Women of Excellence honorees announced

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The recipients of the Rochester Business Journal’s 2020 Women of Excellence awards have been selected.

The Women of Excellence awards identify high-achieving women for their tremendous career accomplishments. The women are selected based on their professional experience, community involvement, leadership and sustained commitment to mentoring.

This year’s class, selected by a panel of past Circle of Excellence and Women of Excellence honorees, features 43 women from a variety of industries. They have achieved impressive career accomplishments and have made the Rochester community better through their civic engagement and mentoring.

In addition seven women will be inducted into the Circle of Excellence. The Circle of Excellence recognizes women of longstanding, notable success in the community who are leading the way for other women.

“Through their professional accomplishments, community involvement, leadership and sustained commitment to mentoring, the 2020 Women of Excellence honorees are high-achieving women who are committed to making Rochester the best place to live and work,” said Suzanne Fischer-Huettner, group publisher of the Rochester Business Journal. “We at the Rochester Business Journal applaud the honorees for what they have done and will continue to do for our community.”

The Women of Excellence awards will be presented Sept. 9 at an awards celebration from 5:30 to 8 p.m. at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center, 123 East Main Street in Rochester. Winners will be profiled in a magazine that will be inserted into the September 11 issue of the Rochester Business Journal and will be available online at www.rbj.net.

The 2020 honorees are:

Women of Excellence

• Susan E. Acker, Merrill
• Kim Allen, Dixon Schwabl
• Melanie Barnas-Simmons, Bishop Kearney
• Nicole Kingsley Brunner, Manning & Napier
• Stephanie Caffera, Nixon Peabody LLP
• Julie Camardo, Zweigle’s Inc.
• Jackie Campbell, ROC the Future
• Carletta Carter, Eastman Institute for Oral Health
• Courtney Cotrupe, Partners + Napier
• Amy DelCorvo, NYSCATE – New York State Association for Computers and Technologies in Education
• Carol DeMoulin, The Arc Foundation of Monroe
• Jill Eisenstein, Rochester RHIO
• Dresden Engle, Dresden Public Relations
• Shalonda Garfield, Rochester City School District
• Michele Gennarino, Velocitii, LLC
• Marilynn Patterson Grant, William & Sheila Konar Foundation
• Seanelle Hawkins, Urban League of Rochester
• Elizabeth Henderson, Peacework CSA
• Norma Holland, The Digital Hyve
• Jennifer Hungate, Robert F. Hyland and Sons, LLC
• Yana Khashper, ROCovery Fitness
• Jane Knickerbocker, Jewish Senior Life
• Greta Kolcon, Woods Oviatt Gilman LLP
• Laurie Leo, Roberts Wesleyan College and Northeastern Seminary
• Christine Licata, Rochester Institute of Technology
• Christine McAllister, McAllister Sign Inc.
• Sarah Milko, AutismUp Inc.
• Sister Grace Miller, House of Mercy
• Karen Morris, Monroe Community College/Town of Brighton
• Mary Ockenden, University of Rochester Medical Center
• Michelle Pedzich, Canandaigua National Bank & Trust Co.
• Pamela Reynolds, Littler Mendelson
• Jaime Saunders, United Way of Greater Rochester
• Melany Silas, Monroe Community College
• Arlette Miller Smith, St. John Fisher College
• Lauren Spiker, 13thirty Cancer Connect, Inc.
• Lynn Sullivan, Volunteers of America of Upstate New York
• Sara Taylor, Heritage Christian Services
• Elizabeth Wehle, Genesee Country Village & Museum
• Kathleen Whelehan, The Upstate National Bank
• Alyssa Whitfield, Dress for Success Rochester
• Laurie Zaucha, Paychex, Inc.
• Mary Ellen Zuckerman, School of Business, SUNY Geneseo

Circle of Excellence

• Andrea DeMeo, Trillium Health
• Sharon Napier, Partners + Napier
• dt ogilvie, Center for Urban Entrepreneurship
• Kitty Van Bortel, Van Bortel
• Lori Van Dusen, LVW Advisors
• Barbara Wale, The Arc of Monroe
• Colleen Wegman, Wegmans Food Markets