Ilina Ewen is an "accidental activist." She has been happily married for 13 years and is known as Mommy to two sons. Ilina is a seasoned marketer and writer with over 20 years of experience. She writes about her musings and rants at Dirt & Noise (home of the weekly feature 5:00 Fridays, where Ilina writes an original cocktail recipe and the story that inspired it). She is a passionate advocate for public education, nutrition, global vaccines, and childhood hunger. She serves on the board of SAFEchild, an organization dedicated to eliminating child abuse and serves as a Shot@Life Champion and social media ambassador to the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. When she has a moment to breathe, you'll find Ilina building LEGO masterpieces, reading, or daydreaming about her next meal. She's an alumna of the University of Virginia and Northwestern University.