Voting for the 2026 People’s Choice Awards will open March 13.

Each of the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards finalists was selected for a reason. They all exude a contagious spirit and a broad skill set that, in one way or another, betters the West Michigan community. This is your opportunity to get to know them—read their bios, celebrate their challenges and triumphs, and ideally, make a few new connections! The top honoree will be revealed at the live event on April 23, 2026, at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

The 2026 People's Choice Award is proudly sponsored by AARP! By voting in the People's Choice Award, you’ll agree to be automatically entered to win a $500 Visa gift card, courtesy of AARP. Voting is not required to enter; If you do not wish to participate in People's Choice Awards voting, click here. If you do not wish to participate in the sweepstakes, you may select “Opt Out” when you vote for the finalist of your choice.

People’s Choice Awards Sweepstakes Official Rules

2026 People's Choice Awards

Hover over each finalist’s image to read more about them, then click the “Read More & Vote” button to visit their page and cast your vote in the People’s Choice Award category. One vote is allowed per email address.

Alexandra Wilson is passionate about connecting others and serving the community. She is the Founder of Drinks and Development, a free networking group for fundraisers. A proud Rotarian in the Grand Rapids Club, Wilson serves as the Secretary for the Board of Directors as well as Chairs the Podcast Committee and Rotary Charities Foundation Event Committee, Co-Chairs the Golf Affinity group, and serves on the community engagement and district conference committees.

Director of Personal Giving, Samaritas | Co-Founder, The Fundraiser’s Collective

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An author, speaker, and leader in West Michigan, Beth Fisher is known for her resilience and commitment to serving others. At 25, she was diagnosed with leukemia and told she wouldn’t survive. After a bone marrow transplant in April 1999, she left the hospital determined to use her second chance to help others. Fisher earned two master’s degrees in theology and taught Bible studies to women in prisons and shelters. After raising nearly $100,000 for blood cancer research, she launched the first Man & Woman of the Year campaign locally.

CEO & Founder, Fisher Strategic, VP of Strategic Partnerships, Become Unmistakable

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Bincy Sines is a West Michigan entrepreneur, educator, and financial coach with over 21 years of business leadership experience. At just 26 years old, she launched her tutoring center in Grand Rapids, which has grown into one of the top-performing centers in North America, serving more than 300 students weekly. Through economic downturns, personal hardships, and even the complete destruction of her center, Sines rebuilt with resilience and vision—becoming a trusted leader in education and mentorship across the region.

Owner, Kumon of Grand Rapids | Financial Advisor, Principal Financial Group

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Cathy Cooper began her career in retail management for Meijer, followed by leadership roles in business development, financial services, foods marketing, vendor marketing partnerships, charitable giving, and ultimately developed the sports marketing and community partnerships areas for the company. In 2013, as the Senior Director of Community Partnerships and Giving, Cooper was given the opportunity to develop and lead the Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give, which has become one of the best attended LPGA tournaments on the tour, resulting in over $13 million to help feed families in our communities.

Executive Director, Meijer LPGA Classic

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Celeste Ross is a purpose-driven powerhouse dedicated to developing leaders and strengthening organizations across West Michigan. She serves as a Happiness Activator, HR and Organizational Development guru and nonprofit advocate, where she leads leadership development initiatives that prepare teams for growth and long-term impact. With an MBA and SHRM-CP certification, she blends strategic expertise with heart-centered leadership. Known for her infectious energy, bold personality, and dynamic servant leadership style, Ross empowers others to rise with confidence.

Organizational Development Manager | Praxis Packaging Solutions

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As a Mexican immigrant, Edgar Garcia is committed to creating spaces and opportunities in the professional and entrepreneurial space for the Latino community of West Michigan. Since his first business in 2002, he’s navigated diverse industries, logistics, consulting, and media, learning from every setback and reinventing himself with greater strength. Every obstacle led him to find his true purpose: to make the Latino community visible, celebrate their achievements, and drive their growth.

President, Founder & CEO | VIVE MICHIGAN

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Owner & PA Injector, Proper Eu Medical and Aesthetics Center | Cardiothoracic Surgery Physician Assistant, Beacon Medical Group | Training Educator, Beacon Health System Kalamazoo

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Heidi McDowell is the founder of the Mind Body Baby Collective, an award-winning maternal wellness community in Grand Rapids that has grown from a single class into an 8,000-square-foot hub serving mothers across West Michigan. A perinatal movement expert and birth doula, McDowell is passionate about bridging the gap between medical care and embodied support for women during their motherhood journeys. Raised in Flint as one of 15 children, McDowell’s resilience was shaped early and refined through her journey with loss, infertility and postpartum anxiety.

Founder & Owner, The Mind Body Baby Collective

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Janis Petrini is Founder and Co-Owner of Express Employment Professionals and Specialized Recruiting Group – Grand Rapids, and Frontline Training Solutions. For 30 years, she has advanced workforce and economic development across West Michigan, helping more than 20,000 individuals secure meaningful employment and partnering with over 1,000 businesses to strengthen workforce strategy and leadership capacity. A recipient of the Gordon Blair Heritage Award—the highest honor within the Express Employment Professionals’ global network of over 900 franchises.

Founder & Co-Owner, The Express Employment Professionals Companies

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As Vice President of Economic Growth at the Grand Rapids Chamber, Jenny Waugh leads initiatives that connect businesses, entrepreneurs, and community partners to the resources, relationships, and opportunities needed to thrive. With a career spanning executive leadership, marketing strategy, and economic development, Waugh is known for her ability to bring people together across sectors to create inclusive, sustainable growth.

Vice President of Economic Growth | Grand Rapids Chamber

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Kathleen B. Vogelsang, CFA, is a seasoned investment executive and community leader in West Michigan. She served for twenty years as Chief Investment Officer of the Van Andel Institute, building its Endowment Investment Office from the ground up and growing it from $465 million to $2.3 billion—strengthening the Institute’s capacity to advance lifesaving biomedical research. A first-generation college graduate and non-traditional student, Vogelsang earned her MBA and CFA designation while raising three children and working full-time.

Co-CEO & Co-CIO, Bostwick Investment Consulting

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Kati Quarto is the founder and owner of Happy Cat Cafe, Grand Rapids' first and only cat cafe. What began with a BuzzFeed article and a Kickstarter campaign in 2015 became a thriving downtown destination that has facilitated over 1,000 cat adoptions through partnerships with local rescues. Quarto built the business from a Keurig machine into a full specialty coffee bar and adoption lounge, navigating a pandemic closure, personal hardship, and complete renovation along the way.

Founder & Owner | Happy Cat Cafe

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Kelsey Lee is a visionary expanding access to the arts and empowering local creatives. Over the last decade, she’s built a career performing, teaching, and choreographing throughout the U.S. and abroad. After the birth of her first child, Lee settled down in Grand Haven and started Dance PlayHouse, a nonprofit dedicated to removing barriers to experiencing and participating in dance. The organization offers donation-based classes for children and adults of all abilities, and produces professional dance performances that enrich the arts scene in West Michigan.

Founder & Executive Director | Dance Playhouse

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Dr. Kim M. Childress is a compassionate mental health therapist and advocate dedicated to walking alongside individuals on their healing journeys. She provides trauma-informed, culturally responsive care with a deep commitment to honoring each person’s story, identity, and lived experiences. Her work focuses on supporting individuals navigating depression, anxiety, and complex trauma by creating safe, nonjudgmental spaces where healing and growth can begin.

Anti-Human Trafficking Therapist, Wedgwood Christian Services

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After a life-threatening ectopic pregnancy in 2022, Kirsten Pipp turned her pain into purpose. Searching for support and finding none, she created Ectopic Pregnancy Support, a social media community that has grown to nearly 6,500 followers across Instagram and Facebook. In 2025, she launched The Ectopic Pregnancy Support Podcast, which has garnered close to 10,000 downloads across 31 episodes, giving women a space to share their stories and feel less alone. When Pipp’s rainbow baby, Roy, was born with a rare disease in 2023, she turned that experience into action.

Founder, Bloom Social

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Latricia Trice is a trusted community connector who has built her career intentionally supporting the advancement and elevation of women, young adults, and professionals of color across West Michigan and beyond. Driven by a passion for cultivating meaningful connections, she co-founded Black Women Connect GR, a professional networking organization that creates intentional community for Black women at every career stage. She also leads Fierce Sisterhood at Relevant Church Grand Rapids, a community of more than 150 culturally diverse women focused on faith, confidence, and growth.

Founder & CEO | LTrice Marketing & Consulting

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Marie Lewis is the Founder and Executive Director of Rebecca’s Daughters, a certified life and health coach, Youth Specialist, and advocate dedicated to uplifting adolescents across West Michigan. As a former at-risk adolescent, she brings lived understanding, deep empathy, and unwavering commitment to every young person she serves. Her greatest achievement is offering a nonjudgmental, compassionate presence, being the listening ear youth trust, the steady guide who sees their greatness, and the mentor who meets them in safe environments of their choosing for free life‑coaching sessions.

Founder & Executive Director | Rebecca’s Daughters

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Growing up with a grass landing strip in his front yard and a professional pilot as his father, it’s not surprising that Mark Ward developed a lifelong passion for private aviation. Graduating from Western Michigan University with a degree in aircraft management, Ward currently holds type ratings covering more than 20 different models of business jets and is dedicated to guiding the growth of Ward Aviation and delivering tailored private aviation solutions while maintaining the highest standards of quality, service, and safety.

President & Founder | Ward Aviation

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Michelle Krick is the founder of Michelle Krick Style, where she helps women and men in Grand Rapids and beyond elevate their presence through personal style. With more than 30 years in corporate buying, Michelle’s expertise spans both fashion strategy and personal styling. During her corporate career, she reinvented the Meijer women’s apparel division, introducing industry-leading innovations like combining sizes S-3X on the same racks—making shopping easier and more inclusive for customers.

Owner | Michelle Krick Style

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Misti Lynn Stanton has served as a mentorship champion in the Grand Rapids community for over 35 years. Her mentorship and service background first took root when she worked at Grand Rapids Public Schools for more than a quarter of a century. She also served as the Program Manager for Heart of West Michigan United Way Schools of Hope, laying the foundation for the program’s inception. One of Stanton’s proudest achievements is the Mercantile Bank Summer Internship Program she founded in 2014, having impacted the lives and professional journeys of over 200 young people.

First Vice President, Talent & Culture Officer | Mercantile Bank

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Raquel Juarez is a relationship-driven leader dedicated to strengthening the West Michigan business community through meaningful connections. With over 20 years of experience in banking, she’s built a trusted network across financial services and other professional sectors. Juarez is known for intentionally connecting individuals and organizations in ways that create access, opportunity, and growth. Throughout her career, she has supported entrepreneurs across diverse industries, expanded access to capital, and connected emerging professionals.

VP, Small Business Relationship Manager | Comerica Bank a division of Fifth Third Bank, N.A.

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Sarah Marilyn is a resilient, creative, and encouraging leader who brings heart, hustle, and a whole lot of storytelling magic to everything she does. A former journalist turned Senior Marketing and Communications Specialist at Answer Health, Marilyn believes deeply in the power of listening—and how one story can build empathy, drive change, and spark action. Born and raised in Grand Rapids—where her late grandfather, a former Kent County Sheriff, still smiles down from the wall at The Omelette Shoppe—Marilyn is deeply rooted in and committed to her community.

Senior Marketing & Communications Specialist | Answer Health

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Chef Shawn Kohlhaas is a seasoned food service industry veteran of 30-plus years, leading the way with new and fresh approaches. With a passion for farm-to-table initiatives with an emphasis on local, organic and sustainable practices, Kohlhaas has done it all—from apprenticing under Master Chef Karl Wenzel on the eastern seaboard, to working alongside his father who founded Mountain Creek Tavern Restaurant, to holding the prestigious position of Executive Chef for NASCAR where he was responsible for the dining needs of all officials and executives on the circuit.

Principal | Culinary Cultivations

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Stephanie Snowden is a licensed residential builder and community advocate dedicated to strengthening the future of construction in West Michigan. Over the past decade, she’s grown from entering the industry with no prior construction background to becoming a leader focused on mentorship, workforce development, and expanding opportunities for women in the trades. Snowden served five years as President of the Professional Women in Building Council of Greater Grand Rapids, where she helped grow membership significantly and establish programs that continue to fund scholarships and mentorship initiatives.

Project & Marketing Manager, Licensed Builder | Snowden Builders LCC

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Tarah Carnahan leads a diverse team investing in immigrant and refugee women who arrive in West Michigan already carrying resilience, creativity, and leadership. Together, through shared values, they are creating spaces where belonging is practiced, not just promised. Under her leadership, Treetops Collective has grown from a small grassroots effort into a trusted cross-cultural organization offering leadership cohorts, entrepreneurship pathways, and community-building programs that strengthen families and local economies.

Executive Director & Co-Founder, Treetops Collective

Visishta Boeringa moved from India with her family when she was six years old, residing in Texas, Iowa, and Illinois, before finally settling in West Michigan. Boeringa has dedicated her life to public service and advocacy, beginning as a Victim of Crimes Rights Attorney covering seven counties, representing survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault. She later served as an Assistant Prosecutor in Muskegon County, handling abuse and neglect, juvenile delinquency, criminal sexual conduct, child abuse, narcotics, and weapons cases.

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Family Court Referee, 14th Circuit Court - Muskegon County

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CEO | Girl Scouts of Michigan Shore to Shore

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2025 People's Choice Honoree

Ashley Diersch

Chief Advancement Officer, Paws With A Cause

2024 People's Choice Honoree

Jenna Arcidiacono

Founder & Owner, Food Hugs, Amore Trattoria Italiana

2023 People's Choice Honoree

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

2022 People's Choice Honoree

Colleen Lane, MD

Spectrum Health

2021 People's Choice Honoree

Nicole Gregory

CEO/Founder, Urban You

2020 People's Choice Honoree

Farah Merhi

President/CEO, Inspire Me! Home Decor

2019 People's Choice Honoree

Emily Babson

Director of Organizational Development & Leadership Training, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital