Michiana "Forty Under 40" Award Brenda Kolbe, 2001 graduate of Grand Valley State University, was awarded the honor of membership into the Michiana Forty Under 40 Class of 2018. The program honors 40 young professionals within the region for their significant contributions and accomplishments in both their workplace and community. The award is presented by the South Bend Regional Chamber of Commerce, the Elkhart Chamber of Commerce, and the Community Foundation of Elkhart County. Kolbe is the Director of Communication for Elkhart Community Schools, where her work includes managing all district-wide communication and marketing for the district. In her five years with the district, her work has included growth of the social media from the ground up to over 12,000 followers with posts regularly reaching 60,000+ audience views and an all-time high reach of over 825,000 views of a single post. Her work has also included a complete district rebranding, website redesign for the district and 21 schools, creation of a digital district newsletter, and over 200 positive news stories annually through local, regional, and national media. Kolbe works collaboratively with businesses and organizations throughout the community to advocate for Elkhart Community Schools and the Elkhart community. Through her work at the district, as well as outside of work, Kolbe is an advocate for public education and the success of the Elkhart community. She regularly volunteers at schools through special events, career days, and tours, as well as creates, plans, and facilitates exhibitions, fairs, and events that connect the school, community, and local organizations. Kolbe serves as a co-chair on the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce's Leadership Academy Steering Council, is on the naming committee for the Elkhart Aquatics Center, and was recently inducted as a board member for the Elkhart Sister Cities International Association. She is also a supporter of the Elkhart Education Foundation and the YWCA of North Central Indiana's Elkhart Safe Haven shelter. In 2013, Kolbe earned the Professional Certified Marketer designation from the American Marketing Association. In 2015, she was recognized for successful completion of the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce Leadership Academy and was highlighted by the Greater Elkhart Chamber of Commerce's "500 For The Future" campaign. Kolbe has worked with leading national media, including the Wall Street Journal, Huffington Post, NPR, and fivethirtyeight.com.