Northern Kentucky Young Professionals (NKYP) is proud to announce the finalists for the 2026 Next Generation Leader Awards (NGLA), which recognize young professionals ages 40 and younger for their professional accomplishments, demonstrated leadership, and community impact.
This year’s celebration will also honor Dawn Denham with the NKYP Legend Award, recognizing her contributions to developing and supporting leaders across Northern Kentucky.
“The Next Generation Leader Awards recognize some of our region’s most impactful young professionals who are making an impact in their workplaces and communities,” said Tori Roberts, Area Assistant Vice President at Gallagher and NKYP Chair. “This is an event we look forward to every year, as it allows us to shine a light on young local leaders that are helping shape and guide our region’s future.”
The awards span 10 categories based on applicants’ primary job responsibilities across a range of industries. Applications were scored by a panel of 20 judges comprised of industry and community leaders. The three highest-scored applicants in each category were selected as finalists, with the highest-scoring applicant to be announced during the awards program as the category winner.
The 2026 NGLA finalists are:
Advocacy & Government Affairs
– Amy Martin, Northern Kentucky Office of Drug Control Policy
– Samuel Shelton, City of Bellevue
– Sebastian Torres, City of Covington
Arts, Entertainment & Hospitality
– Cherish Ludlow, Embassy Suites by Hilton
– Katarina Noll, Spire Hospitality
– Rachael Parker, ArtsWave
Education
– Kara Kowalk, Fort Thomas Independent Schools
– Abby Ober, Northern Kentucky University
– Chris Rickels, Gateway Community & Technical College
Entrepreneurship
– Abbey Cummins, Everything Cincy
– Samantha Kelly, Beyond Neurodiversity
– Chris Korba, Topshell Plumbing
Financial Services
– Brittany Bischoff, Excelsior Accounting Services
– Hank Heidrich, Fifth Third Securities
– Justin Vanderglas, Clark Schaefer Hackett
Media & Marketing
– Stephanie Downing, St. Elizabeth Healthcare
– Arian Green, NKY AI
– Molly Wheeler, Prysmian
Medical & Healthcare Services
– Danielle Albin, St. Elizabeth Hospital
– Amanda Osborne, The Christ Hospital Health Network
– Jennifer Wick, The Christ Hospital Health Network
Professional Services
– Jimmy Beatrice, Houchens Insurance Group
– Devon Greco, BE NKY Growth Partnership
– Lauren Huizenga, Western & Southern Financial Group, Inc.
Public Service & Community-Based Organizations
– Casey Baker-Romans, Northern Kentucky Health Department
– Travis Gysegem, The Catalytic Fund
– Jordan Smith, Jordan Smith Community Care Foundation
– Operations & Infrastructure
– Kraig Eckstein, New Riff Distilling
– Omar El Masri, PRIME AE Group, Inc.
– Philip Galeucia, Jabil
In addition to recognizing the NGLA finalists, Dawn Denham will be honored with the NKYP Legend Award, given to a community leader in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati region who has inspired leadership and career success among the next generation of leaders throughout their career.
Dawn’s professional career has spanned roles in communications, community engagement, and nonprofit leadership. From 2017 to 2024, Dawn served as Director of Leadership at the Northern Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. During those seven years, she helped hundreds of business leaders deepen their understanding of the region, build meaningful relationships, and find ways to serve their communities.
Her career also includes leadership roles with United Way, Boone County Schools, and CTI Clinical Trials and Consulting. Most recently, she served as Director of Marketing and Engagement at Horizon Community Foundation of Northern Kentucky.
Following a breast cancer diagnosis in 2025, Dawn stepped away from her professional career to focus on her health and her family. She remains deeply connected to Northern Kentucky.
“Dawn’s impact in our community, particularly when it comes to helping develop young leaders, is immeasurable,” said Kyle Frizzell, NKY Chamber Director of Events and NKYP. “Through her role as the NKY Chamber’s Director of Leadership, as well as her time working in nonprofits and education, Dawn provided countless opportunities for young professionals to develop leadership skills and grow as professionals and individuals. We are grateful for her contributions to our community, and we are honored to present her with this year’s Legend Award.”
“I feel incredibly fortunate to have spent much of my career advocating for Northern Kentucky and helping others discover what makes this region such a special place,” said Denham. “Along the way, I’ve met amazing people, built lasting friendships, and learned just as much from others as I hope they’ve learned from me. To be recognized for doing something I genuinely loved is truly an honor.”
All finalists and honorees will be celebrated and category winners announced during the awards ceremony on Thursday, Nov. 19, from 5-7:45 p.m. at The Carnegie (1028 Scott Blvd., Covington, KY 41011). Tickets are $50, with a discounted rate of $40 for NKYP members. Admission is free for NKYP Event Pass holders.
More information and registration are available at NKYChamber.com/events.
To inquire about sponsorship opportunities or to learn more about NKYP, contact Kyle Frizzell at kfrizzell@nkychamber.com.
Sponsors include:
Presenting Sponsor: MeetNKY
Event Sponsors: Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Scooter Media, Duke Energy
Award Sponsor: Clark Schaefer Hackett
Program Partner: Corporate Document Solutions
Media Partner: Cincinnati Business Courier
