Last night at Celebration Impact, The Arc recognized employees, people we support, and community members who have made a significant difference on behalf of people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. This year’s event provided an excellent opportunity to honor these important leaders at The Arc and beyond and took place on Wednesday, May 1, 2024, at the Chesapeake Bay Beach Club on Kent Island, MD.

 The award ceremony began with Jonathon Rondeau, President & CEO of The Arc, sharing his perspective on The Arc’s growth, successes, and impact over the last year.

 “At The Arc, we define impact as life-altering, sustainable change,” said Jonathon. “Whether it is community-wide impact or something that more directly influences a person’s life, I am proud to say that I see incredible impact in our work every day, and that is what we are here to honor tonight.”

Awards were presented by Jonathon Rondeau, Joan Green, Lorraine Gallagher, Matt Morgan, Jodie Colombo, Catie Comer, John Sheehan, and Laura Carr, and all recipients were met with great applause and appreciation.

 This year’s Celebration Impact awards went to:

Leadership in Direct Service Award

Junell Nash

Leadership in Administration & Management Award

Kathryn Bucolo

Outstanding Personal Achievement Award

Scott Southerland

Kavita Krishnaswamy

Lorraine Sheehan Advocacy Award

Anatasia Kulick

Phillip Emerson

Leadership in Social Responsibility Award

Call Tracking Metrics

Impact through Leadership Award

Ben & Sarah Harries

“We are very proud to honor each of our awardees tonight for the critical work they are doing in their community, day in and day out,” Jonathon added at the end of the program. “The Arc’s ongoing success and continued impact are possible because of the dedication and resilience of the people we support, our employees, and our community members like those we are honoring tonight.”

All awardees received etched glass trophies and bouquets of flowers from the event, and both employees who won awards will receive a $1,000 bonus as part of their award. It is the largest merit-based award granted to employees at The Arc.

Celebration Impact is held every year by The Arc Central Chesapeake Region, and it continues to be a meaningful night celebrating the profound impacts of the people we support, our employees, and community members.