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WMW BrillianceAwards Logo

 

The finalists of the 2023 Brilliance Awards are:

FlameIconBrilliant Woman of the Year


Zaneta Adams, JD
 | CEO & Owner | River Acres Development LLC 

Cara Anne Poland, MD, MEd, FACP, DFASAM | Michigan State University

Megan Schmidt | Senior Vice President of Employer Solutions | Priority Health

  

   

FlameIconBrilliant Tenacity


Henrietta Hadley 
| Founder & CEO | Infinite Solutions Consulting Group

Alma Ross | Personal Lines Account Executive | Koop & Burr Insurance

Amanda Villarreal | Owner | AVWELLNESS
 

 

  

 

FlameIconBrilliant Team Player


Colleen Laskowski 
| Director of Delivery | SpinDance

Katie Racey | Guest Experience Manager | Frederik Meijer Gardens

Kim Murphy | Activity Director | Heron Manor & Heron Woods 

  

  

FlameIconBrilliant Social Change Agent


Vanessa Greene 
| CEO | Michigan African American Health Institute

Jessica Johns | Co-Founder & Executive Director | The Community StoreHouse

Vonnie Woodrick | Founder | I Understand

 

 

FlameIconBrilliant Mentor


Salina Bishop 
| Assistant Vice President of Development | Grand Rapids Symphony

Susan Negen | Co-Founder | WhizBang! Retail Training

Missy Summers | Executive Director | Festival of the Arts

   

 

FlameIconBrilliant Entrepreneur


Robyn Gobbel, LCSW 
| Founder & CEO | Robyn Gobbel

Meredith Kent, MS, PA-C | Master Injector, Clinical Educator, Owner | Skin CoLAB

Rachel VanBuskirk, LMSW | Clinical Director & Owner | Portal Point Counseling

 

 

 

FlameIconBrilliant Emerging Leader


Stormie Drake
| Executive Director | READ Ottawa

Lindsay MacMillan | Head of Community Engagement | Sleeping Giant Capital

Caylie Peet, MS, CTA | Minority Business Program Manager | Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce

 

  

FlameIconBrilliant Connector


Jennifer Pascua 
| Marketing Director | Broadway Grand Rapids

Kori Thompson, MBA | Advancement Officer | Wedgwood Christian Services

Amiee VandenElzen | Aread Lead for Business Development | Disher Corp

  

 

FlameIconBrilliant Champion of Service


Rev. Joanna Bailey 
| Manager of Spiritual Care | Trinity Health Grand Rapids

Kristin A. Chmela, M.A., CCC-SLP, BCS-F | Co-Founder, Director of Training and Therapeutic Programs, Owner & Director | Camp Shout Out Inc./Chmela Communication Center

Nicholette Driggs | Development Director | Comprehensive Therapy

  

  

FlameIconBrilliant Best Supporting Man


Craig Clark 
| Owner, Senior Counselor | Clark Communications

Omar Cuevas | Vice President of Investor Relations | Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce

Carlos Sanchez, MAD | Executive Director | Davenport University - Casa Latina

 

 

  

 

From this issue

/Your%20Child%20Has%20Come%20Out—Now%20What?%20Showing%20Support%20and%20Offering%20Unconditional%20Love
It's critical to offer understanding, support and unconditional love to your child if they choose to come out to you. That experience for Ollie Robison (xe/he/they), Healthcare Coordinator, Grand Rapids Pride Center, was a long and complex one, coming out multiple times in different ways to the same people.
/Building%20Your%20Spring%20and%20Summer%20Capsule%20Wardrobe
Winter is behind us and we're ready to ditch the bulky sweaters, heavy boots and puffy coats for lighter, brighter and fresher styles. Rather than mindlessly buying up a hoard of trendy items, Kathryn Snow of Style Me Ada—an expert personal stylist and shopper—walks us through building a capsule wardrobe that will keep you feeling confident and stylish all spring and summer.
/Healing%20From%20Childhood%20Trauma:%20You%20Can%20Rewrite%20Your%20Story
Your childhood may be long past, but its influence is reflected in your present—it shapes how you see the world and how you interact with others. Maybe you've noticed patterns you can't quite shake, like anxiety that won't settle. Or maybe you struggle with depth in relationships or find yourself overwhelmed because of your tendency to overachieve (or overextend).
/Michigan%20Outdoors—The%20Long%20and%20Short%20of%20It!
Living in West Michigan, we have an abundance of places to go to soak up the great outdoors. In every season, travelers head to their favorite hot spots in the lakeshore quadfecta of Muskegon, Grand Haven, Holland and Saugatuck—or stick around Grand Rapids for all it has to offer. While we never tire of spotlighting the standbys, what else is there? Let's take a tour!