The finalists of the 2023 Brilliance Awards are: Brilliant Woman of the Year Zaneta Adams, JD | CEO & Owner | River Acres Development LLC Cara Anne Poland, MD, MEd, FACP, DFASAM | Michigan State UniversityMegan Schmidt | Senior Vice...
Recent Brilliance Awards Finalists Articles
Shannon Cohen
Founder and CEO Shannon Cohen Inc. Brilliant Connector As the Founder and Principal and Shannon Cohen, Inc., she offers speaking engagements in areas such as emotional intelligence, and equity and inclusion that transform the lives of leaders. Also, she is the...
Daniela Rojas-Cortes
Fund Development & Communications Hispanic Center of Western Michigan Brilliant Emerging Leader At the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, Daniela leads efforts to create a new fund development department. She organizes countless events that are culturally...
Sandy Dettmann MD, DABAM
Founder & Addiction Medicine Specialist The Dettmann Center P.C. Brilliant Tenacity This Emergency Medicine doctor became disabled with rheumatoid arthritis in 2004 then in 2013 found a way to re-enter the workforce, re-gain her medical license, become board...
Sara Sherry-Knoester
President Mixed Staffing & Recruiting Brilliant Emerging Leader Sara wanted to create a staffing company that would allow people from all backgrounds to be able to come in and get a job without any discrimination. Sara started her company, Mixed Staffing and...
Maria Erazo
Founder & Chief Brand Officer Maria Erazo Enterprises Brilliant Entrepreneur Maria began her journey working factory jobs and learning English, but she did not want to settle there, she knew she had so much more to give. Through her determination, grit and...
Sandi Frost Steensma
President & CEO Kennari Consulting Brilliant Entrepreneur Realizing that nonprofit organizations needed customized, “nuts and bolts” fundraising support as well as campaign coaching, Sandi formed Kennari Consulting in 2007. Today, as one of the largest...
Mike Guswiler
President West Michigan Sports Commission Brilliant Best Supporting Man Mike oversees the West Michigan Sports Commission, which has one male and six female employees. For a sports industry organization this is very rare. It’s obvious that Mike is a champion for...
Meredith TerHaar
AM Content Director & Anchor WZZM13 Brilliant Team Player This fall, Meredith transitioned from an anchor/reporter at WZZM to a management role in addition to her anchor responsibilities. The job was created just for her and her unique abilities to manage a team....
Raquel Guzman
Co-Founder and Managing Member Avanti Law Group Brilliant Tenacity Raquel immigrated to the U.S. from the Dominican Republic. When she enrolled in law school, she could not speak English and would record her classes and translate them every night. She went on to work...