The Made Possible in Lehigh Valley initiative seeks to share the stories of the people and companies in our region, and let them explain why Lehigh Valley is a special place where you can create a life, a business, or a career, on your terms.

We’ve been telling those stories through the Made Possible in Lehigh Valley Instagram account. Below are just a few of those posts from the past month. Follow it on Instagram @lvmadepossible, and be sure to use the hashtag #lvmadepossible. And if you’ve got a story you’d like to see highlighted there, let us know!

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? Born and raised in Lehigh Valley, @kutztownu and @millersvilleu grad, @lehighvalleychamber employee and downtown Allentown resident, Brittany ? “I work at the Chamber of Commerce and I've been there for about two years now. Currently I am the Director of Business & Diversity councils, and I work closely with our mission-based groups including our Young Professionals Council, Small Business Council, and the #LGBTQ Business Council. I also work with a team for major events for the Women's Business Council, Hispanic Chamber, and the African American Business Leader’s Council.” Favorite part of working at the Chamber? “The culture, and not only the people that I work with (because we probably have 34 employees), but it's a great place to work and I enjoy being able to help our mission-based councils find their niche and have a safe space where they feel welcomed in the Valley.” Favorite part about being downtown? “There are a lot of places in Allentown and in the Valley that are dog friendly, and it's nice to have all of the other residents that are dog friendly because he's able to make friends, which helps me make friends, too.” #lvmadepossible #lehighvalley #downtownallentown #findyourpossible #iglehighvalley #career #dogsofinstagram @glvccsmallbusinesscouncil @lehighvalleyypc @lehighvalleychamber @lgbtqbusinesscouncil @wbclehighvalley

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 13, 2019 at 9:03am PST

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Hillary grew up in Philadelphia before coming to Lehigh Valley for her studies. She never ventured too far off campus while attending @lafayettecollege, and only after graduation did she start to learn about everything the region had to offer. She works as a global R&D process technology engineer with @victaulic, a Lehigh Valley-based manufacturer of mechanical pipe joining solutions. She first interned at the company while attending college in Easton, not far from the Victaulic headquarters. Hillary also serves as a mentor for young women pursuing careers in STEM and manufacturing fields. Through her role at Victaulic, she talks to students ranging from fifth grade to high school about the possibilities within her career field, including those available right here in Lehigh Valley. Her work days are never the same in the Lehigh Valley, and that’s just the way she likes it. Victaulic is a regional company with a global reach and with foundries all around the world, from China to Poland. Hillary’s based in the Lehigh Valley bus has the change to travel regularly as a result of her work and role at Victaulic. Hillary made it happen Lehigh Valley made it possible #lvmadepossible #ispyvic #lehighvalley #engineers #victaulic #career #findyourpossible #careergoals #stem #womeninengineering #womeninstem ? Read more at LVmadepossible.com/stories

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 18, 2019 at 12:17pm PST

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?? Adam Fairchild from @eastonoutdoorcompany … “There are so many opportunities to get outside, you just have to look around a little bit. We have a wonderful trail system here and now they’re connecting trails that weren’t connected previously. We also have a ton of waterways around here with the Delaware River, the Lehigh River and any number of creeks throughout the Lehigh Valley that people can go and explore.” … “The Lehigh Valley offers a lot, and you don’t have to live in a major city where it’s just, in my opinion, hectic, and stressful, and you don’t see a lot of green space in major metropolitan areas.” … “Even within the last five years there’s been a lot of change. It seems to be becoming a busier area and there are a lot of people that want to move here. You want to be able to maybe own a home, and not pay too much tax like other states. You can still commute to your job in New Jersey, or New York, so you relocate to the Lehigh Valley.” #lvmadepossible #eastonoutdoorco #thegreatoutdoors #easton #eastonpa #downtowneaston #shoplocal #outdooradventures #trails #hiking #biking #lehighvalley #iglehighvalley #discoverlehighvalley #findyourpossible LVmadepossible.com/stories

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 19, 2019 at 11:23am PST

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?? Owner of @homebase610 and @2ndbasevintage, skateboard enthusiast, community advocate and philanthropist Andy Po. ? Andy's family moved to Lehigh Valley more than 20 years ago after his father's job brought them to the East Coast, and he chose to stay after high school because of his ties to the local skate community. ? He opened @Homebase610 in SouthSide Bethlehem and from the very beginning his efforts were focused on more than just retail sales. He wanted to make an impact on his community. “A big part of how we always want to grow is to make sure that we’re giving back as we move forward … getting involved with schools, teaching, skateboarding and the life lessons that skateboarding teaches kids has been a big part of why I’m still doing this,” Andy explained. Read more of Andy’s story at LVmadepossible.com/stories Made Possible in Lehigh Valley. #lvmadepossible #bethlehem #igbethlehem #lehighvalley #skateboard #skate #easton #homebase

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 11, 2019 at 1:30pm PST

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Carol Obando-Derstine, regional affairs director for PPL Electric Utilities, moved to Lehigh Valley with her husband when he was hired for a job here in 2003. Growing up in nearby New Jersey, she knew little about the region but decided to give it a try. In a few years, if they didn’t like it, they could always find another place to live. 17 years later, they wouldn't dream of living anywhere else One change over the years that's particularly impressed her is the growth and revitalization of Lehigh Valley’s cities. Her advice to those who move here: Explore, explore, explore. Find out about activities and events from @lehighvalleypa, then go do them. Read more at ?LVmadepossible.com/stories? #lvmadepossible #lehighvalley #downtownallentown #findyourpossible #iglehighvalley #careers #pplcares #community @pplelectric @carol_obando_derstine

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 23, 2019 at 7:27am PST

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Years ago, Kim was living in New York City working in television with a job at NBC. She enjoyed her time in the city, but the pace and lifestyle left her feeling squeezed. She made the call to come back to Lehigh Valley where she grew up and attended school, and immediately rekindled a passion for her community. “This is home, and I was ready to really put the fruits of my labor back into my community and settle down, and I was looking for that personal fulfillment that I just couldn’t quite find in the Big Apple,” Kim said. She's found personal fulfillment in Lehigh Valley through her work in corporate and business partnerships at Lehigh Valley Health Network and through her work with neighborhood groups and other civic engagement. . Kim made it happen. Lehigh Valley made it possible. Read more of her story at lvmadepossible.com #lvmadepossible #career #lehighvalley #lvhn #findyourpossible #health #healthcare #fulfillment #allentownpa #bethlehempa #eastonpa

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 6, 2019 at 9:53am PST

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Happy New Year! Here’s to your success in 2020 and hoping that you have a great start to a great year. ??? #happynewyear #happynewyear2020 #lvmadepossible #newyearnewgoals #lehighvalley #lehighvalleypa

A post shared by Made Possible in Lehigh Valley (@lvmadepossible) on Dec 31, 2019 at 10:38am PST