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Best Buddies Champion of the YearBest Buddies Champion of the Year
Best Buddies Champion of the YearBest Buddies Champion of the Year
  • About Champions
    • Nominate a Champion
    • Circle of Champions
    • FAQ
    • Find Other Champion Events
  • About Best Buddies
  • RSVP
  • Donate
    • Support a Champion
    • General Event Donation
  • Login
Sophie Greene Illinois Champion of the Year

Congrats to our 2022 Chicago Champion of the Year

 

Sophie Greene

Raised $45,400.00 for Best Buddies in Chicago

Circle of Champions

Our Champions truly epitomize the word “Champion” itself. This select group of leaders raises millions of dollars for Best Buddies annually, and they impact their local programs in an extraordinary and unprecedented way. While they compete for weeks, we revere their commitment to inclusion forever and lean on their wisdom to guide future Champions.

1,500

Champions

Champion of the Year logo

$19.5

Million Raised

Our 2022 Top 3

1  |  $123,000

Alyssa and Asher

Asher Ward

Oklahoma

2  |  $99,207

Angela Andrews with Best Buddies staff

Angela Andrews

New Jersey

3  |  $98,513

JohnThomas Atema

JohnThomas Atema

Tennessee

Our Nationwide Champion of the Year Winners

Anna Moates with her Mission Partner, Eleese Anthony

Alabama
Anna Moates & Eleese Anthony
$23,000.00

Kinsey Sullivan

Arizona
Kinsey Sullivan
$96,671.17

Kevin Lint

California: Bay Area
Kevin Lint
$31,851

Carlos Lopezleon

California: Los Angeles
Carlos Lopezleon
$25,000

AJ Arciniega

California: San Diego
AJ Arciniega
$15,231

Abby Senich and Christine Sullivan

Connecticut
Abby Senich and Christine Sullivan
$25,000.00 

Samuel Burbank, holds up his trophy for winning as the Top Champion for Delaware.

Delaware
Samuel Burbank
$6,300.00 

Kayla Sharp with mission partner and family

Florida: North Florida
Kayla Sharp
$98,490.00

Rob Concelman, Leesa Stone, Marissa Nelson and John Nelson

Florida: Orlando
Rob’s Rockstars (Rob Concelman, Leesa Stone, Marissa Nelson and John Nelson)
 $85,000.00 

Marc Pintel & Mission Partner Stephen Shore

Florida: Palm Beach
Marc Pintel & Stephen Shore
$23,273.02

Michelle Kligman and Carolina Rousell

Florida: South Florida
Michelle Kligman and Carolina Rousell
$55,094

Laura Georglos with daughter Tori

Florida: Southwest Florida
Laura Georgelos & Mission Partner, Daughter Tori
$20,580.00 

Dean Valenti with Joshua Felder

Florida: Tampa Bay
Dean Valenti with Mission Partner: Joshua Felder
$45,000.00 

Callaghan Finnegan and Kennedy Baldini

Georgia
Callaghan Finnegan and Kennedy Baldini
$37,000

Brian Yano and Hoopiookalani Balaz

Hawaii
Brian Yano and Ho’opi’ookalani Balaz
$24,000

Marcus Jackson

Illinois: Central Illinois
Marcus Jackson
$21,292

Sophie Greene Illinois Champion of the Year

Illinois: Chicago
 Sophie Greene
$45,400.00 

RJ Zeph, Champion, & Matt Stapleton, Campaign Manager

Indiana
RJ Zeph & Matt Stapleton
$49,037.00

Kimberly Krantz

Iowa
Kimberly Krantz
$50,900.00

Meghan Strite and Cam Brian

Kentucky
Meghan Strite and Cam Brian
$19,402.00 

Lauren Weber headshot

Maine
Lauren Weber
$42,000.00

Julia Goldsmith

Maryland
Julia Goldsmith
$11,400.00

Sarah Ridley with family

Michigan
Sarah Ridley
$16,000.00

Patrick Elmore and mission partner, Jessica Scheu

Minnesota
Patrick Elmore & Jessica Scheu
$68,000.00 

Lloyd Lewis

Mountain (CO & UT)
Lloyd Lewis
$29,184.00

Camille Herd and her Mission Partner, Gabi

Nevada
Camille Herd & Gabi
$35,000.00

2022 Grand Champion, Meagan Baron

New Hampshire
Meagan Baron & her Mission Partner, Ian
$30,000.00

Angela Andrews with Best Buddies staff

New Jersey
Angela Andrews
$99,207.00

Terry Casey, 2022 Arizona's Champion of the Year.

New Mexico
Terry Casey
$10,258.00 

Caroline Hewitt

Western New York
Caroline Hewitt
$6,725.00 

Trinity and Meg holding award

New York: Albany
Trinity Hogben & Meg Phelps
$10,000.00 

Stephen and Avery Day

North Carolina
Stephen and Avery Day
$15,000.00 

Sammy and Kate

Ohio: Cleveland
Kate Scovil
$44,000.00 

Two Girl Best Buddies Friendship participants are smiling and wearing matching Best Buddies Keith Haring logo Sweatshirts

Ohio: Columbus
Alex Rogers & Sharla Thomas
$30,000.00 

Alyssa and Asher

Oklahoma
Asher Ward
$123,000.00 

Katie Campbell

Oregon
Katie Campbell
$50,000.00 

Jason Anderson, Champion of the Year, with his son, and Mission Partner, Teddy

Pennsylvania: Philadelphia
Jason & Teddy Anderson
$20,000.00 

Megan Defebo 2022 Champion, Deidre Kramer 2021 Champion and Noreen Liebrock 2020 Champion.

Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh
Megan Defebo

 

Knox Hudson

South Carolina
Knox Hudson
$94,158.00

JohnThomas Atema

Tennessee
JohnThomas Atema
$98,513.00

Jordyn Ensell with Best Buddy

Texas: Houston
Jordyn Ensell
$79,075.00 

Chris Boult and Annemarie Carrigan

Texas: North Texas
Chris Boult & Annemarie Carrigan
$80,850.00

Marykylie Cranford

Washington
Marykylie Cranford
$25,000

Jaxson Zimmerman

Washington, DC
Jaxson Zimmerman
$8,773.00

Madison and Amelia holding award

Wisconsin
Madison Dettmann & Amelia Jennings
$10,000