The 2022 West Michigan Woman People's Choice Brilliance Award
People’s Choice Award voting is now open! The top honoree will be announced on May 12 at the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards. Tickets can be purchased here.
Please keep in mind that each of the West Michigan Woman Brilliance Awards finalists were selected for a reason. All exude a contagious spirit and broad skill set that in one facet or another, betters the West Michigan community. This is an opportunity for you to get to know them. Read through their bios, resonate with their challenges and triumphs, and vote for the person whose story speaks to you most. The People’s Choice Award is not a popularity contest; it’s a way of introducing brilliant individuals to the community and making connections that may not have otherwise existed.
Of the 30 Brilliance Awards Finalists, who most inspires you? Who would you like to see further recognized? Whose story should be told in a big way to West Michigan? Vote for that person.
• To vote, please provide your first and last name and email address. • You may only vote one time for one person. • Voting opens March 28, 2022 and closes at 5pm on April 15, 2022.
Empathy and curiosity are her superpowers. Lack of sleep is her kryptonite. Abbey Sladick seeks to live in a world where everyone is loved and valued for their unique perspectives. Her career journey spans more than a decade in various industries, from television journalism and higher education to social services and healthcare. Every day she seeks pathways and partnerships that move our communities toward health equity with a dedicated team at Priority Health. “I recently learned about the platinum rule, and it has had a profound impact on me: treat others the way that they want to be treated,” says Abbey. Committed to faith, health and education, Abbey spends her time and resources reducing stigma and increasing access to behavioral health care, supporting women in leadership growth, reaching out to people experiencing homelessness, and advocating for organ donation. Abbey lives daily by Maya Angelou’s quote: “Do the best you can until you know better. Then when you know better, do better.”
Ashlea Souffrou is a 16-year veteran of the medical device industry with a passion and dedication to uncovering sustainable and cost-saving solutions within the healthcare domain. In 2019, she founded SxanPro, a technology company that digitizes inventory processes in the hospital supply chain. The idea came from her many years as a medical device sales rep. “I saw huge quantities of supplies thrown out because they had expired just sitting on the shelves,” explained Ashlea. “I knew there had to be a better solution.” In 2021, Ashlea was awarded a patent for her mobile application technology that extracts product data from a medical device by scanning the UDI barcode. Ashlea has made a commitment to support West Michigan communities and has built SxanPro using local software development, legal, accounting and web design businesses. She actively partners with CURE International and other medical missions across the country and is hosting, with SxanPro, an MBA capstone project with students at GVSU.
A graduate of Kalamazoo College, Julie has served at Rockford Construction for the last 28 years in a variety of roles, including: Accountant, CFO, Real Estate Development Partner and Chief Investment Officer. As a result of Julie’s financial and tax planning oversight, Rockford Construction now averages $450 million in construction volume, with a real estate portfolio of $200 million, and managed properties in excess of 2.4 million square feet. Julie says, “My biggest accomplishment professionally has been the growth of our company … but my greatest accomplishment comes from looking at our current leadership team and seeing the faces of so many other strong, confident and successful women leaders.” Julie has served in industry leadership roles for organizations like Michigan Association of Certified Public Accountants, National Association of Professional Women and National Association of Women in Construction. Her community involvement includes leadership positions within North Kent Connect, Habitat for Humanity, the Power of 100 Women, Michigan Women Forward, Grand Rapids Public Schools Foundation and Conductive Learning Center. Julie’s family includes her husband, children, grandchildren and two dogs.
Gerald R. Ford Interntional Airport Brilliant Team Player
Margie Witbeck has supported presidents, vice presidents, business owners, CEOs, COOs, physicians and board members. She has enhanced her professional skills by completing the highly competitive Futures program through Spectrum Health as well as Leading Edge and Emerging Leaders through the Grand Rapids Chamber. In addition to Margie’s professional accomplishments, she proudly immerses herself into West Michigan. She has a passion for giving back to her community, having served on committees and boards including, Young Nonprofit Professionals of West Michigan and the Catholic Charities Young Professionals. She has spent many additional hours volunteering for Make-A-Wish of West Michigan, Mayors’ Grand River Cleanup, March of Dimes and many more. Margie says, “More than anything, I enjoy the collaborative opportunity to work with many different backgrounds and appreciate the chance to hear other's perspectives … I enjoy the feeling of belonging and being part of something bigger while sharing the same goal.”
Michigan State University and Puertas Abiertas Brilliant Champion of Service
Dr. Ingrid Aguayo Fuentealba was born and raised in Concepcion, Chile. She studied Forestry at Universidad de Concepcion and earned her Ph.D. from the University of Toronto. Ingrid’s specialization and expertise in forest entomology originally led her to Colorado, but 12 years ago, she moved to Michigan after seeing the need and opportunity to work directly with the Hispanic community in Grand Rapids, using her skills in math and biology to prepare young and adult students to obtain their GEDs. Ingrid is currently involved in managing the high school equivalency program at Michigan State University, serving migrant and seasonal farmworkers throughout Michigan. Ingrid says, “The service that makes me most proud is to serve as a channel to access education. I'm always honored to guide my students, mentees or any community member to discover their full potential and achieve their dreams.”
