Class of 2022
On Thursday, November 3, United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes hosted a graduation ceremony at the Rochester Riverside Convention Center for its Leadership Development Program participants. More than 80 leaders graduated from the following programs:
- African American Leadership Development Program (AALDP)
- Latino Leadership Development Program (LLDP)
- Emerging Leaders Development Program (ELDP)
- PRIDE Leadership Development Program (PLDP)
- Development of Indo-American Leaders Program (DIAL)
These programs aim to advance and broaden the participation of diverse individuals in influential leadership positions throughout the community.
United Way also celebrated the 40th and 30th anniversaries of LLDP and AALDP at the event.
Mayor Malik Evans and Monroe County Deputy Executive Corinda Crossdale joined the celebration to issue a proclamation recognizing November 3, 2022, as the 30th and 40th anniversary of the respective programs. AALDP founder Essie Calhoun-McDavid, LLDP founder Nydia Padilla Rodriguez, and Congressman Joe Morelle also joined the celebration. Pastor James R. Cooper Sr. was the keynote speaker.
Applications for 2023 will open in spring. More information can be found here.
2022 Leadership Development Program Graduates
African American Leadership Development Program
Theodore Adams United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Christy Anderson-Evans Monroe Community College
Amadimo Belleh Empire Justice Center
Cynthia Blackmon Trillium Health
Biannca Bullard Trillium Health
Labria Burgess United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Jahmar Elliott Rochester Institute of Technology
Misha Faison
Karen Finklea Anthony L. Jordan Health Center
Elissa Fleming St. Joseph’s Neighborhood Center
Trina Gibson-Sanders Rochester Regional Health
Dr. Sheniece L Martin-Stancil-El University of Rochester Medical Center
La’ren Lauchie-Paul Wegmans Food Markets
Derek LeBlanc Wegmans Food Markets
Mercedece Love Empire Justice Center
Tamiko Matthews Rochester City School District
Walida Monroe-Sims City of Rochester
Maria O’Brien United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Kelli Ragin Academy of Health Science Charter School
Valyn Reed Society for the Protection and Care of Children
Wilhelmina Sizer University of Rochester Medical Center
Maya Smith Wegmans Food Markets
Christopher Weatherspoon Wegmans Food Markets
Sparkle Wells University of Rochester Medical Center (Center for Community Health & Prevention)
Latino Leadership Development Program
Rachel Betts Connected Communities, Inc.
Irene Bunting Genesee Regional Bank
Maureen Connell Excellus BlueCross BlueShield
Maria Cruz Mental Health Association
Carlos Martinez Wegmans Food Markets
Elizabeth Medina Compeer of Rochester
Sylvia Mendez Monroe Community College
Alicia Montalvo Connected Communities
Edwin Ortiz JustCause
Jilian Quigley Society for the Protection & Care of Children
Tiffany Ramos United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Julián Sánchez Convo Communications
Adelina Santiago ESL Federal Credit Union
Diana Stepp The Summit Federal Credit Union
Renee Vaquero Monroe Plan for Medical Care
Emerging Leaders Development Program
Chris Bechle United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
Katherine Blum Empire Justice Center
Michelle Branciforte Mary Cariola Center
Jacob Braniecki Wegmans Food Markets
Caitlyn Crowder Lifespan of Greater Rochester Inc.
Dawn Davison Rochester Regional Health
Ashley Doerzbacher YMCA of Greater Rochester
Sarah Dupre Compeer Rochester
Katelyn Gelser Livingston County
Maryam Ghanbari JustCause
Caroline Jaeckel Trillium Health
Amarinder Jaswal-Bains Hillside Children’s Center
Essence Jones Society for the Protection and Care of Children
James Kemnitz Livingston County Public Defender’s Office
Macie McGowan Foodlink
Karin Nowicki Lifespan of Greater Rochester
Jordyn Rizzo US Ceiling Corp
Amanda Sanfilippo L3Harris Technologies
Devone Scala Willow Domestic Violence Center
Megan Sokolow Livingston County
Amanda Stenson Monroe Plan for Medical Care
Eric Thomas Wegmans Food Markets
Ryan Trevas New York State
Chloe Vazzana Monroe Community College
Katherine Wawrzaszek United Way of Greater Rochester and the Finger Lakes
PRIDE Leadership Development Program
Chanel A Snead
Frank Guidice Wegmans Food Markets
Shealynn Hilliard Trillium Health
Keith Jensen Empire Justice Center
Paul Johnstone Monroe Plan for Medical Care
Sarah Mangan Trillium Health
Laurel McCarthy Wegmans Food Markets
Sarah Thompson Empire Justice Center
Sean Watson Rochester Institute of Technology
Development of Indo-American Leaders
Aditi Bhandiwad
Hema Bhaskaran
Rohit Braggs Orolia
Seema Dahake University of Rochester
Shweta Narang
Sangita Patel Monroe Community College
Jyoti Prabhat
Ravi Rasu Sutherland Global
Vipul Saran
Karthik Sekharan Harter Secrest & Emery LLP
Geetha Vijay Howard Hanna Real Estate Services