CheekyChicago

dr. debby herbenick

Dr. Debby Herbenick is Associate Director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion in the School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation at Indiana University (IU) where she is a sexuality researcher and educator.

stephanie miller

Simply put: Stephanie is a wine and spirits guru. A Social Media Strategist by day and the Drink Editor of Chicago Scene by night, she has her pulse on the latest liquor trends and could probably teach a course on the difference between Scotch and Whiskey.

debi lilly

Debi Lilly is a nationally renowned event-planning expert based in Chicago. She is the founder and president of A Perfect Event – Chicago’s most successful special event company with a faithful (and famous) following, including Oprah Winfrey.

jen hesser

Born and raised in Chicago, Jennifer has been spreading her charitable wings since she was very little; wearing adult sized t-shirts down to her knees – volunteering at multiple fundraisers, walks and motorcycle rides held by The American Brain Tumor Association.

amanda troop

Amanda’s never had a problem music couldn’t fix. Most hours, you will find her with headphones permanently attached to her ears.

jerrod melman

Jerrod Melman is a managing partner of Hub51, the dining, nightlife, and social establishment created by him and his brother, R.J., in Chicago’s River North neighborhood.

marilyn moats kennedy

Speaker and Chicago career consultant, Marilyn Moats Kennedy owns MoatsKennedy, Inc. She does keynote speeches and runs corporate workshops on career planning, office politics and workforce diversity.

showbiz shelly

Showbiz Shelly is the entertainment reporter for B96 Radio. You can hear her four times every weekday morning reporting on the latest celebrity gossip.

itika oldwine

Born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, Itika received her BA from the University of California, Los Angeles in Political Science.

phyllis kingsland

Phyllis Kingsland is the Rockstar Realtor. Her nickname has little to do with her clients since Phyllis has worked with lots of Cheeky girls just like us!

anne marie schlekeway

In loving memory of Anne Marie Schlekeway, the Cheekiest Chick we’ve ever known, who recently lost her admirably courageous battle with the very disease she fought so hard against, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease). In her honor, please support a charity that Anne Marie was extremely passionate about: Augie’s Quest. Augie’s Quest, an ALS research initiative, is an aggressive, cure-driven effort focused on finding treatments and cures for ALS. Anne Marie, thank you for your words of wisdom – it has been a privilege and an honor to publish them. You have affected everyone who has ever had the privilege of reading them. Thank you from the bottom of our heart. We are raising a glass of pink bubbles to you.

August 12, 1966 – December 9, 2010

lauren shapiro

A native of Highland Park, a northern suburb of Chicago, Lauren has always had a passion for writing – and for Chicago. Lauren graduated from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign with a B.S. in Journalism, where she wrote for the university’s magazine, Buzz, as a restaurant and film reviewer. Post graduation, she was thrilled to leave the cornfields of southern Illinois behind and make her mark on the city, settling into a condo in the Gold Coast.

christine hassler, MA

Christine Hassler is a life coach, professional speaker and author specializing in the twenty-something life phase. Christine coaches individuals, organizations and corporations with the intention of empowering young professionals (Gen Y) and bridging generational gaps in the workplace. As a speaker, Christine delivers engaging and informative keynotes to conferences, colleges and businesses around the country.

stacey cohen

Stacey first opened the doors to Stacey Cohen Designs in Chicago in 2002, two years after completing studies in Interior Architecture at Parsons School of Design in New York. Her reputation for clean and timely work traveled fast and her clients’ homes ranged from Gold Coast condominiums to Bucktown brownstones.

the cheeky wine guide

The Wine Guide comes to Cheeky with experience in a variety of journalistic endeavors. An award-winning producer, television anchor and magazine writer, she explores topics of interest with her own unique sense of humor. Now working in the wine industry, she will take you behind the scenes with exclusive interviews with winemakers, on the scene reports from the vineyards in Napa and Sonoma and share with you the latest trends in all things wine.

rea frey

Rea Frey is a lover of food, words and relationships (possibly in that order). Armed with a fiction writing degree in 2004, Rea published her first novel and has been writing ever since.

jennifer boyer

Jennifer’s obsession with music and concerts has turned two of her hobbies into dreams come true. Never attending a concert without her camera since she was a freshman in high school, Jennifer now owns a fancy professional Canon Rebel T1i that is her most valued possession along with her MacBook Pro.

kiki luthringshausen

Cheeky Kiki… where do we start with this Cheeky chick? Kiki is a reformed interior designer who started writing lifestyle pieces years ago only to fall into her dream job recently, as a food writer. Born and raised in the Chicago area, Kiki joins our Cheeky team as a dining and lifestyle expert.

oline eaton

If Jackie O and Elvis ever had a love child, this Cheeky chick would’ve been that kid!
A graduate of the University of Chicago with a Master’s degree in writing biography and a concentration in tabloids, Oline burst onto the literary scene in 1992…

robin clement

Sifting through brilliant silhouettes, romantic palettes and imaginative textures evokes a whimsical curiosity. Fashion has always excited Robin – whether piling on beaded necklaces and hosting makeover birthday parties in her 10’s or interviewing strangers about their undergarment style preferences for her college newspaper in her early 20’s.

andrea metcalf

Although you won’t see Andrea taking it off in her book Naked Fitness (Vanguard Press), she does give sound advice on feeling good in your own skin with the bare essentials. A fitness guru and lifestyle makeover diva since college at hometown DePaul University, Andrea appears weekly on NBC5 Chicago and nationally syndicated Better TV…

sara r. fisher and caitlin murray giles

Sara R. Fisher and Caitlin Murray Giles wear many hats — moms, marketers, most likely to be first in line at the Nordstrom half-yearly sale — and they wear them all proudly!

erin vondra

From as long as Erin can remember, her world has revolved around cooking a meal or enjoying one. She was lucky enough to learn her kitchen and entertaining skills from her classically trained mother, who showed her that some of the simplest recipes are the most delicious…. and best done while sharing a bottle of vino.

jess piet

A Grade-A college hopper, Jess attended University of Iowa, University of Miami and Columbia College Chicago. Whilst moving here, there and back, she found herself along the way. Never did her life’s puzzle pieces fall into all the right places until she moved back to Chicago.

dr. payal adhikari

Payal likes to believe that good things come in small packages. Born and raised in the suburbs, she moved abroad for high school only to move back to her hometown Chi-city for the rest.

kristen mitchell

Born and raised in a suburb just outside of Chicago, Kristen is no stranger to this city’s Cheekiness. After a four-year retreat to rural Indiana, she graduated from DePauw University with a Bachelor of Arts in Creative Writing and Spanish.

stacy levy

Stacy’s passion for all things wellness started in her teenage years when she chanted her first “Om,” became a vegetarian and read just about every health magazine she could get her hands on. With a freshly minted degree in Journalism and Sociology, Stacy migrated from Indiana University to the West Coast to hone in on her passion for mind and body health.

lisa payne

If this Cheeky girl could write and work out at the same time, she would! A self-proclaimed multi-tasker, Lisa began teaching fitness classes and personal training while getting her MFA in Writing from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

amy payne

Amy’s passion for words began as meager diary entries and progressed into reading the Thesaurus as a pastime and taking college-level English courses in high school. She is currently enrolled in the graduate program at Medill School of Journalism of Northwestern University.

katelyn finn

Katelyn has had an interest in fashion ever since the ripe old age of four when her mother gave her a dress up box: consisting mainly of old bridesmaid dresses, eclectic 80’s pumps and some serious costume jewelry.

sacha krasney

Sacha Krasney is the Owner of Squash U and Be U Brides and the Editor-in-Chief of Be U Weddings. Constantly a busy bee (if two companies weren’t enough!), Sacha also runs a sister stationery company, Squash U, an inventive and resourceful brand of wholesale invitations and design-your-own announcements and invitations website.

jenna zaffino

Jenna is Cheeky’s new resident Pilates expert and Core Conditioning Champion! Founder and Director of Helios Center For Movement, Jenna has made it her mission to help Chicago get to the good stuff for posture, exercise and a lifestyle that shines from the inside out.