Buffalo Boss Babe: Dana Ingebretson
Today's Buffalo Boss Babe is Dana Ingebretson. Dana is the Co-Organizer at Creative Mornings Buffalo, as well as Director of Nutrition Services for G-Health Enterprises. The first time I went to @creativemorningsbuffalo I went by myself. I legit had NO FRIENDS ha ha. Creative Mornings Buffalo is a monthly free breakfast lecture series for the global creative community in 170+ cities. I didn't know what to expect but it was AMAZING. Everyone there was kind and nice and open. That being said Dana is a Co-organizer there so she exemplifies every characteristic I listed above. Dana is kind, open to new things and as creative as they come! We chatted with Dana about life & so much more!
Photo by Beth Insalaco
What made you start or brought you to where you are today? Tell us your story and what makes you a Buffalo Boss Babe.
In 2013 I moved to Buffalo because I had been placed in a program at UB to become a dietitian. I was at a point in my life where I was really open to whatever could happen and I was grateful for anything that came my way. That mindset opened some really interesting doors for me that were never in my game-plan, including becoming a competing spoken-word artist and co-organizer with Creative Mornings Buffalo. When I was interviewing for my current job, I didn't even understand the type of healthcare it was and they didn't have a job description for me. I wasn't sure if it was a good decision to walk into a position like that but I took a few days to think and reflect. I realized I could only gain an interesting experience, so I took the job. The learning curve starting services in a new healthcare system has been steep, but I've grown some big muscles. My boss has given me the responsibility to start a teaching kitchen in the lower-west side and develop nutrition support services for the Medicaid population in Buffalo that we serve. It's an honor that people who have not had much access to cutting-edge healthcare come to me to learn how to prevent or improve their diabetes or weight. It's incredibly rewarding to be entrusted with the resources to improve other peoples' lives. Over the past four years, being open to what could happen and taking risks has served me very well. Buffalo opened itself up to me in a way no other city has.
Photo by Anthony Pierce
Who are your favorite people to follow?
I don't know much about politics but political biographies totally suck me in. It's intriguing to me how someone can operate at such an intense level, being the president or secretary of state, etc. Other than that, I'm a total foodie, so my Instagram feed is full of restaurants in Buffalo and Toronto. It's possible I actually follow food, not people (ha!). I need an extra meal in the day to eat at all the places I want to go!
What are your favorite things to do in the area (Buffalo and greater WNY)?
Sitting at the windows facing south in Cantina Loco on Allen and Elmwood and looking out at downtown. Taking long winter walks around Allentown/Lower West-side, Elmwood Village. Getting coffee at Café Taza or wine at Caffe Aroma.
Photo by Beth Insalaco.
Tell me about your favorite collaborations or a dream collaboration?
My favorite collab was between Sam and Beth Insalaco of Yeah! Buffalo and myself a few years back. We both had an idea to turn my spoken-word piece, "Buffalo", into a film. We weren't even friends then, but a mutual friend connected us and we started brainstorming. Over the next year or so, we had these hilarious evenings running around Buffalo capturing bits of me performing the poem. Bean Friend of Urban Prairie Films jumped on as our editor and music-writer. I spent an evening doing the voice-over at his place into a blanket-fort for sound quality. Making that film is definitely a happy memory where something I created resulted in friendships and meaningful experiences. You can watch the 3-minute film here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q8Gl-1fMI8I
That collaboration actually led into working with Creative Mornings Buffalo. Beth Insalaco of Yeah! Buffalo was working with Kelly Atkinson to get a Creative Mornings chapter started in Buffalo, and we ended up using the "Buffalo" film as an application piece. I jumped on the team as the speaker coach, and eventually joined as an organizer too. Every month our Creative Mornings team collaborates with the speaker, food and coffee sponsors and other creatives in Buffalo to put on a morning speaker series for free. Every month is different, and it's a blast seeing the connections that are sparked and projects that result.
Photo by Beth Insalaco.
If you could have coffee with anyone in the world who would it be?
Wow, so many people. Right now? President Obama.
What are your hopes, dreams, goals? Big or Small.
I'm currently working to get an entire teaching kitchen curriculum off the ground. So I'm testing and re-testing recipes, trying new teaching methods with my patients, working on healthcare tracking systems. I can't wait for the day when a patient goes through all of my classes and understands how to eat to care for their body.
Buffalovid: Still from shooting the spoken-word film "Buffalo". Shot by Beth Insalaco.
Feel Good Five :)
Color:
Black
Food:
Balsamic tofu or Jim's Steakout Chicken Finger Wrap (two ends of the spectrum!)
Super Power:
I am excellent at directions. You want me on trips.
Animal:
Dogs forever!
Season of the year:
Winter in Buffalo (yes, I think we do winter SO well!)
Dana is truly a visionary and we are so excited to see what the future holds for her. Be sure to follow Dana on social media @dana.ingerbretson.
Buffalo Boss Babes is a woman run blog series featuring woman in and around the city of Buffalo N.Y.
If you know someone doing amazing things for our community, past and present, young and old..... send us a message at buffalobossbabes@gmail.com
Be kind to everyone you meet.
Here's to strong woman! May we know them. May we be them
