Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber Event Spotlight: 2024 Young Professionals Awards

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Celebrating NEPA’s Young Leaders

Join the Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, October 3rd, 2024, at Montage Mountain Resort for an unforgettable evening celebrating the achievements of remarkable young professionals in our community! Presented by Coal Creative and in collaboration with our regional chamber partners, this event promises to be an inspiring showcase of talent and leadership.

Awards in 12 Categories

This year, we will celebrate those individuals who have made a significant impact in various categories such as Cultural Champion of the Year, Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion of the Year, Educator of the Year, Hero of the Year, and more. These awards recognize excellence across diverse fields, highlighting the contributions of those who are shaping the future of our region. Leading up to the event, we will recognize the top three finalists in each of these categories, with the category winners to be announced live on stage the night of the event!

Let’s meet our 2024 finalists!

Cultural Champion of the Year:
Neil Prisco, Director of Marketing for the F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts
Daniel Valentin, Founder/CEO of ValentinXStudios
Kara Washington, Promotions Coordinator at WVIA Public Media

Educator of the Year:
Kelly Jackson, English as a Second Language Program Specialist at Wilkes- Barre Area School District and C&G Tutoring
Ed Rosengrant, Teacher at Wilkes-Barre Area School District
Mary Kate Ruddy MSN, RN, AGCNS-BC, Nursing Laboratory & Simulation Manager at Lackawanna College of Nursing

Hero of the Year:
Richard Blaine, Co-Founder of Heroes Hearthstone
Kyle Gilmartin, Detective for the Scranton Police Department
Lindsay Shalata, Director of Wyoming County Healthcare Center, Inc.

Intern of the Year:
Dylan Kofie, Intern for Park Multimedia
Katie Koss, Intern for America250PA

Influencer of the Year:
Chris Bohinski, Host/Producer of PA Live
Jesicca Skoloda-Frohman, Broker and Team Lead for Team Jesicca Skoloda, EXP Realty
Maegan Zielinski, Owner of Renaissance Strategy Solutions

Small Business Owner of the Year:
Elisha Nolan, Co-Managing Member at the Alter House Restaurant
Brandon O’Malley, Business Owner of Benny’s
Erica Zangardi, Owner, Coach, & Trainer at The Cycle Yard

STEAM Professional of the Year:
Travis Antoniello, Web Developer & Technology Specialist at Coal Creative
Parkston Myers, Founder and Lead Developer at Gamer Realities LLC
Matthew Nicholas, Project Manager at Power Engineering Corporation

Trailblazer of the Year:
Taylor Alice Burdick, Community Revitalization Coordinator at United Neighborhood Centers of NEPA Community
Bill Corcoran Jr., Founder & CEO of OnTheStacks
Sam Harris, Board Vice President and Co-Founder of the Jenneca Simkonis Memorial Foundation

Voluntary Leader of the Year:
Autumn Bohner, Content & Digital Marketing Specialist at Maternal & Family Health Services (MFHS)
Duane Elders, Board Member and Volunteer Liaison at NEPA Youth Shelter
Kylie Montigney, Founder of Empower Girls

Young Professionals Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion of the Year:
Jacob Kelley, CEO/Founder of Mx. Kelley Queer Education
Audrey Golosky, Assistant Director of Community Education at the United Neighborhood Centers of Northeastern Pennsylvania
Dan Pittman, Owner and Artistic Director at Act Out Theatre Group LLC

Young Professional Women’s Leadership Award:
Shea Hughes, Executive Director of the Rainbow Alliance and Owner of Gemini Events
Kelley Laird, AVP, Retail Branch Manager II at Fidelity Bank
Kelsey Van Horn, Graphic, Brand and Web Designer of Kelsey Van Horn Design Studio and Co-owner of Wilkes-Barre Climbing Gym

Young Professional Development Award:
AssuredPartners
Lingua Speech, Swallow, and Voice Services
Kelley Queer Education LLC

Let’s come together to recognize and support those who are paving the way for a brighter future.

GWV Chamber of Commerce

Author

The Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce (formerly known as the Greater Wilkes-Barre Chamber of Commerce) is a member-driven organization representing hundreds of businesses and organizations, focused on helping organizations grow and succeed in Northeastern PA. Our strategic vision is to be the dynamic force in connecting the community, building economic innovation, and elevating the quality of life in the region.