I’m a born and raised a Carroll County citizen. I am a country girl at heart and absolutely love living in Carroll County.
I have a BS in chemistry with a minor in biology and I am currently working for a pharmaceutical company in Baltimore county. I pursued a degree in science because I have always had an inquisitive nature.
My hobbies include hiking, nature watching, nature photography, reading, gardening, listening to music, and letting my artistic side run wild. I absolutely love homemade things because I believe they take a lot of patience, a sprinkle of uniqueness, and all of your heart to create them. My artistic side dives into all kinds of different outlets like baking, crocheting, landscape painting, and even making items out of recyclables. It brings me such happiness and peace to create something someone else might not envision.
Q: Please tell us a little bit about your family. Include your pets too!
I am the proud daughter of two loving parents, Deanna and Bradley. They have encouraged me follow my dreams and are always a support system for me. I have a younger brother who always knows how to make me laugh on the cloudiest of days. I have two cats, Hades and Mercury. I once hatched two emu eggs I bought on ebay in a $15 Styrofoam incubator.
Q: What is one of your favorite quotes or lines in a song and why does it resonate with you?
“Life is like a book. Some chapters are sad. Some are happy and exciting. But if you never turn the page, you will never know what the next chapter holds.” As I have reached my thirties, I realize that life never turns out the way you expected…and that is not always a bad thing. There will be chapters of life that are hard and sad. And there will be chapters of life that are a glorious adventure. I’ve learned to keep pushing on because I never know what is around the corner.
Q: Please tell us about your current, past, or future career. What do you love most about what you do?
I’m a technical writer and pharmaceutical chemist. I have been for over 10 years. What I love most about my job is the people I have gathered around me. I have been blessed to work with a lot of supportive people that have allowed my knowledge to grow. The science is just icing on the cake. My field is constantly changing and growing, therefore, I am never “finished” learning what there is to learn.
Q: What advice would you give to people?
My advice I would give anyone is very simple, be grateful for the moment. What I mean by that is put down the phone for a bit. Live in the present and love as hard as you can. There is no way of determining how long you will have with your parents, friends, significant other. Treat every moment you share with your loved ones like it may be the last because you never know when it could be…
Q: What are a couple of your favorite places or events in our community? What is something unique about our community?
My favorite place in the community is JeannieBird Baking Company right off of main street. To me, this is the epitome of what Carroll County stands for. There is a strong sense of wellness, community, warmth, and love that touches every wall of that Bakery. It warms my heart to come and watch people embrace, catch up on old times, and give each other a helping hand.
Q: What advice would you give to people living in Westminster or looking to move to Westminster?
I would advise people to look out for one another. We are a strong community and I love hearing stories of people giving each other a helping hand. You never know how far a smile or “hello” goes when someone is having a bad day.
Q: What 3 words come to mind when you think of Westminster?
Home, warmth, friendly
Q: What would you rate a 10 out of 10?
9/10
Q: Tell us about your bucket list.
I’ve really narrowed my bucket list down to one thing. When I retire, it would be a dream to own a small business on main street that caters to artists of any mediums. It is difficult in this fast moving world for artists to have a safe space to display their works without commissions or loopholes. It is hard for artists to survive when people can order a mass manufactured painting from china for $20. I want to create a place/shop where art of all kinds can be featured with no strings attached. A place where people can come sit, think, drink a cup of coffee, and ponder life’s small meaningful moments.
Q: (Even for friends or family), what is something interesting that most people don’t know about you?
I really enjoy writing. I have a habit of jotting down story lines, writing several chapters, and then throwing them out for fear they will not be successful enough.
Q: Who inspires you to be better?
Random acts of kindness. When I see people being kind to each other, it really motivates me to try harder to be more compassionate.
Q: If you could choose anyone that is alive today and not a relative; with whom would you love to have lunch? Why? And where locally would y’all meet for this lunch?
I always wanted to meet Hans Zimmer. I fell in love with movie soundtracks at a young age when my peers were not even remotely interested in soundtrack scores. I feel like he would be a really compassionate person and the conversations we would have would be deep. He composed “Aurora” in dedication to those who died in Colorado mass shooting. It is such a passionate/moving/tragic piece that demonstrates the quality of his character as all proceeds were donated to the Aurora Victim Relief organization. I think we would have brunch at Jeannie Bird or lunch at Rocksalt Grille.
Q: Who in Westminster should be featured on The Faces Of Westminster MD and why?
I would like to nominate Alyson Kaiser to be featured in The Faces of Westminster. She teaches in this county, lives in Westminster, and actively participates in play/productions with her husband.
Q: Finally, how can our readers and I know if someone we come in contact with is a good connection for you or a good person for you to meet?
A good connection for me is someone who would be able to help me move towards that bucket list item of creating a space on Main Street for artists and anyone interested in purchasing my work! I’m always available through my email at ahieatzman@yahoo.com.
