Janice also writes a newspaper column for local papers: The Shopper in South Holland, IL, and The Southland Voice. She is also a monthly contributing writer for an online and print magazine, Black 2 Black Magazine. Her column and articles focus on providing Christian motivational life coaching and business tips for readers.
In 1999, Art and his wife, Susan formed the company Dreamers Tapestry, Inc. (DTI)) with the initial objective of using it as a base of operations for Susan’s outreach in the area of women in technology.
Since retiring from the auto industry in 2002, Dreamers Tapestry’s business operations and doing what it takes to get the message out became Art’s passion. As the company’s V. P. and Creative Director his responsibilities include advertising, designing promotional materials, web presence and generally taking care of the business end of the company.
In 2005 their company published Just Keep Dancing by Susan Brauer. Art is proud of the fact that his layout, cover design and marketing have enabled the distribution of over 4,000 copies of Susan’s book. And that has allowed her message of hope to reach the hands of thousands of women and young people trapped in the grip of dating violence and domestic abuse.
Additionally, under Art’s direction, Dreamers Tapestry has published the following books for nonprofit organizations:
- Leadership 1937-2013 the First Forty Presidents of the National Federation of Press Women by Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas
- The Anthology of the Illinois Woman’s Press Association by Susan Brauer and Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas
- Just One More Child: The Faith, Love and Compassion of Reverend Verent Mills by Dr. Chun-Wai Chan (Child Fund International)
In 2016 Art was selected as the Illinois Woman’s Press Association’s Communicator of Achievement (COA). This prestigious award is an honor bestowed by the IWPA upon those members who have distinguished themselves within and beyond their profession.
Art served as the IWPA President 2020-2025. He is an active member and manages the IWPA’s Printer’s Row annual tent.
Mabel is the creator and host of The Mayday Mayhaim Podcast, which earned 3rd place in the IWPA Awards and can be heard on all major streaming platforms. She launched the podcast in 2020 as a way to spotlight untold stories and underrepresented perspectives—covering everything from politics to social issues, conspiracy theories, and cultural conversations—with both dignity and humor. She also stars in The Mabel Fleming Show, a sketch comedy and improvisational series where her comedic voice shines.
Mz. Mabel is also an actress who has studied at Second City Chicago, has done improv across the Chicagoland area, and has been in several shows and stage play productions. She performs stand-up comedy hosting at Get in the Kitchen where you do cooking and comedy!
Before pursuing her creative career, Mabel worked for the Transportation Security Administration, serving as a Lead Officer with Homeland Security until an accident shifted her path. That transition opened the door for her to embrace comedy and advocacy, particularly for autoimmune conditions such as fibromyalgia, which she lives with and openly discusses to raise awareness about the invisible illness.
Mabel’s background as a communicator spans far beyond the stage and mic—she has long been a passionate public speaker, using her voice to address difficult conversations, spotlight overlooked issues, and encourage others to see the humor in life’s challenges.
She first discovered IWPA after attending an event as a guest and was deeply inspired by the supportive, creative community she found there. She knew immediately that IWPA was an organization she wanted to be a part of—not only to continue learning, but also to share her own experiences along the way.
Guided by her personal motto, “Do better today than you did yesterday, and strive for a better today tomorrow,” Mabel continues to build her career with humor, resilience, and authenticity.
Marianne Wolf-Astrauskas served in leadership roles at the Illinois Woman’s Press Association (IWPA) including four years as President, Vice President /Membership Chair, High School Contest Chair, on the National Convention Committee, and Book Fair Chair. She currently serves IWPA as Historian and Professional Communications Contest Chair.
She was elected the 43rd President of the National Federation of Press Women (2017-2019). She served NFPW in a variety of roles including Membership Chair (2009-2011), Executive Board Secretary (2011-2013), Executive Board Second Vice President (2013-2015), and Executive Board First Vice President (2015-2017), and as the Director of the NFPW Education Fund (2019-2021).
Marianne received NFPW’s highest honor in 2013 when she was selected as the National Federation of Press Women Communicator of Achievement 2013. The Illinois Woman’s Press Association honored her with its state Communicator of Achievement award in both 2013 and 2008 for her commitment to the organizations, her community, and her professional career.
Her work, some of which can be found on Wolf Tracks History on mariannewolf.com, and on IWPA.org under So We All May Be Heard, has led to award-winning success as an author, short-story writer, and community volunteer. She is the author of “Joliet,” Images of America Series with Arcadia Publishing, “The Joliet Rivals Club – a centennial celebration,” “Leadership 1937-2013, The First Forty Presidents of the National Federation of Press Women,” and she was the co-editor of the 2014 IWPA anniversary anthology.
Susan Brauer is founder and president of the publishing company, Dreamers Tapestry, Inc. Her published autobiography, a tapestry of abuse and triumph entitled “Just Keep Dancing” was awarded 1st Place in the Illinois Woman’s Press Association (IWPA) Mate E. Palmer Communications Contest. Dreamers Tapestry also published three additional books co-edited, designed and formatted by Susan, one of which, “The Anthology of the Illinois Woman’s Press Association”, was awarded 1st Place in the National Federation of Press Women (NFPW) Communications Contest.
Susan’s additional publications consist of short stories, essays, columns and blog post, several of which received awards from both the IWPA and NFPW. Susan was a columnist for the Women’s Linked Local Network and currently has a blog, Her Paradigm Shift.
Susan was selected as the IWPA’s Communicator of Achievement (COA) for the years 2011 & 2018. She has been active in “Stop the Violence” programs and was presented the “Volunteer Excellence Award” by the Illinois High School District 228’s Board of Education for her continued participation in the “Stop the Violence” program held in the district. Also, Susan has presented at “Stop the Violence” workshops in high schools, colleges and universities throughout the Midwest.
Susan holds a BSEE and an MSEE from the University of Illinois at Chicago. Previously, she was the Dean of Academic Affairs and the Associate Dean of the College of Engineering and Information Sciences at DeVry University, Chicago. Susan also worked in design & development at Motorola and prior to that, Argonne National Laboratory.
Susan is presently Treasurer of IWPA, the Secretary of the Renaissance Corner Academy Board, and previously on the boards of the Chicago Council of Science & Technology (C2ST) and Illinois First Robotics.
Theresa’s unusual career path has allowed her to travel across the country, presenting at workshops, receiving national grants and participating in distinctive fellowships. Over this course, she has built many networks in her local community, at the state level, through the state Department of Education, and across the U.S., which has strengthened her popularity in public relations, instructional teaching and leadership speaking.
Currently, Theresa serves as a board member for various agencies and is a STEM teacher in the Chicago Public School system.
Cora Weisenberger’s professional writing career started as a feature writer and food editor for her hometown newspaper, The Daily Journal in Kankakee, Illinois. During her tenure there writing about county fairs, train wrecks and other day-to-day events in a small town, she won numerous state and regional journalism awards, as well as joining IWPA for the first time.
After taking a career break to earn a master’s degree in journalism at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism, Cora was the editor in chief for B2B publications and worked in corporate communications. She is currently the intranet content manager for an international law firm with offices in Chicago.
Cora rejoined IWPA in 2013. She has served the association as editor of PenPoints, its quarterly publication, social media coordinator, chair of the High School Communications Contest, and served two terms as IWPA president.
Cora recommends that communicators, both professionals and students, join IWPA or similar organizations as a way of adding to and improving job skills, creating resumes and developing vital professional contacts.
She and her husband, Greg, live in the Chicago suburbs and have two sons, Dave and Jon.