Champion of the Year
Unites and recognizes the community’s most active leaders in the name of inclusion. By devoting their passion, talents, and networks to Best Buddies through a philanthropic competition, our Champions lay the foundation for transformative change in their communities.Find a Campaign
Alabama
Arizona
California
Connecticut
Delaware
Georgia
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa
Kentucky
Maine
Maryland
Michigan
Minnesota
Missouri
Nevada
New Jersey
New Mexico
New York
North Carolina
Oklahoma
Oregon
Pennsylvania
South Carolina
Washington
Washington D.C.
Wisconsin

Supporting Local Programs
All funds raised benefit Best Buddies – the largest organization dedicated to ending the social, physical and economic isolation of the 200 million people worldwide with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD). Our programs empower people with IDD to form meaningful friendships with their peers, secure jobs, improve communication and advocacy skills, and live independently, while also offering support for their families.
The IDD community that Best Buddies serves individuals with IDD and their families. The IDD community includes, but is not limited to, people with Down syndrome, autism, Fragile X, Williams syndrome, and other undiagnosed disabilities.
Circle of Champions


Our 2024 Top 3
1 | $369,216

Nathan Dean
Tennessee
2 | $246,665

Sarah Morgan & Ronin Nance
Palm Beach
3 | $178,927

Meredith Conner
South Carolina
Our Nationwide Champion of the Year Winners

Congrats to our 2024 Alabama Champion of the Year
Jud Robinson & David Carter
Raised $40,619 for Best Buddies in Alabama

Alabama

Congrats to our 2024 Arizona Champion of the Year
Kendra Verdoni
Raised $138,755 for Best Buddies in Arizona

Arizona

Congrats to our 2024 Bay Area Champion of the Year
Ken Seto
Raised over $53,030 for Best Buddies in the Bay Area

California: Bay Area

Congrats to our 2024 Los Angeles Champion of the Year
Dana Schoppers
Raised over $29,000 for Best Buddies in Los Angeles, Long Beach, and Orange County!

California:Los Angeles

Congrats to our 2024 San Diego Champion of the Year
Meg Heidrick-Barnes
Raised $14,150 for Best Buddies in San Diego

California: San Diego

Congrats to our 2024 Sacramento Champion of the Year
Danielle Christy
Raised $39,470 for Best Buddies in Sacramento

California: Sacramento

Congrats to our 2024 Aspen Champion of the Year
Nicole VandeBoom
Raised $119,684.00 for Best Buddies in Aspen

Colorado: Aspen

Congrats to our 2024 Denver Champion of the Year
Raised $48,049 for Best Buddies in Denver

Colorado: Denver

Congrats to our 2023 Connecticut Champion of the Year
Dave Renker & Andrew White
Raised $38,000 for Best Buddies in Connecticut

Connecticut

Congrats to our 2024 Delaware Champion of the Year
Patrick Burns & Matt Planer
Raised $24,790 for Best Buddies in Delaware

Delaware

Congrats to our 2024 North Florida Champion of the Year
Hayden Davis
Raised $88,000 for Best Buddies in North Florida

Florida: North Florida

Congrats to our 2024 Orlando Champion of the Year
Melanie Gyorke & Justin Isaac
Raised $48,754 for Best Buddies in Orlando

Florida: Orlando

Congrats to our 2024 Palm Beach Champion of the Year
Sarah Morgan & Ronin Nance
Raised $246,665 for Best Buddies in Palm Beach

Florida: Palm Beach

Congrats to our 2024 South Florida Champion of the Year
Linda Rinaldi
Raised $68,200 for Best Buddies in South Florida

Florida: South Florida

Congrats to our 2024 Tampa Bay Champion of the Year
Michael & SanDee Jakubik
Raised $67,000 for Best Buddies in Tampa Bay

Florida: Tampa Bay

Congrats to our 2024 Southwest Florida Champion of the Year
Michelle Smith & Allison Reiter
Raised $14,393 for Best Buddies in Southwest Florida

Florida: Southwest

Congrats to our 2024 Georgia Champion of the Year
Hannah Jenkins & Martha Haythorn
Raised $22,000 for Best Buddies in Georgia

Georgia

Congrats to our 2024 Illinois Champion of the Year
Joey O’Brien
Raised $64,137 for Best Buddies in Central Illinois

Illinois: Central Illinois

Congrats to our 2024 Chicago Champion of the Year
Nicole Marty
Raised $111,818.73 for Best Buddies in Chicago

Illinois: Chicago

Congrats to our 2024 Indiana Champion of the Year
Donna Simerly & Michael Wheeler
Raised $45,943 for Best Buddies in Indiana

Indiana

Congrats to our 2024 Iowa Champion of the Year
Brina Bily
Raised $15,950 for Best Buddies in Iowa

Iowa

Congrats to our 2024 Kentucky Champion of the Year
Mark Pfeifer, Layla Pirrman, & Brayden Schindler
Raised $55,000 for Best Buddies in Kentucky

Kentucky

Congrats to our 2024 Maine Champion of the Year
Ellie Clifford and Caitlin Williams
Raised $64,000.00 for Best Buddies in Maine. In total, we raised $300,000!

Maine

Congrats to our 2024 Maryland Champion of the Year
Mary Snowdon
Raised $23,687 for Best Buddies in Maryland

Maryland

Congrats to our 2024 Michigan Champion of the Year
Alexis Fisher
Raised $26,291.00 for Best Buddies in Michigan

Michigan

Congrats to our 2024 Minnesota Champion of the Year
Maureen Cahill & Amelie Wall
Raised $50,124 for Best Buddies in Minnesota

Minnesota

Congrats to our 2024 St. Louis Champion of the Year
Bennett Baur & Ned McLean
Raised $55,867 for Best Buddies in St. Louis

Missouri: St. Louis

Congrats to our 2024 Nevada Champion of the Year
Jill Occhiuto
Raised $46,368 for Best Buddies in Nevada

Nevada

Congrats to our 2024 New Hampshire Champion of the Year
Mandi Emery
Raised $31,450 for Best Buddies in New Hampshire

New Hampshire: Nashua

Congrats to our 2024 Seacoast Champion of the Year
Bob Leyman and Lauren Hoepp
Raised $10,233 for Best Buddies in Seacoast

New Hampshire: Seacoast

Congrats to our 2024 New Jersey Champion of the Year
Kristen Beriloff
Raised $23,267 for Best Buddies in New Jersey

New Jersey

Congrats to our 2024 New Mexico Champion of the Year
Michelle Roybal
Raised $7,907 for Best Buddies in New Mexico

New Mexico

Congrats to our 2024 Western NY Champion of the Year
Team Dave Nicchitta and Katie Frost
Raised $3,715 for Best Buddies in Western NY

New York: Western NY

Congrats to our 2024 Albany Champion of the Year
Caroline Orr and Teagan Klingenberg
Raised $12,700 for Best Buddies in Albany

New York: Albany

Congrats to our 2024 North Carolina Champion of the Year
Sarah Richardson
Raised $73,739 for Best Buddies in North Carolina

North Carolina

Congrats to our 2024 Ohio Champion of the Year
Jackie Wise
Raised $83,000 for Best Buddies in Ohio

Ohio: Cleveland

Congrats to our 2024 Columbus Champion of the Year
Sue LeDonne Girardi & Julie Panzera Mission Partner: Joey Tullis
In photo (Left to right): Sharla Thomas, Alex Rgers (Gala Co-Chairs), Joey Tullis, Sue LeDonne Girardi (not photoed: Julie Panzera)
Raised $23,816 for Best Buddies in Columbus

Ohio: Columbus

Congrats to our 2024 Oklahoma Champion of the Year
Melanie Pleasant
Raised $37,100 for Best Buddies in Oklahoma

Oklahoma

Congrats to our 2024 Oregon Champion of the Year
The Campbell Family
Raised $24,000 for Best Buddies in Oregon

Oregon

Congrats to our 2024 Philadelphia Champion of the Year
Randy Hope Steen
Raised $11,084 for Best Buddies in Philadelphia

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia

Congrats to our 2024 Pittsburgh Champion of the Year
Lindley Diecks
Raised $72,688 for Best Buddies in Pittsburgh

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh

Congrats to our 2024 South Carolina Champion of the Year
Meredith Conner
Raised $178,927 for Best Buddies in South Carolina

South Carolina

Congrats to our 2024 Nashville Champion of the Year
Nathan Dean
Raised $369,217 for Best Buddies in Nashville

Tennessee: Nashville

Congrats to our 2024 Memphis Champion of the Year
Laura Yell
Raised $7,500 for Best Buddies in Memphis

Tennessee: Memphis

Congrats to our 2024 Houston Champion of the Year
Jack Krueger & Kevin Harkel
Raised $126,605 for Best Buddies in Houston

Texas: Houston

Congrats to our 2024 North Texas Champion of the Year
Annemarie Carrigan
Raised $55,209 for Best Buddies in North Texas

Texas: North Texas

Congrats to our 2024 Central Texas Champion of the Year
Livi and Annabel Fitzgerald and William Suter
Raised $104,712 for Best Buddies in Central Texas

Texas: Central Texas

Congrats to our 2024 Washington Champion of the Year
Maddy McCrosky and David Franklin
Raised $30,000 for Best Buddies in Washington

Washington

Congrats to our 2024 Washington, DC Champion of the Year
Sheila Stabile & Jaxson Zimmerman
Raised $81,980 for Best Buddies in Washington, DC

Washington, DC

Congrats to our 2024 Wisconsin Champion of the Year
Jennifer Walkowiak
Raised $35,992 for Best Buddies in Wisconsin

Wisconsin
