Leadership Northeast honors alum Stacey Kile

PLAINS TWP. — Stacey Kile on Thursday was presented the 2022 Leadership Northeast Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award at the organization’s annual graduation dinner at The Woodlands.

Kile, 50, of Kingston, is sales operations manager for Geisinger Health Plan, is a 2011 graduate of Leadership Northeast, and she has been actively involved with the LNE family ever since.

Kile said she believes her personal community servant leadership is as important as effective management and customer service in her professional life.

“When Lori Nocito (LNE Executive director) called to tell me of this award, I was completely humbled and blessed,” Kile said. “And I have gone through a lot of emotions since being told — thankfulness, humility and reverence come to mind first.”

Kile has been involved with several organizations, including Luzerne County Head Start, 570 On the Go, and Leadership Northeast, among others.

“I really believe it’s important to give back to the community,” Kile said. “I’ve always been community-focused, It’s just part of who I am.”

Kile said she feels everyone has the potential to make a difference in the community.

“We all need to do what we can to make an impact and together we will make our world better,” she said.

Kile’s list of volunteer commitments is long, and she not only gives of her time and talents — she leads. Along with sitting on the Leadership Northeast Board of Directors and Advisory Council, she also serves as Vice President on the Executive Board of directors for Luzerne County Head Start and Health Advisory Council; she serves as a board member for the local foundation 570 on the Go and has recently joined the Osterhout gala committee and previously served on the Luzerne County Youth Aid Panel. She is actively involved with many fundraising efforts and awareness for several nonprofit organizations within our communities.

When the pandemic struck, Kile was uniquely prepared, thanks to Leadership Incident Command Training at FEMA’s Center for Domestic Preparedness, and she rose to the challenge by assisting with the operational needs of the Geisinger vaccine center. The effort, which involved everything from labeling vaccines to helping elderly patients through the process, exemplifies Kile’s approach to work and volunteering — whatever task needs to be done, she will willingly pitch in for her colleagues and community.

Kile was awarded the 2021 Luzerne County Head Start Outstanding Community Partner Award; she was recently recognized by Geisinger for the 31 Days of Women in Power for Dress for Success; she was also featured in Geisinger’s “Leading by Example” series, highlighting dedicated leaders who are passionate about connecting with our communities through volunteerism.

2022 Leadership Northeast graduates

HALEIGH BEKANICH, Maximus

BRETT BELLAS, Tobyhanna Army Depot

CARTIS BEST, Procter & Gamble

KELLY BILLIG, Luzerne County Head Start

DANIEL BOOTE, FNCB Bank

JULIANA DENARDI, Geisinger Health Plan

SETH DUPLER, All-Phase Electric Supply

CHRISTOPHER GAZDICK, Community Bank, N.A.

DAISY GEISINGER, FNCB Bank

JONATHAN GENSEL, UGI Utilities, Inc.

KEVIN HARGER-BLIZZARD, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Co.

ALISON HIGHTOWER, Step by Step Inc.

MARY HIRTHLER, Jacobi Capital Management

LAURA HOLBROOK, Luzerne County Flood Protection Authority

DAWN HOLMES, CVS Caremark

RACHEL KERN, InterMetro Industries Inc.

DAN KIMBROUGH, Park Multimedia

MIKAYLA KLYM, Cohen & Haydu Chiropractic Clinic, PC

MADELINE KROPP, Wyoming Seminary

ANDREW KUDASIK, PNC Bank

ELIZABETH KUNA, Sennett & Associates Wealth Group

JOHN LISMAN, ESQ., Hoegan & Associates, P.C.

CAMARYN LOKUTA, Coal Creative

LISA MAKARA, Geisinger

LISA MALCOLM, Misericordia University

DAVID MANNING, Geisinger Commonwealth School of Medicine

YLLIAN MARINELLI, Benco Dental

WILLIAM MCINTOSH, Luzerne County

LAUREN MENN, F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts

SHANIE MOHAMED, Greater Wyoming Valley Chamber of Commerce

ABBY MOULES, Borton-Lawson

SARAH MULÉ, Back Mountain Chamber of Commerce

MATTHEW NICHOLAS, Power Engineering Corporation

RACHEL OLSZEWSKI, ESQ., Scartelli Olszewski, P.C.

JILL PATTON, DiscoverNEPA

JOCELYN REEVES, Kontoor Brands

MEDINA SAEED, Smoke Before Fire

JOANNA BRYN SMITH, ESQ., Domestic Violence Service Center

WALTER STOUT, Wunderkind

STEPHANIE SYNOSKI, Geisinger

LUCY VAVREK, Geisinger

MELISSA YOUNGBLOOD, Luzerne Bank

KATHERINE ZIELINSKI, Luzerne County Community College

Leadership Northeast 2022 Project Teams

Cougar Cubs Corner

Worked with the Bourger Women with Children Program at Misericordia University to outfit a learning and exploration space for the children in their newly remodeled community home.

Team Members: Haleigh Bekanich, Juliana Denardi, Madeline Kropp. Lisa Makara, David Manning, Lauren Menn, Medina Saeed.

Advisor: Brittany Shoemaker

Kitchen Impossible

Fully rehabilitated the kitchen, including all new appliances, at Ruth’s Place shelter for women and children.

Team members: Dan Kimbrough, Jyllian Marinelli, Shanie Mohamed, Rachel Olszewski, Jocelyn Reeves, Stephanie Synoski, Lucy Vavrek.

Advisor: Mike Bass

Mi Casa es su Casa

Created a safe area where foster children of CASA of Luzerne County can meet with their advocates.

Team members: Cartis Best, Christopher Gazdik, Dawn Holmes, Rachel Kern, Camaryn Lokuta, Jill Robinson, Joanna Bryn Smith.

Advisor: Gordon Pearson

Pampered Paws

Outfitted the SPCA of Luzerne County with a proper grooming room for the animals in the community who need caring homes.

Team members: Seth Dupler, Mikayla Klym, John Lisman, William McIntosh, Abby Moules, Matthew Nicholas, Melissa Youngblood.

Advisor: Michele Bound

Readership Wyoming

Transformed the Wyoming Free Library’s Children’s Library into an accessible, inviting, and engaging space which will help foster a lifelong love of learning.

Team members: Daisy Geisinger, Jonathan Gensel, Mary Hirthler, Andrew Kudasik, Lisa Malcolm, Sarah Mulé, Walter Stout.

Advisor: Pete Adonizio

Team Beezy

Brought interactive children’s art to downtown Wilkes-Barre.

Team members: Brett Bellas, Kelly Billig, Daniel Boote, Kevin Harger-Blizzard, Alison Hightower, Laura Holbrook, Elizabeth Kuna, Katherine Zielinski.

Advisor: Timothy Ooms