Pictured are graduates from the Leadership Lackawanna Core Program at the Celebration of Leadership event. From left to right: Sean Ritter, Fancy Parsley Architecture+Design; Timothy Frank, Educational Opportunity Centers, Inc.; Tom Zurla, FNCB Bank; Stephanie Abraham, FNCB Bank; Francis Wanat, Tobyhanna Army Depot; and Kenrick Brewster, Greater Scranton YMCA.
Submitted photo
Leadership Lackawanna, a local nonprofit organization dedicated to community leadership and professional development, recently celebrated the 29 individuals graduating from the Core Program at its Celebration of Leadership event held on Wednesday, June 16, at the Country Club of Scranton.
The event honored Leadership Lackawanna’s 38-year history of visionary leadership, commitment to excellence, and impact on Northeastern Pennsylvania, and included networking, raffles, a community service project showcase, and the presentation of certificates to the graduating participants.
The 10-month Core Program initiative provides participants with leadership, interpersonal and managerial skills, and an enhanced understanding of the issues and topics relevant to the Greater Scranton area through monthly sessions. The Class of 2021 graduates, which represented a diverse group of mid-level emerging leaders from different businesses and organizations, now join an elite group of over 2,400 Leadership Lackawanna alumni.
In addition to the sessions, members participate in group projects to foster teamwork. The efforts this year benefited four outstanding Lackawanna County organizations including The Boys & Girls Clubs of NEPA, Keystone Mission, The North Pocono Library, and NeighborWorks of Northeastern Pennsylvania.
The Leadership Lackawanna Core Program Class of 2021 graduates include:
• Stephanie E. Abraham, FNCB Bank
• Jennifer Azarowicz, The Azek Company
• Bailyn Bench, Proctor & Gamble
• Joseph Michael Bilotta, Tobyhanna Army Depot
• Kenrick D. Brewster, Greater Scranton YMCA
• Megan Coleman-Derenick, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine
• Michelle Cook, Community Bank, N.A.
• Christopher P. DePrimo, Penn Foster
• Timothy Frank, Educational Opportunity Centers, Inc.
• Alexander G. Gundling, Shining Star Award recipient, Penn Foster
• Vicki Hazzouri, Benco Dental
• Patrick A. Keehan, The University of Scranton Small Business Development Center
• Matthew Lewis, Allied Services
• Kris Rudy Liebegott, Lackawanna College
• Mackenzie P. Madigan, Gertrude Hawk Chocolates
• Justin Marino, United Neighborhood Centers
• Meredith Eileen Mercuri, Barry Callebaut
• Jesse G. Novatski, Penn State Scranton
• Sara Rinkunas, Penn State Scranton
• Sean Michael Ritter, Fancy Parsley Architecture+Design
• Michele Santaniello, Fidelity Bank
• Jennifer Shoemaker, Outreach Center for Community Resources
• Chrissy Thomas, Prudential Retirement
• Walter Tompkins, The Azek Company
• Francis A. Wanat, Tobyhanna Army Depot
• Danielle E. Weinschenk, Class Leader of the Year recipient, Tobyhanna Army Depot
• Robert Welsch, Tobyhanna Army Depot
• Vivian Williams, Scranton Area Foundation
• Thomas P. Zurla, FNCB Bank
The Celebration of Leadership event was made possible by the generosity of its top sponsors, M&T Bank and the Maximus Foundation. Contributing sponsors included PPL, Chamberlin and Reinheimer Insurers, Community Bank, N.A., Japhy Creative, FNCB Bank, Gertrude Hawk Chocolates, and The Greater Scranton Chamber of Commerce.
A video of the event can be viewed at LeadershipLackawanna.com.
