Lindsy Griffis, Development Director of ACCESS of West Michigan, has been named Young Nonprofit Professional of the Year in the first-ever awards ceremony sponsored by the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network of Greater Grand Rapids.
The award is given to an individual who excels in her or his work, always goes above and beyond the call of duty, and looks for new ways to make a nonprofit service better. Nine other individuals from among 29 semi-finalists were honored during the ceremony at Wealthy Street Theatre.
“It was great to have 150 people cheering on the great things going on in non-profits,” says Amanda St. Pierre, a public relations and marketing specialists with the Grand Rapids Community Foundation. Griffis was noted as a “fabulous young professional who deserves recognition,” St. Pierre adds.
Award winners were chosen by a panel of seven leaders representing nonprofit organizations not affiliated with the semi-finalists or the YNPN board, St. Pierre said. Semi-finalists were chosen by the YNPN board from among 60 nominations.
Established less than a year ago, the local YNPN chapter is one of 25 chapters nationwide. Other award winners were:
• Advocate: Bridget Clark Whitney, Executive Director, Kids Food Basket
• Exemplary Executive: Luisa Schumacher, Executive Director, West Michigan Center for Arts and Technology
• Champion: DeDe Esque, Consultant, Community Activist, Organizer and Volunteer
• Connector: George Wietor, New Media Planner, Grand Rapid Community Media
Center
• DoGooder: Emily Stoddard Furrow, Partner, DVQ Studio
• Good to Great: Jamon Alexander, Co-Chair, BL2END
• Dynamic Duo: Elizabeth Goddard & Becca Schaub, Urban Institute for Contemporary Art
• Edison: Shannon Garrett, Great Lakes Field Director, The White House Project
• Resource: BL2END, Business Leaders Linked to Encourage New Directions
Sharon Hanks is the innovation and job news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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