The 2020 West Michigan Woman People's Choice Brilliance Award
Voting is now closed! The West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards is entering its 4th year of celebrating the unique talents of women and men in our community. For the second year, the public will select one honoree from the finalists for the People's Choice Brilliance Award. The winner will be announced on Thursday, April 30, 2020 at the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards where they will receive their award and recognition.
• To vote, please provide your first and last name and email address • You may only vote 1x for one person • Voting opens March 2nd and closes at 5pm on March 18th
Enjoy reading the bio snippets below that were written from the nominators' and finalists' submissions.
Adjunct Professor (CIM) | Marketing Director (WMSBF) Culinary Institute of Michigan | Muskegon Food Alliance/Muskegon Food Hub | West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum Brilliant Champion of Service
Rose lives and breathes to serve the West Michigan community and maintain its beauty for the generations to come. She is always thinking about what is next and brainstorming how her vision, hope, and passion for sustainable food practices can be implemented in personal and professional lives. As an Adjunct Professor at the Culinary Institute of Michigan, Rose works with the future of our hospitality and food industry on sustainable food practices to better preserve the communities they will someday serve. Rose sits on numerous boards and recently took on the role of Marketing Director at the West Michigan Sustainable Business Forum.
Director of Operations Full Circle Care Brilliant Champion of Service
Starting out as a direct-care worker, today Marissa leads a new path toward a different care model for young adults with severe disabilities, and their families. This strategy brings parents, residents, community supports and staff together with Community Mental Health in a way that is unique. She leads a staff of 35-plus and participates in local and state CMH events, advocating for the mental health system and for improving standards of care.
Psychologist Pine Rest Mental Health Services Brilliant Social Change Agent
Dr. Charmeka Newton is a psychologist at Pine Rest Mental Health Services and faculty member at Western Michigan University. Outside of her work at Pine Rest and in the classroom, she volunteers her time speaking on topics connected to depression, anxiety, multiculturalism, and microaggression, and serves on the executive board for Kids Moving & Thriving, a nonprofit for kids at risk for obesity in West Michigan. Recently, she was appointed by Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to serve on the Michigan Board of Psychology. Through serving her community, she hopes to create a more equitable playing field for individuals needing emotional support and mental health services.
Senior Director of Leadership Giving Make-A-Wish Michigan Brilliant Champion of Service
Ellie carries the torch for many fundraising initiatives that have grown to be record-breaking under her leadership. These funds are vital to Make-A-Wish’s mission and without the steadfast efforts under Ellie’s leadership, transformational wishes wouldn’t be possible for Michigan kids. Through a tough three-year battle with leukemia as a teenager, Ellie realized philanthropy was her passion. Ellie has been a Patient Mentor for the P.O.R.T program at Spectrum Health where she mentors young women going through their cancer journey. Ellie also volunteers her time as an AFP mentor to young women entering the non-profit world in fundraising.
Voting is now closed! The West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards is entering its 4th year of celebrating the unique talents of women and men in our community. For the second year, the public will select one honoree from the finalists for the People's Choice Brilliance Award. The winner will be announced on Thursday, April 30, 2020 at the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards where they will receive their award and recognition.
