The 2019 Santa Clarita Valley Man and Woman of the Year nominees were announced during a recognition party in Sand Canyon on Wednesday.
Members of the community gathered at the home of Wayne and Dianne Crawford, as the 2018 winners, Nick Lentini and Gloria Mercado-Fortine, introduced the nominees and the organizations that nominated them.
“I get chills each time I’m nominated,” said Ann-Marie Bjorkman, the Boys and Girls Club of SCV’s nominee. “Especially being surrounded by all these powerful women, it’s an honor.”
This year’s Man and Woman of the Year dinner, scheduled May 3, will be the 54th annual event created to honor men and women who have given outstanding volunteer service to the community, according to Mercado-Fortine.
“They have left a lasting impact on our community,” Mercado-Fortine said. “All of the nominees have given it their all and made a difference in Santa Clarita.”
Each year, local nonprofit organizations are given the opportunity to nominate a man and woman they feel has gone above and beyond in making an impact on the SCV’s nonprofit community.
“Our community is unique in the philanthropic endeavors that we are involved in — people are so willing to give back,” said Steve Corn, who was nominated by the COC Foundation. “This community has a spirit of giving back that I think exceeds any town of its size or double its size. I think it’s awesome, and it’s what makes Santa Clarita so great to live in.”
2019 nominees for SCV Man of the Year:
- Alan Ferdman – Samuel Dixon Family Health Centers
- Brian Koegle – HandsOn Santa Clarita, SCV Senior Center
- Dale Donohoe – HMNH Foundation
- Ed Masterson – Carousel Ranch, Child and Family Center, WiSH Foundation
- Glenn Terry – Rotary Club of SCV
- Hunt Braly – Bridge to Home, Homes4Families
- Ken Wiseman – SCV Sheriff’s Foundation
- Steve Corn – COC Foundation
- Taylor Kellstrom – Children’s Hospital Los Angeles, Circle of Hope, JCI Santa Clarita
2019 nominees for SCV Woman of the Year:
- Ann-Marie Bjorkman – Boys and Girls Club of SCV
- Anna Riggs – OLPH Italian Catholic Club
- Darleen Lyons – Zonta Club of SCV
- Doreen Shine – COC Foundation
- Janine Jones – American Cancer Society, SRD-Straightening Reins Foundation
- Julie Sturgeon – SCV Senior Center
- Laura Kirchhoff – Circle of Hope, Soroptimist International of Greater SCV
- Mitzi Like – HMNH Foundation
- Pam Ingram – Sebastian Velona Foundation
- Sharlene Duzick – JCI Santa Clarita
- Sue Reynolds Buckley – Child and Family Center
- Tami Edwards – Rotary Club of SCV
- Teresa Todd – Carousel Ranch
Winners will be announced at the 2019 Santa Clarita Valley Man and Woman of the Year dinner, scheduled 6 p.m. Friday, May 3, at the Hyatt Regency Valencia. For more information contact Adele Macpherson at 661-510-0384 or [email protected].
To learn more about this year’s nominees or the SCV Man and Woman of the Year award, visit https://scvmw.org/.
