Who is Dig the Dunes?

Eve started Dig the Dunes because of her love for the area. She began taking photos and posting them on Facebook and found that people really enjoyed seeing where she was every day. After watching her page grow, Eve started writing blog posts, created a website and added much more information for people to discover. Now she enjoys planning events and workshops and getting people out and about all year long. She’s excited to watch Dig the Dunes grow and looks forward to seeing what will happen next!

Kelli was born and raised in NWI and now resides in Chesterton. Since joining Dig The Dunes, Kelli has been doing admin work, helping with events, managing the beer runs and keeping Eve in line.  She has a love of all things outdoors and in her free time you can find her in her garden, searching for crinoids at the beach or hiking. Kelli has a passion for traveling and loves exploring new places with her husband, Asa, their two (almost grown) boys and three dogs.

Ryann Rietman, a Porter County native, has  resided in the area since 2017. After moving back she fell in love with the beauty & serenity of the Dunes. She finds joy in hiking, exploring national parks, & live music.  She has an adventurous and competitive spirit that eventually led her to participating in a scavenger hunt with Dig the Dunes. After placing first and enjoying the excitement of the Dig the Dunes event, Ryann asked how she could be a part of the team. She enjoys all that Dig the Dunes does with the community and has to offer, especially meeting & talking to new people She has been happily married for 18 years. She & her husband, Kevin, have a daughter named Adrianna and a son named Rylin. In 2022, Adrianna blessed her family with a grandson named Lincoln. She is enjoying her new role as Lolli to Lincoln. 

A born and raised region local, Ryan graduated from Ball State University with his Bachelor’s Degree in Telecommunications. Building off of his expertise in Digital Production along with an impassioned approach to storytelling, he works across numerous mediums to bring impactful stories to the screen. Ryan’s primary focus lies in post-production where he has established himself as a video editor but he maintains a broad expertise surrounding all things Digital Production. Ryan helps with event videos as well as personalized videos for our partners.

Jenny has lived in NWI all her life and has been friends with Eve for over 40 years. Jenny graduated with her bachelors in Radiologic Sciences and is an MRI technologist. She loves the outdoors whether it be hiking, tending to her flower gardens, or just walking her dog. In her early 20's she took oil painting lessons for a few years from an artist in Michigan. This is where her love of all thing's art took off. She attended IVY Tech and studied art for a few years. Jenny has been teaching with Dig the Dunes for over8 years. You may also see her helping out at other Dig the Dunes events. She loves getting involved with the community.

Angie (right) and Danielle (left) are a Midwest Mother and Daughter duo handcrafting one of a kind beach glass and driftwood statements that inspire the mermaid within. It is their shared love for nature, recycling, designing and teaching others about the rarity of our beach finds that led them to create Treasures by the Tide.

Angie (the mom) recently retired from the healthcare field and resides in Rolling Prairie with her husband Jeff and pup Bailey. She enjoys spending time with her family, especially her new grand baby Tristan. She plans to focus more time on creating jewelry and art.

Danielle (the daughter) is engaged to be married later this year and resides in Chicago. She received her MBA at DePaul University and works as a consultant for Slalom.

Together they have been hosting workshops with Dig the Dunes for several years and most recently launched the annual DTD Artisan Market to promote area artists and makers.

Izzy has lived in NWI all her life. She grew up running the streets of Tamarack without shoes in the summer and “shredding” the hill at The Pines in the winter. Izzy graduated from Purdue University with a Bachelor of Arts studying Visual Communications Design. Izzy is starting to get involved more with the community and is very excited to help with Dig the Dunes! Izzy has worked on several t-shirt designs. Izzy’s first big project was to spearhead the Dig the Dunes calendar. She also designed the first Dig the Dunes Dunie Card and helps wherever is needed!

Hazel Mae is an Aussie Golden Doodle with a love for the beach, trails, lake and her frisbee. She can be seen scouting out new hikes, testing the lake temp or simply trying food on the outdoor patio of a local restaurant. She works hard during the day, so the couch is her favorite spot when she's not on the job.