Upcoming Events

Every BLOOM gathering, workshop, and initiative is a chance to empower, inspire, and unite in making a lasting impact on Grant County and beyond!

BLOOM 2024’s keynote session, “Toward Flourishing: Strategies for Weary Women to Increasing Well-Being” explores how the diverse roles and demanding commitments of women leaders pose a persistent threat to individual and collective well-being. In her keynote, Megan Gilmore will share evidence-based, practical tools to combat burnout, build systems of care and support, and boost well-being, enabling you and your team to sustain high performance and collective flourishing without sacrificing your humanity or feminine power.

About the Speaker

Megan Gilmore is the founder and Executive Director of Lark’s Song Inc., and an internationally recognized expert in coaching education and well-being. She has developed and presented well-being curricula and initiatives that are used globally and across the United States. Megan holds a Master’s degree in Addictions Counseling, with specialized credentials in trauma-informed and somatic coaching. She is also the author of the children’s book “Amy Dala and the Answer.” Passionate about holistic healing, she loves creating remedies through plants, storytelling, and fostering connections.

Erin Davis
Educator and Psychologist

Breakout Session: Out of the Fire and Into YOU!

Let’s partner with our bodies and connect to the wisdom she/they have to share with us. Through movement, breathwork, and meditation we will create a practice to recognize the messages our bodies send to us; messages that are like love letters asking us for more of this and less of that.

Dr. Erin Davis is a compassionate professional with over 25 years of experience dedicated to helping others flourish. Her journey has taken her across the globe, from Uganda to Australia, where she has engaged in meaningful service and immersed herself in diverse cultures. Erin’s wide-ranging interests include human relationships, empathy, cross-cultural psychology, and the connections between spirituality and life calling.

Known for her warm and empathetic approach, Erin is passionate about guiding others on their paths, whether through mentoring, collaboration, or simply sharing a conversation. Her commitment to understanding and supporting those around her leaves a lasting, positive impact on everyone she meets.

Wendy Puffer
Owner & CEO, Marion Design Co 

Breakout Session: Stress by Design: How Spaces Shape Burnout

In our fast-paced world, the environments we inhabit—whether workplaces, homes, or public spaces—play a significant role in our mental and emotional well-being. This workshop explores the subtle yet powerful ways that space design can contribute to stress and burnout. We’ll dive into the psychology of space, examining how factors like layout, lighting, noise, and aesthetics can either exacerbate stress or foster relaxation and resilience. Key elements of design that impact our daily lives and practical strategies to create spaces that promote well-being will be discussed. Discover how intentional space design can be a powerful tool in combating burnout.

Wendy Puffer, NCIDQ is a social impact designer whose passion for empowering people to recognize their own capacity to design guides her work. As a licensed interior designer with an MA in interior design and an MFA in Design Thinking, she taught college students for 21 years and launched two design businesses including Marion Design Co. Her experience includes leading design thinking workshops, placemaking initiatives, interior design, strategic planning, and brand identity for storytelling.

Born in Seoul, Korea and raised primarily in Terre Haute, her move from Chicago to Marion in 1991 was planned as a one year stop. But 33 years later, she’s proud to call Marion home. Wendy is married to Keith, a Psychology professor at IWU. They have three grown children located in Indianapolis, Los Angeles, and New York City who work in the education, architecture, and design fields respectively.

Shelby Schuh
Owner, Ideation Coaching & Consulting

Breakout Session: The Brain Science Burnout: A Practical Toolkit for Ambitious Exhausted Women

The chronic unmanaged stress that leads to burnout isn’t just bad for your body, it’s bad for your brain (like really bad). And, if you’re an ambitious exhausted woman, chances are you’re very familiar with chronic unmanaged stress…in fact, you may even be suffering from burnout right now! If this sounds familiar, I have good news: this session is designed to provide participants with a basic understanding of the brain science behind burnout and provide you with a practical science-based toolkit for managing stress and overcoming burnout.

Tashema Davis
Artist and Educator

Breakout Session: It’s FINE 

Tashema Davis had been using the word “FINE” frequently for the past three years, masking the turmoil in her life. It wasn’t until the winter break of 2023 that she realized her mental health was deteriorating. Following this awakening, she was diagnosed with PTSD, depression, and anxiety from her military service. The diagnosis brought a rush of mixed emotions as it confirmed something she had sensed but not acknowledged. Before reaching this breaking point, Davis had been fervently praying for clarity and direction, even if it meant confronting her own issues. Simultaneously, while contemplating her next artistic endeavor, she received an opportunity for a solo exhibition she had longed for. Realizing the need to express her vulnerability through her art, Davis embraced painting as a form of therapy. Today, through therapy, faith, and art, Davis is on a journey to healing and wholeness. Embracing this new chapter, she incorporates goldfish into her artwork without needing to explain their significance, letting them freely swim within her creations.

Hailing originally from Gary, Indiana, Tashema Davis and her husband Keenan Davis have made Marion their home for over a decade. Tashema Davis, a full-time artist and middle school art teacher, specializes in oil painting, particularly focusing on African American portraits. Her artwork is vibrant and expressive, aiming to showcase everyday people and their stories through her paintings. Alongside her dedication to teaching art at the middle school level for 13 years in Marion Community Schools, she recently made the decision to close her art gallery after a successful five-year run. The decision, though surprising to many, was made to prioritize spending more time with her two young daughters. When she’s not creating art for exhibitions, Tashema enjoys quality time with her family and friends.