Born and raised in Philadelphia, Ina and her late brother Conrad, former jazz critic of the San Francisco Chronicle, and Swing Journal of Japan, spent half their kidhood; living in Los Angeles after their parents' divorce. Bi-coastal living wasn't half bad, they decided; Burma Shave signs on Route 66 alone were a treat. At age 21, Ina graduated from the University of Pennsylvania (an anthropology major), and then ran away from both sets of parents to attend graduate school in New Orleans, at Tulane. She married in the French Quarter, and soon moved to Manhattan with husband Barry, a lawyer, and Rapscallion P. Cat. At J. Walter Thompson in New York City, Hillebrandt became a qualitative researcher. Later she became an independent strategic planning consultant to companies including Citicorp, VISA SEARS, IBM and CBS, and non-profits such as The Rockefeller Foundation.
Her life work has evolved so that today she is an author, motivational and writing coach, and publisher. And, she is very excited that her class's talents have led to a new path...video. Look on YouTube for shows featuring Ina, and others featuring members of her Footprints Writing Club at an Ice Cream Social, reading stories from their best selling book, "Stories From The Heart, Vol. 2." https://www.youtube.com/@InaHillebrandt
Ina's most happy to report the publication of her new book, "You Are Who You Eat, The Revolutionary New Cannibal Diet." What the...? many ask. Cartoons, jokes and diet tips for the cannibal -- and civilian -- connoisseur. Cartoons are by Dedini, celebrated for decades for his drawings of luscious ladies and lascivious men, and published in "The New Yorker," "Playboy" and "Esquire," among other places. As a chubby pre-teen-cum-Weight-Watchers consultant, Ina has contributed the diet tips, Uncle Dan social satire. She is proud to say that the book is now part of the Dedini collection at the Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum at Ohio State University. "You Are Who You Eat" is available worldwide, and here on Amazon.com. She and her mentor, Marietta Mandible, are appearing to talk about the book on radio and TV, with hosts who are somewhat surprisingly unafraid...and are online on YouTube as well. Check social media for appearances, news, and tidbits from the book. Facebook: YouAreWhoYouEat. Instagram: #cannibaldiet.
Before recent developments, Ina had several epiphanies. Divorced for several years, she moved with daughter Nicole, two cats and Handsome, The World's Best Dog, back to California. In Carmel, she turned her attention full time to writing. But writing can be lonely, and she missed working with groups of people. Thus began her Un-Workshops (TM)-- a series of interactive seminars based on Ina's work and life experience. Comic Release (TM) and Idea Magic (TM) are two of her most popular offerings; they help 2-legged creatures de-stress, and add humor, creativity and harmony to their professional and personal lives. Since returning to the West Coast, Ina has written, edited and contributed to a number of books, journals and newsletters, and has created a literacy program for youngsters and seniors, Pawprints Literacy Plus (TM). Some examples of books she wrote include: Amazon. com bestseller "Pawprints"; "How to Write Your Memoirs...Fun Prompts that Make Writing --and Reading -- Your Life Stories A Pleasure"; "The Student Prints...Educators' Guide to Pawprints Literacy Plus'"; "Diving Boards: Jump-Starts for Stories -- OR -- If You See a Man Alone on the Beach, It Means His Wife is Upstairs Throwing up in the Room." As mentioned above, she is editor/publisher of the Amazon.com bestseller "Stories From The Heart, Vol. 2" (Collections from her students, 4th vol. pending).
Helping her prepare for her current roles as video performer and producer, Ina has also performed a variety of roles in creating audio and video programs: associate producer on the Jaco Pastorius NPR special hosted by Branford Marsalis, script doctor for a Kansas City Jazz live TV special co-hosted by Harry Belafonte and Danny Glover, and photo archivist for a live and videotaped series on Ethnic Arts, featuring the Chuck Davis Dance Group, produced by the Foundation for Urban Cultural Development, underwritten by the New York Department of Education, writer/producer/on camera person for variety of industrial clients. She has been interviewed by "The New York Times" and other journals, and has appeared live and on tape on radio and television.
A biographee in Who's Who, Ina speaks a bit of French, loves to dance, hike, ride horses, sail, laugh, cook and travel. Her foundation has worked with many animal rights groups such as the Jane Goodall Institute. She's proud of daughter Nicole, who is a talented actress, avid traveler, newly practicing gourmet cook, and a good person. Ina currently lives in Brentwood with her cats -- Tamba and Pixelle -- and their friends who drop in for dinner on occasion; personally she prefers it when they are not on the menu.
To meet Ina, please check this link: https://youtu.be/JNL7eyZ93c0?si=7ZHl31i1HdwQtVOv
To see videos of astonished readers of her "You Are Who You Eat, The Revolutionary New Cannibal Diet," and other videos with authors, please check her YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@InaHillebrandt
And drumroll: to see Ina with newest Pawpress (her publishing imprint) author, the multi-talented Chester L. Richards, visit https://www.youtube.com/@chesterl.richards5448
