And The 2017 Rad Awards Nominees Are...

And The 2017 Rad Awards Nominees Are...

Congratulations to everyone on our list of 2017 Rad Awards nominees! We are ready and excited to celebrate all of your accomplishments on May 2nd at Stratus Rooftop Lounge. Folks, if you haven't grabbed tickets yet, you can do so here! This event will sell out, so get tickets while they last!

A special thank you to our generous sponsors for making The Rad Awards possible: Stratus Rooftop Lounge, Quaker City Mercantile, Cashman & Associates, Comcast NBCUniversal, Temple University Alumni Association, Soul Cycle, Ticketleap, Smilebooth, and Red Spark. We love you.

And the nominees are...

Nonprofit of the Year

Alexandra Gibson | Festival & Events Director, Philadelphia Film Society
Rachel Zimmerman | Executive Director, InLiquid
Tracey Welson-Rossman | Founder, TechGirlz
Barbara Silzle |  Executive Director, The Philadelphia Cultural Fund

Entrepreneur of the Year

Bonkosi Horn|  The Local
Marla McDermott |  Founder and President of The Walnut Club
Caitlin Maloney | Clover Event Co
Elizabeth Sieber | Owner of Omoi Zakka Shop and Select Shop 215

Technologist of the Year

LeeAnn Kinney |  Front-End Developer, Bayada Home Healthcare
Alexandra Dodson |  Cofounder, Boost Linguistics
Tiffanie Stanard | President/CEO of Prestige Concepts
Sarah Gray | Software Engineer, PromptWorks

Scientist of the Year

Karen Hogan | Biorealize
Brianna Wronko | Founder & CEO, Group K Diagnostics
Antoinette T. Thwaites | Founder, Association of Women in Forensic Science
Leslie Lamberson | Leslie Lamberson’s Dynamic Multifunctional Materials Laboratory

Artist of the Year

Camae Ayewa | Moor Mother and Girls Rock Philly
Ali Williams | Chroma Dolls
Emily Smith | Executive Director, Philadelphia’s Magic Gardens
Kara Springer | White people. Do something.

Educator of the Year

Lauren Footman | President, NAACP PA State Conference Youth and College Division
Shana Kennedy | Executive Director, Circadium School of Contemporary Circus
Ellen Weber | Executive Director, Temple University’s Innovation and Entrepreneurship Institute
Connie Grier | Founder, The Respect Alliance

Product of the Year

Poundcake Cosmetics | Camille Bell, Founder
The Rungh System | Neha Raman, Founder
Grateful Plate | Beth Strauss, Founder
NaturAll Club | Muhga Eltigani, CEO

Connector of the Year

Yuval Yarden | Philly Startup Leaders & Amplify Philly
Archna Sahay | Director, Entrepreneurial Investment for the City of Philadelphia
Jennifer Devor | Director of Partnerships, Campus Philly
Syreeta Martin | CEO & Founder of Sincerely Syreeta & Co

Innovator of the Year

Katey Metzroth | Cities Director, SecondMuse
Karina Kacala | Marketing Manager, Opera Philadelphia
Stacey Mosley | Founder & CEO, Fixlist
Lisa Gaidanowicz | Director, Urbanstead

Storyteller of the Year

Ashley Hahn | Managing Editor, PlanPhilly
Jenea Robinson | Senior Media Relations Manager, Visit Philadelphia
Trenae Nuri | Producer, WHYY’s Radio Times
Kristin Dudley | Executive Producer, Tweed Video

Activist of the Year

Katie Monroe | Business Services and Events Specialist, Fairmount Community Development Corporation
Lolly Galvin | Founder, #dignityproject #phillystreetcuts ✂️@beautifulpeoplepodcas
Sara Lomax-Reese | President & General Manager, WURD Radio
Grace Ahn Organizer | #CollectiveActionPHL

Rad Guy of the Year

R. Eric Thomas | Professional Playwrite & Ellle.com columnist
Ernest Owens | Editor of G Philly
Conrad Benner | Streets Dept
Nic Esposito | Zero Waste and Litter Director, City of Philadelphia

Rad Girl of the Year

Ariell Johnson | Amalgam Comics & Coffeehouse
Cristina Martinez | Chef & Owner, South Philadelphia Barbacoa
Sharron Cooks | Chair, The Mayor’s Commission on LGBT Affairs
Carolina Cabrera DiGiorgio | CEO, Congreso de Latinos Unidos