Here for you in Lou.
Whether you’re thinking about moving to Louisville or you’re already here, our City Champs are passionate about our city from a range of backgrounds who are ready to show you how incredible Louisville is.
Are you new to Louisville or considering a move here? Do you want to know the best new restaurants or coolest events in town? Are you not sure which neighborhood might fit your lifestyle? Do you want to know how you can get involved in the community? Are you trying to decide which neighborhoods, schools or churches fit you and your family’s lifestyle?
Look no further, we’re here to help. City Champs is a collection of ambassadors in Louisville who are passionate about our city and all that it has to offer. They’re a diverse group of volunteers from a variety of neighborhoods, age ranges, and lifestyles who want to help you find your fit in Louisville. City Champs can help you get involved, meet new people, try new experiences or just point you in the right direction toward something you love. Have any questions? Contact us!
Take a look below and get in touch with a City Champ who might be a good fit for you today!
Interested in becoming a City Champ? Check out the application link at the bottom of this page for more information.
Diana Duran
Diana moved here in 2007 from Lima, Peru. She fell in love with Louisville due to the nice and welcoming people and because there is always something going on to stay involved in the city. She is a graduate of the University of Louisville and Bellarmine University and is a member of Prospanica and the Greater Louisville International Professionals (GLIP). She enjoys visiting new restaurants, attending festivals, travelling abroad and staying active. She runs regularly and participates in the Triple Crown of Running each year as well as the Derby Festival Mini Marathon and the Urban Bourbon Half Marathon.
- Running
- Prospanica
- Louisville Restaurants
- Louisville Festivals
Randy has been in Louisville his whole life. He gives credit for keeping him engaged in his hometown to the low cost of living, central location, incredible arts and foodie communities, and the opportunities to be involved in so many wonderful organizations. He’s a graduate of Centre College and Bellarmine University, and enjoys hot yoga, Orange Theory, hiking, cooking, singing, wine and bourbon. Randy works in marketing and advertising and is a member of Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) and American Advertising Federation – Louisville. His favorite Louisville restaurants are Volare, Bourbons Bistro and Varanese.
- Marketing & Advertising
- Bourbon
- The Frankfort Avenue Corridor
- Louisville Arts
Baylee was born in Louisville and has lived here on and off her whole life. She moved back to attend college at the University of Louisville and quickly remembered just how much she loved it. She is a member of the Louisville Digital Association (LDA)and Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI) and spends her time learning as much as humanly possible. She enjoys staying active by walking the Big Four Bridge, climbing at Climb Nulu and doing yoga. Her favorite local restaurants are Royals Hot Chicken in Nulu (including the bourbon slushies!) and Lydia House in Germantown.
- Marketing & Communications
- Rock Climbing
- Louisville Arts
- University of Louisville
Nate is a graduate of Bellarmine University and moved to Louisville in 2009. He fell in love with Louisville because of all the connections and great people. He works in accounting and is a member of the Young Professional Association of Louisville (YPAL) and the Bellarmine University Alumni Association. In his spare time he enjoys attending Louisville Football Club games, playing sports, canoeing, and being outside. His favorite things to do in Louisville include visiting the Parklands of Floyds Fork, attending performances by the Louisville Orchestra, and going downtown to visit Museum Row.
- Louisville Sports
- Outdoor Activities in Louisville
- Louisville Museums
- YPAL
Ashley has been in Louisville since 1999 and is currently the Board President of the Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA)and a sponsor for the Young Professional Association of Louisville (YPAL). She is a graduate of Colorado State University and a real estate broker. In her free time she can be found stand up paddle boarding, attending music festivals and live concerts, walking in Cherokee or Seneca Park and volunteering with her children’s schools. She is a large supporter of the local business scene and volunteers often with LIBA to help “keep Louisville weird.”
- Real Estate
- Local Music Scene
- Louisville Paddling
- Louisville Area Schools
Ricky moved to Louisville in 2000 when his family was transferred here for his father’s job. He is a graduate of Pontifical Catholica University of Puerto Rico and Indiana Tech University, and is fluent in Spanish. He is a member of the Prospanica Louisville Chapter, the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA), and coaches high school football. Ricky’s favorite things to do in Louisville include attending the many festivals, visiting the Louisville Slugger Museum, and supporting the sports teams around the city. His favorite restaurants include Havana Rumba, Vietnam Kitchen and the Seafood Lady.
- Louisville Hispanic Culture
- Prospanica
- Local Sports
- Local Government
Jeanne is an alumnus of the Ohio State University and has been in Louisville since 1994. She has lived in Ohio, Southern California and Colorado. Jeanne works for the Louisville Downtown Partnership and is a member of the Ohio State University Alumni, the Network of Entrepreneurial Womenand the Naval Academy Parents Club. She regularly visits the Speed Art Museum and also enjoys local live music and plays at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. In her spare time she likes to walk her dog, a German Shepard Maicee, socialize with her girlfriends and attend the many events and festivals in Louisville.
- Downtown Louisville
- The Speed Art Museum
- Local Music & Concerts
- Louisville Parks
Walter Woods hasn’t been in Louisville long. He moved here in 2017 for a job opportunity and to move closer to family. He is a graduate of Howard and Northwestern Kellogg School and works in the philanthropy industry. He is a member of the Patron Circle at the Speed Art Museum and also enjoys visiting performances by the orchestra and other various performing arts. He is an adventure traveler and has been to both Antarctica and the North Pole. In his free time he likes to hike, camp, and horse trek and his favorite restaurants include Mayan Café and Fork & Barrel.
- Louisville Arts
- Traveling
- Philanthropy
- Outdoor Activities in Louisville
John moved back to Louisville in 2005 after being away for about 10 years. He attended Indiana University and Case Western Reserve University. He is a member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, Society for Professional Journalists, Center for Neighborhoods, the Olmsted Parks Conservancy and Louisville Public Media. John enjoys exploring new restaurants and attending arts and cultural events around Louisville. His favorite restaurants are El Mundo, Royals Hot Chicken, Grind and J. Gumbos.
- Louisville Neighborhoods
- Journalism & Publishing
- Louisville Arts
- Louisville Parks
Lisa moved to Louisville in 2005 originally as a trailing spouse from California and is now a proud Louisvillian by choice. She leads entrepreneurship for Greater Louisville Inc. (GLI), attended the University of Miami, FL and is an active member of the Delta Gamma Alumnae as well as the Venture Connectorslocally. In her spare time, Lisa enjoys travelling, entertaining, cooking and hanging out at the pool when it’s warm. Her favorite thing to do in Louisville is to try new places—especially those that serve brunch and drinks! She is a supporter of the arts and often attends both the ballet and the theatre.
- Travel
- Louisville Restaurants
- Louisville Arts
- Entrepreneurship
Ann Marie has lived in Louisville her entire life. She works in the nonprofit/development industry, attended Bellarmine University and is an active member of Young Professional Association of Louisville (YPAL). In her free time, Ann Marie enjoys checking out new restaurants and traveling. Her favorite places to visit in Louisville include Churchill Downs, Actors Theatre and Gravely Brewing. Her favorite restaurants include Seviche, Feast, and El Taco Luchador. To stay active, she does CrossFit at “The Ville” CrossFit gym.
- YPAL
- CrossFit
- Louisville Restaurants
- Travelling
Erica was born and raised in Louisville and has loved watching the city evolve from a sleepy south central town to a blossoming center of art and commerce. She’s a graduate of the University of Louisville and a member of the Society of Professional Journalists Louisvilleand the ACLU. She was previously an art administrator and enjoys all forms of art including visual, performing, and literary. When she’s not chasing around her five year-old, Erica enjoys writing, doing yoga, and sipping on good bourbon. She loves local ethnic food and especially enjoys Mr. Lee’s Korean, Osaka, DakShin and Chick’n & Mi.
- Louisville Restaurants
- Bourbon
- Louisville Arts
- Journalism in Louisville
Vidyuta moved to Louisville in 2017 for work. She works in Architecture and Design and is a graduate from the University of Kentucky, as well as an avid Wildcats fan. She is a member of Women in Digital and the Bourbon Women and enjoys trying new restaurants, hiking, going to the gym, shopping, travelling and cooking. Her favorite things to do in Louisville include walking the Big Four Bridge, attending festivals and the theatre, going to the waterfront and visiting local distilleries. Vidyuta’s favorite restaurants include Simply Thai, Louisville Cream, Village Anchor and Toast on Market.
- Photography
- Marketing & Advertising
- Louisville Restaurants
- Getting Involved
Tiffany moved to Louisville in 2000 and is a graduate of Northwestern and Loyola Universities in Chicago. She is a member of the Louisville Society for HR Management (LSHRM), the Girl Scouts Board of Development and Greater Louisville International Professionals (GLIP). Tiffany has two children and enjoys volunteering with their schools and staying involved in the community. In her spare time she enjoys live music, the Louisville Arts and the Louisville restaurant scene. Some of her favorite restaurants include Mussel & Burger Bar, El Taco Luchador, Jack Fry’s and many more.
- Getting Involved
- Louisville HR
- Louisville Restaurants
- Louisville Arts
Michael moved to Louisville in 2015 from Washington, D.C. for his wife’s work. He attended Washington University in St. Louis and the University of Pennsylvania Law School. He is a member of the American Health Lawyers Association, the Kentucky Bar Association and the Jewish Community Center (JCC). He enjoys spending time with his daughters, playing pick-up basketball, and sipping a good bourbon or beer. His favorite things to do in Louisville are walking the Big Four Bridge, supporting LouCity FC, visiting the Zoo and Actor’s Theatre, or discovering new restaurants.
- Practicing Law in Louisville
- Louisville Nonprofit Organizations
- Louisville’s Craft Beer Scene
- Family Activities in Louisville
Monique moved to Louisville in 2007 to attend college. She is a graduate of the University of Louisville, owns her own consulting firm and is a member of the National Black MBA Association (NBMBAA). She is an active member of the non-profit community and spends her free time volunteering with many of the city’s non-profit organizations. She also regularly mentors groups of high school age students that are interested in career development and service projects.
- Louisville Nonprofit Organizations
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Career Development
- Service Projects
Christine moved to Louisville as a child and has called it home since. She is a licensed realtor and member of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors (GLAR). She attended the University of Louisville and sits on the Board of Directors for the American Advertising Federation-Louisville. Christine works for Greater Louisville Inc (GLI), where she manages the Live in Lou talent attraction brand. She is an avid UofL and Chicago Cubs and Bears fan. In her spare time she enjoys volunteering, watching and playing sports, trying new restaurants and spending time with her husband and three kids.
- Jefferson County Schools
- Marketing & Advertising
- College & Pro Sports
- Getting Involved
Teresa originally moved to Louisville in 1997, but left for about ten years to live in Chicago and recently moved back to the area in 2017. She attended Purdue University and Sullivan University and works in real estate and advertising. In her spare time, Teresa enjoys cooking, walking her dog, volunteering and hanging out with her family. Her favorite things to do in Louisville include visiting NuLu, Bardstown Road and Museum Row, attending Derby Festival events, and going to the many street fairs and festivals throughout the year. She is very excited to be back in the city and can’t wait to get involved!
- Family Activities in Louisville
- Volunteer Opportunities
- Festivals & Events
- Louisville Restaurants
Shaun was born in Louisville and moved back to be closer to family. She loves the city because it is a city of opportunity and it’s centrally located. She is a graduate of the University of Kentucky and a member of the Louisville Society of Human Resources Management (LSHRM), West Louisville Dream Team, Louisville Independent Business Alliance (LIBA) and Wibby’s Foundation. For fun she enjoys reading, attending plays, movies and museums, going out to eat with friends and attending zombie walks. She loves exploring the city and can’t wait to try the trampoline park and world’s only underground zipline!
- Louisville HR Management
- Louisville Arts
- Louisville Restaurants
- Zombie Walks
Katie Hicks was born and raised in Louisville and is a graduate of Bellarmine University. She is a nurse practitioner and enjoys tennis, working out, yoga and hiking in her spare time. She is an avid supporter of the arts and is a season ticket holder at the Kentucky Center for the Arts. Her favorite things to do in Louisville include attending events like Thunder Over Louisville, Oaks, Derby and the St. James Art Fair, going to Louisville FC Soccer games, seeing all of the live music performances around town, and walking the parks. Her favorite restaurants include El Mundo, Silver Dollar, Simply Thai and many more!
- Tennis
- Louisville Restaurants
- Yoga & Meditation
- Louisville Events
Eugene moved to Louisville in 2013 for a job opportunity and works for XLerateHealth as their Chief Scientific Officer and VP for Strategic Partnerships & Alliances. In his spare time he enjoys travelling and visiting local restaurants around town. Some of his favorite local restaurants include Queen of Sheba, La Que, Vietnam Kitchen, Pho on Bardstown and many others. Eugene also enjoys spending time visiting the local arts in Louisville, especially the theater and the opera.
- Louisville Arts
- Louisville Restaurants
- University of Louisville
- Travel
Are you interested in becoming a city champ or do you know someone who would be a great fit for the program?
City Champs is currently a pilot program; however, we are accepting applications for the next phase which is scheduled for fall 2018. If you’re interested in becoming a City Champ this fall, follow the application link below to submit your information. If you have any questions, please email talent@liveinlou.com.