TechBridge Community Leader Awards

    All of us at TechBridge are proud to be a part of the best community of leaders, innovators, and philanthropists out there. With our Community Leader Awards, we recognize outstanding community members throughout the year with several distinguished awards.

    Nominations for this year’s awards are open through .

    ↓ Continue reading to learn more about the award criteria and our  –  winners and finalists. ↓

    Awards Open for Public Nominations

    2024 Ann Cramer Volunteer of the Year Award

    Ann Cramer at lectern

    Individuals nominated for this award demonstrate excellence at a national or civic level, exercise exemplary social or corporate responsibility, play a leading role in advocating for volunteerism, and provide an outstanding contribution to community service efforts.

    Read more about the award

    2024 Bill Bolling Nonprofit Leader Award

    Bill Bolling

    Individuals nominated for this award are an outstanding volunteer or staff member of a nonprofit organization in Georgia who engages the wider community to assist in-need and at-risk community members. The recipient demonstrates an understanding of technological innovation and social entrepreneurship.  

    Read more about the award

    2024 Ed Steinike CIO Award

    Headshot of Ed Steinike

    This award recognizes chief technology or chief information officers exhibiting exceptional qualities and abilities. The Ed Steinike CIO Award was first given in  awarded to an exceptional CIO demonstrating a passion for mentoring and commitment to philanthropy.

    Read more about the award

    2024 Sig Mosley Entrepreneurial Leader Award

    Sig Mosely

    A nominee for this award conceptualizes, strategizes, and launches the venture, and navigates the evolution of the business model and is a founder, owner, or past owner of the business at the time of the nomination allowing for selling the business or acquisition arrangements.

    Read more about the award

    2024 TechBridge Community Leader Awards Nomination

    Use the form below to submit your nominations for the 2024 Ed Steinike CIO, Ann Cramer Volunteer of the Year, Bill Bolling Nonprofit Leader, and Sig Mosley Entrepreneurial Leader awards.

    You're welcome to nominate someone for multiple awards, but we ask that you ensure they are a qualified candidate for each award you nominate them for (e.g. they must be a leader at a nonprofit to be considered for the Bill Bolling Nonprofit Leader Award and they must be a CIO/CTO to be considered for the Ed Steinike CIO Award).

    It goes without saying, but please don’t nominate yourself.

    Step 1 of 3

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    Which award(s) are you nominating someone for?

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    Other Awards

    2024 Community Leader Award

    Candidates for the Community Leader Award apply technology-driven solutions and business thinking to do ‘good’ for nonprofit organizations addressing Georgia’s most challenging issues. The award values private and public partnerships that bring innovation to social conditions that can limit people living in poverty.

    2024 Vish Narendra TCP Graduate of Excellence Award

    Vish Narendra in formal evening dress at Digital Ball 2018

    This award commemorates Vish Narendra and his incredible work for and with TechBridge. Vish is a co-founder of the Technology Career Program and is a consistent supporter of TechBridge.

    Read more about the award

    2022 – 2023 Awards Finalists

    2022 Ann Cramer Volunteer of the Year Award Finalists

    Maranie Brown

    Maranie Brown studio portrait. Maranie appears a middle-aged Black woman. She has shoulder-length, dark hair and is wearing eyeglasses and a red business suit. She is also wearing a necklace featuring large wooden beads. She looks directly at the camera and has a broad, open smile.

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    Maranie Brown is VP of data platforms and solutions at BlackRock, where she leads their environmental, societal, and governance (ESG) data program. Her team develops and operates the platforms that produce, distribute, and govern enterprise data and analytics for BlackRock and its Aladdin clients.

    Sonjui Kumar

    Sonjui Kumar

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    Sonjui L. Kumar is a founding partner of KPPB Law, a minority owned and certified law firm, established in Atlanta, Georgia in , with offices in Houston, Virginia, and New York.

    Tino Mantella

    Tito Mantella formal portrait. Tito is wearing a dark suit and is seated in front of bookshelves. His hands are clasped in front of him and he is smiling.

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    Tino Mantella joined Turknett Leadership as President and CEO in . Over the course of his career, he has led some of the nation’s largest nonprofit organizations, as well as for-profit companies in diversified fields such as human and social services, health, and technology.

    Basil Phillips

    Basil Phillips formal portrait. Phillips appears to be a middle-aged to older Black man. His hair is short; he sports a beige evening jacket with notched lapel, a tri-pointed pocket square, and a yellow and black bowtie.

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    Basil T. Phillips Sr. is President and CEO of Global Village Impact Corp., a 501(c)3 nonprofit agency. Since Global Village has remained dedicated to the legacy of Phillips’s parents, the late Reverends Wesley and Leith Phillips, by providing a helping hand to the least and the lost.

    WINNER
    Ricky Steele

    Studio portrait of Ricky Steele. Steele wears a dark business suit and an abstract patterned tie featuring saturated primary colors. He is is smiling. He has short, dark hair going gray, a broad nose, and dark eyes.

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    Richard “Ricky” Steele is the ultimate rainmaker. Steele has a long history of developing new business, expanding brands, marketing, public relations, and community engagement for clients across many industries.

    2022 Bill Bolling Nonprofit Leader Award Finalists

    Richard Hicks

    Richard Hicks formal studio portrait. He is wearing a dark suit, white shirt, and maroon silk tie. He is looking directly at the camera and smiling. His head is shaved and he has a neatly trimmed beard and mustache.

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    Richard Hicks is the CEO & President of Inspiredu, as well as a transformational nonprofit leader and speaker committed to improving opportunities for children and helping families improve their socioeconomic status. In his 15 years with Inspiredu, Richard has led teams, managed high-dollar projects, and developed growth and fundraising strategies.

    Tyronda Minter

    Cropped image of Tyronday Minter; she appears to by giving a presentation. Her hands are raised; she is smiling. She is a Black woman with shoulder-length dark hair. She is wearing a gray suit and a necklace.

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    Tyronda Minter is a long-time advocate for vulnerable children, families, and communities. With decades of progressive leadership experience in the nonprofit and government sectors, she is an effective conduit between communities, philanthropy, and systems, driving positive outcomes for underserved people and communities.

    WINNER
    Bryan Schroeder

    Bryan Schroeder formal portrait. He is standing in front of aqua-colored metal siding with his arms crossed. He is smiling. He is wearing a blue-checked button-up shirt and denim jeans.

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    Bryan Schroeder is the Executive Director at Giving Kitchen, a James Beard Foundation award-winning nonprofit headquartered in Atlanta. Giving Kitchen provides emergency assistance to food service workers through financial assistance and a connection to community resources.

    Tara Stoinski

    Portrait of Dr. Tara Stoinski. She appears to be a 30- to 40-year-old white woman with shoulder length chestnut hair. She is wearing a white cardigan with dark contrasting placket and a dark blouse. She is standing in front of a wall of green vegetation.

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    Tara Stoinski, who holds a doctorate in psychology, serves as President, CEO, and Chief Scientific Officer for the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund.

    2023 Ed Steinike CIO Award Finalists

    Walt Carter

    Portrait of Walt Carter. He appears-aged, with short gray hair & a gray mustache & beard. He is slightly heavyset and wears a dark suit, white shirt, and red tie.

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    Walt Carter is Chief Digital Officer and CIO at Homestar Financial Corporation. With more than twenty-five years in technology leadership roles, Carter specializes in aligning technology choices to business strategy and in driving results-focused innovation.

    Marcia Calleja-Matsko

    Portrait of Marcia Calleja-Matsko. She appears to be in her late 20s or early 30s, has fair skin & dark, shoulder length hair, and wears a blue suit and colorful floral blouse. The out-of-focus background appears to be an office or commercial setting.

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    Marcia Calleja-Matsko is the CIO of insurance and financial services at HR consulting company OneDigital. She also serves as the chairperson of Georgia CIO Advisory Board and is the chairperson for the WIT Strategy Committee.

    Elizabeth Hoemeke

    Portrait of Elizabeth Hoemeke. Elizabeth appears middle-aged. She has long blonde hair and wears a sleeveless navy blue dress and 3 strands of pearls.

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    Elizabeth Holmes has over 20 years’ of experience in product development and IT. As CIO of payments processor One Inc., she oversees the implementation of the company’s global IT strategy and leads all aspects of technology.

    Ken Meyer

    Formal portrait of Ken Meyer. He appears middle-aged. He is bald with fair skin and a dark beard shot thru with gray. He is posing outdoors in a blue Prince of Wales check suit and a open collar, light blue shirt.

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    Ken Meyer is chief information and experience officer at Truist Financial Corporation, responsible for technology delivery and support, experience design, and innovation.

    WINNER
    Vish Narendra

    Forma studio headshot of Vish Narendra. Vish is wearing a slate grey suit, light lilac shirt, and red tie with a diamond grid pattern.

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    Vish Narendra is a seasoned business and technology executive driving business value, growth, and operational efficiencies over the last 25+ years. Since , Vish has been the CIO & SVP of Global Business Services at Graphic Packaging International (GPI).

    2022 Sig Mosley Entrepreneurial Leader Award Finalists

    Jessie Buckelew

    Informal portrait of Jessie Buckelew. She is a youngish blonde woman wearing a light top and flashing a big smile. The blurry background is some sort of greenery.

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    Jessie Buckelew is the COO at Clean Hands – Safe Hands, a division of SwipeSense.

    John DeShazer

    Informal portrait of John DeShazer. He is a youngish Black man with short cropped hair and a big smile. He wears a blue suit jacket or sport coat and an open-collar white shirt. The blurry background suggests a restaurant or bar interior.

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    John DeShazer is a driven leader in the tech industry, combining his business knowledge and technical skills with a commitment to making a difference in his community. He has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Georgia College and State University and over 10 years of experience in CRM and marketing automation.

    Mark Inkrott

    Informal portrait of Mark Inkrott. A youngish white man, his dark hair is upswept and he has a dark beard with the beginnings of gray appearing. He wears a bright blue suit jacket and a blue checked shirt open at the collar. The blurry background suggests and office or other commercial interior.

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    Mark Inkrott is co-founder and partner of UpField Group, a strategy and financial consulting firm that also manages a capital portfolio of companies.

    Wain Kellum

    Studio portrait of Wain Kellum, a middle-aged white man with short white hair and a short gray stubble. He wears wireframe eyeglasses, a gray suit jacket, and an open-collar white shirt with gray pinstripes. His arms are folded across his torso.

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    Over the past three decades, Wain Kellum has led six software companies to successful exits, including his first company (Extreme Logic, which he founded in his twenties).

    WINNER
    Charlie Paparelli

    Studio portrait of Charlie Paparelli, an older white man with short gray and white hair. He is wearing frameless eyeglasses , an cornflower blue v-neck pullover sweater, and a blue patterned shirt.

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    Charlie Paparelli is a 30-year professional angel investor. He began his investing career in when he invested in his first two deals.

    2023 Community Leader Award Finalists

    Jay Bailey

    Crop of a formal portrait of Jay Bailey. The photo is grayscale (black & white). Jay appears a middle-aged Black man with short, cropped hair & a neat beard. He wears a 3-piece suit. He it touching his forehead with his left index finger and smiling.

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    Committed to living by his personal motto, Build as we climb, entrepreneur and emerging philanthropist James M. “Jay” Bailey has dedicated his life to serving others.

    WINNER
    Pat Upshaw-Monteith

    Crop of studio portrait of Pat Upshaw-Monteith. She appears to be a middle-aged Black woman with medium-length, dark hair. She is wearing red lipstick, a dark suit, and a multi-strand pearl necklace.

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    Since , Pat Upshaw-Monteith risen through the ranks at Leadership Atlanta, ultimately becoming president and CEO in .

    2023 Vish Narendra TCP Graduate of Excellence Award Finalists

    WINNER
    Yonathan Ghebremedhin

    Crop of studio portrait of Yonathan Ghebremedhin. He appears a slender, middle-aged Black man with a salt & pepper mustache and short natural hair, which is longer on top. He wears a navy suit & tie and a light blue shirt.

    About
    Nominee Statement

    Yonathan Ghebremedhin emigrated with his young family from Eritrea in . He graduated from TCP’s 12-week technical training program in .

    Letisha Livingstone

    Informal portrait of Letisha Livingstone. She appears a young Black woman with long, straight hair and prominent eyelashes.

    About
    Nominee Statement

    Letisha Livingstone was born in Jamaica, West Indies. She graduated from Florida Institute of Technology with a degree in Computer Science. She graduated from TCP’s 16-week technical training program in .

    Maria Ramos

    Crop of a formal portrait of Maria Ramos. She appears a young Latinx woman with long, brown hair and a big smile. She wears a dark suit with a scalloped lapel and dark-rust colored blouse, plus a gold-colored necklace.

    About
    Nominee Statement

    After graduating from TCP’s front-end developer training program, Maria Ramos went from overseeing events and special projects for Voices for Georgia’s Children to leading select statewide mental health initiatives and projects for their research and policy team.