The finalists of the 2017 Brilliance Awards are:
Top honorees
Mentorship:
Veverly Austin, Leadership & Development Training Executive, Girl, Get Your Fight Back, Rock the Runway, Confident Woman
Kathy Crosby, President and CEO, Goodwill Industries of Greater Grand Rapids
Adrienne Wallace, Assistant Professor, Grand Valley State University
Emerging Leader:
Megan Feenstra Wall, Architect, Mathison Mathison Architects
Emma Garcia, Co-Executive Director, Access of West Michigan
Elizabeth Kramb, Supervisor, Brickley DeLong P.C.
Inspiration:
Helen Zeerip, President, Founder, Board President, Teddy's Transport & Grant Me Hope
Sasha Wolff, Founder, Still I Run
Tammy Myers, Founder, Creative Director, Cancer Survivor, Forgotten Fighters
Team Player:
Hannah Acosta, Purple Community Event Coordinator, Van Andel Institute
Deb Kay, Board Chair, West Michigan Sports Commission
Amy Knape, Development and Communications Manager, West Michigan Center for Arts & Technology
Messenger:
Shelley Irwin, Producer, Host, WGVU
Jennifer Pascua, Co-Host of My West Michigan, WZZM TV13
Lydia VanHoven, Founder, Grand Rapids Film Festival
Champion of Service:
Brandi Huyser, Director - XS & Next Gen Strategy, Amway Corporation
Christina Rosloniec, Community Volunteer
Dr. Nkechy Ekere Ezeh, Founder and CEO, Early Learning Neighborhood Collaborative
Connector:
Christa Bird, Chief People Officer, Custom Profile
Cindy Brown, Executive Director, Hello West Michigan
Elissa Hillary, Executive Director, Local First
Reinvention:
Janay Brower, Owner, Public Thread
Laura Burkett, Owner, Real Food Wellness
Karen M. Smoots, CEO, President, Inventor, KMS Designs Inc.
Best Supporting Man:
Brian Pangle, President, CEO, Clark Retirement Community
David Quade, Market President, Grand Rapids Horizon Bank
Randy Zylstra, CEO, President | Wedgwood Christian Services
Woman of the Year:
Monique Salinas, Executive Director, Mind Meets Music
Karen Scarpino, President, Owner, Promotional Impact DBA Green Giftz
Dr. Judy L. Smith, M.D., Chief, Spectrum Health Cancer Center