Excellence Award Spotlight: Get to know the Advocacy & Young Professional Finalists

Pictured is finalist Robbie Bergquist with US troops.

The 32 finalists for MNN's Nonprofit Excellence Awards represent the best-of-the-best in the sector. From the wide range of life experiences, backgrounds, and skill sets of the nonprofit employees, to the diversity of the missions served by each organization, the Nonprofit Excellence Award finalists represent all that makes the sector unique. We'll be profiling these finalists leading up to Nonprofit Awareness Day. Here's a look at a few of them. 

Advocacy: Changing the Game

The finalists in the advocacy category work tirelessly to bring about change and results. For instance, finalist The Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN), brought together faith, community, and labor organizations, as well as thousands of volunteers, to advocate on behalf of low-income workers.  By lending a voice to those often unheard, MCAN played an integral role in raising the state's minimum wage to $11 and added up to 5 days of sick time for all workers. Also working on behalf of the underrepresented, Citizens for Juvenile Justice led a multi-year effort, their Justice For Kids campaign, which successfully changed the state law and moved kids under 18 to the juvenile system. And victims of rape and sexual assault rely on finalist Victim Rights Law Center to help move the needle on this important subject. The organization has led the local and national dialogue on the topic of college campus sexual assault, increased public awareness through earned media efforts, and helped change policies at colleges and at the federal level.

Young Nonprofit Professional: Forging the Future

Finalists for the Young Professional category are establishing themselves as major forces to be reckoned with, demonstrating the bright future that lies ahead for the nonprofit sector. At the age of 12, Robbie Bergquist, with his sister, Brittany, recognized the limited availability of affordable, secure communications services for active-duty military members and veterans and established Cell Phones for Soldiers. Now 23, Robbie continues to grow and expand the reach of his organization, which so far has provided more than 213 million minutes of talk time for members of the military.  At 28, Vanessa Aguirreche Snow serves as Manager of Organizing and Policy Initiatives at Hyde Square Task Force, a position that allows her to merge her passions for art and social activism and where she's made a clear impact with accomplishments such as creating the Youth Arts Advocacy initiative, which brings together 15 youth arts groups in Greater Boston.  

Scott Bailey, the 27-year-old Managing Director of MassChallenge Boston, is making a name for himself as he leads his organization in supporting high-growth, high-impact startups.  Scott joined the MassChallenge team as an intern and after working his way up through the organization, has made a dramatic impact on the company's effectiveness and long-term success. In the field of education, Sara Bartolino, 27-year-old co-founder of Transforming Education, works to protect youth, ensuring that students are equipped with the mindset, essential skills, and habits needed to succeed in college, a career, and life through unique measurement of their socio-emotional learning and cognitive development.

You can learn about the other impressive finalists here. And don't forget to register for Nonprofit Awareness Day on June 8 at the State House, presented by Citizens Bank, when we'll celebrate all 32 finalists and announce the winners in each category. 

Executive Director, Hyde Square Task Force

Development Director, Design Museum Foundation

Senior Manager, Policy Program, Ceres

Director of Program Excellence, United Teen Equality Center

Communications Manager, Hyams Foundation, Inc.

Chief Financial Officer, Community Connections inc.

Education Program Assistant, Barr Foundation

Vice President of Programs, Community Foundation of Western Massachusetts

Executive Director, ActonTV

Executive Director, The James Library & Center for the Arts

Chief Operating Officer, Ceres

Executive Director, Wellspring House

Director of Development, Doug Flutie Jr. Foundation for Autism

Manager of Marketing and Communications, El Hogar Ministries, Inc.

Senior Innovation Manager, Doorways to Dreams (D2D) Fund

President and Chief Executive Officer, Easter Seals Massachusetts

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