Finalists named for ELEVATE awards honoring region’s top young philanthropists
INDIANAPOLIS – The finalists for this year’s ELEVATE awards have dedicated themselves to serving their community.
They’ve advocated for children, for the LGBTQ community and for women’s health.
They’ve brought public art to Putnam County, created safe spaces for survivors of abuse and educated others on Black history in Indiana.
They’ve mentored students through engineering, pushed for equitable access to education and, through art, transformed the lives of people with disabilities.
Today, United Way of Central Indiana announced 20 finalists for the fifth annual ELEVATE awards, a fundraising event that recognizes the region’s top young philanthropists ages 21 to 40.
Winners will be announced at the 1970s disco-themed brunch event, 10:30 a.m. Feb. 18 at the Biltwell Event Center, 950 S. White River Parkway W. Drive, Indianapolis. Tickets starting at $50 can be purchased at uwci.org/elevate.
ELEVATE raises money for United Way’s Basic Needs Fund, which helps provide Hoosiers with healthy food, affordable housing, reliable transportation and access to health care services.
The finalists were chosen from more than 80 nominees. Leading up to the event, their work will be highlighted on social media and at uwci.org/elevate. This year's finalists are:
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Advocate of the Year, presented by Eli Lilly and Company:
Malina Simone Bacon, GANGGANG
Stacia Murphy, Indy Chamber
Elijah Reid and Aaron Lott, Pepper Construction Group
Peter Schlifke, Metropolitan School District of Washington Township
Britt Sutton, ArtMix
Emerging Leader of the Year, presented by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield:
Willy Ariste, Community Alliance of the Far Eastside
Alexandra Hall, Charity Cares Early Academy
De’Niece Harrison-Hudson, OneAmerica Financial Partners
Sampson Levingston, Through2Eyes
Luke Zhang, Resultant
Nonprofit Employee of the Year, presented by Delta Faucet Company:
Brittany Bayles, Brightlane Learning
Ashleigh Newbold, Indiana Sports Corp
Joel Reichenbach, Sheltering Wings
Rachel Santos, Indiana Latino Institute
Rima Shahid, Women4Change Indiana
Volunteer of the Year:
Waleed Al-Hamed, IndyHub
Alexandra Chamberlain, Putnam County Mural Project
Christina Cheeks, Eskenazi Health
Katelyn Juerling, Kids’ Voice of Indiana
Josh Lemieux, Ultimate Kronos Group
The winners are selected by a panel of five judges:
Al Carroll, president and CEO, IndyHub
Jingo M. de la Rosa, Indianapolis-based illustrator and educator
Luisa Macer, community outreach and fan engagement manager, Indianapolis Motor Speedway
Svitlana Ramer, vice president of development and external affairs at The International Center, co-founder and president of Ukrainian Society of Indiana
Jenni White, founding executive director, Trinity Haven
The 20 finalists also are eligible to win the People’s Choice award, presented by Katz, Sapper & Miller. The public can vote for their top pick by visiting uwci.org/elevate.