<p>Anthony Melf and Helene O’Boyle laugh at one of the videos made by fellow graduates.</p>

Anthony Melf and Helene O’Boyle laugh at one of the videos made by fellow graduates.
<p>From left, first row: Sara Urena, Erica Sadowski, Amy Paddock, Alysha Davis, Jessica Buickus, Tanya Osenkarski, Carla Jagodzinski, Crystal Kotlowski, Tara Giarratano, Esq., Kyra Fauerbach, David Kale, Lisa Malarkey, Eileen Kelly, Jyllian Marinelli, and Holly Spece. Second row: Cassidy Smith, Nicole Kapp, Amanda Nicotra, Rebekah Cleary, Helene O’Boyle, Shelby Yoh, Justin Topa, Alice Morris, Siria Matos, Melissa Moore, Kristin Grow, Patricia Wilmont, Chloe Guerra, Jeremy Nelson, and Anthony Melf. Third row: Jessica Cronauer, Marc Dixon, Katie Cobleigh, Scott Gomb, Ashley Antolik, Kaitlin Humenansky, Esq., Megan Rogers, Steve Husted, Clarissa Meade, Emma Thompson, Rachel Brutosky, Molly Walsh, Jacob Savitski. Fourth row: Will Grabinski, Jared Melochick, Dominick de Matteo, Gregory Zukosky, Dominick Gulius, Jack Parente, George Korn, Irving Castro, and Timothy Morris.</p>

From left, first row: Sara Urena, Erica Sadowski, Amy Paddock, Alysha Davis, Jessica Buickus, Tanya Osenkarski, Carla Jagodzinski, Crystal Kotlowski, Tara Giarratano, Esq., Kyra Fauerbach, David Kale, Lisa Malarkey, Eileen Kelly, Jyllian Marinelli, and Holly Spece. Second row: Cassidy Smith, Nicole Kapp, Amanda Nicotra, Rebekah Cleary, Helene O’Boyle, Shelby Yoh, Justin Topa, Alice Morris, Siria Matos, Melissa Moore, Kristin Grow, Patricia Wilmont, Chloe Guerra, Jeremy Nelson, and Anthony Melf. Third row: Jessica Cronauer, Marc Dixon, Katie Cobleigh, Scott Gomb, Ashley Antolik, Kaitlin Humenansky, Esq., Megan Rogers, Steve Husted, Clarissa Meade, Emma Thompson, Rachel Brutosky, Molly Walsh, Jacob Savitski. Fourth row: Will Grabinski, Jared Melochick, Dominick de Matteo, Gregory Zukosky, Dominick Gulius, Jack Parente, George Korn, Irving Castro, and Timothy Morris.
<p>Stacey Kile reacts to a comment from Rick Drust.</p>

Stacey Kile reacts to a comment from Rick Drust.
<p>Cassandra Coleman, executive director of America 250, gets emotional during the graduation.</p>

Cassandra Coleman, executive director of America 250, gets emotional during the graduation.
<p>Neil Prisco, from the F.M. Kirby Center, holds a sign for graduate Molly Walsh.</p>

Neil Prisco, from the F.M. Kirby Center, holds a sign for graduate Molly Walsh.

PLAINS TWP. — Leadership Northeast held its 45th Annual Dinner & Graduation at Mohegan Pennsylvania on Thursday.

The event celebrated the Core Class of 2026, and Cassandra Coleman, executive director of America250PA, was honored with the Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award in a room of more than 300 community leaders.

The event, held at Mohegan Pennsylvania, was led by master of ceremonies, Rabbi Larry Kaplan (ELNE ’99), who also welcomed the incoming Core Class of 2027.

“The 2026 Annual Dinner and Graduation marks 45 years of empowering leaders, strengthening community, and driving change,” said Jessica Cronauer, executive director of LNE. “We are sincerely honored to celebrate the fantastic accomplishments of the 48 dedicated servant leaders of the Class of 2026, and the incredible contributions of Cassandra Coleman of America250PA. Cassandra’s ongoing commitment to supporting and advocating for Leadership Northeast and her decades-long history of contributions to the entire Commonwealth of Pennsylvania make her an excellent choice for this year’s Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award.”

The 2026 Class speaker, Jacob Savitsky of Martz Bus, addressed the incoming participants with a special message.

“We didn’t just talk about leadership,” he said. “We practiced it. We showed up for each other. We learned how to collaborate, how to adapt, how to move forward, and how to build a consensus.”

Seven Community Impact Projects were highlighted by team members and videos produced by Park Multimedia.

The Distinguished Leadership Alumni Award was presented to Coleman by Lucy Honeywell and Kathryn Koss, both Junior Leadership Northeast graduates and former America250PA interns.

“I’m humbled to be recognized as a Distinguished Leader by an organization that played a crucial role in my journey,” Coleman said. “LNE programming first shaped my sense of service and purpose during college. I’m grateful for this opportunity to come back and share what I’ve learned in communities across the Commonwealth.”

Applications are still available for the 2027 Leadership Northeast program year. Visit leadershipnortheast.org or call 570-270-5323 for information.

Proud of an alumni base of more than 3,000 servant leaders, Leadership Northeast was founded in 1981 as a community leadership development organization. A non-profit organization, LNE is dedicated to developing informed and committed leaders from all segments of the community who will serve, strengthen and improve Northeastern Pennsylvania.

2026 Core Class members include:

Ashley Antolik, Department of Veterans Affairs; Rachel Brutosky, Sovereign Commercial Services; Jessica Buickus, Wilkes University; Irving Castro, CVS; Rebekah Cleary, Luzerne County Head Start; Katie Cobleigh, Building Blocks Learning Center; Alysha Davis, WellSpan Health; Dominick de Matteo, Misericordia University; Marc Dixon, MAD Consulting, LLC; Kyra Fauerbach, King’s College; Tara Giarratano, Hourigan, Kluger & Quinn; Scott Gomb, Step by Step, Inc.; Will Grabinski, Mohegan Pennsylvania; Kristin Grow, Fidelity Bank; Chloe Guerra, Geisinger; Dominick Gulius, Gallagher/AssuredPartners of NEPA; Kaitlin Humenansky, Wilkes-Barre Law & Library Association/Selingo Guagliardo, LLC; Steve Husted, Knot Just Any Day’ Carla Jagodzinski, Jag Financial Boutique; David Kale, Family Service Association of Northeastern Pennsylvania; Nicole Kapp, Wells Fargo; Eileen Kelly, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies; George Korn, The Hershey Company; Crystal Kotlowski, Volunteers of America of Pennsylvania; Lisa Malarkey, Luzerne County Head Start, Inc.; Siria Matos, Girl Scouts in the Heart of PA; Clarissa Meade, First Keystone Community Bank; Anthony Melf, PA Inclusive; Jared Melochick, Peoples Security Bank & Trust; Melissa Moore, Clem-Mar House, Inc.; Alice Morris, Benco Dental; Timothy Morris, Restored Church; Jeremy Nelson, PA American Water; Amanda Nicotra, UGI; Helene O’Boyle, Northwest Bank; Tanya Osenkarski, Building Blocks Learning Center; Amy Paddock, Kronick Kalada Berdy & Co.; Jack Parente, Two Jacks Cycle & Powersports; Megan Rogers, Benco Dental; Erica Sadowski, Geisinger; Jacob Savitski, Martz Bus; Holly Spece, Johns Hopkins University; Emma Thompson, North Branch Land Trust; Justin Topa, Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza; Molly Walsh, F.M. Kirby Center for the Performing Arts; Patricia Wilmot, Peoples Security Bank & Trust; Shelby Yoh, Berkshire Hathaway GUARD Insurance Companies; and Gregory Zukosky, Verdantas.